Appetizers at Thanksgiving are a tricky business: a few small bites can be a great start to the celebration, but if you eat too much, you'll regret it when mashed potato time comes around. More

Each day this week we'll round up our favorite no-to-minimal-labor recipes for your Labor Day festivities this weekend. Up first, appetizers! Green pea hummus, TMBC (Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil, Crouton) skewers, potato skins, and more. More

When we're lucky enough to celebrate good fortune with champagne or sparkling wine, we tend to do it before the evening begins. We gather at someone's home before dinner to break open bottles of bubbly. These salty, spicy, and crunchy nibbles pair perfectly with celebratory wines. More

The following recipes are my favorite snacks for no-cook one-handed summertime consumption. Be warned: You will need at least two hours of advance refrigerator time before these appetizers are ready, but I know you're a planner. More

"When 2 people share an appetizer with an odd number of items, each is too reserved to take the last one, so it goes back to the kitchen and someone from the wait staff gets a snack. :-)" —dmcavanagh on "Why an Odd Number of Appetizers?" More

[Photograph: Bill Milne] Smoked Turkey Wings with Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce View the complete recipe here » The cook in Buffalo, New York, who first threw together some hot sauce and butter, and tossed it with some crispy chicken wings probably had no idea of the fervor his soon-to-be signature dish would inspire, especially for Super Bowl game-watchers. But why is the turkey wing overlooked as an option? By no means am I bashing spicy chicken wings, but sometimes all you get is skin and bones. Not so with the almighty turkey. Yes, turkey wings do take longer to cook. But not only are the results spectacular to behold, the skin-to-meat ratio is better. And isn't a Super Bowl... More

Note: Lee Zalben, a.k.a. "the Peanut Butter Guy" is the creator of the Peanut Butter & Co., a New York sandwich shop with a national line of nut butters. Every week he chimes in with some nuttiness. Take it away, Lee! [Photograph: Lee Zalben] Champagne and foie gras—perhaps this is how you rang in the New Year during the stock market's boom times. But for 2010, you might not have the ducats to put on such a rich spread. And even if you can, perhaps you're opting for a less showy celebration. So if you aren't going to splurge on Krug or Veuve Clicquot, why not opt for some California sparkling wine or some affordable Spanish cava? And if you've... More

Editor's note: On Thursdays, Babbo pastry chef Gina DePalma checks in with Seriously Italian. After a stint in Rome, she's back in the States, channeling her inner Italian spirit via recipes and intel on delicious Italian eats. Take it away, Gina! Any serious student of Italian cuisine understands the relationship that Italians have with leafy greens. I can’t remember an evening meal, with my family or when I lived in Italy, without a pile of garlicky greens on the side; it could be dandelion, swiss chard, escarole, chicory, or my very favorite, spinach. Spinach in Italy is beautiful: deep green, with an almost velvety appearance, and a distinctive, mineral-rich flavor. It only needs a minimalist approach to make it completely... More

When I saw Jane Spice's blog post about a goat cheese spread with mint and cumin seeds my brain did a double take. "Wait," I thought, "This is not the processed, wine-saturated cheese dip that graces my parent's Christmas table." No, this dip is made with fresh mint and cumin, which helps counter the bite of the tangy goat cheese. As much as I kind of love cheese log and beef stick, this dish has me salivating. And the best part, all you have to do is throw some crackers and maybe a handful of cut vegetables and you've got a quick and easy appetizer.... More