Since I grew up in Cooperstown it is frequently assumed that I am a baseball fanatic. Well, I’m not. I loyally root for the Yankees, and enjoy attending major league games now and then, but I don’t worship at the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday. To those of us in the know, Cooperstown is a town much bigger than just a baseball museum. I can’t wait to show you some of my favorite spots in my Travel Series next week.

But, until then, I will share with you one of my favorite hometown recipes. This one was given to me by my childhood friend Kirsten’s mother, Char. Since Char knows I am not a big fan of mayonnaise she suggested I try her Chinese Chicken Salad. It is completely mayo-free, packed with flavor, and just the thing for taking on a boat ride around Otsego Lake.

This week we’ve been enjoying lots of family boat rides around the lake, taking my daughter swimming in it’s calm waters and regaling her with tales of Otsie the fabled lake monster. On the sunnier days we’ve been making our trips into full-on morning excursions, packing snacks, drinks and lunch food. The day before our latest boat ride I assembled this chicken salad while my daughter was napping. It was a cinch to make while my she slept, and I was able to leave it in the fridge until I needed it the following day.

I am always cautious when preparing food too far in advance. Sometimes an overnight stay in the cool environs of my Frigedaire can completely wreck the flavor of an otherwise tasty dish. But, in this case, the flavor of the salad actually improved during it’s respite in the fridge. The sharpness of the teriyaki mellowed and the subtle flavors of the scallions deepened. I was a little worried that the chow mein noodles would get soggy, but they didn’t. Their crunchiness held up beautifully, creating a nice texture with each bite. Needless to say, we were happy to munch away on this salad during our mid-week cruise. Grateful for the good weather, good food and the slower pace of summer life, sans baseball, in Cooperstown.

Char’s Chinese Chicken Salad

adapted from the recipe given to me by Char Zola

4	large skinless, boneless chicken breasts
6 oz.	Soy Vey Teriyaki (or any brand of Teriyaki sauce you have on hand)
3 oz.	Chow Mein noodles
1	head lettuce
1	bunch scallions, finely chopped
.75 oz.	sesame seeds, toasted
4 oz.	sliced almonds, toasted

Dressing:

½ c.	olive oil
4 T.	sugar
6 T.	red wine vinegar
1 t.	coarse salt
1 t.	freshly ground pepper

1. Marinate the chicken in teriyaki for 3-4 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350. Bake chicken for about 40 minutes, or until tender. Cube meat and set aside.
3. Break lettuce into bite size pieces and place them on the bottom of a large serving bowl. On top of that, layer the chicken, scallions, toasted sesame seeds, almonds and noodles.
4. Combine all dressing ingredients, pour over the salad and toss all the ingredients together.

This recipe is delicious and flexible. Feel free to add any other ingredients you would like, there are many variations that would be delicious. I love that this doesn’t require mayonnaise, it makes it easier to transport and I never worry about it getting rancid.

The preparation time for this takes about 1 hour from the time the chicken goes in the oven. It is a great use of time during naptime, you’ll have lunch or dinner for several days!

My daughter came around to the teriyaki flavor after I separated out the green onions. Everyone on our picnic loved it.

• Potlucks & New Parents, Salads & Side Dishes
• almonds, Chicken, Chow Mein Noodles, Lettuce, Sesame Seeds

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Making ice-cream is fun, but developing ice-cream treats is even more enjoyable. It is only natural that with all the ice-cream I’ve been churning out this summer I’ve been creating delicious summer desserts as well. In June I started by making an amazing ice-cream cookie sandwich with my malted milk ice-cream between chocolate butter almond cookies. Then, last week I made these delicious ice-cream bars with a graham cracker crust, and the cookie sandwiches were blown out of the water. These ice-cream bars are the ultimate summer frozen treat. The best part is that I can make them during naptime and they can harden in the freezer until it’s times for dessert.

Naptime Cookies & Cream Ice-Cream Bars with Graham Cracker Crust

For Crust:

2 c. graham cracker crumbs
6 T. melted butter
¼ c. sugar

For Bars:

½ c.	caramel sauce (store-bought is fine, or you can make your own)
2	pints Cookies & Cream
2	squares semisweet baking chocolate, melted
1/3 c.	sliced almonds

1. Preheat oven to 325. Combine crust ingredients in a bowl until fully incorporated. Then press into a 9×13 baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool.
2. Once crust has cooled pour thin layer of caramel sauce over crust and spread evenly. Put dish in the refrigerator and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
3. When caramel is cooled work quickly to spread ice-cream over caramel. Make sure ice-cream is evenly packed and level. I like to work the ice-cream with the back of a spoon.
4. Drizzle melted chocolate on top and sprinkle with sliced almonds, or topping of your choice. 5. Cover dish with clear plastic and place in freezer for 4-6 hours, or until ice-cream is frozen solid. Cut into bars and serve.

More ideas for Ice-Cream Bar combinations:
Crusts: Gingersnap crumbs, Rice Krispies with chocolate chips, chocolate wafer crumbs, baked chocolate cookie dough
Layers: Butterscotch, hot fudge, strawberry sauce, raspberry jam, melted peanut butter Ice-Cream: Any flavor you can think of!
Toppings: Nuts, M&Ms, crush candy canes, peppermint bark.

• Bread & Desserts, Freezer-Friendly, Potlucks & New Parents
• Chocolate, Graham Crackers

My friend Katie moved to San Francisco in January. She used to live five blocks from me in New York, but now she lives five hours away. I would usually be sad about this scenario, however, I’ve been seeing a lot of Katie lately. She and her family spend their summers at their home in Sag Harbor this summer, which is where I have been going to beat the heat.

Katie is a foodie and accomplished cook and, since she is an avid Naptime Chef reader, she correctly predicted that I would be writing a travel post to share with you. Weeks prior to my arrival she started sending me notes on places to visit, and explore we did. We traveled high and low all over Sag Harbor and I have loads of great information to share. If you haven’t planned your Sag Harbor trip this summer I highly recommend you make the time, it is a terrific getaway.

Naptime’s Sag Harbor Favorites (in no particular order):

1) American Legion: Dockside: It seems strange that the American Legion would have one of the best spots to eat in the Hamptons, but they do. Katie whisked us off to lunch within moments of our arrival and I am glad she did. The fish tacos are absolutely amazing, the best on the East Coast. I also loved the crab stuffed zucchini blossom and plan to test out a recipe of my own. It is also worth noting the beautiful view, you eat overlooking the harbor.

2) Cavaniola’s Cheese Shop: You know I love good cheeses and this shop is definitely the best of the best. The staff is extremely knowledgeable, plus they have a great selection of gourmet foods. When I told them we liked sharp cheddar they sent me home with one of the best slices of authentic English cheddar I think I’ve ever had. They also have an excellent wine shop and prepared food store one door down.

3) Cromer’s Market: From the outside Cromer’s looks like a dingy market you only run to during emergencies. But, on the inside is one of the best butchers in the Hamptons. I was impressed with their selection of grass fed beef and humanely raised pork products. This is a great place to stock up for cookouts.

4) North Sea Farm: Once I was at this farm I realized why it looked familiar, Ina shops here, too. It is an obvious choice for anyone who appreciates farm to fork food, the chickens wander freely in and out of their coop. Then end up for sale at the poultry counter, without their feathers. The eggs have gorgeous orange yolks, and the fresh produce is swoon-worthy. My particular favorite was the cool lettuce “wheel” (pictured below) that you rotate to select your desired variety.

5) Schiavoni’s: Traveling with children means several trips to the grocery store, and this one is well stocked. They have a great meat counter, selection of cereals and foods for families. They also have the most amazing homemade guacamole available in the cooler section. Get there early though, it always sells out by the end of the day.

6) Amber Bakery: This humble bakery opposite the Sag Harbor Post Office is the destination for cookies, cakes and scones. I adored their chocolate chip cookies and noted that it would also be a great visit for a bride. Their wedding cake display was gorgeous.

7) Sag Harbor Farmers’ Market (Saturdays): Part of the fun of exploring farmers’ markets is discovering vegetables and flavors that are new to me. I just loved these bunches of multicolored vegetables (pictured below), as well as the fantastic selection of tiny tomatoes. Needless to say, dinner was not difficult that evening.

Round Swamp Farm: It seems awfully strange to go to a farm for mexican dip, but I promised to introduce you to interesting food finds, and this is one of them. For some reason this farm specializes in a dips and I haven’t tasted anything as amazing as this one. It is layers of salsa, cheese and guacamole baked in a puff pastry. Nothing short of heavenly, delicious with fresh chips and a margherita.

9) Espresso: Katie is as addicted to coffee as I am to tea, which is why we hit Espresso daily. We also went several times for lunch, their sandwiches, pizzas and salads are Italian delicacies and perfect for taking to the beach.

10) Tiger Spud Potato Chips: It is unusual that I champion a brand, but I will root for these chips. They are made locally by a farm (the Hamptons were once famous for potato crops), and are the most flavorful chips I have ever tasted. And, trust me, I have tasted a lot. A national distributor needs to snap this brand up right away, anyone I know would happily toss all other sub-par brands for a bag of Tiger Spuds.