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Special Delivery: Mailbox Lasagna

If you can make cookies in the car, why can’t you make lasagna in the mailbox?

This was the thought that propelled me forward on my next wild experiment. If global warming is going to get worse, I can only get weirder in response.

Why Lasagna In A Mailbox?

Many news stations like to offer this tantalizing idea as a quirky way to lighten the mood when oppressive summer heat sets in. The earliest reference I can find to it is from 2019, attributing it to the Nation Weather Service, but I can’t find that original reference. What’s more alarming is that despite being re-posted and shared thousands of times, I couldn’t find evidence that anyone had actually tried it. That’s where I come in.

The idea is that by prepping your meal in advance, stuffing it in a hot mailbox all day, it would bake though pure solar power, keeping the kitchen cool and saving electricity. I’m dubious that the actual cost savings would add up to a full cent, but given how prone my state is to rolling blackouts, I’ll do everything I can to conserve.

How To Make Mailbox Lasagna

The procedure is pretty much as you’d imagine, starting with your favorite lasagna recipe.

Use any lasagna recipe you prefer, scaled down accordingly to fit your pan. Use only fully cooked components (no raw proteins) to prevent potential food poisoning. While unlikely, it’s better to be safe than sick.
Make sure you use no-boil noodles, no matter what the recipe originally calls for.
Cover with foil to seal in the heat before placing it in the mailbox. Close the door and lock it if possible. This is to keep both nosy neighbors and hungry critters out.
Go about your day and let the lasagna “bake” for 6 to 10 hours.
Handle carefully, with potholders, because it will be hot! Remove the foil to check that the cheese has melted and your pasta is al dente. It won’t brown due to the lack of intense direct heat. The Maillard reaction only occurs at 149°C/300°F and higher.

Tips and Tricks

There are a lot more variables to contend with when using a mailbox instead of an actual oven. Bear in mind these factors before writing it into your dinner menu:

Ideally, plan this experiment for a Sunday or federal holiday so there’s no mail delivery that might end up in your meal.
Start by cleaning out your mailbox. If it’s anything like mine, it’s also full of dust, dirt, and the occasional spiderweb. None of those are great seasonings, so you’ll want to give the interior a good rinse before adding food.
Select a metal pan to better conduct heat, and make sure it fits inside your mailbox. I’d recommend a loaf pan in most cases, unless you have a giant mailbox equal in size to a conventional oven.
Start around late morning (10 or 11am) when the mailbox is in direct sunlight. There needs to be a high of at least 105℉ (40°C) outside to attempt this with any level of success. Sorry if it’s not as brutally hot in your neck of the woods; it simply won’t work otherwise.

What Does Lasagna Cooked In A Mailbox Taste Like?

Here’s the thing: It’s fine. Edible, for sure. The cheese comes out melt-y-ish if not fully melted (though your mileage may vary depending on your brand), the pasta is soft enough after sitting and soaking in sauce for a few hours, and if you started with flavorful sauce and filling ingredients, it tastes as good as those did to begin with.

It’s not as good as lasagna baked in the oven because it lacks the textural contrast of crispy edges, the caramelized bits and browned surfaces. It’s a novelty that can amuse your friends and scare your neighbors, not a culinary treasure.

Honest Thoughts On Mailbox Lasagna

Is it the best lasagna you’ve ever eaten? No.

Is it the easiest lasagna you’ve ever made? Also no.

But is it the silliest and most fun lasagna you’ve ever tried? Absolutely a strong contender. I’d love to hear if you’ve come up with something wackier, because that would be a must-make for me.

July 28, 2023March 11, 2026

Hannah (BitterSweet)18 Comments

Queso The Mondays

The longer I live in Texas, the more recipes I’ll have for queso. A party doesn’t start without liquid cheese on the table, and who says you can only have one?

Though chili is the official state dish of Texas, I think queso should have its own distinction as the state’s official dip. While we’re on the subject, pecan trees are the official trees of Texas and naturally, pecans the official nut. While cashews are the standard base for vegan queso, there’s no reason why we can’t take a more Texan approach to this savory staple.

What Makes This The Best Vegan Queso Recipe

Buttery, subtly sweet, and robustly nutty, pecans add a whole new level of decadence to everyone’s favorite Tex-Mex appetizer. Creamy and thick enough to generously coat chips, it’s rich enough to satisfy any craving. Plus, it’s ready in mere minutes, so you can always have queso on hand for gatherings big or small.

Uses For Plant-Based Queso

Naturally, queso was made for dipping tortilla chips, but that’s just the start. Save some for breakfast, lunch, or dinner in all sorts of other dishes.

Drizzled over tacos
Mixed into tofu scramble
Stuffed into burritos
Used as filling for quesadillas
Tossed with pasta

Forget processed dairy products. There’s a whole world of queso with bolder flavor and better nutrition, and I promise, it’s not a tough nut to crack.

Continue reading “Queso The Mondays” →

May 8, 2023March 8, 2026

Hannah (BitterSweet)4 Comments

Wordless Wednesday: Aba

Wild Mushroom Hummus

Muhammara

Gluten-Free Crackers

Green Falafel

Crispy Potatoes

Brussels Sprouts

Halva

Aba

1011 South Congress Avenue

Building 2, Suite 180
Austin, TX, 78704

May 3, 2023March 8, 2026

Hannah (BitterSweet)2 Comments

Hot and Bothered Over Hot and Sour Soup

Of all the foods I crave, hot and sour soup is most commonly out of reach. Ubiquitous across Chinese restaurant menus big and small, often given away for free with a lunch combo, it’s a cruel joke that there’s no soup for me.

Traditionally a Sichuan staple, standard recipes include all the usual non-vegan pitfalls: chicken broth, beaten eggs, and sometimes thinly sliced pork. In rare instances, you may luck out and find a vegetarian option without meat, but completely vegan versions are true unicorns.

Hot and sour soup is a snap to make at home, but not without mild controversy. Truth be told, I’ve been making some version of this recipe for years on the down-low. It’s one of those everyday staples that doesn’t feel special enough to share in the spotlight, and moreover, it would undoubtedly raise the ire of culinary perfectionists for all its obvious flaws.

Authenticity be damned; no one should gatekeep good food. When I’m too tired or busy to travel to the Asian specialty store for the conventional ingredients, when I’m just trying to scrape together pantry staples to feed myself, or when I’ve simply run out of fucks to give, this is the soup I turn to.

How To Make Hot And Sour Soup More “Authentic”

Use bamboo shoots instead of shredded carrots
Swap the balsamic vinegar for black vinegar
Replace the shiitake mushrooms with wood ear mushrooms
Add dried lily buds

How To Make Hot And Sour Soup Less “Authentic” But More Accessible

Use vegetable stock instead of vegan chicken broth
Omit the plant-based egg component
Add green peas, diced tomatoes, or corn kernels
Finish with sriracha or chili oil, to taste

If you find this recipe offensive, categorically distasteful, or personally upsetting, guess what? It’s not meant for you. For everyone else trying to get a hot and sour fix with limited means: Welcome. Grab a bowl and a spoon, there’s plenty to go around.

Continue reading “Hot and Bothered Over Hot and Sour Soup” →

March 13, 2023March 8, 2026

Hannah (BitterSweet)6 Comments

Apizza The Action

All apizza is pizza, but few pizzas are true apizzas- And no, that’s not a typo. Pronounced “ah-beets,” this very specific, exclusive subset of flat breads is more American than Italian by birth, not to mention an infant compared to the long-standing domination of their red sauced brethren. Leave your pepperoni in the fridge; clams are the crowning jewels on this East Coast treasure.

Clam apizza can be traced directly to Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana in New Haven, Connecticut. Growing up in the tri-state area, this was the only choice when ordering pizza from a parlor. Nothing else could even remotely compare to homemade, lovingly made as a family effort on special occasions. To get your hands on Pepe’s pizza, it took almost as much effort. Place an order later than 5pm and you’d be out of luck for same day service.

What Is Clam Apizza?

Invented in the 1960s, this unconventional pairing of cheese and seafood defied all common wisdom. Littleneck clams fresh off the boat from the Rhode Island coast moved from appetizer to entree when they found a place of honor atop this white pie. Peppery olive oil soaks into every crevasse for a lusciously rich bite, accentuating the blend of gooey melted mozzarella and sharp Parmesan shavings. Garlic factors prominently along with a classic palate of oregano and crushed red pepper flakes for seasoning.

Apizza crust shares similarities with Neapolitan pizzas, but is more substantial, charred on the bottom, and crisp on the outside. This is largely a function of using brick ovens to seal the deal, pumping out face-melting temperatures that could incinerate raw dough in seconds. While home ovens can’t get nearly so hot, we have other tricks for making apizza that beats the rest.

What Makes This The Best Clam Apizza Recipe

Leave the littlenecks in the sea for this round. Thick, meaty Sugimoto donko shiitake have already proven their keep as decadent baked clams, after all. Sprinkling those briny morsels into an ocean of melted vegan cheese is a no-brainer. Juicy and succulent following a trip through the oven, shiitake easily have the edge over seafood because you can’t possibly overcook them here. They remain moist, flavorful, and delightfully chewy while the dough beneath them browns and the cheese bubbles.

Speaking of dough, this one deserves an extra shout-out as my favorite version to date. It stretches and rolls like a dream, walking the fine line between toothsome and crisp when baked, and is infused with umami through and through. Shiitake mushroom powder, my favorite flavor enhancer, works its magic to make a pizza crust that’s worth eating alone. No one would dare leave these bones behind.

More Ways To Top Your Apizza

Simplicity is king for this straightforward pie, allowing the delicate umami flavors from the shiitake and Parmesan cheese to shine through at full volume. Additional garnishes should be applied sparingly, if at all, to maintain that harmonious balance. Just a sprinkle of the following will do:

Sliced black olives
Capers
Baby spinach or arugula
Finely chopped broccoli rabe
Vegan bacon
Thinly sliced scallions
Lemon Zest

It doesn’t take much to make great clam apizza. Quality is everything, so make it count. Sugimoto shiitake are the only ones I want on my slice.

Continue reading “Apizza The Action” →

March 10, 2023March 8, 2026

Hannah (BitterSweet)4 Comments

Beaned By Lucky Edamame

Soybeans have long been celebrated as a high-protein superfood, but beyond their nutritional prowess, did you know that they can chase away demons, too? Japanese people have taken advantage of this for centuries with stellar results: Not a single demonic incident since setsubun!

What Is Setsubun?

Celebrated on February 3rd, setsubun means “seasonal division,” marking the end of winter and beginning of spring according to the old Japanese calendar. Since I’d do anything to speed through this dark period every year, I’m all for that! Many people have come to describe it as the “bean-throwing festival” in reference to the most important annual tradition.

Mamemaki, “bean scattering,” is the practice of throwing dried soybeans either out the front door or at a family member wearing a demon mask to drive away bad fortune. I’d always argue that it’s more fun to throw food at loved ones, but your mileage my vary. After cleansing the home of evil spirits, you’re then supposed to eat the leftover soybeans, counting out one for every year of your life, plus one more for good luck in the coming year.

This time around, let’s make soybeans that are so addictively spicy and savory, you’ll only want to throw more of them into your mouth.

Seven is a lucky number in Japanese culture, which is why ehomaki (large, uncut sushi rolls) are filled with exactly seven ingredients on this day, too. Shichimi togarashi, a spice blend made with seven components, is the perfect seasoning to follow suit.

What’s Sichimi Togarashi Made Of?

Also know as simply shichimi, there are no hard and fast rules for what makes the cut, but most blends include the following:

Sansho pepper or Sichuan peppercorns
Chilies
Ginger
Orange, mandarin, or yuzu zest
Sesame seeds
Poppy seeds
Nori

Use it anywhere you would black pepper for a bolder, more intense heat and complex flavor overall.

How to Make Crispy Soybeans

The dried soybeans traditionally used for setsubun are what we might refer to as soy nuts here. Personally, I much prefer the fresh, buttery taste of green edamame instead. The trick to getting them crispy is to cook them low and slow, gently removing moisture without burning the outsides. Believe it or not, your air fryer is just the tool for this job! Most air fryers have dehydrator settings now, offering temperatures as low as 90 degrees. Naturally, you could use a conventional dehyrator if you have one handy.

Demons had better keep their distance when these tiny fireballs are on the table; they really do bring the heat! Smoldering with the spice of powerful chili peppers, every bite has a resounding crunch and zesty finish that will bring you back for more. Pack them up as healthy snacks on the go, enjoy with a glass of sake, or eat them like popcorn while you Netflix and chill.