Grapefruit Cinnamon Honey Yogurt

If you picked up a copy of the Brown Daily Herald for Tuesday 12/1, then you'll likely recognize this yogurt creation from the front page! We would like to extend our thanks to Monique for interviewing us and writing about Ratty Gourmet, and I might add that the finishing touch of adding granola to this recipe was Monique's brilliant suggestion.

Grapefruit Cinnamon Honey Yogurt

3/4 cup plain yogurt

1 tsp cinnamon sugar

1/2 grapefruit

drizzle honey

sprinkling of granola

1. Spoon yogurt into bowl. Evenly sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.

2. Cut grapefruit into small sections and arrange on top of yogurt.

3. Add a drizzle of honey, a sprinkling of granola, and enjoy.

Tuna Alfalfa Sandwich

The alfalfa at the V-Dub adds a delicate crisp to the mayo-infused tuna. If you're lucky enough to find fresh multigrain bread, this sandwich becomes a pillow of deliciousness.

Tuna Alfalfa Sandwich

2 slices multigrain bread

3/4 cup alfalfa mixed with 1 tbsp mayo

3/4 cup tuna mixed with 1 tbsp mayo

1 slice swiss cheese

2 slices tomato

pepper

1. Spread one slice of bread with alfalfa mixture.

2. Layer on tuna mixture, tomatoes, and cheese.

3. Add the other slice of bread, cut in half. Bon appetit.

Tofu Veggie Wrap

A healthy vegetarian wrap balancing lean protein, complex carbs, nutrients, and "good" unsaturated fat from peanut butter and sesame oil.

Tofu Veggie Wrap

1 spinach tortilla

4 lettuce leaves

4 slices tomato

4 onion slices

1/2 cup cubed tofu

1/2 cup shredded carrots

Peanut Sesame Sauce

1 Tbsp peanut butter

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp reduced sodium soil sauce

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp ginger powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 Tbsp Hoisin sauce

1. Mix all of the sauce ingredients together.

2. Spread sauce in a line on center of tortilla.

3. Arrange remaining ingredients along the sauce.

4. Fold in the left and right edges and roll everything up. Cut in half.

Chicken Cranberry Quesadilla

It was delicious, except I went a little overboard on the cranberry sauce so some pockets of it were too sweet. Go light on the cranberry and it will match well with the savory chicken and cheese.

Chicken Cranberry Quesadilla

1 sundried tomato tortilla

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp basil infused olive oil

1/3 cup shredded cheese

1 grilled chicken breast, cut into chunks

1/4 cup broccoli floret tips

1/4 cup scallions

2 Tbsp chopped white onions

2 Tbsp cranberry sauce

1. Spread one side of tortilla with butter.

2. Flip tortilla over to non-buttered side and sprinkle 1/2 of the tortilla with cheese and drizzle on olive oil.

3. Top the cheese evenly with chicken, broccoli, scallions, and onions.

4. Spread the other half of the tortilla with cranberry sauce.

5. Fold in half and place on a 200 degree panini press. Cover and press for 5-7 minutes, until tortilla is crispy and cheese has melted.

6. Cut into 4 triangles.

Fruit and Yogurt Salad

It takes a little patience to cut the fruit, but it's worth it! (especially if the kiwis are ripe, the contrary to which we have all adversely experienced) Needless to say, honey with plain yogurt is a classic combo you just can't beat.

Fruit and Yogurt Salad

1 kiwi, cut into bite-sized chunks

1 orange, cut into bite-sized chunks

melon and pineapple chunks

1/2 banana, sliced

1/2 grapefruit, cut into bite-sized chunks

1/2 cup plain yogurt

2 tsp honey

1. Combine fruit in a bowl.

2. Spoon yogurt on top and drizzle with honey.

Cranberry Apple Bagel

The tart cranberries heighten the tangy flavor of the apple jam, while both compliment the smooth cream cheese sandwiched in between.

Cranberry Apple Bagel

1/2 cranberry bagel

1 container cream cheese

2 Tbsp apple jam (pancake toppings)

11 craisins

1. Toast the bagel.

2. Spread with cream cheese, apple jam, and top with craisins.

S'more

S'more

1 graham cracker

2 tsp Nutella

pinch chocolate chips

whipped cream

chocolate sprinkles

1. Break graham cracker in half. Spread one square with Nutella.

2. Sprinkle chocolate chips over Nutella side of cracker.

3. Give it a spritz of whipped cream, sprinkle chocolate sprinkles on top, and enjoy.

Kicked-up Mushroom Tomato Bacon Soup

Ridiculously easy to make, this soup gets an added dimension of creaminess from the melted cheese and a fragrant accent from crisp green scallions.

Kicked-up Mushroom Tomato Bacon Soup

1 bowl of Mushroom Tomato Bacon Soup (or any savory tomato soup)

1/4 cup shredded white cheddar cheese

2 Tbsp sliced scallions

1. Top a bowl of the soup with the cheese.

2. Microwave for 30 seconds.

3. Garnish with scallions.

Chicken Finger Lettuce Wrap

Never underestimate the power of simplicity and balance when it comes to food. Case in point: the chicken finger lettuce wrap. The crispiness of the chicken finger against the creamy mustard sauce, the juicy tomato on the crunchy seasoned crust, the tangy sweet mustard against the savory meat, and the refreshing cool lettuce wrap encapsulating the whole illegally scrumptious concoction.

Chicken Finger Lettuce Wrap

1 chicken finger

2 large lettuce leaves

1 tbsp honey mustard sauce

1 tomato slice

1. Layer one lettuce leaf, chicken finger, tomato, honey mustard sauce, and the other lettuce leaf.

2. Grab it and eat.

Lucky Charms for Dessert

Do we ever need an excuse to eat Lucky Charms? (Or whipped cream, for that matter.)

Lucky Charms for Dessert

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup Lucky Charms

whipped cream

1. Fill cup halfway with skim and/or whole milk (can substitute soymilk).

2. Add 1/3 cup Lucky Charms cereal.

3. Garnish with whipped cream and enjoy!

Garbage Cookies 1

"EEEEWWW. These cookies look like garbage!"

"Now now, must you flatter me so?"

The reason all bakers love garbage cookies.

Inspired by Meeting St Cafe's infamous Garbage Cookie, these use classic college cafeteria goodies as mix-ins. Fast, easy, and customizable-the basic cookie dough can be used for any "kitchen-sink" type of cookie you want (see Garbage Cookies 2 and 3).

Garbage Cookies 1

1 cup salted butter, softened

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup colorful marshmallows

1/4 cup sprinkles

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup Oreo cookie bits

1/4 cup granola

1/4 cup M&M's

1/4 cup Trix cereal

1/4 cup Rice Krispies

1/4 cup cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl with a spatula, beat butter and brown sugar until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Stir in vanilla.

3. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder. Gradually mix into wet ingredients until just combined (don't overmix or else cookies will be tough!). Add desired "garbage" fillings. You can mix these in or sprinkle on top.

4. Drop batter by heaping tablespoons or with a 1 ounce ice-cream scoop onto baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake until golden, about 16-18 minutes. Cool on pan, then remove to foil or plates and enjoy!

Tuna Salad Rye Sandwich

Nothing incredibly novel here, but delicious nonetheless.

Tuna Salad Rye Sandwich

2 slices dark rye bread

2 slices tomato

1/2 cup tuna

1 tbsp chopped white onion

2 pieces lettuce

2 slices Muenster cheese

1 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tbsp honey mustard

pinch black pepper

1. Spread mustard on one slice of bread.

2. Mix tuna with mayo, onions, and pepper.

3. Layer ingredients on bread in order of: tuna mixture, lettuce, tomato, lettuce, cheese.

4. Cut in half and enjoy.

Totoro Bento

A few key ingredients may be absent from the Ratty, but can be found at Sushi Express (instant rice, black sesame, nori).

Totoro Bento

1 7.4 oz container white rice (ready to be steamed in microwave)

1/4 cup black sesame seeds

2-3 slices American Cheese

2 sheets nori (seaweed)

1 slice ham

1/2 cup edamame

3 spears of broccoli

3 lettuce leaves

1. Steam white rice in microwave according to package directions. Let cool, then mix in black sesame seeds in a medium bowl.

2. Form Totoro's body using about 1 cup of mixed rice (wet hands and create an elongated spherical shape). Create two half-golf-ball sized lumps of rice and form into Totoro's hands. Create two small rod-shaped rice pieces for ears. Make an indentation for the mouth.

3. Cut cheese into a semi-circle, place on belly.

4. Cut nori into v-shapes, place on belly.

5. Cut circle-shaped cheese and smaller nori circles for eyes.

6. Cut a circle out of ham to fit in mouth; cut teeth using cheese.

7. For dustball, roll a piece of nori around a golf-ball sized ball of rice, add cheese-circles for eyes.

8. Decorate with lettuce, broccoli spears, edamame, etc.

9. Take a few pictures and enjoy!

Waffles Foster

On those blissful days that the V-Dub serves bananas foster for dessert, we invite you to try our version of waffles foster. It's really nothing more than a classic crispy-on-the-outside and soft-and-elastic-on-the-inside waffle paired with vanilla ice cream and some rich fruit sauces, topped with whipped cream. Simple, but delicious.

Waffles Foster

nonstick spray

2/3 scoop waffle batter (to get the nice serrated edges)

1 scoop vanilla ice cream

1 spoonful bananas in syrup

1 spoonful black cherry sauce

whipped cream

1. Make waffle.

2. Scoop vanilla ice cream onto a plate, pour banana syrup over the top.

3. Spoon black cherry sauce on side.

4. Garnish with waffle and whipped cream.

Blueberry Banana Waffles

These are actually from the V-Dub, not the Ratty, but cafeteria food nonetheless! The bananas mixed into the batter came out warm and gooey, with intensified banana flavor. Just be careful not to add too many bananas because the batter will stick to the waffle maker.

Blueberry Banana Waffles

nonstick spray
1 scant scoop of waffle batter

1 banana, half mashed into large chunks and half sliced

2 scoops blueberry sauce

1. Generously spray waffle machine with nonstick spray.

2. Pour in waffle batter.

3. Drop small chunks of banana and blueberry into the batter in the machine.

4. Cover and cook like you would with a normal waffle.

5. Remove, cut in 4ths, serve with slice bananas and blueberry sauce.

Asian Salad

Inspired by the Cutting Board Asian Chicken Salad, this version is simple and maybe even fresher than the prepackaged version. The sauce is made from Ratty condiments and tastes almost identical to the Asian sesame ginger dressing.

Asian Salad

mixed greens

sliced cucumbers

shredded carrots

diced red bell peppers

cubed tofu

turkey strips

toasted pumpkin seeds

shredded white cheddar cheese

Asian Sesame Ginger Dressing (recipe follows)

Asian Sesame Ginger Dressing

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp old-fashioned peanut butter

1 Tbsp Hoisin Sauce,

1 dash of cracked black pepper (in the soup station)

1/4 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp onion powder (3 shakes)

1/8 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp honey (optional; I didn't put it b/c peanut butter was sweet enough)

1. Assemble salad.

2. Drizzle dressing on top.

Kashi Honey Banana Yogurt

Thick rich banana medallions accent the hearty crunch of Kashi cereal laced with sticky honey, all atop a bowl of silken yogurt for a delicious breakfast. The picture is self-explanatory, but here's the recipe just for kicks:

Kashi Honey Banana Yogurt

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup Kashi Go-Lean Crunch

1 Tbsp honey

8 thick slices of banana

1. Put everything together in a bowl and make it look gorgeous.

2. Dig in.

Turkey Spinach Quesadilla

Crispy ridges on the tortilla from the panini press add unique texture to this quesadilla that oozes melty cheese around pockets of fresh spinach and savory turkey. Brushing the tortilla with melted butter or oil before putting it in the panini press gives it an extra crunch and nice "grill" marks.

Turkey Spinach Quesadilla

1 whole wheat tortilla

1/2 cup shredded white cheddar cheese

1/4 cup shredded turkey

1/2 cup raw baby spinach leaves

2 Tbsp melted butter or olive oil

sour cream, salsa, guacamole (optional)

1. Brush both sides of the tortilla with melted butter or oil. (Or just brush the outside)

2. Fill half of the tortilla with all the remaining ingredients, dispersing them evenly throughout. Fold over the other half to form a half moon.

3. Spray the panini press with nonstick spray and place folded tortilla with fillings on the press.

4. Press for 2-4 minutes, checking every minute until cheese is melted and tortilla is crispy or golden brown.

5. Serve with sour cream, salsa, or guacamole if desired.

Yogurt with Glazed Blueberries and Granola

Perfect for breakfast or dessert.

Yogurt with Glazed Blueberry and Granola

1/2 plain yogurt

1/4 cup Cracklin' Oat Bran cereal

1/4 cup organic granola

1 tbsp blueberry sauce

whipped cream

1. Fill a cup halfway with yogurt.

2. Add Cracklin' Oat Bran cereal and/or granola.

3. Add 1 tbsp of glazed blueberries and garnish with a short burst of whipped cream. Enjoy.

Garbage Cookie 3

The recipe for this is the same as Garbage Cookies 1, except the cookie was baked in a pie tin for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Garbage Cookies 2

A more descriptive name would be along the lines of banana almond apple cinnamon oatmeal sunflower seed granola cookies.

Garbage Cookies 2

1 cup salted butter, softened

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 bananas, mashed

24 almonds

3 packets Apple Cinnamon instant oatmeal

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup granola

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl with a spatula, beat butter and brown sugar until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Stir in vanilla.

3. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder. Add bananas, instant oatmeal, sunflower seeds, and granola.

4. Drop batter by heaping tablespoons or with a 1 ounce ice-cream scoop onto baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Press an almond into the center of each cookie. Bake until golden, about 16-18 minutes. Cool on pan, then remove to foil or plates and enjoy!

Tuna Cranberry Sandwich

Tuna and cranberry make an excellent combo. The tangy and sweet cranberry jam pairs well with the rich, savory tuna, a nice parallel to the classic pairing of tangy mustard with creamy mayo.

Tuna Cranberry Sandwich
2 slices wheat bread
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp cranberry jam
1 tsp mustard
1 lettuce
2 tomatoes
1/4 cup tuna
pinch black pepper
1 slice provolone cheese

1. Mix mayonnaise, jam, mustard and tuna until creamy. Spread onto bread.
2. Layer the rest of the ingredients.
3. Cut in half diagonally and enjoy.

Strawberries and Cream Yogurt

The tangy-ness of the strawberries perfectly complement the silky light whipped cream, which contrasts harmoniously with the crunchy honey granola and cool, refreshing yogurt. Takes seconds to make, and it's a treat for any time of the day.

Strawberries and Cream Yogurt

1 scoop plain yogurt

1/4 cup Oats and Honey Granola

1 scoop strawberries in syrup

1 dollop whipped cream

1. Fill a coffee mug with yogurt, granola, and strawberries.

2. Garnish with whipped cream and devour.

Veggie Patty Rye Sandwich

Veggie Patty Rye Sandwich

2 slices light rye bread

mustard

mayonnaise

3 slices tomato

1 lettuce leaf

1 veggie patty

1 slice provolone cheese

1. Spread mustard and mayonnaise on one side of each bread slice.

2. Place veggie patty on a plate with cheese on top, and microwave for 20 seconds.

3. Lay down tomato, lettuce, veggie patty and cheese between slices of bread.

4. Cut in half and savor.