Cream Wafers

 Cookies

 1 cup butter

2 cups flour

¹⁄₃  cup heavy whipping cream

¹⁄₂ cup sugar

 Filling

 ¹⁄₄cup butter

³⁄₄cup sifted confectioner sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix butter, flour and whipping cream thoroughly. Chill dough 1 hour

Preheat oven to 375°

Roll dough 1/8" thick on a lightly floured board

Cut into 1-1/2 inch rounds

Transfer onto waxed paper heavily sprinkled with sugar, turning to coat both sides

Place on ungreased baking sheet; prick in 4 places with fork

Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until slightly puffy

Filling

Blend butter, confectioner sugar and vanilla together

Put 2 cookies together with filling

Pasta with Creamy Mushroom Ragu

 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1small onion, finely chopped

Kosher salt

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

¼ cup double-concentrated tomato paste

12 oz. mixed mushrooms (such as cremini, shiitake, oyster, and/or maitake), tough stems trimmed, coarsely chopped

¼ cup heavy cream

Freshly ground black pepper

12 oz. rigatoni or other short pasta

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about ½ cup), plus more for serving

Heat oil in a small pot or large saucepan over medium. Add onion and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is very soft, 6–8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened and beginning to turn golden around edges, about 4 minutes.

Add tomato paste to pot and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly darkened in color, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms and season with more salt. Cook, stirring often, until softened, 6–8 minutes.

Add cream and 1 cup water, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until ragù is slightly thickened, 13–17 minutes. Taste and season with pepper and more salt as needed.

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain, reserving 2 cups pasta cooking liquid.

Add pasta, butter, 1 cup pasta cooking liquid, and 1 oz. Parmesan to ragù. Cook, tossing and adding more pasta cooking liquid by ¼-cupful as needed, until sauce coats pasta and pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes.

Divide pasta among shallow bowls or plates and top with more Parmesan.

Pork Stir Fry with Three Beans

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 lb. lean ground pork

2 bunches of scallions cut diagonally in 2-inch pieces

1 8-ounce package sugar snap peas

1 8-ounce package fresh green beans

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

1 cup frozen edamame, thawed

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 8.8-ounce packages precooked microwavable brown rice

Heat oil in large skillet over medium high. Add pork; cook stirring often and breaking up meat using a wooden spoon or spatula, until pork is almost cooked through, about 6 minutes.  Add scallion; cook, stirring often, until scallions start to brown in spots and pork is cooked through and starting to brown, about 2 minutes.  Add sugar snap peas and green beans; cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes,

Stir together soy sauce and brown sugar in a small bowl to combine.  Add to pork mixture in skillet; cook stirring often until liquid thickens and vegetables are well coated, about 1 minute.  Add edamame; cook, stirring occasionally until mixture is warmed through, about 2 minutes.

Cook rice in microwave according to package directions.  Spoon rice onto plates and top with pork mixture and sesame seeds.

Grilled Vegetable Pasta

 1 pound pasta

2 ears corn, husked

1 yellow squash, sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick planks

1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick planks

1 orange bell pepper, cut into 1-inch strips

4 scallions

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

3 tablespoons store-bought pesto

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

 Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and let cool.

 Brush the corn, yellow squash, zucchini, bell pepper and scallions lightly with oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Grill the corn, turning frequently, until cooked through and the kernels are charred, about 10 minutes. Grill the zucchini and squash slices, turning once, until charred but not mushy, about 2 minutes per side. Grill the pepper slices until they are charred on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Grill the scallions whole, turning them frequently, until charred and soft, about 2 minutes.

 Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the pesto, olive oil, lemon juice and zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cut the yellow squash, zucchini and bell peppers into 1/2-inch pieces and add them to the bowl with the dressing. Cut the kernels off the corn and add them to the zucchini; chop the scallions and add them, too. Add the pasta and grape tomatoes and gently toss until everything is coated with the dressing. Add the parsley and parmesan cheese, toss and season to taste. Serve at room temperature.

Ricotta Orange Pound Cake with Strawberries

1 1/2 cups cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature, plus more to grease the baking pan
1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 orange, zested
2 tablespoons Amaretto
1 pint strawberries, hulled and quartered         

 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan with butter. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine.
 
Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, ricotta, and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the machine running, add the eggs 1 at a time. Add the vanilla, orange zest, and Amaretto until combined. Add the dry ingredients, a small amount at a time, until just incorporated. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake is beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 45 to 50 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Using a mesh sieve, dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar.
 
 Meanwhile, place the strawberries in a small bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Let sit until the juices have pooled around the strawberries.     
 
To serve, slice the cake and serve with a spoonful of strawberries and their juices over the top of the cake.
 
Serves 8 to 10

Ginger Lemon Salad Dressing

This dressing is delicious on a simple salad of strawberries, oranges and romaine lettuce. 

1/3 cup canola oil
juice of one lemon
1/2 - 1 teaspoon dried ginger
1 teaspoon honey

Combine all ingredients in a small container with a lid and shake to combine.

Cinnamon Toffee Bars

Dough:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg white, beaten

Streusel:

6 tablespoons cold butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a 15x10 inch jelly roll pan. Cream butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Stir in cinnamon and salt.  Add flour, a little at a time.  Blend well.  Press into pan to a 1/4-inch thickness. Use wax paper to press dough into pan.

Brush beaten egg white over dough.  Combine streusel ingredients in a food processor.  Process until butter is evenly blended.  Sprinkle struesel over dough. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool on white rack for 15 minutes.  Cut into diamond shape while it is still warm.