2022-03-25 What’s Cooking with SPLAT: a special cooking themed Curiosity Report: Volume 10, Issue 9

Featured Story

Editor’s note:
This special issue of the Curiosity Report is inspired by a conversation we had while waiting for all members to join one of our recent monthly meetings. We must have all been hungry!

– Deana Brown

Peanut Butter Pie

So this is a Peanut Butter Pie. It will probably kill you because it tastes like one giant Reese Peanut Butter cup. But enjoy

1 cup heavy cream (whipped)
1 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 package 8 oz cream cheese
1 graham cracker pie crust or chocolate pie crust

  1. In a bowl whip heavy cream until stiff peaks and set aside.
  2. In different bowl cream together peanut butter and cream cheese until well blended.  Add sugar, vanilla, and egg and mix together.
  3. Then take whipped cream and fold it into the peanut butter mixture.
  4. Take pie filling and put it in the pie crust.  Add peanuts or chocolate shaving on top for garnish.

– Eric Hovey

Turkey Taco Chili Mac and Chocolate Chip Cookies

I’ve been known to over-sell things when I like them, but I don’t think I can oversell this recipe. Creamy, cheesy, complex, and healthy, One Pot Cheesy Turkey Taco Chili Mac is one of my favorite recipes. The refried beans are the secret ingredient for this satisfying weeknight dinner.

For dessert, consider these Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies (paywall warning if you’ve already read a few New York Times articles recently). There is no vanilla in the dough, which sounds suspicious but turns out to be a great idea. And letting the dough rest in the refrigerator overnight makes these bake into a  wonderfully chewy, gooey batch of cookies. The last time I made these, I substituted out half the chocolate chips for chopped pecans and I liked them even more!

– Jessica Martinez

Chicken Tortilla(less) Soup

I am horrible about remembering to defrost meat before a meal… and when I do, it usually takes longer than planned!  The best thing about this meal is that it cooks in a crockpot, and you can add chicken breasts straight from the freezer!  It works great to start before a work day, and it is ready by the time you get home.

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, fresh or frozen (1-2 lbs)
2 cans black beans
2 cans corn
1 can tomato sauce (15 oz)
3 cans cilantro and lime Rotel tomatoes (can substitute other spice levels, but that’s the one I like best)
7 oz can chopped roasted green chilies
1/4 to 1/2 cup salsa (choose heat level you like best)

Pour all ingredients except chicken into slow cooker and mix together. Place chicken pieces in mixture and make sure they are covered. Cook on low 8 hours. Once cooked, remove chicken and shred. Mix back into soup. Serve with shredded cheese and tortilla chips.

– Mike Sloan

Choose-your-own-adventure

I really am one to cook very simply, so I don’t really make a ton of recipes that are unique. Some of my favorite combinations are stir fry blends with udon noodles or rice. I love stir fry veggies and semi-spicy or sweet-spicy sauces. I find them fun, quick, comforting, and easy to pack away for work lunch the next day since they can be made in big batches. I switch between beef, pork, or chicken, and then boil either udon or rice, depending on my mood. Then, in my trusty wok, I stir fry a variety of vegetables, sometimes fresh, sometimes prepackaged, and usually a blend of broccoli, carrot, green beans, bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms, sliced up to enjoy easily with chopsticks. Udon is a fun noodle and doesn’t take long to cook. I can usually find some at Albertsons. I switch the sauces I use, and use an herb and spice blend on the meat (rosemary, basil, chili flakes, salt, pepper) and then pick whatever sauce I am in the mood for. I generally love Thai peanut sauce or spicy Korean sauce. Simple, tasty, and quick for my busy schedule!

– Monique Gaddy

Macaroni Pie

My mom grew up in Trinidad & Tobago, living in the lush hills above Port of Spain. It’s been thirty years and change since she left Trinidad for the U.S., but she still carries a torch for the islands and their cuisine.

Trinbagonian cuisine combines elements of African, Indian, Chinese, Native American, Arabic, and European food traditions. There’s incredible diversity here in terms of ingredients and techniques, but the Trini food that I grew up on is hearty, spicy, and flavorful. We had stewed chicken, Mango Chow, Pulau, Saltfish Buljol, Fried Bake, and much more. But my favorite dish, as a child and still today, is Macaroni Pie.

macaroni pie

On the surface, Macaroni Pie is basically what it sounds like – Mac & cheese, baked thick enough to slice and serve like pie. But it’s also so much more. Its thick custard is formed with eggs and evaporated milk, which is less watery than regular milk. The rich cheddar flavor is complemented by spices, onions, and spicy peppers –  Scotch Bonnet habaneros if you can get them. Serve it alongside a green salad and a crusty loaf of bread and you’ve got a traditional Sunday dinner, Trini-style.

4 cups macaroni, cooked
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tsp red chili pepper or habanero, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
¼ tsp cinnamon*
¼ tsp nutmeg*
2 tsp ground mustard
1 tsp salt
½ tsp dried thyme (or 1 tsp fresh)
*If nutmeg and cinnamon remind you too much of dessert, substitute cumin and paprika.

  1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
  2. Grease 9×13 baking dish with butter or oil.
  3. Cook macaroni to your preference. I prefer to undercook slightly, which helps the noodles maintain texture while they bake.
  4. In a small bowl, combine cheddar & mozzarella.
  5. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients and half the cheese.
  6. Drain macaroni, pour into 9×13, and toss with sauce mixture.
  7. Top with remaining cheese, bake 40 minutes.
  8. Remove from oven and rest 10 minutes before serving.

– Simon Clifford

SPLAT explores the ever-evolving library world and supports library folks as they adapt to meet the needs of their communities. Library folk throughout the state of Idaho volunteer to serve on the Special Projects Library Action Team (SPLAT). Learn more about SPLAT at splat.lili.org


SPLAT is brought to you by the Idaho Commission for Libraries and was made possible, in part, by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (LS-246156-OLS-20). The views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.