Last weekend I hosted my first outdoor dinner of the season. While I had grand plans to serve a crazy new cocktail, in the end, I went with a crowd-pleasing standby, sangria.

Sangria is one of my favorite drinks to pour at a party because it's wildly refreshing, can be made in advance, and serves a large group. From white to red to sparkling to rosé, there's hundreds of recipes, so I rarely make the same variation twice. This time, we sipped a white-wine sangria spiked with elderflower liquor. It was wonderful! It's slightly sweet and floral, incredibly fruity, and highly drinkable. My guests went through three pitchers in a matter of minutes.

If you're planning a warm-weather get-together, put this easy concoction on the menu. To give the fruit time to flavor the alcohol, assemble several hours in advance. For the recipe, read more

This month, Good magazine features a collection of narrative images that explores the different ways people address food. "You Are What You Eat," a collection of narrative images by artist Mark Menjivar, divulges the contents of various eaters' refrigerators.

One fridge, stacked haphazardly with various styrofoam takeout containers, reflects the night owl habits of a bartender. Another icebox, stocked mostly with beer, coffee drinks, and a lone plate of leftovers, reflects the eating habits of three college students. Even sadder, another contains nothing but mayonnaise and a black plastic bag — it's the fridge of a street advertiser who makes $432 a month in wages.Menjivar's work reminds us that the food we stock in our refrigerators is as much a footprint of our lives as what we do or how we dress. If I were to publish my own, I would submit the above photo, with the header, "Food Writer | San Francisco, CA | 2-Person Household | Living on soup to get over bronchitis | 2009."

What would yours say? Check out Menjivar's work (below are a few examples) and tell me what you think: are you what you eat?

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Why head to the local pizza parlor when you can whip up gourmet pies in the comfort of your own kitchen? With the help of store-bought dough, pizza making is a cinch. This recipe tops the dough with portobello mushrooms, red peppers, garlic, and two types of cheese.

However, the best thing about homemade pizza is the ability to get creative. Top your pizza with whatever ingredients you want! Use this recipe loosely as a guide and go from there. Making pizza is also a great way to transform leftovers into something new and delicious. For the simple technique, read more

For Ronda's belly dancing themed bachelorette party, the decorations will be opulent and rich with lots of gold accents. Here's how you can achieve a similar look.

Cover the appetizer table with a raw silk brocade fabric. Peacock feather placemats add texture to the tablescape. Serve the pita rounds, Turkish cigars, lamb flatbread, and skewered shrimp on luxe teal platters. Set the fudge brownie tartlets on a golden elephant cake stand. Fill an elegant drink dispenser with lavender peach bellini and let the girls fill up the champagne coupes.

Hang festive colored lanterns from trees or the ceiling and arrange an exotic bouquet of flowers. Belly dancing jewelry is a fabulous and unexpected party favor.

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During the Spring and Summer, you can almost always find the ingredients for pico de gallo in my fridge. This delightful Mexican condiment has a fresh tomato base and is flecked with raw onions and minced jalapeno. Just-squeezed lime juice adds a refreshing tartness. If I have cilantro, sometimes I'll stir that in, too.

To simply enjoy the pure flavor of pico de gallo, serve as a dip with crunchy tortilla chips. Or use the versatile mix in a number of creative ways. Place on top of grilled fish or steak. Stir into a salad of mixed greens or fold with cooked couscous. Toss with shredded chicken and you've got a quick filling for tacos or enchiladas frescos. Place in between soft tortillas with cheese and make quesadillas. Puree in the food processor for salsa.

See? The possibilities are endless. Get this recipe that you'll be making well into next Fall when you read more

• Make five well-balanced bag lunches out of one roasted chicken. — Chow
• Watch Stephan Colbert eat New York City's most expensive dishes. — Eat Me Daily
• Should adult diners be allowed to wear bibs? — The Feedbag
• The war on Alice Waters continues. — Gourmet
• Three kitchen techniques that will change your life. — Simply Stated
• Would you eat this macaroni-and-cheese-topped hot dog? — Eater
• Treat yourself to homemade pain au chocolat cinnamon rolls with creme fraiche icing and walnuts. — Serious Eats

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