Sandwiches and Sweets: Cookbook Roundup!

 

Smashed: 60 Epic Smash Burgers & Sandwiches for Dinner, for Lunch, and Even for Breakfast by The Waltwins Adam and Brett Walton 

Sheet Pan Sweets: Simple, Streamlined Dessert Recipes by Molly Gilbert

Reviewed by Kristin

Smashed…the cover on this book drew me to open it. The burger has a beautiful sesame seed bun covering lettuce, tomato, cheese, and…is that pineapple? And of course the meat patties, but those are just a base for the toppings in my book.

The idea for smashed burgers is that you make a ball of ground beef (or other meat) and smash it to the grill in a thin patty, which will cook in about 10-15 seconds for each side. The brother authors explain this with a bit of chemistry talk: “The pressure you apply is key to getting a good Maillard reaction, which is the chemical connection between the acids in the meat and the heat that results in browning.” Aha, so that’s how Steak ‘n Shake does it!

In addition to the quick cooking method used here, the authors have some very tasty suggestions for topping sandwiches. I might have to try the “Green Hatch Chile Smash Burger” on page 60 or the “Classic Turkey Club Panini” on page 118. For that panini, the smashing is for the whole sandwich, bread and all.

Moving on to sweeter things, Sheet Pan Sweets holds a huge number of recipes, which can be made in bulk. I remember giant sheet pans of chocolate cakes made in a school cafeteria, then cut into squares to fit on a lunch tray, feeding hundreds by the time lunchtime was complete. While you might not find that exact recipe here, you might find inspiration in the chapters titled: Sheet Cakes, Layered & Rolled Cakes, Bars, Cookies, Pies & the Like, and Breakfasts & Breads.

Turning to page 29, I found “Ben’s Carrot-Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting”, which is timely for the last days of summer, as friends and neighbors try desperately to give away their excess squash. Besides, I never met a zucchini I didn’t like, whether baked, steamed, or fried.

I found a few other recipes to remember along the way, but by the time I reached page 216, the “Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake” struck me as a very simple shortcut to get the taste of cinnamon rolls without taking the time for a yeast dough to rise. Not to mention, cream cheese frosting is also recommended to top this sweet treat. (I also never met a cream cheese frosting that I didn’t like.)

The recipes here are intended for an 18” x 13” pan with a 1” lip around the edge, but the author assures us that they can be cut in half and made in a 9” x 13” standard baking pan. That sounds perfect, so that we can bake for a family or for a family reunion. Let the baking begin!