Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold Cookbook: A Love Story Told Through 150 Recipes (Fool's Gold #12.1)

Ambrosia Bakery’s Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes


S’mores Bars

Henri’s Tarte Tatin

Fun Apple Fritters with Caramel Dipping Sauce

Denise’s Summer Berry Pie

SUMMER

Sparkling Watermelon Lemonade

Serve this pleasingly pink, super-refreshing drink at your next summer barbecue.

Makes 6 cups

Simple syrup

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup water

Lemonade

8 cups seedless watermelon cubes

4 lemons, juiced, enough to equal 1 cup of lemon juice

Sparkling water or seltzer

Fresh mint leaves, for garnish

For simple syrup:

1. In a small pan over medium-high heat, combine sugar and ½ cup water. Cook 5 minutes, until sugar is dissolved. Pour into a liquid measuring cup and let cool.

For lemonade:

1. In a blender or food processor, pulse the watermelon until smooth. Strain puréed watermelon to remove seeds and pulp. Return watermelon liquid to the blender. Add lemon juice and ½ cup simple syrup; pulse until blended. Chill until serving. Serve over ice, with a splash of sparkling water and fresh mint as a garnish.

TIP: Simple syrup is a great sweetener to have on hand for blending drinks.

SUMMER

SUMMER

Zucchini Ricotta Toasts

A quick sauté with a bit of garlic paired with a dollop of ricotta cheese makes a savory topping for this delicious summer appetizer.

Makes 20

Toasts

¼ cup olive oil

1 large clove garlic, smashed

1 small baguette

Topping

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium zucchini, trimmed and diced

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and black pepper

1 cup ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons fresh herbs (tarragon, mint, dill or chives), chopped

For toasts:

1. Pour olive oil into a small cup; add smashed garlic clove and let the garlic and oil sit for 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 300°F. Cut baguette into twenty ¼-inch diagonal slices; place them on a baking sheet. Brush with garlic oil. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly golden and crisp.

For topping:

1. Warm oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini; cook 8 minutes, until softened and golden, stirring often. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. In a small bowl, combine ricotta, herbs, salt and pepper. Evenly spread ricotta over cooled toasts. Top with zucchini mixture.

TIP: Make the toasts up to 2 days in advance. Store, tightly covered, at room temperature.

SUMMER

Tiny Parmesan Biscuits with Caramelized Onions and Crème Fraiche

Cooking onions for a long time over low heat brings out their sweetness.

Makes 18–20

Biscuits

⅓ cup all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, chopped

⅔ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Topping

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 medium onion, very thinly sliced

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Salt and black pepper

½ cup crème fraiche

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

For biscuits:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking pad. In a food processor, pulse flour, salt, butter and cheese just until dough holds together when pinched with your fingers. Scrape dough onto a lightly floured surface; roll to ¼-inch thickness. Using a 1½-inch fluted cookie cutter, cut out as many rounds as possible. Place rounds on the prepared sheet 1 inch apart. Refrigerate 20 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake biscuits 8 minutes, until lightly browned throughout. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

For topping:

1. Warm oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. When pan is hot, add onions, sugar, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low; cook 30 minutes, until deep golden brown and caramelized, stirring often.

2. Top each biscuit with 1 teaspoon each of crème fraiche and onions. Garnish with chives.

TIP: Crème fraiche is a thickened cream, similar to sour cream, with a less sour, more buttery flavor.

SUMMER

Broccoli, Cheddar and Bacon Quiche

In this classic brunch dish, broccoli gives the silky egg-and-cheese filling a nice crunch. If the crust is filled to the top, bake the quiche tin on a baking sheet to catch any spills.

Serves 4

Crust

1½ cups cheddar cheese, grated, and divided

1 prepared pie crust (about 9 inches)

Filling

5 slices bacon

1 small shallot, minced

1 small stalk broccoli, florets diced (about 1½ cups)

¼ cup water

2 large eggs

1 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon salt

For crust:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Sprinkle ½ cup of the cheese over the bottom of the pie crust.

For filling:

1. Cook the bacon in a heavy medium skillet until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain; crumble. Drain off most of the fat from the skillet. Add shallots; cook about 1 minute, until softened, stirring. Add chopped broccoli and ¼ cup water; cook 5 minutes, stirring. Stir in crumbled bacon.