Serves 4 to 6 2 tsp salt 1 pound elbow macaroni 2 cups whole milk 1 cup heavy cream 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 5 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese 2/3 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon black pepper 2 teaspoons dry mustard 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, with a rack in the middle position. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch backing dish and set aside. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until al dente, about 1 minute less than the package instructions. Drain and set aside. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk and cream, being careful not to boil. While the milk heats, in a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk constantly for 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the warmed milk. Cook for 2 minutes, whisking frequently, or until thickened and smooth. Gradually add 2 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese, whisking until fully incorporated and smooth. Add the sour cream and whisk until smooth. Add the pepper, dry mustard, cayenne, and Worcestershire sauce. Season with…

Serves six 3 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes 3 cups chicken stock 1-2 lemons 2 cloves garlic, smashed olive oil sea salt Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the chicken stock into a medium-sized pot and stir in the zest of a lemon or two and the garlic. Add the potatoes, bring to a boil, cover, and cook for about 12 minutes. Drain the potatoes, reserving the lemon zest from the stock, and allow them to cool a bit. Gently flatten each potato with large knife, rolling pin, or small skillet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and the lemon zest, and put in the oven for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are crisp. Sprinkle with lemon juice and a bit more salt. My notes: These are yummy. Make them as soon as possible! My only note is that I cut the recipe down and all of my liquid was used up pretty quickly, so keep your eyes on the broth. Adapted from My Kitchen Year by Ruth Reichel

  Serves 6 to 8 3 medium zucchini, trimmed 1/2 cup store-bought pesto 8 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley 2 large garlic cloves 1 1/4 cups panko bread crumbs 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes Kosher salt and freshly ground black peppe Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Cut each zucchini in quarters lengthwise through the stem and then cut each quarter again in thirds lengthwise. In a medium shallow bowl, whisk together the pesto and 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and set aside. Place the parsley and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until they are finely minced. Add the panko, Parmesan, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper plus the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil. Pulse only until all the panko is moistened with oil. Pour the mixture onto a dinner plate. Dip the zucchini spears first into the pesto mixture, turning to coat completely, then place each one in the crumb mixture, pressing and turning to coat thickly. Arrange the sticks in rows on the prepared…

Makes about 1 1/2 cups of sliced pickles 1 1/2 cups thinly slicked veggies 1/2 cup white wine vinegar 1 rounded tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon peppercorns 1 bay leaf 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup water Put veggies into a clean, pint-sized jar. In a medium pot, bring vinegar, sugar, peppercorns, bay leaf, salt, and water to a boil, then lower to a simmer until salt and sugar are dissolved. Pour the hot brine over the thinly sliced veggies and allow to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, cover and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. My notes: Not a lot to say. I used cucumbers. They didn’t really turn into pickles. But if you like vinegary cucumbers (which we do), this is a yummy version. Adapted from Tasting Hygge by Leela Cyd.

Deviled Eggs Serves 6 8 eggs (2 extra in case of peeling trauma LOL) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon white vinegar 1/2 teaspoon smoked hot paprika Pinch of cayenne 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar 1 tablespoon lemon juice About 12 hours before you cook the eggs, pull them out of the fridge, and lay each egg on its side in the carton. This will center the yolks for cooking. Place the eggs in a heavy pot, cover by an inch with lukewarm water, and heat on medium high. Bring to a boil and then add 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and the teaspoon of white vinegar. Cover the pot and turn off the heat. Set a timer for 10 minutes. Prepare an ice bath by filling a medium bowl half with water and half with ice to cool the eggs. When eggs are done, place them in the ice bath and let cool completely. Gently crack the eggs by rolling them against a counter. Place the eggs back in the water to soak for 30 minutes. This will make it easier to peel the eggs. Peel the eggs and cut them in half. Pry…