I come from a big “appetizers for dinner” family. You can see it in the little rituals: call my mom before any major event — New Year’s Eve, the Super Bowl, or just a random December day that feels festive — and ask what she’s making. The answer is always one of two things: lasagna, or appetizers. Usually from Costco, mass-baked for maximum variety. Birthday dinners are a tactical operation: you order the dip, I’ll handle the macaroni and cheese balls, you grab the sliders. Together, it adds up to a full meal. I’ve even joked to my boyfriend, Stephen, about starting a matchmaking service—not for romance, but for people seeking a like-minded friend to share tapas, dim sum or a Chili’s Triple Dipper.

My willingness to abandon a single entree for a few little bites is inherited. My late gran

See Full Page