TartQueen's Kitchen

Shopping locally at Austin’s farmers markets and farm stands is a project I’ve been telling myself to undertake for quite some time.

I’m doing this for a few “want” reasons:

1.  I want my husband & I to eat healthier.  We’re well into middle age and we need to be more cognizant of what we put into our bodies. It’s not that we eat badly; it’s that we can always eat better. (This is not to say occasional indulgence is off the table.)

2.  I want to teach myself to cook more seasonally. Like most people, I simply go to the store and grab whatever’s there, regardless of the season.  Cooking more seasonally will force me to be more creative in the kitchen.  That’s fine by me.

3.  I want to support local farmers, ranchers, and vendors.  The food is better, safer, you know where it comes from, and shopping locally is good for the environment. Less carbon footprint along with encouraging organically raised produce and meat.

This is most definitely a project that will be evolving over the year (and, hopefully, beyond).  Right now, I’ll just visit in-town (Austin) markets and farm stands.  As time goes on, I’ll travel further afoot, but always within a 50-mile radius so I can make meals at home with the largest variety of local options. The exception will be if I am traveling out of town for whatever reason.  I’ll plan on looking around any markets in those towns and posting them as a travelogue.

The other thing (as one of my sisters pointed out to me) is that I should post recipes of everything I make from what I buy. Since I missed the obvious here, I don’t have any recipes for January.  But, I will starting in February.  I did take pictures of some of the meals I made, though.

While thinking about the markets and stands I was going to patronize, I thought about the ones I know best and/or have heard about the most: SFC Market in downtown Austin, Hope Farmers Market, Boggy Creek Farm, and Springdale Farm.  They’re all excellent markets and stands with a wide variety of not just produce, but also locally made baked goods, local artisan products, locally legendary homemade treats, and locally sourced organic meat.  Not all of the places I’ve visited have everything I’ve listed here, but you’ll be happy with what you find.

A note: I decided that when I shop at the markets and stands, I wouldn’t buy any more perishables than I could cook in 2 meals (unless I can freeze them – like meat). Shopping at these markets and stands can cost a little more than the local grocery store (but worth it), so I choose not to buy too much so I can make sure the food doesn’t spoil before I cook it. I’m not too keen on wasting food or money.

SFC Farmers Market, January 3

I went to my first farmers market of the year early (they open at 9).  My general strategy for going early is to avoid the crowds and to potentially get the best of what’s available.

Most of my haul from the market. Sourdough Wheat Bread, Turnips, Sorrel, Maroon Carrots, Brussels Sprouts, Comb Honey, Dark Chocolate Salted Almond Bar, Dark Chocolate CinnaNib Bar.

Sourdough wheat from Texas French Bread.

The chocolate bars came from Cocoa Puro. These poor ladies were freezing.

A few of the other early risers.

Some of the beautiful produce from Tecolote Farm.

Turnips and Sorrel from Tecolote Farm.

Turnips. A most underrated vegetable.

This stand simply blew me away. Johnson’s Backyard Garden. I only bought two items from them; but I could’ve bought a whole lot more.

Maroon Carrots and Brussels Sprouts from JBG.

Personally, I thought I showed remarkable restraint in the face of temptation.

Just… Wow.

Comb Honey from Austin Honey Company. As we all know, eating local honey daily will help with allergies. It takes time, but it does work. Next time, I’ll buy some candles, too.

Whole chicken from Smith & Smith Farms

Here’s my chicken. A beautiful 3-pound fryer. It actually tasted like chicken. Just like Nannie used to cook.

The backdrop.

The menu at The Zubik House food truck. Amazing artisanal kolaches.

Breakfast from The Zubik House: Apple, Bacon & Brie; Chorizo & Oaxaca Cheese; Boudin. Husband’s only complaint – not enough chorizo.

Dinner: Citrus Chicken, Honey Braised Turnips & Carrots, Sauteed Turnip Greens.

Wednesday, January 7

I went to one of my favorite places in Austin, Springdale Farm. It’s a beautiful place that I just don’t visit often enough. Owners Glenn and Paula Foore are simply great people who have weathered many storms to make their farm a success.

The chicken coop. I could stand there and watch them for hours.

Chickens enjoying their produce.

As I recall, it was going to freeze that night, so the fields are covered as a precaution.

When I arrived, there was a large tour at the farm that morning. They bought a lot of produce before I got there, so there wasn’t as much for me to buy. Good for the Foores, not so much for me. But, I still managed to find some wonderful produce.

My haul: Purple Cauliflower, Red Chard, Savoy Cabbage, Grapefruit, Baby Arugula.

Smoked Pepper Mix. Its got a kick.

The chalkboard so you can see what’s available.

Cabbage, fennel, kale, and other assorted greens.

Purple cauliflower.

FYI…

Dinner: Smoked Pepper Mix & Lemon Thyme Rubbed Pot Roast; Arugula, Spinach & Grapefruit Salad, Sauteed Chard

Sunday, January 11

Hope Farmers Market is one I have heard about for a long time but never visited.  My friend Phil is a volunteer at the market and has been encouraging me to stop by.  It’s a smaller market at Plaza Saltillo in east Austin with, like the SFC Farmers Market, a variety of vendors.

There weren’t too many people at the market when I arrived.  It was a cold, damp morning; so, that, no doubt, kept many people inside or they waited until later to come out.

A quiet morning a the market.

As a bonus that morning, Austin Dog Rescue was having a sort-of open house. Lots of very sweet dogs ready for adoption.  If my husband and I were in the market for a dog, I certainly would’ve taken a closer look.

All kinds of dogs up for adoption.

I didn’t buy too much at Hope.  I still had produce left over from earlier in the week and didn’t want to take a chance on not preparing it before it went bad.

But, I did get some great bread and protein.

My haul: Chorizo, Beef Marrow Butter, Nine-Grain Bread

Nine-Grain Bread from Easy Tiger. If you go to their East 6th Street Location, they have a great beer garden with an extensive menu.

Chorizo and Beef Marrow Butter from Countryside Farms.

Fresh Eggs from Countryside Farms. I didn’t buy any. Maybe next time.

A view down Plaza Saltillo. Comal Street.

One of my new favorite trucks: Rosarito Taco Truck

The famous Octopork Tacos. I bought 4 for lunch. Total overkill, but I couldn’t resist.

Dinner: Chorizo; Warm Cabbage-Apple Slaw

Wednesday, January 22

After taking off for a few days for teaching and travel, I once again headed towards east Austin to my favorite farm stands: Boggy Creek and Springdale Farms.

Boggy Creek Farm is one of the oldest urban market farms in the country. It was established in 1992 by Carol Ann Sayle and Larry Butler.  They are two of the loveliest people you could ever meet.  Larry’s homemade condiments are legendary in Austin. Especially his Smoked Dried Tomatoes. He can’t keep up with the demand.

A small section of Boggy Creek Farm. Gorgeous.

Boggy Creek’s chickens. They come to the coop fence to greet you.

This girl decided to sneak out and follow me around.

My haul: From Boggy Creek – Purple and Yellow Carrots; Sweet Potatoes; Dino Kale; Maria’s Brassica Salad; Larry’s Smoked Dried Tomatoes; Pork Loin Chops from Peaceful Pork. From Springdale Farm – Red Beets; Garlic Chives (I was really excited about those. They’re so much better than regular chives.)

Inside Boggy Creek’s farm stand. Greens, root vegetables, salad mixes, and Larry’s treats abound. They also carry meat and dairy products from local vendors as well as eggs from their own chickens. The lady working the stand told me that carrot tops were edible. Honestly, I had never given them any thought. So, when I made dinner that night, I cut off the tips and added them to the salad. Revelation attained.

The bulk salad bins at Boggy Creek.

Boggy Creek Farm Stand on a chilly, damp morning.

After finishing at Boggy Creek, I headed over to Springdale Farm.  I was there about 5 minutes, so I didn’t take any photos.

Dinner: Cumin Marinated Chicken Breast, Smoked Dried Tomato Rice, Brassica Salad with Bacon and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Next night’s dinner: Pork Loin Chops (these come from heritage pigs so they have a substantial amount of fat; they also have substantial flavor), Baked Sweet Potatoes, Sauteed Beet Greens & Dino Kale.

Looking forward to February!

One of my goals for 2015 (I don’t like the word “resolution”) is to keep up with my stock making. So, in the spirit of that goal, I’m sharing with you my own stock recipes.

I’ve already posted (some time ago) a recipe for Chicken Stock,  so I am moving on to the next one on my list, Vegetable Stock.  Next to chicken, it’s the stock I use the most.

As a kind of reminder from my Chicken Stock post, here is a little reiteration:

While a good sauce or gravy can cover up many sins in the kitchen, the sauce or gravy needs to taste just that much better.  So, if you’re using bad stock, there is nothing you can do to hide that.

The words “stock” and “broth” are generally used interchangeably. Because, well, they’re almost exactly the same thing.

According to “The New Food Lover’s Companion, 4th Ed.” (Herbst & Herbst, 2007):

“Stock is the strained liquid that comes from cooking meat or fish (with bones), vegetables, and other seasonings in water to extract their flavors.”

“Broth a liquid that comes from cooking vegetables, meat or fish, and seasonings in water.”

Basically, the difference between the two is one of use or intent. “Broth” is what you end up with at the end of cooking the ingredients; “Stock” is what you use to cook with.  Other definitions will say that a “Stock” is always made with bones while a “Broth” isn’t.  And, indeed, there is a very different “mouth feel “(a technical term used by chefs to describe taste and texture of an ingredient) between the two.

But, again, whatever you term it, a stock or broth can make or break a recipe.  A good stock will enhance; a bad stock will ruin.  There’s no hiding it.

There are a few rules when making vegetable stock:

1.  Don’t use potatoes.  They will make the stock starchy and cloudy.

2. Don’t use cruciferous vegetables (i.e. cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts). They will be too strong.

3. Don’t use artichokes or rosemary.  See above.

4.  Don’t use bitter greens (i.e. dandelion, mustard).  Again, see above.

5.  Don’t use vegetables where the color can leach out (i.e. beets).  They will, of course, color the stock.

6.  Do use seasonal vegetables.  Depending on the season, you can have a stock that is more savory or sweet.

7.  You can use scraps.  Just save them in a large zip bag and keep them in the refrigerator or freezer (depending on how quickly you think you’ll fill the bag).

8.  Make sure your produce, whether you use fresh or scraps, is clean.  This should be common sense, but, sometimes, common sense tends to take a vacation.

9.  You don’t need to peel your vegetables. You’d be surprised how much flavor they add.

10.  Always be sure to add some extra seasonings.  The most common is a “Bouquet Garni”: parsley, thyme, bay leaves.

11.  If you can, use filtered water.  If not, at least make sure you start with cold water from the tap.

This stock recipe is a very basic stock that I use frequently.  Depending on the season, or my mood, I’ll add different vegetables like corn, kale, fennel, or tomatillo (yes, I know, it’s technically a fruit).  Instead of leeks, I’ll add onions instead.

While I don’t add salt to my recipe, many people do.  If you decide to add salt, be careful with the quantity.  I’ve seen some recipes where people will also add wine and/or Parmesan rinds.  It is completely up to you what you’d like to add.

If you like, you can also brown your vegetables either by roasting or sauteing with a little pure olive oil (not extra virgin – too strong) or an unflavored oil (canola, grapeseed) before adding the water.  I’ve done this a few times, and it’s great.  It gives the stock a deeper, almost sweeter, flavor.  However, I didn’t brown the vegetables for this post.

Again, here is what I typically use as a base stock.  You can add, substitute, or subtract as you prefer.

The Ingredients

The seasonings: parsley, dried bay leaves, fresh thyme, black peppercorns

2 large leeks, white and green parts

Bringing home the fact that you must clean the vegetables. Leeks are notorious for hidden dirt.

The many layers of leeks. Cut these down and wash them thoroughly.

1 lb. tomatoes, seeded

1 lb. carrots

1 lb. parsnips or turnips (if you do use turnips, be sure to peel them; the peels can be bitter)

3 stalks celery (leaves and all)

1 green bell pepper, seeded

2 red bell peppers, seeded

6 cloves garlic, crushed

Leave the skin on the garlic. You’re going to strain the stock anyway.

15 whole black peppercorns

3 bay leaves, either fresh or dried

6 – 8 sprigs thyme

1/2 bunch parsley, curly or flat

The bouquet garni. This is the old-school way of making one: wrapping the parsley, bay leaves, and thyme in 2 leek leaves. You can also tie the bouquet garni into a cheesecloth or just add the ingredients to the stock without tying at all; leave them loose.

1.  Prepare the vegetables by cleaning, peeling (if needed), seeding, and cutting down into large pieces.  (If you are using scraps, skip this step; except for the cleaning part).

The vegetables ready for the stockpot.

2.  Put the vegetables in a large stockpot (at least 3-gallon), add the bouquet garni ingredients and the peppercorns, and 2 gallons (32 cups) water.

Vegetables in the stockpot.

3.  Cover the stockpot and bring the water to a boil over high heat.  Then, remove the lid, turn the heat down to low, and let the stock simmer for 3 – 4 hours.  Add water as needed if it gets too low. (Generally with 2 gallons starting volume, I almost never need to add water; but, it does depend on your preference and how fast your stove cooks.)

The stock simmering.

4.  After 3 – 4 hours, take the stockpot off the heat and let it cool a bit before straining.  Alternately, if you have the space (my husband and I have a refrigerator in our outbuilding), cover the stockpot and place it in your refrigerator overnight.  The stock will get cold and the vegetables will steep a little longer.  Then, you can strain it the next day.

The stock and vegetables after sitting overnight in the refrigerator. Whether you do this or not is up to you.

5.  Place a large colander over a larger bowl (or a large saucepan or stockpot).  Very carefully pour the stock and vegetables out of the stockpot into the colander (pour carefully and slowly; you don’t want to lose any stock through spillage or overflow).  Use a second bowl if necessary.

Press down on the vegetables to extract as much of the liquid as possible.  However, don’t press so hard that you end up pressing vegetables through the colander (they’ll be very soft) and making the stock cloudy.

The drained and pressed vegetables. They have nothing left to give except to my compost.

At this point, you can strain the stock a second time by passing it though a fine strainer to catch anything that passed through the colander. (I always do so I can have as clear a stock as possible.)

The finished stock.

You can (and I generally do) place the stock back on the stove and cook it down even more to concentrate the flavors.  So, for example, I start off with 2 gallons of water and end up with 1 gallon of finished stock.

I will store/freeze the stock in quart-sized zip bags (I usually use 4 cups at a time).  However, use whatever size bag or storage container you prefer.  Remember, however, do not fill your storage container or bag to the brim.  Liquid expands as it freezes; so, if you fill it to the brim, either the bag will burst or the lid will come off the container and you’ll end up with a mess.

Oh yeah, be sure that the bags are completely zipped closed and/or the lids are tight on the storage containers. I’ve made that mistake before.

If you have the room in your freezer, lay the bags of stock on a sheet pan and place it on one of the racks. When the stock is frozen, take the bags off the sheet pan and stack them. Don’t freeze the bags directly on the racks; you run the risk of the bags freezing around the racks and making them difficult to remove later.  Of course, if you are using rigid containers instead, just be sure they are stacked on a flat, even surface.

Enjoy!

For me, winter is the best time of the year to make Lemon Curd. Why? you ask? Because winter is when I can find Meyer Lemons at the store. While I can certainly make lemon curd with regular lemons, I find Meyer Lemons have just the right mix of tart and sweet that take this lovely confectionary spread to the next level.

Meyer Lemons were grown in China for centuries and were introduced in the US in 1908 by F.N. Meyer.  Botanists believe it is a cross between a lemon and an orange.  It is generally larger, juicier, and less acidic than regular lemons.  They are usually available from fall through early spring, with their peak season during the winter.

A Meyer Lemon (l) and a standard lemon (r).

Regular Lemon (l) and Meyer Lemon (r)

Now, wait, you may be saying. What is exactly Lemon Curd?

First, there are two types of curd:

1.  Curd solids from milk.  These solids are formed when rennet (or another acid) is used to separate the milk solids from the liquid (whey) during the cheese making process.

2.  A sweet creamy spread that consists of (usually) citrus juice, egg yolks, sugar, and butter.  It can be made with other fruit such as berries.

A curd is a type of sauce called an emulsion.  The simplest explanation for this comes from The New Food Lover’s Companion:  “A mixture of one liquid with another with which it cannot normally combine smoothly. Emulsifying is done by slowly adding one ingredient to another while at the same time mixing rapidly (usually whisking). This disperses and suspends tiny droplets of one liquid throughout the other.  Emulsified mixtures are usually thick and satiny in texture.”  Mayonnaise, vinaigrette, hollandaise, and bearnaise are all examples of emulsion sauces.

A few notes:

1.  You can make this with regular lemons.  Find lemons that feel heavy for their size.  The final product will be more tart, but you can add some sugar to taste if you like after the curd is finished.

2.  The best way to go about this is low and slow.  If you show any impatience or lack of attention, you could easily over cook the curd and end up with sweet scrambled eggs.

3.  Always have extra bowls on the side in case you need to move your curd to a cool, clean bowl.

4.  Having an instant-read thermometer will come in handy.  You want the curd to come to about 160F.  It will be fully cooked at this point without scrambling the eggs (that is, if you are careful).

5.  When using the double-boiler, the boiling water should never touch the bottom of the bowl.  This will cause the eggs to cook too quickly.

6.  You can make lemon curd into a preserve: Fill a half-pint jar with a 1/2″ head space and process the jars for 15 minutes.  Take the canning pot off the heat and leave the jars in the hot water for a further 10 minutes, then take the jars out of the water, and place them on racks to cool and seal. Because of the nature of the curd, however, the texture will change during the processing, and it will only have a shelf life of 2 – 3 months because of the high dairy content.

The Ingredients

The lemon zest. I use a Microplane for mine. If you don’t have a Microplane, just very finely mince the zest.

3 egg yolks, room temperature

1 whole egg, room temperature

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. lemon juice (preferably Meyer Lemons)

Zest from juiced lemons

6 oz (10 tbsp.) butter, cut into 1/4″ cubes, softened

1.  Combine the egg whites, whole egg, and sugar in a medium stainless steel bowl with either a whisk (if you have a lot of upper body strength) or a beater starting on medium-low speed and gradually increasing the speed and mix until the mixture becomes light, thick, and falls into a ribbon when the whisk or beaters are lifted from the bowl. (Doing this will help to begin the emulsion process, start dissolving the sugar, and begin to chemically cook the eggs.)

Early in the process. The mixture is still dripping unevenly. I kinda cheated here and used the electric beaters.

About 10 minutes later. The mixture is thickened and is falling much more smoothly from the beaters. If it doesn’t fall in a ribbon, you want the mixture to at least leave a “trail” in the bowl as it falls back in.

2.  Carefully mix in the lemon juice and zest.

Adding the zest and juice.

3.  Have a saucepan about 1/4 full of simmering water ready on the stove.  Place the bowl with the lemon mixture on top. (You just want the bottom of the bowl to sit over the water.)

Setting up the double boiler: Fill the saucepan about 1/4 full of water. Make sure that the boiling water never touches the bottom of the bowl.

Have a second bowl on the side in case the mixture cooks too quickly and begins to curdle (that would be the eggs scrambling).

4.  Stir the lemon mixture with the whisk constantly until the foam subsides and begins to thicken.  Adjust the heat as needed (the easiest way to do this is to take the bowl from off the top of the saucepan, or, if the mixture is cooking too quickly, move the mixture to your second bowl; if you do move to a second bowl, very carefully scrape or do not scrape the original bowl – what’s left in the bowl is more than likely going to be scrambled).

Whisking the mixture. You want to do this fairly constantly until the foam subsides. Once this happens, the eggs will begin cooking much more rapidly.  Again, remember – low & slow is the key

The foam has pretty much subsided and the mixture is beginning to thicken and look darker. If you use an instant-read thermometer, it should read between 155F – 160F.

5.  Begin to slowly add the softened butter.  Just add 2-3 pieces at a time, still whisking constantly.  You want to incorporate the butter into the lemon mixture.  If you simply add the butter and let it melt without whisking, the fat in the butter will separate and you won’t be able to incorporate it. You’ll simply end up with butterfat floating on top.

Adding the butter. Be sure to whisk constantly to make sure the butter is incorporated evenly into the lemon mixture. Do not let it simply melt on top.

6.  After you have incorporated the butter, switch to either a wooden spoon or heat-proof spatula.  Continue stirring constantly until the curd is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon or spatula.

Stirring the curd after the butter has been incorporated. Again, keep stirring constantly, making sure to keep, especially, the curd on the side and bottom of the bowl moving. That is the curd that will quickly over cook if it isn’t constantly stirred.

Coating the back of a wooden spoon. Running your finger through the curd on the spoon will test if it’s ready. If the curd doesn’t drip, it’s ready. This means that the eggs are cooked and your emulsion was successful.

7.  When the curd is done, remove the bowl from the heat and pour into a clean bowl.  Very carefully scrape or do not scrape the sides of the original bowl (it depends on how your final product looks).  You can strain the mixture if you prefer. (Straining is recommended if you have larger pieces of zest or you want to smooth out a slightly lumpy curd.)

If, when you are done cooking, your eggs are curdled or scrambled, or your butter separates out, you can pour the mixture into a blender (not a food processor) and try to make a smooth curd.  However, there’s no guarantee this will work; and if it does, you may still need to strain it to remove any remaining lumps of scrambled egg or the butter may separate out again.

8.  To store, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd and place in the refrigerator. Because of the high butter content, it will set up into a fairly firm spread.  It will keep for 4 – 5 days.

A lovely, creamy lemon curd. Sometime, I eat it just like this.

Perfect serving suggestion.

Enjoy!

This January marks the 80th year of the King of Rock & Roll’s birth.  I, and no doubt many others, certainly wish Elvis lived to see January 8, 2015.  He probably does, too.

Whether you prefer the pre-Army Elvis (as I do), Movie Elvis, or Vegas Elvis, no one can deny the man’s staying power in pop culture and his profound influence on modern music.

Elvis, believe it or not, has also had an influence, at least in some small part, on American cuisine. People outside of the South became more aware of the cuisine of the region, and just about every diner and restaurant – greasy spoon, fancy, or even sushi –  in the U.S. has some version of something Elvis themed – usually involving bacon, peanut butter, and/or bananas.

And, so, here we are.  The ubiquitous Elvis recipe – Fried Peanut Butter & Banana Sandwich.  This was, by all accounts, his favorite snack.  I recently read an interview with his long-time cook, Mary Jenkins, who said she couldn’t count the number of sandwiches she cooked for him. (Here is a brief glimpse of her in a 1996 BBC Documentary on YouTube. Mary passed away in 2000 at the age of 78.)

A few notes on this recipe:

1. White marshmallow fluff bread is a must (i.e. Mrs. Baird’s, Buttercrust, Wonder).  Period.

2.  A well-speckled banana is best.  You don’t want it too green or too black.

Banana comparison: The left banana is my preferred state of ripeness for eating out-of-hand. In fact, it’s almost too ripe for me at this stage. The one on the right is way too ripe for me to eat, but, it’s perfect for the sandwich.

3.  While it appears that Mary used smooth peanut butter in the video, you can use either smooth or crunchy.  It’s your preference.

4.  She also sliced the bananas.  This doesn’t quite match most of the recipes I’ve read, but, if you prefer to slice the banana instead of mashing it, go ahead. Slicing the bananas will make a far less messy sandwich.

5.  Butter. period. That being said, looking at the video, Mary is continuously adding butter to the pan. I simply spread it on the bread. However, if you want to make your sandwich as rich as Elvis liked it, go for it.

Just as a reminder.  There has never been bacon on this sandwich.  Somewhere along the way, someone added it.  Not to say it isn’t delicious (because it is), but bacon is not part of the original recipe.

Second reminder: This isn’t a sandwich that needs to be or should be healthy.  Butter, white bread, and hydrogenated peanut butter (i.e. Peter Pan, Jif) are musts.

The ingredients

2 slices white bread

2-3 tbsp. peanut butter

1 ripe banana, mashed or sliced

Butter

1.  Lightly toast the bread and spread butter on one side of each piece.

The buttered toast. Looking at the video, apparently Elvis liked his sandwiches to be fried in about a quarter pound of butter. I love butter, but I just couldn’t do it. This toast is well-buttered, however.

2.  On the unbuttered side of the bread, spread peanut butter on one slice.  Top with the either sliced or mashed bananas. Place the other slice on top.

The peanut butter and banana. You can spread both on one piece of bread; I just did it this way for illustrative purposes.

3.  In a skillet heated over medium heat, place the sandwich and fry on both sides until dark golden brown.

Frying the sandwich. Because the bread was already toasted a bit, you’re basically frying the sandwich to toast the bread further and warm up the peanut butter and banana. Plus, Elvis really liked to have his food well done.

4.  Remove the sandwich from the skillet, place it on a plate, cut on the diagonal (that’s the way Mary did it), and serve.

A delicious gooey mess of a sandwich. It will be a whole lot less messy if you use sliced bananas. Also, milk and corn chips are the perfect accompaniments.

Enjoy!