hi folks! summer has come and (almost) and gone and that’s all i’m going to say about THAT! we’ve been busy working, traveling, parenting, living…all the good things that kept us from sitting and writing newsletters. it happens!
today’s letter will be a quickie while i have the wind at my back to write. there are many more issues up our sleeves - we still have to put together a big recap of the meals we made on our summer holiday, and other thoughts and feels about feeding kids on a family vacation (spoiler: it’s almost always mostly fries and probably way too much juice for everyone’s own good) - but for now, i’m going to fulfill a request from instagram!
sidebar, are you following us on instagram? you should be doing that!
i’ve been really living in nostalgia town lately, which is how i landed on a shake & bake situation. along with hamburger helper, KD and whatever this was, this was one of THE elite weeknight meals of my childhood. i also have been really living in meat town lately, and wanted a break. so i combined my two lives into one very easy recipe that fits perfectly into my current rotation of “things my kids will eat that i also would like to eat”: shake & bake tofu nuggets.
i posted a MDWM (make dinner with me, obv) reel about this on instagram the other day, and got a few messages asking for the recipe so i wrote it down for you!
a word on the nuggets: while these are incredibly easy, they take some time due to a crucial marination step. bland tofu is not the vibe. that said, the prep step takes 5 minutes tops, so if you wanted to do these for a weekday dinner you should put the tofu in it’s broth bath in the morning. also sometimes plans change. if you get too busy to make them, or forget about the tofu in the fridge for 2 days, that’s totally fine.
the seasoning is a choose your own adventure situation. i keep it simple with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder & salt/pep but you can go any way you like. dress them like chicken wings! buffalo them! honey garlic them! bbq sauce them! dip them in ranch! you do you! get the kids involved for the shaking part (but make sure the bag is sealed)! these bake up in about 30-35 minutes, are ready in 40 including oven preheating & shake mix prep time, and i’d use them as the main event along with whatever sides you fancy, or you could add them into some sort of rice or noodle bowl?! there are plenty of ways to use a tofu nugget and i can’t wait to see where your tofuspiration takes you. keep us posted :)
shake & bake, baby.
kt
shake & bake tofu nuggets
makes enough for 4 people, plus some leftovers.
equipment
Large bowl, plastic wrap or bowl cover/towel, large ziploc bag or tupperware container, 1 cup measure, measuring spoons, parchment paper or baking mat, large baking sheet.
ingredients
2 packages of extra firm tofu
3 cups veggie or chicken stock / enough bouillon to get you there
4 tbsp corn starch
2 cups flour
1.5 cups panko or regular breadcrumbs
2 tbsp paprika
1 tsbp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp kosher salt (more to taste, if needed)
Pepper to taste
Olive oil
method
Preheat the oven to 425F
Remove tofu from the package & drain. Tear each brick into quarters, and put them in a large bowl. Cover the tofu with the veggie or chicken stock, or enough bouillon & hot water to equal 3 cups of stock - you want the tofu to be completely submerged. Cover and let sit for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 24 hours. The longer the better.
When you’re ready for nuggets, drain the stock and tear each piece of tofu into cubes, about an inch thick. The craggy edges you get from tearing the tofu adds texture.
In a large ziploc bag or a tupperware container, combine the cornstarch, flour, breadcrumbs, paprika, garlic and onion powder, salt, pepper and any other seasonings you wish. Toss the tofu pieces in the bag, seal it up & shake until they’re all coated. Any extra shake mix can be stored in the freezer.
Remove the tofu nuggets from the bag, and spread them evenly on your baking tray.
Drizzle a little olive oil all over them and toss to coat them in the oil.
Bake for about 30-35 minutes, checking halfway to give the pan a shake & make sure nothing is sticking, until they’re golden and crispy on the outside.
Serve & enjoy!
PS: If you don’t want to eat all of the nuggets right away, you can fridge or freeze cooked nuggets and reheat them later. They’ll last a few days in the fridge and for a long time in the freezer.