How to make...Nutella cookies.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 jar (13 ounces) Nutella (you may not use the whole thing)

Procedures

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. 2
   Combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. 3
   In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter; once fluffy, add the sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla extract. Gradually stir in the flour mixture, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl with each addition.
4. 4
   Pull a piece of dough, about 2 tablespoons, from the bowl. Form a 2-inch flat (but fairly thick) circle by hand. Spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the filling on top of this dough-pancake. Close the dough over the filling to form a soft dome, making sure dough is covering the filling on all sides, and pinch the top to seal the cookie (it might resemble the top of a Hershey's Kiss; you can also flatten it with your hand, but make sure that the top of the cookie is sealed!).
5. 5
   Place cookies on the prepared sheets, 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 14-18 minutes, or until golden. Let cool on the pans. If desired, garnish with confectioners' sugar.

How to make...Strawberry Jam

INGREDIENTS

• One big, deep stew pot.

• One big, deep saucepan.

• Two medium-sized glass jars with metal lids or three to five smallish jars.

• Two pounds of fresh strawberries.

• Two cups of sugar. White or raw sugar works best.

• One lemon.

METHOD

1. Wash your strawberries and hull them (cut off the green part on top, so nothing but fruit remains).

2. Put them all in your blender. Add about a cup of water.

3. Blend on high until you have liquid strawberries.

4. Pour the liquid strawberries into your saucepan. Add the two cups of sugar and the juice from one lemon.

5. Turn the stove on medium heat and boil the mixture for 30-45 minutes. Stir this often—you don’t want the jam to burn to the bottom of the pan!

6. While you’re stirring, wash your glass jars and lids. Fill your big stew pot with water almost to the top. Put the stove flame on high, drop your jars and lids into the water, and boil them for 10 minutes in a rolling boil. 

7. Carefully take the jars out of the boiling water. Pour the hot jam into the jars. Fill them almost completely up to the top. Leave about a half-inch of room.

8. Put the lids on really, really tight, then flip the jars upside down on a clean kitchen towel for 10 minutes. This seals them.

9. After 10 minutes, put the jam jars in the refrigerator, right-side up.