Rainbow Pinwheel Sandwiches

Great as an appetizer or lunch, and embarrassingly easy to make. Feel free to mix and match wrap flavors, cheeses, meats, and veggies; you really can't go wrong with any combo.

Rainbow Pinwheel Sandwiches

1 tortilla sheet

sour cream (optional)

cheddar, swiss, or american cheese

sliced turkey or ham

mixed greens or lettuce

bacon (optional)

1. Spread sour cream on tortilla, if using.

2. Layer on: cheese, sliced meat, greens.

3. Roll up sandwiches -- not too tightly or too loosely. Stick 5 toothpicks in the roll, spaced evenly apart. Cut out the ends and cut the roll into five sandwiches.

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!

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!

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!