Vishesh's 5-Minute Matzo Crumble

We're in the middle of Passover, and there are matzo crackers in the Ratty every day. With such crunchy texture and unassuming flavor, they just beg to be crushed and re-purposed. I tried to keep this crumble as kosher as possible by avoiding corn syrup and oats, but there is enormous potential for variation on this base.

Since the key ingredients are all pretty mellow, you can easily infuse whatever flavor you like with fruit pieces, zests, or juices! A good squeeze of lemon juice permeates the taste and aroma, but I've tried similarly delicious versions this week with half a teaspoon of orange juice, apple juice, or peanut butter instead. Oats or granola can be substituted for some of the matzo for added crunch, and if ice cream is used instead of yogurt, the cold will help it harden so the minute waiting can be skipped! :)

5-Minute Matzo Crumble 
2 packets of sugar
2 pats of butter
1 lemon slice
1 tsp of honey
1 large matzo cracker (e.g. Manischewitz)
plain yogurt (soft serve)

Add the sugar, butter, honey, and a full squeeze of lemon juice to a bowl, and melt the butter in the microwave for 10 seconds. Crush the matzo into small pieces, and add it to the bowl. Stir well, so that the matzo is all lightly coated. Press the matzo to crush it further and form a thinner layer. Microwave for 15 seconds, stir and press again, and microwave for another 15 seconds. Allow a minute to let it set, top with yogurt, and enjoy!

Nadya's Dessert Panini

Who says panini need to be savory? Sandwich some sliced banana between bread spread with creamy nutella, sweetened with a drizzle of honey - and see how wonderfully sweet panini can be! Thank you to Nadya for sharing this recipe.

Nadya's Dessert Panini 
Two slices of bread
One chopped banana
Nutella
Honey
Cinnamon sugar

Spread nutella on the bread. Add the chopped bananas.  Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar if desired.  Put it in the panini press for approximately 2 minutes or until golden brown.

*Please do not use peanut butter in the panini press to be considerate of those who have allergies! Thanks!

Nadya's Soft Serve Affogato

If you've never had an affogato, take your right hand and grab your left shoulder and your left hand and grab your right shoulder and squeeze. Our condolences. You've been missing out on an Italian dessert of luscious vanilla gelato doused in smooth espresso. But fear not! Nadya came up with a way to almost recreate the dessert in the Ratty - now how do you say Ratty in Italian?

Nadya's Soft Serve Affogato
soft-serve vanilla ice cream
hot coffee
chocolate sprinkles (or whatever toppings you desire)

Put ice cream in a mug. Pour coffee inside. Immediately after, add chocolate sprinkles or other topping(s) on top.

Vishesh's Berry Tostadas

Tostada means "toasted" in Spanish. Usually, the "toasted" is referring to the golden fried tortilla upon which toppings, usually of the savory variety, are piled. Owing to the delightful cornucopia of seasonal ingredients at the Ratty and the boundless creativity of Brown students, tostadas at the Ratty need not be restricted by their usual meat and salt-laden accompaniments.

Special thanks to Vishesh Jain for emailing us with this elegant recipe for berry tostadas! According to Vishesh, these crunchy chips can be topped with "all kinds of yogurts and berries" - truly a recipe that is only limited by one's imagination (and the whims of the Ratty).

Vishesh's Berry Tostadas
strawberries, sliced
raspberries
blueberries
tostada chips
whipped cream
honey
mint leaves, shredded

Spread tostada chips in a circular monolayer on plate. Put dollops of whipped cream on top, then top with berries. Garnish with mint and a drizzle of honey.

Kiwi's Breakfast Pumpkin Pie

With the leaves changing color and autumn in the air, we are delighted to welcome the new season with this breakfast pumpkin pie created by Kiwi Lee. Special thanks to Kiwi for her lovely photos - the blurry Times in the background is undoubtedly a subtle yet deliberate prod to vote in the upcoming election. While you mull over who to pick to lead our country, the vitamin A in your pumpkin and cranberries will sharpen your vision for choosing the better candidate...

Kiwi's Breakfast Pumpkin Pie 

2/3 coffee cup pumpkin (from the morning steel-cut oatmeal bar)
dash of cinnamon and nutmeg
1 Tbsp pumpkin seeds, craisins, and/or granola - your pick!
1/3 coffee cup soymilk, milk, or French Vanilla creamer
brown sugar, sugar or splenda (optional, to taste)
1 pinch salt

In a coffee cup, preferably the new tall kind from the Ratty:
Fill up about 2/3 with the pumpkin available in the morning steel-cut oatmeal bar. Sprinkle a dash or two of cinnamon and nutmeg (Tip from Kiwi: I like a 2:1 ratio. Also, be careful not to add too much--cinnamon/nutmeg can get bitter and overwhelming.).

Add a spoonful of pumpkin seeds, craisins, and/or granola for a bit of texture and crunch. Fill cup the rest of the way with either Original or Vanilla soymilk. (Vanilla's much sweeter than the Original but it adds flavor, too! You could always use regular milk as well.) This makes the mash smoother and creamier, but make sure to leave a little room so you can mix at the end. Sweeten to taste with brown sugar (preferred), sugar, Splenda, etc. (I usually add two packets of Splenda with original soymilk and that turns out just right for me.)

PRO TIP: Add a dash of salt, but not too much! It really enhances all of the other flavors. Mix together. Enjoy chilled or pop it in the microwave to have it warm. For added crunch, garnish with a mix of brown sugar and granola.

Olive Oil Ice Cream Sundae

There's a delicious ice cream shop in San Francisco called BiRite Creamery. It has quality ice cream AND soft serve, and their caramel sauce is incredible...teetering on the brink of amazing flavor complexity and bitter burnt-ness. They have something called "Sam's Sundae" which combines chocolate ice cream, fruity olive oil, sea salt, and whipped cream. We've never tried it, but the idea of olive oil on ice cream has been fascinating to us. This sundae, created by Yanqiang Tan, combines oilve oil with the signature Ratty vanilla soft serve and rice krispies. The flavors of the olive oil and ice cream complement each other fabulously. Don't trust us, try it for yourself.

Olive Oil Ice Cream Sundae

by Yanqiang Tan

1 3.5 second swirl of vanilla ice soft serve

1 split second drizzle of olive oil

1 sprinkle of rice krispies

1. Get ice cream.

2. Drizzle with olive oil.

3. Sprinkle with rice krispies.

Three Course Meal

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, school is once more in full swing. Is there anything better than being welcomed back into the warm innards of our faithful friend, the Ratty, and sitting down to a three course meal a la soft serve machine and microwave? Before you answer, please wipe that drool from your chin.

Dessert: Honey Balsamic Drizzled Vanilla Soft Serve with Pepitas (inspired and approved by renowned pastry chef Yanqiang Tan)

Main: Slow-Roasted Beef with Garden Vegetables, Kidney Beans, and Melted Cheese

Appetizer: Creamy Pepperjack Mushrooms (by guest chef Yanqiang Tan)

Wrong order, you say? You got a problem with dessert first? I'm sorry we can't be friends anymore...But I digress. Allow me to analyze the beauty of this meal. Beef, broccoli, mushrooms, and cheese are just meant for each other. They are like good friends you shouldn't separate. The hearty richness of the beef and creamy, milky, salty cheese create the perfect umami base for refreshing broccoli and savory earthy mushrooms. And the assertive flavors of balsamic and honey are smoothed out by bright notes of vanilla and the warm crunch of pepitas. Bon appetit!

Creamy Pepperjack Mushrooms

1/2 cup mushrooms

1 1/2 slices pepperjack cheese

1. Place mushrooms in a bowl. Top with cheese.

2. Microwave on high for 60 seconds until cheese is melted and bubbly and mushrooms are cooked through.

Slow-Roasted Beef with Garden Vegetables, Kidney Beans, and Melted Cheese

1 plate of broccoli and spinach

1/4 cup kidney beans

1/4 cup mushrooms

1/4 cup shredded cheese

1/2 cup braised beef

1. Place a plate upside down over a plate piled high with broccoli and spinach. Microwave for 2 minutes, or until veggies are just cooked through.

2. Add mushrooms, kidney beans, and cheese. Microwave for 50 seconds just to melt the cheese.

3. Spoon beef on top.

Honey Balsamic Drizzled Vanilla Soft Serve with Pepitas

1 small bowl of ice

2.1784 second swirl of vanilla soft serve

drizzle of honey

dash of balsamic vinegar

a few shakes of pepitas

1. Dispense vanilla soft serve on a bowl filled with ice.

2. Carefully dodge people holding trays as you speed-walk to the salad bar dressings. Working quickly so ice cream doesn't melt, drizzle honey over soft serve and add a splash of balsamic vinegar.

3. Shake some pepitas over ice cream.

Nathan's Vanilla Soft Serve

In honor of the end of another year at Brown, and in celebration of the summer to come. A warm thanks to our friend Nathan who graciously allowed me to intrude upon his enjoyment of this humble yet intensely addictive frozen treat, courtesy of the beloved V-dub soft serve machines. 'til next semester, adieu!

Nathan's Vanilla Soft Serve

cake cone

vanilla soft serve

Dispense the soft serve into a neat spiral on cake cone, and enjoy when the sun's out...or any time you feel like it.

Carrot Cake with Cinnamon Apples

Because two layers are better than one, and because cinnamon apples and whipped cream are better than no cinnamon apples and whipped cream.

Carrot Cake with Cinnamon Apples

1 piece of carrot cake

cinnamon apples with some sauce

whipped cream

cinnamon

Cut the carrot cake in half diagonally and stack the slices. Serve with cinnamon apples, sauce, a dusting of cinnamon, and whipped cream.

Maggie's S'mores Dessert Made with Love

Our friend, Maggie, came up with this delightful dessert which combines crumbled up s'mores bars with swirled soft serve and chocolate sauce from the V-dub. It is a sweet treat that is made with love.

Maggie's S'mores Dessert Made with Love

1 s'mores bar

1.5-second serving of swirled soft serve

1 spoonful of chocolate sauce

1. Break the s'mores bar into chunks and place it in a bowl.

2. Dispense soft serve on top in a pretty swirl.

3. Drizzle with chocolate sauce. Taste the love!

Adela's Lucky Green Jello Sundae

Thank you, Adela, for letting me "kidnap" your jello to snap this photo! To anyone who has yet to experience the magical combination of green jello and Ratty soft serve, please give this lovely concoction a try the next time you're lucky enough to find green jello at the end of the bistro line.

Adela's Lucky Green Jello Sundae

1 serving of green jello

vanilla soft serve ice cream

shamrock sprinkles

Assemble, enjoy, and savor the luck of the jello.

St Patty's Day Cupcake

St. Patty's Day Cupcake

1 white cupcake

cream cheese

shamrock and sugar sprinkles

Spread cream cheese generously on cupcake and decorate with sprinkles!

Rice Krispies Banana Napoleon

This is more like a Rice Krispies sandwich rather than a napoleon, but who cares what it's called? It's delicious! This is how to eat it: Eat the three banana slices on top first. Pick up the rest of the sandwich, spoon some soft serve ice cream on top, and take a bite. Repeat!

Rice Krispies Banana Napoleon

1 thick Rice Krispies slice

1/2 banana

soft serve vanilla ice cream

1. Carefully cut the Rice Krispies slice into two thinner slices.

2. Slice the banana into thick medallions.

3. Layer the banana slices between the Rice Krispies. Put some bananas on top.

4. Attempt to coax the vanilla soft serve into a tame swirl on a small plate.

5. Enjoy as described above.

Banana Strawberry Ice Cream Sundae

Treat yourself once in a while with this decadent vanilla ice cream sundae, complete with sliced bananas, roasted strawberries, chocolate sauce, and crushed cereal.

Banana Strawberry Ice Cream Sundae

1 scoop of vanilla ice cream

chocolate sauce

roasted strawberries

sliced banana

crushed cereal (recommended: Golden Grahams and Cinnamon Toast Crunch)

1. Get a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

2. Ladle on some chocolate sauce.

3. Surround ice cream with strawberries and banana slices.

4. Garnish with a sprinkling of crushed cereal.

Berry Vanilla Parfait

Those plastic cups at the V-dub are just gigantic! If you make this, do plan to share it with some friends who don't mind eating ice cream in this icy weather. Sliced bananas are a great addition too. We recommend slightly under-ripe bananas because they lend a cooling contrast to the sweetness of the ice cream and berry compotes.

Berry Vanilla Parfait

strawberry compote

vanilla soft serve ice cream

blueberry compote

a mix of Golden Grahams and Cinnamon Toast Crunch, crushed

a sugar cone

whipped cream

1. Layer the fruit compotes, ice cream, and crushed cereal in a tall clear glass.

2. Add sugar cone and whipped cream for garnish.

3. Share with friends!

Spiced Cocoa Bread Pudding

I am a big fan of the Ratty's new coffee station. This bread pudding is excellent for finals week. Why? It contains cinnamon, coffee, cocoa, and coconut. Cinnamon is supposed to boost your memory so you can fit more names and dates into your brain before 2 pm. Coffee will help you keep your eyes open while you study. Cocoa will make you feel as if you are falling in love-a good mood-uplifter after the exam. Coconut will remind you of tropical places and the holidays - yes, my friends, the end is in sight!

Spiced Cocoa Bread Pudding (a.k.a. Finals Week Bread Pudding)

1 slice soft bread roll with glazed top, cubed

1/2 cup milk

2 Tbsp coffee

cinnamon

cocoa powder

raisins

coconut flakes

Put bread in a bowl and fill to the brim with milk and a little bit of coffee. Add a dash of cinnamon and cocoa powder. Microwave on high for 1/5 minutes. Sprinkle on some coconut flakes and raisins. Dust with more cinnamon and cocoa powder, if desired, and enjoy!

Berry Patch Coffee Cake

A fun way to dress up your coffee cake and pretend it's spring in the middle of this lovely fall weather.

Berry Patch Coffee Cake
1 slice of coffee cake
plain yogurt
shredded coconut
cranberries
blueberry jam
raspberry jam

1. Garnish the coffee cake with yogurt, coconut, blueberry jam, and cranberries.
2. Dot the plate with raspberry jam.

Raspberry Jelly Roll and Cream

A delightful dessert using ingredients from the V-dub!

Raspberry Jelly Roll and Cream

1 slice raspberry jelly roll cake

chocolate sauce

sweetened strawberries

sweetened blueberries

whipped cream

1. Get a slice of cake.

2. Top with fruit and drizzle with chocolate.

3. Garnish the plate with whipped cream.

Local Dinner: Mile High Apple Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream

Words cannot describe the scrumptiousness of this dessert.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Plum Sundae

The soft serve machine at the Ratty has gotten an intense workout lately. While we're at it, why not make a fancier dessert? Plums are in season, and apparently so are giant chocolate chip cookies. I don't know why the cocoa puffs are there. You can leave them out if you prefer no crunchy interferences with your creamy cool soft serve.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Plum Sundae

1 giant chocolate chip cookie

1 plum

1 split-second dispense of Cocoa Puffs

1 not-so-split-second dispense of vanilla soft serve

1. Cut the cookie into eighths, like a sliced pizza.

2. Cut the plum into eighths, like a...sliced plum.

3. Add the cocoa puffs.

4. Add the soft serve, attempting to create a pretty swirl. Evidently, we were not so successful.