Berry Tiramisu

Ingredients:

• 20 to 30 store-bought ladyfingers
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• Zest of one lemon
• Pinch of cinnamon
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup seedless berry jam or jelly
• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• 3 cups other mixed berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, etc)
• Juice of one lemon

Preparations:

1. In a medium bowl, toss the strawberries, raspberries and blackberries with the lemon juice to combine. Add 1/4 cup sugar and mix well.
2. Arrange the ladyfingers in an even, single layer in the base of a 9-by-13-inch pan. Save remaining ladyfingers. 
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whipping attachment, whip the cream and milk with 3/4 cup sugar until the mixture forms soft peaks. Add the ricotta, cream cheese, lemon zest, cinnamon, and vanilla extract and whip until medium peaks form.
4. Pour half of the cream mixture over the ladyfinger layer and spread even with a spatula. 
5. Microwave the jam in 30 second increments until it is soft and spreadable. Then, spread the jam on top of the cream in an even layer.
6. Arrange the remaining ladyfingers on top of the jam in an even layer. Top with the remaining cream mixture.
7. Pour the berry mixture in an even layer on top of the cream. Chill at least one hour to soften the ladyfingers before serving.

Dutch Baby with Lemon Curd and Berries

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup lemon curd or jam
• 1 pint of berries, your choice

Preparations:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Add eggs, flour, milk, sugar, vanilla, salt and lemon zest together into a blender and blend until smooth.
3. Place butter in a 8 or 9 inch cast-iron skillet and place in the oven until butter has melted. Pour the batter into each pan, return it to oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the pancakes are puffed and golden. Lower oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake five minutes longer.
4. Remove from oven and allow to cool for several minutes. Spread with the lemon curd and top with berries.

Cinnamon Bun Popcorn

Ingredients:

• 12 C popped popcorn (about 2 bags of microwave popcorn)
• 1 cup pecan halves
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 oz almond bark

Preparations:

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees
2. Place popcorn in a large bowl, a bigger bowl than you think you need. Top with pecans and do not stir. Let the pecans sit on top of the popcorn. Set aside.
3. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a 2 liter capacity microwave safe bowl. Mix well. Chop butter into chunks and place on top of sugar mixture. Pour corn syrup over the top of everything. Microwave on high for 30 seconds and then stir to combine. Return to microwave and heat for 90 seconds. Remove, stir, and then microwave for 90 seconds more. If you microwave it too much your popcorn will turn out really hard.
4. Remove from microwave and add in vanilla and baking soda. Stir to combine. Mixture will foam and rise. 
5. Drizzle half of the caramel mixture over popcorn and pecans and stir well. Repeat with the other half of the caramel. Stir more than you think you need to.
6. Spread popcorn mixture onto a foil-lined rimmed pan. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and stir. Melt almond bark according to package instructions. Drizzle over popcorn mixture. When almond bark is hardened and popcorn is cool, break into chunks and enjoy!

Skillet Brownie

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• pinch of salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preparations:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and coat a 6-inch cast iron skillet with non-stick spray.
2. Place the sugar, cocoa, and salt in a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
3. Stir in the melted butter, followed by the egg.  Once the egg has been fully incorporated, stir in the flour and vanilla extract.  Fold in the chocolate chips and transfer the batter to the prepared skillet.
4. Bake for 28-33 minutes, or until the edges are set. The center toothpick test may not come out clean, but it will continue to cook when removed from the oven.  Cool for 20 minutes, top with ice cream and enjoy!

S'mores Cookies

Ingredients:

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 extra large egg whites
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or chopped teddy grahams)
• 1 cup mini marshmallows

Preparations:

1. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Whisk in salt, egg whites, and vanilla and whisk until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans.
3. Scoop out small mounds, roughly 2 Tbsps, on to the parchment paper then top each cookie with 4-5 marshmallows. Pop into the freezer for 5 minutes to chill slightly (this prevents them from spreading too much in the oven).
4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
5. Bake for 12-13 minutes, rotating the trays 180 degrees midway through. You'll know they're done while the entire surface of the cookie is lighter in color. Let the cookies sit on the paper for a few minutes to set, before moving them to a wire rack to cool.

Apple Cinnamon Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Steel Cut Oats (dry)
• 1 Green Apple peeled and diced
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup Milk
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp apple sauce

Preparations:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring water, milk, honey and vanilla to a boil.
2. Mix in apple and oatmeal and stir well. Turn down to medium heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
3. Add in cinnamon, brown sugar, and salt. Continue cooking for 3-5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, stir in apple sauce, and let sit five minutes before serving.

Candy Cane Christmas Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 bag stripped chocolate candies (I used Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses)
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 2 Tbsp milk
• Red and Green colored sugar

Preparations:

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees F.
2. Beat butter, sugar, vanilla, and egg in large bowl until smooth. Mix in flour, baking soda, milk, and salt.
3. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in red and/or green colored sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 9 - 11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and cookies is set. Remove from oven; cool 2 to 3 minutes. Unwrap a candy and press into the center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Yields approximately 35 cookies

Peach Pie

 
Ingredients:
For the crust:

• 2 cups plus 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp white sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 sticks (12 Tbsp) COLD, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4″ cubes
• 6 oz COLD cream cheese, cut into 1/4″ cubes
• 3 Tbsp milk

For the filling:

• 5-7 large peaches, pitted, peeled and sliced (~6 1/2 to 7 cups sliced)
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp salt

For the egg wash:

• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp water

Preparations:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt.
2. Cut the COLD butter and COLD cream cheese into 1/4-inch pieces. Using a food processor with dough blade attachment, cut the butter and cream cheese into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces.
3. Drizzle the milk over the dough and cut into the dough with a spatula until the dough forms moist clumps. Depending on your butter and cream cheese, you may not need to use any of the milk or the full 3 Tbsp.
4. Divide the dough into 2 pieces, press into flat disks, cover each piece tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour. It stores well in the fridge up to 2 days.
5. Once pie crust has cooled in the fridge at least 1 hour, and you are ready to use the pie crust, remove 1 piece of dough from the refrigerator and on a clean surface, roll it out into a 13-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Refrigerate until ready to use. 
6. Take the next piece of dough out of the fridge and roll it into a 12-inch circle, cover with plastic and refrigerate while you prep your pie filling.
7. For the filling, combine all of the dry ingredients in a small bowl: 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 tsp nutmeg and 1/8 tsp salt.
8. Blanch peaches by putting them in boiling hot water for 1 minute, then transferring to a bowl of ice water. Peel, pit, and slice peaches into 1/4″ thick slices.
9. Transfer peaches to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 1/2 tsp vanilla and gently stir. Sprinkle with the dry ingredients and gently stir to combine.
10. Transfer the peaches onto the crust in the pie dish. Lay remaining crust on top, trim off any excess dough, and crimp the edges. Cut some slices in the top crust to allow for steam to escape.
11. In a small bowl, use a fork to beat together the egg and 1 Tbsp water to make your egg wash. Brush the top of your pie generously with egg wash.
12. Place pie on the center rack and bake at 425F for 20 minutes then place cookie sheet lined with foil under the pie to catch an drips and reduce oven to 375F and bake an additional 35-40 min or until the filling is bubbling. Loosely Cover the pie with foil if it is starting to brown too quickly.
13. Let the pie cool down ideally at least 2 hours so the filling thickens.

Single Serving of French Toast

Ingredients:

• 2 slices of bread
• 1 egg
• 1/8 cup milk 
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• A dash of vanilla extract
• A pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice coffee syrup or any flavor you like (optional)
• 1 tbsp butter

Preparations:

1. Whisk the egg with a fork or whisk. Once the yolk is totally blended, add in the milk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and syrup. Mix until fully combined.
2. Heat a skillet over medium-low heat. Melt butter into pan once hot.
3. Soak each slice of bread into the whisked egg mixture and make sure both sides are coated. This will use almost all of the liquid.
4. Cook soaked slices of bread for about 5 minutes on one side or until crispy. Flip and cook second side for about 4 minutes, or until browned.