Pesto Rolls

(adapted from http://www.cookingbread.com/classes/class_pesto_bread.html)

1 cup warm milk (110F)

1 tablespoons sugar

½ tablespoon dry active yeast

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon garlic salt

2 ½ cups bread flour

½ cup pesto

½ cup grated cheese + extra to sprinkle on top (gruyere and pecorino/parmesan)

In a large bowl combine the warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for ten minutes.

Add the olive oil and salt.

Add in a cup of flour and beat with a wooden spoon till smooth. Add in another cup of flour and do the same. Now, sprinkle a half cup of flour onto a flat surface and pour out the dough on top. Begin to knead and slowly add in more flour till the dough no longer sticks to the table. Knead for about 8 - 10 minutes.

Add a little olive oil to a large bowl (about a tablespoon ). Place the kneaded dough into the bowl and turn over a few times to lightly coat all sides of the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for an hour or till double in bulk.

Pour out the dough onto a very lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough to a 9 x 14 rectangle. Spread the pesto on top of the dough and sprinkle the cheese on top.

Roll the dough like a jelly roll.

Divide the dough into 12 slices using dental floss or string to cut the dough.

Place each slice in a muffin tin with the spiral side up

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow to rest for an hour or till double in bulk. Sprinkle the top with more cheese and place into a preheated 375 degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Adapted from Cupcakes! By Elinor Klivans

For the cupcakes:

2 ½ cups flour

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cup whole milk

10 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 large eggs

2large egg yolks

2 ½ cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ cups lemon curd

Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan until hot (about 150F). Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl beat the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until thickened and lightened to a cream color, about three minutes. Add vanilla extract. Mix in the flour mixture. Slowly mix in the hot milk mixture until the batter is smooth.

Fill each liner with 1/3 cup of batter, about ¼ of an inch below the top of the liner. Bake for about 18 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. Recipe makes over 24 cupcakes; more meringue topping may be needed.

Cut a cone-shaped piece out of the middle of the top of each cupcake (save the pieces you cut out for each cupcake!). Fill the holes with lemon curd and replace the pieces of cake that you removed from each cupcake. Place cupcakes 2” apart on a baking sheet.

For the meringue topping:

4 large egg whites

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

¼ cup sugar

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar for one minute. Continue beating egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add sugar one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition.

Use a butterknife to spread almost 1/3 of a cup of meringue over the top of each cupcake. Gently dip the knife into the meringue to make swirls. Bake until the meringue is light brown, about 12 minutes.

Cool the cupcakes and serve. These can be refrigerated and served cold, with the baking cups removed.

Russian Tea Cakes

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus more for coating cookies
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups flour
1 cup pecans, finely chopped
Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325F.

Cream the butter and powdered sugar at low speed until it is smooth. Beat in the vanilla. At low speed gradually add the flour. Mix in the pecans.

Shape a small spoonful of dough into a ball and place onto prepared cookie sheet. Repeat and place cookies 1" away from each other. Bake for 11 minutes. When cool enough to handle but still warm, roll in a mixture of powdered sugar and cinnamon. Cool on wire racks. Roll cookies in the powdered sugar mixture again before serving. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

From Cookies by Hilaire Walden

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ½ cups rolled oats

2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. In another bowl mix the butter with the sugars. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. Add flour mixture and beat on low speed until thoroughly blended. Stir in the rolled oats and chocolate chips.

Drop heaped teaspoonfuls onto a prepared baking sheet and bake for about 13 minutes.