Over four years and many hundreds of meals, the staff of Bates Dining Services get a sense of the dishes that seniors really love.

As the Class of 2020 heads into the world with a great education, they’ll also have a few beloved recipes straight from the kitchens of Bates Dining.

Here are two, for vegan pad thai and salted toffee bark — gifts from Bates Dining to our seniors.

Vegan Pad Thai

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Executive chech Owen Keene of Dining Services offers a lesson on cooking a Bates favorite, vegan pad thai.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 pkg.  rice noodles
• ¼ head fresh broccoli, cut into florets (approximately 2-inch pieces)
• ½ red pepper, chopped
• ½ small onion, chopped
• Handful of baby spinach
• 1 tsp. canola oil
• 1 c. Bates Pad Thai Sauce (recipe follows)

Instructions

1. Soak rice noodles in cold water for 20–30 minutes. Drain well.
2. Saute peppers, broccoli and onions.
3. Add noodles, Pad Thai sauce and spinach. Toss gently until incorporated.
   
   Optional toppings: marinated tofu, peanut sauce (recipes follow), chili sauce, bean sprouts, chopped cilantro, chopped scallions, chopped peanuts

Bates Pad Thai Sauce

• ¾ c. teriyaki sauce
• ¼ c. water
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 3 T. rice wine vinegar

Combine all ingredients.

Marinated Tofu

• 1 lb. tofu, cubed
• 2 T. + ½ tsp. rice wine vinegar
• 1 T. + ¼  tsp. soy sauce
• 1 ½ tsp. sesame oil
• 2 T. + ½ tsp. granulated sugar
• ¾  tsp. red curry paste
• ½ tsp. chopped garlic
• 2 T. + ½ tsp. scallion, chopped

Combine all ingredients except tofu. Add tofu to the sauce and allow to marinate.

Peanut Sauce

• ½ c. creamy peanut butter
• ¼ c. water

Combine both ingredients. Adjust thickness to taste.

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Salted Toffee Bark

Makes approx. 24 pieces

Ingredients

• 24 (or so) saltine crackers
• ½ c. butter or margarine
• ½ c. granulated sugar
• ¾ c. chocolate chips
• ⅓ c. Heath bar bits

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a 13 x 9 baking pan with parchment paper. Liberally grease the pan or spray with cooking oil.
3. Layer saltines over the surface in a single layer. It does not matter whether they are salted side up or down. (Note that you can use any cracker — graham, Ritz or gluten-free varieties work just as well and give different flavor profiles.)
4. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add sugar and bring to a boil. Cook until it just starts to caramelize — keep a close eye on it. Pour evenly over crackers.
5. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the surface and let sit for a few minutes, then carefully spread evenly with an offset spatula to cover crackers.
6. Sprinkle Heath bar bits on top. (Note that you can add different toppings like chopped nuts, coconut, crushed Butterfinger, mini M&Ms, etc. Your imagination and sweet tooth are your only limitations!)
7. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
8. Break into pieces. Save any small broken bits and use them for ice cream or yogurt topping!