There’s nothing like a warm scone from the oven for breakfast. In England scones are served for afternoon tea, but at my house they’re my morning snack. This recipe makes a lot, so if I’m not feeding a crowd I put them in a freezer bag and pull them out to reheat anytime I need a baked treat. They’re not too sweet, which is my preference, but feel free to add a bit more brown sugar if you’ve got a sweet tooth.

The Spanish tortilla, which is similar to a potato and onion omelet, has been the national dish of Spain for centuries. When sliced into squares or wedges, it made a perfect meal for soldiers to carry with them for nourishment. In Spain (and Basque Country) the tortilla is a popular dish in tapas and pintxos bars and the people take them very seriously.

It was in Israel that I first learned to make perfect hummus. One of the most important ingredients is tahini, a paste made from sesame seeds. Not all tahini tastes alike, so choose one with a rich nutty flavor. My favorite is Har Bracha Tahini, which is available on Amazon.

This may be one of the best desserts in my collection. I’ve even been told by friends who claim they don’t like white chocolate that this is the best cheesecake they’ve ever eaten. If you want to make it extra decadent, substitute crème fraiche for the sour cream. It tastes richer and less tangy, and results in a creamier texture. Although this cheesecake is delicious on its own, it can be served with chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, or simply with berries and whipped cream.

I love knowing I can get oranges at the market any time of the year. I especially love seeing varieties that are new to me, particularly those that have pink or blood-red fruit inside. This is a salad that looks beautiful on a holiday table, picnic table, or even the breakfast table. Just choose some colorful oranges and cut off all the rind; then slice them and remove the seeds.

One of my favorite flavor combinations is chocolate and orange, and these muffins showcase the duo perfectly. I learned to make muffins in high school home economics class, and I can still hear my teacher, Miss Craig telling us to not overmix the batter. We did tests with different muffins that were overmixed and those that weren’t. The ones that were, had big “tunnels” inside and were heavy and dense. The ones that had been mixed just until the flour disappeared were light and airy. It was as lesson I’ll always remember. Make a batch of these muffins for breakfast or dessert, and put the leftovers in the freezer, ready to be heated when you’re craving this marvelous flavor duo.

This is one of the most versatile vegetarian sauces I have ever made. It takes less than thirty minutes, from start to finish, and can be served simply on toasted bread (a great party appetizer), or made into a creamy pasta dish, dip for chips, or hearty scrambled eggs. It only requires a little chopping and one big skillet. And if you have any leftovers, it keeps in the refrigerator up to 3 days, and freezes well. If you’re a fan of truffle oil, add it at the end of cooking, in order to preserve all the flavor.

When you enter the Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem you’ll see carts piled high with large rings of crusty bagels. They’re not the bagels we’re used to that are heavy and dense, requiring a thick slab of cream cheese. These are light and airy, and slightly sweet. They’re coated in sesame seeds and sold in a piece of newspaper. Traditionally, they are dipped in the dry spice, za’atar or cumin seeds. I prefer to tear them and smear them into hummus or spicy yogurt. They’re easy to make, but require some time a nd patience, but It’s worth every second when you pull them from the oven, crispy on the outside and light the inside. They’re best served warm, of course!

Dukkah is an Egyptian mixture of aromatic nuts, seeds, and spices that is versatile enough to sprinkle on vegetables, feta cheese, rice, or leafy salads. There are many variations of dukkah, using different kinds of nuts and seeds, and it keeps well in an airtight jar for several weeks. For this salad I toss lots of greens with as many fresh vegetables I can find, but feel free to add whatever you like. The dressing is perfectly sweetened with honey and compliments the spicy dukkah topping. Ground sumac berries are optional, but add a tangy flavor and gorgous finish to this already colorful salad.

One of my favorite comfort foods is fried rice. It’s best when you use rice that was cooked a day or two before, but in a pinch I sometimes make it fresh and I spread it on a baking sheet to dry out a bit. It’s a great way to use up all those veggies in the fridge but you can certainly use frozen veggies if you prefer.

I’ve made this bread pudding so many times for dessert, breakfast, brunch, and parties. It is one of the most requested recipes I have, and it is so easy to prepare. The use of fresh blueberries and dried blueberries add two different flavors and textures. Be sure to use high quality white chocolate and never use whole wheat bread for this dessert.

Orecchiette is a pasta shaped like a little ear. It is made in the southern region of Italy called Puglia, where in the city of Bari women sit outside their houses and hand roll their pasta into large baskets. It’s the perfect pasta shape for collecting sauces rich with vegetables or meat, but I love the way it holds the pistachio pesto in this recipe.

Panzanella is an Italian salad using day-old bread that is toasted and tossed with tomatoes. I like to tear the bread before toasting it, which gives it a more crispy texture. Of course, using ripe summer tomatoes is the best way to enjoy this salad, but cherry tomatoes any time of year will be delicious too.

These fried risotto balls are a specialty street food in Sicily. They literally mean “little oranges” because they look like oranges with their golden breaded coating. Sometimes they’re filled with meat sauce, but I like to fill mine with cheese, which usually means whatever is in my fridge. I’ve made these for many parties as appetizers, and no one can eat just one! 

I first tasted a green gazpacho with kiwi when I was visiting Santa Fe, New Mexico. I couldn’t wait to create my own version, and I love the way it turned out. The soup itself is pureed in a blender. 

This is a decadent dessert that is easy and a crowd-pleaser. You can prepare the batter and fill the ramekins hours before baking them. The key is to cook them until they have just a little “jiggle” when you shake the baking sheet. If you cook them too long, you won’t have the molten chocolate oozing out, but the cake is still delicious.