Samoa Cookies

1 box shortbread cookies
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups toasted coconut
1 cup chocolate chips

Place each shortbread cookie in rows on parchment paper. In 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat, combine butter, sugar and corn syrup. Heat to a full boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Boil 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Slowly pour in sweetened condensed milk, stirring constantly. Continue cooking over low heat until candy thermometer reaches 220-228 degrees. Remove from heat.

Stir in vanilla. Beat until creamy. Immediately stir in toasted coconut and mix well.

Spoon mixture by teaspoonfuls over shortbread cookies. Cool completely.

Melt chocolate chips and drizzle thinly in stripes over cookies and let chocolate harden at room temperature.

Store in airtight container.

Apple Cake

Taken from Made by Melissa

3-5 Granny Smith Apples
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour, divided
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and finely chop apples. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, combine oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat of medium speed until well mixed, at least 3-5 minutes. Add 1 cup of flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking soda, mix well. Add second cup of flour and mix until just blended, this will make the batter very thick. Fold in apples and walnuts.

Grease and flour a bundt or tube pan. Pour batter into pan, bake 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes. Run a knife along the edges of the cake and remove from pan by flipping onto another wire rack or plate, invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Risotto Primavera

Taken from Paved With Good Intentions

1/2 pound asparagus
5-6 cups homemade chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon saffron strands, crumbled
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, diced
1 smallish carrot, diced
2 small zucchini, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup thawed frozen peas
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, plus extra for the table
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut off the tips of the asparagus and dice the top half of the stalks (discard the rest), and set the diced asparagus aside.

Bring the stock to a steady simmer in a saucepan. Add saffron to stock.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter with the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the onion and cook for about 6 minutes, until its golden.

Add the carrot and cook for 5 minutes more. Add the zucchini, diced asparagus, and ½ teaspoon salt, and cook for about 5 minutes more.

Add the rice and stir until it is coated with the oil. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until it has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Now slowly add enough simmering stock to cover the rice, and cook, stirring, until it has evaporated. Keep adding, stirring, and evaporating for about 20 minutes, until the rice is soft on the outside and still has a bit of a bite at the center. Remove the pan from the heat, and add the peas and cheese. Taste for salt and pepper, and serve with extra cheese for people to add to their own taste.

Serves 4.