No Churn Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Homemade bread baking, Dalgona coffee making, Banana Bread baking, chocolate chip cookie making, Bolognese Sauce making, endless meal making (or so it seemed), book reading, putting together thousand piece puzzles, taking virtual online yoga classes, running outdoors, and search for Clorox wipes pretty much sums up what the last couple of months has looked like around here. With a few exceptions, those things will remain in my life for the next several months. Although I really do hope my yoga studio reopens, that the store shelves will again be filled with Clorox wipes, and there is a temporary hiatus from the madness of assembling challenging puzzles. Now with the start of the summer months I am feeling energized by the eagerly awaited return of other things missed and perennially loved. Like being able to get outdoors more, like making s'mores on the outdoor fire pit, and especially like making homemade ice cream. You haven't really lived life to its' fullest until you have tasted a homemade ice cream.

Could making no churn ice cream at home be the next 'thing' jump on the bandwagon thing we all do? Maybe. Or maybe not. Because it doesn't really matter if it's the next trendy 'it' thing. It only matters if we make it our trendy summer 'it' thing! 

And just like the no knead bread recipe doesn't require a bread maker, this No Churn Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream doesn't require an ice cream maker! You may already know this because this isn't the first time I have shared a no churn ice cream recipe with you. There has been the Expresso Chocolate Chunk (no churn) Ice Cream, the Peach (no churn) Ice Cream, and the No Churn Peanut Butter Ice Cream. With strawberries coming into season, it's the perfect time to share the recipe for this No Churn Strawberry. Cheesecake Ice Cream with you. Because what is not to love about strawberries and cream?

Making a no churn ice cream is almost full proof. In other words, it's really easy to do. One taste of it and your friends might start asking you when you are going to open up your pop up ice cream shop or if you are going to start driving a truck around selling ice cream. In other words, no churn ice creams, especially this one, are incredibly scrumptious. Most won't even know that it wasn't a premium store bought ice cream. It's that good. Seriously it is.

This No Churn Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream has two components: the quick cooking strawberry jam and the cheesecake ice cream. Made with fresh strawberries, some sugar, and a bit of kosher salt, the strawberry jam takes less than 10 minutes to make.

Cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, heavy whipping cream, crumbled up store bought pound cake, simple syrup, whole milk, and a dash of kosher salt are all you need to make the cheesecake ice cream. If using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, it takes less than ten minutes to make the ice cream. Using a store bought pound cake (see notes) might put this no churn ice cream in the semi-homemade category, but it has all of the feels of one 100% genuinely homemade. In other words, making this ice cream recipe is not just easy and simple to make, it's as decadent as one store bought.

Once both components are made, they are layered on top of one another in the container of our choice. All it takes to create the most ethereal looking ice cream is gently swirling the strawberry jam layers into the cheesecake ice cream layers as you go. (If you over swirl you will make pink ice cream!). I use this insulated ice cream container, but you could use a loaf pan (lined and covered well with plastic wrap first) or a square 9" x 9" pan (lined and covered well with plastic wrap). 

Let the ice cream chill in the freezer overnight. It will definitely be worth the wait as this no churn ice cream has all of the creaminess, all of the richness, and all of the deliciousness of one made in an ice cream maker or bought from the store. 

Serve the No Churn Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream in a cone or in a dish. Whichever is the way you enjoy eating ice cream the most. And seriously, it wouldn't be summer without having the enjoyment of eating some ice cream on a hot day. Right? Ice cream is definitely one of the summer essentials! Don't you agree? So having a recipe for homemade no churn ice cream is especially requisite in the summer months ahead. Imagine yourself sitting outside on a warm day savoring this beyond scrumptious No Churn Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream without ever having to leave the comfort of your home. Chances are you might need to go back in the house for a second scoop and won't even have to wait in line.

Recipe
No Churn Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Ingredients
Strawberry Jam Swirl
2 cups (300 g) fresh, ripe strawberries, stemmed and quartered (see notes)
1/3 cup (70 g) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Cake Filling
2 cups (153 g) crumbled pound cake (see notes)
2 Tablespoons simple syrup
1 cup whole milk

Ice Cream
4 ounces (113 g) cream cheese, room temperature
14 ounce (396 g) can of sweetened condensed milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Optional: Sugar cones or waffle cones

Directions
Strawberry Jam Swirl
1. In a medium sized heavy bottomed pot, add in the strawberries, sugar, and salt. 
2. Cook over medium heat until the sugar melts. Then increase the heat to medium-high and continue cooking (stirring regularly) until the mixture thickens (should coat the back of a spoon). Cooking time will be approximately 6-7 minutes. You should still have some small chunks of strawberries in your jam.
3. Remove from heat and transfer the strawberry jam to a heat proof bowl. Allow to cool slightly before putting in the refrigerator to chill. Note: The jam should be completely cool before it is layered on top of the ice cream.

Ice Cream
1. Combine the crumbled pound cake, simple syrup, and whole milk in a medium sized bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.
2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth and creamy (about 2 minutes).
3. Add in the whipping cream and vanilla. Beat mixture until it has the consistency of a slightly stiffened whipped cream (about 3-4 minutes).
4. Fold in the cake mixture until well blended. Beat the entire mixture for an additional 15 seconds.
5. Spoon in about a quarter of the ice cream mixture to your prepared pan. Then top with about a quarter of the strawberry jam. Gently swirl. Repeat these alternating layers until all of your ice cream and strawberry jam is used up.
6. Seal container or wrap it well with plastic wrap and place in the freezer overnight.
7. Remove from the freezer about 5 minutes before you are ready to scoop, serve and savor!

Notes: (1) I used the Sara Lee pound cake found in the freezer section of most grocery stores. One batch of this no churn ice cream uses about a half of loaf. (2) One cup of strawberries is slightly less than 8 ounces. (3) This ice cream doesn't have the same shelf life of a store bought one. It's best for up to a week.

Wedge Salad w/ Jammy Eggs and Creamy Ranch Dressing

If there was one salad you needed in your life this summer, this Wedge Salad with Jammy Eggs and Creamy Ranch Dressing would be it. From the jammiest Jammy Eggs, to crispy thick sliced bacon, to ripe cherry tomatoes, to thinly sliced red onions, to crunchy iceberg lettuce, to the dreamiest Creamiest Ranch Dressing, this salad is the 'be all and end all' of summer salads. At first glance and in the first bite, you are destined to put on regular repeat in the months ahead. 

Both incredibly flavorful, colorful, and oh-so mouthwatering, it is one of the most deeply satisfying, uber delicious, and tastiest salads to serve to family and friends. 

The Wedge Salad with Jammy Eggs and Creamy Ranch Dressing works well as either a side dish or main dish. Serve it up on an artfully arranged large platter for sharing or plate it up beautifully for single servings. Make a loaf of No Knead Rustic Artisan Bread to go along with it, open up a great bottle of wine, and your at home dining game will be worthy of a three, maybe even a four star rating. Seriously, you may never order a Wedge Salad when dining out again someday. This version will permanently spoil your idea of what a Wedge Salad should be.

The Creamy Ranch Dressing is so much more luscious than any ranch dressing you can buy at the store. I might go so far as to say it's worthy of a BEST Creamy Ranch Dressing rating. This comes from someone who has tasted more than their fair share of store-bought ranch dressings. So, in other words, when you make this salad you absolutely MUST make the dressing. And as a bonus, without the addition of some milk, the dressing also makes for a great vegetable dip or for dipping  these Cranberry Meatballs in.

Maybe the word jammy caught my attention when I first read about jammy eggs awhile back. And ever since I made my first jammy egg, with it's marmalade-like, somewhere between a soft and medium boiled egg texture, I was hooked. Actually, I became addicted to them for awhile. Over the past several months of endless jammy egg sessions around here, I have learned a few things. Use large eggs as the yolk to white ratio is perfect. Bring your water to a boil over medium-high heat before carefully placing your eggs into the pan. Immediately cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and reduce your heat only slightly as you want the water to maintain a gentle boil for the entire 6 1/2 minutes. Remove them from the boiling water and submerge in a bowl of cold ice water for about one minute to stop the cooking process. Peel when cool enough to handle or let cool completely before peeling. For this salad, if you make the jammy eggs early in the day or at least an hour ahead they will be perfectly peel-able. Note: I have sometimes cooked them as long as 7 minutes, but I like them on the runnier, jammy salad. As long as you don't cook them longer than 7 minutes you will be good. 

So let's talk about the bacon. If you are lucky enough to have access to Benton's bacon, the epitome of the world's best bacon, that is the bacon you want to use for this salad. But if not, buy a really good quality, thick cut, hickory smoked bacon. Thinly sliced bacon just doesn't work well as you want your cooked bacon to be both crispy and meaty. Lately, I prefer cooking bacon on the (gas) grill (over aluminum foil) as I am neither a big fan of having that lingering bacon aroma in the house nor one who likes to clean up splattered bacon grease. If you don't have an outdoor gas grill, roast your bacon in a pre-heated 400 degree (F) oven for 15-20 minutes (place bacon on rack set in a large sided baking pan before putting in the oven). You may never fry bacon in a pan again.

There are any number of ways you can arrange this 'to die for' Wedge Salad on a platter. Arranging the ingredients like a Cobb Salad would be an equally beautiful presentation. Alternately you can make individual Wedge Salad plates rather than serving it platter style.

The ingredient amounts listed below are flexible. If you like more cherry tomatoes, add them. If you want more bacon, add it. If you want more Jammy Eggs, make them. If you want enough Creamy Ranch Dressing so you have some leftover for another salad or to serve as a dip, double the recipe. If you are serving the salad for two, reduce the amount of ingredients. Next to how incredibly easy this salad is to make, is how versatile and flexible the ingredient proportions are. 

This scrumptious, gorgeous Wedge Salad with Jammy Eggs and Creamy Ranch Dressing may be one of those things we need in our lives to salvage the new normal, not what we had planned summer ahead of us. It will be the bright spot of the day, of the week. And it might just become your most favorite, healthy-ish summer salad.

Recipe
Wedge Salad w/ Jammy Eggs and Creamy Ranch Dressing
Serves 6

Ingredients
Creamy Ranch Dressing
1 cup good quality mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 green onion, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced (I like to use 3 cloves)
1 1/2 Tablespoons finely chopped chives
1 1/2 Tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley
1 1/2 Tablespoons finely minced fresh dill
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 to 1/3 cup whole milk

Salad
6 Jammy eggs (see directions below), cut in half
7-8 slices of thickly sliced bacon, cooked crisp, each piece cut in half or into thirds
12-14 cherry tomatoes, cut in half (see notes)
1 medium sized head of iceberg lettuce, cut into wedges
Small red onion, thinly sliced

Kosher salt and black pepper for seasoning

Directions
Creamy Ranch Dressing
1. Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Stir to blend.
2. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator at least 2 hours before serving (could be made the night before).
3. Blend in the milk right before serving. Begin with 1/4 cup. If creaminess is to your liking, stop adding any more milk. If you like it creamier, add milk one Tablespoon at a time.

Jammy. Eggs
1. Bring water to a boil in a medium sized saucepan.
2. Gently lower large eggs into the water. Cover with a lid and reduce the heat down slightly, but still high enough that the water will continue to gently boil. 
3. Remove eggs at. 6 1/2 minutes (7 minutes tops) and immediately place in a bowl of ice water. Let sit in the ice water for about a minute to stop the cooking process.
4. Remove from the ice water and let cool to room temperature or until cool enough to handle. Jammy eggs can be made earlier in the day or an hour or less ahead of assembling the salad.

Salad Assembly
1. Begin by arranging the lettuce wedges on the platter, followed by the Jammy Eggs. Then add the bacon and thinly sliced red onion. Note: Your arrangement could be random or similar to a Cobb Salad one.
2. Season generously with kosher salt and black pepper.
3. Serve with the the Creamy Ranch Dressing on the side.

Notes: (1) Use large eggs when making Jammy Eggs. (2) I use cherry tomatoes on the vine as they are generally the most flavorful. (3) You can easily reduce or increase the salad ingredients depending on the number of people you are serving. However, make the Creamy Ranch Dressing as it makes for a great vegetable dip (especially if you don't add the milk.)

Strawberry Rhubarb Hand Pies

Rhubarb is just now coming into season here. One of the much needed welcoming signs of the end of spring, beginning of summer sights at the grocery store! For many, the mere mention of rhubarb often evokes nostalgic childhood memories. Just say the word rhubarb and invariably someone will tell you a story. From rhubarb growing wild along the roadsides in Ireland, to the rhubarb patches in a family garden, to lovingly made rhubarb sauces and pies, to their first taste, is it any wonder why so many have an affinity for this tart vegetable? Yes, botanically speaking rhubarb is a vegetable. But because of how we treat rhubarb, we tend to think of it more as a fruit. 

When baked in a pie or cooked into a sauce, rhubarb has the loveliest tart flavor and silkiest texture. It's tartness is slightly tempered when paired with sweet, ripe strawberries. A made in heaven flavor combination.

Making these sinfully delicious, perfectly sized Strawberry Rhubarb Hand Pies the most heavenly bites of deliciousness.

Although there is a two to one ratio of strawberries to rhubarb, the flavors of both shine through in the filling.

To make the filling, begin by cutting your rhubarb into half to three quarter inch pieces. If you cut them smaller, they will disappear when cooked. And if you cut them much bigger, they won't have enough time to get to just the right stage of tenderness.

Cut your strawberries the same size or slightly larger sized than the rhubarb. Again if they are cut too small, they too will will disappear in the cooked filling. You want a chunky filling.

Brown sugar, lemon zest, strawberry jam/preserves, Grand Marnier, vanilla, and corn starch add both flavor and texture to the cooked filling. Instead of using the zest of a lemon, you could also use the zest of an orange. Cooking time for the filling is approximately 20 minutes. It will need to be cooled down considerably or chilled before you begin assembling the hand pies. Note: The recipe below makes enough filling for two dozen hand pies. The dough recipe makes enough for one dozen hand pies, so if you want 24 hand pies, make two batches of the dough recipe. Or put the filling in a covered container and use as sauce for ice cream. Serve the sauce cold or heat it up to serve it warm.

The other star of these hand pies is the homemade dough. When baked, it's buttery flavor and oh, so flaky texture make it one you will fall in love with in the first bite. Not only does the dough come together in less than five minutes (using a food processor), it rolls out beautifully. And it's forgiving as you can re-roll out the scraps without affecting the dough's baked flaky texture. For the absolute best results I highly recommend the use an unsalted European or European style butter.

Your hand pies can be round, square, or rectangular. Shape doesn't matter but size does. Use a cutter or template ranging between 3 and 3 1/2 inches. If made smaller you will have a higher ratio of dough to filling. And you definitely want the taste of the filling to shine through in each bite. Brushing the tops of the hand pies with an egg wash and sprinkling with a sparkling or Turbinado sugar will give them a beautiful bakery-look finish as well as just the right amount of added sweetness.

Use your imagination in creating the 'steam' holes/cuts on top layer of the dough. I used a sharp knife and straw, but you could also use very small cookie cutters.  Note: I also woven pieces of dough to create a lattice, then cut it into a circle with a cookie cutter. However, this required a significant amount of dough. As a result I wouldn't have had enough dough to make a dozen hand pies.

Bake the hand pies in a pre-heated 375 degree (F) oven for 22-24 minutes or until they are golden brown. Let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Serve them warm or at room temperature. 

What is not to love about having your own hand held pie to savor with a cup of tea or coffee at breakfast? Or as an afternoon treat? Or as a dessert? And how cute are these? They are almost too pretty to eat! But you have to eat them!

As picnics and gatherings return to our lives these Strawberry Rhubarb Hand Pies are the perfect sized sweet treat to share with family and friends. Or bake up a batch to share with friends and neighbors, especially ones who love rhubarb! Because who doesn't love to get a surprise home baked dessert? One that gives you a small serving of both fruit and vegetables!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! While this weekend starts the summer season, summer technically is a little more than three weeks away. By then we all should be able to gather together in small groups. What a great way to celebrate that occasion than with a batch of these Strawberry Rhubarb Hand Pies.

Recipe
Strawberry Rhubarb Hand Pies
Dough makes one dozen 3" hand pies. Filling makes enough for two dozen 3" hand pies. 

Ingredients
Strawberry Rhubarb Filling 
4 cups (20 ounces, 568 g) fresh strawberries, stemmed and cut into chunks
2 cups (10 ounces, 285 g) fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2" pieces
1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar
1/4 cup (84 g) strawberry preserves or strawberry jam
1 1/2 Tablespoons Grand Marnier
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Zest from one large lemon (or the zest of a large orange)
2 teaspoons vanilla 
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon water

Dough (double the dough recipe if you want to make two dozen hand pies, make a second batch of dough)
2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (230 g) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (recommend a European or European style butter) 
1/2 cup water

Egg Wash and Finish
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon water
Sparkling or Turbinado sugar for finishing

Directions
Strawberry Rhubarb Filling
1. In a heavy bottomed medium-sized pot, mix together the rhubarb, strawberries, brown sugar, jam, Grand Marnier, kosher salt, lemon (or orange zest), and vanilla. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Then lower the heat let the filling simmer until the fruit has just started softened and the filling has started to thicken (about 16-18 minutes). 
2. Mix together the cornstarch and water. Add to the pot. Increase heat to medium high and cook until the filling thickens up (about 2 minutes). Immediately remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. When cool, cover and let chill in the refrigerator. Note: The filling will thicken up further as it cools.

Dough and assembly
1. Add the flour, sugar, and salt to the bowl of a large food processor. Pulse briefly to mix.
2. Add in the cubes of butter and pulse until the butter is pea sized.
3. Slowly add the half cup of water, pulsing until the dough starts to come together in the bowl. Depending on the humidity you may not use all of the water or need to add more. Your dough will have a wet and sticky texture.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
5. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over itself. Divide the dough into two pieces. Form into two rectangles about 1 inch thick. Wrap in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Note: The dough rolled out beautifully after an hour of chilling time.
6. Unwrap one packet of dough and place on a lightly flour a surface. Sprinkle the top lightly with flour and roll out into a rectangle to a 1/4" thickness. Brush off any excess flour and fold the dough into thirds (as if you were folding a letter). Roll out the dough into a rectangle to 1/6" inch thickness.
7. Using a pastry ring or cookie cutter, cut into 3 to 3 1/2 inch rounds (or squares or rectangles).
8. Transfer each piece of dough to a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Place in the refrigerator while your roll out the other piece of dough.
9. Make your egg wash by whisking together the egg and water in a small bowl.
10. Remove the tray of chilled dough cut outs from the refrigerator. Place a generous Tablespoon of the rhubarb-strawberry mixture into the center of the chilled dough.
11. Brush the edge of the dough with the egg wash.
12. Place another piece of dough and carefully place over the top of the filling. Press the edges down lightly. At this point you can crimp the edges of each hand pie with a fork.
13. Brush the top of the dough with the egg wash. Generously sprinkle with the sparkling or Turbinado sugar. Using a knife make an X or several slits into the top of the dough (to allow steam to escape). Alternately use a straw to create a hole in the center. Note: If using cookie cutters to make a small cutout on the top piece of dough, cut them out before placing the piece of dough on top of the mound of the rhubarb-strawberry filling.
14. Bake hand pies for 22-24 minutes or until they are golden brown. Let cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes.
15. Transfer to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. The hand pies are best the day they are made. But if lightly covered with plastic wrap they are still delicious the next day.

Notes: (1) I used Kerrygold unsalted butter for the dough. (2) You can assemble and freeze the hand pies. Once assembled chill in the refrigerator for an hour before transferring them to the freezer. I like to fold a piece of parchment paper or bakery paper around each hand pie before placing them in a freezer plastic bag. Baking time for frozen hand pies will increase by several minutes.

Herb and Feta Orzo Salad

One of the questions on regular repeat around here these days is 'What's for dinner tonight?'. My reaction to that question is getting eerily similar to the incessant 'Are we there yet, are we there yet?' one emanating from the back seat of a car on those once taken family road trips. Unspoken four letter words swirl around in my head before any number of more socially acceptable words pass my lips. You see, I don't plan out the meals for the week. With a few exceptions, the plan for dinner doesn't come together until sometime in the morning. Yes, having a plan would probably make life easier, especially for me. But I much prefer the more fluid meal planning approach for our stay at home, socially distanced meals. Rather,I want meals to be influenced by cravings, what I have on hand, and how much time/energy I want to put into creating them. On days I spend almost the entire morning working on a new recipe for the blog, I want meals to be as simple as possible. Roasted or grilled chicken or baked salmon are my ideas of simple. Where I spend the most time in planning the dinner menu for the day is in deciding or rather I should say fretting over what the side dish should be. I could probably eat a roasted sweet potato every day, but not everyone around here shares my same enthusiasm for the redundancy of them. However, if the worst problem of my day is deciding on a side dish, well I suppose I really don't have much to complain or whine about. 

The easiest way to solve the side dish dilemma would be to buy a bunch of salads from the deli counter. But there are limits even to my concept of easy. As convenient as deli salads are, some aren't as tasty as ones homemade with fresh ingredients. And with the weather turning warmer, I seem be craving side dishes or salads made with seasonal ingredients or ones that can be served cold. Not only does this Herb and Feta Orzo Salad meets both criteria, it is refreshingly, light and intensely flavorful. 

Not to mention that it can easily be turned into a main dish by adding either grilled/roasted shrimp, chicken, or salmon on top. Like baked sweet potatoes, this Herb and Feta Orzo Salad will be going on regular repeat here in the months ahead. But unlike sweet potatoes, this salad only has fans around here.

Make this salad in the morning to give the flavors enough time to blend before serving for dinner. Several hours of chilling and marinating time is key to creating the most flavorful salad. (Note: It can also be made the night before.)

Warm al dente orzo is mixed with a lemon and olive oil dressing before the chopped herbs, red onion, English cucumber, and green onions are mixed in. The feta cheese is the last ingredient to go into the salad before it's covered in plastic wrap and placed in the refrigerator. The quality of the Feta cheese you buy matters. Choose a high quality Greek Feta and one where the blocks of the feta are sitting in its' brining solution. Always remember you get what you pay for.

This salad is light, refreshing, and incredibly flavorful. If you happen to be a big fan of Feta cheese, you will absolutely fall head over heals in love this Herb and Feta Orzo Salad. And it's a bajillion times better than any orzo salad you could buy in the grocery store.   In addition to serving with chicken, shrimp or salmon, it's a great side dish for grilled steaks or burgers. Which makes it one of the most versatile, easy to make salads you can be serving in the months ahead. 

The recipe below makes enough for 8-10 servings. So you might want to consider packaging some up to share with a neighbor or friend. 

If, by chance, you have or are planning your herb garden this year, consider adding dill and flat leaf parsley to your herb choices. Not only because it will inspire you to make this Herb and Feta Orzo Salad more often, but because those two herbs can be used in so many different savory dishes. And adding fresh herbs to a dish transforms it from being just ordinary to simply extraordinary.

For those of you who have also struggled to decide what to make for dinner over the past couple of months, know you are not alone. I am getting close to asking to get off the daily dinner planning/making merry-go-round. Or at least temporarily banning those four slightly irritating words 'What's for dinner tonight?' from being spoken. To make life easier, my daily dinner meal plan should probably begin with deciding on the side dish rather than the main dish. Especially when a side dish can easily turn into a main dish!

Recipe
Herb and Feta Orzo Salad (source of inspiration: Herbed Orzo with Feta Salad from Ina Garten)
Serves 8-10

Ingredients
Dressing
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 3 good sized lemons)
1/2 cup good quality olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Salad
12 ounces orzo, cooked al dente
1 cup thinly sliced green onions, white and green parts (about 5-6 green onions)
1 cup freshly chopped dill
1 cup freshly chopped flat leaf parsley
1 cup medium-diced English (seedless) cucumber (unpeeled and unseeded)
1/2 cup finely diced red onion (about 1/2 of a large red onion)
12 ounces good quality feta cheese, cut into small-medium sized cubes (See notes)

Optional: Roasted or Grilled Shrimp, Chicken or Salmon

Directions
1. Whisk together the freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper. Set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add in one tablespoon of kosher salt and a splash of olive oil before adding in the orzo. Reduce the heat slight and cook the orzo until al dente (approximately 9-11 minutes). Drain the orzo and pour into a large bowl. Immediately pour the dressing over the warm orzo. Stir to blend.
3. Add in the chopped green onions, dill, parsley, seedless cucumber and red onion. Stir to combine.
4. Add in the feta cheese and stir gently.
5. Wrap the bowl in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. 
6. Take the salad out the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you are ready to serve. Taste for seasonings. Note: The salad is great chilled, but even better when it sits out for a bit.
7. To turn salad into a main dish, top with some roasted/grilled shrimp, chicken or salmon. 

Notes: (1) Some grocery stores sell a variety of Feta cheeses in their deli section. Look for a high quality Greek Feta Cheese. Ask to have your cheese packed in the brining water so it stays as fresh as possible.

Latkes

Depending on the household you grew up in, you may have either had Potato Pancakes or Latkes (LOT-kahs) on your family dinner tables. Although what those Potato Pancakes you had were called may have been partially contingent on your family's culture. If you were Polish, they may have been called Placki; if you were Swedish, they may have been called Rarakor; if you were German, they may have been called Kartoffelpuffer; or if you were Irish, they may have been called Boxty. Although growing up in a Polish and Irish household, they were just called Potato Pancakes. But regardless of the cultural name variations for potato pancakes they differ greatly from latkes. On the simplest level, the significant difference between the two are in their preparation and texture.

In general, potato pancakes are made with either leftover mashed potatoes or with potatoes grated on the smaller/finer holes of a grater. Resulting in a pancake having a softer, fluffier texture. On the other hand, the potatoes for latkes are generally grated into larger shreds using either the large hole side of a grater or a food processor. As a result, the fried latke has a crunchier, crispier texture. While there are ingredient similarities between the two, their finished looks and thicknesses differ. 

When some people think of Latkes, they think of Hanukkah. As Latkes are one of the fried foods traditionally served during the Hanukkah holiday season. But when I think I Latkes I think of them as year round appetizers or side dishes. So ,just in case any of you were wondering why I would post a recipe for Latkes in May rather than in December, now you know. I haven't yet lost my mind in this stay-at-home world we are currently living in.

Served with sides of applesauce (homemade or store bought), sour cream (my personal favorite), as well as some smoked salmon or gravlax, Latkes are a crowd pleaser. And, if by chance, there are any leftover, they are equally delicious for breakfast when topped with a perfectly poached egg. 

Traditionally Russet (baking) potatoes are used to make latkes, although nowadays you will find recipes calling for the use of Yukon Gold potatoes. Either one will work, I just happen to be partial to Russets. Where this recipe departs from the more traditional Latkes is in the use of shallots rather than onions. Not finely or coarsely grated shallots, but very, very thinly sliced shallots separated into their shallot rings. You may never use use onions again after you taste the flavor shallots bring to these Latkes. 

One of the keys to a crispy Latke is in how the potatoes are prepared. After the potatoes are peeled and coarsely grated, they are rinsed in warm water, not once, but twice. Rinsing helps to release much of the starch in the potatoes. The rinsed grated potatoes are then wrapped in a light weight towel (like a flour sack towel) or in cheesecloth and squeezed until all of the liquid has been released. You want your grated potatoes to be as dry as possible. Because you want your Latkes to be as crisp as possible.

Eggs and flour help to bind the grated potatoes and sliced shallots together. Melted butter, kosher salt, black pepper, and baking powder give the Latkes added flavor.

Small mounds of Latke batter are fried in either vegetable or canola oil (I use vegetable oil, but both work) for 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown. 

To keep the Latkes crisp and warm while you frying up each batch, place them in a preheated 250 degree (F) oven on a large baking sheet lined with a cooling rack.

Traditionally Latkes are served with sour cream and/or applesauce. Although some people actually like ketchup on them. 

Without a doubt Latkes are a labor of love. Which is why some make them only once or twice a year or avoid making them at all. So it begs the question. Are they really worth all the time and energy that goes into making them? Absolutely YES! And because they easily re-crisp up in a 350 degree (F) oven, they can be made early in the day and served later in the late afternoon or early evening. Open up some great bottles of white or sparking wine when you serve them is optional. However, after you watch everyone's reaction to the platter of latkes, you might actually conveniently forget all that went into making them. Okay, maybe that temporary lapse in memory doesn't come until you take a bite of one. If you save a couple of them for yourself for the next morning and top them with a poached egg, you won't even care how long it took you to make them. You might even start planning when you are going to make them next. I am guessing it will be sooner rather than later.

Recipe
Latkes
Make 18-20 2" sized latkes

Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds (1.13 kg) Russet Baker Potatoes, peeled, and coarsely grated
2 large shallots, very thinly sliced and rings separated
2 large eggs
1/4 cup (33 g) all-purpose flour
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Vegetable or Canola oil

Sour Cream and Applesauce (Homemade or Store Bought)
Optional: Smoked Salmon or Gravlax

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees (F). Place a cooling rack on a large baking sheet and set aside.
2. Place the grated potatoes in a large colander. Rinse with warm water. Press down to release the water/starch. Rinse again with warm water. Again, press down to release the water. Place the grated potatoes in a large cheesecloth or flour sack towel. Wrap cloth/towel around the potatoes and squeeze as hard as you can to get all of the liquid released. You want the potatoes as dry as possible.
3. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl. 
4. Add in the sliced shallots, eggs, four, melted butter, kosher salt, pepper, and baking powder. Stir until well combined.
6. Fill a large heavy bottomed frying pan with about 1/4" of vegetable or canola oil. Heat to 350 degrees (F).
7. Use a large serving spoon (larger than a Tablespoon), 1/4 cup measuring cup or ice cream scoop to lightly drop mounds of the latke batter into the pan. Use a spatula to press the mounds down a bit. Notes: Keep at least 2 inches between each of the latkes. If you like a really crispy latke, press the mounds of batter down more than a bit. Note: I prefer my latkes on the smaller, three to four bite size, rather than larger sized.
8. Working in batches, fry the latkes over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown. 
9. Transfer the cooked latkes to the baking sheet. Place in the oven while you continue cooking the rest of the latke batter.
10. Put the latkes on a large serving platter. Serve with sour cream and /or applesauce (homemade or store-bought). Optional: Serve with some smoked salmon and/or gravlax too for an impressive appetizer.

Notes: (1) To grate the potatoes, use the large hole side of a box grater or a large hole hand held grater. Alternately you could use a food processor fitted with the grating blade. (2) Use the The latkes can be made earlier in the day. To reheat and re-crisp, place in a 350 degree (F) oven until hot enough to serve. (3) Latkes make for a either a great side dish or incredible hearty appetizer. (4) If serving a large crowd, double the recipe. (5) Top any leftover latkes with a poached egg and have for breakfast!