During college when the weather would warm up for three whole seconds in upstate New York, my friends and I would journey out to get garbage plates. Yes, this dish looks a lot like the name suggests—opening the trash can after a backyard party—but for a certain type of person, this dish is a menagerie of summer delights. I am that person, and maybe you are too. I’d like to invite you into a world where all of your favorite BBQ foods can live together on one plate. Join me, won’t you?
The Rochester garbage plate, also called a trash plate, is a point of pride for upstate New York. It’s said to have originated at Nick Tahou Hots, though I don’t know if anyone else is competing for the title. My friends and I would get it at a random roadside drive-in-esque situation.
A garbage plate consists of all the classic yard party favorites: a grilled cheeseburger, hot dog, or sausage nested upon some home fries (or French fries), sharing space with a mound of macaroni salad, and a scoop of baked beans. Beef chili is ladled over the top along with chopped raw onions, and a streak of yellow mustard. This combination may be horrifying for some, but others have been eating barbecue sides in this manner their whole lives.
While you might not subscribe to the original version of the garbage plate (I get it, baked beans, mustard, and macaroni salad might be a tad offensive), I do believe that a garbage plate is completely open to interpretation. Even Nick Tahou Hots’ order form shows a wide variety of options, including a grilled cheese or fried ham. No matter the person, there is some glorious combination of side dishes out there for everyone. Which means that hosting a build-your-own-garbage-plate station at your next cookout is a good and smart idea.
To make a great garbage plate consider the formula: a grilled protein + a salad of sorts (preferably mayonnaise-coated)+ fried or roasted potatoes + sauce. Serve up some barbecued chicken thighs, fried fish, tofu planks, or soy sauce glazed pork belly. I love macaroni salad, but you could offer a German-style potato salad instead or even coleslaw. I don’t know who’s going to argue with fries or roasted potatoes—they’re gluten-free and vegan—so those can stay, and the sauce is up to you. The classic “hot sauce” is like a spicy ground beef chili, but you could offer a vegetarian chili, or for a lighter take, I’d recommend pico de gallo or salsa verde.
If you decide to have the classic garbage plate offerings available, there’s no need to stress it—you can buy almost all of the components pre-made from the deli section of your grocery store. However, if you’re doing parts of it homemade, the best tip I ever took was from A.A. Newton on macaroni salad: Make sure to overcook your pasta.
A few weeks ago, I was at a family BBQ/birthday party for my two-year-old nephew. With my brother-in-law working later than he had hoped, I picked up grill duty. A 5+1 burner gas grill is no big deal for a seasoned veteran like me: Gas open, burners turned, switch pressed. Lit.
Instead of a normal preheat, though, I got a grease fire.
Turns out, this grill hadn’t been cleaned in a while. Possibly ever. I had to make a lot of decisions in a very short amount of time to fend off a disaster, and thankfully the only damage was to the grill itself—and a bit of siding that now resembles lasagna noodles. All of this could have been prevented with regular cleaning and, at the absolute worst, a fire extinguisher. (I repeat: If you own a grill, you need to own a fire extinguisher.)
How to clean a gas grill
Whether you’re a new-ish grill owner in need of a tutorial, or an old pro who’s been putting it off, today is a great day to get to cleaning. Let’s take a tour on my gas grill, which hasn’t been cleaned since the end of April. (I like to clean mine once my tank reaches a low level, about once a month in the summer.)
Start with a burn-off to loosen things up. Those crusty bits on the grates might be the only thing your food touches, but there’s plenty more of them down below, and they’ll come off better once things have been warmed up.
CAUTION:If your grill is horribly, awfully, grease-spattered and the drip pan is overflowing, do not turn it on. Skip ahead to the drip pan and tub cleaning steps down below, and come back here afterward.
Set all of your burners to high, close the lid, and leave it alone for an hour. During this time, assemble your mise en place: gloves, putty knives, trash bags, and newspaper or a flattened cardboard box. Scrape your grates off as best you can with the brush of your choosing and kill the heat. Part one is done.
Do you have any idea how difficult it is to crease a trash bag?Credit: Sam Bithoney
Once the grates are cool enough to handle with heat-safe mitts or gloves, remove them as well as any interior pieces (like these triangular bars) and set them on your handy flattened piece of cardboard.
2. Clean the drip pan
Pull out your drip pan and, using the putty knife, scrape everything you can directly into the trash. If the pan is covered in fat, make sure to get that cleaned off too. I don’t like using chemicals beyond dish soap here, but if you use a solvent or grease remover, be sure to thoroughly wash and dry the pan before replacing it in your grill.
Credit: Sam Bithoney
Step 3: Clean the tub (where the burners are)
Now that you’ve cleaned your drip pan to a glorious shine, we’re going to get it dirty again. The drain hole from the tub to the drip pan can get clogged, so it’s best to clean what’s in the pan first before trying to stuff more gunk through such a small opening.
Grab your trusty knife and coax all that loosened crud into the drip pan, dump it out, and replace the pan, the grates and interior components if necessary, and that’s it. It is a very short, and incredibly satisfying process that will lead to better heat distribution through your cooking surface.
Keen eyes will spot a bit of hot dog fat on the left grate. It can’t be helped.Credit: Sam Bithoney
I recently caught a glimpse of my kitchen fruit bowl and thought, “Well, that’s going to be a problem.” It seems my boyfriend and I had both bought bags of bananas, and they were all of the same ripeness—too young to eat, and a mere six days from going overripe all at once. This is a recipe for waste, so instead of waiting for the inevitable, I took action and made my favorite Thai banana treat, gluay khaek.
In Thailand, gluay khaek is a fried banana snack that is sort of like a fritter. It's made with the diminutive local variety of the fruit, nam wah bananas, which are dunked in a rice flour batter laced with sesame seeds and shredded coconut, and fried. The bananas come out of the oil with a browned crunchy shell and soft, almost custardy insides. You really can't eat just one. Or three. Or five. Which is why you'll use up all those extra bananas before you know it.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
The nam wah banana is sweet, firm, and the perfect size for this bite-sized snack, but you don’t need that exact variety to make a bangin’ Thai-style fried banana. If you can't find "baby" bananas in your grocery store, use whichever sweet banana is available to you. You also don't want bananas that are too ripe—slightly greenish bananas are firm enough to hold up to the frying and their subtle sweetness is amplified by cooking, while I used just-yellow bananas, which also hold up and get nice and creamy after frying.
I don't suggest using spotted or overly ripe bananas—they'll break apart in the batter and you'll end up with a flavor that's way too sweet. It takes a little forethought, but this recipe is a great way to solve a glut of bananas before they become a problem.
How to make Thai fried bananas (gluay khaek)
1. Heat the oil and make the batter
The batter is so quick that you’ll be ready to fry at the same time the oil is hot. Pour a neutral frying oil into a deep pot. You only need about an inch to an inch and a half of oil. Heat it on medium-low heat until it reaches 350°F. You want to keep the oil in a range from 350°F to 375°F.
While the oil heats, add the rice flour (be sure to use regular rice flour, like this one, and not glutinous rice flour, which yields a chewy texture you aren't looking for here), coconut shreds, sugar, salt, baking powder, and sesame seeds to a small mixing bowl. (Either toasted or un-toasted sesame seeds will work fine.) Stir it all together with a rubber spatula to blend the dry ingredients. Pour in the water and stir it until the batter is well combined. The batter should be loose, but still coat the back of a spoon. It shouldn’t be thick like brownie batter. If you feel it’s too thick, add a spoonful of water and assess the consistency from there.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
2. Dunk the ‘naners
Peel your bananas and slice them on a deep bias to make thick slices. Aim for one inch thick by two inches long, but just work with whatever the banana size allows. Thicker is better than too thin. If they’re too thin they could break up in the batter. Put a few slices in the bowl and use a spoon to cover them in batter.
3. Fry them
Once your oil is hot, you can start frying. Use a fork to scoop the bananas out of the batter and let any excess globs of batter drop into the bowl. Add the battered banana slices to the oil and fry them for about three to four minutes, or until they’ve browned evenly and deeply. Put them on a wire cooling rack over a sheet pan to drain and cool for a few minutes before eating.
These sweet Thai fried banana bites are absolutely irresistible. The crunchy sesame and coconut-dotted shell gives way to an utterly silky banana center. Like most fried foods, Gluay khaek are truly best eaten right away, as after a couple hours they lose a lot of their crunch—so snack away!
Gluay Khaek Recipe (Thai fried bananas)
Ingredients:
3-4 large bananas, peeled
¾ cup rice flour
¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
⅔ cup cool water
Neutral frying oil
1. Pour one to two inches of oil into a pot for frying. Heat it over medium-low to 350°F.
2. In a small mixing bowl, stir the rice flour, coconut, sugar, salt, baking powder, and sesame seeds. Add the water and stir to combine.
3. Slice the bananas on a bias to make pieces about the size of your thumb. Roughly one inch thick by two inches long, if the banana allows it.
4. Dunk the banana slices into the batter, use a spoon to help coat the pieces. Use a fork to help scoop out the banana pieces, allowing excess to drop off, and fry them for 3 to 4 minutes. The gluay khaek should be well-browned on all sides. Drain the fried bananas on a wire cooling rack for a few minutes before serving.
It’s been a tough couple months for me since Girl Scout Cookie season ended, and it’ll be a long eight months until those clever sales-children start distributing again. In the meantime, one of the best ways to get your fix is to make dupes of your favorite Girl Scout Cookies at home. I’ve dabbled in the Thin Mint and Caramel deLite territory already, but now it’s time to unveil the recipe for my favorite peanut butter cookie of the bunch: Do-Si-Dos.
Tagalongs get a lot of love from the peanut butter crowd—and they deserve it (I’ll test out a copycat recipe of those soon enough)—but if quantity eaten is an indicator, then Do-Si-Dos are my pick. It’s a crisp, sweet, slightly oaty peanut butter sandwich cookie with a hint of salt: Simple, like a PB cookie should be, but with a concentrated nutty center that only sandwich cookies can provide.
The Do-Si-Do is relatively simple to recreate, which is more than I can say for the multi-component Caramel deLite or chocolate enrobed Thin Mint. Both the cookie and peanut butter filling are straightforward, no tricks or fancy skills necessary. The only picky thing I recommend is using two different peanut butters. A chunky peanut butter (like Crazy Richard's) is best for the cookie dough, providing better texture and a more robust, nutty flavor, while you want a smooth peanut butter for the filling. I choose a sweetened, emulsified peanut butter (Skippy, in this case) for the filling because it perfectly replicates the almost peanut candy flavor of a Do-Si-Do.
How to make Do-Si-Dos dupes
1. Make the dough
This recipe uses possibly the most used American cookie method: creaming. Stir the softened butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl until well combined. Stir in the chunky peanut butter, egg, vanilla extract, and salt until combined. In a small bowl, stir the flour, baking soda, and oats together. Pour the dry mixture into the butter mixture and stir until combined.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
2. Shape the cookies
The dough will be thick but soft. If it’s too warm in your kitchen, you might want to chill the dough for 20 minutes to make rolling easier. Lightly flour a work surface and roll out half of the cookie dough to a ¼-inch thickness. Using a small circular cookie cutter about 1 inch in diameter, cut out as many rounds as you can and put them on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Put the pan in the freezer to chill for about 10 minutes. Repeat this with the rest of the dough.
3. Bake
Do-Si-Dos have a slightly patterned surface and a small hole in the center, so you can replicate this by pricking the top with a fork and using the tines to make a criss-cross, or skip the fuss out and don’t do anything at all. Either way, bake the cookies at 350°F for 10 to 13 minutes, or until they’ve lightly browned on top. Cool them on the pan for 5 minutes, and then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Fill the Do-Si-Dos
In a small bowl, mix smooth peanut butter with powdered sugar. The combination will be like a soft Play-Doh. Flip over half of the cookies and put teaspoon-sized balls of the filling in the center. Top the filling with the other cookies and gently press down to force the filling out to the edges.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
Now the hardest part: Wait until tomorrow to eat them. I’m kidding—no human on earth could resist. But like any sandwich cookie, giving them a day in an airtight container allows the texture of the cookies to soften slightly, and the filling to firm up. As a solution, eat some today, and store the rest for tomorrow.
Do-Si-Dos Copycat Recipe
Ingredients:
For the cookies:
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup granulated white sugar
½ cup chunky peanut butter
1 egg, room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt for salted peanut butter (or ½ teaspoon for unsalted)
1 ⅓ cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup rolled oats
For the filling:
½ cup smooth peanut butter
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1. Mix the butter and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl. Add the chunky peanut butter, egg, vanilla, and salt. Stir until well combined.
2. In a separate smaller bowl, stir the flour, baking soda, and oats together. Add this dry mixture to the butter mixture and stir until combined.
3. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it’s a ¼-inch thick. Cut 1-inch circles out of the dough and put them on a parchment lined sheet tray. Press a pattern into the cookies now, if you choose to. Chill the rounds in the freezer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
4. Bake the cookies for 10-13 minutes or until evenly browned. Cool the cookies on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Cool completely.
5. To make the filling, stir the smooth peanut butter with the powdered sugar, it will be a thick paste. Flip over half of the cookies and add a teaspoon-sized ball of the filling to each of them. Top the filling with the other cookies and gently press until the filling reaches the edges of the cookie sandwich.
Making eggplant parmesan is an ordeal—slicing, draining, breading, frying—and that’s all before you layer it to bake. It’s well worth the effort, but I often think twice before committing to it. Or I did—until I figured out that to make the process a bit simpler and a whole lot faster, I could employ my air fryer. This handy machine can take care of a few of the most annoying steps, and put eggplant parmesan back in the regular dinner rotation.
Good eggplant parmesan has stacks of creamy eggplant coated in a light, crispy breading. These flavorful disks are then layered with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, resulting in a towering slice of texture on your plate. Sadly, I’ve had several eggplant parms that are too oily, or even downright soggy, which can happen if you don't take the time to drain the eggplant before you start breading it.
And that, my friends, is what we call a pain in the ass. Luckily, the air fryer can help.
Draining your eggplant can take 40 minutes to an hour. The air fryer makes the process a breeze. Instead of salting and draining the eggplant slices in a colander for an hour, you can place the slices in the air fryer at 350°F for five to seven minutes for ¼-inch to ½-inch slices.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
The eggplant emerge drier and slightly flexible, but not desiccated. Place the dried slices on a wire cooling rack and do the same for your next batch of slices.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
Since you’ll probably need to dry out the eggplant in a few installments, start breading them in batches to keep the process moving along. While you coat the first batch in flour, egg, and bread crumbs, the next batch will be cooling on the wire rack, and the third batch will be in the air fryer. Once you’ve breaded all of the slices, let them sit on a wire rack to let the egg dry out a bit. Then you can begin shallow-frying them on the stove top, or keep on air frying them for a lighter result.
You can air fry instead of cooking in oil too
Frying eggplant in a pan of oil bothers me because of the way the smell of cooking oil invades my apartment. Air frying avoids this, and is much more hands off. Working in small batches as you did when prepping, start air frying the first set of breaded eggplant. Spray or lightly brush them with cooking oil on both sides, and drop them into the air fryer basket. Air fry them at 350°F for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until you see a nice golden color forming. Cool the finished ones on a wire rack while you load up the next batch.
Once all your rounds are finished, you can carry on layering and baking your eggplant parm like you normally would—but I wouldn’t blame you for dipping these in a bit of soy sauce and noshing right away. Now that drying eggplant slices is so much faster, you have time to make a second batch just for snacking.
Using up a little bit of leftover rice isn’t much of an ordeal—drop a half cup into soup or chili, or use it to bulk up a salad. It’s when you have around three or four cups of rice taking up space in your fridge that you start to consider chucking it all just to win the space back. But let’s not get dramatic: There’s a simple and exciting way to use up a mound of rice. Use your leftovers to make yourself a crispy fried rice cake.
I like this technique because you can make it with three cups of cooked rice and up from there. The more rice you have, the deeper the cake is. This method takes some texture notes from the many popular scorched rice dishes from around the globe, like Persian tahdig, or Korean nurungji, and adds the reward of a filled center, like Japanese onigiri. What you get is a round rice cake with savory fillings of your choice, and a crispy exterior that pairs well with any dipping sauce.
Cooled starches are hard and they won’t stick together or compact the way you need them to, so reheat the rice. In a semi-covered container, add a teaspoon or so of water and put it in the microwave for about one minute.
2. Shape the rice cake
Generously butter a frying pan. If you have a lot of rice, you’ll want a wider pan. Use a smaller pan for less rice. Add half of the reheated rice to the pan. With a damp spatula, begin to press the rice down into a disc the shape of the pan. The moisture from a damp spatula will prevent the rice from sticking to the spatula. I don’t recommend oil because you still want the rice to stick to its neighbors. Turn the burner on medium-low heat.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
3. Add fillings
I like to sprinkle on some cheese on first. Personally, I like adding cheese to rice sometimes; on a practical level, it will hold the rice together a bit. Layer on other fillings you like, like shredded chicken, cooked eggs, or pre-cooked vegetables. Don’t overfill it, but if you have more rice, then you have a bit more leeway.
4. Add the rest of the rice
Distribute the remaining reheated rice over the top, and use a damp spatula to press the rice down so it makes a layer that seals the fillings in. Toast the cake in the pan for about 10 minutes.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
5. Flip the cake
Use the spatula to begin pressing and compacting the edges. This will help you see how the edges are browning and also the pressure should release the cake so it slides around freely. Once you see the edges are darkly browned, turn off the heat. Lay a damp plate (the moisture will prevent the cake from sticking) upside down over the top of the pan and, holding the plate bottom and the frying pan handle, flip them over together so the pan is upside down and the plate is right side up with the cake on it. Add more butter to the pan to melt. Slide the cake back into the pan to toast the other side for about 10 minutes. Flip it onto a plate and serve immediately.
Originally I made these as smaller, palm-sized, fried rice nuggets, which you could do if you wanted to. It’s more difficult if you’re not used to shaping rice with your hands, so in that case I recommend using plastic wrap as your assistant. Just add the rice to a sheet of plastic wrap, put a small amount of filling in the center and bundle the wrap so the rice pulls up and over the filling. Flatten the pocket into a patty before frying.
Crispy Fried Rice Cake Recipe
Ingredients:
3 cups of cooked rice, reheated if necessary
1 tablespoon of butter, divided in half
1 cup of cooked fillings (egg, chicken, pork, veggies, or cheese)
1. Melt half of the butter in a frying pan. Add half of the rice to the pan and flatten it into a disk with a damp spatula. Turn the burner on medium-low heat to begin toasting the bottom.
2. Add your fillings in an even layer, leaving about a quarter inch of a rice border so the top layer can stick easily.
3. Distribute the remaining half of the rice over the top and use the same damp spatula to press the top layer of rice flat. The rice should completely cover the filling. If there are any holes, patch them up with some extra clusters of rice.
4. After cooking one side for 10 minutes, or until the edges are well-browned, flip the cake out onto a damp plate. Melt the remaining butter in the pan and slide the cake back into the pan to toast the other side. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the other side is well toasted. Flip it back onto a plate and serve immediately.
If you're only looking to do the occasional outdoor cooking session this summer, you'll probably only need a simple charcoal grill. If you've got bigger plans—say, grilling every Sunday—or prefer less mess and hassle, you can choose a smokeless electric grill, or a gas grill.
But maybe you fancy yourself a real pitmaster: one who makes a point of discerning the difference between grilling and barbecuing, who strives for smoke rings and bark on every piece of meat. If this is a world you’d like to be a part of, it’s time to consider a smoker.
Compared to grilling cooking with a smoker is in a different league. It’s often done with indirect heat at a low temperature, usually anywhere between 225°F and 275°F. While there are a few types of smokers, most of them involve the fuel (be it wood chips, wood pellets, charcoal, or a combination) burning at a low heat in the firebox. Smoke fills the cook chamber, slowly heating the food and imbuing it with smoky flavor. The smoke passes through the chamber and out the smokestack or a vent.
Depending on what you’re cooking, smoking can take anywhere from 45 minutes for delicate items like fish, to over 12 hours for hefty cuts of meat. Based on your personality and what type of apparatus you opt for, you might be carefully monitoring the process and adjusting the dampers to control the temperature, or chilling by the pool and checking your smart smoker’s app to make adjustments.
Smokers work for all different types of outdoor cooking enthusiasts, which leads me to the benefits of getting yourself a smoker:
Flavor. Few grilling methods can compete with the flavorful bark and smoky aroma on barbecued meats. The slow cooking time ensures thorough and robust flavoring.
Flexibility. There are a wide range of smokers, from completely automated and wifi enabled pellet smokers, to traditional offset barrel smokers. Plus, you can use many smokers as regular charcoal grills too, if you’re ever in the mood to do a quick grilling session.
A mostly hands-off process. Unlike the speedy cooking of a gas grill or cooking over direct heat from charcoal, smoking requires a lot of time and patience, but allows you to be less glues to your grill. You’ll want to keep the cook chamber shut as much as possible when smoking, which naturally eliminates some of the desire to mess with the food within. Besides periodically keeping an eye on the temperature and adjusting the dampers and fuel if necessary, you can carry on with your day.
Safety first
Anytime you have charcoal, fires, or embers kicking around, spare a thought for safety. Always follow the directions of the apparatus you choose, especially if you’re a beginner. Keep the smoker at least 10 feet from buildings, if not for the fire risk then to keep your living room couch from smelling like hickory and charcoal.
Don’t forget to close up the vents to choke out the embers of your fuel after you’ve finished using your smoker. And if I’ve said it once—it’s a good idea to keep a fire extinguisher nearby, just in case.
For ease, consider the Traeger electric wood pellet grill and smoker
This Traeger smoker uses electricity to control how quickly the pellets are released into the firebox, so the temperature doesn’t fluctuate without your intervention. It's also wifi enabled, which allows you to check on the time and temperature from anywhere. It’s great for a range of barbecue enthusiasts, from beginners, to multitaskers, and seasoned experts alike.
For smaller spaces, try the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker
Not every pitmaster needs a piece of equipment as big as a cow. For a more manageable size, the Smokey Mountain will be equally at home on a spacious patio or the sidewalk outside of your apartment building (adhering to your local laws, of course). This smoker uses coals for fuel and a water pan to help catch grease and keep the heating gentle. Although best for smaller batches, this Weber comes in a few sizes, ranging from 14 inches to 22 inches.
If you prefer a hulking offset design, take a look at the Royal Gourmet Offset Smoker
This highly-rated behemoth boasts 443 square inches of main cooking surface and offers the multi-barreled design you might be looking for. As many heavy duty offset smokers can come with a price tag in the thousands, the Royal Gourmet smoker is a surprising bargain. The materials may not be as durable as more expensive smokers, but this model could be appealing for a first-timer on a budget, and looking to enter the world of barbecue.
Beef Wellington is a dish of opulence—not the average thing for the likes of me to order off of a menu—if I wanted to eat it, I’d have to try making it. So I did. And while beef Wellington is a scrumptious and impressive centerpiece, frankly, it's murder on my wallet. That's because the tenderloin that runs through the center carries a hefty price tag. When you think about it, what makes the dish great is as much the treatment of the tenderloin, as it is the meat itself. In that spirit, I’d like to encourage you to Wellington anything you damn well please.
What is beef Wellington?
The classic beef Wellington uses about a two-pound center cut of beef tenderloin—a cut prized for its mild beef flavor and supreme tenderness. That piece will run you $60 to over $100 depending on where you buy it and the treatment and processing of the meat. That prime cut of meat is seared and given the full welly treatment: It’s wrapped in a savory mushroom duxelles followed by a thin layer of prosciutto, and finally sealed into a sheet of buttery puff pastry. It’s baked until gloriously crisp and browned.
When you slice into it, you’re rewarded with many concentric layers of rich, umami-laden treats. It’s a gorgeous presentation in which every component plays a role in this gratifying experience. Meaning, truly, you can swap out the protein for another one and get similar (if not greater) satisfaction.
Salmon Wellington. Chicken thigh Wellington. Turkey meatloaf Wellington. Hard-boiled egg Wellington. Each one of those would be showstoppers at your dinner party and at a fraction of the price of the traditional. All you have to do is prepare that protein exactly how you would normally cook it, or depending on the protein and your preference, take it off the heat a bit early because it’ll continue to bake in the oven later.
How to give any protein the Wellington treatment
I decided to make a meatloaf Wellington the other day, and it was a stunner. I often impress myself so my praise is expected, but my partner devoured his and told me he’d be happy ordering that at any chop house. All things considered, it certainly rivaled the classic. Meatloaf is cheaper to make, the seasoning penetrates throughout the protein, the pastry bakes crisper because less juice is released, and overall it’s more approachable. I’d say on average more folks slap together meatloaf than sear up a chateaubriand on a regular basis. Not only does that make it less stressful to assemble this dish with a protein you’re comfortable with, but if you mess it up, at least you didn’t overcook a $70 roast.
1. Cook your protein
Whatever it is you’re using, cook it to about 80% to 90% doneness. This will build some color, develop flavor, and retain some of the protein’s natural juices while allowing it to be firm enough to handle. Let it cool to room temperature.
2. Make the duxelles
Duxelles is the French term for a rough chopped mushroom paste. Mushrooms lose a lot of moisture and reduce down to about half their bulk, so use 10 to 16 ounces of mushrooms. Chop them with a knife first to about quarter-inch bits, then use a food processor to bring them down to a mince. Sauté them in butter with a minced shallot and some fresh herbs, like thyme, until most of the moisture is gone; this takes about 15 minutes of stirring until the mushrooms are almost sticking to the bottom of the pan. There should be no mushroom juice pooling up in the pan when you’re done. Set it aside to cool.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
3. Shape the Wellington
When you’re ready to shape the massive roast, unwrap the thawed puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to flatten out the pastry and make it a bit bigger. Lay a piece of plastic wrap over the pastry and slightly shingle prosciutto in a rectangle slightly smaller than the pastry. Spread the cooled duxelles onto the prosciutto to make a thin but complete layer.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
Using a pastry brush, spread a thin layer of dijon mustard all over the protein. This tastes great but also helps the bits of mushroom adhere to the meat. Place the protein along the long side of the prosciutto and duxelles plank. If you’re using several small hunks of chicken or eggs, just line them up. Then use the plastic wrap to help you start rolling the prosciutto up and over the protein until it meets the other side. Use the plastic wrap to move the meat off to the side.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
4. Bake the Wellington
Egg wash the puff pastry. Place the prosciutto tube onto the same side of the puff pastry and roll it up so the puff pastry meets the other side. Let it rest seam-side down. Pinch the edges shut securely. Place the Wellington on a parchment-lined baking sheet and egg-wash the outside. If you want to be fancy, use the back of a knife’s blade to make score marks in the puff pastry. Bake it at 425°F for about 25 to 35 minutes, or until the pastry is well-browned and risen.
Considering the Wellington as more of a treatment rather than a specific dish opens the door to using it as a delightful way to rework leftovers too. Maybe you have two or three slices of meatloaf leftover from the weekend—just line up those slices on the duxelles and proceed as usual. Leftover pork roast makes an easy substitute, and I wouldn’t sneeze at a leftover roasted sweet potato Wellington either.
I somehow missed Girl Scout Cookie season this year. I usually keep an eye out for the colorful boxes on tables outside supermarkets, but before I knew it, April was gone and so were the cookies. So I’m dedicating some time to Girl Scout Cookies, and how to impersonate them, until next year. You could probably buy a box of GSCs from Ebay or Mercari for a premium price, or you could dust off your rolling pins instead and make knock-offs with me for a lot cheaper.
Today, we're going to turn our attention to Caramel deLites, which are some of my favorites from the Girl Scout Cookie lineup. They feature a plain, crunchy cookie that’s draped in a caramel and coconut mixture, and dressed in a bit of chocolate. You might know them as Samoas. (They’re the same type of cookie, just produced by different bakeries.)
As is the case with most knock-off recipes of mass produced cookies, the homemade ones are usually more flavorful and bulkier. Despite my best efforts to make a more convincing copycat with less flavor and a more diminutive shape, the recipe I settled on is more buttery, coconut-y, and larger than the celebrity version. I even did a test batch with vegetable shortening like the ingredient list from ABC Bakers suggests, but I didn’t like them as much as I liked the butter-based recipe I made later. However, if you're looking to cut down on the butter notes (they are strong) you can try substituting half of the butter fat for shortening.
I decided to impersonate Caramel deLites with a modified shortbread dough. From what I remember, the cookie is plain, crumbly, but firm, so a simple dough sounded like a reasonable match. As much as I wanted the cookie to be closer to the ABC Bakers cookie, few people (including myself) will make an overly complicated recipe. These cookies are fantastic, but understand that they won’t give you the same straight-from-the-package flavor. Instead you’ll be met with aromas of browned butter, toasted coconut, and a whiff of dulce de leche. I know. How disappointing.
How to make knock-off Caramel deLites (or Samoas)
1. Make the base cookie dough
Mix room temperature butter, sugar, vanilla extract, flour, salt, and baking powder together in a mixing bowl. The dough should ball up together and be stiff but pliable. Press it into a disc and leave it in the bowl. Let it rest in the fridge for about 10 minutes.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
2. Make the topping
While the dough rests, make the topping. Once again, taking guidance from the ABC Baker’s ingredients, I used sweetened condensed milk and unsweetened shredded coconut to make the chewy topping. I used Let’s Do Organic brand because the pieces are smaller than something like Baker’s. Mix the sweetened condensed milk with the coconut shreds to make a thick goo.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
3. Shape the cookies
Roll out the cookie dough on a lightly floured surface until it’s about a quarter-inch thick. Scoop the coconut goo onto the cookie dough and spread it out across the surface. Now you have a two layer cookie sheet. Using a cookie cutter (I used a fluted two-inch cutter), cut through both layers. Place the cookies on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Use a small circular cookie cutter (or a piping tip, like I did) to cut out the center hole. Put the cookies in the freezer for about 15 minutes while you preheat the oven.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
4. Bake ‘em
Bake the cookies straight out of the freezer for eight to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them in the last two minutes as they’ll be pale one second and brown in a flash. Cool them on a wire cooling rack while you make the chocolate glaze.
5. Decorate with a chocolate stripes
I went all-in and swiped chocolate on the bottoms as well as striping the tops, but if you don’t have the patience for both, I completely understand. Just do the stripes for the classic Samoa cookie look.
Otherwise, flip all of the cookies over and have a new piece of parchment on a dish or cutting board. I used this chocolate glaze from food.com and it worked well. Mix the oil, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and hot water together with a whisk. Working quickly, swipe chocolate onto the bottoms of all of the cookies with a rubber spatula, pastry brush, or small offset spatula. Keep the layer thin to prevent puddling. Put them chocolate-side down on the parchment. Using a spoon or a small pastry bag if you have it, drizzle the remaining chocolate topping over the cookies in a stripe pattern. (If your chocolate begins to thicken and harden, just pop it in the microwave for about 10 or 15 seconds to liquify it again.) Cool the cookies at room temperature for 20 minutes, or in the fridge for five.
These knock-off cookies become more “convincing” if they cool completely, but their buttery flavor is more enjoyable when they’re freshly finished. It’s up to you. If you have the patience, give them plenty of time to cool. If not, you’ll still be a winner in the end.
Copycat Samoa or Caramel deLite Cookie Recipe
Ingredients:
For the cookie dough:
¼ cup sugar
½ cup butter, room temperature
1 cup + 2 tablespoons flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the coconut topping:
¾ cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
½ cup sweetened condensed milk
For the chocolate drizzle:
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons neutral oil
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons hot water
1. Mix room temperature butter, sugar, vanilla extract, flour, and salt, and baking powder together in a mixing bowl. Press it into a disc and pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes.
2. While the dough rests, mix the sweetened condensed milk and shredded coconut in a small bowl to make a thick goo.
3. Roll out the cookie dough on a lightly floured surface to a quarter-inch thickness. Spread the coconut goo onto the cookie dough to make a double layer. Using a round cookie cutter, cut through both layers. Place the cookies on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Use a smaller circular cookie cutter, cut out the center hole. Put the cookies in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 375 F. After the cookies have chilled, bake the cookies straight out of the freezer for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool them on a wire cooling rack while you make the chocolate glaze.
5. Mix the oil, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and hot water together with a whisk. Working quickly, swipe chocolate onto the bottoms of all of the cookies. Put them chocolate-side down on a piece of parchment. Use a spoon or a small pastry bag to drizzle the remaining chocolate topping over the cookies in a stripe pattern. Cool the cookies completely. Peel them off the parchment and enjoy.
The only type of grill I ever saw growing up was one fueled by propane gas—they were at both of my parents’ houses, and at all of my friends’ homes. That’s not to say that charcoal grills aren’t a popular and high-quality option (read here to see if charcoal is right for you), but something about the large size and ease of using a gas grill feels very “family nest” to me. If you’re weighing the options for your next summer cookout, consider a gas grill.
Gas grills can be great long-term outdoor fixtures that can anchor the space of a patio or backyard. They used to be primarily large boxy grills, but now they come in a wide variety of sizes (and so do the gas tanks)—those big enough to cook a 20-person feast, down to more portable folding propane grills for camping. Regardless of the size you choose or whether you want folding side tables or not, gas grills boast a number of pros compared to other grill types.
Easy to use. Unlike a charcoal grill which can take some practice and accessories to properly get going, modern gas grills start with a twist of a knob and a click of a button.
Cleaner fuel. If the plumes of smoke that come along with other grills bother you, it might be a good idea to go gas. Gas burns cleaner than charcoal—which is a trade-off in regard to flavor—but you won’t have to worry about smoking out your neighbors even with the occasional burger-juice flare up. If you have natural gas set up at your home, many grills can hook up to that line too (which is great if you hate refilling your propane tank).
Temperature control. Starting up the grill isn’t the only thing that’s done with a dial; you get precise temperature control with a gas grill. Gone are the days of prodding charcoal over to one side or wondering if your heat is too high.
Peace of mind. While you can use a charcoal grill safely, there is a degree of peace of mind that comes with a grill that doesn’t involve stoking flames and nursing embers. Gas grills can live in a spot next to the house, so you don’t have to observe a safe distance from buildings, and you don’t have to wait for any embers to die out completely. When you turn it off, it’s off.
For a portable option, consider the Coleman RoadTrip Standing Propane Gas Grill
If you frequently enjoy a weekend camping trip with friends or family the Coleman RoadTrip is something to consider. It folds flat-ish, has sturdy wheels and three adjustable burners. It operates on one-pound gas canisters which means you don’t have to take up precious trunk space with a 20-pound propane tank.
For a natural gas grill, check out the Weber Spirit 3-burner Gas Grill
You can’t always convert propane gas grills to natural gas, so if you’re set on hooking it up to your house's natural gas line then the Weber Spirit is worth checking out. It has a built-in thermometer to help you monitor the temperature while the lid is closed, and it even comes with a 10-foot natural gas hose. With 529 square inches of cooking surface, you’ve got a decent sized main grilling area with an additional warming rack.
If you love bells and whistles, take a gander at the Weber Summit Gas Grill
This grill is monumental, and about as much of a patio fixture as you can get. While it comes with a hefty price tag, this is the type of unit that should last you five to 12 years or longer depending on how you maintain it.
This grill has four main burners, a smoker option, a side burner for pots or pans, and a rotisserie feature. Plus it has that classic backyard, gas-fueled grill look. The Weber Summit is set up for either propane or natural gas.
Safety first
It may not be the glamorous part of grilling, but safety is crucial to making sure your summer doesn’t go up in flames. While you don’t have charcoal embers kicking around, gas is your invisible opponent.
Gas safety involves being mindful of gas leaks, and preventing gas build up. If you smell gas and there’s no reason for that (like the grill is off), don’t light anything nearby, make sure all gas valves are closed, clear the area, and call emergency services to help you find out if you have a gas leak.
Always open the lid of the grill before you click on the gas. This will prevent a gas pocket building under the hood before you ignite it, and gives you a chance to take a look around. Clean the grates while you're in there. It’s also a good idea to keep a fire extinguisher nearby just in case.
The bread component of any sandwich is important but, where grilled cheese is concerned, you have to prioritize the namesake ingredient. Most recipes claim to have the best, most perfect combination of fats and dairy for the ultimate grilled cheese, but what if you’re more of a stretchy-cheese girl? Or maybe a fully melted, liquid cheese puddle is more your vibe. The point of any comfort food is to make yourself happy. Instead of ranking cheeses according my personal preferences, here’s a quick guide to the best cheese for a grilled cheese sandwich for the most important person in the room. (I’m talking about you.)
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
The best cheese for a grilled cheese
Cheese is composed of protein, fat, water, and acid. (Read more about cheese elements here.) Depending on the ratio of those four pillars, you’ll get different reactions when heat is applied. This might mean that you use all of one type of cheese, or you can try pairing cheeses to get different results.
The best cheese for stretchy sandwiches
If a quality cheese-pull is where the party’s at, then that stretchy protein percentage is important.
For major elasticity, try:
Mozzarella
Gouda
Havarti
Gruyère
Lean on younger cheeses, as those aged for over a year lack the moisture to melt and stretch quite as well as their younger counterparts.
The best cheese for gooey sandwiches
Not everyone wants a never-ending cheese pull. Sometimes less stretching and more of a soft, melting cheese is in order. The fat content will play a starring role in this case, allowing the protein clusters to move farther away from each other.
For a cheese that melts so smoothly you could weep, try:
Taleggio
Muenster (by popular demand, and I agree.)
Cheddar
Raclette
Fontina
American (It’s the cheese we all hate to love, but you have to admit, the stuff can melt.)
The best “cheese” for liquid cheese magma
There is a stage past gooey. A place not many choose to go, but if you dare, you could make a grilled cheese that practically erupts with melted dairy. For a nearly liquid cheese sandwich, lean on those with a higher fat and water content. I recommend using very soft cheeses in addition to, well, let’s call them “cheese-type snacks.”
Velveeta
Tostitos Salsa Con Queso
Cheez Whiz
Apply a little heat and they’ll reward you with yellow liquid sin. If you can’t bear to put a cheese-type snack on your sandwich bread, try:
Triple cream brie without the rind
Gournay cheese (like Boursin)
Creamy goat cheese
Good ol’ cream cheese.
Don’t fret, if you want a little bit of everything in your dream-date grilled cheese you should explore some combinations. If you enjoy a little stretch with your melt, layer in some gruyere with your fontina. Add in a secret smear of Cheez Whiz (we all know Philadelphia’s on to something with those cheesesteaks). Be brave. The grilled cheese of your dreams awaits.
Here's my current favorite cheese combination for a slow-running, gooey grilled cheese with the tiniest bit of stretch and a mild cheesy flavor.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe
Ingredients:
2 slices sturdy bread (I cut a grainy ciabatta on a severe bias)
1 tablespoon salted butter
1 slice American cheese
1 ounce havarti
½ ounce muenster
1. Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place one slice, butter-side down, in a frying pan. Don't turn on the heat yet.
2. Layer in the cheeses. If you can't find sliced havardi or muenster, just cut off a hunk and dot the bread with cheese. They're both semi-soft so I like to give them a smash with my fingers to flatten them out.
3. Top the sandwich with the other slice of bread, butter-side up. Turn on the heat to medium-low and put a lid on the pan. The steam and ambient heat will help melt the cheeses thoroughly.
4. Flip the sandwich after a few minutes to brown the other side. There's no need to put the lid on again. Cool briefly on a wire rack before chowing.
There are many lovely carbs I enjoy using as sandwich bread—including pancakes and french toast—but oddly, I rarely use croissants. I prefer to eat those fresh and they’re far too flaky to hold a hearty sandwich together (and I only eat hearty sandwiches). However, day-old croissants, or store-bought packaged croissants are a different story. The crisp flakes have humidified, and instead you have a pocketed buttery bread with a tough eggy skin; the perfect structure for a decadent croque monsieur.
If you haven’t met a croque monsieur before, it’s an elevated ham and cheese sandwich of French origin. It’s usually composed of two crusty sourdough slices, Gruyère cheese, ham, and a smear each of dijon and béchamel sauce. The whole sandwich is toasted until crisp, melty, and golden brown in a buttery pan. Add an egg on top and now you have a croque madame. I told you it was elevated.
Croissants aren’t crusty in the sense that sourdough loaves are crusty, but personally, that’s part of the allure. Sometimes I don’t want eating to be hard work, and that half-inch thick crust is a proper chewing challenge. Aged croissants are buttery, with flaky pockets, and for some sick, deranged reason, I am under the impression that croque monsieurs should be made like French toast. Meaning those airy pockets get filled with creamy custard. Inexplicably, I think I married it with a Monte Cristo or mozzarella in carrozza (which can and should be made in your air fryer), but you know what, this quick soak gives stale croissants new life. That said, if you want to skip the custard bath, you totally can.
How to make a Croissant Monsieur
1. Soak your croissant in custard
Whisk a bit of cream with an egg and salt. Split the croissant in half equatorially and dunk it in the custard to soak up the mixture. Fry the halves in a buttered frying pan just until all sides are lightly browned. Take the pieces out and let them cool briefly on a wire rack.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
As I mentioned, this step is optional since it is my perverted croque-cristo-carrozza fantasy, but I highly suggest it. The custard creates a soft, spongy texture with the bread that I adore. Skip to step two if you’re not interested or you just want to save time. The sandwich will be crisper without the custard.
2. Make the béchamel sauce
Whipping up a small amount of béchamel sauce is easier than it sounds. Heat a quarter cup of milk in the microwave until steaming. Whisk a pat of butter and a tablespoon of all-purpose flour in a small pot until the butter is melted and the mixture has been bubbling for about a minute. While whisking continuously, slowly pour in the warm milk. Turn off the heat and add a pinch of salt and nutmeg.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
3. Build the sandwich
Spread some of the béchamel sauce onto each side of the croissant. Add shredded or thinly sliced Gruyère or swiss cheese on top of the creamy sauce, then add one or two slices of ham. Spread some dijon on the ham and close up the sandwich.
4. Fry it
In the same buttery pan, add a tad more butter and place the sandwich inside. I topped my sandwich with more cheese, but if you plan to flip it then don’t. Put a lid on top and heat the sandwich over medium-low to heat the sandwich through and melt the cheese. After three to five minutes, flip the sandwich to toast the other side. If you’re not flipping it, take it out once the cheese has melted.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
This croissant monsieur is a Level 10 for decadence. The béchamel sauce nestled next to the cheese creates a creamy, stretchy sensation and the outer croissant that was fried in butter is tender but still provides a welcome crisp texture. This sandwich is best enjoyed right away.
Croissant Croque Monsieur Recipe
For the béchamel sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
¼ cup milk, warm
Pinch salt
Pinch ground nutmeg
For the sandwich
1 egg
½ cup cream
½ teaspoon salt
2 croissants (day-old or packaged are best), split
1 teaspoon of butter
½ cup shredded or shaved Gruyère cheese (or any Swiss cheese)
2 slices of ham
Dijon mustard, to taste
1. Make the bèchamel sauce by adding the butter and flour to a small pot over medium heat. Whisk until the mixture bubbles for about a minute, then slowly whisk in the milk until a thick sauce develops. Mix in the salt and nutmeg. Set aside.
2. Melt the teaspoon of butter in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Whisk the egg, cream, and salt in a bowl. Dunk the croissant halves into the custard and add them to the frying pan. Fry them until all sides have lightly browned. Remove the croissants from the pan to a wire rack.
3. Spread the béchamel sauce onto the croissant halves, add the cheese, ham, and a bit of dijon mustard. Close the two sandwiches and put them back in the frying pan. Top them with a little extra cheese if you like and put a lid on the pan. Fry them over medium-low heat until the bottoms are toasty and the cheese in the center is melted. Enjoy immediately.
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