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December 1, 2014
At Home with Friends

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Spinach Salad

This is a great salad to serve as part of a Moroccan Feast or any party where you want a relatively easy but special salad. I served each guest a portion of spinach and then invited them to add Beet Salad, Artichoke Salad or Fennel Salad on top of the spinach. I usually allow a […]

November 19, 2014
At Home with Friends

2 comments

Fennel Salad

Fennel is generally an underused vegetable. The slight licorice flavor and crunchy texture allow for endless possibilities. It can be eaten raw or cooked. In this recipe, it is sauteed and combined with grilled carrots, preserved lemon and actual fennel seeds. It’s a wonderful salad as part of a Moroccan feast or side dish to serve […]

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 […]

September 19, 2014
At Home with Friends

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Macerated Peaches

I always include fresh fruit in my dessert selections. I use what’s in season and whatever has the most succulent juicy flavor. Mouth watering white peaches were in the market when I was shopping for this party. They were great on their own but became totally delectable when macerated in a divine but delicious peach […]

August 22, 2014
At Home with Friends

4 comments

Black Bean Empanaditas

    BLACK BEAN EMPANADITAS EVENT: Apps & Alcohol SERVES: 9 Pieces per Sheet of Dough (36 Pieces)   Ingredients 1 can 15-oz. black beans, drained 1 large Russet potato, baked and cooled 3 canned plum tomatoes, crushed 3-4 tablespoons tomato liquid from canned tomatoes 2 pasilla chiles, rehydrated, seeded and chopped 2 tablespoons olive […]

July 25, 2014
At Home with Friends

6 comments

Roasted Baby Vegetables

My friend Dano, who volunteers to play bartender, is now a vegetarian. Over the years, during his pre-vegetarian days, we shared many meals. Dano and I worked our way through racks of lamb, short ribs and homemade tequila-cured gravlax. He hated vegetables and little by little I snuck a few on his plate. Surprise! He liked […]

July 18, 2014
At Home with Friends

5 comments

Smashed Potatoes

I’ve been making these for many years. My friends can attest to this. I wanted the equivalent of homemade potato chips without all the frying. Recently the New York Times posted a recipe for smashed potatoes that is similar but different. I think mine are better. This is a great recipe to add to your […]

July 16, 2014
At Home with Friends

6 comments

Cold Minted Pea Soup

When I was growing up, we only had soup when we were sick. Then, of course, it was chicken soup. Since then, I learned to love simple pureed vegetable based creamy soups. This is one of my all time favorites because it’s simple to make, very versatile and freezes beautifully. Another make-ahead dish. For this […]

July 11, 2014
At Home with Friends

2 comments

Watermelon Tomato Salad

The idea for Watermelon Tomato Salad came from my adopted daughter Vera. She had eaten a watermelon salad at one of her favorite restaurants in Los Angeles. She raved about it and brought me one to sample. It was delicious but I had an idea of how to make it even tastier.  Vera volunteered to […]

June 23, 2014
At Home with Friends

7 comments

Veggie Tacos & Chipotle Sauce

I love the versatility of these tacos and the fact that I make the filling the morning of the party and keep it in a 200-degree oven or covered on the countertop until the party. Assembling the tacos is a great job to give to one of your guests. Be careful. I had a guest […]