Recent Post Widget Size

Hello,

I am wondering what widget I should be using to accomplish a similar fashion to what this website is doing on their recent posts section on their homepage. I am basically inquiring about how I can add a post, a picture appears and a small blurb about what the article is about (possibly even the first so many characters) under a recent post section.

Also, I am wondering if there is a way to change the widget area from three columns to one. I would like to extend the blog to the whole width of the widget area instead of having it broken up into 3 columns.

Being very new with WordPress I’d rather not change anything until I have more input.

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Frank