INGREDIENTS:

2 1/4 c. flour 

1 t. salt

1 t. baking soda

2 sticks cold butter

1/4 c. sugar

1 1/4 c. dark brown sugar

1 T. vanilla

1 c. oats (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

3. Cream butter and sugars, stopping to scrape sides, until mixture is fully incorporated, fluffy, and no chunks of butter remain.

4. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix just until combined.

5. On low speed, slowly add flour mixture, a bit at a time, mixing just until combined.

6. Add oats if using. Mix just until combined.

7. Remove mixer bowl and stir in chocolate chips.

8. Using a scoop, place cookies on parchment paper lined cookie sheet, leaving approximately 2 inches between large cookies, 1 inch for smaller cookies.

9. Bake for approximately 15 minutes.

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 8

INGREDIENTS:

Mac & Cheese

1 1/2-2 lbs. pasta such as penne

1 small onion, diced

4-6 cloves garlic, minced

4-6 slices bacon

1/2 c. Gouda cheese

1/2 c. Gruyere cheese

1 3/4 t. salt, divided

1/2 t. black pepper

2 T. drippings from bacon

2 T. butter

4 T. flour

4 c. milk

parsley (optional for garnish)

Garlic Bread Crumb Topping

1 c. Panko bread crumbs

1 T. butter

1 t. garlic powder

1 t. dried parsley flakes

1/4 t. salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Prepare pasta.

3. Begin by chopping onions and mincing garlic. Also prepare the bacon by chopping it into pieces and frying. Remove from pan and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Reserve drippings.

4. Prepare bread crumbs. Melt butter in a small saute pan. Add bread crumbs, garlic powder, parsley flakes, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently until bread crumbs are golden brown.

5. Add 2 tablespoons reserved bacon drippings to a pot. Add an additional 2 tablespoons of butter. Over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and saute for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and continue to saute for 1 minute. Add 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper.

6. Add 4 tablespoons flour to the onion and garlic mixture, stirring constantly, until all flour is incorporated.

7. Whisk 1 cup of milk in. Turn heat up to medium high. Whisk in last 3 cups of milk. Bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Boil for 1 minute, whisking constantly.

8. Add cheese and stir constantly until cheese is melted.

9. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add bacon to pot.

10. Spoon pasta into pot, mixing it with the sauce. Continue adding pasta until the mixture reaches the pasta-sauce ration you desire. Set aside any leftover pasta for future use. Pour pasta mixture into a large casserole dish and top with bread crumbs. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Top with fresh parsley if desired.

Yields about 1 cup.

4 oz. olives, fresh, pitted, not canned

5-10 roasted garlic cloves *see note below about roasting garlic

2 T. olive oil or garlic infused olive oil

Instructions:

1. Be sure all olives are pitted. In a small food processor, add olives, roasted garlic, and olive oil. Pulse until mixture is in small pieces with no visible chunks. Do not process until smooth. Because of the saltiness of the olives and garlic, you should not need to salt and pepper; however, you can salt and pepper to taste.

2. *To roast your own garlic, place desired number of garlic cloves in an oven safe dish. Add enough olive oil to cover the cloves at least halfway. Place in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. 

--TIP: Roast as many garlic cloves as you wish. Any you don't use for the Tapenade may be reserved for other uses. Additionally, do not toss the garlic infused olive oil! Drain it and store it for future use. In fact, if you want extra garlic infused olive oil, add more to the garlic than just what covers the cloves halfway.

*Use Ezekiel Bread instead of ciabatta roll. Ezekiel Bread is sprouted whole grain bread you will find in the frozen section of your grocery store (check the freezer in the Health Section if you don’t find it in the freezer aisle). I’m not going to lie: Ezekiel Bread takes some getting used to. You’ll fancy you’re eating cardboard at first, but I promise before you get through even half of that first loaf, you will grow to appreciate and even crave the dense, chewy texture and the deep flavor. So stick to it, and your body will thank you!

1 c. sifted cake flour

1 1/2 c. sugar, divided

1/2 t. salt

1 1/2 c. egg whites (about 11 large eggs)

1 T. water

1 T. fresh lemon juice

1 t. cream of tartar

1 t. vanilla 

Instructions:

1. Let eggs sit out so they are about 60 or 70 degrees.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Sift the cake flour, 3/4 c. sugar, and the salt together 3 times. Set aside.

4. In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients (excluding the remaining 3/4 cup sugar) together and beat on low speed for 1 minute.

5. Increase the speed to medium-high for 3-5 minutes until it looks like a bowl of soft foam. This foam should not have any big bubbles and should not hold any shape.

6. Take 2-3 minutes to beat in the last 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time.

7. Continue beating just until the mixture is white, glossy, and the tip of a peak bends when you lift the beater. 

8. Sprinkle a bit of the flour mixture over top of the wet mixture and fold gently in. Make sure you do not stir. Sprinkle some more in and repeat. Continue until all of the flour mixture has been folded in.

9. Pour the batter into an ungreased 10" tube cake pan, preferably with a removable bottom, and spread it evenly.

10. Bake 35-40 minutes until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

11. When the cake is done, flip the pan upside down on a cooling rack. Leave the cake to cool this way for at least 1 1/2 hours.

12. After the cake has completely cooled, turn the pan upright. Using a knife, gently loosen the sides of the cake. Turning it upside down again, use the removable bottom (it it has one) to push the cake out. Use the knife again to remove the cake from the tube.

13. Cool completely before frosting, adding chocolate drizzle, or serving with chopped fruit and whipped cream.

*This recipe adapted from Joy of Cooking.

Becker, Ethan, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Irma S. Rombauer. The Joy of Cooking. New York: Simon and Schuster, Inc., 2006. Print.