Creamy Jalapeño Popper Baked Potatoes

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Start to finish: 1 hour 20 minutes
Impresses: 4

Ingredients
4 large Idaho or russet potatoes, washed and dried
4 ounces cream cheese
6 large strips thick cut bacon
2–3 jalapeño peppers, deseeded and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
½ cup white cheddar, shredded, plus extra for garnish

Method
Heat oven to 425 F. Place potatoes on the middle rack and bake for 50 minutes, or until soft enough to easily pierce with a fork. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Adjust oven temperature to 350 F.

While potatoes are baking, set the cream cheese out to soften. Cook bacon to a crispy texture in a large skillet, and then allow to cool. Reserve 4 slices of cooked bacon for garnish. Finely chop the remaining 2 slices.

As the potatoes cool, add softened cream cheese, chopped bacon, chopped jalapeños, minced garlic, salt and pepper to a mixing bowl. Fold together until well combined.

Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice off the top and scoop out the middle into the same mixing bowl. Add shredded white cheddar, and then fold together until well-combined. Spoon the potato mixture back into the potato skins.

Top with remaining bacon and additional chopped jalapeños, if desired. Bake for another 10 minutes at 350 F. Remove from oven and serve with any additional toppings or garnishes.

Notes: Avoid stinging eyes, nose and skin by handling the fresh jalapeños with disposable gloves. Or, use a plastic produce bag over your hand to provide a barrier.

Classic Caramel Apple

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Start to finish: Active: 1 hour | Inactive: 2 hours 30 minutes
Makes: 12 pieces

Ingredients
For the caramel:
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1¾ cups heavy cream
½ cup light corn syrup
1 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons salted butter (half stick)
1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the classic caramel apples:
8 small Granny Smith apples
Small wooden dowels
Crushed salted nuts, optional 

Method
For the caramel:
Combine all caramel ingredients in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Once the butter has melted, let cook without stirring until the sauce bubbles and a candy thermometer reads 240 F, about 15 minutes. Remove caramel from heat and allow to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Stir and then coat as instructed below.

If you are making the caramel in advance, place it in a slow cooker on the lowest setting. Stir every 10 minutes until ready to use.

For the classic caramel apples:
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Rinse and dry apples completely. Set on prepared baking sheet. Remove the apple stem and insert a small wooden dowel/stick into the apple, about two-thirds of the way.

Once caramel is warmed, dip the apple into the caramel by holding the dowel. Lift the apple and swirl gently by turning your wrist away from you to allow excess caramel to drip off. Roll into nuts, if using.

Set back on prepared pan and let rest 1 hour, until set. Enjoy immediately or store loosely covered in the refrigerator. 

Toasted Southwest Chicken Sandwiches

Start to finish: 20 minutes | Impresses: 4

INGREDIENTS

2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
¼ cup mayo
2 tablespoons adobo sauce
½ small red onion, sliced
1 cup baby spinach leaves
½ cup roasted red pepper slices
4 slices smoked gouda cheese
8 slices sourdough bread butter

METHOD

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together shredded chicken, mayo and adobo sauce. Heat a panini press or grill pan over medium heat. Butter one side of each sourdough slice and line up four of the slices for toppings and set the other four aside. Schmear ½ cup of the chicken mixture on each slice, followed by sliced onion, red pepper, spinach and a slice of gouda. Top each sandwich with the remaining slices of bread, butter side up. Grill or press each sandwich for 3–4 minutes per side, until golden brown and the gouda is melted. Slice and serve with a bowl of Squash Bisque (page 49).

Conchas

Start to finish: Active: 1 hour | Inactive: 2 hours 30 minutes
Makes: 12 pieces

Ingredients
For the dough:
17.5 ounces (500 grams) all-purpose flour
5 ounces (140 grams) sugar
1¾ tablespoons (11 grams) active dry yeast
4.4 ounces (130 milliliters) milk, lukewarm
3 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon (5 grams) salt
3.5 ounces (100 grams) butter, softened

For the sweet topping:
2 ounces (60 grams) vegetable shortening
2 ounces (60 grams) powdered sugar
2 ounces (60 grams) flour
1 tablespoon cocoa powder (for brown coating, optional)
1½ teaspoons cinnamon (for red coating, optional)
Yellow food coloring (for yellow coating, gel recommended, optional)

Method
For the dough:
Sift flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add sugar, yeast and warm milk. Using the hook attachment, mix on low speed until all ingredients are well combined. 

In a separate bowl, whisk eggs with vanilla extract and salt. Add the egg mixture slowly to the flour mixture and continue kneading. Add butter 1 tablespoon at a time and continue kneading until all the butter is incorporated and the dough is soft and elastic. Transfer dough to a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it rest until doubled in size, about 1–11/2 hours.

For the sweet topping:
Make the sweet topping while the dough is resting. Mix vegetable shortening, powdered sugar and flour until it forms a uniform paste. Divide the paste in 2–3 equal portions. If using, add cocoa powder to 1 of the portions and mix well to combine. If using, add cinnamon to 1 of the portions and mix well to combine. If using, add yellow food coloring to the final portion and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and reserve. 

To assemble:
Once the dough has doubled in size, divide it in 12 portions of approximately 21/2 ounces (70 grams) and shape them into balls. Place the dough balls on a prepared baking sheet and flatten them slightly with the palm of your hand. Using a pastry brush, brush a thin layer of milk on all the buns. Don’t skip this step as it will help adhere the sweet topping to the dough.

Divide the sweet topping into 12 equal portions. Use your hands to press each ball into a flat circle, slightly larger in diameter than the dough buns. Place the sweet topping circles on top of the buns and press down firmly to flatten the dough. Using a concha cutter or knife, cut through the sweet topping to decorate them with the traditional concha design. Let conchas rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Heat oven to 350 F and bake 15 minutes, or until the bottom of the conchas are slightly golden brown.

Transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.

Chorizo Queso with Chili-Ranch Chips

Start to finish: Active: 40 minutes
Impresses: 4-6

Ingredients
For the queso:
5-ounce can roasted jalapeño peppers, diced
½ lime, cut into wedges
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, freshly shredded
4 ounces colby jack cheese, freshly shredded
½ pound chorizo, browned
Cilantro, for serving 

For the chips:
12 corn tortillas
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons ranch seasoning
1 tablespoon Tajín® clásico seasoning, or other chili-lime seasoning

Method
For the queso:
Heat oven to broiler. Coat a small baking dish with nonstick spray, unless using a small cast-iron skillet.

Layer in half the roasted jalapeño peppers, a squeeze of 1 lime wedge and half of each cheese. Broil 3–4 minutes, or until cheese starts to bubble and brown.

Remove from oven and layer in the remaining roasted jalapeño peppers, another squeeze of lime and remaining cheese. Broil 3–4 minutes, or until the top is bubbly and brown.

Remove from oven and top with browned chorizo sausage in the middle, adding another squeeze of lime and cilantro for garnish. Serve immediately with chips.  

For the chips:
Heat oven to 350 F, and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut tortillas into 8 wedges and place in a single layer on prepared baking sheets. Spritz tortilla wedges with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine ranch seasoning and Tajín. Sprinkle half the seasoning over the chips. Bake 8 minutes before flipping, spritzing and sprinkling with remaining seasoning.

Swap baking sheet locations in the oven and bake 5–6 minutes, or until lightly browned. (Watch the chips closely at the 5-minute mark to ensure they don’t burn.)

Let rest for 5 minutes before serving with queso or your dip of choice. 

BBQ Corn Salad

Start to finish: Active: 45 minutes
Impresses: 4

Ingredients
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon ground mustard
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 sweet corn ears, shucked
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ red onion, thinly sliced
1 avocado, diced
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
½ cup queso fresco, crumbled 

Method
Heat grill over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, smoked paprika, pepper, salt, garlic and onion powder, ground mustard and cayenne pepper.

Brush corn with vegetable oil and generously coat with spice mixture. Grill 2–3 minutes per side, or until corn is equally charred on all sides. Remove and let rest 10 minutes.

Once cool enough to handle, carefully cut corn kernels off the cobb. Place kernels into a large bowl and toss together with cherry tomatoes, red onion, avocado, cilantro and queso fresco. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Grilled Peach, Blue Cheese and Arugula Pizza

Start to finish: Active: 30 minutes | Inactive: 12 hours 30 minutes
Impresses: 4 as an entree, or 2 dedicated pizza lovers

Ingredients
For the pizza crust:
8 ounces water, warmed to 105–110 F
7 grams yeast (from 1 envelope)
5 grams sugar
356 grams all-purpose flour
3 grams kosher salt
¾ ounce olive oil

For the pizzas:
Olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup fig preserves
6 slices prosciutto, torn into pieces
2 peaches, sliced
¼ cup blue cheese crumbles
Fresh arugula, for serving
¼ cup chopped pistachios, for serving
Flaky sea salt, for serving
Balsamic reduction, for serving 

Method
For the pizza crust:

Whisk together warm water, yeast and sugar in a measuring cup, and set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Add flour and kosher salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, and whisk to combine. Pour in the yeast and water and begin mixing on low to form a shaggy dough. Drizzle in oil and increase mixer speed to medium, mixing until dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Increase speed to medium-high and knead dough for 8 minutes.

Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 8–12 hours, or overnight.

For the pizzas:

Remove dough from refrigerator and divide into 2 equal portions (about 295 grams each). Shape both portions into round balls and place on a piece of parchment paper dusted with flour. Dust the tops of the dough with flour and cover with a clean kitchen towel for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.

When ready to make the pizzas, sprinkle work surface with all-purpose flour and cornmeal. Use both hands to press the first dough ball down in the center, rotating while pressing and working out toward the edges, to create an even circle. Stretch dough on work surface, or by gently tossing back and forth between both hands, until circle is 9 inches in diameter. Set crust on baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and repeat the process with the second dough ball.

Place the crusts over direct high heat for 1–2 minutes, or until the tops are extremely bubbly. Flip the crusts over and transfer to an indirect low heat. Working quickly, drizzle each crust with olive oil and sprinkle with minced garlic. Spread fig preserves over the crusts, leaving about ½-inch border along the edge. Divide the prosciutto, peaches and blue cheese among the 2 pizzas. Close the lid of the grill and cook the pizzas 4–6 minutes, or until cheese is melted and crust is deeply browned and crispy.

Remove pizzas from grill and sprinkle with fresh arugula leaves, chopped pistachios and flaky salt. Drizzle with balsamic reduction before slicing and serving. 

Notes: For a quick balsamic reduction, place 1 cup balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook, swirling pan occasionally, until reduced by half, about 16 minutes. Reduction will thicken when cooling.  

S'mores Milkshakes

Start to finish: 10 minutes
Impresses: 2

Ingredients
20 marshmallows
3 cups (about 6 scoops) vanilla or chocolate ice cream
1 cup whole milk
1 chocolate bar
4 graham crackers, broken
Chocolate sauce  

Method
Heat broiler. Put marshmallows on a foil-lined baking sheet, and place under the broiler. Broil for 1–2 minutes, or until toasted. Remove from oven and set aside.

Drizzle chocolate sauce around the inside of your milkshake glass and add a layer of broken graham crackers in the bottom of the glass.

In a blender, add ice cream, milk and 14 of the toasted marshmallows. Blend until smooth and creamy. Pour into milkshake glasses until half full, add another layer of broken graham crackers and finish with the rest of the milkshake. Top with a graham cracker, chocolate pieces and toasted marshmallows.  

Grilled Beer Cheese Dip

Start to finish: 20 minutes
Impresses: A crowd

Ingredients
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
6 ounces fontina cheese, shredded
4 ounces Gruyere, shredded
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons salted butter
½ white onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
12 ounces beer, a lager preferred, such as an Oktoberfest or Pilsner
¾ cup heavy cream
Kosher salt, to taste
Paprika, for serving
Green onions, sliced, for serving
Soft pretzels, for serving

Method
Place a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat on the grill. Allow the pan to heat 5–7 minutes. While the pan heats, toss the cheddar, fontina and Gruyere with the cornstarch and set aside.

When the pan is hot, add the butter and onion. Stir to coat, cooking the onions for 3 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the flour and stir to combine, cooking for another minute.

Add the cream cheese and stir vigorously until melted and smooth; mixture will be thick. Whisk in the beer until smooth and well-combined. Add the cheeses and heavy cream. Move pan to indirect heat, and stir until dip is smooth. Taste and add kosher salt as needed.

Remove pan from heat and sprinkle with paprika and sliced green onions to serve.

Notes: Heat the pre-made soft pretzels on the grill. Brush the pretzels with melted butter, sprinkle with salt and place over direct high heat for 2–3 minutes, or until warmed through.

Creamy Curried Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS

⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons red curry paste
2 tablespoons ranch dressing
3 cups cooked chicken breasts, shredded or roughly chopped
½ cup roasted and salted peanuts,roughly chopped
⅓ cup dried apricots, chopped
2 large green onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
5–6 cups fresh leafy greens, for serving
1 cup shredded or matchstick carrots, for serving
1 lime, sliced into wedges, for garnish

METHOD

In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt, curry paste and ranch dressing. Set aside.
Prep the remaining ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, add cooked chicken, peanuts, apricots, green onions, cilantro, red pepper flakes and curried yogurt mixture. Fold together until evenly combined. Garnish with additional cilantro, green onions or peanuts, if desired.
To serve, divide the leafy greens into 4 large salad bowls. Add ¼ cup carrots to each bowl; and then, top with the chicken salad. Garnish with a squeeze of lime juice and enjoy.
Notes: If starting with uncooked chicken, season chicken breasts with salt and pepper; and then, roast or bake at 425 F for 15–18 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked (165 F in the thickest part of the breast).

Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes with Lemon Whipped Cream

Start to finish: 25 minutes
Impresses: 4

Ingredients
For the pancakes:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
¾ cup whole milk ricotta
¼ cup honey
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Salted butter, for cooking

For the whipped cream:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest

Method
For the pancakes: 
Heat oven to 250 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Heat a nonstick pan or griddle over medium heat. 

In the pitcher of a high-speed blender, add flour, baking powder and salt. Pulse a few times to combine. 

Add milk, ricotta, honey, eggs, vanilla extract and lemon juice. Blend 10–15 seconds, or until smooth. Stir in blueberries with a long-handled spoon. 

Once pan or griddle is heated, melt butter and use a ¼ measuring cup to pour out pancakes. Cook until the top begins to bubble, then flip. Cook another minute and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. 

Keep cooked pancakes warm in the oven until ready to serve.

For the whipped cream: 
In a medium-sized metal bowl, beat heavy cream just until soft peaks start to form. Once thickened, beat in the powdered sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest until soft peaks form on the beater. When ready to serve, top pancakes with a generous dollop of whipped cream.

Lemon-Rhubarb Icebox Cake

Start to finish: Active: 1 hour 15 minutes
Impresses: 4-6

Ingredients
For the rhubarb jam:
3 cups chopped rhubarb
1½ cups granulated sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon kosher salt

For the lemon curd:
1 cup lemon juice
½ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
4 egg yolks
Pinch of kosher salt

For the lemon custard:
1¼ cups half & half
1/3 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1½ tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon lemon extract
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

For the icebox cake:
1 package lemon shortbread cookies
1½ cups heavy cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Method
For the rhubarb jam:
Combine all ingredients for the jam in a large pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thick, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

For the lemon curd:
Whisk together lemon juice, sugar, egg, egg yolks and salt in a shallow saucepan until smooth. Set over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Be sure curd does not scorch to the bottom of the pan or boil too vigorously. The curd is done when it coats the back of a spoon and holds a line when streaked with a finger. Remove curd from heat and pour through a fine mesh sieve into a glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

For the lemon custard:
Pour half & half into a medium saucepan and set over medium-low heat. In a glass bowl, whisk together sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch and salt until thick and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. When half & half is steaming, pour a thin stream into the sugar and egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Whisk until smooth before pouring mixture back into saucepan.

Cook custard, gently stirring constantly, until thick enough to hold the outline of a figure 8 made with a spoon. Remove from heat and whisk in lemon zest, butter, vanilla extract and lemon extract. Pour into a clean glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside until cooled to room temperature.

When custard is room temperature, whip heavy cream and powdered sugar to medium peaks. Gently fold whipped cream into the custard and set aside.

For the icebox cake: 
Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap on all sides, making sure to leave an overhang on the long sides of the pan to wrap the top of the cake.

Place a layer of shortbread cookies in the bottom of the pan, breaking or cutting the cookies to make them fit in an even layer. Top with a layer of lemon custard, about 1½ cups, followed by ¼ cup lemon curd and ¼ cup rhubarb jam. Repeat the process of layering the cookies, custard, curd and jam 2 more times. Top with a final layer of custard and then a final layer of cookies. Wrap plastic wrap over the top of loaf, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

When ready to serve, whip the remaining heavy cream, powdered sugar, lemon extract and lemon zest until thick. Unwrap the cake and invert the pan on a serving platter.

Remove the pan and plastic wrap from the cake, and cover with the lemon whipped cream. Garnish with more zest and crumbled shortbread cookies to serve. 

Skirt Steak with Roasted Poblano Crema

Start to finish: Active: 1 hour 15 minutes
Impresses: 4-6

Ingredients
For the steak:
2-pound skirt steak
½ cup olive oil
½ cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper 

For the crema:
2 poblano peppers
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup milk
1 lime, zested and juiced
¼ cup cilantro
½ teaspoon salt

Method
For the steak: 
Place steak into a shallow dish. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper to combine. Pour marinade over steak and let set at room temperature for 30 minutes.

While the steak rests, heat grill over high heat. Grill steak 3–4 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 130 F (for medium-rare temperature). Let rest for 5–10 minutes. Slice against the grain and top with crema to serve.

For the crema: 
While the grill is on, place the peppers on high direct heat. Char the skins by grilling 1–2 minutes per side. Once completely charred, place peppers into a freezer-style zip-top bag and seal. Let steam for 10 minutes before removing peppers. Peel off the skin and remove the seeds and top. 

Place cleaned peppers into the bowl of a food processor with sour cream, milk, lime juice and zest, cilantro and salt. Puree until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Grilled Mac and Cheese

Start to finish: Active: 30 minutes
Impresses: 8 as a side, 4 as an entree

Ingredients
16 ounces dry pasta, such as elbow or cavatappi
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups half & half, divided
1 cup water
4 tablespoons salted butter, cut into cubes
4 ounces medium cheddar cheese, cut into cubes
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, cut into cubes
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon ground mustard
3 ounces Gruyere, shredded
Freshly ground black pepper, for serving 

Method
Spray a large, shallow Dutch oven with baking spray. Pour the pasta into the pot along with the heavy cream, 1 cup of the half & half and water. Scatter butter, cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese over the pasta. Sprinkle with kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder and ground mustard.

Cover and place the pot over low direct heat and high indirect heat (if your grill has a thermometer, it should be measuring around 500 F) and close the lid of the grill. Cook the pasta for 20 minutes before removing the lid and stirring to combine. At this point, the noodles should be fully cooked and the sauce should be creamy.

Remove pot from heat, and add the remaining half & half and Gruyere. Mix until smooth, and serve immediately with a generous sprinkle of coarse black pepper. 

Summer Freekeh Salad with Fresh Mozzarella

Start to finish: Active: 30 minutes
Impresses: 6

Ingredients
For the salad:
2½ cups water (to yield 2 cups cooked)
1 cup uncooked freekeh
½ tablespoon olive oil
1 cup sweet corn kernels (fresh, frozen or canned)
3 medium zucchinis, cut in half and sliced into half moons
1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ cup red onion, finely diced
¼–⅓ cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
8 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the dressing:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Method
Heat the water in a pot over high heat. Once boiling, add uncooked freekeh. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 8–10 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Set aside until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add corn and allow to roast over medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes, or until the edges become browned and toasted. Add zucchini; and then, cook 2–3 minutes longer until the zucchini develops roasted edges. Remove from heat.

To make the dressing, combine ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until blended. Set aside.

To mix the salad, add cooked freekeh to a large mixing bowl. Add roasted corn and zucchini, cherry tomatoes, onion, basil, mozzarella pearls and prepared dressing. Gently fold together to combine. Then, garnish with additional mozzarella or basil, if desired. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Notes: Err on the side of undercooking the zucchini, especially if you slice it very thinly or plan to enjoy this recipe as leftovers. This recipe can also be served chilled, if desired. Eat within 2 days for best results.

Salted Caramel Popcorn Milkshake

Start to finish: Active: 30 minutes
Impresses: 2

Ingredients
For the salted caramel popcorn:
1 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
⅓ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon kosher salt
8 cups plain popped popcorn (about ¼ cup of kernels)

For the milkshakes:
3 cups (about 6 scoops) vanilla ice cream
1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons salted caramel (recipe included)

Method
For the salted caramel popcorn:  
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, add sugar and stir every 1–2 minutes, until it begins to melt. (The sugar will start to clump before melting). Once the sugar is completely melted and a golden color, immediately remove from heat and stir in the butter until combined. (It will bubble a lot.) Add in the heavy cream and salt, and mix until fully combined and smooth. Pour the salted caramel into a glass jar to cool. (It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. If you make the salted caramel the night before, store it in the refrigerator, but then let it sit at room temperature until it reaches a pourable consistency.)

Heat oven to 275 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the popcorn in an even layer on the baking sheet and drizzle with about ⅓ cup of salted caramel (more or less as desired) and stir to coat. Bake 15–20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, or until the caramel has begun to form a shell on the outside of the popcorn. Remove from the oven and let cool.

For the milkshakes: 
In a blender, combine ice cream, milk and salted caramel, and blend until smooth and creamy. Drizzle leftover salted caramel inside your milkshake glasses. Pour milkshake into glasses and top with salted caramel popcorn.

Blueberry and Brown Sugar No-Churn Ice Cream

Start to finish: Active: 30 minutes | Inactive: 5 hours
Impresses: 4

Ingredients
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
¼ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup fresh blueberries

Method
Whisk together condensed milk, brown sugar, vanilla extract and salt in a large bowl; set aside.

Whip the cream with a mixer on medium-high speed until firm peaks form, about 2 minutes. Fold about 1 cup of the whipped cream into the condensed milk mixture with a rubber spatula until combined. Then, fold the lightened mixture into the whipped cream until well blended.

Pour into a chilled 9-by-5-by-3-inch metal loaf pan, and freeze, covered, until thick and creamy, about 2 hours.

In a small bowl, slightly smash blueberries with a fork. Gently fold blueberries into cream mixture.

Continue to freeze, covered, until solid and scoopable, about 3 hours more.

When ready to serve, let ice cream sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before scooping. Serve in a bowl or on a waffle cone.

Birthday Cake Milkshake

Start to finish: 20 minutes
Impresses: 2

Ingredients
For the cake crumbs:
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles

For the milkshakes:
3 cups (about 6 scoops) vanilla ice cream
¼ cup vanilla or cream cheese frosting
1 cup whole milk
Whipped cream
Rainbow sprinkles

Method
For the cake crumbs:
Heat oven to 300 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine the cake crumb ingredients and mix together until small clusters begin to form. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned and crunchy. Let cool completely before making milkshakes.

For the milkshakes:
Spread a small amount of frosting on the top of your milkshake glasses and roll in rainbow sprinkles. Add some of the cooled cake crumbs to the bottom of the glass. Add ice cream, frosting and milk to a blender, and blend until smooth and creamy. Pour into milkshake glasses until half full, top with another layer of cake crumbs and finish with the remaining milkshake. Garnish with whipped cream and extra sprinkles.

Lemon Cupcakes with Strawberry Whipped Cream Frosting

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Start to finish: 40 minutes
Makes: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients
For the cake:

2½ cups cake flour (can substitute all-purpose flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
1½ cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lemon extract
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 cup whole milk

For the whipped cream frosting:
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons flavorless powdered gelatin
4 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons strawberry powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

Method
For the cake:
Heat oven to 350 F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the melted butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon extract and lemon zest until combined.

Stir in about half the flour mixture. Then, stir in the milk and the rest of the flour mixture, and mix until fully combined. The batter will be thin.

Pour about ¼ cup batter into each cupcake liner. (They should be about halfway full.)

Bake 18–22 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Remove from the pan and let cool on a wire rack.

Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

For the whipped cream frosting:
Add the water to a microwave-safe bowl and sprinkle the unflavored gelatin on top. Allow to sit for a few minutes. Transfer the gelatin mixture to the microwave and microwave for 5–10 seconds, until the gelatin is fully dissolved. Stir the mixture, and set aside to cool slightly.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer, combine heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, strawberry powder and vanilla extract. Whip the mixture until it starts to thicken and soft peaks form. Then, turn the mixer to low speed. Slowly pour in the gelatin mixture and mix on low until well combined. Increase the mixer to medium speed and continue mixing until stiff peaks form. (If the gelatin mixture thickens too much before adding it to the whipped cream, put it back in the microwave for 3–5 seconds. It should be a pourable consistency, but not warm to touch.)

To assemble: 
Once the cupcakes are fully cooled, transfer the strawberry whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with a 1M tip, and pipe swirls on each cupcake.

Parmesan Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Cauliflower

Start to finish: 35 minutes
Impresses: 12

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, chopped into 1-inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 pound fresh cauliflower florets, chopped
8 tablespoons salted butter
8 ounces heavy cream
¾ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Chives, for garnish

METHOD

Place potatoes and garlic in a large saucepot and fill with enough water to rise 1 inch above the potatoes. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt, cover and place over high heat. Bring potatoes to a boil, then add the cauliflower. Cook until potatoes are fork tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and return to saucepot.
While potatoes and cauliflower boil, place the stick of butter upright in a large pint glass or mason jar and add the heavy cream. Microwave 1–2 minutes, or until butter has fully melted into cream. Carefully remove from microwave, as glass will be hot. Pour about half the butter and cream mixture into the potatoes and cauliflower, and begin to mash. Add the grated Parmesan cheese, and stir to combine. Taste the potatoes and season with more salt and ground pepper, if needed. Add more liquid until desired consistency is reached (you may not use it all), being careful not to over mash. Top mashed potatoes with fresh chives before serving.