Okay, I caved…gave in to national doughnut day. But it seems like everyone else in my ‘hood did too since the line at TOP POT was literally, to the door. An extra special treat was running into my neighbor and his twin girls who proudly announced they were four! Their dad told them I was four, too. Ha! I looked them in the eye and said, “times ten!” Left out the plus one. Those girls are so sweet and the best thing in the summer is opening the deck off my den and hearing them playing in the backyard. Riley loves sitting on the deck and watching them. He thinks they’re super cute…and entertaining.
I have a weird relationship with doughnuts. Used to love them, especially because they remind me of fun times with my grandpa. But then, while working all those years at Safeway, I did a three week stint in the bakery. Forget the 5 a.m. start time, frying doughnuts was the worse thing ever. Standing over a vat of 325° oil for hours left me smelling like one ginormous doughnut. While I think I didn’t have to moisturize my face for months, I reeked every day like sweet, smelly grease. And left sticky and covered in flaking frosting. My sneakers? Quickly thrown away immediately at the end of my last bakery day. They were so coated in grease and frosting they were beyond salvation. Those who know me know I am less than graceful. Actually, clumsy is a more appropriate word so having me working with hot oil: bad idea. Maybe they do it now, but people should not give a clumsy 20 year old a wire net and a vat of bubbling oil without some heat-proof gloves. Let’s just say the back of my knuckles got dipped more than once. After this adventure in doughnut making I think I didn’t eat one for about eight years. The thought of them grossed me out.
I’m obviously past that now, but can only have about 2 or 3 a year and those are usually either a maple bar or apple fritter. Today it was the fritter. Chopped dough, apples and cinnamon goodness. If someone made a carrot cake doughnut with cream cheese frosting I’d really be in trouble. Top Pot’s just a few blocks from my house so that made it a sure thing but my friends up north swear FROST in Mill Creek is their favorite. So for you north-enders you might want to give them a try…then report back! If you’re looking for a vegan or organic doughnut, try Mighty O, available at Caffé Vitta and Caffè Fiore.
At 560 calories it’s a good thing I’m about to go spend two hours in the gym. Should have gotten a plain cake – it would have been half the calories; well almost. But plain? Where’s the fun in that?! Did I mention that the Top Pot fritter is almost as big as my face? Oy…going to the gym. Enjoy your doughnuts!
This is a great sandwich to make this time of year. Great, farm-fresh vegetables with ooey gooey cheese on a toasted roll…you will never miss the meat! Although you have to grill a lot of the veggies before toasting the sandwich, it really doesn’t take any time at all, especially if you do it on an outdoor grill, where you can also toast the sandwiches – just use a foil-covered brick to weigh them down {or a heavy skillet}. You can also use this same technique with a stove-top grill pan.
Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches
makes 4
3 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 ½ tsp. pesto
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
pepper
2 Japanese eggplants, sliced, ¼” thick
1 large zucchini, sliced, ¼” thick
1 large portobello mushroom, sliced, ¼” thick
2 roasted red peppers, seeded + quartered
1 large tomato, thinly sliced
12 basil leaves
4 tbsp. pickled red onions {or one red onion, thinly sliced}
8 thin slices of provolone
4 tbsp. pickled red onions {or one red onion, thinly sliced}
4 ciabatta rolls, cut in half
In a small bowl, combine mayo and pesto; cover and put in refrigerator. Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill. Brush the eggplant, zucchini, and mushroom {and red onions if not using pickled} slices with olive oil. Salt and pepper. Cook over medium low heat for 2 minutes, flip and cook 2 more minutes. Arrange sandwiches: Put a thin layer of pesto mayo on each half of the rolls. On the bottom half place a slice of provolone then some slices of the eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, two roasted red pepper pieces, tomatoes, four basil leaves, 1 tbsp. pickled red onions, 1 slice of provolone. Top with the other half of the bun. Grill over medium low heat for 3 minutes, flip and cook for 3 more minutes. Or cook in a panini grill for 4-5 minutes or until warmed through and cheese is melted.
* Note: I like a little tang in my sandwiches which is why I used the pickled red onions, although grilled ones would work well, too. I used my own pickled onions but you can easily pick up a jar of Boat Street’s at a local Metropolitan Market.
veehive 