Hip To Be Square

Huey Lewis and the News taught us all in 1986 that it is "Hip to Be Square". So why can't that include food???

I recently made these Baked Muffuletta-ish Crescent Squares. They may not be authentic New Orleans muffulettas, but they sure hit the spot! And they are incredibly easy and perfect for game day!

I began by rolling out one 8oz sheet of crescent dough on a 9x13 greased sheet pan. I stretched it a bit to make it fit the pan and then baked it at 350 degrees for 9 minutes. I took it out of the oven and allowed it to cool for 5 minutes.

I spread one-half cup shredded asiago cheese all over the dough, leaving a one inch border around the edge.

I then added a layer of serrano ham, but you can use whatever meat you prefer. (Mortadella would be delicious too.)

I covered the ham with a layer of sliced provolone.

A muffuletta always has an olive salad, but I did not have any on hand so earlier in the day, I took a jar of green olives with pimientos, drained them, and added to a bowl with a few tablespoons of red wine vinegar. I scattered them over the provolone.

The final ingredients were sliced chorizo, shredded mozzarella, prosciutto, and more asiago.

To finish assembly, I topped with a second sheet of crescent dough, pinching to seal with the bottom layer.

I brushed the top with olive oil and sprinkled sesame seeds and dried oregano. Back into the oven for around 30 minutes, until golden.

I added some fresh chopped parsley, sliced into squares and it was time to enjoy!

Sticking with the "square" theme for a bit, I also recently made a Northern Italian Lasagna. One of the differences between Northern and Southern Italian lasagna is that the Northern omits the ricotta layer in favor of a béchamel layer. To make the ragù, I began by sautéing four diced celery stalks, three diced carrots, two large diced white onions, and a tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary in one third cup extra virgin olive oil. I added two teaspoons salt and one teaspoon pepper, cooking until the vegetables began to soften, approximately 5 minutes.

I added a tablespoon of minced garlic and cooked for another minute.

I added two and a half pound of lean ground beef and cooked, breaking up the meat, until it started to brown.

Red wine really gives the ragù a good depth of flavor so I added around two cups and allowed it to cook down for 10 minutes.

I then added one 28oz can San Marzano tomatoes that I crushed by hand and one 8oz can tomato sauce, one teaspoon dried thyme, one teaspoon dried basil, and a tablespoon of sugar which is needed to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. I lowered the heat and allowed it to simmer for an hour, then removed it from the heat and allowed to slightly cool.

While the ragù simmered, I made the béchamel by heating three cups milk until just under boiling. In another pot, I melted one stick of butter and added one half cup flour, three tablespoons salt, and one teaspoon ground nutmeg. I cooked for several minutes, stirring constantly until it turned golden, and then added the hot milk, one cup at a time, whisking constantly.

I also par-cooked my lasagna noodles in salted boiling until pliable but not cooked. I plunged them into an ice bath to stop the cooking since they would continue cooking in the oven. I buttered my lasagna pan and began with a layer of noodles, a layer of béchamel, and a layer of grated Parmesan. I then added a layer of the ragù.

I repeated the previous step two more times, ending with three layers of noodles, béchamel, Parmesan, and ragù.

I baked, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and bubbling. I let it rest for 15 minutes, cut into squares, and served with garlic bread.

And for one last recipe and a healthier spin on a great appetizer, here are my Air Fryer Pork Taquitos. Ok, so they are not square, but the serving dish and napkins are, so that counts right?

I browned a pound of ground pork in a drizzle of oil.

I then added one-half cup diced onions and two minced cloves of garlic, cooking for several minutes.

I added one half cup salsa (mild) and one half cup queso (medium), plus a tablespoon each of ground cumin and chili powder.

To assemble, I spooned two tablespoons or so of the pork near the end of a small corn tortilla, rolled up tightly, sealed with egg wash, and placed into a greased air fryer basket. (I was able to fit approximately 8 in my fryer basket.) I sprayed the tops of the taquitos with cooking spray and air fried at 375 degrees for 8 minutes, flipped them, sprayed the bottoms, and continued cooking for 4 minutes, until golden and crispy. I repeated with the remaining meat and tortillas and fried in batches. I served with more salsa, queso, and fresh cilantro leaves.

So whoever said being square was not a good thing clearly has not tried any of these recipes.