Ras El Hanout Plum Preserves

Her name was Edna Nosworthy. She was the type of lady who invited every family from the neighborhood to harvest from the abundance of fruit trees in her yard. Apples, pears, cherries, and Italian plums - oh my! She would then turn these fruits into vats of phenomenal pickles, preserves, jams, and pie fillings. These preserves are a homage to the generation that inspires us to use what we have, and share with our neighbors. The global update is lent by the Moroccan staple, Ras El Hanout, whose complex flavors accentuate the sweet-sour plums. Any variety of plum will do, a trip to your local Farmer's Market is sure to spark to inspiration. These preserves are delicious over ice cream, on a warm toasted baguette, or as a dipping sauce for juicy lamb kebabs.

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Green Za'atar Flatbread

After a long day of working, I just want something quick and easy for dinner, but it still has to be delicious... And if it's at least somewhat healthy-ish, all the better! I don't know about you, but I can always eat pizza, in pretty much any form. I can always find ready-made pizza dough at the store, which means my homemade pizzas or flatbreads can be made without any fuss.There's also something incredibly soothing about rolling out pizza dough. The smell of the yeast takes me back to childhood when I would help my mother make bread. After I roll out the dough, brush it with olive oil, then top it with spices.I'll rifle around in my fridge or the cupboards of my small kitchen for odds and ends of goodies that I can either put on the dough before I bake it, or after it comes out of the oven. It all depends on my mood at the moment. Green Za'atar is my favorite spice to use for this, but I also love Hazelnut Dukkah. The smell of the flatbread baking is heavenly, and always seems to perk me up a little bit. It's a perfect end to a hectic day.

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