Serves 2-3
Prep time:10 minutes

In a stand mixer, whip the cream, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and powdered milk (if using) until medium peaks are formed.  Meanwhile, puree raspberries in a mini-food processor or blender, set a few aside for garnish before pureeing.  Add the coffee and raspberry puree to the whipped cream/mousse and whip to combine.  Add a teaspoon of coffee to the bottom of each glass and evenly divide mousse evenly amongst glassware (these are traditionally served in pretty glassware or crystal) and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but up to two days; make sure they are covered with plastic wrap touching the top to keep a skin from forming).     
Whip remaining cream when ready to serve and garnish with remaining raspberries.

Makes 20-25 baskets
Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Preheat oven to 350 and position rack in middle of oven.  Grease a muffin pan and the back of a round 1/4 cup measuring cup with non-stick spray; you'll be using the measuring cup to press the warm cookies into the muffin pan mold; if you don't have round measuring cups, use a shot glass or something slightly smaller than the muffin pan.
Combine butter, sugar, cane syrup, and salt in a medium sauce pan.  Heat over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved; do no let come to a simmer.  Remove from heat and let cool slightly while you combine the flour and ground ginger.  Sift dry mixture directly into the wet batter and stir until it is combined into a paste.
On a parchment lined baking sheet, place 5-6 heaping teaspoons of the mixture.  Make to space these out because they will spread a lot.  Gently spread each mound of mixture with a greased spoon to flatten a little.  Bake 6 minutes, turning the pan at the 3 minute mark.  While baking start loading up your next pan of cookie mixture.
After 6 minutes, remove pan from oven and let cool slightly.  Using a small offset spatula gently remove a cooked cookie into the muffin pan, quickly and gently press the greased 1/4 cup measuring cup into the muffing tin to create a basket shape from the cookie.  Working quickly repeat with remaining cookies.  Let set up for about 2 minutes until cold and crisped before removing from tin.  Continue cooking and creating baskets until all batter is used up.
*This is time consuming and can be frustrating.  If the batter in the pot starts to get cool to work with you can gently reheat it, if the cookies on the sheet get to crisp to mold into the muffin pan you can reheat them in the oven.  Just go slow and take your time.  And yes, you can use mini-muffin pans, but it's just adding more frustration, so be ware.
When ready to serve, whip cream until stiff peaks form, add powdered sugar and vanilla.  Pipe cream mixture into baskets and top with fresh fruit to serve.  Serve within 15 minutes; the crisps will start to soften from the whipped cream quickly.
*If your baskets don't turn out well or if you don't want to spend the time to make them, just pour the cookie base baking sheets (divide between two or three) and bake according to directions.  Allow mixture to cook and break into shards - when ready to serve you can pipe the whipped cream into a pretty vessel and top with fresh fruits and shards of cookie.

Makes approximately 1 pint

 Bring water, sugar, and molasses to a boil over medium-high heat, stir until sugar and molasses have completely dissolved.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.  Add remaining ingredients and store in an airtight container for a few weeks.

Serves: 6-8
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Preheat oven to 425 and begin boil just over 2 cups water (you'll lose some steam).  In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, gingerbread spices, and salt; add molasses and the beaten egg and stir to combine.  In a medium bowl, mix brown sugar and remaining gingerbread spices.  

Grease a small casserole dish and add cake mixture (it will not look like much, but it will be).  Top with brown sugar mixture, dot with butter and pour boil water on top.  

Bake for 25-30 minutes; let cool for 10 minutes before serving.  This is great alone, but some whipped cream on the side is nice too. Somehow this crazy mixture turns into a cake sitting in it's own sauce!

​ Cream ingredients together until cohesive.  Put in piping bag and pipe between cookies to make sandwich cookies.

Makes approximately 15 cookies
Cook time: 10-12 minutes

Cream butter and sugar together, add egg and beat until fully incorporated; add in vanilla and almond flour.  Meanwhile, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add dry mixture to wet mixture and beat until just combined.
Bring dough together into two discs and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Roll out refrigerated dough onto floured surface, roughly 1/8" thick.  Cut out cookies into desired shapes (I like Christmas trees or stockings).  Using the mini-cookie cutter cut out the centers of half the cookies.  Bake at 350 until edges are just beginning to brown.  
Let cookies cool and smear jam onto the bottom halves (the halves that have only been cut once).  Sprinkle powdered sugar onto all the halves with the missing centers.  Top the powdered sugared cookies onto the jam cookies to create the classic Linzer cookie look.
Freezes well.

Makes 45 cookies
Cook time: 10 minutes

Preheat the oven to 325.
Whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, pepper and mustard together in a medium bowl.
Beat the butter, shortening, and sugar together using your paddle attachment until lightly and fluffy. Beat in the molasses and egg yolk. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix together on low speed until dough is just combined and still crumbly, about 3 minutes. Give dough a few kneads to bring it together.
Divide dough into thirds, shape into disks and refrigerate wrapped in plastic wrap. On a well-floured surface roll dough until it is very thin, about 1/8"; repeat with remaining dough.  Place dough on parchment-lined baking sheets and freeze for a few minute.  Using gingerbread cookie cutters, or any shape you desire, cut cookies.  Move cookies to new, clean parchment-lined cookie sheets (this is a sticky dough, so you will go through some parchment paper).  
Bake 8-10 minutes until just barely browned around the edges.  Transfer to a cooling rack after about 5 minutes and allow to cool.

Makes 35-40 cookies
Cook time: 10 minutes

Grate the chilled chocolate with a fine grater or rasp and set aside.
Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.  Beat the butter and sugar until combined; mix in the egg.  Add the dry ingredients to the butter and beat lightly together until just combined but still crumbly. Fold in grated chocolate with a spatula. Bring the dough together by lightly squeezing in your hands, be quick and careful not to melt the chocolate with your hands.
Divide the dough in half; lay one half in the center of a sheet of plastic wrap; quickly work the dough into one long log and tightly wrap; repeat with remaining dough.  Refrigerate dough for about 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Slice logs into 1/2-inch thick rounds with a sharp, thin knife; after cutting a few slices the bottom of the log will begin to flatten, roll the log over and continue cutting, this will help give you actual cookies rounds.  Divide rounds onto the prepared sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Bake 12-14 minutes, until cookies smell fragrant.  Transfer to a cooling rack after about 5 minutes and allow to cool.

Makes approximately 40 cookies
Cook Time: 8-10 minutes

 Cream shortening and sugar together; add molasses and egg.  Thoroughly beat mixture until completely combined.  Meanwhile, whisk flour, salt, soda, and cinnamon together.  Add dry mixture to wet mixture and combine.
Add oats and raisins and mix until dispersed (I use the mixer, but you can hand stir if you'd like).
Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop dough into small balls, then roll into balls between hands (you may need to pop in the refrigerator if dough gets too hot).  Dough can be frozen or cooked immediately.
Bake at 375 8-10 minutes.

Serves 4-6
Cook time: 45 minutes

Blind bake pie crust according to package directions; let cool.  Sautee onion and pepper over medium heat until translucent.  Evenly spread on bottom of pie crust.
​
Toss sliced eggplant, zucchini, and summer squash in olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Shingle vegetables, including tomatoes, into pie crust (I like to start on the perimeter of the crust and work my way inwards); repeat to form two layers (three if you pie plate is deep enough).  Sprinkle top with grated cheese and bake 30-45 minutes at 350.