Flour tortillas

https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2015/05/soft-chewy-flour-tortillas-recipe.html

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons lard or vegetable shortening 
• 3/4 cups warm water (approximately 110°F)

Directions

1. 1.
   Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Rub lard into flour mixture using your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add warm water and work dough with hands until completely combined and no dry flour is left in bowl.
2. 2.
   Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, about 1 minute. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces; roll each piece of dough into a ball. Cover dough balls with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rest an additional 15 minutes.
3. 3.
   Preheat cast iron skillet, griddle, or comal to 500°F. Place one ball of dough on a lightly floured surface and pat down into a flat disc. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out to an 8-inch round. Place dough in skillet and cook until bubbles form on top side and bottom side has brown spots, 30-60 seconds. Flip tortilla and cook until second side develops brown spots, 30-60 seconds longer. Transfer tortilla to a plate and cover with clean dish cloth. Repeat with remaining balls of dough. Serve immediately while still warm.

Jambalaya

https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2017/03/creole-style-red-jambalaya-chicken-sausage-shrimp-recipe.html

Ingredients

• 1 (28-ounce; 795g) can peeled whole tomatoes, packed in juice (see note)
• About 3 cups (720ml) homemade chicken stockor low-sodium store-bought broth, plus more as needed
• 1 1/4 pounds (565g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) vegetable, canola, or other neutral oil, plus more if needed
• 3/4 pound (340g) cooked Cajun or Creole sausage, such as andouille or chaurice (or other similar smoked or spiced pork sausage), sliced into thin rounds
• 1 medium yellow onion (8 ounces; 225g), diced
• 2 medium green bell peppers (10 ounces total; 280g), stemmed, seeded, and diced
• 4 celery ribs (6 ounces total; 170g), diced
• 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) Louisiana-style hot sauce, plus more for serving
• 2 teaspoons (10g) minced fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon (5g) dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon (5g) dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups long-grain rice (12 ounces; 370g)
• 3/4 pound (340g) peeled and deveined shrimp
• 6 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced

1. Strain tomatoes and add juice to a 4-cup measuring cup. Place tomatoes in a medium bowl. Using your fingers, carefully tear each tomato open to release the liquid inside its seed compartments. Strain all this liquid into measuring cup. Crush tomatoes well with your hands. Add enough chicken stock to tomato juices to total 4 cups (960ml). Set aside.
2. 2.
   Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Season chicken all over with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken and cook, turning, until browned on both sides, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes, then cut into 1/2-inch chunks and set aside.
3. 3.
   Meanwhile, add sausage to Dutch oven and cook, stirring often, until just starting to darken, about 3 minutes; lower heat and/or add oil at any point to prevent burning. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring and scraping bottom of Dutch oven, until browned bits have come loose and vegetables just begin to turn lightly golden, about 8 minutes.
4. 4.
   Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add hot sauce, thyme, oregano, cayenne, garlic powder, and a very generous dose of black pepper. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato/stock mixture, diced chicken, and bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Season with salt, tasting liquid to ensure it is well seasoned.
5. 5.
   Stir in rice and return to a simmer. Cover with lid and transfer to oven. Bake until liquid is fully absorbed and rice is tender, about 40 minutes.
6. 6.
   Gently stir in shrimp and scallions and return to oven until shrimp are just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Cover pot and let rest 15 minutes. Remove bay leaves, if desired (see note).
7. 7.
   Serve, passing hot sauce at the table for diners to add to taste.

   
   

   
   

Blue Velvet cupcakes

https://juliescafebakery.com/amazing-blue-velvet-cupcakes/

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2 cups sugar
• ½ pound (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp Wilton royal blue gel food coloring
• 1 small dab of violet gel food coloring (I dipped in a toothpick and used that much)
• 2 ½ cups cake flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• For the frosting
• 1 pound cream cheese, softened
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (I hate sifting; I whir it up in the food processor instead to aerate and get lumps out)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F and line cupcake pans with liners
2. Cream sugar and butter in mixing bowl till light and fluffy, then add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg
3. Mix cocoa and food coloring together to make a paste -- this took a while to mix thoroughly with all gel, but it came together nicely; add this paste to sugar mixture and mix well again
4. Sift (or buzz in food processor) flour and salt, and add to creamed mixture a bit at a time, alternating with buttermilk, then mix in vanilla
5. Combine baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl and add to cake batter; mix just to combine
6. Scoop thick batter into cupcake liners, filling about 2/3 full, and bake for probably 25-30 minutes, but start checking at 20 -- mine were done at about the 22/23 minute mark; watch for toothpick inserted in center to come out clean
7. Remove cupcakes from oven and allow cool completely on a wire rack
8. Now make frosting!
9. Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla with electric mixer until nice and smooth
10. Add sugar gradually and beat on low till combined, then beat on high speed until very light and very fluffy

Healthy banana pancakes

https://cooktoria.com/healthy-banana-pancakes/#wprm-recipe-container-5113

Ingredients

• 2 medium bananas
• 1/2 cup almond milk (or milk of your choice)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup flour (I use Organic Unbleached White All Purpose Flour)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

Instructions

• Puree the bananas with potato masher or fork.
• Add almond milk, eggs and whisk until smooth.
• Add flour, baking powder and baking soda. Mix the batter gently and try not to over mix. A few lumps are fine. If the mixture looks too thin, add a little extra flour.
• Heat up a non-stick skillet on medium heat. Using 1/3 cup as a measure, scoop the batter onto the skillet. 
• In about 1 minute you should see some bubbles appear. Flip the pancake over and fry for another minute. Repeat this step with the remaining batter. You should have 6 pancakes.

High Tea Sandwich Cookies

https://www.sugarandsoul.co/downton-abbey-earl-grey-cookies/#wprm-recipe-container-24785

—> used lavender earl grey, skipped the glaze and cut them into inch squares to make sandwich cookies with lemon cardamom caramel

Ingredients

Cookies

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 bag Earl Grey tea leaves 2 bags can be used for a stronger flavor
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt

Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

• Blend the butter and earl grey tea leaves together and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours, longer is fine. If you are running short on time, this step can be skipped and the tea can be added with the powdered sugar. Just note that the flavor may not be as strong.
• Once the butter has finished setting. Preheat oven to 350­° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Cream the butter and tea mixture and powdered sugar in a large bowl or stand mixer.
• Add in the flour and salt. continue to mix until a soft dough forms. The mix will be dry and crumbly at first but will come together.
• Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface until it's 1/4 inch thick.
• Cut out cookies using a 2 in round cookie cutter.
• Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown in color.

Once cooled, whisk together the glaze ingredients and dip or drizzle the cookies as desired and place on wax paper to set.

Notes

• Slightly Adapted from Dine & Dish.
• If using a large loose leaf tea, run the tea through a food processor or use a pestle and mortar to ground it so it's finer.
• 1 cookie is 3 Weight Watchers SmartPoints.
• The longer these cookies sit, the more intense the flavor will get.

Serrano chicken Chili

https://www.savoryspiceshop.com/recipes/savory-serrano-chicken-chili/amp

• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil 
• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced 
• 1 large white onion, diced — subbed red
• 5 large whole smoked serrano chiles, rehydrated, seeded and chopped — subbed fresh + liquid smoke 
• 2 large celery stalks, diced 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 2 Tbsp. summer savory — subbed random spices 
• 1 1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Coarse Black Malabar Pepper
• 8 large crimini mushrooms, sliced 
• 2-15 oz. cans Great Northern white beans, undrained 
• 1-15 oz. can diced tomatoes 
• 1-28-oz. can crushed tomatoes 
• 2 California bay leaves
• ½ bunch cilantro, minced 
• juice of 2 limes 
• 1/3 cup maple syrup — subbed something 
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce 
• 1 Tbsp. oyster sauce, optional — skipped
• 1 Tbsp. white truffle oil, optional — skipped

— added cumin, cocoa

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add diced chicken and cook until browned on all sides. Remove from skillet and set aside. Add onion, chiles, celery, garlic, summer savory, salt and pepper and cook until onions have softened, about 5 to 7 min. Stir in browned chicken and transfer mixture to a Dutch oven or slow cooker. Stir in remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat and cook on low for 1 to 6 hours. Add water to thin out if chili gets too thick.

Millionaire’s Shortbread (aka Twix squares)

https://sugarspunrun.com/millionaires-shortbread/

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 226g
• 1/3 cup sugar 70g
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed 70g
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 260g

Caramel

• 2 14-oz cans sweetened condensed milk 825ml
• 14 Tablespoons butter cut into Tablespoon-sized pieces (198g)
• 1 cup light brown sugar packed (200g)
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup 80ml
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Ganache

• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 340g
• 1/2 cup heavy cream 120ml
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 5ml
• sea salt for sprinkling

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F (177C) and line a 13x9 baking pan with parchment paper.
• Using an electric mixer, beat butter until well creamed.
• Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds.
• Add egg yolk and vanilla extract and stir well, pausing to scrape down the sides and mixing until ingredients are well-combined.
• Add flour, gradually (about 1/2 cup at a time), pausing to scrape down sides of bowl. Halfway through the addition of the flour, sprinkle in the salt with the beater still running.
• Don't over-beat the dough, you want it to be slightly crumbly to make it easier to press into the pan.
• Drop dough over prepared pan and gently, firmly, evenly, press dough into the bottom of the pan.  To make it easier, I usually lay a piece of wax paper over the dough and use the palm of my hand to smooth the surface (and then discard wax paper).
• Bake on 350F (177C) for 20-25 minutes -- edges should be lightly golden brown.
• Allow to cool while you prepare your caramel topping.

Caramel

• Combine condensed milk, butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat.
• Stir frequently until butter is melted and ingredients are well-combined. Continue to stir constantly until mixture begins to boil (this could take several minutes, but you don't need to increase the heat).
• Once mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer (slowly bubbling), still stirring constantly.  Continue to stir 10-15 minutes until mixture turns a rich caramel color and has thickened (should begin pulling away from the sides of the pot as you stir).
• Remove from heat and immediately stir in the vanilla extract and salt.
• Pour evenly over prepared shortbread, use a knife to spread evenly if needed.
• Allow to cool at room temperature for several hours or in the refrigerator for 1 hour before topping with chocolate.

Chocolate Topping

• Combine chocolate chips and heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat.  
• Stir frequently until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.  
• Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.  Allow chocolate to cool just slightly for about 5 minutes, and then evenly spread over prepared caramel layer.  Wait several minutes and then sprinkle with sea salt.  
• Allow chocolate to harden (I recommend placing in refrigerator for about 30 minutes -- my family prefers these treats refrigerated anyway) before cutting and serving.

Peanut butter Rosemary cookies

https://diaryofamadhausfrau.com/2016/06/peanut-butter-rosemary-cookies.html

• 1 + 1/4cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar 
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
•  1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/4 cup white granulated sugar or rosemary sugar* for rolling. Rosemary sugar takes about a week to set. A cheat would be to mix additional chopped fresh rosemary into the sugar right before you roll the cookies in it. 

• In a separate bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda and kosher salt.
• Cream together the sugars with peanut butter and unsalted butter. 
• Add the vanilla extract and the egg. Mix until completely combined. 
• Mix in the chopped fresh rosemary.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. 
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Pour the 1/4 cup of white granulated or rosemary flavored sugar out onto a flat plate. 
• Working with one portion of dough at a time, form the dough piece into a ball, roll in the sugar and then place on a baking sheet. Use a fork to flatten the cookie and create a criss-cross pattern on top. 
• Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 8 minutes or until the cookies start to turn light golden brown. 
•  Remove from oven and transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Pomegranate carrots with sumac

https://www.jta.org/2019/01/30/food/pomegranate-roasted-carrots-with-sumac-is-an-easy-and-impressive-side-dish

2 1/2-3 pounds carrots, with the leaves and tops still on
1/4 cup pomegranate molasses
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh dill sprigs
2 tablespoons chopped scallions
1/4 cup chopped mint
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1 tablespoon ground sumac

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Peel the carrots, then cut the leaves and most of the tops off, leaving about 2 inches of the stems.

2. Place the carrots on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, pomegranate molasses and toss to coat. Sprinkle kosher salt and ground black pepper evenly over all of the carrots. Roast for 30-35 minutes or until caramelized and golden brown on the tops and bottoms. Don’t rush this part!

3. Place the carrots on a platter and sprinkle generously with the ground sumac. Top with freshly chopped herbs and pomegranate seeds. Can be served warm or at room temperature with salads.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Tarragon and Thyme

http://www.christopherjamesclark.com/blog/roasted-brussels-sprouts-w-thyme-and-tarragon-recipe/

• 1 pound Brussels sprouts
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper

Wash the Brussels sprouts, cut off the ends, and slice into halves.

Toss with the coconut oil, the herbs, and salt and pepper

Transfer to a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes or until the Brussels sprouts are tender

Followed as written - delicious! Very bright green!

Consider: Szechuan peppercorns, https://recipeland.com/recipe/v/brussel-sprouts-tarragon-mustar-52750

Pear Raspberry Dutch Baby

http://jessicaburns.com/2014/01/pear-raspberry-dutch-baby/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pear-raspberry-dutch-baby

2 pears, sliced
1 cup raspberries, fresh
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon cardamom
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
½ stick of butter

Heat the oven to 425 degrees.

Melt butter in an oven proof skillet. Add in sliced pears, raspberries, sugar and cardamom. Once coated, place in the oven for 10 minutes. Whisk eggs in a medium-sized bowl, adding in the milk, flour and salt. Mix until just smooth.

Quickly remove the skillet from the oven and pour batter onto the fruit and put back in the oven. You’ll want to do this very quickly as to ensure the skillet and oven do not loose heat.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the Dutch Baby is puffy and golden. Remove from the oven and dust with powdered sugar, slice and serve immediately.