Is there anything more stressful than falling behind on your party prep, knowing your guests are en route and your doorbell could ring any second? Okay, maybe there are more stressful things, but if you entertain as much as I do then you totally get my point. In the midst of all the last-minute craziness—tidying up, fluffing pillows, lighting candles, updating your playlist—tackling a complicated recipe is a guaranteed party fail. Instead, what you serve should be simple, smart, and, most important, make-ahead. That’s why I’ve assembled this collection of sure-fire crowd-pleasers, starting with my biggest entertaining obsession: crudités.