Dayrecipe Food Community

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 prepared basic butter cookie dough
• 2/3 cup apricot jam

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350°F.

Halve dough and reserve one half, covered and chilled. Roll out remaining dough between sheets of wax paper into an approximately 10-inch square, about 1/8 inch thick, and freeze or chill on a baking sheet until firm about 15 minutes.

With a 1 1/2- to 2-inch star-shaped cookie cutter cut out stars, arranging them about 1 inch apart on baking sheets and gathering scraps to reroll and cut for a total of 60 stars. If dough becomes too soft to work with, refreeze or chill uncut dough until firm.

Bake cookies in batches in middle of oven until pale golden, about 8 minutes, and transfer carefully to racks to cool.

Roll out, chill or freeze if necessary, and cut out reserved dough in same manner into about 60 more stars. With a smaller star or round cutter cut and lift out centers of second batch of stars. Bake second batch of cookies in middle of oven until pale golden, about 8 minutes, and transfer carefully to racks and cool.

In a small saucepan simmer jam, stirring, 2 minutes, and strain through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids.

On a tray or work surface, arrange whole stars, bottom sides up. Drop 1/4 teaspoon jam on each cookie, spreading almost to edges, and top with a cut-out star. Any remaining jam can be spooned into centers. Let cookies stand until set. Cookies may be stored between layers of wax paper in airtight containers up to 6 weeks frozen.

Here’s a summer salad with robust flavors.

Makes 8 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 6tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/4cup red wine vinegar
• 1tablespoon drained capers
• 1garlic clove, minced1pound fusilli pasta
• 12ounces tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 8ounces fresh water-packed mozzarella cheese, drained, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1cup (packed) fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
• 1cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
• 1/2cup minced pitted oil-curedblack olives

DIRECTIONS Blend first 5 ingredients in processor until tomatoes are coarsely chopped. Set dressing aside.

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Transfer to large bowl. Add dressing to hot pasta; toss to coat. Cool, stirring occasionally. Add chopped fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, Parmesan and olives; toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 2tablespoons low-fat sour cream
• 2teaspoons low-fat mayonnaise
• 1/2teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
• 4teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1teaspoon sugar
• 3tablespoons water
• 1/4teaspoon salt
• 1/8teaspoon black pepper
• 1lb green cabbage, thinly sliced (4 cups)
• 2carrots, cut into julienne strips or coarsely grated
• 1bunch scallions, thinly sliced diagonally (1 cup)
• 1/2cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS Whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, zest, lemon juice, sugar, water, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add cabbage, carrots, scallions, and parsley and toss well. Chill, covered, 1 hour to allow flavors to develop. Season with salt and pepper.

In trying to make the most out of a box of strawberries I have been having a great time creating new things to make with them. I do believe that, thus far, this is my favorite. It’s a perfect dessert drink and while it might be too sweet for some of the guys I’m quite sure that the ladies will enjoy it’s lovely “berryness”.  While this is for one serving it will double, triple or quadruple very well.

MAKES: 1

INGREDIENTS:

• 4-5 red ripe strawberries (depending on size)
• 1 1/2 ounces Bailey’s Irish Cream
• 1 ounce cream or evaporated milk id you want it lighter
• Sugar or Splenda sugar substitute (optional, if your berries are sweet and ripe you likely won’t need any)
• 1 berry kept whole for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Wash the strawberries well and cut them into quarters, place in blender.
2. Add in the Baileys Irish Cream along with the cream or milk and sweetening if using.
3. Turn on the blender and process until it’s all smooth and creamy with a bit of froth.
4. Pour into a glass, make a cut in the whole berry and place it on the rim of the glass for garnish and serve at once.

1. TIP: For added appeal place the glass (or glasses) in the freezer for 30 mins prior to serving.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 5 1/2 hr (includes chilling)

Makes 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2teaspoons instant-espresso powder
• 3tablespoons water
• 2/3cup plus 1/2 cup sugar
• 1(13- to 14-oz) can unsweetened coconut milk, stirred well
• 1 1/4cups whole milk
• 3whole large eggs
• 2large egg yolks
• 1/8teaspoon saltspecial equipment:6 (6-oz) ramekins

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 325°F.

Stir together espresso powder and water until powder is dissolved.

Cook 1/2 cup sugar with a pinch of salt in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until sugar is melted into a deep golden caramel.

Remove caramel from heat and whisk in espresso (mixture will steam and bubble vigorously). Once bubbles begin to subside, immediately divide mixture among ramekins, tilting to coat bottoms, and let stand until hardened, about 10 minutes.

While caramel hardens, bring coconut milk and whole milk just to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring, then remove from heat. Whisk together whole eggs, yolks, salt, and remaining 2/3 cup sugar in a large bowl, then add warm milk mixture in a stream, whisking. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a 1-quart glass measure.

Divide custard among ramekins. Arrange ramekins on towel in a small roasting pan lined with a folded kitchen towel (bottom only). Bake custards in a hot water bath, uncovered, in middle of oven until custards are set around edges but still tremble slightly in centers, about 1 1/4 hours.

Run a thin knife around side of each flan to loosen, then transfer ramekins to a rack and cool completely. Chill, covered, until cold, at least 4 hours.

To unmold, invert small plates over ramekins and invert flans onto plates.

Cooks’ note:
• Flans can be chilled in ramekins up to 2 days.