Casablanca

Instructions

In a shaker filled with ice, mix the gin, lemon juice and simple syrup-- shake until well-chilled. Strain into two Champagne coupes and top off with the champagne and lemon twists.

Instructions

Start by collecting your olives, olive oil, herbs, harissa and lemon zest.

Toss together and cover tightlly-- refrigerate for at least an hour before serving, and up to a few days.

Onto your other super easy bar snack. Preheat the oven to 400, and collect your nuts and dried nuts-- separately, melt your butter in a small bowl and mix in your spices, sugar, and salt.

On a parchment lined cookie sheet, toss your almonds with your spiced butter, making sure that the nuts aren't overcrowded on the pan. Bake in the oven for roughly 8-9 mins, making sure they don't burn.

Remove quickly from the oven in order to toss in your dates, and continue to toast for another couple of minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving or storing in an airtight container.

Time to tackle your "chips and dip"-- ie, your flatbread and zaalouk. Commence with your flatbread. Mix flour and salt in a medium bowl and create a small well in the center with your fingers. Add your yeast, and pour in your water. Allow to sit for a minute to allow the yeast time to bloom.

Mix the dough together and add either a) more flour if it's too sticky, or b) a sprinkle of water if too dry. It should be tacky to the touch at first, but after a few minutes of kneading, the dough should sprink back slightly to the touch. Cover, and allow to rest for 5-10 mins.

Divide the dough into 3 equal portions and flatten each to roughly 6-7 inches in diameter and about 1/4 inch thick (think thin pizza crust).

Heat a skillet over medium, and add your first flatbread-- cook for about a minute, then flip and cook for a few more. You'll likely see the dough just begin to char, and big bubbles puff up the dough as it heats.

Repeat with the remaining two flatbreads. Serve warm with your zaalouk (but these can also be stored in a ziploc and reheated in the oven).

On to your dip! See ingredients below.

Wipe any residual flour from the same skillet and add the olive oil for your zaalouk. Heat on medium, and add the eggplant, tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, parsley, cilantro, smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne. Add in 1/2 cup of water, toss to coat, then cover. Simmer, stirring periodically, for about 10 minutes until your veggies begin to soften. If you think the mix is getting too dry and is starting to burn, add a bit more water and continue to cook.

Once the eggplant has sufficiently softened, mash the mixture to a smoother consistency.

Stir in some fresh lemon juice additional salt, to taste. Garnish with olive oil and maybe some flaky maldon salt (if you have it).

Et Voilà!

Instructions

Slice and peel all the stuff tat needs slicing and peeling, and prep your spices.

In a large, deep skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil on high and, while you wait for it to heat, sprinkle your chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Sear, skin side down first, for about one minute. Flip, and sear the other side for another minute before moving the poultry to a plate.

Add the onions, carrots, parsnip, and sweet potato to the pan and toss to coat in the residual oil. Reduce heat to medium and continue to sautee for five or so minutes, until the onions just begin to caramalize and your root veggies start to soften at the edges.

Add zucchini and garlic, followed by the spices, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, grated tomato, half of your parsley, and half of your cilantro. Toss to coat. Pour in your chicken broth, and nestle your chicken thighs skin up among the vegetables.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until vegetables are "al dente" and the meat has been mostly cooked through-- this should take about 20-25 minutes. Lastly, add in the garbanzo beans and continue to cook just until they are warm (5-10 mins).

While you wait, make your couscous in a medium pot according to directions on the package. but substitute chicken broth for water. Bring the broth to a boil in the pot with the olive oil before adding the couscous--move off the burner, and cover. Allow to sit and steam for five minutes before fluffing with a fork and setting aside

Dish out the couscous in a large mound-- make a well in the center, into which you will put your three chicken thigs. Top carefully with vegetables in a vertically alternating pattern, followed by chickpeas and a generous pour of broth. Garnish with additional cilantro, parsley, and serve with extra bowls of broth.

Instructions

Begin by preheating your oven to 350, and lining a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl, and gather the rest of your ingredients-- note, your butter will need a little time to soften if you are getting it straight from the fridge.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until creamy, about a minute. Add the egg and vanilla extract next, and beat on high speed until combined and smooth, about 1 minute. Reduce the speed to low, and then add 1/3 of your dry ingredients. Alternate that with your sour cream in 2 more batches each, continuing to beat everything on low until fully combined. The batter should be pretty thick

Return to your cookie sheets and spoon your cookie dough into heart shapes-- you can use a heart shapped cookie cutter (greased) to help guide you.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned-- if you notice that the cookies are spreading and losing their shape, feel free to VERY quickly mold them back into place with a butter knife. Once the cookies are done, cool on the baking sheets for roughly 5 minutes, then remove the cookies to a wire rack and refrigerate until you are ready to apply icing.

Speaking of: thoroguhly combine the confectioners’ sugar, milk, the corn syrup, vanilla extract, and salt together equally into 2 medium bowls. In one of the bowls, add a splash more milk and the cocoa powder. Whisk until combined

Spread vanilla icing onto half of the cookies. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to allow icings time to set a bit.

Spread chocolate icing onto other side and allow the icing to set completely, about 1 hour, before serving.