Mashed potatoes
INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs medium Yukon gold potatoes
1 lb European-style butter (such as Plugra brand) or regular unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp heavy cream
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

TOOLS:
pot
potato ricer
mixer

1. Place the potatoes (skin on) in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, until tender and easily pierced with a fork. Drain and peel away the skin.
2. Using a potato ricer, mash the potatoes and butter together. Fold in the cream, salt, and pepper. Your mashed potatoes should be fluffy and light. At this point, you may add different flavors, such as olive oil, pesto, white truffle, etc.
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Baked snowcaps
INGREDIENTS:
12 of your favorite cookies or 6, 1/2 inch slices of your favorite cake
6 scoops of your favorite ice cream
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tarter
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
chocolate syrup
sprinkles

TOOLS:
6 3-inch ramekins
cookie sheet
electric beater
mixing bowl
spoons
measuring cups and spoons

1. Pre-heat an oven to 500 degrees.
2. While the oven is heating up, take the cookies and break them into small pieces that you will divide into 6 portions.
3. When you are done smashing the cookies, portion them out into the 4 ramekins. Press the cookies into the bottom of the ramekin.
4. Now fill each ramekin with the ice-cream and then smooth it level, at the top, with a spoon.
5. Place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer while we prepare our “snow.”
6. Take the mixing bowl and add 3 egg whites to it. With the help of an adult, take an electric beater and start whipping your egg whites. Whip them on medium high until they start to resemble soap bubbles.
7. Add ¼ teaspoon of cream of tarter. Continue beating the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Now add your sugar 1 tablespoon at a time along with your ½ tsp. vanilla. Continue beating until shiny, stiff peaks for, about 2 minutes. Now we have our snow.
8. Take the ramekins out of the freezer so that you can add the snow peaks to them. Spread the snow over the top of each ramekin…make sure you completely cover the ice cream.
9. When you are done adding the snow caps to the cookies and ice cream, it’s time to put the ramekins into the oven. Bake the snow caps until the tops are golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes. Watch them carefully…they brown quickly!
10. When the snow caps are brown, take them out of the oven and garnish the snow caps with chocolate syrup and sprinkles and serve.
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Lollipop cookies
NGREDIENTS:
bowl of cold water
1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup of butter
1/3 cup of light brown sugar
1/2 tsp of vanilla
1 egg
2 cups of flour
1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp of salt
12 (1 oz.) squares of milk chocolate

TOOLS:
12 popsicle sticks
wax paper
heart-shaped cookie cutter (3″)
wooden spoon
rubber spatulas
bowl
egg beater
rolling pin
whisk

1. Prepare your popsicle sticks by soaking them in a bowl of water for about an hour. This will prevent them from burning in the oven. Soak at least twelve so you have plenty of extras ready.
2. Melt a half a cup of chocolate chips in a pan over a low heat on the stove. Give them a stir with a wooden spoon to help them along. Turn off the stove, bring the pan to a counter, and pour the melted chocolate into a bowl to let it cool.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together some butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until it’s creamy. Add your vanilla as you beat.
4. Once the mixture is beat and creamy, add your egg. Crack and open it into a separate bowl first to avoid getting shells into your batter. Beat the egg into it.
5. Add your now-cooled chocolate into the bowl and beat it into your mixture until fully mixed.
6. Add your flour to the mixture a little bit at a time as you beat it into the batter on the beater’s slowest setting. Then add your unsweetened cocoa powder and your salt as you continue to beat. Continue beating until the mixture one big, smooth ball of dough with no visible flour. Test the mixture by pinching it together to see if it holds.
7. Gather your dough together in the bowl and break it in half into two small balls. Roll each ball of dough between two pieces of wax paper using a rolling pin. Roll from the middle of the dough outward without running off the edges. Roll out in multiple directions until the dough is about 1/8” thick.
8. Slide the rolled pieces of dough onto a cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator for 5 minutes. This will harden the dough enough to hold its shape when it bakes.
9. Remove your popsicle sticks from the bowl of water and blot them dry with a towel. Set them aside.
10. Remove the now-chilled dough from the cookie sheet and place it on the counter. Peel the first layer of wax paper away and use a 3” heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut your first piece of dough into shapes. Be sure to cut as close to edges of the dough as possible without going over. Push the cutter gently through until you feel the surface of the counter and then lift it out of the dough. If the cookie stays in it, push it out gently so you don’t break it. Place your cutout heart shapes back onto your cookie sheet. You should be able to cut six shapes from your dough.
11. Take your popsicle sticks and place them on each cookie so that the top of the stick meets the top of the heart. Then press down gently to keep them in place.
12. Next, use your cookie cutter to cut six more hearts out of your second piece of dough. Place these hearts over your first hearts, sandwiching the popsicle sticks in between them. Press gently around the edges of each cookie to seal the layers closed. Now your cookies are lollipops!
13. Bake your lollipops in the oven for 12 minutes at 375 degrees until they’re firm to the touch.
14. While your lollipops are baking, melt your milk chocolate in a pot on the stove over low heat until it’s smooth and creamy. Use a whisk to help it along. This will make a dipping sauce for your lollipops. Turn off the stove and empty the sauce back into a bowl.
15. Remove your baked lollipops from the oven and let them cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Take each lollipop by the handle and dip each side into your chocolate sauce. Use a spatula to spread the sauce on each side. Once completely coated, place them on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. When finished, place the whole cookie in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to solidify the chocolate around the lollipops. Then take them out and enjoy!
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Frozen Yogurt pops

Prep time: about 1 to 2 hours

Ingredients:

* 1 8-oz. container of your favorite flavor of yogurt

Utensils:

* small paper cups
* wooden popsicle sticks (available in craft stores)
* plastic wrap

Directions:

1. Pour yogurt into paper cups. Fill them almost to the top.
2. Stretch a small piece of plastic wrap across the top of each cup.
3. Using the popsicle stick, poke a hole in the plastic wrap. Stand the stick straight up in the center of the cup.
4. Put the cups in the freezer until the yogurt is frozen solid.
5. Remove the plastic wrap, peel away the paper cup, and eat your pop!

Serves: 3 to 4

Serving size: 1 pop
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brownie cups
INGREDIENTS:
cooking spray
1 stick unsalted butter
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
whipped cream
fresh berries

TOOLS:
saucepan
2 bowls
whisk
spoon
24-cup mini muffin pan
spoon
serving platter

1. In a saucepan over low heat, melt one stick unsalted butter and 2 squares unsweetened chocolate.
2. In a separate bowl, combine flour with baking powder and salt. Mix all the dry ingredients together with a whisk.
3. When the chocolate is melted, turn the stove off and crack 2 eggs into a bowl.
4. Add sugar, using your whisk to stir it in until smooth.
5. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir until all of the ingredients are combined.
6. Add the dry ingredients and whisk them together until everything is combined.
7. Now that the batter is prepared, spoon it into the muffin cups. You should use a pre-buttered 24-cup mini muffin pan with sprayed with cooking spray. If you don’t have a mini muffin pan at home—you can use a regular size 12 muffin pan instead. Each cup should be about 3/4 full.
8. Put your brownie cups into a preheated oven and let them bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees.
9. Remove them from the oven and immediately press an indentation in the middle of each cup, using a press or the back of a spoon.
10. Let them sit until cool. Place them on a pretty platter.
11. Fill each cup with whipped cream.
12. Garnish each one with a fresh berry.
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Brownies

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
2/3 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup rolled oats

TOOLS:
9×13 inch baking pan
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Melt 1 cup of the chocolate chips and allow to cool slightly. Cream together the butter and sugar.
3. Add the melted chips and mix well. Stir in the flour, baking powder, rolled oats, and remaining 1 cup of unmelted chocolate chips.
4. Spread the batter in a lightly greased starndard 9×13 inch baking pan, and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until brownies begin to leave the side of the pan. Cool before cutting into bars.
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Latkes
INGREDIENTS:
10 medium grated potatoes
2 medium grated onions
1/4 cup flour or matzah meal
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
vegetable oil
sour cream, yogurt, powdered sugar or applesauce
2 eggs
salt and/or pepper to taste

TOOLS:
2 bowls
whisk
wooden spoon
large frying pan
slotted spoon
2 plates
paper towels

1. Crack 2 eggs in a bowl and whisk them together.
2. Add them to a bowl of grated potatoes and stir them with a wooden spoon.
3. Add your grated onion and stir them in.
4. Add flour or matzah meal.
5. Add some salt and pepper to taste.
6. In a large frying pan of oil, gradually add wooden spoonfuls of your latkes into the pan. They will fry on one side for a few minutes.
7. When they’re gold around the edges, turn them over with a slotted spoon.
8. Let them cook for another minute and then place them on a plate covered with a paper towel. Let some of the oil drain off before you transfer them over. Let them cool.
9. Place them on a clean plate and serve with yogurt, sour cream, powdered sugar, or applesauce.
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