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October 31, 2014
At Home with Friends

3 comments

Grilled Eggplant with Honey & Harissa

  This dish is a great example of the magical blend of heat, savory and spices. The harissa creates the heat and the garlic, ginger and cumin — the savory, and the honey balances it all with a touch of sweetness. Don’t worry: This dish does not taste sweet. The honey brings all the flavors […]

October 29, 2014
At Home with Friends

2 comments

Dried Fruit Compote with Grand Marnier

  My grandmother used to make a fruit compote or “stewed fruit” as she called it, that she served with dinner. She made everything with a sprinkling of love, so I happily scarfed down anything she offered. I miss her, but I don’t miss that compote. The fruit was cooked so long that it was […]

October 24, 2014
At Home with Friends

3 comments

Beet Salad with Oranges and Feta

Before beets were trendy, I always loved them. I used to be in the minority and now my friends have figured it out. This salad is a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. The natural sweetness of the beets is complimented by the saltiness of the feta and the slight acidic note […]

October 20, 2014
At Home with Friends

4 comments

Bastilla with Chicken

Bastilla is also called bisteeya, pastilla, b’stilla or bstilla. This is the actual recipe I developed for my friend’s birthday years ago. It might look complicated but it’s basically 3 steps: Make the filling, assemble the bastilla, bake the bastilla. This is really quite doable for everyone. I read many recipes before I created this […]

October 17, 2014
At Home with Friends

3 comments

Spinach and Feta Pastries (“Brik”)

Everybody loves a small, savory two-bite pastry as an appetizer. I watched as my gluten-free, wheat-free, no-carb-eating friends devoured these. While spinach and feta are frequently seen in Greek spanakopita, here they are combined with savory chermoula (available at my Amazon Affiliate Store), allspice and pine nuts and formed into rustic, open triangles for a […]

October 13, 2014
At Home with Friends

5 comments

Warm Hummus with Pine Nuts

Today you can find hummus for sale at every grocery store, big box store or snack stand. Most of this hummus is very thick and heavy with paste-like texture and very little taste. This recipe is nothing like that. It is rich, creamy, velvety smooth, and loaded with flavor! It comes together quickly and easily. […]

October 1, 2014
At Home with Friends

1 comment

How to Build Your Dinnerware Collection

If you’ve been following my blog and come to the parties, you’ve probably figured out that I like dishes. I’ve been acquiring them for years and I am always adding to my collection. One of my dear friends wanted help in building her dinnerware collection. I thought about where to begin and realized that I […]

September 24, 2014
At Home with Friends

4 comments

Fig Pesto Torte

This makes a wow presentation. As good as it looks, it tastes even better. The combination of savory (pesto) and sweet (figs) combine for a magical taste. This recipe makes a large 10-inch torte so it’s great for a big party. Also it’s better if you make it at least 2 days ahead. You can […]

September 15, 2014
At Home with Friends

4 comments

Pignoli Cookies

I fell in love with pignoli cookies while in Italy. Pignoli is Italian for pine nuts. In Italy, they make them very tiny, the size of a nickel or a quarter. Make sure the almond paste you buy is soft. If you get it home and it is really hard, you may have difficulty getting […]

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 […]