Add the flour and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Turn the mixer to low and pour in the beer. Add the brown sugar and the salt. Increase the speed and allow the ingredients to blend into a dough. The dough will form a ball in the center of the bowl. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Let the mixer knead the dough for 4 minutes. Add the raisins and pecans and knead in the mixer for 1 more minute.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead by hand for 3 to 4 minutes until it's smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to a bowl that has been greased with cooking oil or butter. Cover it and let it proof until nearly doubled in size, about 90 minutes.

Punch down the dough and cut it into eight pieces, about 2½ ounces each. Roll the pieces into balls and place them on a small baking sheet covered in parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Set the tray on the stove (may need to remove a burner grate to get the tray closer to the warmth on the stove), and let it proof for 45 minutes; the balls should puff up, increasing in size by about 50 percent. Brush the rolls generously with egg wash. Bake for 20 minutes, until they're golden brown.    Makes 8 rolls

Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously grease 6 jumbo muffin cups with butter or shortening. Place the muffin pan in the oven for 5 minutes. Stir together the flour and salt in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to gently combine. Divide the mixture among the hot muffin cups and bake until no longer doughy, about 28 minutes. Do not open the oven door during cooking! Let cool for a few minutes before unmolding.
Makes 6 Yorkshire Puddings

Preheat oven to 375°F. In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt, stirring with a whisk. In a large bowl, combine milk and eggs in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk until blended; let stand 30 minutes. Gradually add flour mixture, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in butter.

Coat 6 popover cups with cooking spray. Place popover cups in a 375°F oven for 5 minutes. Divide the batter evenly among prepared popover cups. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden. (Mine were done after 35 minutes.) Serve immediately.    Makes 6 popovers

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and scramble the eggs. Meanwhile, microwave the beans for 2 minutes or warm in a small saucepan. Warm or toast the tortillas. Place two tortillas on each plate. Distribute the eggs evenly over each tortilla. Top with black beans, then sprinkle on some cheese. Top with avocado slices and finely chpped cilantro and serve immediately.   Serves 2

Preheat the oven to 425°F. On a large baking sheet, toss sweet potatoes and onion with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season chicken with garlic powder, ginger, salt, and pepper. Cook until golden and no longer pink inside, 8 minutes per side. Let rest 10 minutes, then slice. In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce, and honey. Whisk in sesame oil and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil until smooth.

Divide rice among four bowls and top each with sweet potato mixture, chicken, avocado, and baby spinach, dividing them evenly. Sprinkle with cilantro and sesame seeds and drizzle with dressing before serving.  Serves 2

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil until it shimmers. Add the chicken and season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper. Saute until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a dinner plate.

Add the butter and let it melt. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and stir to combine. Saute until the vegetables are softened, 6 to 7 minutes (I just cooked 5 minutes). Add the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth, noodles, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper and stir to combine.

Cover the Dutch oven and bring the liquid to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer vigorously, stirring a few times throughout, until the noodles are soft and most of the liquid is absorbed, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat. Add the heavy cream, the parsley, and cooked chicken and stir until thoroughly combined. Cover and bake for 4 to 5 minutes, until the dish is just heated through. Season with additional salt and black pepper to taste and serve immediately.   Serves 4

Salad
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken or turkey breasts (I used thin sliced)
1 tbsp neutral oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 cups thinly sliced iceberg lettuce
4 cups thinly sliced romaine
1½ cups chopped tomatoes
1 cup canned chickpeas, drained, rinsed
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup thinly sliced salami (about 2 ozs), cut into half-moons
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

Place a rack in center of oven; preheat oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Create vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, whisk shallot, garlic, venegar, mustard, oregano, parsley, salt (if using), and pepper. While whisking, slowly add oil until emulsified. Whisk in Parmesan.

Rub chicken on both sides with oil; season with salt and pepper. Place on prepared sheet and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 160°, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into cubes. In a large bowl, combine lettuces, tomatoes, chickpeas, mozzarella, salami, basil, and chicken. Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine.   Serves 4

Preheat oven to 400°. Pat chickpeas dry with paper towels and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast chickpeas until golden brown and crispy, about 35 minutes. Transfer chickpeas to a medium bowl. Add olive oil, chili powder, garlic powder and toss to combine; season with salt and black pepper.

In a small bowl, combine yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and warm water. Add more water if needed to loosen to a pourable consistency. Add parsley, chives, and season with salt and pepper

In a large bowl, place romaine, avocado, cherry tomatoes, feta, and chickpea mixture. Drizzle with dressing and toss.   Serves 4

Place chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet into 1/2"-thick pieces. Transfer to a large bowl; season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Pour 1/2 cup BBQ sauce over chicken. Turn to coat and let marinate, tossing a few times, at least 15 minutes at room temperature, or cover bowl and refrigerate up to 3 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare a grill for medium-high heat; heat 5 minutes (or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat). In a medium bowl, whisk buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic, parsley, dill, chives, onion powder, cayenne, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teasoon black pepper until combined; set aside.

Grill chicken, turning and basting with marinade, until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board. Let cool slightly, then cut into bite-size pieces. In a large bowl, toss chicken, lettuce, beans, tomato, cheese, corn, tortilla strips, and onion. Drizzle with remaining 1/4 cup of BBQ sauce. Serve with remaining dressing alongside.   Serves 4

Cook barley then let it cool in a large bowl. As long as barley has mostly cooled, you can combine all ingredients through mint. In a shaker jar, combine oil, lemon juice and seasonings. Shake and pour over barley vegetable mixture. Toss to coat. Chill. Serve on a bed of lettuce. (I just served as is without lettuce.)   Serves 4 to 6

Thinly slice the zucchini on the bias using a mandoline or knife. (I just sliced it thin with a knife.) Place in a colander and toss with 1 teaspoon salt. Set the colander in a bowl (I set in sink instead) and let stand until the zucchini has softened and released much of its liquid, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast the fennel seeds in a small skillet over medium-low heat until golden, 4 minutes. (I microwaved on a plate for 1 minute, instead.) Add to a large bowl along with the scallion, the garlic, lemon zest, thyme, red pepper flakes, vinegar and olive oil; season with salt and pepper (I would not add more salt, because the salted zucchini and artichoke hearts were salty enough.) Pat the zucchini dry, then add to the bowl along with the artichokes and peas. Toss. Remove the lemon peel. Add torn lettuce and toss. Top with ricotta salata.     Serves 4 to 6

Trim fat from beef. Cut across grain into thin slices; set aside. Combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sugar. Stir well; set aside.

Cook spaghetti according to package. Drain and put in a large serving bowl. Add coconut milk; toss well. Set aside; keep warm.

Heat oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add beef; stir-fry 3 minutes. Add oyster sauce mixture; stir-fry 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Add to spaghetti. Add bean sprouts, cucumber, cabbage, carrot, and basil to bowl; toss gently. The recipe recommends serving with a drizzle of lime-vinegar sauce (ick, I left off).     Serves 4

Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion; cover and cook 3 minutes. Stir in carrot and water. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 12 minutes or until tender. Stir in mustard and crème de cassis. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.     Serves 4

Preheat oven to 475°F. Toss butternut squash with 3 tablespoons olive oil and 4 teaspoons ras el hanout in a bowl, then spread on a baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast until golden and tender, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a platter.

Toss torn parsley with 1 tablespoon olive oil, red wine vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon ras el hanout. Season with salt and pepper and pile on top of the squash.     Serves 4

In a large skillet or wok, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook until browned, about 4 minutes. Move beef to side of pan. Add broccoli, red bell pepper, carrots, and green onion. Cook vegetables for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Stir in soy sauce and brown sugar. Cook until vegetables reach desired tenderness. Drizzle with sesame oil and sriracha and mix in. Place cooked stir-fry in a serving bowl and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.(I served rice in bowls, then let us scoop out the stir-fry into our bowls.)     Serves 4

In a large bowl, toss chicken, coriander, paprika, red pepper, cinnamon, salt, and pepper until combined. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Cook half of chicken mixture, tossing occasionally, until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with 2 tablespoons oil and remaining chicken mixture.     Serves 3

In a medium bowl, combine ground beef, 1 cup of cheese, breadcrumbs, parsley, garlic, jalapeño, egg, and cumin and season with salt and pepper. Mix until combined, then form into meatballs.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add meatballs in a single layer and sear 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Add onion to skillet and cook, stirring, until soft, 5 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes and enchilada sauce and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and return meatballs to skillet. Cover and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Top with remaining 1 cup cheese, then cover with lid to let melt, about 2 minutes.     Serves 4

Preheat oven to 350°F. Scatter the shrimp into a 1½-quart casserole dish. If doubling up, use a 3-quart dish. (I used a 7x11 baking dish.) Pour the melted butter, wine, and lemon juice into the casserole dish. Sprinkle in the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Toss gently with a rubber spatula until the shrimp are coated.

To make the topping: In a bowl, mix together the butter, panko, Parmesan, parsley, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle in the olive oil and stir until the bread crumbs are evenly moistened. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the shrimp. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the sauce bubbles at the edges. Serve immediately.     Serves 4

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a large oven-safe skillet with cooking spray. (Mine is 12 inch size, ok, but might be less dry with 10 inch.) In a large bowl, whisk together corn muffin mix, egg, sour cream, and creamed corn. Transfer to prepared skillet and bake until golden, 20 minutes. Remove from oven.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion, cumin, and chili powder and season with salt and pepper. Cook until soft, 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Drain fat.

Poke entire surface of cornbread with a fork and pour over enchilada sauce. Add beef and top with cheeses. Cover with foil and bake until cheese is melty, about 20 minutes.     Serves 4

Combine first 7 ingredients in a small bowl; stir well. Rub chicken with spice mixture; let stand 5 minutes.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 1 minute on each side or until lightly browned. Add water and wine to skillet; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 6 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken from skillet. Set aside; keep warm. Add lemon juice and 1/8 taspoon salt to skillet. Bring to a boil; cook 4 minutes or until reduced to 3 tblsps. Remove from heat; stir in marmalade. Spoon sauce over chicken.   Serves 3

Pat chicken dry wth paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat vegetable oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown chicken on one side, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip chicken, add 1/2 cup water to skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and continue to cook, 5 to 7 minutes longer.   Serves 3

Bring meat to room temperature and pat it dry. Preheat the oven to 400° and heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add a little vegetable oil to the skillet, salt one side of the meat and sear it salt-side down until browned, about 3 minutes. Salt the top of the steak and flip it over, then place the pan in the oven until the meat is almost to your desired doneness. (To check the temperature, insert a thermometer sideways into the thickest part of the steak.) For medium rare, roast to 125°, about 7 minutes, then let rest 5 minutes; the internal temperature will rise.   Serves 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil until it shimmers. Add the onion and saute until softened and translucent, 6 to 7 minutes (I cooked only 5 minutes). Add the spinach and continue cooking until it is mostly wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, dill, and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the orzo, salt, and black pepper and stir to coat. Pour the broth into the Dutch oven and stir to combine.

Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer vigorously, stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking, until the orzo is soft and most of the liquid is absorbed, 13 to 15 minutes. Stir in the beans and Parmesan. Cover and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the Parmesan is fully melted and the orzo is heated through. Sprinkle with the fresh parsley and crumbled goat cheese and serve.     Serves 4

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Toss the fennel, carrots, onion and celery with the oil, salt and sugar, and place the vegetables on the baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 30 - 40 minutes until soft, turning the vegetables a couple times so they cook evenly. While the vegetables roast, add the broth and the dried herbs to a large pot and keep warm on low heat. Once the vegetables are browned and soft, remove from the oven and add them to the warmed broth. Remove the bay leaves and purée the soup with an immersion blender (or food processor in batches) until the soup is thick and almost smooth. Taste and adjust seasonining with salt and pepper as needed.     Serves 4

In order listed, add all ingredients to blender and process on low speed until mixture is combined but still coarse in texture, about 10 seconds, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed. Gradually increase speed to high and process until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Adjust consistency with extra water as needed. Serve.     Serves 2

Pulse the ingredients to combine, then blend until smooth. Adjust consistency with extra apple juice as needed.     Serves 2

In order listed, add all ingredients to blender and process on low speed until mixture is combined but still coarse in texture, about 10 seconds, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed. Gradually increase speed to high and process until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Adjust consistency with extra water as needed.     Serves 2

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make a syrup; pour a scant 1/2 cup water into a small saucepan, add the sugar, and bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar, then cook for 5 minutes and let cool.

To make the dough, combine the flour with the butter and salt, mixing the ingredients with your hands so that they form a dough that is not smooth but sandy in consistency. Add the sugar syrup and orange blossom water and knead briefly to make a dough.

Split the dough in half. Roll each half into a 15-inch tube. Slice the tubes on the diagonal in 1-inch increments. Form each slice into a long, leaf shape cookie and place them carefully on the baking sheet. Make an indentation in each cookie by pressing your thumb into the center. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden. (I did not make them flat enough, so had to bake for 30 minutes.) Remove and let cool to room temperature. Dust with confectioners' sugar, if using.     Makes 30 cookies

Place parchment paper on large cookie sheet, and set aside. Sift the cornmeal and flour together into a large bowl, make a well in the center, and add the butter, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Rub the butter quickly but thoroughly into the other ingredients. Stir in the eggs, add the lemon zest, and mix well. Knead gently to achieve a smooth, even dough (my dough was way too soft to knead, so I just kept mixing with a spoon. It continued to remain soft, so I could not make rings from it.) Place 16 balls of dough on parchment and flatten them a little. Place 2 inches apart as they will spread when baking. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake dough for 20 minutes, or until golden. (I baked for 25 minutes.) Remove, let cool, and arrange on a platter or large plate. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve with strawberries, if desired.     Makes 16 cookies

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine first four ingredients in a medium bowl; toss gently. Coat a 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray. Brush pan with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Sprinkle pan evenly with 1 tablespoon sugar. Pour nectarine mxiture into pan in an even layer; set aside.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Combine remaining 1 cup sugar and 5 tablespoons softened butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat just until combined. Spoon batter evenly over fruit mixture. Bake for 40 minutes or until cake is set and light brown (The wooden pick test isn't accurate for this cake since the fruit makes it appear wet when it's really done.) Cool in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes. Place a plate upside down on top of cake pan; invert cake onto plate. (Yes, this will work, though you will also have to scoop fruit still in the pan onto the cake.) Serve warm or at room temperature. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.     Serves 8

In a bowl, sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the cold water and allow the gelatin to absorb the water for 2 minutes. Pour the boiling coffee into the gelatin and stir until the gelatin is fully dissolved. Add the sweetened condensed milk and Kahlúa and stir until the mixture is smooth. Let the mixture cool to room temperature. Pour into a 4-cup mold or 4 to 8 individual molds or serving cups. Refrigerate until firm. To serve, unmold or leave in the serving cups and top with whipped cream and shaved chocolate.
Makes 4 one cup molds

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan by lightly greasing it and coating it with flour. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs in one at a time, mixing well between each addition, and then add the vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with a tablespoon of the milk in between. Add the white sesame paste, mixing until well incorporated. Scrape the batter into the loaf pan and bake it for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean; rotate the pan halfway through baking (I did not do this and seemed fine to me.).     Makes 1 loaf

In a small pot, bring the water to a boil over high heat. Stir in the coconut sugar until dissolved. Add half the mint, and the chamomile, then remove the pot from the heat. Let the mixture steep for 15 minutes, covered, then strain out and discard the mint and chamomile.

In a blender, combine the cantaloupe, salt, and chamomile-mint water and blend until very smooth. Finely chop the remaining mint leaves, then pulse them into the cataloupe mixture until well distributed.

Pour the mixture into pop molds and freeze for 1 hour, then insert sticks and freeze for at least 4 hours more, or until solid.   Makes 5 or 6 (3 ozs) pops

For the Bars
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1½ tsps pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp pure almond extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9-inch square baking pan and line it with parchment paper.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING: Put the confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl and pour over the egg whites. Using your fingers or a fork, mix until the sugar is moistened. If there are lumps, ignore them. Toss in the almonds and stir them around until they're coated with the sugared whites. Set aside while you make the batter.

TO MAKE THE BARS: Working in a large bowl, whisk the sugar, eggs and salt together until the mixture lightens in color and thickens a little, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the vanilla and almond extracts. Switch to a flexible spatula and gently stir in the flour. When the flour is fully incorporated, gradually fold in the melted butter. You'll have a thick batter with a lovely sheen. Scrape it into the pan and use the spatula to work the batter into the corners. The layer will be very thin.

Give the topping another stir, or a run-through with your fingers, and turn it out onto the batter. Use a spatula or your fingers to spread the almonds evenly over the mixture, making sure to get nuts into the corners too. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes (I baked for 35 minutes), or until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with only a few crumbs stuck to it. The meringue topping will be pale golden brown. Transfer the pan to a rack and let rest for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the cake and unmold it onto the rack. Very gently peel away the parchment and invert the cake onto another rack to cool to room temperature. Transfer the cake to a cutting board and, using a long, thin knife, slice it into nine 3-inch squares. (Seemed too big to me, so do next part.) For smaller portions, cut each square into two triangles.

To store, wrap the bars and keep at room temperature for 4 to 5 days.     Makes 9 or 18 bars