My Favorite Secret Recipes from the 1990’s

I’m so excited to be featured on TheKitchn sharing my favorite recipes from the 1990’s. Remember the era of warm goat cheese on salads, sun dried tomato everything and bagel pizzas? While most 90’s food fads have fallen out of fashion, I still have a few secret recipes I make at home.

Baby Spinach Salads with Bacon, Raw Shaved Mushrooms, Hard Egg and Red Onion with Warm Balsamic Dressing- This was on every cafe menu when I was growing up and I used to order it when I wanted to be “healthy.” I made it all the time for dinner my senior year of college once I had my own kitchen. Easy and satisfying and just as good with turkey bacon.

Sun Dried Tomatoes– I still love them on salads, purred in dips, minced into turkey burgers or added to simmer sauces to bump up the flavor. Maybe if we called them Umami Bombs they would be popular again?

Baked Potatoes– Why did loaded baked potatoes go out of fashion? My Mom used to order a plain baked potato and a side of chili from a Wendy’s drive through when we were on car trips and got to eat fast food. She would top her potato with the chili and enjoy a mildly nutritious fast food meal. I thought she was the height of glamor as I munched on my junior bacon cheeseburger in the back seat. Now days I roll the cleaned potatoes in olive oil and tons of sea salt and roast them until tender. Salty, crispy skin and fluffy steaming flesh inside. I’ve always wanted to have a baked potato party with chic toppings like chives, creme fraiche, aged white cheddar, sauteed kale and caviar. And champagne!

Fusion Pizzas– I miss Thai inspired pizzas with peanut sauce, shaved carrots, bean sprouts and tons of cilantro. Same with BBQ Chicken Pizza! I now make these at home on brown rice tortillas with was less cheese and more vegetables. A GREAT pantry staple or leftovers meal when you have an open bottle of BBQ sauce, left over chicken, half a red onion and some odds ends of cheese to shred and mix on top.

Hard Shell Tacos– As many authentic street tacos as I enjoy in Los Angeles made from fresh masa pressed to order and warmed on a plancha, I crave the hard shell tacos I grew up eating on “Taco Night.” I could fry my own tortillas at home but it seems too indulgent.

 

What are your favorite 90’s foods? Any secrets you want to share?

 

xx, Lydia