I made these tarts a few weeks back when I was at my boyfriends house. He’s great in the kitchen, but the guy doesn’t have a darn pie dish! I had to improvise with the fresh strawberries I bought and this is what happened…

For the crust: click here!

Filling:
Quart sized container of strawberries, sliced and stems removed
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1/2 c. white sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Break dough into four equal parts, and roll out each until about 8″. Layer strawberries in center of each, leaving at least 2″ around the edge. Fold edges of dough over and crimp with your fingers or a fork. Finish by sprinkling the whole tart with sugar and lemon zest. Place on a sheet pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with whipped cream!

Note for making tasty tarts: The best thing about these tarts is how quick they are… super simple and fresh! Although I definitely don’t endorse it, you could easily get a store-bought crust and have them done even faster… Instead of using whipped cream, we had some frozen vanilla yogurt in the fridge (it was a good night to say the least). I’M SO HAPPY TO BE BACK!

1 c. sugar
1/3 c. butter, softened
3 large bananas, mashed
2 eggs
1/3 c. water
1 c. wheat flour
2/3 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together banana, eggs butter, sugar and water. In a separate bowl sift flours, salt, baking soda and powder, then slowly add to wet mixture in batches.

Once all is combined, add nuts. Pour into lined loaf pan, then bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until knife comes clean from center.

Note for making wicked good wheat bread: To tell you the absolute truth, I haven’t tried it yet. I’M RUSHING TO GET THIS ALL DONE! I’M SORRY! But once I do (in about an hour or so when I give it to the great person I made it for) I will update.

1 c. white sugar
6 tbs. butter
1/2 c. heavy cream

In a medium sauce pan, heat sugar on medium-high until melted while constantly stirring. Once sugar is clear and brown, add butter and continue stirring. After the butter is completely melted, remove from heat and slowly add cream. Continue stirring vigorously until carmel is smooth. Transfer to separate bowl and let cool.

Note for making incredible caramel: I’m not kidding when I say this stuff is VERY DANGEROUS. Sugar boils much much hotter than water, so if you get any little bit of it on you expect one HELL OF A BURN. Everything flares up when you add the butter and the cream, so please stir slowly and be careful. Once you get over the danger of it all, you realize it’s totally worth it and eat ice cream sundays all day like I have. YAYYAYAYAYAY.

Biscotti are a fantastic. Italian for “twice-baked”, actual twice-baked cookies are perfect with coffee or just about everything. Traditionally they’re probably better around Christmas, but WHATEVER. Nothing screams summer like hot coffee and heavy cookies, right?

1/4 c. olive oil
3/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 eggs
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. chopped almonds
3/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together oil and sugar until well combined. Add extracts, eggs and blend until smooth. In a separate bowl, quickly stir flour, baking powder and salt, then add to wet mixture in batches. Once completely combined, fold in almonds and chocolate chips.

Separate dough into two pieces, then roll each into a 12 x 2 inch log. Place on lined baking sheet, and bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes then cut diagonal strips. Place back on sheet and bake for another 10-15 minutes at 275 degrees. Let cool then serve!

Note for making the best biscotti: These were pretty delicious! The flavor was there, but they weren’t as hard as I normally like them… I highly suggest keeping them in the oven for about 15 minutes rather than 10! ALSO: They dough is kiiiinda soft and hard to roll. TO MAKE THIS EASIER you can wet your hands with a little water… YAY ONLY 6.5 MORE MONTHS YOU GUYS!

Bread:
8 c. all-purpose flour
2 packets active dry yeast
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. milk
1 c. warm water (110 degrees F)
3/4 c. raisins

Filling:
2 tbs. milk
3/4 c. sugar
2 tbs. cinnamon

(I’m using the paddle in this picture, which is kind of a no-no. I couldn’t find my dough hook!)

In a small saucepan, heat milk until it starts to bubble. Remove from heat, transfer into a new bowl, and bring to room temperature. Once cooled, dissolve yeast in warm water and wait until it looks frothy (5-10 minutes). Mix with eggs, sugar, butter, salt, raisins and cooled milk. Slowly add flour in batches until a ball is formed. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth, then place in a large, oiled bowl and let rise until doubled in size.

Once fully risen (should take 1-2 hours depending on the humidity and temperature that day), roll out onto a lightly floured surface until 1/2″ thick. Pour milk onto dough and spread out. Mix cinnamon and sugar, then sprinkle across dough. Starting at the end closest to you, roll the dough to make a spiral. From here, you can either cut the dough into two or three pieces (I did two because the loaves are AWESOMELY HUGE). Tuck ends under, then place in buttered loaf pans. Let rise for another hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Let loaves bake for 45-55 minutes, or until golden brown on the outside.

Note for making killer cinnamon-raisin bread: GUYS, THIS IS SO DELICIOUS. I froze one loaf for later and have been eating one all week. It’s the best first thing in the morning, toasted with butter! If you don’t like raisins you can totally skip them (this would still be delicious without). I think this might be my new favorite recipe… I also know the ridiculous time it takes to make, but I promise it’s WORTH IT. Your next boring, rainy day you have off.. I highly suggest this.

2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. shortening
3 eggs
3/4 c. milk
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
Zest from 1 lemon
Juice from 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together sugar, shortening, milk and eggs with a hand mixer until well combined. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt, then add in batches to wet mixture until well combined. Lastly, add juice and zest from lemon and stir. Place in lined bread pan and bake for 50-55 minutes.

Note for making delicious lemon cake: YUUUMMMMM. This is perfect with some fresh berries on it with homemade whipped cream (it is summer, you guys). You could honestly put ANYTHING on it and it would be delicious. It’s always nice to have a trusty cake recipe… and for me this is totally it. Skip the lemon and put whatever flavoring you have in it! It’s almost blueberry season and this would be FAAANTASTIC for them…

1/2 ripe pineapple, peeled and chopped
3/4 c. sugar
2 tbs. water or pineapple juice
1 qt. low fat or fat free buttermilk
Zest from one lemon
Juice from 1/2 lemon

In a small sauce pan on medium-high, cook pineapple, sugar, water, lemon juice and zest until sugar is dissolved. Bring to room temperature, then transfer to a blender. Add half of buttermilk then puree until smooth. Pour mixture in to a freezer safe dish and whisk in remaining buttermilk until completely combined. Put dish in freezer and let sit until firm (about 3 hours).

Note for making super sherbet: HOLY MOTHER OF PEARL. This is so good. I’m so stoked on this recipe because it’s not something that will go bad soon… As long as it’s covered in the freezer it’ll keep for weeks! NOT TO MENTION IT’S DELICIOUS AND VERY EASY! The idea of buttermilk really didn’t sound that great to me (it’s really tangy) but I was wrong. I want to make SOOO MANY kinds of sherbet now! Strawberry! Blueberry! WOOOO SUMMER!

2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 c. vegetable shortening, room temperature
1 c. sugar
1 c. (packed) dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 c. old-fashioned oats
1 c. raisins
1 c. walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, shortening, sugars, eggs and extract until smooth. Mix remaining dry ingredients into a separate bowl, then add slowly to wet ingredients while mixing. Lastly stir in raisins and walnuts. Plop onto a lightly buttered baking sheet (there’s enough fat in them, don’t go too wild), then bake for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown on the edges. Let cool for a few, then serve!

Note for making awesome oatmeal cookies: I DID SUCH A GREAT JOB! These came out fantastic… They’re super sweet and chewy and everything you could ever want in a cookie. The original recipe called for honey, but I skipped that because there was absolutely no need for more sugar… but if you feel like experimenting, have at it! I CANNOT BELIEVE I’M ALMOST HALF DONE A BAKER’S DOESN’T!

Zest from 1 orange
Juice from 1 orange
1 1/2 tbs. poppy seeds
2 c. flour
1/4 c. (or 1 single serving package) applesauce
1/4 c. oil (canola or vegetable)
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. soy milk
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, poppy seeds, baking soda and salt. Mix together remaining wet ingredients in a separate bowl, then pour into flour mixture. Once completely combined (with no lumps!) pour into a buttered loaf pan and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick comes clean.

Note for making the best bread: This was a pretty big hit! It definitely got us ready for the big day… The trick to vegan breads is adding lots of binders, such as apple sauce, oil and milk. You could always use an egg substitute but I’d only do that if I had to. Also, it would be really easy to work this into different flavors by holding the orange/poppy seeds and adding whatever you want!

Syrup:
16 oz. carton strawberries, fresh
2 tbs. butter
1/3 c. sugar
Juice from 1/2 lemon

Waffles:
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tbs. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs, separated
2 c. milk (I used soy)
2 tbs. vegetable oil
1 tsp. almond extract
1/2 c. slivered almonds for sprinkling

Start by removing stems from strawberries and slicing. In a small saucepan, heat strawberries with butter, lemon juice and sugar on stove. Reduce on medium while making the waffles. In the meantime, mix all dry ingredients for waffles in a large bowl. Add egg yolks, sugar, milk and extract, and whisk until smooth. Using a hand mixer, whip egg whites in a separate bowl until fluffy and stiff. Add to batter and fold in with a spatula. Heat your waffle iron and either spray with oil or butter (I, obviously, used butter). Pour about a 1/2 cup portion onto the iron, then sprinkle with almonds. Close, then wait until the waffle is golden brown. Remove, top with strawberry syrup (and maybe some regular syrup, too!) and enjoy.

Note for making wonderful waffles: These were good! My family really seemed to like them. I had one and I was STUFFED. Separating the eggs and fluffing the whites is always a great way to make pancakes and waffles extra light. Almonds are probably my favorite nut, so I loved them in the waffles… you could skip them and just sprinkle on top. WOO BREAKFAST!