These are actually the perfect appetizer. I had forgotten about them for years and then I was scrambling for the perfect appetizer for a party and remembered I used to make these all the time. Like ALL THE TIME. The first time I made them for a group people - twenty years ago - everyone was RAVING about them. And that was one of the critical moments in my life when I realized food was my special skill.

These are not hard. My go-to ingredients are tomato paste + tapenade. It’s salty, mostly premade, simple, and kind of tastes like pizza. But I also use pesto when that’s what I have. I have tried fresh vegetables - spinach, tomato, even fresh basil leaves and that doesn’t work. It’s too liquid-y and it makes the pastry all weird. You’re always welcome to try it, but I tried it for you.

Flaky Tapenade Bites

makes 2 dozen

1 package puff pastry

OPTION A

1/2 cup tomato paste

1/2 cup tapanade

OPTION B

1 cup tapenade

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Unroll the puff pastry sheet onto a floured cutting board and roll out slightly until you can’t see the lines anymore.

STEP 2

Use half of the ingredients on each roll. Spread it out evenly over the sheet. Roll up the pastry and slice into 1/2 inch pieces.

STEP 3

Pop each slice on a lined baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes until puffed and crispy. Remove from the baking sheet and cool on a cooling rack.

Serve warm or room temperature.

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Americano Cocktail

Delightfully simple and totally refreshing. Simple enough to make a batch of them, and a perfect compliment with the flaky tapenade bites!

The original champagne cocktail is mentioned in Casablanca, in Mark Twain’s Innocents Abroad, and has been turned into one million variations. This is the classic one. The OG.

It’s pretty simple - and it works - like most classic cocktails. It’s a little sweet (sugar) a little bitter (bitters) a little warm (cognac) and deliciously bubbly. The lemon on top is the perfect topper.

I found that if you swirl the cognac with the sugar before you add the champagne, it’s a better drink immediately. But it is not as impressive when you serve it. If you don’t swirl, the sugar cube bubbles with the champagne and it looks so pretty. But it takes a few minutes to get to the delicious drink you’re craving. Either way, you should totally make these for New Year’s Eve.

The Original Champagne Cocktail

1 sugar cube

2 -3 dashes bitters

1/2 ounce cognac

Champagne

lemon

Drop a sugar cube in the bottom of a champagne flute. Drip the bitters onto the sugar cube and let it sit so it soaks up. Pour in the cognac and swirl a little (optional - it’s better for flavor, but not the looks). Then top with champagne, pouring slowly to not get too much foam.

Cut a lemon with a wedge knife or a vegetable peeler and squeeze it over the top so there’s just a hint of lemon oil. Serve immediately!

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I know most people think Pumpkin Spice is THE fall flavor. But they’re wrong because that’s disgusting. The flavor of fall is this molasses cookie. Before you say they aren’t, bake them first! I promise it will change your mind.

These have the perfect flavor - they stay chewy - which is mandatory for a molasses cookie. I stick them in the kid’s lunches during these early months of fall - and then make sure there are enough left over for you to have one in the morning with coffee. I cannot recommend them enough with coffee!

Let me know if you make them and what you think. Happy fall!

The Best Molasses Cookies

makes about 2 dozen

3/4 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar + more for rolling

2 eggs

1/2 cup molasses

2 1/4 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and both sugars. Whip until the mixture is fluffy.

STEP 2

Whisk in the egg and molasses and whip until fluffy.

STEP 3

Add all of the dry ingredients to the mixture and combine until just mixed.

STEP 4

Scoop out cookie dough and roll in sugar to coat. Place each cookie dough ball on a lined baking sheet and bake 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the sheet.

Store them in an airtight container for about a week.

HOT TIPS

• This dough is super sticky. It does best when chilled or baked immediately. I like to chill it so it can roll in the sugar easier.

• If your cookies start to spread too much, chill the dough.

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