A food haystack uses a starchy base (tortilla chips, saltines, or rice), topped by a protein (beans, grated Cheddar cheese, taco-seasoned meat, and/or a vegetarian meat alternative), and fresh vegetables (shredded lettuce, tomatoes, olives, peppers). It is garnished with condiments (guacamole, sour cream, salsa).

Mexican Haystacks are like a deconstructed tostada. The haystack ingredients are served individually and assembled on the plate by the person who will be eating it. There are other variations, like Hawaiian haystacks with ham and pineapple.

Good for a crowd, the concept has been popular for at least 60 years. According to Wikipedia, they are particularly popular among Seventh-day Adventists, Mennonites, and Latter-Day Saints.

You can assemble the haystacks and bring them to the table, or simply lay out the ingredients and have each person assemble their own haystack, using as little or as much of any particular ingredient.
 
 
RECIPE: MEXICAN HAYSTACKS

This recipe courtesy of Ginny Stevenson, adapted by Winner Dinners.
 
Ingredients For 4 Servings

[2] You can make the base of the haystack from rice or other starch, including tortilla tips (photo © The Nibble).

1. PREPARE all of the cheeses, vegetables, and toppings as directed, placing each item in its own small bowl. Store in the fridge while you prepare the beef and beans.

2. PLACE the ground beef, taco seasoning mix, and the amount of water indicated on the seasoning package into a skillet and cook them all together, until the meat is cooked and tender and most of the water has evaporated. While the beef is cooking…

3. PLACE the refried beans in a microwave-safe bowl and heat.

4. BRING the ingredients to the table and assemble them. Place a thin layer of refried beans on a plate and then sprinkle some tortilla chips over the beans. Add the remaining ingredients in whatever order you wish. A recommended order: beef, lettuce, Cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheeses, tomatoes, olives, green onions, guacamole, sour cream, and salsa.
 
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*Even if you don’t use the tortilla chips for the base, you can serve them on the side.
 
 

[2] Just mix equal parts of sugar and water, plus any flavorings (photo © Zulka Sugar).

[3] Simple syrup is the ideal sweetener for iced drinks: It doesn’t need stirring to dissolve (photo © The Wayfarer | NYC).

[4] Just as with store brands, you can infuse your simple syrup with any flavor you like (photo © Stirrings).

[5] Mint simple syrup is a favorite for lemonade, with sugar and mint all in one, blending instantly into the lemonade (photo © Sonoma Syrup).

Over the last decade, flavored simple syrups have become popular with mixologists. In addition to sweetness, they’re also used to add an extra layer of flavor to drinks.

There are lots of flavored simple syrups on the market (photos #4 and #5). In addition to common flavors—blood orange, lavender, mint, pomegranate, raspberry—you can find cardamom, peach basil, pineapple jalapeño cilantro, saffron and tamarind.

Most people buy a bottle of premade simple syrup (also available in sugar-free.) Others simply make their own—not only because it’s easy and so much less expensive, but because they can create special flavors—everything from ghost chile to strawberry rose.

It couldn’t be easier: Just bring equal parts of water and sugar to a boil and simmer, then add any flavorings. You can even make agave or honey simple syrup by replacing the sugar.

Below:

> The easy recipe for simple syrup.

> Cocktail recipe: Lemon Lime Raspberry Twist.

> Use simple syrup to sweeten any beverage.

> Use simple syrup to sweeten foods.

> The year’s 7 sweetener holidays.

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> The history of simple syrup.

> The history of sugar.

> The different types of sugars, syrups and other sweeteners: a photo glossary.

 
 
RECIPE #1: SIMPLE SYRUP

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. BRING the water to a boil. Dissolve the sugar into the boiling water, stirring constantly until dissolved completely. (Do not allow the syrup to boil for too long or it will be too thick.)

2. ADD the optional flavor once the sugar is fully dissolved. To infuse fresh herbs (basil, mint, rosemary), simmer them in the hot water for 20 minutes and remove before adding the sugar.

3. REMOVE the pan from the heat. Allow to cool completely and thicken.

4. STORE in an airtight container in the fridge for up to six months.

NOTE: If you infuse your syrup with fresh ingredients like fruits or herbs, the shelf life is reduced to about 1–2 weeks.

Adding a small amount of high-proof neutral spirit to the finished syrup, e.g. an ounce of vodka, can extend its shelf life by several weeks.
 
 
COCKTAIL RECIPE: LEMON LIME RASPBERRY TWIST

For spring, try this Lemon Lime raspberry Twist cocktail (photo above). The recipe from Nielsen-Massey, using their Pure Lemon and Tahitian Vanilla extracts.

If you like heat, add some jalapeño slices as garnish.

Ingredients For ½ Cup Lemon-Vanilla Simple Syrup

 
Ingredients Per Drink

 
Preparation

1. MAKE the syrup. Combine the water, sugar and lemon extract in a small saucepan; stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the syrup reduces, about 10-15 minutes.

2. REMOVE from the heat. After the syrup has cooled, add the vanilla extract and stir to combine. Refrigerate the syrup in an airtight container in the fridge.

3. MUDDLE in a cocktail shaker the fresh raspberries, lime juice and simple syrup. Add vodka and sparkling water; shake and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Drop the lime twist and frozen raspberries into glass. Top with a freshly squeezed orange wedge.

 
 
WAYS TO USE SIMPLE SYRUP TO SWEETEN FOODS

 
Bakers brush simple syrup on layer cakes to keep the crumb moist. If you use flavored simple syrup, it adds a nuance of flavor as well.
 
 
THE YEAR’S 10+ SWEETENER HOLIDAYS

The are quite a few sweeteners in the U.S. alone: agave, coconut sugar/palm sugar/jaggery, corn syrup, date syrup, golden syrup, honey, maple syrup, monkfruit, rice syrup, molasses, saccharine, sorghum syrup, stevia, sugar, and more (check out our Sugar & Syrup Glossary).

Yet, while there are plenty of holidays for foods that use these sweeteners (National Sugar Cookie Day, e.g.), there is very little celebration of the sweeteners themselves.

 

[7] As a substitute for simple syrup, superfine sugar dissolves much more quickly than granulated table sugar. Domino Sugar more recently titled their product Quick Dissolve to attract customers who didn’t know about it. Tip: You can turn granulated sugar into superfine sugar by pulsing it in a food processor or spice mill. Savvy cooks use it to make meringues and soufflés because dissolves immediately into egg whites, preventing any possible grainy texture (photo: The Nibble).
 
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*Originally October 14th, subsequently changed to the 15th.

†Yes, they’re both on the same time.
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

Ingredients

1. Place the diced tomatillos, avocados, cilantro, jalapeños, garlic, salt, pepper, and lime juice into a food processor, in the order listed. Mix until all ingredients are fully combined and the guacamole is smooth and creamy. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

2. To keep the guacamole from browning until you’re ready to serve it, tamp plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent air from oxidizing the avocado.

Here’s another tomatillo guacamole recipe with roasted corn.

Tomatillos are not little green tomatoes. They are in the same botanical family, but a different species. Here’s the scoop:
 
The Tomato

The tomato is an edible red berry*, although some varieties grow in colors that range from brown to green (when ripe), orange, purple-black, purple-blue, white and yellow (see photo below and learn more about tomato colors).

 
The Tomatillo

 
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*Yes, tomatoes are fruits. Here’s the difference between fruits and vegetables.

[2] A mac and cheese grilled cheese sandwich from Grill Concepts (photo © Grill Concepts | Los Angeles).

We’re closing out National Grilled Cheese Month with something out of the ordinary: a grilled cheese sandwich made with macaroni and cheese.

It’s the creation of Chef David Venable of QVC, who created it to use up leftover mac and cheese.

(Really? Who ever has leftover mac and cheese?)

He uses extra slices of cheddar on top of the mac and cheese, which melt and will help hold the mac in place (photo #1).

And, since you don’t want to wait until you have leftovers, this recipe has you make the mac and cheese from scratch.

If you like heat, add some chili flakes to the recipe.
 
 
RECIPE: MAC & CHEESE GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

Ingredients For 4 Servings

1. MELT the butter in a medium-size saucepan. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.

2. ADD the milk and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. When the sauce begins to simmer, remove the pan from the heat and add the shredded cheese, mustard, optional chili flakes, salt and pepper. Stir until all of the cheese has melted. Add the bacon and the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir to fully coat the macaroni. Set aside.

3. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F.

4. PLACE 8 slices of bread on a work surface and spread the mayonnaise onto one side of each slice. Flip over 4 slices of the bread and place 1 slice of cheddar on each.

5. DIVIDE the macaroni over the cheese-covered bread slices and spread evenly. Top with the remaining slices of cheddar and cover with the remaining bread slices, mayonnaise side facing out.

6. PREHEAT a square griddle pan to medium heat. Place the sandwiches on the hot griddle and toast until golden brown on one side, about 5–8 minutes. Flip the sandwiches; then place the griddle, with the sandwiches, in the oven and bake for about 5–8 minutes, or until golden brown and the cheese slices have melted.
 
 
> MACARONI & CHEESE HISTORY

After we jad this delicious potato-crusted cod at Blaue Gans restaurant in New York City, we created our own version at home.

You can use cod, halibut or other thick, flaky white fish. Blaue Gans set the fish atop a cucumber, yogurt and tarragon salad. You can use any vegetables or grain.

There are variations of potato crust that use potato flakes or mashed potatoes. But to look as pretty (and get as crunchy) as this, you need to grate long slices of fresh potato. You also must use a nonstick pan so the potato crust doesn’t stick.

You need to coat the fish with a flavored paste so the potato crust will adhere. This recipe uses pesto. You can also make a garlic or wasabi paste*.

And, you can “go gourmet” by making parsley and/or carrot oil, a few drops of flavored olive oil, or a bit of carrot or red bell pepper purée.

A beauty: potato-crusted cod. Photo courtesy Blaue Gans | NYC.

Ingredients For 4 Servings

 
For The Parsley Vinaigrette†

 
*Mix 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon wasabi paste with 4 tablespoons mayonnaiseor full-fat plain yogurt.

†Recipe adapted from Chef Michael Schlow.

1. PREPARE the vinaigrette: Blanch the parsley in a saucepan of boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain, rinse, squeeze dry and pat with paper towels to remove remaining moisture. Transfer to a blender, add the ice cubes and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in the remaining olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F.

3. GRATE the potatoes and squeeze out all the excess water. If the potatoes are wet, they will not get crisp.

4. SPREAD one side of each fillet with 1 tablespoon of pesto. Press the grated potato onto the pesto.

5. HEAT the olive oil in a nonstick pan. The oil is hot when it flows smoothly over the bottom of the pan and glistens. It you’re not certain that it’s hot enough, add a small piece of garlic or onion. It will sizzle immediately when the oil is hot enough.

7. MOVE the fish to a baking pan, potato side up. Bake in the oven for 5-6 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet.