Not Knots Food

CAESAR SALAD

Steps:

• For the Caesar dressing: Add the mayo, anchovy paste, Dijon, Worcestershire, garlic, lemon zest and juice to a food processor. Pulse together, then add the egg yolks and blend.
• With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to ensure the dressing is emulsified. Add the Parmesan, salt and pepper and blend again.
• For the salad: Wash and dry the hearts of romaine. Slice them across in 1-inch pieces and place them in a large bowl. Drizzle about half of the dressing over.
• Use a vegetable peeler to shave off a handful of large, thin slices of Parmesan. Add them to the lettuce.
• Give it a good initial toss, just so you can evaluate how much more dressing you need. Add more dressing and Parmesan to taste.
• Tip onto a serving platter.
• Place the Not-Knots on top and shave over more Parmesan.
• For the foolproof pizza dough: Sprinkle the yeast over 1 1/2 cups of warm (not lukewarm) water. Let stand for a few minutes.
• Combine the flour and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on low speed and drizzle in the oil until combined with the flour. Next, pour in the yeast mixture and mix until just combined and the dough comes together in a sticky mass.
• Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat the dough in the oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set it aside for at least 1 or up to 2 hours at room temperature, or store in the fridge until you need it, up to 4 days ahead. Bring the refrigerated dough to room temperature before using.
• For the garlic butter: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat, then add the garlic and salt. Cook for a couple of minutes to release the flavor, but don't let the garlic brown.
• For the not-knots: Grease a baking sheet with olive oil. Pinch off balls of the dough about 1 inch in diameter and roll into round balls, then place the balls on the oiled baking sheet. Cover and let rise for 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, combine the garlic butter and Parmesan in a pan and stir together over medium-low heat until melted. Pour into a metal bowl large enough to toss the balls in.
• Heat a deep pan of oil to 350 degrees F and fry the balls, stirring them so they cook evenly, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove the balls from the pan, then put them in the bowl with the Parmesan garlic butter and toss to coat them thoroughly.

LOVE KNOT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Fit 2 more baking sheets with a wire rack.
• For the dough: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the granulated sugar, sour cream and vegetable oil on medium-low speed. Add the egg, vanilla extract and lemon oil and mix until combined. On low speed, add in the flour and baking powder and mix until a dough forms.
• Remove the dough from the bowl onto a clean work surface dusted with flour. Knead until the dough forms a smooth ball. Using a bench scraper, cut the dough in quarters. Working with one quarter at a time, roll the dough into a snake about 1-inch thick. Using the bench scraper, cut the snake into 8 even pieces. Take one of the smaller pieces and roll into a snake again so that it is approximately 6 inches long. Knot the dough and place the prepared baking sheets with parchment. Repeat this process with the rest of the dough.
• Bake the love knots for 10 to 12 minutes; they should turn a light golden brown on the bottom and double in size. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
• For the glaze: While the cookies are cooling, put the powdered sugar into a large bowl. Add the milk a little at a time until you reach the proper consistency; you want the icing to coat a spoon. Once the proper consistency, add the vanilla extract and lemon zest.
• After the cookies have cooled completely, dip the entire cookie into the glaze. Hold the cookie over a bowl to allow excess glaze to run off and then place on the wire rack. Allow to dry for 30 seconds before sprinkling the tops with nonpareil sprinkles. Store the dried cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness.