Prep time: 50 minutes Cooking time: 35 minutes Makes 16 • 2 cups all-purpose flour • 2 teaspoons baking powder • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 1 stick unsalted butter ( cup), softened • ¾ cup granulated sugar • 2 large eggs •1 teaspoon vanilla extract • cup whole milk • 1 3-ounce packet strawberry Jell-O • 2 tablespoons strawberry jam •1 cup cold water • 3 cups desiccated unsweetened coconut 1. Preheat the oven to 350›. Butter or spray an 8-by-8-inch square baking pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Butter or butter-spray paper and dust the pan with flour; tap out excess. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until soft and creamy. Add the sugar, and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time until incorporated. Add the vanilla. Alternate flour mixture and milk in three additions. Beat until just combined. Scrape into pan, and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating pan after 20minutes. 3. Cool on a rack for 20 minutes or until cool enough to touch, and turn out of pan, removing parchment from bottom. Place right side up on rack to cool completely. Trim edges and top off cake to create a level, square white cake with few or no browned edges. Cut the cake into 16 even pieces. Set aside. 4. Empty the Jell-O packet into a medium bowl. Bring one cup of water to a boil. Pour over Jell-O and mix; then stir in the jam until both are dissolved. Stir in cold water. Place bowl over a large bowl filled with ice water. Stir until Jell-O mixture becomes cold and starts to thicken but is not set. 5. Place the coconut in a shallow bowl. Line a baking sheet with foil. Using a fork, dip each cake square into the Jell-O (it should be thick enough to coat the cake), then gently roll the cakes in the coconut to coat. Place on baking sheet to dry. They will keep for 2 days in an airtight container. Food recipes by Susan Spungen

Prep time: 45 minutes Cooking time: 20 to 25 minutes Makes 20 macarons • 3 ounces almond meal (or almond flour), about ¾ cup, or blanched sliced almonds, about ¾ cup • 1 cups confectioner’s sugar • 3 large egg whites, at room temperature • Pinch of salt • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar • Red or pink food coloring • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • Raspberry jam 1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Slide another baking sheet under each one. Preheat the oven to 325›, and place oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven. Combine the almond meal or sliced almonds and confectioner’s sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until powdery, 30 to 60 seconds for meal, 2 minutes for sliced almonds. Set aside. 2. Place the egg whites and salt in the clean bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with whisk attachment slowly at first, increasing in speed until soft, foamy peaks form. Slowly add the granulated sugar, and beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. Quickly fold in 4 drops of food coloring and the vanilla. Gently fold the almond mixture into the egg whites, and continue folding until the mixture is a bit loose and shiny and no longer looks bubbly and airy, about 15 times after the almond mixture is incorporated. 3. Transfer mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip, or a large resealable plastic bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe 20 round mounds about 1 inches in diameter on each baking sheet. Smooth peaks with a small spatula. Gently rap sheets against the counter. Let dry at room temperature for about 20 to 45 minutes (depending on humidity) until the surfaces have lost their shine and no longer feel tacky when touched. 4. Bake one set of sheets on each oven rack, for 10 to 15 minutes, then rotate pans and switch their positions, and continue baking another 10 minutes, checking frequently to avoid browning. If the macarons start to brown, lower temperature to 300, and prop oven door open slightly. Cool completely on cooling racks. 5. Carefully peel the cookies off the parchment. Make sandwiches with a scant teaspoon of jam, and refrigerate in an airtight container for 24 hours.

Makes 1 drink • ¾ ounce simple syrup (1 cup sugar boiled with 1 cup water, then cooled) • 2 ounces rye whiskey • ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice • 1 lemon wedge Combine the simple syrup, rye whiskey and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker, and shake well. Serve over ice in a cocktail glass. Squeeze the lemon wedge over drink, and drop in.

Prep time: 45 minutes Baking time: 60 minutes Makes one 9-inch pie Dough • 4 cups all-purpose flour • 1 teaspoon salt • 2 teaspoons sugar • 3 sticks ice-cold unsalted butter • cup ice water Filling • cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon • 6 assorted apples, including Granny Smith and McIntosh, about 31/4 pounds • Zest and juice of lemon • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 2 tablespoons flour • Freshly grated nutmeg (about ? teaspoon) • 1 tablespoon butter, optional 1. To make the dough: Combine the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor, and pulse a few times. Cut the butter into tablespoon-size pieces, and add to the food processor; pulse until the pieces are the size of peas. With the machine running, quickly pour in the ice water, and mix until just combined, about 30 seconds. The mixture should look dry and crumbly. Turn the flour-butter mixture into a bowl, and work the dough into a rough mass with your hands. If it is too dry, sprinkle in a little more water. Push the dough firmly, pressing against the sides of the bowl, and it will begin to come together. 2. Divide the dough in half, and wrap in plastic wrap. Press down to form flat disks about 1 inches thick. Chill until firm, at least a half hour. On a lightly floured surface, roll one dough round until it is a little more than ? inch thick. Trim into a circle a few inches larger than a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Loosely roll the crust around the rolling pin, and transfer it to the pie plate. Chill. Repeat with the remaining dough, and chill on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 3. To make the filling: Preheat the oven to 375›. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon sugar and teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside. Peel the apples and slice thin. In a large bowl, toss the apples with the remaining sugar, the lemon zest and juice, vanilla, flour, 1teaspoons cinnamon and the nutmeg. Pack tightly into chilled bottom crust, and dot the top with 1 tablespoon cut-up butter, if using. 4. Drape top crust over the apples. Brush edges of top and bottom crust with a little water, and press edges to seal. Trim edge of dough to about 1 inches overhang all around. Roll under so that the crust edge is resting on the lip of the pie dish, and crimp edges. Cut long vents in the top. Brush the top crust with a little water, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake until juices are bubbling thickly, 60 to 75 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting.

Makes 1 drink • 3 slices seedless cucumber, unpeeled, plus 1 for garnish • Half a kiwi, peeled and sliced • 1 ounces white rum • 1/4 ounce green Chartreuse • ounce simple syrup (see recipe for American Pie cocktail) • ounce fresh lime juice • Mint leaves In an old-fashioned glass, muddle the cucumber and kiwi; add the other ingredients and ice. Garnish with fresh mint and a cucumber slice.

Serves 6 to 8 • 1 pink grapefruit • 2 oranges • 2 clementines • 1 avocado • 3 cups baby arugula • Zest and juice of 1 lime • 1 tablespoon honey • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil • Kosher salt • Freshly ground black pepper 1. Cut off the ends of the grapefruit. Place on a cutting board, and slice off remaining peel from top to bottom, making sure to remove all the white pith. Hold the grapefruit over a bowl to catch the juice, and use a small paring knife to slice between the membranes. Lift out the sections and place in a bowl. Peel and segment the oranges and clementines, and peel and slice the avocado lengthwise. Set aside each separately. 2. Arrange the arugula on a platter. Lift citrus segments out of their juices; reserve the juice. Scatter the grapefruit and oranges, then the clementines and avocado, over the arugula. Zest the lime, and squeeze the juice into the bowl of citrus juice. Whisk in the honey and oil. Add the salt and pepper. Drizzle as much dressing as needed over the salad immediately before serving.