Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter or margarine (soft, not melted)
1 C granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 C all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Preparing the cookies:
Put into a mixing bowl along with 1 cup of sugar and mix until blended. Add eggs and vanilla and 2-1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt.

Mix everything together and cover with plastic wrap. Put the dough in plastic or a ziplock bag and refrigerate for at least one hour.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Sprinkle counter with flour and roll out the dough, about 1/4-inch thick. Use cookie cutters to make cookies 2 to 3-inches.

Put cookies on ungreased cookie sheet, and put cookie sheet in oven for about 10 minutes.

Makes 2 1/2 to 3 dozen cookies

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Pignoli Cookies

Ingredients:
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 2 T granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground fennel seed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup pine nuts

Preparing the cookies:
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, fennel seed, and salt in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Add the flour and mix just until blended.

Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap. Shape the dough into an 8-inch-long log. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line heavy large baking sheets with a silpat or parchment paper. Cut the dough log crosswise into 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick slices.

Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly apart. Press the pine nuts decoratively atop the cookies. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges, about 15 minutes.

Makes 2 to 3 dozen

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Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread

Ingredients:
1 cup hazelnuts, skins removed
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces semisweet chocolate

Preparing the cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place hazelnuts on baking sheet. Bake until they're a shade darker and fragrant, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Lower oven to 325 degrees F.

Place hazelnuts in blender or food processor and pulse to coarse bits; set aside. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt to blend; set aside.

Beat butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon until smooth. Beat in egg. Gradually beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Add the chopped hazelnuts and mix until distributed evenly throughout.

Form into long cookies and place on greased cookie sheets. Bake until firm, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on racks.

In a saucepan over lowest heat or in a double boiler, melt chocolate. Dip 1 end of cooled cookies into melted chocolate. Place back on cookie sheet to harden.

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Gingersnaps

Ingredients:
2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
a pinch of ground white pepper
6 ounces unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 large egg
2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
1/2 cup chopped candied ginger
granulated sugar, for rolling

Preparing the cookies:
Sift the dry ingredients together. Beat the butter and brown sugar with molasses until well combined and fluffy. Add the egg and ginger and beat 3 minutes. Add the flour mixture with the machine on low and then stir in the candied ginger by hand, do not over mix. Chill until the dough is firm and no longer sticky, at least 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Scoop with small ice cream scoop, about 1 tablespoon, and roll into a ball and then roll in granulated sugar. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, about 2 inches apart and press flat, 1/4-inch high.

Bake about 16 minutes or until the edges are firm and the tops feel set to the touch. Cool 1 minute on the baking sheets and then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 4 1/2 dozen cookies

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Chocolate Espresso Mousse With Orange Mascarpone Cream

Ingredients for the mousse:
1/2 cup whole milk
3 T granulated white sugar
1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
3 large egg whites

* * * * * * *

Ingredients for the mascarpone cream:
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature
2 T fresh squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 T powdered sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest

Preparing the mousse:
In a small saucepan over medium heat stir together the milk with the sugar and the espresso powder until the milk is hot, but not boiling, and the sugar is dissolved. Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth. Place the chocolate chips in a blender.

Pour the hot milk over the chips. Run the blender on high until combined, a few seconds. Add the egg whites and run the blender on high until light, about 1 minute. Transfer the mousse to 4 small serving cups. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until firm, about 3 hours.

* * * * * * *

Preparing the cream:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together the mascarpone cheese and the orange juice until smooth. Add the cream, powdered sugar, and orange zest. Whip until the cream has soft peaks, about 1 minute. Whip the cream just before serving the mousse or cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Serves 4

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Maple Ice Cream

Ingredients:
2 cups 35% cream
a pinch of salt
1 cup dark amber maple syrup
6 large egg yolks
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup maple flakes

Preparing the ice cream:
In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream and salt to a simmer.

In a bowl, whisk together the maple syrup and egg yolks. Pour about one-third of the hot cream into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly, and then stir the egg yolk mixture into the remaining cream in the saucepan. Stir to blend well. Lower the heat to medium-low and stir constantly until hot and slightly thickened. Do not boil.

Pour through a strainer into a bowl. Stir in the milk and vanilla. Cover and chill thoroughly.

Freeze in your ice cream machine following manufacturer's directions. Add the maple flakes.

Makes 4 cups

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Fried Harvey

This simple fare (delicious, hearty and addictive) was a special offered at a former Denny's restaurant (the chain) in Venice, California, that had been taken over by a hippies in the 1970s.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup diced onion
1 cup diced zucchini or other squash
2 cups spinach
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced red, orange or yellow bell pepper
1/4 cup diced celery
2 T vegetable oil
2 to 4 cups cooked rice
1 raw egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup toasted cashews or almonds
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced, green part only

Optional: Soy sauce, sliced mushrooms, diced carrots, chopped broccoli, or oter vegetables

Preparing the Fried Harvey:
Sauté onion, zucchini, spinach, peppers and celery lightly in oil.

In a separate pan, heat vegetable oil and add cooked rice. Scramble egg into rice and add vegetables. If using soy sauce, add now and mix. Add the nuts and cheese over the top. Cover for a few minutes on low heat until cheese melts. Sprinkle sliced scallions over the top.

Serves 4

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Hazelnut Sticky Buns

Ingredients for the filling:
2 1/4 sticks butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup finely ground toasted hazelnuts
1 1/2 T ground cinnamon

* * * * * * *

Ingredients for the topping:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
2 T milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 T corn syrup
1/3 cup coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts
1 package (16 ounces) hot roll mix or your favorite sweet yeast dough recipe

Preparing the filling:
In large bowl, beat butter and sugars with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add hazelnuts and cinnamon; mix well. Set aside.

* * * * * * *

Preparing the topping:
In medium saucepan, heat butter and milk over low heat; when butter starts to melt, stir in sugar and corn syrup. Boil until mixture reaches 215 degrees F. Add chopped hazelnuts. Increase heat to medium and boil 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat and set aside.

* * * * * * *

Assembling the buns:
Spray 2 jumbo muffin pans with vegetable pan spray. Prepare hot roll mix according to package directions. Allow dough to rest. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 24-inch by 12-inch rectangle.

With a spatula, spread filling evenly across the dough. Starting with long side, begin rolling the dough tightly, pressing edges to seal. Cut log into 12 2-inch pieces. Spoon about 2 teaspoons topping into the bottom of each jumbo muffin cup. Place one roll in each cup. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and a cloth towel; set aside in a warm place and allow to rise for 30 minutes. Remove towel and plastic wrap.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake rolls for 20 to 23 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on rack for 3 minutes. With a sheet pan underneath, carefully remove rolls from muffin pans. Use a spatula to spread on any hazelnut topping that was left behind in the pans. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Giada's Side Cars

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1 lime, zested
1 lime wedge
10 ounces cognac
4 ounces Triple Sec liqueur
4 ounces sweet and sour mix
4 ounces limoncello
2 ounces lime juice
ice

Preparing the sidecar martini:
Chill 4 martini glasses. In a small shallow dish combine the sugar and the lime zest. Run the lime wedge around the rim of each glass. Dip in the sugar and zest mixture.

In a cocktail shaker mix the cognac, Triple Sec, sweet and sour mix, limoncello, and lime juice over ice. Shake to chill.

Pour the side car martinis into the glasses and serve immediately.

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Scallopini with Sage and Fontina

Ingredients:
6 (4 1/2 to 5 1/2-ounce) veal or chicken cutlets, pounded thin
salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 sage leaves
3 ounces grated fontina cheese
3 T olive oil
1 garlic clove, halved
1/2 cup white wine
1 (28-ounce) can whole San Marzano tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparing the scallopini:
Place the chicken cutlets on a clean work surface, narrow end facing you. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place one sage leaf crosswise on each of the pieces of chicken. Sprinkle each of the pieces of chicken with 1/2 ounce (about 2 tablespoons) of fontina cheese. Roll up the chicken and seal with one or two toothpicks.

Warm the olive oil and halved garlic clove in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken. Brown the chicken on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and remove and discard the garlic. Add the wine and simmer for 2 minutes while scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes and red pepper flakes in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the tomato mixture to the reduced wine in the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes to let the flavors marry.

Return the chicken to the pan. Simmer the chicken in the tomato sauce for 10 minutes. Turn the chicken over and simmer until cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the pan. Season the tomato sauce with salt and pepper. Spoon the tomato sauce onto serving plates or a serving platter. Slice the chicken into 1-inch rounds. Remove the toothpicks. Place the chicken over the sauce and serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6

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