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Chocolate chip cookies are the most iconic American treat. This recipe yields crisp edges and a chewy interior. Serving Size About 16 large cookies Ingredients • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour • ½ teaspoon baking soda • 1 cup unsalted butter • ¾ cup packed brown sugar • ½ cup granulated sugar • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 egg • 1 egg yolk • 1¼ cups chocolate chips • ¾ cup chopped pecans Equipment • Baking sheet • Wire whisk • Large bowl • Rubber spatula Substitutions If you have self-rising flour, you can use that instead of all-purpose flour. In that case, leave out the baking powder and salt. As an alternative to pecans, consider walnuts or hazelnuts. As an alternative to chocolate chips, consider butterscotch chips or M&Ms. Steps The main steps for this recipe are: 1. Brown Butter 2. Wet Ingredients 3. Dry Ingredients 4. Combine Wet & Dry 5. Dough Balls 6. Bake Dough Tip: Start preheating the oven to 375 °F now so it's ready for the bake step. Brown Butter Cook 1 cup butter in a sauce pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until the milk solids turn brown. Wet Ingredients Mix together browned butter, ¾ cup packed brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add 1 egg and 1 egg yolk and mix for 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times: Let stand for 3 minutes, then mix for 30 seconds. Dry Ingredients Whisk together 1¾ cups all-purpose flour and ½ teaspoon baking soda in a large bowl. Combine Wet & Dry Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined. Stir in 1¼ cups chocolate chips and ¾ cups pecans. Dough Balls Using your hands, roll about 3 tablespoons of dough into a ball and place it on a cookie sheet. Repeat for all dough, placing each ball about 2 inches apart. Tip: Consider lining your baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Bake Bake 12 ±2 minutes at 375 °F. Tip: Keep dough balls frozen for up to 1 month. Frozen dough balls can be baked without thawing – 30 minutes at 300 °F.

This Banana Bread recipe combines a hint of citrus with savory toasted nuts, making it an irresistible favorite. Serving Size 3-4 small loaves Ingredients • 2 ripe (or very ripe) bananas • 1 cup sugar • ½ teaspoon salt • ½ cup butter • 2-4 tablespoons lemon juice (½-1 whole lemon) • 2 eggs • 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract • 1 cup pecans • 1½ cup all-purpose flour • 1 teaspoon baking soda • 1 teaspoon baking powder • ¼ teaspoon salt Equipment 3-4 mini loaf pans Substitutions If you have self-rising flour, you can use that instead of all-purpose flour. In that case, leave out the baking powder and salt. Steps The main steps for this recipe are: 1. Toast Pecans 2. Batter Pecans Chop Chop 1 cup of pecans Toast Toast the pecans at 275 °F for 35 minutes. Set aside to cool. Batter Tip: Save over-ripe bananas in the freezer until you're ready to make banana bread. Wet Ingredients Combine 2 ripe (or very ripe) mashed bananas, 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs, ½ cup butter, 2-4 tablespoons lemon juice, 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Dry Ingredients Whisk 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon each of baking powder and baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Combine Wet & Dry Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Load Pans Scoop the batter into greased loaf pans, leaving plenty of room for rising. Tip: About half full usually works well. Batter should be no more than 1½ inch deep to prevent excessive baking times. Bake Bake 30+ minutes at 350 °F. Test by sticking a toothpick into the pan. When it comes out clean, remove the pans from the oven.

Strawberry shortcake combines mildly sweet strawberries, biscuits, and whipped cream in a classic dessert. The Jones-Tuzović household at 2473 has been practicing this recipe regularly. Serving Size 4 large or 8 small biscuits Tip: The wet batter freezes well, so consider baking half now and half later! Ingredients • 1 cup all-purpose flour • ½ teaspoon baking powder • ½ teaspoon salt • 2 tablespoons butter • 2+ cups of heavy whipping cream • 2+ tablespoons granulated sugar • ¼ cup milk Equipment Whipped Cream You'll need an electric hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment in order to make the whipped cream. It's possible but difficult to do it with a whisk by hand. Substitutions If you have self-rising flour, you can use that instead of all-purpose flour. In that case, leave out the baking powder and salt. Steps The main steps for this recipe are: 1. Strawberries 2. Biscuits 3. Whipped Cream 4. Plating Strawberries Tip: These take up to a day to marinade, but they keep in the fridge for many days. Dice Dice 2+ pints of strawberries and place in a bowl. Sugar Sprinkle the strawberries liberally with sugar. Put in the fridge and let sit. Biscuits Tip: The cooked biscuits for this recipe save well in the fridge, and the uncooked batter saves well in the freezer. Brown Butter Cook 2 tablespoons butter in a sauce pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until the milk solids turn brown. Set aside to cool. Combine Dry Ingredients Whisk 1 cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add Wet Ingredients Mix together 1/4 cup milk, 1/8 cup heavy cream, and the toasted butter. Mix wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Cut Biscuits Separate the biscuit batter into 4 large or 8 small biscuit portions. Place on a baking sheet. Tip: I like to use my hands to ball the batter up, then I cut it up with a knife like I would wedge a lemon. Tip: Use a non-stick baking sheet or parchment paper to reduce sticking. Paint Biscuits Paint each biscuit with heavy cream and sprinkle it with sugar. Bake Bake 15-18 minutes at 425 °F. Whipped Cream Combine Ingredients Combine 1 cup of heavy whipping cream, 1 tablespoons sugar, and a few drops of vanilla in a bowl. Mix Using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, mix on high for a few minutes until the whipped cream takes shape. Plating Combine Place a biscuit in a bowl and smother it with the sweet strawberries and whipped cream. Enjoy!