Book excerpt: Let's get together! It's the cheerful refrain at the end of conversations with friends and family, and the shared anticipation of good times with plenty of delicious food and drink. Whether the occasion is a lazy weekend brunch with your houseguests, a festive cocktail party for colleagues, an over-the-top plated meal for a special occasion, or anything in between, authors DeeDee Stovel and Pam Wakefield have the preparations well in hand. In Let's Get Together, they offer 175 recipes — tested and retested at their own successful gatherings — that will please every palate without keeping you in the kitchen for hours on end. You'll find great ideas for every meal and event. Planning a summer cookout with the neighbors? How about grilled lamb pocket burgers, chopped cucumber salad, curried red lentils, and vanilla ice cream with strawberries and hot bittersweet chocolate sauce? Or try wedding cake cheese, crudites with salsa verde, grilled salmon with mustard sauce, northern Italian lasagna, and green and orange salad for an engagement party. Whether you're looking for kid-friendly food for a family reunion, elegant sandwiches for a baby shower, or an all-the-trimmings holiday dinner, you'll find the recipes you need, along with well-planned menus and professional advice that makes entertaining a stress-free pleasure.