Pot luck at my house

These incredibly crunchy and addictive peanuts are both sweet and plenty salty. We nibbled them as an appetizer at a pot luck last night. My food writing class from BU came and Globe contributor Jonathan Levitt told them what it's like to make a living as a freelancer food writer. Jonathan is a graduate of the Masters in Gastronomy program the students are in. The recipe comes from David Lebovitz's Paris-based blog. Here are some of the other dishes.

What's missing is the main course -- two handsome turkey breasts -- and one of the desserts, a handsome apple pie made with Vermont Northern Spy apples.

Bean salad with fennel
Serves 12

6 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup white wine vinegar, or to taste
1/4 cup olive oil, or to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 pint cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 pint pitted olives, coarsely chopped
1 fresh bulb fennel, trimmed and very thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. In a large bowl combine the beans, vinegar, oil, and plenty of salt and pepper. Stir gently, cover tightly, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and as long as overnight.
2. Add the tomatoes, olives, fennel, and parsley. Stir gently. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper, vinegar, or oil. Sheryl Julian