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September 10, 2014
At Home with Friends

3 comments

Spicy Pork Tenderloin with Caramelized Onions

Once I had the biscuit recipe perfected, I turned my attention to the pork tenderloin. This cut of pork is very lean so you can’t rely on fat for flavor. So you need to use assertive spices. These spices and the sweetness of the peach jam compliment each other beautifully. The tiny touch of caramelized […]

September 8, 2014
At Home with Friends

5 comments

Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits

When I was planning this menu, I thought about all those seductive looking Southern food spreads that always include homemade buttermilk biscuits topped with a slice of country ham or pork and served with a yummy sweet-savory spread. I have to confess that I’ve never made biscuits. I’ve eaten my share but never actually made […]

September 5, 2014
At Home with Friends

6 comments

Mini Pasta Timballos with Smoked Mozzarella Cheese

About 15 years ago, I had the good fortune to take a week long cooking class with Lorenza di Medici at her home Badia a Coltibuono in Tuscany. A small group of us were given the opportunity to stay at her incredible estate and spend several hours each day cooking with Lorenza di Medici. Each […]

September 3, 2014
At Home with Friends

6 comments

Grilled Lamb Chops

I love lamb chops and always have since I was a kid. People think lamb chops are difficult to make but they are really easy. This is not so much a recipe as basic instructions for preparation. I buy racks of lamb (at Costco) and trim away all the fat, cut them apart, season and […]

September 1, 2014
At Home with Friends

3 comments

Gorgonzola Cherry Bites

This is a recipe I was testing just before the Apps & Alcohol Party. It’s so simple that I decided, at the last minute, to make a small batch and see if people liked them. They disappeared. Friends who called the next day raved about them. This recipe is going into my permanent collection: I […]

August 29, 2014
At Home with Friends

4 comments

Mini Turkey Meatballs with Yoghurt Dipping Sauce

This is one recipe that will surprise your guests. The assertive spices together with the cooling Yoghurt Dipping Sauce made this a hit at my party. They look like ordinary meatballs but the flavor is anything but ordinary. Make them really small. If people like them, they go back for more. If the spices are […]

August 27, 2014
At Home with Friends

4 comments

Chicken Liver Pate

One of my friends does a holiday party every year. She always serves simple appetizers, salami, cheeses and turkey liver pate. Most of her guests are really health conscious, so I am always surprised that the pate totally disappears. I know where she buys the pate and I went and bought some. I made the […]

August 25, 2014
At Home with Friends

3 comments

Caprese Veggie Skewers

A Caprese salad is a simple salad made of sliced mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and fresh basil. Even when I make this with the freshest mozzarella cheese and sweetest tomatoes, I find it a little flat in flavor. I long for the saltiness of good olives and a bite of fresh grilled veggies. So I put […]