hostess gifts

It's almost Halloween, and I have a treat for all you vampire-crazed home cooks: it's The Complete Vampire Lover's Cookbook, Love at First Bite ($10). This ghoulishly good paperback is a festive cookbook with over 300 "suckulent" recipes. Although there are no pictures of the dishes, the tome is full of great ideas and delightful inspiration. Read on for more details!

This story was written by member Angelica and comes from the Savory Sights group in the YumSugar Community.I decided to make my own holiday hostess gifts this year instead of spending on wine or pre-made goodies. I found mini jam jars at Target and stocked up on pistachios, almonds, white chocolate chips and dried cranberries from Trader Joe's, which combine to make a tangy, sweet, and salty treat that can be enjoyed at the party, or weeks later. To add an extra seasonal flair I dressed the jars with a red ribbon and a simple stock card label, which I decorated with a rubber stamp. I made eight for about $50, which comes out to about $6 a piece. Personalized, pretty and not-so-pricey. The perfect holiday treat!

Have you eaten an awesome meal? Join the Savory Sights group, upload your photos and a description of the experience, and it could be featured on YumSugar! If you are new to the YumSugar Community, here's a detailed guide to posting to groups.

Do you have an iPhone? Then stop what you're doing right now and download the Nirvino (my preferred online drinking community) wine ratings guide. With over one million wines listed by name, price, grape varietal, flavor profile, region, and producer, the wine application is an amazing resource to always have at your fingertips.

Not only does it provide food pairing suggestions, but there's also lots of fun lists to browse. Food Network's Aida Mollenkamp shares her favorite wines to drink while cooking, Sommelier Mark Bright rounded up his top bottles from Whole Foods, and yours truly has even created a list!

I headed to Safeway to pick out the best wines — all of which are under $20 — for hostess gifts. I've tasted and enjoyed these wines and would bring them to a party. Be it a birthday bash at Hog Island oyster farm, an intimate Thanksgiving dinner, or an upcoming holiday soirée, there's a bottle for every occasion. To check out my list, keep reading.