Hit the Road, Jack (Part 2)
This article was written by Kristel Matousek and was featured in our November issue of Home By Design magazine. Recipe and photographs by Kristel Matousek from www.photoricalfood.com. To visit the original Home By Design article, click here.
MAKE AND TAKE SNACKS FOR THE ROAD
BLT SANDWICHES WITH CAJUN AIOLI
Serves 1
- 2 slices bread
- 2 leaves butter lettuce
- 2 slices bacon
- 3 slices roma tomato
AIOLI
Makes 1 pint
- 1 cup garlic
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- ¾ cup olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
To make the aioli, in a food processor or blender, combine the garlic, water, and mustard. Blend for 1 minute before adding the oil. While blending, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. The emulsification process will begin, and the mixture will thicken. Once the oil is fully incorporated, season with salt, oregano, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Pulse to combine. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. The aioli will thicken slightly once refrigerated. Potency of the garlic will decrease slightly with age.
Prepare the sandwich by placing 1 leaf of lettuce on top of a slice of bread, followed by 2 pieces of bacon, 3 slices tomato, another leaf of lettuce, and top with the other slice of bread to form the sandwich. The lettuce will protect the bread from the tomato’s moisture and keep it dry. Store your aioli in a separate container in a cooler and spread it on the sandwich just before eating.
| KEEPING IT CRISP. |
|---|
| Store the aioli separately and spread on sandwich just before eating. Keep both aioli and sandwich in a cooler until ready to eat. |
SAVORY TRAIL MIX
Serves 4
- 1 tablespoon clarified butter
- 2 tablespoons popping corn
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup toasted peanuts
- 1 cup toasted almonds
- ¼ cup pepitas
Pour butter and corn into a pan and cover with a lid. Place over moderate heat. Shake pan frequently while heating. Once the popping slows, remove from heat, leaving the lid on.
In a bowl, combine the garlic powder, smoked paprika, chili powder, and salt.
Remove the lid from the pan and immediately dust the popcorn with the prepared seasoning, tossing to coat. Combine the seasoned popcorn with the peanuts, almonds, and pepitas. Store in a ziplock bag or airtight container to prevent the popcorn from going stale.
| TOASTING NUTS |
|---|
| Toasting nuts adds flavor. You can easily toast them yourself using a frying pan over moderate heat. |
NO-BAKE PROTEIN BALLS
Makes 20
- 2 cups oats
- ½ cup peanut butter
- 1¼ tablespoons coconut oil
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
- ½ cup sweetened coconut flour
In a food processor, combine the oats, peanut butter, and coconut oil. Process for 1 minute to fully combine. Fold in the chocolate chips. Divide and portion the mixture. Lightly coat your hands in coconut oil to prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands as you shape the mixture into bite-size balls. Roll the balls in coconut flour to coat. Store in a ziplock bag or container with a lid.