Pesto Potato Pizza

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 tablespoon raw sesame seeds

1 tablespoon fresh grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Kosher salt and black pepper

1/2 pound pizza dough, at room temperature

Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

1/3 cup Arugula Pesto

1 medium potato, very thinly sliced

8 ounces burrata cheese or soft mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup fresh basil or or lemon basil leaves or 1 cup arugula leaves

Crushed red pepper flakes

Heat the oven to 450 degrees F.  Grease a large baking sheet with olive oil, or sprinkle cast iron pizza pan with cornmeal.

In a small bowl, combine the oregano, sesame seeds, lemon zest, cumin, and generous pinches of salt and pepper.

On a lightly floured surface, push/roll the dough out until it is pretty thin (about a 10-12 inch circle).  Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet or pan.  Rub the dough with olive oil and sprinkle with the seed mix, using as little or as much as you'd like.  Spread the dough with pesto and layer on the sliced potatoes, drizzling them lightly with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the potatoes are crisp.  

Remove from the oven and top with lumps of burrata or mozzarella.  Allow the cheese to sit on the pizza and warm through, about 5 minutes.  Sprinkle on the basil or arugula and crushed red pepper flakes.

Makes one 10-12 inch pizza.

From Half Baked Harvest blog

Arugula Pesto

1/2 cup pine nuts

1 garlic clove, minced

2 cups (2 ounces/60 grams) packed arugula leaves

1/2 cup (2 ounces/60 grams) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 to 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a food processor, combine the pine nuts, garlic, arugula, Parmesan, and salt, and pulse to blend.  With the machine running, pour in the olive oil through the food tube in a slow, steady stream and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Taste and adjust the seasonings.

From This Is a Cookbook: Recipes for Real Life by Max Sussman and Eli Sussman, via Epicurious, with minor changes

Wild Violet Syrup

Wild violet blossoms

Water

Sugar

Lemon juice

How many violet blossoms you use is up to you. The recipe is a 1:1 ratio, so you can use as many or as few as you wish.

Once you have picked your violets, place them in a jar or glass and add enough boiling water to cover the flowers.  Let the flowers steep for an hour or two (until the water cools). Your violet water will look blue or green at this point; the violet color comes later when the lemon is added. 

Strain the flowers from the infused water and discard them.  Be sure infused water is clear of any debris.  Add equal parts violet-infused water and sugar to a saucepan.  Slowly add small amounts of lemon juice until desired color is reached.

Slowly bring the sugar water to a low boil for a minute or two. Keep an eye on it and stir occasionally.  Transfer your syrup to whatever (preferably clear) container you wish.

From KentuckyForager.com

Vanilla Biscotti

6 tablespoons (85 grams) butter

2/3 cup (135 grams) sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 large eggs

2 cups (241 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a biscotti pan or small baking sheet.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, and baking powder until the mixture is smooth and creamy.  Beat in the eggs; the batter may look slightly curdled.  Add the flour using the low speed of the mixer, stirring until smooth; the dough will be sticky.

Scoop the dough into the prepared pan, shaping it into a rough log and leaving about 3/4-inch bare around the edges of the pan.  The dough should be mounded in the center.

Bake the dough for 25 to 30 minutes, until it is golden brown all over.  Remove it from the oven, and allow it to cool in the pan for 30 minutes.  Remove from the pan.  Using a spray bottle filled with room-temperature water, lightly but thoroughly spritz the log, making sure to cover the sides as well as the top.  Wait 5 minutes before slicing; softening the crust just this little bit will make slicing the biscotti much easier. Use a serrated knife to cut diagonal 1/2" to 3/4" slices.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.

Set the biscotti on edge on a large baking sheet; there's no need to grease the pan.  Return the biscotti to the oven, and bake them for 25 to 30 minutes, till they feel very dry and are beginning to turn golden.  They'll still feel a tiny bit moist in the center, if you break one in half, but they'll continue to dry out as they cool.  Remove the biscotti from the oven, and transfer them to a rack to cool.

Makes about 18 biscotti, depending on size.

From King Arthur Flour website

Note:

Can add up to 1 1/2 cups nuts, dried fruit or berries, or chocolate chips to the dough, along with the flour.  Adjust the flavoring to suit the add-in, if desired; reduce the sugar slightly if add-in is sweet.

Lemon Thumbprint Cookies

1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter

1 cup (198 grams) granulated sugar

1 tablespoon grated lemon rind

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

2 3/4 cups (326 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (170 grams) raspberry jam (or other fruit or berry jam)

Heat the oven to 350°F.  Lightly grease two baking sheets, or line with parchment.

In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, lemon rind, vanilla, and salt until very light.  Beat in the egg.  Add the flour, stirring until well blended. 

Use a teaspoon cookie scoop (about 2 measuring teaspoons) or tablespoon cookie scoop (about 4 measuring teaspoons) of dough for each cookie.  Scoop cookies onto the baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between them.  Use your fingertip (for smaller cookies) or thumb (for larger cookies) to put an indentation into the center of each.

Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes.  Remove them from the oven.  Fill each indentation with jam, using about 1/4 teaspoon for each teaspoon-scoop cookie or 1/2 teaspoon for each tablespoon-scoop cookie.  Return to the oven for about 5 more minutes, until the cookies are slightly golden-brown.

Let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes to firm up, then move them to a rack to finish cooling.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen to 5 dozen cookies, depending on size.

From King Arthur Flour website

Spicy Chipotle Chicken Burgers

1 1/2 pounds ground chicken

1/3 cup minced onion

1/3 cup breadcrumbs or panko

1-2 tablespoons pureed chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

Juice from 1/2 lime

1 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula, until all ingredients are evenly combined.  Form 4 patties.

Cook on a grill or in a pan over medium heat until cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes per side or until inside reaches 165 F on an instant-read thermometer.

Makes 4 burgers.

From WillCookForSmiles blog with minor changes

Layered Tres Leches Cake

For the cake layers:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

5 whole large eggs, separated

1 cup sugar, divided into 1/4 and 3/4 cups

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup 2% or whole milk

For the syrup:

8 ounces (about 2/3 of a 12-ounce can) evaporated milk

9 ounces (about 2/3 of a 14-ounce can) sweetened condensed milk (or Caramelized Condensed Milk)

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

For the filling and frosting:

2 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 pound fresh strawberries

Heat oven to 350˚F.  Butter two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, butter the parchment paper, then flour the pans.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer, and using whisk attachment, beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute.  With the mixer on, pour in 1/4 cup sugar and beat on high speed until egg whites are stiff but not dry, about 1 minute.  Transfer the egg whites to another bowl and set aside.

Using the stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the egg yolks with remaining 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until pale yellow, about 2 minutes.  Stir in milk and vanilla extract.  Pour flour mixture over egg yolk mixture and beat on low speed until just combined.

Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the yolk/flour mixture until just combined.  Divide evenly between two cake pans and bake at 350˚F for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  

Turn cakes out onto a wire rack and allow to cool to room temperature.  When cakes have cooled, trim the edges with a serrated knife to even out the edges.

Make the syrup:

In a large measuring cup with a pouring lip, stir together the evaporated milk, condensed milk and heavy cream.

Place one of the cake layers, flat side down, on a platter or plate.  Using a fork, poke the top all around, going all the way to the edges and poking through the depth of the cake.  Evenly pour on half of the milk syrup.  Let the cake absorb the syrup while making the frosting.

Beat heavy cream and 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar on high speed until thick and spreadable, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes (don't overbeat or it will turn buttery).

Generously frost the top of the first layer, then slice strawberries and arrange on the frosting.

The next cake layer will be placed with the flat side up, so before putting it over the strawberries, use a fork to poke the flat surface all around as before.  Place over the strawberries.  Spoon the remaining half of the milk syrup evenly over the top layer.  Let the syrup to soak in for 10-15 minutes.  Frost the top and sides of the cake.  Decorate the top with additional strawberries.

Serves 8 to 12.

From NatashasKitchen.com, with minor changes

Note:
Can also flavor the whipped cream frosting to taste with powdered dried strawberries (process freeze-dried strawberries in food processor until powdered).