If the holidays have you scrambling for party-worthy grub, consider crostini (Italian for bread with stuff piled on it).

The beauty of crostini is that the components often can be prepared ahead of time. The bread, for example, can be sliced, drizzled with olive oil and toasted up to a day in advance. Just let the slices cool completely and store them in an airtight container until needed.

With the bread out of the way, all you need to do is sort out what to put on it. You can go the easy route and smear some soft goat cheese over each slice, then sprinkle them with fresh thyme leaves and drizzle them with honey.

Or you could top each with a folded slice of prosciutto and a sliver of Parmesan cheese. Pop them in a 300 Fahrenheit (150 Celsius) oven for 5 minutes, or until just warmed through (but don't let the cheese melt).
Sweet and savory work well, too. Try a smear of cream cheese topped with pepper jelly and thinly sliced scallion. Or substitute a bit of smoked salmon for the jelly for a bagel and lox treatment.

Should parents let their teenagers have champagne at home on New Year's Eve?

One argument says no, it sends the wrong message that underage drinking is okay. The other side argues that a ceremonial glass of champagne at home with family encourages moderation and makes a forbidden activity less tantalizing.

Either way, statistics show that no matter what parents do at home and despite the legal drinking ages, most teens have tried alcohol by age 18.

Seventy-five per cent of high school students have tried alcohol at least once, according to the most recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly 45 per cent had at least one drink in the 30 days before the survey and 26 per cent had five or more in a sitting during the same period.

So maybe you can have your New Year's resolutions and your cake, too. This brownie recipe from Alicia Silverstone's 'The Kind Diet' -- a beautifully photographed ode to healthier eating -- is whole grain and vegan, but tastes decadent.

If you buy raw walnuts, toast them by spreading them on a baking sheet. Place them in a 350 F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the nuts are lightly browned and fragrant. Stir the nuts once or twice as they toast.

Homemade hors d'oeuvres beat out-of-the-box frozen any day. And while your guests are sure to appreciate the personal touch, it's the savings to your entertaining budget that will have you smiling.

On average, frozen party nibbles cost between $5 and $7 per dozen. This recipe for baked new potato halves topped with roast beef and horseradish cream can be prepared in about 30 minutes for about $2.50 per dozen.

For convenience, the potatoes can be baked a few hours ahead so you can quickly reheat them and assemble the hors d'oeuvres as needed. If you like, use sliced pastrami, corned beef or even deli sliced roast turkey instead of the roast beef.

Stymied by what to get the fussy foodie in your life?

Take this bit of advice - we all have more than enough aprons (kitschy, frilly, manly, profane and otherwise) that we don't wear; bottles of decorative vinegars consume valuable kitchen real estate and are so '90s; and with only two hands we can use only so many pot holders.

If you want to please a picky cook, look for gifts that solve problems and make work easier, or at least make it easier to love the work. Here are some suggestions that may make this year's holiday gift hunt a little less stressed.

Food is an important part of any holiday celebration--and what better dish to serve to your hungry family that stout-braised short ribs!

Ribs improve in flavour when braised, especially when done a day or so in advance. To do ahead, cook as directed, then cool the ribs completely, uncovered. Once cool, cover and refrigerate. To serve, reheat the ribs covered in a 350 F oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Serve with buttered egg noodles tossed with chopped fresh parsley, or mashed potatoes or rice.

Plastic ornaments, strands of electricity-hogging lights, trees chopped down by the millions: Christmas decorating isn't exactly known as environmentally friendly.

But, say design experts, there are plenty of ways to bring the sparkle and style of the season into your home without increasing your carbon footprint.

BRING THE OUTDOORS IN

Search outside, says Atlanta-based interior designer Mallory Mathison, for natural materials such as "leaves, branches, cones of all types and berries." She creates holiday centerpieces by filling bowls or baskets with fresh fruits and vegetables. Try an assortment of crimson and golden pears, Mathison says, or go red and green with pomegranates and artichokes.

With pine cones, "collect as many different types as possible. They need to be dry, so lay them out in the attic or garage." Try displaying them, she says, in large silver bowls, long trays or "a big, funky pottery bowl."