Party READY

'Tis the season to take some smart cooking shortcuts. Food stylist Susie Theodorou shows how to transform pantry staples into impressive holiday apps in minutes.

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White Bean & Avocado Dip

Susie's No-Cook Cookbook is full of ingenious ways to give pantry ingredients a lift. For this zesty dip, she blends a can of beans with a couple of spoonfuls of mayo and one ripe avocado then finishes it off with lemon juice and salsa verde.

The Scoop on Dips

DO THE MATH If you're having a group of four over, plan on serving at least two different kinds of dips. You'll need 3 to 4 Tbsp of dip per person.

DIP TYPES

Pair bean dip or yogurt- or avocado-based dips with an olive-based dip such as tapenade.

CRUDITÉS