easy

Fluffernutter Stuffed Dates

November 18, 2022 by Lee 1 Comment

The word “fluffernutter” will likely bring a wave of nostalgia to anyone who grew up in New England. It was the essential grade school sandwich: peanut butter and marshmallow fluff on squishy white bread. In my house, we took it one step further and couldn’t imagine a Thanksgiving dinner that didn’t feature a dish of fluffernutter stuffed dates alongside the pies for dessert. Peanut butter and fluff? And technically fruit, too? Yes, please! Plus this is a no-cook recipe that is doable for even the youngest kitchen helpers.

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Greek Burgers

August 20, 2018 by Lee 2 Comments

Greek Burgers. Opa! I can’t say “Greek burgers” without hearing the words in my head, spoken in the voice of one of the uncles from “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”. Pass the Windex!

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This dish was inspired by another trip to Santorini. One of our teenage sons was craving a burger. You know, just a plain old, normal, American style burger. When his meal arrived, it was not what he expected–but a family favorite was born.

The restaurant proudly described the dish as a blend of meats, seasoned, and stuffed with cheese and they did not disappoint. The football-shaped burgers fit perfectly into a wedge of pita bread. Add a dollop of tzatziki and maybe a cucumber salad on the side and you will say “Opa!”, too!

Ingredient Notes

Meat: I generally use lamb and beef, but feel free to substitute pork for part of the total. Because ground lamb tends to have a higher fat content, it’s ok to use leaner (90%) beef. If you think you don’t like lamb, or haven’t really tried it, this is a good recipe to test the waters. You might be surprised!

Cheese: I always use Laughing Cow Creamy Light Swiss Cheese. It is soft and easy to shape in the burgers, but holds together pretty well once cooked. Besides, each box has eight wedges which will yield 16 2oz burgers–exactly the same as the two pounds of meat. Perfect!

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Cuban: the gateway bread

August 9, 2018 by Lee 3 Comments

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Cuban style bread might be the ultimate introductory recipe to bread baking at home. For the purists, this recipe is “Cuban style” because it does not contain lard, which is an essential component. But it is fast, simple, delicious and almost foolproof! Give it a try….this recipe is so rewarding that before you know it you will be tempted to explore other types.

People always seem impressed when you say that you bake your own bread….if they only knew how easy it can be! The bread that we are making today is crispy on the outside and soft in the middle; it lacks the complexity and chewy texture of artisan bread, but it makes up for that in speed and versatility. And did I mention it’s delicious?!

This bread is great on its own, but it really shines in a sandwich. Slice a loaf horizontally, fill with your favorite ingredients and cook on a griddle or in a panini press. Maybe even make a Cuban sandwich!

Stay tuned for the next post where I will give you some ideas for other ways to use this dough.

A note on ingredients:

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