Tomato soup from https://katherinesasser.com/very-special-tomato-soup/. Worth each and every step, and the roasting makes all the difference.

Grilled Cheese

You think it’s the way you’ve always made it. The extra steps make all the difference.

8 slices of good bread. Sourdough is a nice touch.

2 cups of cheese of choice, grated

1 stick/8 tbl butter, room temperature

Mayonnaise if you dare…..and Dukes if you can get it

1. Heat a heavy pan or two, cast iron is a a great choice.

2. Spread ½ a tbl of butter on one side of each slice of bread.

3. Fry/toast the bread slices, butter side down, on the pan until golden.

4. Remove to a plate or cooling rack while toasting others. Place unbuttered side up.

5. Take a slice of the toasted bread, butter the untoasted side, and place in the pan.

6. Spread ½ cup of cheese on the bread.

7. If doing mayo (and you should), spread the mayo on the toasted side of a second piece of bread.

8. Place the 2nd piece of bread, toasted side down, on top of the cheese.

9. Spread butter on the top of the 2nd slice of bread, this should be an untoasted side.

10. Fry until the bread is well browned, gently flip over, and fry the other side.

11. remove when browned, cut in 1/2 , serve with the soup.

Ingredients

• 2 eggplant

• Dozen or so carrots

• 1 head of garlic

• 4 tbl butter

• 3 tbl flour

• 1/2 cup of half and half (or full cup of milk)

• 3 cups of stock of choice (I used veggie)

• Salt

• Pepper

• Olive oil

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees

2. Prepare 2 baking pans/sheets with parchment paper (or not, if you like to scrub pans)

3. Slice eggplants lengthwise. Coat each half with olive oil, both cut and skin side.

4. Sprinkle cut side with a generous amount of pepper and salt, then place cut side down on one of the prepared pans.

5. Slice carrots lengthwise, coat with olive oil, and a generous amount of pepper and salt. Place in the other pan.

6. Slice of the top 1/4 of the garlic head. Place cut side up in the pan with the carrots, and generously and slowly pour olive oil over the cut side.

7. Place both pans in the oven. Roast the eggplants until very soft, 25-35 minutes, and the carrots with garlic until the carrots are also very soft, likely 10-15 more minutes.

8. The above steps can be done up to a day in advance, or…..

9. Once there is about 10 minutes or so left in the roasting of the veggies, melt the butter in a large stock pot over a medium low heat.

10. While the butter is melting, heat the milk or 1/2 and 1/2 with 1 cup of the stock. A quick 2 minute shot in the microwave works wonders, or heat on top of the oven in a small pan until almost simmering.

11. Once the butter has melted, but not browned, sprinkle in all of the flour, turn the heat up to just above medium, and whisk for about 2 minutes. You want all the flour to cook just a bit to remove the raw flour taste. You do not want the flour to brown (making a roux), but that would also not be the worst thing in the world.

12. Slowly pour in about 1/4 cup of the heated dairy and stock mixture. Whisk until fully incorporated, and then keep adding a bit more of the dairy/stock mixture in 1/4 cups or less, whisking vigorously. The goal here is to have the butter fat and flour globules fully absorb the hot mixture.

13. Once the dairy mixture has been fully incorporated, add the rest of the stock. Whisk again until combined. If the veggies still need more time, reduce to a very low heat until veggies are done.

14. Add veggies to the mixture. You may choose to scoop the flesh out of the eggplant and avoid including the skins. Or you can include them. Up to you.

15. Bring the veggie and stock mixture to a gentle simmer.

16. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into the soup.

17. Blend with an immersion blender or in your implement of destruction of choice. A potato rice would work the triceps a bit and generate a slightly more rustic touch.

18. Check for levels of salt or pepper.

19. Add more stock if too thick.

20. Serve. You could top with a drizzle of olive oil, a bit of hot pepper sauce, some fried sage leaves, or just as is.

1 single pie crust dough OR puff pastry sheet

2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed

3-4 plums, cut into wedges (4-8 wedges per plum), pit removed, skin left on

1 tbl white sugar

1.5 tsp cornstarch

1 tbl butter, cut into 4-6 pieces

1 egg white, well beaten

additional sugar for dusting

flour for dusting

pastry cloth (if that is how you roll :-))

1 - place berries and plums in colander/strainer over a bowl. Sprinkle with sugar and stir.

2 - let berry/plum/sugar mixture sit as short as the time it take to roll out the dough, or up to a few hours.

3 - preheat oven to 400 degrees

4 - roll out dough to ¼ inch thick or just a bit thinner. if using pie crust, get it to a round shape. Best process here is to start just off center and roll out through the center, at 12/2/4/6/8/10 o’clock positions. I like to do this on a pastry cloth dusted with flour. You can sub a heavy, flat weave dish towel, or just do it on the counter top. If the dough starts to stick to the rolling pin, lightly dust the top of the dough with some flour as well.

If using the pastry puff, roll into a large rectangle.

5 - if any liquid has drained from the berries and plums into the bowl, pour the liquid into a microwave safe cup, add the cornstarch, and microwave on high for 10 seconds. If no liquid, proceed to 6

6 - place a piece of parchment paper or a silcone baking mat on a rimmed baking pan (i.e., jelly roll pan)

7- transfer the rolled out dough to the paper/mat

8 - scatter the blueberries/plums on the dough, leaving 1.5” clear rim around the outside edge. Don’t need to be exact, but will want to leave enough to fold the dough over the filling by about 1”

9 - IF you have cornstarch from the microwave (with juice from berries), pour that over the berries. If not, spring the berry mixture with the cornstarch.

10 - fold up the sides of the dough over the berries, leaving a large opening in the middle.

11 - brush the exposed dough with the beaten egg whites. Be sure to get both the dough where it meets the pan and the edges that dip into the fruit.

12 - dot the top of the exposed fruit with the butter pieces.

13 - fridge the sheet with the dough for 15-45 minutes

14 - bake in oven for 30-40 minutes or longer until pastry is deep golden. It may leak out of the edge. Welcome to rustic pies.

Serve as is, or with a bit of whipped cream or ice cream. Stores well at room temp covered with wax paper for a few days.

1-2 slices sourdough bread, crust removed, cubed

3 tbl red wine vinegar

3 tbl olive oil

½ tsp salt

2-3 cups cubed watermelon (seedless or seeds removed)

2-3 medium fresh tomatoes cubed. Or one large heirloom.

¼ of a large or 1// of a small red onion finely diced.

1 large clove garlic, minced

¼ cup packed fresh basil leaves, sliced into thin ribbons

1 large cucumber, peeled and seeded then cubed.

Herb / spice of choice. I did ½ tsp of sumac. Try cumin, or any fresh herbs

Salt and freshly ground pepper.

1) place the bread in a small bowl. Toss with vinegar, oil and salt. Put aside.

2) place remaining ingredients except last amount of salt and pepper in your blending vessel of choice. I did a large glass bowl with a wand blender.

3) Blend until smooth.

4) add in soaked bread and blend again.

5) taste for salt and pepper.

6) chill for one hour minimum, longer = better.

1 pkg firm tofu, drained, dried between towels, cubed

2-3 bunches of fresh spinach, rinsed well, lightly chopped

1 lb or so mushrooms of choice, cut into large chunks or torn to pieces

Vegetable oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

Sesame oil

Sesame seeds

Pepper

1-2 Tbl miso paste

1) Heat vegetable oil (peanut’s a good choice as well) in a wok or large pan.

2) Scatter the tofu in the oil, and fry at least 2 sides to a light brown.

3) remove the tofu to a large bowl, add some more oil and the mushrooms

4) Let the mushroom fry on one side until brown, then stir lightly to get at least one other side brown.

5) Add the minced garlic and sauté with the mushrooms, stirring constantly.

6) Remove the mushrooms and garlic to the bowl with the tofu, add more oil to the pan.

7) Add the spinach, and sauté until just starting to wilt.

8) Add the miso paste, and continue to stir until miso is well blended.

9) Remove the spinach to the bowl with the tofu and spinach.

10) Add fresh pepper, drizzle with some sesame oil, and scatter some sesame seeds.

11) Toss all together, serve.

2-3 cod fillets

4-5 tbl olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

¾ cup of all purpose flour

salt

pepper

1 - heat a heavy fry pan which can hold the fish (cast iron is a great choice)

2 - while pan is heating, whisk 3-4 tbl of the olive oil with the lemon juice on a large plate or pie pan

3 - mix the flour with the salt and pepper in another plate or pie pan

4 - add 2 tbl of olive oil to the pan

5 - dredge both sides of a fillet in the olive oil/lemon, and then in the flour.

6 - shake off excess flour, and lay gently into the hot oil in the pan

7 - repeat with the other fillets

8 - fry 3-4 minutes, then gently flip

9 - fry 2-3 minutes longer until flaky.

10 - if you’ve some more lemon juice, spritz over the fish in the pan

11 - remove and serve

1 package Annas Pepparkarka cookies (flavor of your choice)

1 pint heavy whipping cream

¼ - 1/3 cup of powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

1 - Whip the cream and sugar with extracts until soft peaks form.

2 - Spread a layer of whipped cream about 2 inches wide by 10 or so inches long.

3 - Take 1 cookie, spread a generous amount of whipped cream on one side (1 tbl or so), and lightly press another cookie against it.

4 - Stand the two cookies at one end of the strip of whipped cream.

5 - Spread another cookie with whipped cream, and press against the two standing.

6 - Continue to put one cookie at time, with whipped cream enough to have a gap of about ¼ inch between cookies.

7 - Use the entire box of cookies. You should have whipped cream left over.

8 - Spread remaining whipped cream around the entire exterior of your cookie log.

9 - Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

10 - Cut slices at a 30-40 degree angle to the cookie log, with 3-4 cookies being part of each slice.

• 2-3 tbl olive oil

• 2 onions, diced

• 16 oz (2 pts) of mushrooms, sliced. I used white and brown.

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 6 or so japanese white turnips, scrubbed and cut into 1/2” or so pieces (reserve the tops!)

• 1 bunch of radishes, scrubbed, cut in half. You can choose to combine the radish tops withe the turnip greens, or not.

• ¼ cup rice (I used brown)

• 5-6 cups vegetable stock. My stock this time was from Risotto di Fagioli all Veneta from Fagioli by Judith Barrett

• 1 bay leaf

• Salt and freshly ground pepper

• Beet greens, well rinsed and thicker stems removed/

• 1/3 cup toasted nuts (walnuts, pine nuts work as well)

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, 4 to 5 minutes.

2. Add the mushrooms, and cook until they have lost their moisture and have just started to brown.

3. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring, until the garlic smells fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.

4. Add turnips, radishes and rice. Stir to coat the veggies and rice in the garlic infused oil.

5. Add stock, bay leaf, and salt, and bring to a boil.

6. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 25 - 30 minutes until rice is cooked and veggies are tender.

7. While the soup is simmering, blanch the greens in boiling salted water just until tender, 1½ to 2 minutes, or steam for about 3 minutes.

8. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, drain and squeeze out excess water.

9. Place the squeezed bunch of kale on your cutting board and slice into thin slivers.

10. When soup is done, blend it to a smooth puree.

11. Return to the pot, reheat

12. Serve with walnuts and greens on top. Flaky salt, some black pepper, a touch of hot sauce, all would go well.

TIP

* Advance preparation: The soup will keep for a day or two in the refrigerator. Whisk before reheating. Good for freezing, but freeze the greens separately and add them after thawing once the soup has been reheated.

• 1.5 cups dried white beans (heirloom makes it fun). Rinsed, picked over. Soak for a few hours if you can. If relatively fresh and smaller, overnight is usually not needed.

• 5-6 cloves of garlic, peeled. Leave 1 whole, mince the rest

• 1 bay leaf

• 3-4 carrots, large dice

• 2-3 celery stalks, match the carrot in dice size

• 1 yellow onion, diced or sliced thin (up to you)

• 1.5 - 2 cups green beans (trimmed)

• 1 cup brown rice, rinsed. I used jasmine. Up to you.

• 2 pints cherry or other small tomatoes

• 1 bunch basil

• 3/4 cup olive oil

• 1 tbl lemon juice

• Parm/Romano/Feta cheese for serving

1. Cover the beans with 1 inch of water, add bay leaf and the whole peeled garlic. Bring to a simmer over a medium high heat.

2. Skim off any foam that forms on top of the beans, and reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 20-40 minutes or so (depending upon the beans and if you soaked, could be longer). Remove the garlic and the bay leaf. Keep the beans in their cooking liquid. <This can all be done ahead>

3. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a soup pot. Add salt.

4. Add the beans and their cooking liquid.

5. Add the carrots, onion, green beans, rice and tomatoes. Bring back to a simmer.

   1. If you have a rind of parmesan, this would the time to throw that in the pot.

6. Partially cover, cook for 45-60 minutes.

7. While soup is cooking, slice the basil into small ribbons. Add to a bowl with the garlic, olive oil and the lemon juice.

8. When vegetables are soft and rice is cooked, remove from heat. Add basil/garlic mixture. Spoon a bit of soup into the basil mixing bowl and pour back into the soup to ensure you get all the flavors.

9. Top with parm or other cheese. You may add salt, but it’s been salted a bit before hand.

1. Saute the onion and celery in the olive oil until the onion is translucent.

2. Add the garlic, and sauté for 30-60 seconds. The goal of this step is twofold, one to take the edge off of the garlic, the other to imbue the olive oil with the garlic flavor. If you like a bit of heat, add a few peppers flakes at this point as well.

3. Add zucchini and broth.

4. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 15-20 min or longer until zucchini is very soft. All depends on how the zucchini is. Very fresh, it will cook faster, older or larger will take up to 30 min.

5. Blend with stick blender, food mill, blender, etc. Return to pot.

6. add lemon zest and lemon juice.

7. Roll basil into a tight bunch, and slice into very thin ribbons. Stir into the soup.

Serve with some toasted rustic bread. Could add some yogurt or sour cream. If adding these, try a dash of your favorite pepper sauce on top of the dairy. Good color, better taste.

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Ingredients

• Olive oil – 2-3 tbsp

• Mushrooms – 12-16 oz, torn into smaller pieces

• Onion – 1 medium, moderate sized slices (could use red)

• Garlic – 3 cloves, minced

• Cabbage – ½ medium head (red, green, napa, up to you), sliced to the same width as the onion.

• Butter – 2 tbsp

• Fresh thyme – 4–5 sprigs (or 1 tsp dried)

• Smoked paprika – 1 tsp

• Farro – ½ cup, rinsed, not cooked

• Stock – 2 cups (veggie or chicken, ideally low-sodium - mushroom broth is a good plus up)

• Walnuts – ½- 3/4 cup, roughly chopped

• Fresh parsley – Small handful, chopped

• Sour cream – for serving (a generous dollop)

• Salt & pepper – to taste

Instructions

1. Sauté the Mushrooms

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a big skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms with a pinch of salt. Let them sit undisturbed at first—this is how you get browning, not steaming. Stir occasionally and cook until golden and shrunk down, about 7–8 minutes. Remove and set aside.

2. Sauté the Onion Base

Add the other tbsp of olive oil. Toss in your onion and sauté for 5–6 minutes until soft and getting golden. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and smoked paprika. Let everything mingle for about a minute.

3. Wilt the Cabbage

Add the sliced cabbage and butter. Sauté for 5–7 minutes, stirring now and then, until the cabbage starts to soften and shrink down. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Add Farro & Stock

Now add the uncooked farro and pour in 2 cups of stock. Stir it all up. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 25–30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the farro is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. If things get dry before the farro’s done, just splash in a bit more stock or water.

5. Mushrooms Return

Once the farro is ready, stir the mushrooms back in and warm everything through—2–3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

6. Finishing Touches

Off the heat, stir in the chopped walnuts and parsley. Take a proud moment here—you made this whole thing in one pot.

7. Serve It Up

Dish it into bowls, plop on that sour cream, and maybe add a few extra walnuts or a crack of black pepper for drama.

Options

• Want it creamier? Stir in a spoonful of sour cream directly at the end instead of just dolloping.

• Store leftovers in the fridge—reheats like a champ and might even taste better tomorrow.

• Add cooked white beans when ready-adding the mushrooms. If you cooked the beans at home, use the bean broth instead of the stock.

Pan of your choice (wok, large fry pan, or Dutch Oven)

Instructions:

1. Slice the white stems off the bok choy and set the green leaves aside. Cut the bok choy stems into 1/2-inch pieces.

2. Heat a pan with some neutral cooking oil (not olive oil or something that’s been sitting around forever).

3. When the pan is hot, add the bok choy stems, peppers, and garlic. Stir quickly and then leave them alone for 3-5 minutes to brown a bit.

4. Trim the remaining bok choy leaves to wide ribbons.

5. Cube the tofu into 1/2-inch cubes.

6. In a medium bowl, toss the cornstarch with a generous amount of pepper and some salt.

7. Toss the cubed tofu with the cornstarch mixture.

8. Stir the bok choy stems and peppers, and cook for 2-3 more minutes, stirring a few times.

9. Remove the bok choy stem mixture to a plate.

10. Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan.

11. Toss in the tofu. Let each side fry until browned lightly (3-4 sides is fine). You may need to add a bit more oil.

12. Add the bok choy stem mixture and the green leaves.

13. Stir fry briefly.

14. Add the stock. It will thicken quickly due to the cornstarch.

15. Remove from heat. Add soy sauce and a bit of sesame oil.

16. Serve over rice (I like brown rice).

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (butterflied and pounded to ½-inch thick) OR cheat and see if your butcher can pound them OR provide you with already prepped breasts. If already prepped, skip to ricotta section….

Chicken

• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

• ½ cup finely grated Romano

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp dried basil

• ½ tsp smoked paprika

• ½ tsp garlic powder

• ½ tsp kosher salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 1 eggs, beaten w/ 1 tbl of water

• ½ cup all-purpose flour

• Olive oil, for frying

Roasted Garlic Ricotta

• 1 head garlic

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• ½ cup ricotta cheese

• ¼ cup grated Romano

• ½ tsp lemon zest

• ½ tsp red pepper flakes

• Salt

• Pepper

Sauce

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 (28-oz) can tomatoes (pureed, crushed, hand crushed whole, whatever works)

• ½ tsp red pepper flakes

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• Salt

• Black pepper

• ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

Topping

• 4 slices prosciutto

• 4 oz fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces

• Basil leaves, whole

Instructions

1. Roast the Garlic

1. Preheat oven to 400°F

2. Cut the top off the garlic head, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast for 30-40 minutes until soft and caramelized.

3. Let cool, then squeeze out the cloves and mash into a paste.

2. Make the Ricotta Layer

1. In a small bowl, mix ricotta, roasted garlic paste, Parmesan, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

3. Make the Sauce

1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add red pepper flakes, sauté for 10 seconds.

2. Add crushed tomatoes, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

3. Stir in fresh basil, then turn off the heat.

4. Prepare the Chicken (if not pre-prepared)

1. Mix panko, Parmesan, oregano, basil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a shallow bowl.

2. Dredge chicken in flour, then dip in beaten eggs, then coat in breadcrumb mixture.

3. Heat oil in a skillet or large dutch oven over medium heat. Fry chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown. Drain on cooling rack or paper towels.

4. Wipe pan down, lightly re-oil, and fry the pieces of prosciutto until crispy.

5. Assemble & Bake

OK to freeze at this point.

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

2. Oil a baking dish that can hold the chicken without overlapping.

3. Spread a thin layer of sauce on a baking dish. Place the crispy chicken on top.

4. Spread a layer of roasted garlic ricotta over each piece.

5. Spoon more sauce over the ricotta, then top with torn mozzarella.

6. Bake for 10-12 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

• 1.5 cups dry white beans

• 2 bay leaves

• 6 garlic cloves, 2 just peeled, 4 peeled and minced

• 4 oz dried porcini or mixed dried mushrooms

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 large red onion, peeled and minced

• 2 tbsp miso

• 2 tsp ground black pepper

• 1 pint each of white button and brown cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

• 1 tbl soy sauce

• salt

• 2 tbsp sesame oil

• 1 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds or black sesame

• 2 tbsp green onions, sliced

1. Rinse white beans well. If relatively fresh and known high quality, an overnight soak is not necessary but will reduce cooking time.

2. If soaked, place beans with soaking liquid in medium pan. If not soaked, add beans to pan. Add water until beans are covered with water with an additional 1 1/2 to 2 inches of water above the top of the beans.

3. Add the 2 bay leaves and 2 cloves of just peeled (not minced) garlic, and turn on heat to medium-high. Bring to a gentle simmer.

4. Simmer beans until al dente. Time will vary from 30 minutes to over an hour depending upon bean size, type and freshness. If you’d like to cook them faster, use a pressure cooker or pre-soak. Or sub with rinsed, canned beans.

5. Once beans are al dente, add dried mushrooms and continue to cook until very soft. Likely 10-15 more minutes. Turn off but do not drain. Remove the garlic and the bay leaves. Cooking the beans can be done ahead.

   1. Alternatively, you can cover the dried mushrooms in a cup of hot water in a separate container, and add them with their soaking liquid later in the recipe after removing some of the cooked beans.

6. When beans are in their final cooking stage, or if they’ve already been cooked ahead of time, start the soup in a dutch over or other medium to large pan.

7. Heat the olive oil in the pan, and then add the red onion. Saute until soft but not brown.

8. Add minced garlic and sauté quickly for 30 seconds or so. You are infusing the oil with the garlic and taking the raw edge off. The garlic should not begin to brown.

9. Add the miso and stir until it has dissolved and is coating the onion and garlic.

10. Add the sliced mushrooms, the pepper, and some salt. Saute until the mushrooms are soft through and through, but they do not need to brown.

11. Add the beans and their cooking liquid and the soy sauce to the mushroom mixture pan and stir well. Bring to a simmer, and simmer gently until beans are very, very soft and flavors combined. Timing will be based on how much the beans cooked above, but 10 minutes is a good starting point.

12. Turn the beans off.

13. Using a slotted spoon, remove about 1 cup of the beans and mushrooms. If you can, pick out any of the dried mushrooms if there are larger pieces and add back to the soup.

    1. If you’ve soaked the mushrooms separately, add them back to the bean and mushroom pot after removing the 1 cup.

14. Using a stick blender, a potato masher, or other implement of destruction, puree the remaining bean mixture. If needed, you can add some water to thin it out.

15. Add the removed beans and mushrooms back in, and bring back to simmer in order to serve.

16. Ladle the soup into serving bowls, and drizzle with some sesame oil, scatter some onions on top, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

17. A grind or two of fresh black pepper and some flakey salt scattered on top will finish the dish off well.

• 1 cup [120 g] almond flour

• 1 cup [140 g] all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

• 1 cup [180 g] chopped semisweet chocolate (70% cacao) or go easy on yourself and use good quality chocolate chips

• 3 large eggs (room temperature preferred)

• 1 1/2 cups [250 g] sugar

• 2/3 cup [240 ml] whole milk or half and half (room temperature preferred)

• 3/4 cup [180 ml] extra-virgin olive oil. Choice of oil impacts flavor. Fruity and light or peppery. This is where to use a higher quality oil.

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.

2. Grease a 9-inch round baking pan with olive oil and line the bottom with parchment paper.

3. In a bowl, whisk together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.

4. Melt the chopped chocolate in a double boiler or other heatproof bowl set over simmering water or in the microwave in short bursts. Let it cool slightly.

5. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until just starting to bubble.

6. Add sugar in 1/4-1/3 cup increments and continue to beat until pale and fluffy.

7. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while continuing to whisk until fully incorporated.

8. Stir in the milk.

9. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, folding gently with a spatula until just combined. Avoid overmixing.

10. Drizzle the melted chocolate across the top of the bowl while gently folding into the batter. You’re looking to have chocolate stripes, not mixed in chocolate.

11. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

12. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

13. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

14. Powdered sugar could be used to decorate the top.

1. Place chicken in the bottom of a slow cooker (see below if using stove top)

2. Add spices, and toss with the chicken

3. Add the broth and honey and cook on low for 5 hours. Turn the chicken 2-3 times during cooking. It can be left in “keep warm” mode for several hours.

4. 30 min before serving, remove chicken to a cutting board and let cool slightly.

5. While chicken is cooling, pour remaining liquid into a saucepan and put on the stove on high. Bring to a boil and reduce heat a bit to ensure it does not boil over, but keep high enough to be reducing the stock down.

6. While the pan is reducing the stock, shred the chicken with two forks and put it into the slow cooker pan.

7. When the stock has reduced by 1/2 or so, add back to the chicken, and set the slow cooker on keep warm until serving.

Serve with warm tortillas, grated cheese, chopped clilantro leaves, black beans and salsa of choice. Or not.

Stovetop adjustment:

• Place chicken in crock pot (burner not yet on). Add ingredients as in 2 and 3 above, and then turn heat on medium.

• Once stock begins to simmer, cover directly with a piece of foil, and then put a lid on.

• Turn burner to its lowest setting, and cook for 1..5-2 hours.

• 140 grams sourdough discard

• 360 grams buttermilk (mixed Greek yogurt and milk if you don’t have buttermilk)

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

• 275 grams all purpose flour

• 200 grams pastry flour

• 50 grams whole wheat flour

• 40 grams sugar

• 12 grams salt

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 70 grams unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. .

In a small bowl whisk together the sourdough discard, buttermilk and egg. Set aside.

Mix the flours, sugar, baking soda and salt together in a bowl and lightly mix together.

Grate the cold butter directly into the mixture or cut the butter into small chunks or use a pastry cutter.

Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture and stir to lightly incorporate. Shape into a round circle

place on parchment paper on a pan or directly onto a cast iron pan.

Bake for 20 min, then cover with foil and bake for 15-25 more minutes.

• 8 Tbl unsalted butter, room temp (overnight is best)

• 2 Tbl veg oil

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• ~ 2 tsp of ground cardamom. If pre-ground, use 2. If grinding yourself, use slightly less).

• zest from a blood orange

• 2-3 tsp blood orange juice (~ 1/2 of the orange’s juice)

• 2 Tbl rose water

• 1 1/2 cups cake/pastry flour (you can try all almond flour to be gluten free, and take a teaspoon or two of oil out from above)

• 1/2 cup almond flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 3/4 tsp salt

Topping (all optional)

• 1 Tbl confectioners sugar

• 1/4 cup chopped pistachios (unsalted)

• Rose petals (fresh or from dried rose buds)

• Rose water syrup. You can try this recipe, or make any simple syrup with a few tablespoons of rose water. https://www.simplyleb.com/recipe/attar/

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Line the bottom of a springform cake pan with parchment paper

3. Beat butter until fluffy

4. Add eggs and beat well until fully incorporated. Scrap sides down.

5. Add sugars, beat well until sugars are fully incorporated and mixture is light and fluffy.

6. Add cardamom, zest, orange juice and rose water. Beat well.

7. In a separate bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder and salt.

8. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients, and mix by hand until flour is just damp.

9. Scoop mixture into pan. It may be a bit sticky, so take care in spreading it around the pan as to not move the parchment too much.

10. Bake for 40 min. Test with a toothpick or cake tester. If using all almond flour, it MAY take just a few more minutes.

11. Remove from the oven to a wire rack and cool for 10-15 minutes.

12. Run a knife along the outside of the cake, and remove the spring form.

13. Invert the cake onto another rack or pan, and then place the cake top side up onto your serving dish.

14. Dust with the powdered sugar.

15. Sprinkle the middle 2/3 of the cake with the pistachios

16. Scatter the rose petals around the outer third.

17. Serve slices with a drizzle of the rose water syrup.