Red Lentil and Mushroom Soup

1/2 cup red lentils
2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large shallot, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch knob fresh ginger, grated 
1/2 pound mushrooms (shiitake or cremini), sliced
6 cups vegetable stock
3 tablespoons miso paste (or 1 tablespoon tahini and 2 tablespoons soy sauce)

Baby spinach leaves (optional)
Kosher or sea salt, to taste
Sliced green onions, for garnish

Rinse the lentils, then set aside.

Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and then stir in the shallot, garlic, and ginger. Cook for 1 minute or until the shallot softens, and then stir in the mushrooms. Cook for about 3 minutes or until the mushrooms begin to soften.

Add the vegetable stock and miso (or tahini and soy sauce). Stir to completely dissolve the miso (or tahini), then increase heat to high, bringing the broth to a moderate boil. Stir in the lentils. Reduce the heat and gently simmer for 20 minutes or until the lentils are tender. As it cooks, stir the soup occasionally so the lentils don't stick to the bottom of the pan.

Add spinach leaves if desired and cook for another few minutes, until they are wilted.

Season with additional salt if desired and garnish with green onions.

Serves 4. 

From Food & Wine, with changes

Panko-Crusted Salmon with Creamy Lemon-Dill Sauce

Panko-Crusted Salmon:
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest (from 1 lemon - reserve juice for sauce)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
 
Creamy Lemon-Dill Sauce:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup minced shallots
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup chicken broth (or dry white wine)
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste
 
Heat oven to 425 F.
 
Prepare salmon. Arrange salmon fillets, skin side-down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine Dijon mustard, paprika, salt, and black pepper; mix well. Brush mixture evenly over salmon fillets. In a separate bowl, combine panko, Parmesan, fresh dill, lemon zest, and olive oil. Mix well to combine. Scatter panko topping evenly over salmon fillets, gently pressing to adhere. Bake until the crust is golden and salmon easily flakes with a fork, about 13 to 16 minutes, depending on thickness.
 
Meanwhile, prepare sauce. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic; cook 2 minutes, until softened. Add broth (or white wine) and gently simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until reduced. Add heavy cream; simmer 2 to 3 minutes, until thickened. Stir in lemon juice and fresh dill. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
 
Assemble. Pour sauce on a serving platter (ideally a lipped platter with raised edges) and arrange salmon fillets overtop. Serve with extra lemon wedges on the side, if desired.

Serves 4.

From Dishing Out Health blog

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

2 1/4 cups (281 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (12 tablespoons/170 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 cup (200 g) packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup (180 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
 
Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough paper around the sides to easily lift the bars out of the pan. Set aside.
 
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt together. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until no brown sugar lumps remain. Add the egg, extra egg yolk, and vanilla extract. The mixture will be thick. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together until combined. The dough will be soft and slick, yet thick. Fold in the chocolate chips. The chips may not stick to the dough because of the melted butter, but do your best to combine them.
 
Transfer dough to the prepared baking pan and press into an even layer. Lightly sprinkle the top with flaky sea salt, if desired. Also, I like to press a few more chocolate chips on top of the dough before baking; this is just for looks.
 
Bake for 30-34 minutes or until lightly browned on the sides. Err on the side of underbaking and do NOT over-bake, or the cookie bars will taste a little dry and cakey. Use a toothpick to test for doneness; if it comes out mostly clean from the center of the pan, the bars are done.
 
Allow the bars to cool in the pan set on a wire rack for at least an hour. Once relatively cool, lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment and cut into squares. Cover and store leftover bars at room temperature for up to 1 week.
 
Notes: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to come to room temperature and continue with baking. Baked cookie bars freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw bars overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.

Makes 16 bars.

From Sally's Baking Addiction

Orange Cardamom Roasted Pears

3 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
6 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
3 Bosc or red Anjou pears, cored and sliced

Heat oven to 425 F. 

In a baking dish, mix the syrup, orange juice, cardamom pods, and pear slices. Toss to coat everything. Make sure the pears are spread out evenly and bake for 30-40 minutes, until the pears are tender, golden, and caramelized.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Creme Brulee French Toasts

Toasts:
1 loaf unsliced white bread, brioche, or rich bread of your choice
1 1/3 cups whole milk
2/3 cup heavy cream
4 large eggs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier or another orange liqueur or 1/4 teaspoon orange zest
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 
Topping:
2/3 cup granulated sugar
 
Cut bread into 1 1/2-inch thick, generous slices; a 9-inch loaf should yield 6 slices. Whisk together milk, cream, eggs, sugar, salt, liqueur, and vanilla extract.
 

Heat oven to 325 F. Arrange bread slices on the smallest rimmed tray that will fit them in one layer and pour custard over slices. Allow them to absorb the custard for 30 minutes, turning the slices over at one point to ensure they’re soaking it up evenly. (You can also soak them overnight in the fridge. No need to flip them if so.)
 
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer custard-soaked slices to prepared sheet, arranging them with a smidge of space between each to avoid making one French mega-toast. Flipping them halfway through if you wish, bake French toast slices for 30 to 35 minutes, until a slim knife inserted into the center of a slice and twisted ever-so-slightly does not release any wet custard. Keep warm until ready to serve.
 
To caramelize the tops: 

Either leave toasts on their baking sheet, or transfer to a serving platter. Have ready a small offset spatula and a potholder or trivet to rest your caramel pot on.
 
Melt remaining 2/3 cup sugar in a small, heavy, completely dry saucepan over moderate heat, stirring with a small spoon or fork until fully melted and the color of honey. Move it over to the potholder or trivet you’d set up and working quickly, spoon one generous tablespoon caramel over your first slice of toast, spread it thinly and evenly with your offset spatula and repeat with the remaining toasts. Because your caramel will continue to deepen slightly in color (veering towards almost-too-toasty) as you work, it’s best to work quickly but carefully. 
 
Serve with fresh berries and if you’re feeling extra fancy, loosely whipped cream. 

Serves 6.

From Smitten Kitchen blog, with minor changes

Toffee Apple Pudding

200 grams unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
200 grams light brown sugar
4 eggs, beaten
200 grams self-rising flour
150 grams peeled, cored, and chopped apple, divided

For the toffee sauce:
30 grams unsalted butter
70 ml whipping cream (1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons)
85 grams dark brown sugar

Grease a 1.1 liter (2 pint) pudding basin. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the beaten eggs a small amount at a time - if the mixture separates, just stir in a little of the flour. Gradually fold in the remaining flour, then add 100 grams of the chopped apple and mix well. 

Make the toffee sauce:
Put the butter, cream, and dark brown sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly. Pour the sauce into the bottom of the greased basin, add the remaining 50 grams chopped apple, and then pour the batter on top.

Seal the basin with a lid or foil and steam on a rack in a covered pot for approximately 2 hours, until firm to the touch. Turn out onto a serving plate. 

Serves 6.

From Great British Puddings by The Pudding Club

Note: Can increase the toffee sauce quantities and hold back the extra to serve on top of the pudding. Can also serve with custard sauce.

Mocha Raspberry Cake (Eesha's Birthday Cake)

For the cake:
2 cups (8.5 oz) all-purpose flour
1 cup (7 oz) granulated sugar
1 cup (7 oz) brown sugar
1 cup (3 oz) unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs + 1 egg white
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup warm brewed coffee
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 
For the raspberry filling:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 cup powdered sugar
 
For the mocha buttercream:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup good quality cocoa powder
2 teaspoons instant coffee (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream
 
To assemble:
2 cups fresh raspberries
Powdered sugar, optional
 
For the cake:
Heat oven to 350 F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans and dust with flour, tapping out excess.
 
Combine flour, sugars, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a mixer. Mix on low. Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until smooth and completely combined.
 
Divide batter evenly among pans. Bake until cakes are set and a toothpick inserted into the center of each comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cool in pans set on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks and let cool completely.
 
For the raspberry filling:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment (or any large mixing bowl, if using hand-held beaters), beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the raspberry jam and beat to combine. Turn the mixer down to low speed and add the powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Cover and set aside until ready to use.
 
For the mocha buttercream:
Place room temperature butter and vanilla into a stand mixer and beat at medium-high for about three minutes. Add cocoa, instant coffee and salt to the bowl beat into the butter until the coffee has broken down and the mixture is smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add in one cup of the powdered sugar. Turn mixer on to low and then slowly add in remaining powdered sugar. With mixer still on low, slowly drizzle in the heavy cream. Turn mixer to medium high and mix for 2-3 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
 
To assemble:
On a cake plate or board, place one cake layer. Spread raspberry buttercream filling evenly on top of the cake using an offset spatula. Carefully place the other cake layer top-down on the frosting, so the top is flat. Adjust the cake so that the sides are lined up evenly. Frost the entire outside of the cake with a thin layer of the chocolate mocha buttercream. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to lock in the crumb coat. Frost the cake as desired, and arrange raspberries on top of the cake. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
 
From Bakerita blog

Note: For raspberry mocha frosting, add powdered dehydrated raspberries to the buttercream, and a little additional heavy cream as needed.