Oatmeal Maple Scones

 Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour

1 3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup pecans

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter (cut into 8-10 pieces)

1/3 cup cold heavy cream

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 cold egg

Maple Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1-2 tablespoons water

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a handheld mixer), mix together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pecans, and raisins on low speed for 10-15 seconds or until combined. Scatter the butter over the top ad beat on low speed for about 30 seconds, or until the butter is somewhat broken down and grape-size pieces are visible. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the cream, maple syrup, and egg until thoroughly mixed. On low speed, pour the cream mixture into the flour-butter mixture and beat for 20 to 30 seconds, or just until the dough comes together. It will be fairly wet.

Using a 1/3-cup measuring cup, drop mounded scoops of dough onto a baking sheet, forming 8 scones and spacing them 2-3 inches apart. Bake for 25 minutes and top with glaze.

Middle Eastern Salad

Ingredients

10 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1 pound ripe tomatoes, seeded, cored, and 1/2-inch-diced
1 hothouse cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, and 1/2-inch-diced
1 can or jar (12 to 16 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1/3 cup julienned fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 lemons)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup good olive oil
8 ounces good feta cheese, 1/2-inch-diced
Toasted pita bread, for serving

1. Place the scallions, tomatoes, cucumber, chickpeas, parsley, mint, and basil in a large salad bowl and toss to combine. 
2. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion. Pour the dressing over the salad, tossing gently to coat all the vegetables. Add the feta, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss gently. Serve the salad with the toasted pita bread.

Kolac od Pekmeza "Bosnian Brownies"

Ingredients

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup plum or apple jam "pekmez"

1 cup flour

1 cup semolina

1 tsp baking powder "prasak za pecivo"

Chocolate (melted)

Instructions

Mix the eggs with the sugar.

Add the milk, oil, and jam.

Add in the semolina and flour.

Add the mixture into a buttered pan

Bake at 350 degrees for 12- 15 minutes.

Protein Balls

Ingredients:

1 cup dates

3/4 cup ground almonds

1 tbsp peanut butter (or almond butter)

1 tbsp coconut oil

1/2 cup shredded coconut

Instructions:

Add the dates, almonds, peanut butter, and coconut oil into 

a blender and blend until shredded and combined.

Make into balls and roll in the shredded coconut.

Refrigerate and enjoy!

Lemon Ricotta Cookies

Ingredients:

Cookies:

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 (15 oz.) container whole milk ricotta cheese

3 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 lemon, zested

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 tbsp lemon juice

1 lemon, zested

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the 

butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. 

Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract.

Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients. 

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Spoon the dough (about 2 tbsp for each cookie) onto the baking sheets.

This is easier if you use an ice cream scoop.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges.

Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

For the glaze, combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, 

and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth.

Spoon about 1/2-1 tsp onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon

to gently spread.
Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours.  

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves

2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast

1 cup frozen or canned whole-kernel corn

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 chopped seeded jalapeno pepper

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp chili powder

2 (14 oz) cans no-salt-added chicken broth

1 (14 oz) can diced peeled tomatoes

1 (10 oz) can condensed reduced-fat, reduced-sodium tomato soup

1 1/4 cups unsalted baked tortilla chips

Sour cream

Avocado

Heat the oil in a pot over medium-high heat.

Add onion, garlic, and jalapeno, and saute for 2 minutes.

Stir in the chicken and the next 9 ingredients (chicken through tomato soup).

Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour

Ladle soup into bowls, and top with tortilla chips, sour cream, and avocado

Neapolitan Holiday Cookies

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

8 oz. almond paste

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

4 large eggs, separated

2 cups flour

20 drops red food coloring

12 drops green food coloring

1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

1/4 cup apricot preserves

6 oz. dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350° F. 

Coat 3 quarter-sheet pans (9 in x 13 in x 2 in) with cooking spray. 

Line each pan with parchment paper, and coat the paper with cooking spray as well.

Place the almond paste in the bowl of a stand mixer. Break it up into small

pieces with a fork. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment and add the butter

and sugar to the bowl. Beat the mixture on high speed until light and fluffy, about 7 minutes.

Reduce the speed to medium, add the egg yolks, and beat until incorporated.

Turn the mixer off and stir in the flour with a wooden spoon until

well combined. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl.

Clean the mixer thoroughly, and fit the mixer with the whisk attachment.

Beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form.

Fold the egg whites into the batter until thoroughly blended. 

Transfer 1 1/2 cups of the batter to a medium bowl, then transfer 

another 1 1/2 cups of the batter to a second medium bowl.
Add the red food coloring to one of the bowls, and stir until the batter 

is tinted throughout. Add the green food coloring to the second bowl, and stir

until the batter is tinted throughout. Scrape each of the three batters into one of the 

prepared pans, using the spatula to spread the batter to the edges. 

Bake, rotating and switching the positions of the pan halfway through, until the 

edges are golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool in the pans for about 5 minutes,

then invert onto cooling racks and allow to cool completely.

To assemble, place the green layer on a large cutting board or a large inverted baking sheet

lined with wax paper. Spread the raspberry jam evenly over the top. 

Place the yellow layer on top and spread with the apricot preserves. 

Top with the red layer. Cover with plastic wrap, and place a 

heavy cutting board on top to weigh it down.

Refrigerate overnight. 

Place the chocolate chips in a microwaveable bowl and melt in the microwave 

on low power about 2 minutes. Spread the chocolate on top of the 

cooled cake, and let dry slightly.

Trim the rim of the cake with a serrated knife to make clean edges.
Cut the cake crosswise into twelve 1-inch-wide strips, then cut

lengthwise into 1 1/4-inch strips.

The cookies will keep covered, up to 1 week.