Cookies:
Almond Crescent Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup of butter, room temperature 2/3 cup of sugar 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 1 teaspoon of almond extract 2 1/2 cups of flour 1 cup of almond flour (can substitute ground almonds*)
1/4 cup of powdered sugar for sprinkling

Procedures: Cream the butter and the sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the extracts and mix.
Add the flour and almond flour. Mix thoroughly. Take generous tablespoons of the dough (it will be slightly crumbly) and roll it into a small ball, about an inch in diameter, and then shape into a crescent shape. Place onto parchment paper and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until a light golden brown. Dust with powdered sugar.
For added decadence let the cookies cool and dip one end of them into some melted chocolate, then let the chocolate harden.

Amaretti Cookies
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups of almond flour -or- 3 cups of blanched slivered almonds, finely ground up
1 1/4 cup of baker's sugar (superfine sugar)
3 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of almond extract
Extra sugar for dusting

Procedure: Preheat oven to 300 F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a food processor mill together the almond flour and sugar. Add the vanilla and almond extract and pulse for a few seconds. Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue to process until the dough is smooth. Place teaspoons of the dough on the parchment paper and dust with sugar. Bake for 24-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before serving. They will be slightly chewy at first, but they will be nicely crispy as a day or two goes by. Store in a cool, dry place. (Note: I usually underbake mine since I like them chewy. If that's your preference, bake them for about 20-24 minutes.)

Oatmeal Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks, 8 oz, 225 g) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
2 eggs (large), lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tbsp water
1 1/2 cups bitter-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 cup sweetened, shredded coconut (optional)
3 cups Old Fashioned rolled oats (Quick oats are okay, but not steel cut, not instant)

Procedures:
Brown the butter. Place sticks of butter in a thick-bottomed medium sized stainless-steel saucepan. (It's important to use a saucepan that has a light, reflective interior like stainless steel, otherwise you won't be able to see the butter browning.) Heat on medium. Melt the butter, whisking so that the butter melts evenly. Continue to cook the butter. As it cooks, the butter will foam up, and then the foam will subside. Whisk frequently to check underneath the bubbly surface. At some point, browned bits will form at the bottom of the pan and the butter will begin to smell nutty. Watch carefully, it's easy for the butter to go from browned to burnt. When the browned bits begin to form, remove the pan from the heat. Pour the melted butter, with the browned bits, into a glass or metal bowl. Allow to cool a bit while you prepare the other ingredients.Using a wooden spoon, stir the flour mixture into the butter sugar egg mixture. Stir in 2 Tbsp water (note that if you are using jumbo eggs, and not large eggs as the recipe calls for, you will probably not need this much extra liquid.) Stir in the chocolate chips, and the pecans and shredded coconut (if using). Stir in the oatmeal. Up to this point you can make the dough up to a day and a half ahead and store in the refrigerator. Butter two large cookie sheets, or line them with Silpat mats or parchment paper. Spoon out heaping tablespoon-fuls of cookie dough and lay them on the cookie sheet. Make sure you have about 2" of space between each cookie, as they will flatten a little and spread on the cookie sheet. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10 minutes, or until they are just brown around the edges, but still soft in the center. They will firm up as they cool. (If you want them crispier, you can bake them from 12-14 minutes. 10 minutes will help yield a more chewy cookie.)Take the cookies out of the oven and let them cool for two or three minutes on the hot baking sheet. Then, using a metal spatula, carefully transfer the still-hot cookies to a wire rack to cool. They will continue to be soft until completely cooled. Once completely cooled, store in an airtight container.
Banana Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup of sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 cup of mashed bananas (about 2 ½ large bananas)
1 teaspoon of baking soda
2 cups of flour pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ground mace or nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
1 cup of pecans (walnuts and chocolate chips are fine alternatives)

Procedures:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. In a bowl, mix the mashed bananas and baking soda. Let sit for 2 minutes. The baking soda will react with the acid in the bananas which in turn will give the cookies their lift and rise. Mix the banana mixture into the butter mixture. Mix together the flour, salt, and spices and sift into the butter and banana mixture and mix until just combined. Fold into the batter the pecans or chocolate chips if using. Drop in dollops onto parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until nicely golden brown. Let cool on wire racks.

Benne Waffers

Ingredients:
1 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Procedures:
Preheat oven to 325 F. Cover cookie sheets in parchment paper, silpat sheets, or lightly oil them. Toast the sesame seeds in a heavy skillet over medium heat until they are golden brown. Beat the brown sugar and butter together in a medium-sized bowl for several minutes until fluffy. Beat in the egg. Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder, then add these dry ingredients to the butter, sugar, egg mixture, mix well. Stir in the toasted sesame seeds, vanilla extract, and lemon juice.
(Optional): Chill the dough for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. This makes it easier to drop the cookies on the sheets. Drop by teaspoonful onto prepared cookie sheets, leaving space for the cookies to spread. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until the edges are slightly brown. Cool for a minute or two on the cookie sheets, then transfer to a rack to continue cooling.

Blondies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of butter, melted
1 cup of tightly packed dark brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon of baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1/3 cup of butterscotch chips (chopped walnuts and chocolate chips are equally tasty)

Procedures:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter and flour an 8X8 pan. Whisk together the melted butter and sugar in a bowl. Add the egg and vanilla extract and whisk. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, mix it all together. Add the butterscotch chips or other mix-ins. Pour into the pan and spread evenly. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool. Cut into squares and serve.

Cranberry, White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup of brandy (to soak the cranberries in, then saving 1 1/4 teaspoons of it for later)
1 cup of dried cranberries
1 cup (two sticks) of butter, room temperature
3/4 cup of granulated sugar
3/4 cup of lightly packed brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of baking soda
2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1 cup of white chocolate chips

Procedures:
Put the cranberries in a wide and shallow bowl, pour in a bit of brandy. Enough so they're surrounded by it, but not drowning. Cover and place in the fridge for an hour or more. Afterwards, place a colander over a bowl and pour the cranberries and brandy through, putting the cranberries and the brandy they soaked in aside. Preheat oven to 375°F. Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and beat again until light, fluffy and well incorporated. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and add 1 1/4 teaspoons of the brandy that the cranberries soaked in (as for the rest, I suggest popping it in a glass and topping it off a bit for yourself). Beat well until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl midway through to ensure even mixing. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt, then add to the mixture a bit at a time, beating until just mixed. Fold in the brandy soaked cranberries and white chocolate chips. Let chill for 15 minutes in the fridge. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (a baker's best friend) and place rounded spoonfuls down on the sheet. Bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for a minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Butter Pecan Cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar, plus more for coating
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

Procedures:
Preheat oven to 350°. On a baking sheet, toast pecans until fragrant, about 6 minutes. Let cool completely; finely chop. With an electric mixer, cream butter for about a minute. Add 1/3 cup sugar and cream until light, about 1 minute more. Beat in vanilla, salt, and flour, scraping down sides of bowl, just until dough comes together. Fold in pecans. Separate dough into 12 pieces; squeeze dough to shape into balls. Roll in sugar. Place, 3 inches apart, on a baking sheet. Gently flatten with the bottom of a glass (reshape sides if necessary). Sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden brown, rotating sheet halfway through, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with more sugar. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Butterscotch Cookies
Ingredients
tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon sized slices
1 3/4 cups dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
Procedures:
Preheat oven to 375°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Vigorously whisk together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder and set aside. Mix together the sugar dredging mixture in another bowl and set aside. Place 10 tablespoons of butter into a thick-bottomed skillet over medium heat. The butter will foam a bit before subsiding. Once the butter takes on a tan color and begins to smell nutty take it off of the heat. Add the other two tablespoons of butter and mix it in until it melts. Pour the brown butter into a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the brown sugar and salt and mix. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and mix together, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl at least once. Add the flour mixture in three increments being sure to scrape down the sides and bottom once or twice. Mix just until the flour is incorporated. The dough will be very thick. Take 1/2 to full tablespoon-sized pieces of dough (you can make them a bit bigger or smaller to your liking, just make sure the pieces of dough are all the same size) and gently roll them into ball shapes. Dredge them in the sugar dredging mixture until well-coated. Place on the baking sheet and sprinkle with a little bit of the sprinkling salt (be reserved with the salt as very little goes a long way). Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges have browned a bit. Be careful not to over-bake. Allow to cool on the sheet for one minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Tastes best with a glass of milk for dipping.

Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ounces, 225 g) unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
9 ounces of milk chocolate (or semi-sweet or dark if you prefer) bars, roughly chopped into chunks, about 2 cups

Procedures:
First brown the butter. Melt the butter in a medium sized, thick-bottomed, stainless steel saucepan (use stainless steel so you can tell when the butter has browned) on medium heat. Continue to cook while the butter goes through various stages of bubbling up and releasing its moisture. Whisk frequently over several minutes. When you start to smell the nutty aroma of the butter browning, and you can whisk aside some of the foam to see small browned bits at the bottom of the pan, remove from heat and pour off into a bowl. Do not dawdle at this point as it is easy for the butter to go from browned to burnt. Place the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a bowl and vigorously whisk together. Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour browned butter into the bowl of a stand-up mixer (if you don't have a mixer, you can just beat by hand). Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the eggs, beating after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and beat for 3 more minutes. Stir the flour mixture into the butter sugar mixture a third at a time. Stir in the chocolate chunks and the nuts (if using). Up to this point you can make ahead a day or two and store the cookie dough in the refrigerator until ready to cook. Line cookie sheets with Silpat or parchment paper (or just lightly butter rimmed cookie sheets. Spoon out heaping tablespoon hunks of batter onto the cookie sheets, separated by at least 2 inches, allowing room for the cookies to spread as they cook. You may need to work in batches. Cook at 350°F for about 12 minutes, the edges of the cookies should be just a little browned. Remove from the oven, let cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Then remove the cookies to cool completely on a rack.

Desserts:
Zabaglione
Ingredients:
6 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup Marsala wine
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
Ground cinnamon
Vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
Strawberries, raspberries, or biscotti

Procedures:
Place egg yolks, and sugar in a large, round-bottomed stainless steel bowl. Add grated lemon peel and a pinch of cinnamon and a drop of vanilla extract to the yolk mixture. Pour in the Marsala wine. You can use sweet Vermouth as a substitute for the Marsala. Half-fill a pot with water, bring the water to a simmer and reduce the heat to low. Set the pan or bowl containing the custard mixture over the water; the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water. Whisk the custard mixture, making sure that the water does not boil. This ensures that a gentle, even heat thickens the mixture without curdling it. Whisking traps air in the yolks for a light, fluffy mixture. Continue whisking for about 10 minutes, until the mixture triples in volume, froths up and becomes pale. When it reaches the desired consistency, take the container of custard out of the pot. Slightly thickened, the custard can be used as a sauce. Longer cooking will thicken the custard further, giving it the texture of mousse. Continue whisking for a minute or two to prevent the custard from sticking to its container.
Serve the custard while still warm, or, if you want to serve it cool, set it aside for about 15 minutes. Whisk heavy cream until it forms soft peaks; add the whipped cream to the cooled custard and use a whisk to gently fold them together. Reserve some of the whipped cream to serve on top.
Ladle the zabaglione into individual dishes. Serve with whipped cream, berries, and/or cookies such as biscotti.

Butterscotch Pudding

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup whole milk
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Procedures:
Preheat oven to 325°F and set a kettle of water to boil. Set four ramekins or oven-safe bowls out and a large baking dish. In a saucepan melt the butter. Once melted add the brown sugar and salt, stir until well combined. Add the cream and milk to the sugar mixture. Heat until steamy and tiny, pinprick-sized bubbles begin to show around the side of the pot and the ingredients are combined (about 170°F to 180°F). You do not want it to boil or even simmer as this will cause scalding or curdling of the milk. Remove from heat immediately. Slowly, in a thin stream, pour the heated sugar-dairy mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly so that the egg yolks are tempered by the warm mixture, but not cooked by it. Stir in the vanilla extract. Pour through a fine mesh sieve to catch any cooked bits of egg. Ladle the mixture evenly into the ramekins. Place ramekins in a heavy bottomed pan and pour the hot water into the pan until the water rises halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Lightly tent the entire pan (not each individual ramekin) with some vented foil. The foil can simply be crimped on two opposite sides, it shouldn't be airtight. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Be sure to rotate the pan half way through cooking. If you shake them they will have a jell-o-like wobble. It should not ripple or move like a liquid when you shake it. Don't worry as they will set up after they cool. Chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

Chinese Chews

Ingredients:
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup chopped walnuts
3 eggs, well-beaten
Confectioners sugar, for topping

Procedures:
Preheat oven to 300° F. Grease and flour an 8 x 12-inch pan – if you use a smaller pan, the baking time will be longer. Note: If you grease the pan, but don’t flour it, the squares will stick to the pan and be difficult to remove after baking. Combine flour, sugar (not confectioners sugar), baking powder and salt. Sift with a sifter or fine mesh sieve into a medium sized mixing bowl. If you don’t have a sifter, whisk dry ingredients together well to combine. Stir the dates, nuts and well-beaten eggs (I beat the eggs separately with a hand mixer for about 1 minute until fluffy before adding them), into the dry ingredients. It is not necessary to beat the eggs with a mixer, you can beat them by hand with a fork. Make sure ingredients are well combined – the batter will be sticky. Spread the batter out as thinly as possible into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes out clean. Let cool completely, and cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch squares. Note: Many recipes call for cutting the squares while still warm. In my experience, they are much easier to cut after they’ve cooled. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, using sifter or sieve, as desired.

Raspberry Cheesecake

Ingredients:
1 12-ounce package frozen raspberries
3/4 cup sugar, divided 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup
1/3 cup water
10 Oreo cookies, without the filling, or 20 chocolate wafer cookies
2 Tbsp melted butter
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
Pinch salt
1 egg
1/3 cup sour cream
Whipped cream for topping
Fresh raspberries for garnish Procedures:
Set aside 1/2 a cup of the frozen raspberries from the package. With the remaining raspberries, place them in a medium saucepan. Add 1/2 cup sugar and 1/3 cup of water. Bring to a simmer on medium high heat, then lower the heat to maintain the simmer, and gently cook, whisking frequently, until the raspberries have completely broken down, about 10 minutes. Grind the chocolate cookie wafers (Oreo or other brand) in a food processor, mini chopper, or by placing in a plastic bag and crushing with a rolling pin, until finely ground. In a mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed for 4 minutes, until smooth and light. Add 1/4 cup of sugar and beat 4 minutes more. Add a pinch of salt and the egg, and beat another minute. Place the reserved raspberries on top of the chocolate crusts in the mason jars in a single layer. Pour the raspberry cheesecake filling over the raspberries in the jars. Place in a roasting pan and add about an inch of boiling water to the pan to create a water bath, which will help the cheesecakes cook more evenly. Bake at 325°F for 40 minutes. Then turn off the heat in the oven and let the cheesecakes continue to gently cook in the residual heat of the oven for another 30 minutes.

Chocolate Peanutbutter Bars

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup of graham cracker crumbs (use toasted matzo crumbs* or ground Passover crispy cereal if following the Passover dietary rules)
1 1/4 cup of confectioner's sugar (use Passover-friendly confectioner's sugar** if following Passover dietary rules)
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp of crunchy, natural peanut butter (no added preservatives or corn syrup) 8 Tbsp (4-ounces) unsalted butter, melted
2 Tbsp honey

Procedures:
Line the baking pan with parchment paper or non-stick aluminum foil. Line the pan in a way so that you have an overhang on at least 2 opposite sides of the pan to make it easy to lift up the bars once they have set. In the bowl of a food processor place the crumbs and the powdered sugar. Pulse until well mixed. Add the peanut butter, melted butter, and honey. Process until well blended. The mixture should hold together, almost like a dough. If it's too dry, add a little more melted butter. If it's too wet, after you press it into the bottom of the pan in the next step, you can chill it in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up a bit. Place a metal bowl over a saucepan with simmering water (not boiling, but gently simmering). Place the chocolate chips and butter into the bowl. Melt the chocolate chips, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the peanut butter layer in the pan. (An offset spatula is a good tool for this.) Refrigerate for at least an hour. Lift the contents from the pan onto a cutting board. Cut into 36 bars, 1-inch by 2 1/4 inches.

Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:
4 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter, diced
2 tablespoons espresso or very strong coffee (I used decaf espresso from a local Starbucks)
1 cup cold heavy cream
3 large eggs, separated
1 tablespoon sugar

Procedures:
Whip the cream to soft peaks, then refrigerate. Combine the chocolate, butter, and espresso in the top of a double boiler over hot, but not simmering, water, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool until the chocolate is just slightly warmer than body temperature. To test, dab some chocolate on your bottom lip. It should feel warm. If it is too cool, the mixture will seize when the other ingredients are added. Once the melted chocolate has cooled slightly, whip the egg whites in a medium bowl until they are foamy and beginning to hold a shape. Sprinkle in the sugar and beat until soft peaks form. When the chocolate has reached the proper temperature, stir in the yolks. Gently stir in about one-third of the whipped cream. Fold in half the whites just until incorporated, then fold in the remaining whites, and finally the remaining whipped cream. Spoon or pipe the mousse into a serving bowl or individual dishes. If you wish, layer in fresh raspberries and whipped cream. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours. (The mousse can be refrigerated for up to a day.)

Berry Almond Crumble

Ingrediens:
8 cups mixed fresh berries: blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries
1 Tbsp quick-cooking tapioca
2 to 3 Tbsp granulated sugar, depending upon sweetness of berries
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Crumble Topping:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
A pinch of salt
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds.

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl put berries and mix with tapioca, sugar and lemon zest. (Without tapioca, crumble will be very runny.) Set aside. Make the topping by whisking together the flour, sugars, spices and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the melted butter and almonds until coarse crumbs form. Pour the filling into a 9-inch square or round pan (do not grease first). Using your fingers, form topping mixture into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch crumbs and spread over cake. Bake until filling bubbles and topping is light golden, about 45-55 minutes. Let cool at least half an hour. Serve warm.

Strawberry Shortcake

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder*
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 Tbsp (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter (if using salted, skip the salt in dry ingredients), cut into small cubes and chilled (freezer for 15 minutes or longer)
7/8 cup (that's one cup minus 2 tablespoons) heavy whipping cream
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Strawberries
2 baskets of fresh strawberries, rinsed, stems removed and discarded, sliced (1/8" to 1/4" thick)
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Procedures:
In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder for the biscuits. Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a fork or a pastry cutter, or pulse in a food processor until the largest pieces of butter are the size of peas. Use a fork to whisk together the cream, egg, and vanilla in a small bowl. Make a well in the large bowl of the flour mixture and pour the cream mixture into the center of it. Use a fork to mix until the dough is evenly moistened. The dough mixture should look shaggy. Knead the dough with your hands 8 turns or so to create a ball. Heat oven to 425°F. Bake biscuits on middle rack for 12 minutes, or until risen and lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool. While the biscuits are baking, prepare the strawberries and whipped cream. Place the sliced strawberries in a bowl and sprinkle sugar over them. Gently mix so that the sugar coats most of the strawberries. Let sit until the sugar dissolves and the strawberries release their moisture.
To make the whipped cream, make sure you are starting with cream that is very cold. It helps to chill the bowl first too. Use a hand mixer (you can make whipped cream in a blender, but watch out; it's easy to over-whip the cream in a blender) to whip the cream until it just begins to firm up. Sprinkle the sugar and vanilla over the cream. Continue to whip until it is thick and holds its shape. Cover with plastic wrap and keep chilled until it's time to assemble the mini strawberry shortcakes.
When the biscuits have cooled to room temperature, gently break them apart, separating the tops from the bottoms. Place a strawberry slice or two on each bottom, and place a dollop of whipped cream on top of the strawberries. Then place the top biscuit piece on top of the whipped cream. Voilá! You have your slider. Alternatively, you can serve them without the top.

Pear Tart

Ingredients:
One butter crust (pâte brisée) recipe
Filling:
1/3 cup almond paste (not marzipan)
2 teaspoons of sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon of flour
1 egg pinch of kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of almond extract
3 large Bosc pears lemon juice
Glaze:
1/4 cup apricot jam
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract piece of lemon peel
2 tablespoons Reisling or water

Procedures:
Prepare the pâte brisée crust. Roll it out to a 13-inch circle and press it into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom (if you don't have a tart pan, a pie plate is just fine). Fit the dough into the edges and then trim off the excess dough leaning over the top. Put the crust in the freezer to chill for a half hour. Preheat the oven to 375 F. To prepare the frangipane beat together the almond paste and sugar to break it apart. Beat in the butter. Mix in the egg, flour, salt, and almond extract and beat until light and fluffy. Don't fret if there are a few little chunks of almond paste. Also, don't worry if it seems like you didn't make enough as the frangipane will rise during baking. Peel and core the pears, and then slice them thinly, about 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick. Places the slices in a bowl with the lemon juice to help preserve their color. Spread the frangipane over the bottom of the tart shell. Next, carefully arrange the pear slices in a decorative pattern (they can slightly overlap, but don't build them up in layers or the tart will lack a refined appearance). Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the pears take on a bit of color and the edges of the tart shell are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. While the tart bakes, place the apricot jam, lemon peel, vanilla extract, and water or Riesling into a small sauce pan and warm over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes, constantly stirring. Once it has reduced and thickened take it off the heat and set it aside. Once the tart is out of the oven brush the apricot glaze over the pears. Serve.

Apple Crisp

Ingredients:
7 tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup butter, room temperature

Procedures:
Preheat oven to 375°F. In a mixing bowl, combine apples, lemon juice, and vanilla. Toss to combine. Layer sliced apples in a 9 x 12-inch (or approximately the same size) baking pan. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and oatmeal in a bowl. Cut in the butter. Sprinkle sugar mixture over apples. Bake 45 minutes or until topping looks crunchy and apples are tender.
Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Bread:

Boston Brown Bread

Ingredients:
Butter for greasing loaf pans or coffee cans
1/2 cup (heaping) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (heaping) rye flour
1/2 cup (heaping) finely ground corn meal (must be finely ground)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup molasses (any kind)
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
One metal 6-inch tall by 4-inch diameter coffee can, or a 4x8 loaf pan

Procedures:
You can either make this in the oven or the stovetop, and you can either make this with a loaf pan or a metal coffee can. If you are using the oven method, preheat the oven to 325° and bring a large pot of water to a boil. If you are using the stovetop method, set the steamer rack inside a tall stockpot and fill the pot with enough water to come 1/3 of the way up the sides of your coffee can. Turn the burner on to medium as you work. Grease a coffee can or small loaf pan with butter. In a large bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, rye flour, corn meal, baking powder and soda, salt and allspice. Add the raisins if using. In another bowl, mix together the buttermilk and vanilla extract if using. Whisk in the molasses. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir well with a spoon. Pour the batter into the coffee can or loaf pan taking care that the batter not reach higher than 2/3 up the sides of the container. Cover the loaf pan or coffee can tightly with foil. If you are using the stovetop method, set the can in the pot, cover and turn the heat to high. If you are using the oven method, find a high-sided roasting pan that can hold the coffee can or loaf pan. Pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until it reaches one third up the side of the coffee can or loaf pan. Put the roasting pan into the oven. Steam the bread for at least 2 hours and 15 minutes. Check to see if the bread is done by inserting a toothpick into it. If the toothpick comes out clean, you're ready. If not, recover the pan and cook for up to another 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before putting on a rack. Let the bread cool for 1 hour before turning out of the container. Slice and eat plain, or toast in a little butter in a frying pan.

Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:
4 to 4 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 Tbsp butter
1 cup currants or raisins
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 3/4 cups buttermilk

Procedures:
Preheat oven to 425°. Whisk together 4 cups of flour, the sugar, salt, and baking soda into a large mixing bowl. Using your (clean) fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal, then add in the currants or raisins. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add beaten egg and buttermilk to well and mix in with a wooden spoon until dough is too stiff to stir. Dust hands with a little flour, then gently knead dough in the bowl just long enough to form a rough ball. If the dough is too sticky to work with, add in a little more flour. Do not over-knead! Transfer dough to a large, lightly greased cast-iron skillet or a baking sheet (it will flatten out a bit in the pan or on the baking sheet). Using a serrated knife, score top of dough about an inch and a half deep in an "X" shape. The purpose of the scoring is to help heat get into the center of the dough while it cooks. Transfer to oven and bake until bread is golden and bottom sounds hollow when tapped, about 35-45 minutes. (If you use a cast iron pan, it may take a little longer as it takes longer for the pan to heat up than a baking sheet.) Check for doneness also by inserting a long, thin skewer into the center. If it comes out clean, it's done.

Bread Pudding Recipe

Ingredients:
Bread Pudding:
1 loaf French bread, at least a day old, cut into 1-inch squares (about 6-7 cups)
1 qt milk
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup raisins (soaked an hour or two in 1/4 cup bourbon)
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Bourbon Sauce:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup Kentucky bourbon whiskey

Procedures:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place milk in a large mixing bowl and add the bread that has been cut into squares. Press the bread into the milk with your hands until all of the milk is absorbed. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, then whisk in the sugar, vanilla, allspice and cinnamon. Pour over the bread and milk mixture. Add the bourbon soaked raisins and gently stir to combine. Pour the melted butter into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan. Coat the bottom and the sides of the pan well with the butter. Pour the bread milk and egg mixture into the baking pan. Bake at 350°F for 35-45 minutes, until the liquid has set. The pudding is done when the edges start getting a bit brown and pull away from the edge of the pan. Can also make in individual ramekins. While the bread pudding is cooking, make the bourbon sauce. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan on low heat. Add the sugar and egg and whisk to blend well. Slowly cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, then remove from heat. Do not allow the mixture to simmer! (Or the sauce will curdle. By the way, if your sauce curdles, just take it off the heat and blend it smooth in a blender.) Whisk in bourbon to taste. Whisk again before serving.

Anadama Bread

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 cups water
1/2 cup molasses
3 Tbsp butter (at room temperature)
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 cup warm water
1 package dry yeast
4 1/2 cups bread flour

Procedures:
Place the cornmeal in a large bowl. Boil the two cups of water and pour the hot water into the cornmeal, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Let sit for 30 minutes. Add the molasses, salt and butter and stir to combine. The cornmeal water should still be warm enough to melt the room temperature butter. Put 1/2 cup of warm water (slightly warmer than body temperature) into a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let sit for a few minutes. Then stir it to gently combine. Let sit for another 5 minutes. Add the yeast and the water to the bowl with the cornmeal and everything else, and mix to combine. Add the bread flour, a cup at a time, stirring after each addition. You will end up with something of a gloopy mess. Butter a couple of 5x9 loaf pans. Spoon the dough mixture into the pans as best you can; it’ll be sticky. Cover with a tea towel and let rise for several hours, until it doubles in size. Heat the oven to 350°F and bake the breads for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer or knife blade comes out clean. Let the loaves cool for a few minutes, then turn them out onto racks to continue cooling.

George’s Light Bread

Ingredients:
2 packages active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups of warm water (just barely warm to the touch)
2/3 cup molasses
5 cups bread flour
2 cups rye flour
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 Tbsp caraway seeds (optional)

Procedures:
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water with the molasses. Put yeast mixture into a large metal bowl. Add caraway seeds, salt, vegetable oil, cocoa powder, 2 cups of rye flour and then 2 cups of baking flour, mixing into the yeast mixture after each addition with a wooden spoon. Add more bread flour, a cup at a time, until the dough is not so sticky and it is too hard to mix it with the wooden spoon. At that point, spread a half cupful of flour onto a large, clean, flat surface and put the dough onto the surface. Knead the dough by pressing down with the heel of your hand, stretching it, turning the dough a quarter-turn, pulling the dough back toward you and then pressing and stretching again. Knead additional bread flour into the dough until it reaches the right consistency. Knead for 5-7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Spread some vegetable oil around a large bowl and place the dough in it, turning it so it gets coated in the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth. Let rise at room temperature until it has doubled in size, about an hour and a half. Gently press down on the dough so some of its air is released. Knead the dough a few turns and then divide it by cutting it in half with a sharp knife. Shape each half into loaf. Place dough loafs into either oiled bread loaf pans, or onto a flat baking sheet or peel that has been sprinkled with corn meal, depending if you want to cook the loaves in pans or directly on a baking stone. Cover with plastic or a damp cloth. Let rise again, this time not doubling in volume, but rising by about half of its volume, about 45 minutes, half as long as the first rising. The dough should be peeking over the top of the loaf pan if using a loaf pan. If you are using a baking stone, place the stone in the oven. Preheat oven to 350°F for at least half an hour before baking. If baking on a stone, score the dough a few times on the top of the dough right before putting it in the oven. Put dough in the oven. If you have a mister, mist the dough with a little water the first 10 minutes of baking. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until done. The bread should sound hollow when tapped.

Garlic Bread

Ingredients:
1 16-ounce loaf of Italian bread or French bread
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 large cloves of garlic, smashed and minced
1 heaping tablespoon of freshly chopped parsley
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Procedures:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut the bread in half, horizontally. Mix the butter, garlic, and parsley together in a small bowl. Spread butter mixture over the the two bread halves. Place on a sturdy baking pan (one that can handle high temperatures, not a cookie sheet) and heat in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over bread if you want. Return to oven on the highest rack. Broil on high heat for 2-3 minutes until the edges of the bread begin to toast and the cheese (if you are using cheese) bubbles. Watch very carefully while broiling. The bread can easily go from un-toasted to burnt. Remove from oven, let cool a minute. Remove from pan and make 1-inch thick slices. Serve immediately. Preheat oven to 350°F. Make the butter, garlic, parsley mixture as above. Make 1-inch thick slices into the bread, but do not go all the way through, just to the bottom crust. Put a teaspoon or two of the butter mixture between each slice. Wrap the bread in aluminum foil and heat for 15 minutes in the oven.

Caraway Soda Bread

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour (1 pound)
1 Tbsp sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
4 Tbsp butter (1/2 stick) room temp
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Procedures: Preheat oven to 450°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and caraway seeds. Using your fingers (or a fork) work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Make a well in the center of the flour. Pour the buttermilk into the center and using either your hands or a wooden spoon, fold the flour over the buttermilk and gently mix until just combined. The dough should be neither too wet or too dry, so if it is a little too dry to work with, add a little more buttermilk. If too wet, add a little more flour. Roughly shape into a ball and place on a floured surface. Knead just a few times to shape it into a round loaf. Do not over-knead or the bread will be tough. Place dough loaf onto a lightly greased baking sheet (or cast iron pan). Make 1 1/2-inch deep cuts, forming a cross, from side to side on the loaf. The scoring helps the heat get to the center of the loaf while cooking. Place in oven, cook for 15 minutes at 450°F, then lower the heat to 400°F and cook for 25 more minutes. One way to test for doneness is to take it out of the oven, turn it over and knock on the bottom. If it sounds hollow, it's done. You can also use a skewer inserted into the center. Let bread sit on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes to cool. Then remove it to a rack to cool a little bit longer. I think the bread is best when it is still warm and just baked. Quick breads like this, which rely on baking soda for leavening, are generally best eaten soon after they're baked.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:
4 cups grated zucchini (from about a pound and a half of zucchini)
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa (use natural unsweetened cocoa, NOT Dutch processed)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar 2 eggs
3/4 cup unsalted butter (12 Tbsp or 1 1/2 sticks), melted
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Procedures:
Place the freshly grated zucchini in a sieve over a bowl to catch any excess moisture as it drains, while you work on prepping the other ingredients and preparing the recipe. If for some reason your zucchini is on the dry side, hydrate the shredded zucchini by soaking it in water first, and then place in sieve. Preheat oven to 350°F, with a rack in the middle. Grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans with baking spray or butter. Vigorously whisk together the flour, unsweetened cocoa, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Whisk until there are no more clumps and the ingredients are well combined. In a separate large bowl, beat together the sugar and eggs until smooth, about a minute. You can do this with an electric mixer on medium speed, or by hand with a wooden spoon. (I'm lazy and use a mixer but it's easy enough to do by hand.) Add the melted butter, instant coffee granules, and almond extract and beat until smooth. Mix the shredded zucchini into the sugar egg mixture. Add the flour to the zucchini mixture in 3 additions, stirring to combine after each addition. Work quickly, and divide the batter between the two prepared loaf pans. (Work quickly because once the dry ingredients have mixed with the wet ingredients, the leavening has begun.) Place into the oven. Bake for 50 minutes at 350°F, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and easily. Remove to a rack. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then run a blunt knife around the edges to separate the bread from the pan. Remove from the loaf pans and let cool completely on a rack.
Note that if you try to slice the chocolate zucchini bread before it has completely cooled, it will be rather crumbly. It's also easiest to slice with a bread knife.

Cheesy Bread

Ingredients: oz shredded Mozzarella cheese (1 cup)
8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 2 cups)
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped green onion (to taste)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp sour cream (optional)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 stick unsalted butter (1/4 cup, 2 ounces), softened to the point of being slightly melted
1 loaf of French or Italian bread (I used Ciabatta)

Procedures:
In a large bowl, mix together the cheeses and the green onion. Stir in the mayonnaise and sour cream. In a separate small bowl blend the butter and garlic until smooth. Add the butter mixture to the cheese mixture. Preheat broiler. Slice loaf of bread in half horizontally, lay crust side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Spread cheese mixture over the bread. Place under the broiler until nicely browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from broiler and let sit for 5 minutes until cool enough to handle. Slice the bread with a bread knife.

Punkin Bread

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups (200g) flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup (200 g) sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 cup (240 ml) pumpkin purée*
4 ounces (1 stick, 112 g) butter, melted (can sub 1/2 cup light olive oil)
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons molasses
1 teaspoon orange zest (optional)
1/2 cup (120 ml) chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Procedures:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. In a separate bowl mix together the pumpkin purée, the melted butter, beaten eggs, 1/4 cup of water, molasses, and orange zest (if using). Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined and there is no more dry flour in the batter. Do not overmix! If adding chopped pecans or walnuts, stir them in. utter the insides of an 8 x 4 x 3 -inch loaf pan. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and smooth the top. Put in the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes (depending on your oven and the color of your loaf pan—dark pans cook the contents more quickly than light pans), or until a tester poked in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then run a blunt dinner knife around the edges of the pumpkin bread to gently separate it from the pan. Invert it to loosen it from the pan and put the loaf on a rack to cool completely. If using the glaze, whisk together in a medium bowl the powdered sugar, orange juice, zest, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. If too thick add a little more juice. If too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.
Wait until the pumpkin bread has cooled completely before drizzling with glaze or slicing.

Swedish Coffee Bread

Ingredients:
Bread:
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
2-pkg active yeast dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water
About 4 cups all purpose flour
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
Filling:
2 Tbsp melted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 Tbsp white sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup golden raisins (optional)
1/2 cup slivered almonds (optional)
1/4 cup almond paste (optional)
Egg glaze:
2 egg yolks
2 Tbsp cream
Sugar glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp water
Procedures:
Put milk into a small saucepan and heat on medium heat until steamy (but not boiling). Remove from heat. Stir in the butter and sugar until the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved. Pour into a mixing bowl. Mix in yeast mixture and egg.Mix in salt and cardamom. Slowly add in 2 cups of the flour. After the first two cups of flour gradually add more flour until a soft dough starts to form a ball and pull away from the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead dough for 7 to 10 minutes until smooth, OR use a dough hook in a stand-up mixer and knead the dough that way for 7 to 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed to keep the dough from being too sticky. Note that the dough should remain soft, so take care not to add too much flour. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, covered with a clean tea-towel or with plastic wrap. Let rise for an hour or until the dough has doubled in size. Press the dough down to deflate it a bit. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Take one part (saving the other for wreath number 2) and use your fingers to spread it into a 8-inch by 16-inch rectangle on a lightly floured, clean, flat surface. If you are having difficulty getting the dough to keep its shape, just do what you can and let it sit for 5 minutes before trying again. Like pizza dough, the dough needs time to relax while you are forming it. Brush the dough with melted butter, leaving at least a half inch border on the edges so the dough will stick together when rolled. Mix together the brown and white sugar and the cinnamon and sprinkle the dough with half of the mixture (saving the other half for the second batch of dough). Sprinkle on more fillings, as you like, such as raisins, slivered almonds, or almond paste. You could even sprinkle on some cream cheese for a creamier filling. Carefully roll the dough up lengthwise, with the seam on the bottom. Carefully transfer to a greased baking sheet. Form a circle with the dough on the baking sheet, connecting the ends together. Using scissors, cut most of the way through the dough, cutting on a slant. Work your way around the dough circle. After each cut, pull out the dough segment either to the right or to the left, alternating as you go around the circle. The dough circle will look like a wreath when you are done. Repeat steps 5, 7, and 8 with the rest of the dough, to form a second wreath. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and set in a warm area for a second rise. Let rise for about 40 minutes to an hour; the dough should again puff up in size. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk together the egg yolks and cream. Use a pastry brush to brush over the dough. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. After the first 15 minutes of baking, if the top is getting well browned, tent with some aluminum foil. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Whisk together powdered sugar and water to create a final glaze (optional). Add more water if the glaze is too thick to drizzle, add more powdered sugar if the glaze is too runny. Drizzle the glaze in a back and forth motion over the pastry.

Cakes

Strawberry Cream Cake

Ingredients:
Cake
1 1/4 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup sugar
5 large eggs (2 whole and 3 separated), room temperature
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 Tbsp water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Strawberry Filling
2 pounds fresh strawberries (medium or large, about 2 quarts), washed, dried, and stemmed
4-6 Tbsp sugar
Pinch salt
Whipped Cream
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon table salt
2 cups heavy cream

Procedures:
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour round 9 by 2-inch cake pan or 9-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper. In a large bowl, by hand, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and all but 3 Tbsp of the sugar in mixing bowl. Whisk in 2 whole eggs and 3 yolks (reserving whites), butter, water, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Using a mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat remaining 3 egg whites at medium-low speed until frothy, 1 to 2 minutes. With machine running, gradually add remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until soft peaks form, 60 to 90 seconds. Stir one-third of whites into batter to lighten. Add the remaining whites and gently fold into batter until no white streaks remain. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert cake onto greased wire rack; peel off and discard parchment. Invert cake again; cool completely, about 2 hours. Cut in half 24 of best-looking berries and reserve. Slice or quarter remaining berries; toss with 4 to 6 tablespoons sugar (depending on sweetness of berries) in medium bowl and let sit 1 hour, stirring occasionally. The sugar will macerate the strawberries, making them soft, and generating liquid. Strain the juices from berries and reserve (you should have about 1/2 cup). Put the strawberries in a bowl and use a potato masher to mash them; set aside.
In small saucepan over medium-high heat, simmer reserved juices until syrupy and reduced to about 3 tablespoons, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour reduced syrup over macerated berries, add pinch of salt, and toss to combine. Set aside until cake is cooled.
Whipped cream
When cake has cooled, place cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Whisk at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Reduce speed to low and add heavy cream in slow, steady stream; when almost fully combined, increase speed to medium-high and beat until mixture holds stiff peaks, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes more, scraping bowl as needed (you should have about 4 1/2 cups). Using large serrated knife, slice cake into three even layers. Place bottom layer on cardboard round or cake plate and arrange ring of 12-20 strawberry halves, cut sides down and stem ends facing out, around perimeter of cake layer. Pour one half of puréed berry mixture (about 3/4 cup) in center, then spread to cover any exposed cake. Gently spread about one-third of whipped cream (about 1 1/2 cups) over berry layer, leaving 1/2-inch border from edge. Place middle cake layer on top and press down gently (whipped cream layer should become flush with cake edge). Repeat with 12-20 additional strawberry halves, remaining berry mixture, and half of remaining whipped cream; gently press last cake layer on top. Spread remaining whipped cream over top; decorate with remaining cut strawberries.

Cranberry Upside Down Cake

Ingredients:
Topping
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
4 Tbsp (1/4 cup or 1/2 stick) unsalted butter
12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
Cake
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Scant pinch ground cloves
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temp (plus more for buttering the pan)
3 large eggs
1 Tbsp orange zest
1/2 cup sour cream (or greek yogurt)
1/4 cup of milk
Procedures:

Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch diameter cake pan. In a small saucepan, place the 1/4 cup of butter and the 3/4 cups of packed brown sugar. On medium high heat, stir the sugar as the butter melts. Once the butter is melted and mixed in well with the sugar, stop stirring and let the mixture simmer for 15 seconds or so. Pour the brown sugar butter mixture into the prepared cake pan. Spread the cranberries on top of the sugar butter mixture. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl vigorously whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter until light. Add the sugar and beat together the sugar and butter until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in the orange zest. Mix a third of the dry ingredients into the mixture. Beat in half of the sour cream. Mix in another third of the dry ingredients. Mix in the remaining sour cream. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients and then the milk. Pour batter over the cranberries in the cake pan, and smooth the surface. Place in the preheated oven and lower the heat from 350°F to 325°F. Bake until a tester comes out clean, 55 minutes to an hour. Cool cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a blunt knife around the inside rim of the cake pan to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Then turn the cake out onto a platter.

Hummingbird Cake

Ingredients: cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder (make sure your baking powder is still fresh!)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
3 eggs
2 cups granulated white sugar
1 cup canola oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, with juice
2 cups mashed bananas (from about 3-4 bananas)
1 cup finely chopped pecans
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients*
1 lb cream cheese, softened
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 lbs (32-ounces) confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tbsp Cointreau**
1 cup roughly chopped pecans, for topping (optional, toasted)
Procedures:
Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter and flour three 9-inch round cake pans. In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg (optional). In a separate bowl, whisk the canola oil, sugar, and eggs together until combined. Stir the pineapple, bananas, vanilla and one cup of the chopped pecans into the egg mixture and mix (do not beat). Using a wooden spoon or spatula, fold the moist ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined (do not over-mix). Pour the batter into the three prepared cake pans, taking care to divide evenly. Bake on center racks of oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pan on wire racks for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, run a knife around the edges and remove the cakes from the pans. Cool completely on wire racks before frosting.

Apple Upside Down Cake Ingredients:
8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups white, granulate sugar divided (1/2 cup and 3/4 cup)
1 1/2 pounds Braeburn, Jonagold, or Golden Delicious apples (about 4 medium), peeled, quartered, cored, each quarter cut into 2 wedges
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/3 cup whole milk
1-9-inch cake pan with 1 1/2-inch high sides

Procedures:
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter the sides of the cake pan. Line the pan with a 10-inch round of parchment paper. The paper will come up 1/2-inch up the sides of the pan. Butter the parchment paper. Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add 1/2 cup sugar and cook until sugar dissolves and mixture turns golden brown, stirring occasionally (use a wooden spoon), about 6 minutes. Add apple wedges to the pan and gently stir to distribute the caramel evenly across the apples. Cover the pan and cook until apples release their juices, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until apples are tender and caramel thickens and coats the apples, stirring occasionally, about 13 minutes more. Remove apples and caramel sauce and place in the prepared cake pan. Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside. Place cornmeal in a large mixing bowl. Pour 1/2 cup boiling water over the cornmeal and stir to blend. Add 3/4 cup sugar and 6 Tbsps (3/4 stick) butter to the cornmeal mixture. Beat until well blended. Beat in vanilla and eggs. Beat in the flour, salt, baking powder mixture alternating with the milk. Pour the batter over the apples in the cake pan. Bake until top is golden and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cake in the pan for 5 minutes. Then run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen it from the sides of the pan. Carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate or dish, and remove the parchment paper. Cool for 15 minutes.

Carrot Cake:

Ingredients
Cake:
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tbsp baking soda
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups olive oil or grapeseed oil
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups shelled walnuts, chopped (more whole or chopped for topping)
1 1/2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
2 cups of finely grated carrots
1 cup of drained crushed pineapple
Frosting:
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
2 1/2 cups of confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Procedures:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9 inch cake pans. Cut out rounds of wax paper and place at bottoms of cake pans. Butter the top of the wax paper rounds. Sift dry ingredients into a bowl. Add oil, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well. Fold in chopped walnuts, coconut, carrots and pineapple. Pour batter into pans. Set on the middle rack of oven and bake for 45-50 minutes (shift positions of cakes front-to-back if necessary about halfway through), until edges have pulled away from sides and a toothpick or sharp knife tip inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a cake rack.
To prepare frosting, cream together the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl. Slowly sift in the confectioners’ sugar and beat until mixture is free of lumps. Stir in vanilla and lemon juice. Once cakes have cooled, frost. Sprinkle top with chopped walnuts or arrange walnut halves in a crown around the top.

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
Cake:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 ½ tsp salt
¾ tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp baking soda
2 2/3 cups sugar
1 cup + 2 Tbsp cocoa
1 cup + 2 Tbsp water
1 cup + 2 Tbsp canola oil
5 large or 4 extra large/jumbo eggs
¾ cup water
1 ½ tsp vanilla
Frosting:
1 box powdered sugar (1 pound or 454 grams)
3/4 cup cocoa (use Van Houten, Droste, or other dark, high quality alkalized unsweetened cocoa)
A flavoring liquid (water, vanilla, rum, cognac, kirsch, or amaretto)
1 1/2 cup butter - firm, not cold, not too soft

Procedures:
Cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and cocoa.
Add 1 cup and 2 tablespoons of water and 1 cup and 2 tablespoons of canola oil. Mix for 1 minute. Add eggs, 3/4 cup of water, vanilla. Mix 5-6 minutes with a whisk, 3-4 minutes with a hand mixer, or 2 minutes with a KitchenAid mixer. Pour into three 10" cake pans, bake at 350°F for 25-35 minutes (adjust for convection); test by placing and removing a toothpick through the center at 25 minutes. When toothpick comes out clean, loosen from pans and then put back in the pans. Let cakes cool for 15 minutes. Keep in the pans, wrap in foil, and put in the freezer for at least 2 hours.
Frosting:
This part is a little harder as it is really done to taste. Put powdered sugar and 3/4 cup cocoa into a food processor. Pulse until blended. Drizzle in, until about the consistency of firm butter, several tablespoons of flavoring liquid (water if you aren't looking for flavor beyond the cocoa and butter). To not put in too much liquid, but if you do, add cocoa or sugar. Taste. When the flavor and consistency is right, add 1 1/2 cup of butter (firm, not cold and not too soft). A good rule of thumb is that both the butter and the sugar mixture should be slightly firmer than you would want it to be to spread it, since the mixing action of the food processor will warm it slightly. Pulse until blended.

Apple Coffee Cake

Ingredients: * 2 cups (280 g) all purpose flour * 2 teaspoons baking powder * 1 teaspoon salt * 1/4 cup (50 g) of white granulated sugar plus 2 Tbsp sugar * 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon * 10 Tbsp unsalted butter (140 g), room temperature * 2 eggs, beaten * 1 cup (235 ml) whole milk * 1 medium tart green apple, cored, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices
Streusel topping: * 4 Tbsp brown sugar * 4 Tbsp flour * 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon * 1 Tbsp butter, cut into small cubes

Procedures:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch pie pan (can use a springform pan or square baking pan)In a medium bowl, whisk vigorously together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate small bowl, mix 2 Tbsp of the sugar with the cinnamon, set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Beat in the eggs until blended. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk, beating after each addition until just combined. Pour half of the batter in the bottom of the baking dish. Lay the apple slices on the batter so they just cover the batter (you may have to overlap some slices). Sprinkle the apples with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Spread the rest of the batter over the apples. In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon for the streusel topping. Sprinkle over the cake and dot with butter. Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes or until it is golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Wallnut Mocha Torte

Ingredients:
Cake:
6 eggs
1 cup (200 g) white granulated sugar (divided into 3/4 cup and 1/4 cup)
1 cup (120 g) finely ground walnuts (from about 1 1/3 cup of shelled walnuts)
1/2 cup (55 g) fine dry bread crumbs (plain, unseasoned)
Mocha Topping:
1/2 cup (100 g) white granulated sugar
2 Tbsp corn starch
1 cup (8 fluid ounces, 236 ml) strong coffee (I use decaf, with twice the amount of coffee for the liquid as I would usually use to drink)
1 ounce (30 g) of chocolate chips (a little less than 1/4 of a cup)
1 Tbsp butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup (8 fluid ounces, 236 ml) heavy whipping cream

Procedures:
Separate the eggs, into yolks and whites (see How to Separate Eggs). Prepare two 9-inch cake pans. Line the pans with parchment paper or wax paper. Lightly butter the sides of the pans (not the paper). Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Mix together the ground walnuts and the bread crumbs in a small bowl and set aside. Place the egg yolks into a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Slowly add 3/4 cup of white sugar and continue to beat the egg yolks until thick and pale. (I use a hand mixer for this.) Using a stand mixer, beat the egg whites with the whisk attachment until foamy. Slowly drizzle in 1/4 cup of white sugar, and beat until soft peaks form. With a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture, alternately with the walnut mixture. Spoon the batter into the prepared, parchment-layered cake pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 350°F (175°C) until a slight imprint remains when touched. While the cake is cooking prepare the mocha frosting base. Place 1/2 cup of white sugar and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into a saucepan. Turn the heat onto medium and gradually stir in the coffee and the chocolate chips. Stir continuously until the mixture starts to simmer and thicken quite substantially. Continue to stir while the mixture simmers for 1 minute. Then remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract until well blended. Let cool completely. Remove the cakes from oven and cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a dull knife around the edges of the cakes to separate it from the sides of the pans. Carefully invert the cakes onto a rack. Carefully peel back and discard the parchment or wax paper. Let cool completely. Complete the frosting. Whip the cream until it is rather thick, just before that point to which if you kept on whipping it would turn to butter. This will help it hold up as a frosting. Once whipped, fold the whipped cream and mocha base together. It may be a little speckled, and if you fold it only lightly, you can have almost a marbling effect of light and dark with the frosting, if you wish. Place one cake on a serving platter. Frost the top. Place the second cake on top of it, and frost the top and sides of the cake. Serve immediately, or keep chilled until serving.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups regular all-purpose flour, unsifted
1/2 cup cocoa
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup soft butter
1 cup white granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
3 cups coarsely shredded zucchini (from about 1 pound of zucchini)
1/2 cup milk
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Glaze (directions follow)
Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Procedures:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set the shredded zucchini to drain in a sieve over a bowl. If no moisture drains out and the zucchini feels dry, sprinkle some water over it and let the excess drain. Vigorously whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda, salt, and cinnamon in a bow, and set aside. With a mixer, beat together the butter and the sugars until smooth. Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition. With a wooden spoon, stir in the vanilla, orange peel, and zucchini. Alternately stir in the dry ingredients and the milk into the zucchini mixture, including the nuts with the last addition. Spray the inside of a 10-inch bundt pan or tube pan lightly with cooking spray (or grease with butter). Wipe off the excess. Pour in the batter and use a rubber spatula to level the top of the batter. Bake in the oven for about 50-55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean (test at 45 min). Make the glaze by mixing together the glaze ingredients. You can easily do this by hand with a whisk or a spoon. If the glaze is too runny, add some more powdered sugar. If too thick, add more milk. Drizzle glaze over cake. Cut in thin slices to serve.

Orange Cornmeal Cake

Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for greasing the pan
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar, plus 1/3 cup for the topping
1/2 cup orange juice (or dry white wine)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Zest of 1 large orange

Procedures:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round cake pan with oil (can use butter for this too); line the bottom of the pan with wax paper or parchment paper, and brush the top of the paper with oil. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, 1 cup of the sugar, and orange juice until smooth. Add flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and orange zest; whisk lightly to combine.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan; sprinkle the top evenly with the remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Bake until cake begins to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 25-35 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan 20 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake to separate it from the edge of the pan. Invert the cake gently onto a plate, and remove the parchment paper. Re-invert the cake onto a rack to cool completely before serving.

Pizza

Basil and Tomato Pizza

Ingredients: Whole-wheat refrigerated crust, flour, cornmeal, garlic, part-skim mozzarella, Parmesan, prosciutto, tomatoes, basil, crushed red pepper

Greek- style Pizza

Ingredients:
Olive oil, prewashed spinach, Italian cheese-flavored thin pizza, tomato sauce, feta cheese, pepper, black olives

Bacon, Tomato and Arugula Pizza

Ingredients: Refrigerated pizza dough, cooking spray, applewood-smoked bacon slices, grape tomatoes, crushed red pepper, yellow cornmeal, low-sodium marinara sauce, part-skim mozzarella cheese, baby arugula, extra-virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar

Pesto Pizza with Sliced Tomoatoes

Ingredients: Pizza crust, commercial pesto, plum tomatoes, part-skim mozzarella cheese

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Ingredients: Yellow and red bell peppers, olive oil, pizza dough, mozzarella cheese, Fontina cheese, rotisserie chicken, barbecue sauce, salt, pepper, parsley

Sausage, Fennel and Riccota Pizza

Ingredients: Refrigerated pizza dough, Italian turkey sausage, fennel bulb, cornmeal, extra-virgin olive oil, part-skin ricotta, garlic, red onion, fennel seeds, crushed red pepper, black pepper, kosher salt

Roasted Tomato Pizza

Ingredients: Tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olive oil, flatbreads, Parmesan cheese, arugula, Parmesan cheese, lemons, salt, pepper

Mediterranean Pizza

Ingredients:
Prepared pizza crust, pizza sauce, roasted yellow bell peppers, goat cheese, spinach leaves

Arugula and Goat cheese Pizza

Ingredients:
Walnuts, olive oil, red onion, whole-wheat pizza crust, tomatoes, salt, pepper, goat cheese, arugula

Three- pepper Pizza

Ingredients:
Italian seasoning; tomato paste; water; prebaked refrigerated crust; part-skim mozzarella cheese; red, green, and yellow peppers; onion