Gingerbread cookies

Active: 10 minutes; Total: 2 hours 10 minutes; Drinks: 10 to 11

Honey	255 grams
Maple syrup	2 tablespoons
Water	¼ cup
Ginger, peeled, chopped	3-inch piece
Scotch, blended	1 ½ ounces
Lemon juice, fresh	¾ ounce
Ice

1. Combine the honey, maple syrup, water, and ginger in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until almost boiling. 
2. Remove the pan from heat, and let the flavors infuse for 2 hours. 
3. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the solids; makes 1 cup. 
4. Combine the scotch, ¾-ounce gingerbread syrup, lemon juice in a shaker filled with ice. 
5. Shake vigorously, and strain into a coupe or stemmed cocktail glass. 

Recipe mildly adapted from Shape magazine.

Chicken fricassée with mushrooms & thyme

Active: 15 minutes; Total 40 minutes; Serves: 4 to 6

Chicken thighs, bone-in, skin on	3 pounds
Salt, kosher
Butter, unsalted	2 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon
Onion, yellow; chopped	1 medium
Mushrooms	1 cup
Garlic, grated	3 cloves
Nutmeg, freshly ground	½ teaspoon
Pepper, freshly ground
Flour, all-purpose	2 tablespoons
Wine, dry white	½ cup
Thyme	7 sprigs
Bay leaves	2
Stock, chicken	1 ½ cups
Cream, heavy	½ cup
Broccoli florets	3 cups

Chef's note: Time durations are inaccurate. Take your time. Raw chicken is disgusting.

1. Pat the chicken dry, and arrange on a tray, skin side up; season with salt. 
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2-tablespoons butter. 
3. Once the foaming subsides, add the chicken skin side down, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for about 7 minutes, until the skin is crispy and golden. 
4. Flip the chicken, cook for 1 minute more, then return the pieces to the tray skin side up. 
5. Add the onion, scraping the bottom of the pan to free up any browned bits; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes, until softened and translucent. 
6. Scoot the onions to the side of the pan, then add the remaining 1-tablespoon butter. 
7. Once it is melted, add the mushrooms and stir to coat in the butter. 
8. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. 
9. Add the garlic and nutmeg, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine; cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant. 
10. Stir in the flour, and cook for 1 minute more. 
11. Stir in the wine and bring to a simmer; stir constantly for about 15 seconds. 
12. Add the thyme leaves and bay leaves, followed by the stock, stirring to combine. 
13. Nestle the chicken pieces skin side up along with any accumulated juices; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. 
14. Reduce the heat if needed to maintain a steady simmer; cover the pan, and cook for 12 minutes. 
15. Uncover and transfer the chicken to a platter or plate. 
16. Stir in the cream, bring to a simmer, and let reduce for about 3 minutes, until slightly thickened. 
17. Stir in the broccoli and return the chicken to the pan; cook for about 3 minutes, until the broccoli is bright green and just tender. 
18. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and scatter parsley on top. 
19. Serve with rice, couscous, or potatoes. 

Recipe from Food52.com, by Melina Hammer.

Slow-roasted salmon with walnut-olive vinaigrette

Active: 20 minutes; Total 50 minutes; Serves: 6

Olive oil, extra virgin	½ cup + ¼ cup
Paprika, smoked	1 tablespoon
Lemon, zest and juice	1 tablespoon zest + 3 tablespoons juice
Salmon	2 ½ pounds
Salt, kosher	2 ½ teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon
Pepper, freshly ground	½ teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon
Parsley, flat leaf, finely chopped	½ cup
Walnuts, toasted, finely chopped	¼ cup
Vinegar, champagne or white wine	¼ cup
Olives, kalamata, pitted, chopped	¼ cup
Olives, Castelvetrano, pitted, chopped	¼ cup

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F; set a rack in the middle position. 
2. Whisk ½-cup oil and paprika in a small bowl; set aside 1 tablespoon of the oil mixture, and then stir the lemon zest and juice into the oil mixture in the small bowl. 
3. Place the salmon in a large baking dish; sprinkle both sides with 2 ½-teaspoons salt and ½-teaspoon pepper (tuck the tapered end of the salmon under if needed to fit in the dish). 
4. Pour the lemon-paprika mixture over the salmon; bake until the thickest party of the salmon flakes easily with a fork, about 30 to 35 minutes, spooning lemon-paprika mixture in the baking dish over the salmon every 10 minutes. 
5. Remove from the oven; let rest 5 minutes. 
6. Whisk together parsley, walnuts, vinegar, olives, and ¼-cup oil in a small bowl; season with ¼-teaspoon salt and ¼-teaspoon pepper. 
7. Using two large spatulas, carefully lift the salmon from the baking dish, and transfer to a large platter; discard remaining lemon-paprika mixture in the baking dish. 
8. Spoon the walnut-olive vinaigrette on the salmon. 
9. Drizzle the salmon with the reserved oil mixture. 
10. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Recipe from Food&Wine, by Justin Chapple.

Pistachio cookies

Active: 10 minutes; Total 30 minutes; Cookies: 16

Pistachios, toasted, unsalted	2 cups (280 grams)
Sugar, granulated	1 cup (200 grams)
Sugar, confectioners’	3/4 cup (75 grams)
Salt, kosher	½ teaspoon
Cardamom, ground	¼ teaspoon
Egg whites	2 large
Vanilla extract	1 tablespoon

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F; set two oven racks at the upper and lower middle positions; line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 
2. In the bowl of a food processor with the blade attachment, combine the pistachios, sugars, salt, and cardamom; process until the nuts are the texture of fine sand, about 60 to 90 seconds. 
3. Transfer to a large bowl, add the egg whites and vanilla, and mix with a rubber spatula until a thick, paste-like dough forms. 
4. Using a medium cookie scoop, portion out the dough and roll into balls. 
5. Place the dough balls at least 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets (eight per a sheet). 
6. Bake, swapping and rotating the top and the bottom sheets midway, for 12 to 14 minutes. (Don’t over bake!) 
7. Let the cookies cool completely. 

Recipe from Cookies, by Jesse Szewczyk.

Cauliflower piccata

Active: 15 minutes; Total 30 minutes; Serves: 4

Cauliflower, cut into 2-inch florets	1 head
Oil, extra-virgin olive
Salt, kosher
Pepper, freshly ground
Chickpeas, drained	15 ounces
Shallot, finely chopped	1
Garlic, finely chopped	3 cloves
Stock, vegetable	1 cup
Butter, unsalted	4 tablespoons
Capers, drained	2 tablespoons
Lemon, zested and juiced	1
Parsley, chopped	Garnish

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F. 
2. Place the cauliflower florets onto a sheet pan, and drizzle with 2 to 3-tablespoons of oil. 
3. Season with salt and pepper, and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cauliflower is golden and tender. 
4. Remove from the oven, add the chickpeas, and toss to combine. 
5. Heat a medium skillet to medium high; add 1-tablespoon oil and the shallots, and sauté until soft and fragrant, about 1 minute. 
6. Add the garlic, and cook 1 minute longer, stirring constantly to keep from scorching. 
7. Pour the stock into the pan and simmer until reduced by half, about 4 to 5 minutes. 
8. Reduce heat to low, then stir in the butter, capers, lemon zest and juice. 
9. Season with ½-teaspoon salt, and a few pinches of pepper. 
10. To serve, place the cauliflower and chickpeas on serving plates, top with the lemon caper sauce, and garnish with parsley before serving. 

Recipe from NYT Cooking.