Cantaloupe Gazpacho

A Cold Summer Soup for Slackers

Growing up in California, you get a little spoiled on melons. I remember summer breakfasts at my grandmother’s house, scooping up cold, juicy crenshaw melon flesh that peeled off the spoon; and honeydew melon that tasted like candy. I also remember feeling really sorry for my cousins because they HAD to have cantaloupe every morning for breakfast in the summer. Cantaloupe felt so ordinary, so available. I remember wrestling with under ripe wedges so hard it felt like I was going to bend the spoon with every scoop. It seemed like too much work when at our house we could just open the box of Captn Crunch or put a Pop Tart in the toaster oven.

Oh how times have changed. Summer ripe melon—any melon—is my fantasy. Mostly, I fulfill that with juicy ripe watermelon, which is pretty easy to find. As I write this, I am marinating watermelon for my second batch of Okey Pokey Watermelon Poke Bowls. There may or may not have already been multiple big batches of Watermelonade; and Summer Perfection Watermelon Tomato Salad? I’m coming for you next.

The older, Capt’n Crunchless, east coast me has come to appreciate the humbler cantaloupe, especially when it is actually ripe, which it is right now. That’s why I was intrigued by this recipe for Cantaloupe Gazpacho recently in the newspaper. It starts with a very easy base of a few fresh ingredients that all go into the blender. From there it gets a little fancy, with crisped prosciutto and olive oil whipped cream. I guess they had to do that to make it newsworthy, and it definitely takes it over the top. But I’m perfectly happy with the refreshing and very healthy basic soup. Keeping it chilled in a portable, pourable container makes it darned near perfect for slackers who want to up their summer lunch/dinner/spontaneous picnic game.

A couple of notes: This recipe is designed to work with not perfectly ripe melon as well; hence, the optional honey. I used hot honey which was good but also if your melon is sweet you don’t need honey at all. I think of gazpacho as a chunky affair, and this has a smoother texture. So, call it what you will, but I encourage you to give it a try. Whatever you’re sipping this summer, I hope it makes you happy!

Cantaloupe Gazpacho for Slackers

Original version from Aaron Hutcherson for the Washington Post

Ingredients:

I cantaloupe (4-5 cups) peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
2 mini cucumber cut into chunks
I orange bell pepper seeded and cut into chunks
1 garlic clove grated or minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup water
2 TBSP sherry vinegar (I used rice vinegar)
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp honey or hot honey (optional)

For the crispy prosciutto:

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 oz sliced prosciutto

For the olive oil whipped cream:

1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Pinch fine sea salt

Overachievers will put a metal bowl in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes before whipping the cream. The rest of you, move on to the next step to make the gazpacho.

Into the blender, put the cantaloupe, cucumbers, bell pepper, garlic, olive oil, water and blend until smooth. Taste it and add the honey if it needs it.

Make the crispy prosciutto: Directions seem excessive here, but line a small plate with a paper towel near the stove. Warm the olive oil in a skillet until shimmering and add the prosciutto in a single layer. Flip with tongs until crisped and browned, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to the paper towel lined plate to let it crisp up.

Make the whipped cream: Add cream, olive oil and salt to your chilled bowl (a bowl for us slackers) and whip the cream with beaters, hand held whisk attachment, a whisk—whatever you’ve got– until soft peaks form.

To serve:

Ladle up a bowl, add a dollop of cream and crumble some prosciutto on top.

The Substitutions (now this extra part I do like):

Honeydew melon for the cantaloupe, peeled regular cukes for the mini cukes, whatever color bell pepper you’ve got; red or white wine vinegar for the sherry vinegar (I used rice vinegar); Bacon for the prosciutto.

Make it Vegan: no bacon or use plant based; coconut cream vs dairy whipped cream; Maple syrup vs honey.

Here’s the way the master makes it, which does make me rethink my low standards.

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Fruit and Nut Crackers

Ready to bring your app game to the next level? I thought so.

First I just have to say….Whoa! That was a long break. But, let’s leave the excuses for later and get right back into it because we’re fully into summer and you have mouths to feed and people to impress. Enter, homemade crackers.

Crackers are a go-everywhere, anytime win to have in your snack arsenal. I seem to have posted quite a few over the years (see Everyone Crackers and my recently rediscovered crush, Paleo Crackers. I have long dreamed of making those expensive fruit and nut crackers that I hoover down when they appear at any spread, but never tried to make them.

Well friends, the wait is over. With the recipe below, from Crowded Kitchen I became a near-instant pro. Here’s why this recipe is a Bring It! all star:

First, it is easy—add everything to one bowl mix it up and bake it in a loaf pan.
Second, it is not time sensitive. Once you bake the loaf and it cools you can keep the loaves wrapped in the freezer until you’re ready to slice and finish them with the second bake.
Third, but really first, these crackers are deLISH!

For bonus territory, they are eminently customizable, and a true “love the one you’re with” situation as far as what you use for the dried fruits and nuts or seeds. My first attempts were with dried apricots and golden raisins for the fruit, walnuts sliced almonds and pumpkin seeds for the nuts. My second version had a different mix and equally as good. Pick your own adventure. Same goes for the type of milk (I used almond milk because I had it) and sweetener (I used maple syrup because it’s kind of the law around here.

SOME EDIE NOTES, as ever: The recipe calls for using two mini loaf pans which I will likely never own. Alternatively, I used one regular loaf pan and cut the loaf in half to make—ta-da!— two mini loaves. I did the cutting in half (with a sharp serrated knife!) after the loaf was completely cool but it could also happen after it is frozen. I like my way because then you can leave one mini-loaf frozen and only need to commit to one loaf’s worth of crackers (for me about 38) at a time. Also, the original recipe does not say to spray the lined pans with cooking spray, but not all parchment paper is created equally. Spraying them assures the paper will easily peel off.

That’s it!

Total Time: 4 hours (breathe! most of it is inactive)
Yield: It depends but I got 38 out of each half loaf. Original recipe says 52. Points to me for thin slices.

Gourmet Fruit and Nut Crackers

Originally from Crowded Kitchen

Ingredients

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup dried fruit, chopped (apricots, figs, dates, raisins, cherries, etc)
3/4 cup nuts or seeds, chopped (pecans, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds etc)
1 tablespoon orange or lemon zest
1 cup milk of choice (we used oat milk, but any kind works)
1/4 cup honey

Method

Preheat oven to 350˚F and line two mini loaf pans (~5 1/2” x 3 1/4”) or one regular sized loaf pan (~8 1/2” x 4 1/2”) with parchment paper. Spray them to make your life easier.
Add both flours, baking soda, salt, herbs, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, dried fruit, nuts and zest to a large mixing bowl. Stir until well combined. Stir in the milk and honey until well combined and no streaks of honey remain.
Divide between the 2 mini pans. Bake for ~25-28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
Let cool to room temperature, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours, overnight (or up to 3 months.) If you used a regular loaf pan, you can now carefully slice it in half lengthwise with a serrated knife before or after freezing.
Preheat oven to 300˚F.
Remove from the freezer and use a serrated knife to slice into 1/8” thick slices. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 12 minutes, then flip each cracker over. Bake for another 12 minutes, then check for doneness. If they aren’t quite done, flip again and cook for another 3-8 minutes. They should be golden brown and feel dry to the touch, but they may still look soft due to the fruit. Don’t worry – they will crisp up as they dry! See storage information below.

Notes from Crowded Kitchen

Loaf pan size: We used two of these mini loaf pans for this recipe. The size is about 5 1/2 inch x 3 1/4 inch. You can also use one standard size loaf pan (~8 1/2” x 4 1/2”), but if you do, the crackers will be much longer and shorter. This may also change the cook time.

Bake time: When you’re baking these in loaf pans, use a toothpick to test doneness. If it comes out clean, you’re ready to go.

Second bake: You’ll know your second bake is done when the crackers turn a nice brown color – almost like the rye chips in a package of Chex mix. They’ll be slightly crispy, and will harden up even more as they cool.

Use a serrated knife to slice the frozen loaf into about 1/8″ slices.

Freeze and bake later: You can bake several loaves of these and then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for later. If stored properly, they will last for a few months in the freezer. When you’re ready to bake, simply remove from the freezer, slice and bake.

Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to a few days. If they start to get soft from the dried fruit, you can always pop them back in the oven for a few minutes to crisp them up. Note that dried fruit with higher moisture content (like apricots or figs) will make these go soft faster than fruit like dried cranberries.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 4 crackers
Calories: 126
Sugar: 10.7 g
Sodium: 249.3 mg
Fat: 4.8 g
Carbohydrates: 20.1 g
Fiber: 2.3 g
Protein: 2.7 g

Invisible Apple Cake

A Healthyish addition to your holiday dessert list

I give you here a very well-vetted and pretty darned healthy apple dessert for your holiday baking repertoire. Elsewhere in the googlesphere it is known as thousand apple cake, or if you are feeling fancy, “gâteau invisible aux pommes.” It resides squarely in the Bring It! wheelhouse because it is easy to make, easy to bring and easy to serve. Plus, it’s made of 70% fruit, so it’s definitely on the healthier side of the dessert meter.

Basically, we’re mixing thinly sliced apples, barely binding them with a custard, and baking them into a loaf. You can top it with a cinnamon oat crumble before baking, or simply dust the loaf with powdered sugar after it’s baked.

The version here comes mostly from El Mundo Eats, along with my slackerized ingredient options in quotes. As long as you have apples you likely have the rest of the the fixin’s. Using oat flour makes a tasty gluten-free version, and Vegans—I know you’ve got the substitution magic for this!

I’ve seen variations with a slightly higher ratio of custard, and white vs brown sugar. The only hard and fast rules here are the apples: they should be a sweet variety and as thinly sliced as you can manage. I had to make this a bazillion times to get a decent picture of it because it kept getting eaten up too quickly (another reason for calling it invisible?)

In the version pictured I used Lucy Glow apples, which are pink on the inside. That explains why the cake looks a little like layers of bacon vs apples. I assure you, however, this baby is all about apples. Enjoy it and happy holidaying!

Ingredients

2 lb (900 g) Gala apples or another sweet apple.
2 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup (70 g) coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
⅓ cup milk, room temperature
3 tablespoon (30 g) coconut oil or butter, melted if in solid state
¾ cup (82 g) oat flour (or all purpose flour)
¾ teaspoon baking powder

Cinnamon Oat Crumble (Optional)

½ cup instant oats (45 g)
3 tablespoon (30 gm) coconut oil or butter
2 tablespoon coconut sugar or brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 pinch of salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 350

Line a9” x 5” ish loaf panwith parchment paper.(I also grease the parchment for insurance. Not everyone does)

Peel the apples. Or not. I have done both ways and either is fine. The key here is thinly sliced apples. Use a mandoline (carefully) or slice each apple as close as you can to the core on all 4 sides, then slice each piece to 2 mm thin. Place slices into a large bowl.

Combine the wet ingredients. Add eggs and sugar into another bowl and whisk like you mean it for a few minutes, until pale. Add in the rest of the wet ingredients—sugar, milk and coconut oil or butter— and mix well.

Add dry ingredients. Combine flour and baking powder and whisk together. Then add it to wet ingredients and combine well.

Pour the thin batter into the bowl with apples. Gently fold everything well with a spatula, trying to make sure each apple slice is coated with the batter. Now spoon the mixture a bit at a time into the loaf pan, arranging the apple slices as you go. Make sure to also spoon in the batter in between and lightly press to accommodate everything. Pour any remaining batter on top.

Cinnamon Oat Crumble (optional)

Add all ingredients into a bowl and mix well using a spoon. Sprinkle evenly on top of the apple mixture.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350ºF (175ºC) on lower ⅔ rack for 70 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Check it at 50 minutes if you are not using the crumble topping.

Remove from the oven and leave for 10 minutes before removing the cake out of the pan. Cool completely before slicing. This, my friends, is key. Even better, refrigerate it for several hours or overnight before slicing. Serve with ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

P.S. If you’re already in pie mode, may I suggest Joni Mitchell Apple Pit, Knock Out Vegan Pumpkin Pie or the ever-stunning Pilgrim Pie.

Nutrition (with topping)

Obatzda: How Bavarians say “Cheese!”

I’ll come right out and say it: No body needs this recipe. I mean, there is nothing healthy about it. BUT, need is a fickle thing. If you are having a party and want an easy, make-ahead cheese dip that does not need to be kept warm; or, if you have enough pretzels in your house to feed a small school; or, if you are heading to a tailgate and want something yummy and portable that goes with any proper tailgate fare; or, if you know that sometimes “putting some cheese on it” is the answer to your cravings….well if any of those things are happening in your life right now, then you might just need this dip.

This comes straight from Dirndl Kitchen, which I figure is as legit as it gets. In good Euro fashion, it was invented as a way to use up rando bits of cheese, but it works splendidly with fresh cheese right out of the wrapper. I use whatever wheel of brie or camembert is available at the supermarket. The 1-lb wheel is perfect for a double recipe (a few grams short but this is no time for exact measurements! Just aim for a 2:1 ratio of camembert to cream cheese).

If you are looking for a way to embrace the beery cheesiness of the season, mix up a batch of this for your next hungry crowd. Happy Oktoberfesting all!

Obatzda Bavarian Cheese Dip

From Dirndl Kitchen

Ingredients

250 grams camembert cheese (8 oz ish), room temperature, with the rind left on. Or a young brie cheese, just go for the one with the farthest out expiration date.
120 grams (4 oz ish) cream cheese, room temperature.
10 grams butter (a little less than 1 Tbsp) , room temperature.
2 Tablespoons finely chopped chives reserve a little as garnish on top
2 Tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon paprika powder The ‘sweet’ kind, not spicy or smoked. Plus more for sprinting on top. Add a little bit of cayenne powder if you like some kick.
100 milliliters (a little less than 1/2 cup) beer. More or less, depending on the consistency you like. I typically like a spreadable consistency unless I serve it as a dip at parties. I used Paulaner Lager.

Method:

Bring all ingredients to room temperature (either by waiting or putting in them microwave for a few seconds). Using a fork, or a potato masher, mash together the cheese (rind and all), cream cheese and butter until you have a chunky paste-like consistency.

Add in the onions and chives and paprika and continue mixing/mashing until combined. Finally add in just enough beer to bring to a spreadable consistency. Add more beer if using a dip for parties etc.

Garnish with paprika powder and chopped chives. Serve with whatever pretzels you have. Extra credit for homemade. My go-to is this pretzel beer bubble bread, also from Dirndl Kitchen, which makes very manageable and delicious pretzel nuggets that you can also freeze before baking. Veggies are a solid dipping choice too.

Bringing it, storing it:

Some recipes say to make it up to a day ahead to let the flavors blend. Handy if you want to prep ahead, but it is also delish when freshly made. Leftovers can be kept tightly covered in the fridge for up to 3 days (easily a week in my house).

Sides of Summer

It’s here people—the weekend we’ve been both dreading and building towards all summer: Dreading because it means summer is over and we have to start returning calls; building towards because by now we are on our summer cookout/picnic A-Game.

We’ll let the main course be whatever gets thrown on the grill, and think about the all-important sides. I wanted to send you into the weekend with some old favorites and one new (to Bring It) classic.

No list of BBQ sides is complete without H ero Slaw because, duh. When cooking is not happening, Picnic Perfect Broccoli Salad and Grated Carrots Ooh La-L a are fresh, crisp, healthy contenders. Speaking of broccoli, Way Bettah Brocc oli Salad is a healthier (and mayo-free) take on that guilty pleasure in the deli case.

I never met a smashed potato I didn’t like, incuding these Party Time Smashed Potatoes (which you can also put on oiled foil and cook on the grill for the baking step). The easy peasy lime crema dipping sauce is a must.

It’s hard to mess up anything with peak summer tomatoes, but take them over the top with this Chili C risp Tomato Dumpling Salad. If caprese is your thing, give it a twist with this no recipe recipe for Peach Caprese Salad. And if watermelon and tomatoes are both your thing, the Su mmer Perfection Watermelon Tomato Feta Salad is definitely your thing.

And finally, we need to talk about corn, because otherwise the BBQ police might come for me. Ideally, you’re getting ears and ears of fresh corn and grilling or steaming it to perfection. But for an off-the-cob alternative, you can’t go wrong with Charred and Raw Corn Salad (pay no mind to the exceptionally dark and horrible picture). For the truly devoted you can mainline corn with this one ingredient Corn Butter.

I hope you find something in this compilation to make or remake. That said, we all like something new for Back-to-school. Sooooo, here is a recipe I have been making on repeat since rediscovering in the Tupperware fest that is ski lodge lunch last winter (thank you Hope!) I like a lot of things about this salad, the first of course being its ease. It also keeps well and is eminently riffable with whatever vegetables you like. It travels well, works in any season and is not picky about temperature. All in all, it’s a road warrior and a Bring It all-star.

You are now well-armed with some options. However you spend this fine weekend I hope it is fabulous!

Curried Couscous or Quinoa Salad

From I na Garten and H ealthy Gluten-Free Family

1 ½ cups couscous (or 1 cup dry quinoa, see note)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 ½ cups boiling water
¼ cup plain yogurt (*not Greek)
¼ cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup small-diced carrots
½ cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ cup dried currants, raisins, or dried cranberries
¼ cup blanched, sliced almonds
2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
¼ cup small-diced red onion

*if Greek yogurt is what you’ve got, add 1 Tbsp water to the dressing to smooth it out.

Directions

Place the couscous in a medium bowl. Melt the butter in the boiling water and pour over the couscous. Cover tightly and allow the couscous to soak for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. If using quinoa, see note below.
Whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, curry, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Pour over the fluffed couscous, and mix well with a fork. Add the carrots, parsley, currants, almonds, scallions, and red onions, mix well, and season to taste. Serve at room temperature.

Note: I typically make this with quinoa, using 1 cup dry quinoa cooked in 2 cups water, which yields 3 cups quinoa. This is my fave method, thanks to Cookie and Kate:

Use twice as much water as quinoa, as usual, then cook uncovered until the quinoa has absorbed all the water. The cooking time will vary based on quantity.

Once the water is all absorbed, remove the pot from heat, cover it and let the quinoa steam for 5 minutes. That’s when the quinoa pops open into fluffy quinoa perfection, and that is how to cook quinoa properly.

Appropriately Dressed

How summer meals come to the table

The best part of summer cooking? Not doing it! I love the DIY and nontraditional aspect of creating summer meals with minimal actual cooking. It’s good sport to see how far you can push it without turning on the stove or oven, without going to an actual grocery store and without having any meal plan.

It’s fun for me, that is. I suspect my family hates this daily game of chance but, last I checked not one of them was starving. With a fridgeful of fresh produce, a random smattering of leftovers and a swing by the roadside farmstand, you’re never far from an epic salad or bowl or pasta dish.

When you want to turn your hodge-podge of fixin’s into an acceptable meal all you really need is a good salad dressing. Here are some of my faves, that can handle all kinds of salads from simple greens to pasta salads to pumped up, meal-sized bowls.

The dressings in this anthology are named for their purveyors, and listed in order of difficulty. But really, we’re talking dressing here. You’ve got this. All of this.

Amy’s Salad Dressing

From Amy, of crockpot Chicken Taco Chili fame. An easy, go-to, all-purpose dressing. Who loves ya Amy? We do!

Ingredients:

1/3 olive oil
1/3 lemon juice
1T soy sauce
1 garlic clove minced
Salt and pepper to taste.

Make it:

Shake in a mason jar and keep outside fridge. It will get better by the day, as the garlic marinates.

Ina’s Vinaigrette (from THE Panzanella) and other tomato-y, basily, herby things.

1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Make it:

Shake it all up in a jar

Dana’s three ingredient Tahini Dressing

From Minimalist Baker, who uses it on things like her “Salads, Falafel, Fritters, Buddha Bowls, and more!”

Ingredients:

1/3 cup tahini
1 medium lemon, juiced (1 medium lemon yields ~3 Tbsp or 45 ml)
1-2 Tbsp maple syrup (or sub agave – or honey if not vegan)
1 pinch sea salt (optional)
1 clove garlic (minced // optional)
Water (to thin // ~3-6 Tbsp or 45-90 ml as original recipe is written)

Make it:

To a medium mixing bowl, add tahini, lemon juice, and maple syrup. If adding salt and garlic, add now (optional). Whisk to combine. Then slowly add water until creamy and pourable. The mixture may seize up and thicken at first, but continue adding water a little at a time and whisking until creamy and smooth. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 5 days (sometimes longer*).

*Oh Dana, you do not know me! I can work this for a month.

Ina’s Curry Dressing

From Ina Garten’s couscous salad, or use on any grain you like (the quinoa version coming soon right here).

1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Make it:

Whisk or shake it all up until emulsified. Add 1Tbsp water if using greek yogurt to get it smooth

Andy’s Caesar Dressing

From Andy’s East Coast Kitchen (goes with an excellent Caesar pasta salad)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Light Mayo
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
2 Galic Cloves minced
1/2 Lemon juiced
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 1/2 tbsp Capers chopped
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 pinch Kosher Salt

Make it:

Mix it all up in a bowl.

Edie’s Creamy Soy Dressing (From Hero Slaw)

(Also used by Pierce’s Inn for a simple, lusty kale salad with toasted pecans)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 clove peeled and minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 cup mayonnaise,

Make it:

Combine all ingredients except mayo and stir or shake in container until sugar dissolves. Gradually whisk (or shake) in 1 cup mayonnaise until blended.

Caroline’s Curry Cashew Dressing

From Caroline Chambers Thai Chicken Chop

While you’re at it make it a double batch. It keeps in the fridge for a week or in the freezer through the apocalypse

Ingredients:

1/2 cup roasted salted cashews
1/2 cup cilantro leaves and stems
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
Pinch of salt
1/3 to 1/2 cup water

Make it:

Place 1/2 cup roasted salted cashews into a blender and cover with warm water. Set aside to soak. Drain the liquid out of the blender and add the remaining dressing ingredients (1/2 cup cilantro leaves and stems, juice of 1 lime, 1 tablespoon red curry paste, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey, pinch of salt, and water — start with 1/3 cup). Blend on high speed until smooth. If it’s too thick, blend in 1 tablespoon of water at a time until you get the right consistency.

Finally, the most labor intensive of the lot, but worth it! (plus it makes a boat load)

Mason’s Creamy Date and Shallot Dressing

From Mason McNulty’s recipe trove, and don’t skimp on the salad crack topping!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 ounces (~1/2 cup) dried dates, measured with pits
1 small shallot (~1⁄4 cup)
1⁄2 cup apple cider vinegar
1⁄3 cup +1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper

Make it:

Pit and roughly chop dates. Finely chop the shallot

Combine the dates, the shallots, mustard and apple cider vinegar in a blender (a bullet blender if you’ve got it).

Blend until well combined but still somewhat chunky

Add the olive oil plus a big pinch of salt and a few cranks of pepper and blend until very smooth and emulsified. It will look like tahini! Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Dressing will solidify in the fridge, but you can re-warm it by running warm water on the sides and shaking the container you stored it in!

Ba da Bing! Happy back end of summer to all!

A Side of Summer: Chile Crisp Tomato Dumpling Salad

Oh frozen dumplings and potstickers, where have you been all my life? I mean, I’ve seen you there in the freezer, but I never knew the slacker potential I was missing. And I never knew you could branch out beyond your comfort food role to star in a summer salad.

And yet…behold this new summer staple, which apparently “went viral” moments after I made it for the first time.

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A post shared by Hetty Lui McKinnon 雷瑜 (@hettymckinnon)

I’m calling this the side of summer vs the salad of summer because the dumplings definitely take it out of pure salad territory. We’ll leave that for things like Hero Slaw, Summer Perfection Watermelon Tomato Salad, Massaged Kale Salad and the like. This is more along the lines of THE panzanella, which has the heft to carry the meal on its own, with a little sideshow of quelque chose.

If you are not among her 214K followers, Hetty Lui Mack is a boss with chile crisp. Exhibit A, and B. My only modification to her creation is this: look at the preparation instructions on your chosen bag of dumplings, and if it is easier than the method in the recipe, go for it. Mine were way easier, and involved less oil. Whatev. Cook those dumplings however you like.

Tomato dumpling salad, how do I love thee?

I love that you can be served room temp and assembled just before people arrive. I love that you are one more way to justify the bottomless jar of chile crisp that always resides in my fridge. I love that you are easy to scale up and down and I love that you are even good with just ok tomatoes vs peak of summer amazing tomatoes. (Don’t be offended, but when nobody is looking in winter I may even try you with diced canned tomatoes.)

One more recommendation before you go: Chile crisp comes in many forms. Make this with any variety, as long as you know you love it. I recommend this homemade slacker version but have also made it with some excellent versions in my fridge. You do you.

Tomato Dumpling Salad with Chile Crisp Vinaigrette

Cred to the NYT and Hetty Lui McKinnon.

FOR THE SALAD

Ingredients:

· 2½ pounds ripe tomatoes (any variety), cut into roughly 1- to 2-inch pieces (at room temperature)
· 1 garlic clove, grated
· ½ cup basil leaves, torn
· Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal brand) and black pepper
· 1 pound frozen potsticker dumplings (not thawed)
· Neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable
· 1 to 2 tablespoons store-bought crispy fried shallots (optional)

FOR THE CHILE CRISP VINAIGRETTE:

· 3 tablespoons chile crisp (or chile oil)
· 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
· 1 tablespoon soy sauce, or more to taste Steps

Method:

Place the tomatoes on a large serving plate or in a bowl. Add the garlic, half the basil leaves, 1 teaspoon of salt and a big pinch of black pepper. Toss to combine and set aside.

To make the vinaigrette, combine the chile crisp, rice vinegar and soy sauce and whisk to combine. Taste and if it needs more saltiness, add ½ teaspoon more soy sauce.

Heat a large (12-inch) nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium high for 1 to 2 minutes until very hot. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil and, working in batches, add the dumplings, flat-side down, and cook until the bottoms of the dumplings are lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately add about 1/4 cup of water to the pan, just enough to cover the base of the dumplings, then cover and cook until the water has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. (If your dumplings contain meat, cook for an extra 1 to 2 minutes, or according to packet instructions). Transfer the cooked dumplings to a plate and continue cooking the remaining dumplings.

To serve, place the warm dumplings over the tomato salad and drizzle with the chile crisp vinaigrette. Toss very gently. Top with the crispy fried shallots (if using) and the remaining basil leaves. Serve either while the dumplings are still warm or at room temperature.

Nutty Date Bark Bites

AKA, how to make every night date night.

Bark if you like dessert. Bark if you like healthy dessert. Bark if you like healthy, easy, ready-whenever-you-get-the-urge-because-it-hides-in-your-freezer dessert. We’re talking bark here, and not just any bark, but viral Instagram bark.

But first, a small apology. The entire reason I started this blog way back in 2013, was to have a place to keep my favorite go-to recipes in one place so I could a: share them and b: keep them all in one place to easily find them. When I find out that a recipe I have been making on repeat for nearly a year isn’t actually on the blog, that is a FOUL!

Case in point this easy, delicious not entirely unhealthy treat that has permanent real estate in my freezer. It is the ultimate aprés dinner sweet fix to put a hard stop to your day of eating. The recipe is similar to cocoa nutty balls in that it features the holy trinity of dates, nuts and chocolate. It is, however, way easier to pull off, because it involves no food processor and no rolling sticky stuff into balls.

This recipe came from Instagram, as do a few great things, many good things and shockingly many just ok things. It flashed into my feed often enough that I had to try it and can now say that this particular rabbit hole proved to be worthy.

This recipe is all about method, with basic proportions of three key ingredients that can be adjusted up or down, and an optional mid or top layer that lets you choose your own flavor/texture adventure.

Finally, it is the ultimate exercise in love-the-one-you’re-with. As in, use whatever nut butter and chocolate you have or like, and whatever optional add-ins inspire you. That said, don’t mess around with the dates. You need to go medjool (or a similar soft gooey date–not deglet) all the way for texture and malleability.

Ingredients

24 ish medjool dates (room temperature for ease of smushing)
1/2 cup drippy peanut butter or combo nut butter of choice
3/4 cup dark chocolate—chips or chopped
1 tsp coconut oil (optional but it makes it smoother)
flaky salt
Optional: 1/3 cup or so crunchy stuff like chopped nuts or crushed potato chips or popcorn for the Hero layer

Method:

Make the date mat: Pit the dates and line them up like soldiers with their smooth sides down.
Pack them down as best you can, ideally by rolling them between two sheets of parchment but you can also do this by greasing the bottom of a greased glass to smush them. You’re going for a date mat or carpet type of thing, so put a little effort into this.
Pour the nut butter over the dates and spread it around. If your nut butter is thick, warm it up a bit in the microwave so you can spread it easily.
Sprinkle on the optional hero layer. I have never done this step and have no complaints on the finished product, but I am sure the hero layer would elevate it. In many iterations of this recipe the hero layer is a sprinkling of chopped peanuts or almonds. I’ve also seen crushed popcorn or potato chips for the win. Toasted coconut, dried fruit or pretzels would be right up there too.
Pour on the chocolate: Melt chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave for 45-60 sec, stirring after 30 seconds if you remember to. Stir until smooth and pour chocolate over your now impressive looking nut butter covered date mat. Smooth it all out. Sprinkle some flaky salt on top and put it into the freezer.
Try to forget about it for at least 30 minutes and then cut it into whatever size squares make you happy. The pre-cut pieces can be stored in the fridge but I prefer the texture and the out-of-sightness of the freezer.

Note: chocolate should ideally be dark and high quality, but honestly that half bag of semisweet Nestle chips in your cupboard is just fine. When you open your freezer after dinner and see these at the ready you are going to be happy you were not so picky, and used what you had.

If you are looking for a date bark rabbit hole to go down, I recommend starting here with thathealthjunkie, one of the OG date bark masters. Her sesame snap date bark creation here looks epic.

Spring Cleaning Shamrock Shake

Red alert to early adopters: for some reason the first version of this listed milk twice in the ingredients. It’s fixed now, but I apologize for any sad thin shakes the mistake may have caused. May all your clovers be four-leafed.

If you’ve been on my train for any length of time, you know I have a thing about Shamrock Shakes. They are part of our family lore, from when I was a kid through when my now-grown kids were kids, to right now when we all are just looking for excuses to be kids. The truly devoted can read an excellent brief history of the Shamrock Shake right here. For obvious reasons—like seasonality and general health—Shamrock Shakes are more therapeutic tool than dietary staple.

That is, until now!

Yes folks, I have discovered how to drink Shamrock Shakes whenever the heck I want and feel good about it. It’s the perfect thing for spring when a lot of us are trying to clean up our acts after a winter of aprés ski. This DIY version is cool, creamy, refreshing and just sweet enough to feel fun, yet responsible. It’s also substantial enough to fill the cracks without being a calorie bomb that makes you feel sad in 20 minutes.

This version passed the husband test, the kid test, the friend test, the easy test and the healthy test. You can take it in whatever direction you choose: make it healthier by adding hempy, flaxy, seedy things; make it treatier by subbing frozen yogurt for the yogurt.

Huge shout out and thanks to Andy’s East Coast Kitchen for this one. The only things I tweaked were trying with almond milk (yes!), and backing off on the mint extract because the pure stuff is high test (batch 1, of many, was a little harsh). But as ever, you do you.

I am now semi addicted to this version of Shamrock Shakes, and looking forward to the mint that takes over my garden every year.

Cheers to you, and to a happy, tasty spring!

Spring Cleaning Shamrock Shake

Lightly adapted from Andy’s East Coast Kitchen

Makes 1 very generous serving, or two for skeptics

Ingredients

3/4 cup milk of choice
1/2 cup plain greek lowfat yogurt (or thick yogurt of choice)
1 cup spinach
1 Tbsp honey
1/2 cup frozen banana (½ large banana)
~15 mint leaves
¼ tsp mint extract
1/2 cup ice
shaved/grated chocolate for garnish (optional—never gone there but why not?)

Method:

Whir it all up in a blender until creamy and uniformly green. Pour into a glass/glasses and grate a little chocolate on top for the pro version.

Notes:

For max creaminess make sure the banana pieces are fully frozen. I keep a stash of cut up bananas in the freezer so they break up easily in the blender (and to remove the baking pressure of over-ripe bananas on the counter)

Don’t leave it blending forever or it’ll heat up and be more like shamrock milk. Not so lucky.

If you are light on bananas, or want an extra boost of creamy nutrition sub in or add some avocado. You may want to add more sweetener if you are replacing the banana.

Thanks to sister B, who pointed me to a super cool and easy-to-use recipe analyzer, this shake comes with nutritional stats. Sadly, I have not cracked the code (literally) to getting it to display on the site, but I’m working on it. In the meantime, some deets:

Spring Cleaning Shamrock Shake: 233 calories (211 with almond milk); 2.7 grams fat; 27 grams sugar.
VS
Mickey D’s small Shamrock Shake: 460 calories; 13 grams fat; 63 g sugar

Dirt Bread 2.0: Gluten-Free Cottage Cheese Bread

People who know me or have seen me cook know that I am the slacker queen. It’s not that I cut corners entirely out of laziness. I cut them to find an easier way to a just-as-good or better outcome. These it no victory quite like winning the short-cut.

Case in point: Slacker chile crisp, which takes a fraction of the time effort and ingredients of the original chile crisp (PS interesting article on how chili crisp took over America right here), and which I now prefer. And then there are funitella bruschetta and easiest tomato soup both of which I will always and unapologetically make with canned tomatoes. Don’t get me started on sourdough. Not a chance I am going through that when I can make easiest French bread ever with ~3 minutes of active time.

So that brings me to today’s recipe for a nut-free, gluten-free bread that is reminiscent of the famous lifechanging loaf of bread (AKA Dirt Bread); BUT it requires fewer (and more normal) ingredients, and half the effort. As with all things miraculous, it came from Instagram, from a fleeting place I have never re-found. Let’s say a little prayer for screen shots.

A word here about gluten. I am a fan. I am also a little over-glutened at the moment, having taken a class at Gesine Bullock Prado’s Sugar Glider Kitchen. Her classes sell out in minutes so there not a chance I would have gotten this opportunity had it not been for Suzi the Great, knower of all the best things in life and giver of same. I now know how to properly cream butter and sugar (it takes forever), why to use room temperature eggs, Baker’s math, the virtues of cheap disposable pie pans, how to make and use a proper Swiss buttercream and so much more. I can’t wait to deploy my knowledge bombs for deliciousness

But there are times when that heft and chew of a dense, seedy, substantial bread is needed. And there are times when your gluten-free, nut-free people need something homemade and yummy. You could make them rustic Everyone Crackers OR you could be hero with a fraction of the effort and make this. It gets its body from oats, cottage cheese and eggs and its texture/cha-cha from flax, sesame and sunflower seeds. We’re talking pretty basic ingredients, and no rising involved. You just mix everything up, shape it into a football as best you can and bake it for an hour.

If you like Dirt Bread you will love this. If you’ve never committed to Dirt Bread, ease into the concept by trying this first.

What this is:

Easy
Quick (for bread)
Delicious
Gluten- and nut-free
High-protein
Cheapish

What this is not

Vegan
Yeasted
Shelf-stable: Store it in the fridge or sliced in the freezer

I am so sorry Vegans. Between the cottage cheese and the eggs, I’m seeing a lot of high risk substitutions, but please do let me know if you crack the code! Also, the mystery poster of this was a Brit, so all measurements are in grams. I approximated volume measurements, but live a little! Putting a bowl on a scale (<$20 people), adding each ingredient and zeroing it out after each addition is way easier and more accurate.

Dirt Bread 2.0: Gluten-Free Cottage Cheese Bread

Preheat oven to 360

Ingredients

500 grams cottage cheese (about 2 cups)
3 eggs
300 grams oats (about 3 cups)
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
50 grams flaxseed, heaping ¼ cup
50 grams sunflower seeds, 1/3 cup
50 grams pumpkin seeds, scant ½ cup
Optional but advised, 50 grams dried fruit of choice (cranberries are my jam, and I usually but not always chop them a bit)

Method

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Mix well, making sure everything is completely mushed together (no yellow yolk streaks and break down the big chunks of cottage cheese). Dump it onto a parchment-lined pan and use your hands to shape it the into your best, well-packed loaf like shape.
Bake 1 hour

Cool completely before slicing. This is key to it holding it’s shape so…patience! Store in fridge or (my fave) slice and store, wrapped tightly, in freezer so you can grab a slice or two and toast it up as needed.

The pre-baked, nice, tight football-like loaf