Sweet-and-Sour Pork Stir-Fry

Serves 4
1 can (8 ounces) pineapple chunks in juice, drained (juice reserved)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
6 scallions, white and green parts separated, cut into 1-inch lengths
2 bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), cut into 2-inch pieces
1 package (10 ounces) frozen broccoli florets, thawed and patted dry
Cooked rice, for serving

Directions

In a small bowl, stir together 1/3 cup pineapple juice, vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch, and 1/4 cup water. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Cook pork, in two batches, until well browned on one side, about 1 minute (pork will cook more later); transfer to a plate.

To skillet, add scallion whites and bell peppers; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until peppers are crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

Add pork (along with any juices), broccoli, and pineapple chunks. Whisk sauce; add to skillet. Bring to a simmer; cook, stirring, until broccoli is warmed through, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in scallion greens, and serve with rice.

Super-Fudgy Brownies

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for pan
1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9-inch square baking pan with butter. Line bottom and two sides with a strip of parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the two sides. Butter paper, and set pan aside. In a small bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Place butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of gently simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes; remove bowl from pan. Add sugar; mix to combine. Add eggs, and mix to combine. Add flour mixture; mix just until moistened (do not overmix). Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in pan for 30 minutes. Using paper overhang, lift brownies out of pan; transfer to a rack to cool completely (still on paper). On a cutting board, using a dampened serrated knife, cut into 16 squares. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 2 days.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookie Cake

Serves 10
7 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup dark unsulfured molasses
1 cup strawberry jam

Directions

Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Put butter, peanut butter, and sugars into mixer bowl; mix on medium-high until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg and yolk. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined.

Remove 2 1/2 cups dough. Divide it in half; shape into disks. Wrap each in plastic; refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight.

Add molasses to remaining dough in mixer; mix on low speed until combined. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain round tip (such as Ateco #7).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On lightly floured parchment, roll out 1 disk of dough to 1/4 inch thick. Transfer with parchment to baking sheet; freeze until firm, about 10 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough.

Cut dough into 2 1/2-inch squares; space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment. Pipe molasses dough around edges for "crust." Score diagonally. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.

Bake until centers are pale golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Carefully break each cookie at scoring. Spread 1 teaspoon jam on half of the cookies; sandwich with remaining cookies.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cake Cookie

INGREDIENTS
1 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

This should take about 10 minutes! Add the eggs one at a time and mix to incorporate.

Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.

In a 1 gallon plastic food bag, place the all-purpose flour, baking soda, kosher salt and cocoa powder. Seal the bag and massage the ingredients to combine. The mixture will appear homogenous with no separate ingredients showing.

Add the flour and cocoa mix to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix together until the dough appears completely combined - about 3 minutes. Add all the walnuts and chocolate chips and stir them into the dough. Drop by two teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Or roll into balls, place about two inches apart on the sheet, and flatten slightly with your fingers.

Bake for 11 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). The cookies will appear to be just barely firm with a sheen to their surfaces. Allow to cool on the sheet for about one minute before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store in airtight containers.

Soft Pretzels

Makes 12
2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast (1/4 ounce)
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup warm water
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Vegetable oil, for baking sheets
3 tablespoons baking soda
1 tablespoon pretzel salt
Assorted mustards, for serving

Directions

Mix yeast, coarse salt, sugar, and warm water in a small bowl, whisking until sugar dissolves. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Mix flour and cayenne in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Slowly pour yeast mixture over flour mixture, stirring to combine. Using your hands, gather dough together. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until it is no longer sticky, about 5 minutes. Cover with plastic, and let rise for 30 minutes.

Cut dough into 12 pieces, and roll each into an 18-inch rope. Form a U shape with 1 rope, and twist ends together twice. Fold twisted portion backward along center of U shape to form a circle, then gently press ends of rope onto dough to seal. Transfer to an oiled baking sheet, and repeat. Let rise for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add baking soda. Boil pretzels in batches until puffed and slightly shiny, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to wire racks to drain. Return to baking sheet, sprinkle with pretzel salt, and bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Pretzels will keep, uncovered, at room temperature for up to 12 hours. Rewarm in a 250-degree oven if desired, and serve with mustards.

Greek Chicken Cutlets

Serves 4
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives
4 ounces feta cheese, coarsely crumbled (1 cup)
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds thin chicken cutlets (about 8)

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, olives, feta, mint, and 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

Heat a grill pan over high; brush lightly with oil. Season cutlets with salt and pepper. Cook, working in batches as necessary, until chicken is cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Top chicken with tomato mixture, and serve.

Lamb Burgers with Feta Sauce and Cucumbers

Serves 4
1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
2 teaspoons curry powder
3 scallions, thinly sliced
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
8 slices country bread (each 1/2 inch thick), toasted, if desired
1 Kirby cucumber, cut lengthwise into ribbons with a vegetable peeler

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine lamb, curry powder, and 2 sliced scallions; season generously with salt and pepper. Mix gently with a fork (do not overmix); form into 4 oval patties to fit on bread (each 1 inch thick).

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Season patties with salt and pepper. Cook until browned and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes per side (reduce heat if browning too quickly).

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix feta, yogurt, and remaining scallion, mashing cheese gently to combine; season with salt and pepper.

Spread 4 slices of bread with feta mixture; top with cucumbers, lamb patties, and remaining bread.

Spanakopita triangles

Spanakopita Triangles
Adapted liberally from Gourmet

Makes about 30 pastries

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound fresh spinach (coarse stems removed if ‘grown-up’ spinach; baby spinach can be used in full)
3/4 pound feta, crumbled
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt one tablespoon butter in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, add onions and garlic and saute for a minute, then cook spinach, stirring, until wilted and tender, an additional 4 to 8 minutes (less for baby spinach, more for grown-up spinach). Remove from heat and cool, about 10 minutes. Press mixture in mesh colander (or wring in cheesecloth) to remove as much liquid as possible (I find this more necessary with baby spinach than the heartier stuff, which left almost no excess liquid), then coarsely chop. Transfer to a bowl and stir in feta and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let filling cool and follow instructions for phyllo triangles (below).

Orzo with Mint and Peas

Serves 4
1 cup orzo
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot (about 2 tablespoons), minced
Zest of 1 lemon
1 pound fresh peas, shelled, or 2 cups frozen peas
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil; salt water, and add orzo. Cook orzo according to package directions until al dente; drain, and set aside. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot and lemon zest, and saute until translucent.

Add peas, and cook until bright green and tender, adding a little water if shallots brown before peas are tender.

Add cooked orzo, season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Remove from heat, and stir in mint. Serve immediately.

Chickpeas and Tomatoes

Serves 4
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 can (15 1/2 ounces) chickpeas
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
1/4 cup fresh mint, thinly sliced

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 halved and thinly sliced large onion and 2 chopped garlic cloves; season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion begins to soften, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add 1 can chickpeas (15 1/2 ounces), drained and rinsed, and 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice. Simmer until thickened but still saucy, 6 to 8 minutes; remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper; stir in 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh mint.

Soba Noodles with Vegetables and Mint

Serves 4
Coarse salt
8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed, strings removed
12 ounces soba noodles
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon peanut oil
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 medium carrots, about 1/2 pound, peeled and shaved into thin strips using a vegetable peeler
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
4 scallions, thinly sliced crosswise
1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Bring a large (8-quart) pot of water to a boil; add salt. Add peas; cook until bright green and crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, immediately transfer peas to ice-water bath to stop the cooking; drain. Return water to a boil; cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain.

Rinse noodles with cold water; drain.

Transfer noodles to a large bowl. Add oils; toss to combine.Add reserved peas, the carrots, ginger, scallions, tamari soy sauce, and mint; season with pepper. Toss to combine. Serve at room temperature.

Sweet Chili Lime Tofu with Wok Steamed Collards and Quinoa

Sweet Chili Lime Tofu with Wok Steamed Collards and Quinoa
Serves 2-3
1 Block Tofu, extra firm, 14 oz
Sweet Chili Lime Sauce
3 Tbs Sugar
3 Tbs Reduced Sodium Tamari (or soy sauce)
1 3/4 Tbs Fresh Lime Juice
1/2 Zest of the Lime
1/2 tsp Red Chili Flakes (or 1-2 fresh hot chilies, minced)
1 Clove Garlic, pressed, optional
1/4 tsp Salt
4 Mint Leaves, chiffonaded

Quinoa*
3/4 Cup Quinoa, rubbed/rinsed in cool water, drained
1/2 Zest Lime
2 Bruised Cardamom Pods, optional
1 Tiny Stick of Cinnamon (a broken piece of a larger stick), optional
1/4 tsp Salt
1 1/3 Cup Water

*Other options: For brown rice, adjust water to 1 1/2 cups, for medium/long grain rice, water measurement is the same. Noodles can be boiled, drained, and given a light splash of soy sauce and lime juice for some background flavor. The tofu is very flavorful, so whatever base you choose, it needs only subtle additions, if any at all.

Wok Steamed Collards
1 Bunch Collard Greens, middle veins removed, washed
2-3 Tbs Water
1 Pinch Salt
1 tsp Lime Juice

Directions

Combine all the ingredients for the quinoa in a pot that has a tight fitting lid.

Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes, then turn off heat. Do not open lid. Let steam for 10 minutes before serving.

Prepare the sweet chili lime sauce by whisking all of the ingredients together until the sugar and salt is dissolved.

Drain tofu and cut it into small triangles. I slice the block into 8 rectangles, then each rectangle in half to make two squares per rectangle. I cut each square diagonally to make four triangles per square. Tofu geometry is my favorite kind of math! You can cut the tofu however you please, but a thinner, smaller shape will work best for this method.

Heat a well-seasoned cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat. A 10″ skillet will fit all the tofu, so if you’re using a smaller skillet, you’ll need to do this in batches. In order to properly “dry fry” the tofu, you’ll need a pan the tofu won’t stick to even without any oil.

Spread the tofu out in one layer in the pan. Using a spatula, press the tofu. The liquid will squeeze out and boil away, and the tofu will begin to turn golden. The more water that evaporates, the sturdier the tofu will be, so be gentle at first to prevent the tofu from breaking up. After several minutes, flip the tofu over and press the other side. After about 10 minutes of dry frying, you can turn off the heat and set the tofu aside for finishing later, or proceed to adding the sauce. (You might want to set the tofu aside before finishing in order to to prepare the collards, below.)

To finish the tofu, bring the pan back up to temperature if it’s not already very hot. You want to heat the pan and the tofu over high heat, making sure the tofu is hot all the way through. Add the sauce and stir to coat the tofu. Turn off the heat. The sauce will bubble up, reduce, and form a glaze. If it isn’t bubbling up and forming a glaze, turn the heat back on high and cook until the glaze is.. well.. glaze-y.

Stack the collard leaves on top of each other, 3-4 at a time, and roll. Slice the roll in 3/4 inch segments. Run your knife through the chopped collards to make smaller pieces, then add them to a wok with the water, lime juice and salt. Cover with any lid that will contain the collards and cook over high heat for 3-4 minutes until the collards are steamed and tender.

For plating, arrange the collards atop of a bed of quinoa. Add tofu over the top, drizzling any leftover sauce over the dish. Garnish with lime slices and mint leaves. Serve.

Strawberry-Shortcake Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen
12 ounces strawberries, hulled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (2 cups)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup heavy cream
Sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine strawberries, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 7 tablespoons granulated sugar in a large bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter, or rub in with your fingers, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cream until dough starts to come together, then stir in strawberry mixture.

Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment, spacing evenly apart. Sprinkle with sanding sugar, and bake until golden brown, 24 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool. Cookies are best served immediately, but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.

Lemon Bars

Lemon Bars

Crust:
1 cup butter
1 3/4 cup flour
2/3 cup confectioner's sugar (plus more for dusting)

Topping:
1 1/2 cup plain sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup lemon juice


Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease and flour a 9 X 13 pan

To make crust:
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and confectioner's sugar
Cut in butter until combined and crumbly.
Press mixture into bottom of pan.
Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

To make topping:
While crust is baking, prepare topping.
In a larger bowl, add sugar, flour, and baking powder.
Then add slightly beaten eggs and lemon juice.
Mix well and pour on top of warm baked crust.
Bake for 20-25 minutes.
When cool, dust with confectioner's sugar and refrigerate.
Cut into bars and enjoy them cold!

Petits Fours

Directions

Trim 1/4-inch from each of the short ends of the pound cake. Cut cake into 1-inch slices. Using a 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut 4 rounds from each slice of pound cake, using your finger to release each piece from the cutter.

Place rounds on a wire rack set over a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Ladle icing over each; let stand at room temperature until dry.

Gently lift cakes from wire rack using a spatula and transfer to a serving platter.

Decorate with butterflies or other store bought decorations. Store petits fours in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Buttery Pound Cake
Make 1 loaf
3 tablespoons whole milk, room temperature
3 extra-large eggs, room temperature
1 3/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of an 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-by-2 1/2-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, mix together milk, eggs, and vanilla; set aside.

Place flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until well blended. Add butter and half of the milk mixture; continue mixing until moistened. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat for 1 minute.

Scrape down sides of bowl. Add half of the remaining milk mixture. Beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl and add remaining milk mixture. Beat again on medium speed for 30 seconds.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour.

While cake is still warm, invert onto a wire rack. Completely wrap in plastic wrap to keep cake moist.

Petits Fours Icing
Ingredients

Makes enough for 32 petits fours
9 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Gel food coloring, in desired colors

Directions

In a heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water, mix sugar, corn syrup, 1/2 cup water, vanilla and almond extracts together until they are warm, well combined, and smooth. Stir in enough food coloring until desired color is reached. Do not overheat. Let cool about 8 minutes before pouring.

Rice Paper Butterflies
Store-bought marzipan
Black gel food coloring
8 1/2-by-11-inch sheets of rice paper
Butterfly template
Black fine-tip edible marker
Luster dust, in desired colors
Clear piping gel
Clear edible glitter
1/4-inch long floral stamen wires (not edible)
Toothpicks, cut in half
Directions

Place marzipan in a small bowl. Add a few drops of black food coloring and knead into marzipan until it reaches desired color; cover and set aside.

Place rice paper over butterfly template and trace butterfly design onto rice paper using edible marker. Turn rice paper over and trace design onto opposite side.

Using your fingertip, color one side of the wings with luster dust, then cover with piping gel. Working over parchment paper, crush glitter in your hands and sprinkle over piping gel; shake off and reserve any excess. Let stand until no longer tacky, 30 to 60 minutes. Place a sheet of parchment over wings and weight down with a book, if necessary, to keep rice paper from curling, up to 1 hour. Repeat process with opposite side. Carefully cut out wings; set aside.

Using black marzipan, form a 1/2-inch ball. Roll out into a 1-inch long tube to form the body of the butterfly. Using a small knife, make a small slit, about 1/4-inch long, into each of the long sides of the body. Place one wing into one of the slits and pinch the center of the body to adhere. Repeat process with opposite side. Insert two stamens into one end of the marzipan to form the antennae.

Insert toothpick halves into the bottom side of each butterfly. Let butterflies air-dry overnight. Use to decorate petits fours.

Italian Panzanella

Ingredients

Serves 4
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 cans (15.5 ounces each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups large cubes country bread (5 to 6 ounces)
1 pound plum tomatoes, cut into small pieces
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced crosswise
1/4 medium red onion, very thinly sliced
4 ounces provolone cheese in one piece, diced
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar and oil; season with salt and pepper.

Add beans, bread, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and cheese. Toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, and up to 8 hours. Just before serving, stir in basil.

Raspberry-Rhubarb Turnovers

Makes 8
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 pound store-bought or homemade Puff Pastry
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
6 ounces rhubarb, stalk split into quarters and chopped into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
Pinch salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
16 raspberries
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Fine sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out puff pastry dough to a 17 1/2-by-9 1/2-inch rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. Using a dry pastry brush, sweep off excess flour. Using a pastry cutter or pizza wheel, trim to a 16-by-8-inch rectangle. Cut out eight 4-inch squares. Place squares on prepared baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

In a small bowl, mix together sugar and vanilla bean seeds until well combined.

Transfer to a medium bowl along with rhubarb, salt, cornstarch, lemon juice and zest; mix until well combined. Gently fold in raspberries. Let filling stand until juicy.

In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and cream; set egg wash aside. Stir filling and strain, discarding excess liquid, and divide equally among the pastry squares, placing it in the center. Brush edges with egg wash. Fold dough diagonally over filling to form a triangle, and press to seal. If desired, crimp the edges using the floured tines of a fork. Place filled turnovers on a baking sheet, covered with plastic wrap, and freeze until firm, 20 to 30 minutes. The filled turnovers can be frozen for up to 3 weeks; no need to thaw before proceeding.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush tops of turnovers with egg wash, being careful not to let it drip over the edges, as this will prevent even puffing. Sprinkle generously with sanding sugar, and bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until turnovers are puffed and deep golden, 25 to 35 minutes. Using a thin metal spatula, immediately transfer turnovers to a wire rack to cool. They are best eaten the same day they are baked.

Brownie Cookies

Ingredients

Makes 34
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until melted, then let cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until lightened in color. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until combined. With mixer on low, alternately beat in chocolate and flour mixture; mix just until combined (do not overmix).

Drop dough by heaping tablespoons, about 2 inches apart, onto two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cookie comes out clean, 14 to 16 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Pesto Potato Salad with Green Beans

Pesto Potato Salad with Green Beans
Adapted so wildly from this recipe that they’re no longer on speaking terms

Now, I’m going to have to insist that you make your own pesto. Okay, I can’t insist, but I do highly recommend it. Even the best store-bought stuff lacks the flavor wallop of making your own — they may look green, but turn out to be mostly oil — and with basil inching its way towards Greenmarkets, it’s more delicious than ever to make your own. Brightening the flavor with vinegar and a good helping of salt and pepper keep this from bland-dom (a critique of many pesto potato salads), and the green beans provide the perfect antidote to those carb-phobic types.

Serves 10

4 pounds small Yukon gold or red-skinned potatoes, quartered
1 pound green beans, cut into one-inch segments
1 to 2 small garlic cloves, peeled

2 bunches of basil (about one ounce each)
1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil
6 tablespoons (or more to taste) mild vinegar, such as champagne, white wine or a white balsamic
1/4 cup chopped green onions (scallions)
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
Parmesan cheese to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 10 minutes. Add beans; cook four minutes longer. Drain well and let cool, then transfer potatoes and beans to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, discard the stems from the basil and wash and dry the leaves. Puree them in a food processor with garlic, drizzling in enough olive oil that it gets saucy. Season the pesto with salt and pepper. [Alternately, you can swap this step with one cup of prepared pesto, but seriously, I think you'll be missing out.]

Toss the beans and potatoes with pesto. Stir in vinegar and pine nuts and season with salt, pepper and/or additional vinegar to taste. Finally, shave some wide flecks of parmesan over the salad with a vegetable peeler.

Serve immediately, or make this up to two hours in advance. It can be stored at room temperature.