Appetizer Recipes

It was 11:47 PM on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and I was staring at a fridge full of leftovers that hadn’t even been served yet. … Read more

I was standing in line at the hardware store, holding a new garbage disposal I had no idea how to install, when the woman in … Read more

My husband had refused Halloween-themed food for years. A decade, at least. He’d make this face—a sort of wince mixed with pity—whenever I’d suggest turning … Read more

The Halloween party was in six hours and I’d completely forgotten. Everyone else would be bringing those elaborate themed dishes you see on Pinterest—you know, … Read more

This was supposed to be a fancy roasted vegetable tart. I had the puff pastry thawing on the counter, a head of cauliflower sitting pretty, … Read more

I was at the hardware store last October, of all places, buying a new light fixture for the hallway. The guy at the counter, this … Read more

The neighborhood fall potluck was in three hours and I’d completely forgotten. Everyone else would be bringing their signature dishes—layered pumpkin bars with cream cheese … Read more

My neighbor, a retired nurse named Gladys, watched me wrestle with a batch of puff pastry on my front porch one chilly October afternoon. I … Read more

My roommate asked why I couldn’t just throw everything we already had in the fridge onto a cutting board and call it dinner. It was … Read more

My sister claimed she hated charcuterie boards for years. “Too fussy,” she’d say, waving a hand at the carefully arranged meats and cheeses at every … Read more