Bacon-Wrapped Dates

This year, we’ve decided to host a Christmas party for about 50 friends and family, and there will be a mix of children as well as adults and seniors, some of whom are vegetarian and/or vegan. I want to do dinner buffet-style, but with such a diverse group, I’m not sure what to make. Can you help? - Just Wanting to Keep the Peace

A few weeks ago, a friend tipped me off to an Asian bakery in Richmond that serves traditional Vietnamese baguette sandwiches, also known as bánh mi (pronounced BUN-mee). These delectable submarine-shaped sandwiches consist of two slices of crusty French-style baguette that are brushed with a swipe of mayonnaise or butter, and can be filled with a variety of grilled meats (usually marinated pork), p»tés, sausages, coldcuts, even tofu or fried eggs. The sandwiches are then topped with sliced, pickled daikon radishes; shredded, pickled carrots; thinly sliced jalapeño; and fresh herbs, such as cilantro.

Banh Mi Sandwich

Recently, I came across a book of my grandmother’s recipes. I want to put them together as a cookbook for a family keepsake, but nearly all of the recipes are scribbled by hand, and most ingredient measurements and amounts are vague, like a pinch of this and handful of that. Do you have any advice on how to rewrite and save some of these recipes? - Need Recipe Rescue

DEAR ACCIDENTAL CHEF: I’ve been following your column for a while now, and you’ve given some great advice, especially when it comes to cooking at home. If you had to list your favorite kitchen/cooking tips, what would they be? Answer: Wow, this question is a tough one, on par with “What’s your favorite restaurant?“ So many suggestions come to mind. But here are my top five.

It’s always a clear sign that fall is approaching when I feel the unyielding need to belly up to the stove and create something warm, comforting and—most of all—brothy. It’s as if the very air outside is dictating my next meal. Will tonight be hearty beef and potato stew, a classic chicken noodle, or perhaps something more exotic, like a slow-cooked Vietnamese beef pho?

Granny Belcher’s Mexican Bean Chowder

Zesty Beef and Cabbage Soup

I’ve been experimenting with homemade blue-cheese dressing for quite some time, and I’ve gotten so spoiled that I cannot bear to drizzle my veggies in anything but the real, homespun stuff. I’ve played around with several recipes - some that are more sour-cream based, some that are primarily mayonnaise and some rooted in buttermilk. I’ve added fresh herbs and I’ve omitted them. I’ve made thick, creamy dressings as well as more liquid-based ones. I’ve mixed by hand and with the food processor. Most importantly, I worked with all types of blue cheese, from the quick and easy pre-crumbled kind to the high-end import cheeses priced by the pound.

Recipe: Blue-Cheese Dressing

A few weeks ago, I found myself standing seaside in the small, medieval town of Conwy in North Wales. As the seabirds cackled and the tide began to pull away, I couldn’t help but reflect on the magic that the Welsh coastline evokes. Perhaps it was the town of Conwy itself, with its mighty castle and fortressed walls, or maybe it was the way the light breeze off the bay carried the aroma of the Irish Sea, only a few miles away.

DEAR ACCIDENTAL CHEF: We carve a couple of pumpkins for Halloween just about every year. Yet once Halloween is over, we let our poor pumpkins sit there and rot until we eventually throw them away. I’d like to try to do something with them or at least find some kind of use for my leftover pumpkin. Any ideas?—Jane-o-lantern

When the weather starts getting cooler, I crave warm, comfort foods like mac and cheese, fried chicken and anything involving potatoes, but I’m trying to eat healthier and don’t want all the calories. I’d like to be able to cut out some of the fat in these dishes. Is there any way I can still have my cake and eat it, too?—Craving Casseroles