Welcome to my Playground

“Learn how to cook--Try new recipes, Learn from your mistakes, Be fearless, and above all, HAVE FUN!”--Julia Child

When my kids were tiny, I was determined to instill the love of cooking in them. They sensed my desperation and showed little interest in the kitchen.  There was the time when I embarked on a handmade gingerbread village with my first three year old.  I was starry-eyed, imagining ours would be perfect, just like the photo in the fancy food magazine.  

OK it was a disaster!  What was I thinking?  Perhaps I should have started with a realistic graham cracker milk carton cabin.

We swore off gingerbread projects for awhile, but eventually each of my daughters has come around to the kitchen and there are no more tears involved.  Now we laugh, even if there’s a mistake. (And we enjoy our coffee table book The Gingerbread Architect ).

One by one, I figured out simple tasks that they could master and followed their lead of interest rather than forcing them.

So we started amassing a collection of kitchen tools that were kid-friendly, if not exactly advertised as ‘for kids.’  Maybe your kids (grandkids, nieces, nephews, neighbors) aren’t quite ready for chopping onions with an 8-inch chef’s knife, but they can stir the onions you chopped as they saute.

They can measure, mix, and mash.  They can also spin salad, grate cheese, peel carrots.   Before you know it, you’ll be having tons of fun in the kitchen with your helper at the ready, and in minutes, all smiles, dinner is on the table.

As Rose, an eight-year old cooking student observed, “A kitchen is a classroom in a cook’s world.”  Math, science, reading, writing, and culture are all covered!  Kids have it all figured out--invite them to the kitchen.

For mess-proof cooking with kids, think BIG.  

Big mixing bowls, even for small jobs, help kids keep their ingredients in the bowl rather than spilling out everywhere.  

Big cutting boards also help contain their mess to a minimum.

Cookbooks with colorful illustrations or step-by-step photos engage kids and give them confidence.  A few favorites:  

Salad People, Pretend Soup, and Honest Pretzels, all by Mollie Katzen 

Rick and Lanie’s Excellent Kitchen Adventures by Rick and Lanie Bayless

Cooking on a Stick by Linda White, for campfire cooking fun

CHOP CHOP: The Kids’ Guide to Cooking Real Food with Your Family by Sally Sampson (also available as a magazine subscription)

Counter Intelligence The Best of April’s Kitchen (Smart, Delicious Recipes from my Family to Yours) by Yours Truly

Tools with comfortable handles are great for kids.  They also love colorful gear--mix and match a rainbow of tools.

Cooking is contagious -- spread the love!

Ode to the KitchenAid

My mother marked the arrival of her fourth baby in 1963 with a sparkling stainless steel stand mixer. Hands-free, she could mix cakes from scratch for birthdays, cookies for school parties and church bake sales, and her still-famous roll dough. The KitchenAid rescued this busy mother and curated untold thousands of batches of good things.

Some mothers quiet their fussy babies with a drive around the block, a lullaby in the rocking chair, or with a hopeful pacifier. My mother turned on the KitchenAid mixer, with me, the fifth baby, on her hip. I know this, not because she has told me or because there are photos to prove it, but because to this day, the gentle hum of the KitchenAid mixer makes me feel at ease. It whisks away stress. It restores calm.

When the word came that her mixer ‘quit,’ we kids sprang into action and bought her a new one. In this new age of mail order, it was a one-click transaction, we received our thanks and that was that.

Mom turned 85 last year and it was decided that she needed to downsize from the big house where we were raised, across the street from the ocean, our forever home. We sorted through the decades of photos, memorabilia, the old prom dresses, the shelves of books, each of us selecting a few keepsakes. “Who wants this?” my sister asked. It was a KitchenAid box with the spiffy new logo and image of a white stand mixer. I opened it to find mom’s original mixer, the one that quit years ago. Abandoning the photo drawer, I pulled the shiny mixer from the box, inspected it, and clutched it like my firstborn. 

Mom is happily settled into her new home, a manageable 2 bedroom condo with a perfect kitchen, across the street from the ocean. Her white KitchenAid is dusted with flour from the Thanksgiving roll dough. The Original now graces my counter in the hopes that she will fire up as she once did, making cakes by the batch and singing me her sweet lullaby.

Butter Horn Rolls

Recipe adapted from Duncan Hines Adventures in Good Cooking and The Art of Carving in the Home. I promise, these are worth the effort!  

Makes 3 dozen

• 4 cups unbleached flour
• 2 teaspoons ‘instant’ yeast (Rapid Rise)
• 3/4 cup butter at cool room temperature (1 1/2 sticks)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup milk at room temperature
• additional flour for the work surface

Whisk together the flour and yeast in a medium bowl.

Cream the butter, sugar, and salt together in a large mixing bowl, preferably using a stand mixer and the paddle attachment. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Pour in the eggs and milk, then add the flour/yeast mixture. Mix together on low speed until well blended. (Draping a kitchen towel over the whole mixer will help prevent the flour from flying out). Scrape the bowl down to the bottom to ensure everything is well incorporated. (OR get a Sideswipe paddle attachement for KitchenAid!)

Cover the bowl with a clean towel and allow it to rise until doubled, about one and a half hours.

Fold the risen dough with a large spoon or scraper. Transfer to a one gallon size zip-top bag and chill at least 6 hours or up to 3 days.

For Crescent Rolls:

Roll out one third of the dough on a well-floured cloth to a 1/4-inch thick round. Cut the dough into 12 triangles (like a pizza). Roll each triangle into a crescent roll shape, starting at the outer wide end. Place the rolls 2-inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.

Cover each sheet with a clean towel and allow the rolls to rise until doubled, about one and a half hours.

Bake uncovered at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets before removing to a basket. Serve warm.

Discover a New Recipe

How do you get a room full of kids (and their reluctant cooking teacher) to eat their just-harvested beets? Whirl them into some homemade hummus! When I was invited to cook with a group of students from SCRATCH, a community garden program focusing on youth who bring their farm to the table, I couldn't believe my luck. They arrived with about a bushel of beets which we scrubbed and roasted and then let the food processor do the work of turning our golden hummus into a hot pink discovery. Then it disappeared just as magically. These happy growers are amazing kitchen hands and I can't wait to see what they harvest next. Happy Cooking!

Hot Pink Hummus

We made a double batch of classic hummus, then scooped out half and added the beets to the processor. A couple of swirls of the machine and gold turned to the most amazing pink

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 (15-ounce) can chick peas, drained and rinsed
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for storing
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2 small beets, roasted until tender and peeled

PULSE the garlic in a food processor to mince. Add the drained chick peas, lemon zest and juice and boiling water. Blend for 3 minutes, scraping the side of the container after 1 minute. Add the olive oil, salt, and beets and blend until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and drizzle the top with a bit of olive oil to keep from drying out. Refrigerate for up to 1 week

Blackened Mahi Mahi

Growing up in Florida with the warm Atlantic ocean in my backyard was the best possible environment for a kid, except when it came to dinner.  I flat refused to savor its bounty when it was served on my plate.  This delicacy, fresh from the salty sea, was a near-daily offering and I would have no part of it.  Eighteen years of no.

Then I went to college, an hour and some change from my beloved playground.  I craved the salt, missed having sand between my toes.  I longed for my mom’s home cooking and forgot all about her spectacular fish dishes.  I craved home.

When my older sister moved to the Virgin Islands, I couldn’t wait to visit her.  Independent college student, going to the Caribbean!  I invited my surfer boyfriend/now husband, and off we went to ‘America’s Paradise’ for a Spring Break getaway. Every day adventure and a return to home cooking.  It was such a treat to eat ‘real food’ for a change.  

One night my sister and her husband offered to treat us to dinner out to their favorite little restaurant, The Fishnet.” On our way there, I wondered if I would let my guard down and give fresh fish another try.  It had been a few years since my mom had tried to force feed me.  Maybe this was the time?

We entered the quaint fresh air eatery with a fishnet draped above, serving as a roof.  We were seated at a four-top overlooking the sparkling sea.  Paradise. The waiter in his island t-shirt and tattered ankle-length jeans served us tropical drinks as I ogled the plates passing by.  “That looks delicious!  I’m having THAT!” I decided.  It was the house specialty, the day’s freshest catch, completely encrusted in a sheath of spices. “Do you even like fish?” my sister asked.

At that moment, I completely got swept up in the ‘when in Rome’ phenomenon and placed my order.  “I’d like the fresh catch, blackened,” I said, feeling incredibly grown up.  No one was there cajoling me, mom wasn’t there forcing me.  This was my decision and it felt really good.

Still smoking hot from its cast iron skillet, this gorgeous, crispy black filet was elegantly delivered before me.  Cracking my fork through the aromatic crust, I took the first bite.  Tender, flaky, crunchy, spicy.  Delicious.  From that moment, I realized that I had been missing out my whole life. I mentally apologized to my mom, one of the best cooks on earth, for all those years of rejection.

Returning home for a summer visit, I asked mom what she was planning for dinner.  “I have some fish,” she said apologetically.  My eyes lit up.  “Where’s your iron skillet?”

Looking ahead to an upcoming trip home to the coast, I offer you a taste of fresh fish that is sure to convert you! How sad that when I fell in love with fresh fish, I also moved far away from the coast.  Lucky for us in Charleston, we can head to Joe’s Fish Market for really great fish and service to match.

You can find brothers Joe and Robin Harmon behind the counter at Joe's Fish Market year-round. Robin took a quick break to wave my "30 Days of Kitchen Fun" calendar and I hear he's quite a fisherman when his work schedule allows.

Blackened Mahi Mahi

Most firm-fleshed fish work well in this preparation.  At Joe’s, the mahi mahi came highly recommended.  It cooked up perfectly!  Though commercial ‘blackening’ spice blends are available, they often contain a lot of salt.  I prefer to blend my own.

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme 
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 four to six ounce skinless firm fleshed fish filets (halibut, salmon, mahi mahi work well)

Heat the oven to 375. Mix the paprika, thyme, salt, cayenne, and garlic powder together in a small bowl. Transfer the mixture to a large plate or pie pan. Brush the fish on both sides with the olive oil. Carefully dip the filets into the seasoning mixture, turning to coat each side. 

(If using smaller filets, you may have some spice mixture remaining--stir it into the liquid for cooking rice or quinoa, or discard if not using right away)

Heat a large cast iron skillet(12-inch) over medium-high heat. When the skillet just starts to smoke, add the filets and cook for 2 minutes.  Carefully turn the filets over and transfer the skillet to the oven and finish cooking for about 5-7 minutes--the fish will feel just-firm when pressed at the center.  (Cooking time will vary depending on oven and thickness of fish).

Serve with Fruit Salsa (recipe follows)

Fruit Salsa

If I was in our Florida backyard, I’d grab some mangoes for this salsa. In West Virginia summers, I pick fresh peaches. Pineapple works in the off-season.

• 2 cups chopped fresh fruit
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 small Roma tomato, chopped
• 1/4 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped (or to taste)
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro

Toss the fruit with the lemon juice in a medium bowl. Add the chopped tomato, bell pepper, green onions, jalapeno pepper, and cilantro. Stir gently to combine. Serve with the fish.

Fried Rice, Your Way

“The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.”--Albert Einstein

Whenever I need to jumpstart my recipe repertoire, I turn to the library.  Sure there are some hundreds, even thousands of cooking blogs and websites, many of which I turn to daily.  However, nothing quite compares to thumbing through a great cookbook.

My cookbook collection grows exponentially every time I visit the library.  My shelves overflow with great cooking titles, yet I can never get enough.  I love visiting the ‘new arrivals’ section, bring several home, and without fail fall in love. There are some I find I couldn’t live without and purchase a few from time to time, finding room on my crowded shelves.  The Seductions of Rice by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid is a top-ten in my collection, and I first discovered it at the library.

My cooking education began at my mother’s knee and continues today with every book I read.  I’ve been accused of reading cookbooks like novels and it’s absolutely true.  I can’t get enough. I’m currently entrenched in Mark Kurlansky’s new book International Night, soaking up the flavors of cultures from across the globe. Fascinating facts and trivia mingle with recipes in this hefty tome penned by Kurlansky and his 14-year old daughter Talia.  My kind of book!  

The Kurlanskys present a culinary world tour to us hungry readers, marching us along from Andalusia ‘where two continents meet’ to Japan ‘a very crowded island nation with the world’s longest life expectancy,’ stopping along the way to sip, sample, and stir in every corner of civilization.

I’m swept away and suddenly realize it’s time to cook dinner.

I turn to The Best Homemade Kids’ Lunches on the Planet by Laura Fuentes and find a perfectly delicious no-fuss Fried Rice recipe.  The headnotes are right up my alley--‘no measurements to follow and just some simple rules: use leftover rice.’ I just happen to have cold rice from last night’s dinner and only a few minutes before everyone’s starving.  Then I can quickly get back to my awaiting stack of books.

Better-Than-Takeout Fried Rice

tweak according to your whim and what you have on hand

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups mixed chopped vegetables (I’m going with carrot, green onion, and frozen peas)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3/4 cup cooked diced chicken or tofu , or a handful of cashews
• 3 cups leftover cold cooked rice

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, add the egg and let sit until it bubbles and just the center remains uncooked. Carefully turn the ‘egg pancake’ and cook another minute until done.Transfer to a plate and cut into small squares.  Set aside.

Add the vegetables to the skillet and stir to coat with the residual oil. Reduce the heat to medium, drizzle with the soy sauce and cover.  Cook 1 minute to quick-steam the vegetables. (Depending on type and size of vegetables, time may vary). Add the chicken or tofu and toss to combine.

Add the rice and stir gently to combine. Cook, covered, for 3 minutes to heat the rice through. Then uncover and cook a few extra minutes, if desired, to sear rice.Gently fold in the cooked egg and serve with chopsticks.

Serves 4

Sunshine in a Glass

Fresh squeezed OJ is nature's gift to get us through the dark days of Winter. It will fix what ails you, just sweet enough and rich with pulp, it's like drinking sunshine. Growing up on the East Coast of Central Florida, sandwiched between the warm Atlantic Ocean and miles upon miles of citrus groves, fresh squeezed OJ was a weekly ritual at our house. On Sundays, we would stop at a roadside stand to buy our supply of fresh citrus. I still remember the simple sign "Juicing Oranges" and a farmer in his Sunday overalls and fedora would load a bulging brown grocery sack into the back of our station wagon. At home, we cut them in half and took turns squeezing a bushel of golden fruit. The pulp and tiny seeds escaped from the juicer into the pitcher and into each awaiting glass. I just picked up a sack of Florida oranges in my West Virginia grocery store. I am ready for Winter.

Pizza Night in the Comfort of your Kitchen

A bulky but rather lightweight package arrived at my kitchen door.  It was addressed to me, strangely enough.  The sender label read ‘Primal Kitchen’ and I ripped open the box to reveal its contents--a gorgeous walnut pizza peel and a note from my daughter in college:

“Happy very late Mother’s Day and kind of late Father’s Day!  I hope you have plenty of patio pizza parties and I can’t wait to get in on them when I get home.” Of course I cried as I read the note aloud and we all reminisced about our tasty family tradition, pizza night at home.

At our house, it’s an all hands on deck affair.  I make the dough and everyone jumps in making sauce, grating cheeses, and prepping the toppings. For years, this happened like clockwork every Friday night.  Neighbors joined in on the fun and we have experimented with every possible topping combination, working lots of fresh veggies into the mix.

As our kids have gotten older, the frequency of this fun tradition has fallen off, though we pull it instantly back into the rotation whenever the mood strikes. It’s heartwarming to know that my faraway college student is eager to come home and rekindle the family pizza custom. I urge you not to delay, start a pizza tradition at your home today!

A few tips for successful pizza night

• heat pizza stone at 500 on the bottom rack of the oven. 
• lightly coat a pizza peel or a rimless baking sheet with cornmeal--stretch your dough on top of the cornmeal, then top the pizza.  Carefully slide the pizza off the peel or baking sheet and onto the hot stone (always check to see that the pizza hasn’t glued itself to the pizza peel before attempting to launch it onto the stone. Give a gentle shake of the peel--if the pizza seems to be stuck in any place, carefully lift up the dough and sprinkle a little more cornmeal on the peel)
• dough can be baked on a pizza pan or cookie sheet if you don’t have a stone; first lightly oil the sheet before laying down the dough.

Pizza Dough

This dough can be made in a Kitchenaid mixer with a dough hook, but the food processor works well for a single batch of dough. This makes enough for 3 large pizzas If making a double batchfor a pizza party! you will need to use the Kitchenaid. -- if you want to start off slow, you can chill the remaining dough balls for up to 2 days, or freeze them, well wrapped, for 2 months.

• 1 teaspoon Instant Yeast (also called "rapid rise")
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 to 1 1/4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• additional olive oil for bowl for rising, and for handling dough

COMBINE yeast, flour, and salt in the container of a food processor and pulse a few     times to blend.  Turn the machine on and add 1 cup water and 2 Tablespoons olive oil     through the feed tube. Process for about 1 minute, adding more water 1 tablespoon at a     time, until the mixtureforms a ball and is slightly sticky to the touch.  If it is dry, add     another tablespoon of water and process for 10 more seconds.  If the dough is too sticky,     add flour a tablespoon at a time. You want the dough to just barely stick to your fingertip.

KNEAD the dough with lightly oiled hands for a few seconds to form a smooth round     ball. Divide the dough into 3 balls. Brush a baking dish with a drizzle of olive oil and     place the dough balls in it.  Gently roll the dough around so that each ball is lightly coated     with oil and will not dry out.  Place the balls apart so they have room to rise.   

Cover the dish with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm draft-free area until the dough     doubles in size, usually about 1 hour (aha! the time it takes to make sauce, toppings, and     get the oven preheated) .The dough can rise slowly in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours, if     that is more convenient.  Let the chilled dough sit at room temperature for a few minutes before shaping.

Color is king when it comes to fabulous pizzas -- this one with Roma tomatoes, red onion, and asparagus.

Quick Pizza Sauce

I like to keep this sauce on hand to make English muffin pizzas for quick after-school snacks.  It can also be tossed with hot pasta as an easy marinara

• 2 cups canned diced tomato (I like to use Muir Glen crushed tomato)  
• 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• salt and pepper to taste

    Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. (Quick!)Refrigerate leftovers for up to a week.

Spinach and Garlic Pizza

This is a family favorite!  When we moved from Houston, we craved the pizzas that we fell in love with at STAR Pizza.  I called them for their recipe for “Joe’s Pizza” and they wouldn’t share, so here’s our version. Really the BEST part about pizza night is everyone jumping in with topping ideas -- have fun creating your own favorites.

Start with a ball of dough and some quick pizza sauce, top with 

• 6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (or fontina) and can be supplemented with asiago, parmesan or feta

For sautéed spinach and garlic:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
• 5 ounce bag fresh ‘baby’ spinach
• salt and pepper

HEAT oil and garlic in large skillet over low heat until oil begins to shimmer and stir a few minutes until garlic gently sizzles.  When garlic is almost tender, add spinach to skillet a handful at a time, and add 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring to evenly wilt spinach.  Remove from heat and season with pepper.

SPREAD pizza dough. Spoon about 1/2 cup of pizza sauce over dough. Sprinkle cheese over sauce. Distribute sautéed spinach and garlic over the top. Bake ina very hot oven (preheated to 500) for 10-15 minutes.

30 Days of Kitchen Fun!

My friends at I Love Nice People are rolling out  "A Month of Niceness" campaign, a great reminder to all of us to join them in doing a nice deed every day for the month. Their suggestion for today is "talk to someone who seems lonely" and of course my personal favorite is this Saturday's tip: "Make breakfast for your friends." I love their idea and checked in with Kate Webster, college student and co-founder of ILNP to ask about kicking off a similar calendar "30 Days of Kitchen Fun". In addition to granting approval for me to mimic her concept, she made the calendar for me. Talk about NICE!

Kate and I share some fun kitchen history--For her 10th birthday, she celebrated in the teaching kitchen with her friends and I was the lucky one who cooked alongside these cute 4th graders. I remember the scenario well--I had donated a class as part of a Hurricane Katrina fundraiser that our school was hosting and Kate's parents bought it. Next thing you know, the kitchen was full of giggling 4th grade girls. We had a ball and are in search of the photos to share the memories. 

Have a NICE day, and Happy Cooking!

Pastel de Tres Leches

Dreaming of jack-o-lanterns and sugar skulls, my mind is on holiday baking. Life’s pace of late has been unsustainable, so I’m off to the kitchen for some slow-down therapy. I’ve always been intrigued by the traditional fiesta cake “pastel de tres leches” and decided to give it a whirl for my daughter’s Spanish class Day of the Dead party. After poring over page after page of recipes, I settled on one from Pati Jinich of Pati’s Mexican Table. I’ve heard Pati on The Splendid Table radio show and each time I want to stop what I’m doing and dive into the kitchen with her. Here goes!

The cake is a magical blend of fluffy egg whites and creamy whipped yolks, sweetened with sugar and a good glug of vanilla, then folded with flour and baked.

The true alchemy occurs when the cake comes out of the oven. You pierce the cake all over with a fork and infuse it with a mixture of 3 milks--whole, evaporated, and sweetened condensed. I took a chance on caramelizing my sweetened condensed milk, a fascinating conversion that happens when you gently boil the unopened can in a pot of water.

The tasters responded with cheers of the highest praise: “It tastes like flan-cake!” Whether you’re celebrating The Day of the Dead or just need some down time in the kitchen, you’ll wow your tasting panel with this festive cake, perfect for any occasion.

Pastel de Tres Leches

adapted from Pati’s Mexican Table

For the cake:

• 9 eggs, separated
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups unbleached flour

For the leche syrup:

• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk, preferably caramelized (see recipe below)
• 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

For the topping:

• 11/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

HEAT the oven to 350. Buttera 13 x 9-inch baking pan and line the bottom with a piece of buttered parchment paper.

WHIP the egg whites on medium speed with a stand mixer until they are foamy. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip in the sugar one tablespoon at a time while the mixer is running. Continue beating until the whites hold stiff peaks, about 5 to 7 minutes total. Transfer the whipped whites to a large mixing bowl and set aside.

POUR the egg yolks into the bowl for the stand mixer and beat on medium-high speed until thick and pale gold in color, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the vanilla to combine. Fold the beaten yolks into the egg whites.

SPRINKLE the flour over the egg mixture and fold gently to combine, scraping with a spatula so that the flour is well mixed. Pour the thick batter into the prepared pan and bake until the cake is golden-tan and puffy, and a toothpick comes out clean, about 22 minutes. Cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then loosen the edges of the cake with a blunt knife.

TURN the cake out onto the cooling rack, remove the parchment, then invert the cake onto a large serving platter. Place strips of parchment paper around the perimeter of the cake, tucking them just beneath the cake’s edges. Poke the cake all over with a fork (I used a wide-tonged serving fork to make large-ish holes)--the top of the cake will look like a sponge.

MIX the leche syrup ingredients together in a large bowl or quart-sized Pyrex pitcher (you can do this while the cake is baking. If using caramelized sweetened condensed milk, you will need to whisk it well to get a smooth sauce). Drizzle the leche syrup evenly over the cake.

WHIP the cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla until fluffy and spread over the top of the cake and chill for one hour. Cut into squares and serve.

Muchas gracias to Pati for this recipe!

If you want to caramelize your can of sweetened condensed milk, remove the label from the can and place the unopened can on its side in a pot of water, covering the can with an additional inch or so of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low to keep the water at a low boil. Cover the pot and cook for 3 hours, making sure the water level stays above the can.

Using tongs, remove the can from the water and let cool before opening carefully. You will have a thick, golden caramel.

I got hooked on this when my aunt came for a visit when I was tiny. She made this, and we watched in amazement as she opened up the can of milk to reveal caramel sauce. She spooned it over vanilla ice cream topped with fresh pineapple and a sprinkle of dried currants. Such a fun food flashback!

Texas Trash (It's mighty reckless to mess with Texas)

Kickoff is looming and you’re in charge of the snacks. Raid the pantry and toss together a tasty cereal mix with a twist. Take the traditional back-of-the-box idea to the Southwest and pour on some spice.

Start with crisp cereal squares (or hexagons if you’re going with Crispix) and toss in a cup or two of this and that--pumpkin seeds (out of the shell pepitas), nuts, sunflower seeds, small pretzels, corn chips, cheese crackers (fish or bunny shapes are a fun bonus). 

Drizzle on the spice, I like to go bold with Chipotle Tabasco, and bake until crisp. You can check on it and stir from time to time as the scent drifts from the kitchen into the living room.

This concoction has become a party staple and one that never turns out the same way twice. All credit to my spice-stained copy of The El Paso Chile Company’s Texas Border Cookbook by W.Park Kerr and Norma Kerr. They call it Texas Trash, and since we don’t want to mess with Texas, we’ll leave the name alone. Feel free to tweak the formula and give it your own personal brand. Either way, it’s a winner.

Texas Trash

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 to 4 tablespoons hot sauce 
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons Ancho chile powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 cups mixed cereal squares ( I use Crispix and multigrain)
• 2 cups mini cheese crackers
• 2 cups small corn chips
• 2 cups small pretzels
• 1 cup pepitas
• 1 cup roasted peanuts
• 1 cup sunflower seeds

HEAT the oven to 250.

COMBINE the butter, olive oil, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Ancho chile powder, oregano, and cumin in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish and bake for 5 minutes to melt the butter.

TOSS the cereal squares, cheese crackers, corn chips, pretzels, pepitas, peanuts, and sunflower seeds in a large bowl to combine.

POUR the cereal mixture into the baking dish with the spiced butter and stir to coat evenly.

RETURN the dish to the oven and bake, stirring every 10 minutes, for 1 hour. 

LET COOL and serve in a large bowl or pack in an airtight tin for 2 or 3 days. 

SHARE the bounty, scooping servings into festive gift containers.

Makes 12+ cups