Little Gems Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine first 3 ingredients using a food processor. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. In a small bowl, beat the yolks with the vanilla extract and add to the flour mixture. Beat until completely blended. Pinch off pieces of dough and roll into balls. Place on the lined cookie sheet. Make indentation with thumb, fill the hole with preserves and press on a pecan half. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Steps:

• Remove wilted exterior leaves from each head of lettuce. Cut stems from the lettuce heads, separate leaves and swish in a large basin of cold water, letting any sand or dirt sink to the bottom. Lift the leaves from the water and transfer to a colander. Shake away excess water. Wrap in kitchen towels to dry or use a salad spinner.
• Make the dressing: Put almonds, vinegar and garlic in a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Put leaves in a wide salad bowl. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Dress lightly just before serving, using 2 or 3 tablespoons of dressing and coating leaves well. Taste and add more dressing as necessary. Store any remaining dressing in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Steps:

• Mix the oil and vinegar with a generous pinch of salt (preferably flakes) to make the dressing.
• Pack the lettuce into a plastic food container with ice to keep it fresh. Take the dressing and cheese into smaller containers. Arrange the lettuce on a platter, drizzle with the dressing and scatter with the cheese.