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November 12, 2015
At Home with Friends

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Parmesan Crackers

I am always on the lookout for great tasting gluten free crackers. I’ve made Parmesan crisps by spreading mounds of freshly grated Parmesan cheese on paper-lined baking sheets. This resulted in delicate thin Parmesan crisps but required careful handling and attention to detail. I had a cup of leftover grated Parmesan cheese and decided to […]

November 9, 2015
At Home with Friends

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Cardamom Rice Pudding with Peach Chutney

While lots of people remember rice pudding as a beloved childhood food, this is definitely an adults-only Rice Pudding. Adult because it contains Amaretto liqueur and also because of the sophisticated mix of flavors. Cardamom, almond extract, orange extract, cinnamon and a savory Peach Chutney are complex and oh so satisfying. You might think it’s […]

November 5, 2015
At Home with Friends

2 comments

Shrimp & Corn Cakes with Sauces

I love crab cakes but I wanted to make something different for this party. So this is my riff on a crab cake. This is as enticing but uses wild shrimp, corn and gluten free crackers, so my friends with true gluten intolerance could enjoy them. Also, usually crab cakes are pan seared so they […]

November 2, 2015
At Home with Friends

1 comment

Individual Mini Veggie Frittatas

When I was growing up, eggs were strictly for breakfast. Occasionally, they were hard boiled and turned into egg salad or deviled eggs. They were never considered party fare for guests. It wasn’t until I started spending time in Italy and saw people ordering artichoke frittatas as a first course that I realized they make […]

October 26, 2015
At Home with Friends

3 comments

Cauliflower Fritters with Cumin & Raita

If you’re planning a party of all appetizers and alcohol, you need at least one fried appetizer. Somewhere there is a written rule about this. Alcohol and fried food are a natural combination. But fried food doesn’t have to be greasy or heavy. You need a combination of the right batter, the correct oil and […]

October 22, 2015
At Home with Friends

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Olive Tapenade Tart with Ricotta Cheese

This is another one of those recipes that I can put together using pantry staples. I always keep different kinds of olives in my pantry, frozen puff pastry thawed in the refrigerator and whole milk ricotta or soft goat cheese in the cheese drawer. Even though I make my own tapenade, you can even use […]

October 19, 2015
At Home with Friends

4 comments

Mocha Pot de Crème with Whipped Cream

I have always loved pot de crème, crème brûlée or any type of baked custard dessert. There is something about the rich, luscious, creamy texture, combined with the intense flavor that brings a smile to my face with the first spoonful. I tried to sort out the difference between crème brûlée and pot de crème. […]