Good (Food) Reads for your week:

A strange, but very useful kitchen tip: If your dishwasher needs a good cleaning, try Tang! I was noticing my dishes weren’t as sparkling recently and saw this technique and gave it a try. I’m happy to report it worked and with very minimal effort. Do you have any great kitchen hacks you love?

When I lived in Boston, there was the best little Cuban restaurant just up the block from my apartment called El Oriental de Cuba. I still have dreams about their cuban sandwiches and tamales, especially on a cold day. I’ve been on a quest to find something comparable for a few years now. I’m hoping this recipe for Cubano Sheet Pan Sliders from The Kitchn might keep my cravings at bay until I can get back to Boston/JP.

Lately I’ve had the worst luck with bananas – they seem to go from green straight to brown! So, we’ve been doing a lot of banana bread around here. While I usually love the basic recipe from America’s Test Kitchen, I think I’m going to try this Maple Olive Oil Banana Bread version by Shutterbean.

Yesterday was Fat Tuesday here in the United States (did you make a King Cake?).  IFormally known as Shrove Tuesday, for Christians it is the last day before the traditional fasting period of Lent. In the U.K. this is often known colloquially as “Pancake Day” and is celebrated by eating pancakes! That is definitely a holiday I could get on board with, especially if these Lemon Cardamom Pancakes with Honey Drizzle were involved.

Sometimes you just need Frito Pie and Not Without Salt does it right. Again. I can’t wait to make this recipe!

And for balance, this simple Sesame Ginger Salmon en Papillote from Kelsay Nixon. I’ve never tried the en papillote technique, but it seems perfect for a busy weekday night. It might even work for a sweet, at home Valentine’s Day dinner when paired with some bubbles (I’ve been loving Italian proseccos for casual dinners) and a crisp, crunchy slaw-type salad.

Happy reading – and cooking!