I've never quite understood the hype of New Year's Eve. Why is there such pressure for the last night of the year to be epic on every level? This year -- if you're anything like me -- why not host your own impromptu party?

We're skipping the uncertainty of cooking for mere nominees and creating a "best of" buffet that features finger food from movies that have taken home the golden statuette in the past.

There's a reason why we dedicate an entire chapter to dips in our book: they're fun, they're filling and they're easy to make in Super Bowl-sized proportions.

Holiday entertaining is all about lots of food, drink and jubilation! It's a time to gather family friends and even good neighbors and acquaintances. ...