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March 10, 2016
At Home with Friends

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Blueberry Muffin Cake

I really love blueberry muffins, freshly baked and overloaded with berries. I’ve been saving this Blueberry Muffin Cake recipe I found in the Fine Cooking Magazine for 2 years. It’s supposed to be made in the summer when blueberries are fresh but I couldn’t resist making it for New Year’s Day, especially when I discovered […]

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 […]

July 16, 2015
At Home with Friends

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Giant Cornmeal Anise Cookie

No matter what our parents told us, we all know it’s fun to play with food. Maybe not a food fight (at least in my house) but fun to play. What better time than Game Night to have food to play with? So I made a giant cookie that my friends got to pass around […]

February 27, 2015
At Home with Friends

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Party Cookies

In my house, party cookies meant the rich butter cookies that were covered with colored sprinkles that my mom bought at the bakery only when there was a party. These actually come close and you make them yourself. The fun part is that they are made with a cookie press and sprinkled with sanding sugar. […]

December 8, 2014
At Home with Friends

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Pistachio Ice Cream

This is nothing like the American version of generic pistachio ice cream which usually tastes like vanilla ice cream with a few chopped nuts and a bit of green food coloring. This is a serious rich, deep pistachio flavored wonderfulness! I would expect nothing less from Melissa Clark, one of my favorite food writers. This […]

October 27, 2014
At Home with Friends

3 comments

Almond Orange Cake

This is a recipe inspired by the flavors of Moroccan cuisine: Many Moroccan desserts use almond paste and orange flower water. Instead of orange flower water, I use orange extract and Grand Marnier, almond paste and almond extract. These flavors combine to create a moist, delectable cake. This cake doesn’t look impressive but watch your […]

September 22, 2014
At Home with Friends

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Almond Meringue Bites

I really love meringue cookies. These are some of my favorites because they are so easy to assemble and quick to bake. Unlike a traditional meringue which is usually baked for 1 1/2 – 2 hours, these are done in approximately 30 minutes. When first made, they are crunchy on the outside and a bit […]