Tip: Grill the meat until it is nicely seared on the outside and rare to medium on the inside. When flank steak is cooked past medium it becomes tough.

Roasted Tomatoes
2 to 3 T. olive oil
12 to 14 ripe medium plum tomatoes (about 3 pounds)
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

2. Place the flank steak into a shallow glass or stainless steel baking dish, pour the cooled marinade over it and turn the steak to coat it. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours; then turn again, cover and refrigerate for 12 hours longer. Repeat the process twice if time allows.

3. To prepare the roasted tomatoes, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet with olive oil. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Place the tomatoes, cut side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the baking sheet on the center rack of the oven and reduce the temperature to 350 degrees. Roast for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool. If you are not proceeding with the rest of the recipe immediately, transfer to a storage container, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

4. Ten minutes before you plan to grill the steak, remove it from the refrigerator. Prepare a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill to high. Place the steak on the grill and discard any remaining marinade. Grill the steak for 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning it with tongs. Remove the steak from the grill, place it on a clean platter and let it rest for a few minutes. Slice the meat very thinly, on a slight angle, cutting against the grain.

5. Arrange half the bread in a single layer on a work surface. Divide the sliced steak evenly between the slices, top each with about 1 tablespoon roasted tomatoes and cover each with a slice of bread. Garnish with fresh parsley, basil or rosemary sprigs and serve.

We use this chunky guacamole on sandwiches, in wraps and as a dip with tortilla chips. It can be used as an accompaniment to all kinds of dishes—but you might just want to eat it with a spoon, all by itself! Remember that avocados turn brown when exposed to air, so it’s important to coat them with an acidic ingredient—in this case lime juice—as soon as you cut them.

2. Add the garlic, chili peppers, hot pepper sauce, salt, pepper and cilantro and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 to 2 hours. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.

TIP: When a recipe calls for both lemon zest and juice, you don’t need separate lemons for each; zest the lemon first using a zester, which you can find at any cooking supply store, and then squeeze the juice out. (Note that for this recipe, you’ll need 4 to5 lemons—1 for the juice and zest in the cake and the rest for the juice in the glaze. Note, also, that we specify that the juice for the glaze must be strained. You should, of course, strain all fresh lemon juice to remove the seeds, but for this glaze, we strain it a few times so that it is perfectly clear and free of pulp.)

Lemon Glaze
Juice of 3 to 4 lemons (about ½ cup), strained several times to remove all pulp
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Topping
3 T. coarse or large-grain granulated sugar

2. Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer set at medium speed, mix them for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy. (If you have a Kitchenaid stand mixer, use the flat paddle attachment.) Using a fork, gently beat the eggs in a small bowl. Add the eggs to the butter mixture and mix at medium speed for 1 minute. Add the lemon zest.

3. Measure out the cake flour and sift it into a separate mixing bowl. Add the baking powder and salt and stir just to blend them. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix at low speed for about 1 minute, or until it is completely incorporated. Add the lemon juice and 1 cup plus 1½ tablespoons milk. Mix at low speed until they are completely incorporated. Stop the mixer and scrape the side of the bowl and the beaters after each addition. Increase the mixer speed to medium and mix for 30 seconds. Add one-third of the flour mixture and mix at low speed for 1 minute. Add the remaining milk and mix until it is incorporated. Increase the mixer speed to medium and mix for 30 seconds. Add the remaining one-third of the flour mixture and mix at low speed for 1 minute or until it is completely incorporated. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 1 minute.

4. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pans, dividing it evenly between them and smoothing the surfaces with a rubber spatula. Bake for 35 minutes; then rotate the pans 180 degrees to ensure even baking. Bake for 30 minutes longer, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean.

5. While the cakes are baking, make the glaze: Cook the lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan set over high heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Immediately remove it from the heat, and keep warm.

6. When they are done, remove the cakes from the oven and use a pastry brush to spread each with half of the glaze. Sprinkle 1½ tablespoons coarse sugar on each cake. Cool the cakes in the pans for 20 minutes before removing them from the pans.

TIP: The secret to our delicious brownies is that we use very high-quality chocolate chips. Shop around and do some tasting to find a brand you really like.

2. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in mixing bowl and stir just to blend them. Set it aside.

3. In a double boiler set over medium heat, heat the canola oil, butter, water, chocolate chips and sugar, whisking occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are melted, all the ingredients are blended and the mixture is smooth.

4. Pour the hot chocolate mixture into a bowl. Using a fork, gently beat the eggs and vanilla in a small bowl until they are combined. With an electric mixer set at low speed, slowly add the egg mixture to the chocolate mixture and mix until they are blended. (If you have a Kitchenaid stand mixer, use the flat paddle attachment.) Do not overmix. Slowly add the flour mixture and mix at low speed until all the ingredients are combined. Stop the mixer occasionally and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters with a rubber spatula.

5. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the walnuts until they are completely incorporated into the batter.

6. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula. Bake for 20 minutes and then rotate the pans 180 degrees to ensure even baking. Bake for 20 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack before “diving in”. Cut into 16 squares.

Method
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare 2 nonstick (9-by-13-inch) baking sheets or line 2 (9-by-13-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Combine the butter, brown and granulated sugars and honey in a mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer set at low speed, mix for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture is light and creamy. (If you have a Kitchenaid stand mixer, use the flat paddle attachment.) Stop the mixer occasionally and scrape down the side of the bowl and the beaters with a rubber spatula.

3. Using a fork, gently beat the eggs and vanilla in a small bowl until combined. Pour the egg mixture into the butter mixture and mix at medium speed until combined. Do not over mix. Scrape down the side of the bowl and beaters as necessary.

4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, oat bran, rolled oats, baking soda and cinnamon and stir just to blend them. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix at low speed for about 1 minute. Add the raisins and mix until the batter forms a dough.

5. Spoon the batter by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart to make 18 cookies per sheet. Press down on each lightly, leaving space for cookies to spread.

6. Place the baking sheets on the center rack of the oven, bake for 7 minutes, and then rotate the baking sheets 180 degrees to ensure even baking. Bake for 7 minutes longer. Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to wire rack to cool.