Whenever I have a baby or wedding shower, playdate, or brunch potluck, this is one of my favorite recipes. I got it off epicurious.com and it's so so easy and oh-so-fast.

3 cups self-rising flour*
1/2 cup plus 11/2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup (11/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups dried wild blueberries (about 10 ounces)
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk
1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated Meyer lemon peel (about 3-4 Meyer lemons)**

Position rack in top third of oven and preheat to 425°F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk self-rising flour and 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl. Using fingertips, rub in chilled butter until pieces are size of small peas. (I used a pastry cutter.) Add dried wild blueberries and toss to coat. Mix 1 cup buttermilk and finely grated lemon peel in glass measuring cup. Pour buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients and stir until dough begins to form (some of flour will not be incorporated). Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and gather together. Knead dough briefly, about 5 turns. Divide dough in half. Form each dough half into ball and flatten into 1-inch-thick disk. Cut each disk into 6 wedges.***

Transfer scones to prepared baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. Brush tops with remaining 1 tablespoon buttermilk and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until scones are golden brown on top and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.

* If you do not have self-rising flour, you can measure out the same amount of all-purpose flour. Then, for every cup of flour, add 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Mix to combine, then use as directed. (If you really want to be precise, you can re-measure out the required amount of the mixture...)

** If you do not have Meyer lemons, you can use regular lemon zest (more zing) or orange zest (sweeter and more mellow).

*** For the preschoolers' snack, I actually divided the dough into fourths and shaped smaller discs to make mini-scones. You will have to watch the mini-scones carefully in the oven to determine when they are done.

Ratatouille

• 2-3 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 small carrot, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 26-28 oz container tomato puree (such as Pomi or Muir Glen)
• 4-5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1-2 eggplant (if you find the smaller Italian eggplant, get 2-3 eggplant)
• 2 zucchini
• 2 smallish yellow squash
• 3 red bell peppers
• Few sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• Few tablespoons soft goat cheese, for serving

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoon olive oil. Add the shallots and saute until they begin to turn transparent. Add celery and carrot and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds, then add tomato puree. Cook for 5-10 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and let cool while slicing vegetables.

Trim the ends off the eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash. As carefully as you can, trim the ends off the red pepper and remove the core, leaving the edges intact, like a tube.

On a mandoline, adjustable-blade slicer or with a very sharp knife, cut the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and red pepper into very thin slices, approximately 1/16-inch thick.

Pour tomato puree into bottom of a baking dish, approximately 12 inches across the long way (an oval dish will require fewer vegetables than a rectangular one).

Atop the tomato sauce, arrange slices of prepared vegetables concentrically from the outer edge to the inside of the baking dish, overlapping as you go, alternating vegetables. You may have a handful leftover that do not fit.

Drizzle the 2-3 tablespoons olive oil over the vegetables and season them generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle chopped thyme over dish.

Cover dish with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit inside. (Tricky, I know, but the hardest thing about this.)

Bake for approximately 45 to 55 minutes, until vegetables have released their liquid and are clearly cooked, but with some structure left so they are not totally limp. They should not be brown at the edges, and you should see that the tomato sauce is bubbling up around them.

Serve with a dab of soft goat cheese on top.

The amounts of sauces, pasta, etc. you will need will depend on the baking dish you use, i.e. if it is very deep or very large. I have done this with a shallow 9x12 pan and a deep 10x13 pan. If you have leftover meat sauce, you can just refrigerate it for another use.

• 2 tbs butter
• 4 6x22 sheets pasta (two packages of fresh pasta - spinach or plain - or three packages of dry pasta)
• salt (LOTS of salt)
• 5-8 cups bolognese meat sauce (see below for recipe)
• 1-2 cups freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
• 2-3 cups bechamel sauce (see below for recipe)
• 2-3 cups ricotta mixture (see below for recipe)
• 2-3 packages of frozen spinach, thawed and drained

Set oven rack in top third of oven, then preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease a casserole baking dish with butter and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and add 2 very generous pinches of salt. Add 1 sheet of pasta at a time until it floats to the surface, about a minute or so for fresh pasta, about 9-10 minutes for dry pasta. Cook just short of al dente. Carefully remove with a slotted spoon and plunge into a large bowl of salted ice water to stop further cooking. Remove from water when cool. Lay sheets out, being careful not to let them touch, on clean damp kitchen towels and cover with more damp towels (I use damp paper towels).

Line bottom of prepared baking dish with a layer of pasta, trimming sheets with a knife so that they fit in 1 even layer (patch if necessary). Spread evenly with about 1-2 cups of the meat sauce, then sprinkle lightly with some of the parmigiano. Add another layer of pasta, evenly spread spread 1-1.5 cups of the bechamel sauce on pasta, then sprinkle lightly with parmigiano. Add another layer of pasta, then evenly spread half of ricotta mixture. Sprinkle half of the spinach on top, making sure to distribute evenly. Repeat meat, bechamel and ricotta/spinach layers, then end with meat sauce and parmigiano.

Bake lasagne for 10 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees and cook until lasagne is bubbling around the edges and browned on top, 5-7 minutes more. Do not overcook. Allow lasagne to rest for 8-10 minutes before serving.

Bolognese Meat Sauce (makes about 5 cups)

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled and minced
• 1 rib celery, trimmed and minced
• 1/2 medium carrot, peeled, trimmed and minced
• 2-3 slices prosciutto di Parma (about 1 oz), finely chopped
• 1 1/2 lbs ground chuck
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup hot milk
• 1 cup beef, veal or chicken broth
• 1 28-oz can Italian plum tomato puree
• 1 tablespoon oregano, dry or fresh
• 1 tablespoon basil, dry or fresh
• 1 bay leaf

Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until soft and translucent but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add celery and carrots and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes more. Add prosciutto and cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Add ground chuck, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking up meat with the back of the spoon, until just cooked and still a little pink, about 5 minutes more. (To keep meat tender, do not fry or brown.)

Add wine to pot and cook, stirring, until it has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, add hot milk, and cook, stirring occasionally, until milk has evaporated, about 10 minutes. (It is important to heat the milk first, either in a separate small pot or in the microwave, otherwise, the milk will curdle when put into the hot mixture.)

Add broth and tomato puree to meat mixture in pot. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2 1/2 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bechamel Sauce (makes about 2 cups)

The sauce functions as a binding element in many pasta and vegetable dishes. It is also used as a topping in baked dishes - most notably lasagne and cannelloni - to prevent them from drying out. Melt 3 tbs butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add 4 tbs sifted flour and whisk for 1 1/2 minutes (do not allow to brown). Gradually add 2 cups hot milk, whisking constantly. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until sauce is the consistency of thick cream, about 15 minutes.

Ricotta Mixture (makes about 2 cups)

• 1 lbs ricotta cheese
• 1/4-1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
• 1 egg

Combine all three ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.

To make the non-pasta version:

Instead of using pasta, slice 3-4 large eggplant and 4-5 zucchini to about 1/4-inch thickness. Salt the eggplant slices and place in a colander for a few hours to drain out the bitter liquid. Blanch the zucchini slices for a few minutes before plunging into ice water to stop the cooking. Pat both eggplant and zucchini slices dry before use. In the recipe, replace pasta with eggplant and zucchini, alternating layers.

adapted from Cesare Casella

Yield: 4 servings

• 1-1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons red wine
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cups mixed salad greens in bite-size pieces
• 1 tablespoon mixed dried herbs like tarragon, rosemary, thyme, basil, sage or oregano
• 3-1/2 ounces pancetta, sliced and cut into 1-inch strips
• 4-6 eggs
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegars and wine. Whisk in salt and pepper, followed by two tablespoons olive oil. Place salad greens in a large bowl, pour dressing over greens, and toss thoroughly to coat.

In a large frying pan, place remaining olive oil, herbs and pancetta over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until fat has rendered and pancetta begins to crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove pan from heat and crack eggs into it, on top of pancetta and herbs. Stir eggs with a whisk to scramble them. Return pan to a low flame for a minute, but remove before eggs become entirely dry. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread contents of pan over dressed greens, and toss to mix. Serve immediately.

Also from Fran Bigelow's Pure Chocolate, I served this with the triple chocolate hazelnut torte, but they do not have to go together.

Makes 1 quart, or 8 generous servings

• 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar
• 8 large egg yolks

In a heavy saucepan combine the vanilla bean, milk ad cream and whisk together. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until it comes to a simmer. Remove from the heat. Lift out the vanilla bean and, with a paring knife, gently scrape any remaining seeds back into the cream mixture. Discard the bean or save for vanilla sugar. Return the pan with the cream mixture to a burner over medium-low heat.

Place the sugar in a small nonstick pan. Cook over low heat until it begins to melt and continue cooking, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula, until the sugar is completely melted and clear. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until it reaches a deep brown. (If you have trouble seeing the color change against the dark surface of the pan, spoon a few drops onto a white dish to test.)

I would personally not increase the heat to medium-high. Keep it on low and watch the color change carefully. The ice cream will have a deeper caramel flavor the longer you let the caramelized sugar cook. However, the change when the caramel turns from deep brown to black burnt sugar is almost instantaneous and it's easier to control this if the heat source isn't too strong.

Slowly pour the caramelized sugar into the warm cream, stirring until completely smooth. If the carmel begins to solidify, turn up the heat and cook until it dissolves. Remove from heat.

In a mixing bowl whisk the egg yolks. Slowly pour in about 1-1/2 cups of the warm caramelized cream mixture, stirring constantly. Then pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan, stirring continuously.

Return the pan to medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of a spoon, about 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from the heat and pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.

Cover the custard with plastic touching the top to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold.

Freeze in an ice cream maker following the manufacturer's directions.