Thanks to all who came to ring in the new year with us and extra thanks to those who asked for the recipes :)

I followed the Barefoot Contessa Cocktail Party Rule (make three, buy three); so, these are the only homemade ones:

Roasted Tomato Bruschetta

18 roma tomatoes

Loaf of crusty bakery bread, sliced (buy it at Katzingers and they’ll slice it for you - love that!)

Log of fresh mozzarella

~30 big leaves of fresh basil, julienned

Olive oil, salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Slice tomatoes in half. Toss with a few tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper. Lay cut side up on baking sheets (the ones with sides) (you can really pack them in). Roast for 2 - 2.5 hours until they smell delicious. Cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Dice tomatoes. Mix in basil. Thin slice mozzarella.

(I diced them in advance and drained some of the liquid)

Lay bread directly on the rack in oven. Toast for 3-4 minutes, until firm.

Remove bread from oven and layer each piece with cheese and a couple scoops of tomato mixture. Return to oven. Toast for 5 minutes. Cut into smaller pieces.

Spiced Pecans

1 pound pecan halves

4 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon kosher salt (maybe less if you use salted butter)

1/2 teaspoon each: ground cumin, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, dried ground orange peel (mix together in a small bowl with salt)

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons brown sugar (I used dark - I don’t think it matters)

2 tablespoons water

Cover a sheet pan with some parchment paper

Toast the nuts in a heavy 10-inch skillet over medium heat (stirring frequently) for 4 to 5 minutes until they smell toasted.

Add butter and stir until it melts.

Add the spice mixture and combine.

Add sugar and water (it’s like a sizzling science experiment at this point)

Stir until the mixture thickens and coats the nuts, ~2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer the nuts to the sheet pan and separate them with a fork or spatula.

Fig and goat cheese tart

1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted

2 jars of fig spread (I got them at Whole Foods)

10-11 ounces goat cheese

1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Cover a sheet pan with parchment paper.

On a floured surface, roll out the first sheet of pastry to 10 by 12 inches. Place it on a sheet pan and crumble/spread the goat cheese on it, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Cover the cheese with the fig spread, also leaving a 1-inch border. Brush the border with the egg wash.

Roll the second sheet out the same way. Place it on top of the filled pastry, lining up the edges. Cut the edges straight with a small, sharp knife and press together lightly. Brush the top with egg wash and cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve hot or warm. I think when I make this again I’ll serve it with vanilla ice cream (and, importantly, a fork!)