
One of the most overlooked items on a
Thanksgiving table is the bread; often it is nothing more than store-bought rolls. Although I've made
buttermilk biscuits in the past, this year I was looking for a bread item that can be made in advance. I was thrilled to find a creative alternative in this recipe for savory madeleine.

Have dinner on the table in minutes with this flavorful salmon dish. Select thin, six-ounce salmon fillets that are firm, but delicate. Once seared, the salmon takes on a buttery, melt-in-your mouth texture.

I am a big fan of the
Mediterranean diet, and not just because I love hummus. The med diet has been found to
fight chronic diseases, like cancer and heart disease, as well as stave off the effects of Alzheimer's.
Lucky for me, I love olives, central to this region's cuisine.

A housewarming party is similar to an open house in that guests will stop by at random times. Instead of slaving over the stove, serve a simple menu of Spanish style tapas that are delicious warm, cold, or at room temperature. Start by putting together a large antipasto platter with your favorite cheese, crackers, marinated vegetables, and charcuterie.

Yesterday before heading to the
Nordstrom Fall Preview Fashion Show, I whipped up a quick batch of my
signature nachos for
FabSugar and I to enjoy. With no time to run to the store, I used ingredients leftover from last week's
Greek nachos to make a vegetarian, Mediterranean-inspired appetizer. The pita chips were crisped in the oven before being topped with a Spanish sheep's milk cheese.

A great staple to incorporate into your weekly diet is the
grain quinoa. Like couscous, quinoa takes on the flavors of its surrounding ingredients. In this recipe, the quinoa is tossed with crunchy peppers, cool cucumbers, and salty olives.

Give tuna salad a gourmet makeover by using fresh tuna instead of its canned counterpart. In this delicious dinner recipe, the tuna steak is seared in a fennel, black pepper infused olive oil. Grown up ingredients — capers, garlic, and black olives — are stirred into the mayonnaise based dressing.

This super quick and healthy pasta incorporates many of my favorite Summer flavors: fresh, fragrant basil, burst in your mouth grape tomatoes, and salty black olives. The natural simplicity of the sauce — the veggies and herbs are barely cooked — pairs perfectly with whole wheat spaghetti.
If you prefer not to cook with wine, use a low sodium chicken broth instead.

I never think to cook with wheat berries, but every time I have them I'm won over by their flavor and texture. It's an interesting grain that works well as a side dish to almost any meal. This recipe for a wheat berry, smoked gouda salad is packed with olives, walnuts, and parsley.

The other night I got home from work and was starving. Unfortunately we had late dinner plans that evening, so I couldn't chow down too heavily. We also had limited supplies in our cabinets; there was no bread, crackers, or fruit to snack on.