Dulce de leche — which is basically a fancy name for caramel sauce — is a gloriously sticky way of gilding the lily on most any dessert. Here, the store bought sauce is made even better with the addition of a little butter and brown sugar, before being drizzled on top of roasted pear bars. Homemade shortbread comes together in minutes to serve as a buttery base for the spiced, roasted pears. Serves 8 INGREDIENTS: Shortbread Base 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) 1/2 cup

I'm a huge fan of antipasti platters. They're usually my go-to when dinner plans are up in the air and the fridge is a bit sparse. After traveling to New Orleans for the first time and tasting my first muffuletta sandwich, I knew I needed to create my own. I made the olive salad a day in advance. The flavors meld together longer, and you're able to season it better before adding it to the bread. I'm not opposed to a little heat (I carry travel-size hot sauce in my purse), so

I can't recall how I thought up this recipe idea, but I'm enamored with it and think you will be too. The components of a spiced hummus dip deconstructed translate vibrantly to a flavorfully layered Mediterranean chopped salad. Toasting chickpeas with paprika adds a nice crunch and ample complexity, while enhancing the spices in the creamy tahini dressing. Serves 4 people. INGREDIENTS: 1/2 cup tahini 1 whole lemon zested and juiced 1/3 cup olive oil 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp smoked p