Crunchy Iceberg Salad with Creamy Blue Cheese

 

I don’t know about the rest of you, but Ina has never let me down. Even with something as simple as the iconic wedge salad, Ina did it one better by slicing iceberg lettuce into “steaks,” as it were, in order to stretch further than the traditional wedge, make it heaps easier to eat, and a lot prettier. Here is her recipe, unadorned because it’s perfect as it is. The recipe is from her book Make It Ahead. The radishes in the picture I grew myself. I am most proud.

Crunchy Iceberg Salad with Creamy Blue Cheese

For the Dressing:

4 oz. Roquefort blue cheese, crumbled

⅔ c. good mayonnaise

⅓ c. plain Greek yogurt

1 T. sherry vinegar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Salad:

4 tender inside celery stalks, trimmed & sliced crosswise ¼”
6 radishes, trimmed and sliced into thin rounds

5 scallions, trimmed, white & green parts sliced ¼”

1 large head iceberg lettuce, wilted outer leaves removed

4 - 6 oz. Roquefort blue cheese, crumbled

Fleur de sel

For the dressing, place 4 oz. of blue cheese in a small bowl and microwave for 15 seconds, until it begins to melt. Place the mayonnaise, yogurt, warm blue cheese, sherry vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until smooth. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.

 For the salad, combine the celery, radishes, and scallions in a bowl. Slice the whole head of lettuce across to make four ¾-inch-thick round disks and place each on a dinner plate. Spoon the dressing on the lettuce and sprinkle on a quarter of the vegetable mixture. Distribute the remaining crumbled blue cheese on the salads, sprinkle with fleur de sel and pepper, and serve.

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Cake Salé

 

The French word for cake is gâteau, and that refers to a sweet cake. Cake Salé translates, literally, to “salty cake” that, by our standards, is really more of a savory quick bread. It was new to my experience, but I love the idea of a savory loaf, because I’m always looking for something interesting to pair with soup or salad, or to serve for lunch topped with a schmear of herbal cream cheese. What interested me the most here was the addition of olives. I LOVE olives! They are fabulous here, and are the one ingredient that must not be altered. As far as the other ingredients, you can get creative. Use chopped scallions instead of the shallot, use chopped ham instead of the bacon, use Gruyère instead of the sharp cheddar. Go crazy, have fun, and make this as soon as you can. It requires no special equipment, and, if you do your shopping and gathering of filling ingredients the night before, can whip it up in no time. The family is going to love this. Cake Salé

 1 c. mixed olives, halved

1 small Melissa’s shallot, thinly sliced

1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

3 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled

1½ c. flour

2 t. baking powder

½ t. kosher salt

½ t. freshly ground black pepper

3 large eggs

½ c. whole milk

¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray an 8”x4” loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl place olive halves, sliced shallot, shredded cheddar, and the cooked and crumbled bacon. Toss to combine; set aside.

In a large, mixing bowl, place, flour, baking powder, kosher salt, add black pepper; whisk to combine. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Into the well place eggs, milk, and olive oil. Mix with a wooden spoon just until combined. It’s okay if there are a few lumps.

 Add the olive mixture and fold together with a spatula until just combined; do not overmix. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.

 Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour. Slice, serve, and enjoy.

 If you cannot consume the cake within three days, it can be frozen for up to three months.

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Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Lately I’ve been interested in doing a little baking. This interest was compounded after I purchased the new Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie flavor  of Oreo cookies; I thought what a great crust it would make for a peanut butter cheesecake. There are a number of recipes for peanut butter, cheesecakes online, but I decided on this one, ultimately, because I liked the idea of a baked rather than unbaked cheesecake. I altered it to suit my taste and added the drizzle of melted peanut butter on the top. It makes a lovely presentation, and a wonderful dessert for the peanut butter fan in your life.

Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Adapted from Pioneer Woman

 Crust: 

22 Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie Oreos

5 T. unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

4 8-oz. blocks cream cheese, room temperature

½ c. sour cream, room temperature

1 c. Jif creamy peanut butter

1 c. granulated sugar

¼ t. kosher salt

4 large eggs, room temperature

½ c. heavy cream

 Garnish:

2 T. Jif creamy peanut butter, melted

1 c. stabilized whipped cream, for topping

Crust:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse Oreos (including the cream filling) into a fine crumb. While motor is running, pour in melted butter and pulse until the mixture looks like wet sand (thick and quite wet).

 Pour the mixture into an ungreased 9-inch springform pan. With medium pressure using your hand, pat the crumbs down into the bottom and up the sides to make a compact, thick crust. (I like to use a tart tamper for this job.) Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Cool completely.

 Filling:

In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sour cream on medium-low speed until totally smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the peanut butter, sugar, and salt. Beat on medium-low speed until completely combined. With the mixer running, add the eggs, one at a time until each is fully incorporated, mix in heavy cream. Scrape down sides in the process. Pour the batter into the crust.

 Bake for 70 - 80 minutes, or until the filling is puffed and the center slightly wobbles when the pan is gently shaken. Turn off the oven, crack the door a few inches, and let cool in the oven for 1 hour. Remove and finish cooling to room temperature

 Chill the cooled cheesecake for at least 6 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, run a thin knife or offset spatula around the sides of the cheesecake to release it from the pan. Release and remove the side of the springform pan and transfer to a serving plate.

 Spread a layer of whipped cream over the top (pipe rosettes around the edge if you like), and drizzle with melted peanut butter.

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Jalapeño Popper Quiche

 

I am one of those old people who get upset when there’s a change in routine, similarly to the way my grandmother got upset when Walter Cronkite took vacation and was replaced by Roger Mudd. In my case, it was due to baseball. First of all, this season the Cardinals are a pathetic team. Second, the game on Sunday was scheduled for the shockingly early hour of 11 AM CDST. Lastly, it wasn’t shown on its regular network, but on Peacock TV. So, let me just say that my day did not start off well. When things like this happen, and I feel myself slipping into Bizarro World, I start thinking about recipes I like, and how I can mix them up and turn them into something entirely different. Sports make me think of jalapeño poppers. The early game time made me think of breakfast, ergo, jalapeño popper quiche. I had no idea what I was doing, but let me tell you, the outcome was MAGNIFICENT! This is so good! I think it’s also a quiche that a man would be proud to eat.

Jalapeño Popper Quiche

 1 pie crust*

4 large eggs

1 c. heavy cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled, reserve some for garnish**

4 oz. cream cheese, cubed

2-3 Melissa’s pickled jalapeños, seeded and chopped***

1 c. shredded cheddar, divided

3 scallions, chopped, divided

 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare the pie crust if making your own; set aside.

 In a medium mixing bowl, vigorously whisk eggs and heavy cream; season with salt and pepper.

 Scatter bacon, cream cheese, jalapeños, half of the cheddar, and half of the scallions on the bottom of the pie crust. Carefully pour egg mixture into the crust.

Bake the quiche for 40-45 minutes, or until the eggs are set. While the quiche is still warm, add the other half of the cheddar cheese on top and allow cheese to melt. Garnish with chopped bacon and scallions. Allow to stand for ten minutes before slicing and serving.

* I used frozen because it was convenient

** Go to the extra effort of doing this in a pan on the stove, and cook it very dark, so that you get that deep, rich, broiled bacon flavor as you would on a traditional popper.

*** Use pickled jalapeños because they have more flavor here.

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Uncommon Kitchens, A Revolutionary Approach to the Most Popular Room in the House

 

Some people might say that I’m curious, I’m going to call it exactly what it is, nosy. I love looking into other people’s homes to see how they live. A home can tell you so much about a person. In fact, a quick glance can tell me if I want to be friends with that person or not. A neighbor once insisted that I come see her home. Clearly, she was proud of it, so I agreed. She took me from room to room explaining every detail. The problem is, it was like walking into a void. The home had no life. It looked as though no one was living there. There were no books. There were no plants. There was nothing at all unique or specific to that person. Nothing was out of place. The iPad was on a stand on a bedside table. Pictures had been hung in groupings with mathematical precision. Kitchen counters were devoid of any and all kitchen equipment. Frankly, it made me uncomfortable.

On the other hand, family friend Betty, sadly now gone, whom I had known all my life, had an imperfect home. Plants, dog, books that had to be moved off of chairs so that visitors could sit down, craft projects, art supplies, kitchen equipment, souvenirs from her travels, everything in her home gave off such a welcoming vibe. Once I entered, I felt no need to ever leave, unlike the previously described home where all I could think of was bolting for the door.I mention this because Abrams Books recently released a wonderful volume called Uncommon Kitchens, A Revolutionary Approach to the Most Popular Room in the House, that is an absolute delight. I consider my own kitchen to be rather uncommon, what with a giant stained glass window from a local pub perched high above the cabinets, as well as a huge Gothic arch mounted over the pantry door that once hung over my parents’ stone fireplace, so this book really spoke to me.

Edited by Sophie Donelson former editor-in-chief of House Beautiful magazine, with contributions from numerous design experts -- Justine Blakeney, a personal favorite -- among them, this book takes you where you have never been before by way of kitchen makeovers both large and small. It encourages you to work with what you have to update your kitchen even if you have virtually no budget in which to do so. There are ways to make improvements without making big sacrifices. Essentially, it’s less about new appliances and granite countertops than it is about innovation and personality.

Think about it. As we get older, we update our clothes and make up. Sure, some of us may want to shore up parts of us that have seriously headed south, but lacking that, there are ways to make exceptional changes in the most positive of fashions that will add intrigue and attractiveness, while making ourselves feel so much better. That same principle has been applied in this book. Think outside the box. Bring some of your favorite treasures, artwork, and colors into the kitchen. We spend a good bit of our lives in the kitchen. Why shouldn’t it contain the things that we love the most?

At the heart of it, this book is bold! You are going to see things that you like, you are going to see things that you don't like, and you are going to see things that you REALLY like. The great thing about this book is that it is going to make you feel good about your own personal style. Take this book and run with it. Be brave, be bold, but most of all be you. Let your house reflect who you really are. After all, that's what home is.

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 Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Abrams Books as a participant in their Abrams Dinner Party Program for 2022-2023.  

 

Chocolate Oreo Icebox Cake

  

This is a recipe that I have wanted to try for a long time, but never so much as after I tried the new Java Chip Oreos. If you haven’t tried those, you absolutely must! They are so good. The chocolate cookie with java filling and crunchy toffee bits is cookie perfection. Naturally, you can make this recipe as originally written, with plain Oreos, but why would you do it when Java Chip Oreos are available?

Chocolate Oreo Icebox Cake

Slightly adapted from beyondfrosting.com

FOR THE CAKE

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1½ c. heavy whipping cream

1 t. vanilla extract

1 c. powdered sugar

2 T. cocoa powder

1 t. espresso powder

24 Java Chip Oreos, crushed

1 box (14.4 oz) chocolate graham crackers

 FOR THE TOPPING:

1¾ c. heavy whipping cream

1¼ c. powdered sugar

Hershey’s Syrup, for drizzle

6 Java Chip Oreos, crushed

 Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Align the chocolate graham crackers in the bottom of the pan, cutting crackers as needed to fit, but the more large/whole pieces you have, the better structure they will provide.

 Place the Oreos in a large Ziploc bag and use a rolling pin or another heavy object to crush, not pulverize, the Oreos; set aside.

 Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese for 2 to 3 minutes until it is completely smooth. Add ¼ cup of the heavy whipping cream and beat until the cream cheese resembles a liquid mixture. Then add remaining heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract and beat on medium-high speed. Once the mixture reach soft peaks. Then add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold the crushed Oreos to the chocolate mousse until well incorporated.

 Divide the chocolate Oreo mousse in half. Spread half of the mousse over the bottom layer of graham crackers. It helps if you hold the graham crackers in place with your fingers if they are sliding around. Next, add a second layer of graham crackers and spread the remaining mousse. Finally, add the third and final layer of the graham crackers.

 FOR THE TOPPING

Place the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to chill. Pour the heavy whipping cream into the chilled bowl and use an electric mixer to beat the heavy cream at medium-high speed until soft peaks start to form. Slowly add the powdered sugar and continue beating at high speed until stiff peaks form. Frost the top with a thin layer of whipping cream, and then pipe a border around the outside edge.

 Cover this with aluminum foil and freeze for 2 to 4 hours or you can choose to keep this in the refrigerator, but allow at least 4 hours for the graham crackers to soften.

Prior to serving, remove the icebox cake from the freezer and allow it to thaw for 20 minutes. Crush 6 Oreos and sprinkle over top of the cake. Drizzle Hershey’s Syrup over the Oreos.

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Ruth's Chris Chopped Salad Copycat

 

I have never had the pleasure of eating at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. It’s not that I haven’t wanted to; it’s just that the opportunity never arose. Truth be told, the late Mr. O-P used to be quite the steak maker, and often when we dined at area steakhouses, we would return home disappointed. I do like to keep my eye out for copycat recipes, though, and this one intrigued me. First of all, I love a chopped salad. I know it’s old school, but I don’t care. There’s just something simple, homey, crunchy, and delicious about a chopped salad, not to mention the fact that it’s easy to get onto a fork and into your mouth rather than, as has happened with some of those froufrou salads, wear it like a chest plate. Second, I love the way this is served. Ruth’s Chris garnishes with two halves of a cherry tomato. I didn’t have any, so I just left it as is.

 If you’ve never used a ring mold, let me tell you it is the simplest thing ever. Just put it on your serving plate, fill it with salad, and tamp it down, and slowly lift up the ring and there is your beautiful salad. It also works quite well with rice.

 This is an exceptionally good combination of ingredients. Make it fancy, serve it simply, or enjoy it as a main dish. Don’t let this one get by without giving it a try.

Ruth's Chris Chopped Salad Copycat

As seen on lakesidetable.com

 Salad Dressing

½ c. sour cream

2 fresh lemons, juiced

1 t. kosher salt

½ t. garlic powder

1 c. finely chopped fresh basil

Salad

½ head Iceberg lettuce chopped

6 slices bacon cooked and chopped

1 small radicchio, chopped

1 c. croutons, chopped

½ c. green olives, chopped

½ c. Melissa’s heart of palm, chopped

2/3 c. blue cheese, crumbled

4 medium mushrooms, chopped

2 boiled eggs, chopped

½ red onion, minced

Topping & garnish

1 c. crunchy fried onions

8 cherry tomatoes, halved

 Salad Dressing

Mix all the salad dressing ingredients together and set aside.

 Salad

Gently mix all of the ingredients together except for the crispy fried onions and cherry tomatoes.

 Pour salad dressing over the salad and mix together until thoroughly combined.

 Divide salad between 4 plates and top with crispy fried onions and garnish with cherry tomatoes.

 OR place the metal salad ring mold on the salad plate and fill it with salad. Then with the bottom of a glass, gently tap the salad down to compress it. This will help it keep its shape.

Remove the glass and top the salad with crispy onions. Then using the bottom of the glass again to keep the salad on the plate, bring the ring up, and remove the ring.

 Garnish with tomatoes.

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