Strawberry Yogurt Cake

Earlier this summer one of the local nurseries had some of the most beautiful containers of strawberry plants. I really, really wanted to buy a couple of them. The idea of being able to pick fresh berries all summer long sounded simply irresistible. Yet, in spite of my romanticized notions around harvesting berries in my own backyard, I couldn't buy bring myself to buying them. And the reason for giving up my strawberry fields dream? The squirrels, bold little creatures with destructive tendencies and voracious appetites. Living in suburban area with a high density of trees means there is an even higher density of squirrels. The thought of any, but probably all, of the harvest from tenderly cared for strawberry bushes being consumed by the squirrels living in the trees surrounding our house was enough to make me remorsefully walk away from a summer of homegrown strawberries. When it comes to fresh berries of any kind, I prefer sharing them only with two-legged creatures. While I think of myself of having animal loving tendencies, I would be happy if I never saw another squirrel again for the rest of my life. Or at least within a hundred yards of my house. Hopefully I haven't alienated any of you who love all of God's creatures equally and you still have room in your heart for those of who don't.

The strawberries at Whole Foods this week looked as if they were just harvested. They were a beautiful color of re and ripe. I couldn't resist buying these sweet bites of pure deliciousness.

A few weeks I came across several recipes for a Strawberry Yogurt Cake. I was intrigued. Especially when I discovered some of these cakes were not made with any butter. Seriously, no butter! Could a cake made without butter be as good as or better than a butter batter cake? I had to find out. 

If fresh strawberries are still available in your neck of the woods, you need to make this Strawberry Yogurt Cake. It's one I would put in the categories of breakfast, brunch, hight tea, or afternoon snack cakes rather than one dinner party worthy. For those of you willing to admit you have had cake for breakfast before, you know a piece of cake makes for a great start to your day. 

Strawberries are used in both the cake and as a topping for the cake. The strawberries roasted as the cake bakes and the one macerated in a confectionary sugar/strawberry jam/preserve mixture deliver the best of both worlds strawberry flavors in a single cake.  

This would be another one of those easy to make cakes although there are a few details you need to pay attention to when making the batter. Beating the (room temperature) eggs, sugar, and vanilla until light, pale in color, fluffy, and almost triple in volume will take approximately 6 minutes. To create this cake's airy texture, you want to whip as much air and lightness into this portion of the batter as possible before gently folding in the olive oil, yogurt, and dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt). As far as ingredients go, use whole milk (plain Greek yogurt) to optimize the cake's flavor (as there isn't any butter) and a good quality olive oil. Having a relatively high protein content, yogurt also contains casein, a protein which improves both the cake's moisture retention and volume. 

Some of the recipes I found for yogurt based cakes were made without salt. However, salt actually helps to round out all of the cake's flavors. In my world there is no such thing as a cake without some salt. Another of the discernible differences in the recipes were in the amounts of sugar or the sugar-eggs ratio. Recommended amounts ranged from as little as one half a cup to as much as a full cup. I decided to split the difference and made this cake using three quarters of cup of sugar.. However, next time I will increase the amount of sugar to one cup. This may be my own personal preference as everyone who tasted the cake loved the cake as it was made. Secretly I think they would love it more if it were made with one cup of sugar.

The batter for this cake is on the thick side. After scraping it into a 9" springform pan use an offset spatula or spoon to even out the top. I used somewhere between 10 and 12 ounces of strawberries for the cake itself. Press hulled and halved strawberries gently down into the batter. Don't worry as they don't sink too far down during the baking process. But you do want them to sink just a little so don't let them just sit on the top of the cake before you put it into the oven. Baking time for this cake ranges fro 25-35 minutes (my baking time was 33 minutes). 

As the cake cools, mix together the remaining 6 to 8 ounces of strawberries with some caster (or granulated) sugar and/or melted strawberry preserves/jam. As the mixture rests, the sugar melts and creates the most delicious juices. I used both sugar and the preserves/jam. Wait until you taste these strawberries! 

When the cake comes to room temperature, transfer it to a serving platter or cake stand and lightly dust with confectionary sugar before piling on the macerated strawberries. Note: Wait to add the confectionary sugar and strawberries until ready to serve.

This Strawberry Yogurt Cake tastes as good as it looks! Maybe even better! 

Don't let the summer come to an end before you make this Strawberry Yogurt Cake. You really don't want to have to wait until next year to taste it. 

Recipe
Strawberry Yogurt Cake (inspired from several sources including Anna Banana's Fresh Strawberry Yogurt Cake recipe)

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups (300g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 to 1 cup (150 to 200g) caster or granulated sugar (Recommend 1 cup/200g)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs, room temperature 
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup (250 ml) plain, whole milk Greek yogurt (4.5-5% milk fat), room temperature
16 ounces strawberries, divided, hulled and cut in half lengthwise
Confectionary sugar, for dusting
2 Tablespoons strawberry preserves/jam, melted (optional)
Optional: Freshly whipped cream for serving

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 9" (23 cm) springform pan with parchment paper. Butter sides of the pan and top of the parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the sugar, vanilla, and eggs until pale and fluffy (approximately 6 minutes). Note: Mixture will almost triple in volume.
4. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, first fold in the yogurt and olive oil, Then carefully fold in flour mixture just it is blended in. Be careful to not over blend. Note: Mixture will be on the thick side.
5. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth top with an offset spatula.
6. Press 10-12 ounces of the hulled and cut strawberries into the top of the cake.
7. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake. 
8. Place cake pan on a cooling rack. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before removing the outer springform ring. Let cake cool completely.
9. Mix together the remaining 4-6 ounces of strawberries with either or both 1 teaspoon of caster or confectionary sugar and 2 Tablespoon of strawberry jam (slightly melted). Set aside to let strawberries macerate.
10. When cake has cooled, transfer to a platter or cake stand. Sprinkle the top with confectionary sugar. Spoon the strawberries onto the center of the cake.
11. Serve and enjoy. While cake is best eaten on the day it is baked, cover and store in the refrigerator to extend its' delicious life for up to 3-4 days.

Notes: (1) When serving the cake after it has been refrigerated, recommend heating it slightly in the microwave (15-20 seconds on high) to bring it to room temperature. Re-sprinkle with confectionary sugar before serving. (2) I let my yogurt sit out for approximately two hours before using. If it sits out any longer than two hours, it will begin to break down. (3) Serve with some slightly sweetened freshly whipped cream on the side. Both you and this cake deserves it!

Key West Lighthouse and Keeper's Quarters, built in 1825. Key West, Florida (July 2018)

Buttermilk Grilled Chicken with Chimichurri Sauce

Earlier this summer almost all of the urns in the front, side and back of the house were filled primarily with herbs this year. It wasn't so much a fortuitous decision as it was one primarily made due to indecisiveness. Not only couldn't I decide on a which white or blue monochromatic color scheme to have this year, I had waited longer than I should have to find the varieties of flowers I wanted. Due my procrastination the urns were filled with a variety of herbs and a few geraniums. A significant departure from the overflowing flower urn look I had been trying to achieve in years past. However, the basil, oregano, rosemary, parsley, sage, mint, thyme, dill, and chives have thrived, mostly because someone has religiously watered them (and that someone would not be me). Having out my back door access to fresh herbs has been both a luxury and blessing. Maybe one of the best urn planting decisions. Surprisingly I really don't miss my flower filled urns (well, maybe just a teeny tiny little bit). In looking ahead, I think mostly herb filled urns will be the intentional planting plan next year. 

While there have yet to be any mojitos made with the mint or pesto made with basil, the herbs have made frequent appearances in salads, on pasta dishes, in meatballs, and on crostini to name a few. And this past weekend they made the best Chimchurri Sauce. 

We grill a lot of chicken around here. But there is only so much excitement one can muster around a grilled seasoned chicken breast. Unless you plate it with fresh vegetables or on top of a salad, it doesn't have much of a wow factor on a plate. Marinate it overnight in a buttermilk mixture, grill it, cut into slice, top with a Chimichurri Sauce and now you have a weeknight dinner looking Saturday night dinner party worthy. 

We have heard about marinating then frying chicken, however, we often don't think of using that technique when roasting or grilling. Although it's not absolutely necessary for frying or grilling, marinating chicken in a buttermilk mixture tenderizes the meat as well as imparts flavor. Not only does buttermilk's slightly acidic quality help to tenderize the chicken, the enzymes in it help to break down the protein. Thus you end up with a more tender, moister chicken. 

Up until recently I always associated Chimichurri Sauce with grilled meats. Like with THIS Marinated Grilled Flank Steak. Why it took me so long to put the chicken together with this chimichurri sauce is anyone's guess. Once you taste these flavor combinations you too might find it hard to serve grilled chicken without it. Fresh parsley is the foundational herb in this sauce. This version used a combination of basil and oregano, garlic cloves, capers, sea salt, and olive oil. It literally comes together in minutes in a food processor. I like to let my chimichurri sauce rest (covered) for about an hour to let the herbs infuse even more flavor into the olive oil. With herbs in abundance in gardens, urns or at farmer's markets, this is perfect season for Chimichurri Sauce. 

Technically soaking the chicken breasts in a seasoned buttermilk mixture would be considered a brining process. If you have never brined chicken or a turkey, you will be surprised at how easy it easy. The chicken sits in a mixture of buttermilk, garlic, salt, pepper, and rosemary for at least 8 hours or (preferably) overnight (See notes below for additional, optional brining ingredients.) I like marinating the chicken in a flat dish versus a ziplock bag, but either way works. Just be sure to turn the chicken at least once during the brining process.

While your grill heats up, remove the chicken from the marinade and let sit on a rack to allow it to drain. Place your chicken breasts on a hot grill and cook until done. Cooking time will be dependent on the thickness of the chicken. These slightly more than one pound breasts took almost twenty minutes. Let your chicken breasts rest at least 5 minutes before cutting into thick slices and arranging on a (white) platter.

Then drizzle the Chimichurri Sauce down the center of the chicken and serve. Note: Recommend making a double batch of the sauce so you can serve some on the side.

Even the meat lovers amongst your family and friends will be impressed with this Buttermilk Grilled Chicken with Chimichurri Sauce. With the money you saved buying chicken over beef, buy some really, really good wine (something with a rating of at least 92 points) for an even more unforgettable meal. 

Serve the Buttermilk Grilled Chicken with Chimichurri Sauce with some a platter of some grilled or roasted vegetables and your favorite salad. Don't forget a basket of bread. This could easily become one of your favorite and easiest go-to weeknight as well as entertaining dishes. Seriously.

Recipe

Buttermilk Grilled Chicken with Chimichurri Sauce

Serves 6-8 

Ingredients
Chicken
2 to 2 1/4 pounds of skin-on or skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 cups (1 pint) buttermilk
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 Tablespoon sea salt
2 Tablespoons chopped rosemary

Chimichurri Sauce
1/2 cup (10g) flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 Tablespoons chopped tender fresh herbs (e.g., basil, oregano, chervil, or cilantro)
1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil, plus more if needed
2 garlic cloves
1 Tablespoon salt-packed capers, rinsed
Pinch of sea salt

Directions
Chicken
1. In a bowl, mix together the buttermilk, garlic, sea salt, pepper and rosemary.
2. Place chicken in a shallow bowl (or use a plastic ziplock bag). Pour mixture over the chicken. Tightly cover bowl and/or seal bag. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight. Turn chicken over and/or flip ziplock bags at least once.
3. Remove the chicken and place on a wire rack (with a sheet pan underneath) to allow marinade mixture to drip off.
4. Place drained chicken breasts on a preheated grill. Grilling time will depend on the thickness of the chicken breasts. The one pound breasts used took approximately 20 minutes.
5. Remove cooked breasts from the grill and allow to sit for at least 5 minutes before cutting into 1/4" slices.

Chimichurri Sauce and Assembly
1. Place parsley, fresh herb of choice (I used a combination of basil and oregano), garlic and capers in a small food processor. Pulse until mixture is finely chopped.
2. Transfer mixture to a small bowl. Pour in olive oil and pinch of sea salt. Stir to combine.
3. Serve immediately, allow to sit up to an hour before serving, or store, tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If stored in the refrigerator, remove at least 30 minutes before serving.
4. Drizzle Chimichurri Sauce over sliced grilled chicken. Serve extra sauce on the side.

Notes: (1) Double the amount of Chimichurri Sauce. You can always store leftovers in the refrigerator. (2) If you are in a hurry, make the Chimichurri Sauce and just grill up some (non-buttermilk marinated) chicken breasts. (3) For a slightly sweeter marinade, add 2 Tablespoons of honey and 1/2 cup of vegetable oil to the marinade. (4) If you don't have a large white platter, get one. They are incredibly versatile and make food look absolutely beautiful.

Sunset at Mallory Square, Key West, Florida (July 2018)

Strawberry Icebox Cake

Last week we flew to Florida for the Memorial Service to honor and celebrate the lives of my husband's parents. Prior to their passing, both of his parents expressed they didn't want any kind of service. However, it was something all of the siblings felt was important. Not only to provide each of them with a kind of closure, but to able to publicly show how grateful they all were for both the love and lifetime of memories they had been given. Beyond their shared desires, the Memorial Service also gave the siblings and their spouses, the nieces, their spouses, and their children, the only living sister (of my husband's mother) and her husband, and the cousin (and his wife) who was one of the best friends yet more like a brother to my husband's father, the chance to reconnect and spend some quality time with one another. With my husband feeling the pressure of being the only one of his siblings to speak at the Memorial Service, we decided to first spend a couple of days (38 hours to be exact) in Key West to relax and unwind. Considering it was the first time either of us had been there, there was very little time for relaxation. However, Key West provided just the kind of distractions he needed.

After arriving in Ft. Lauderdale, we drove down to Key West in a Mustang convertible. Having the top down on both the way down and back, allowed us both to see the landscapes from a completely different perspective. With an unobstructed view of the sky and clouds overhead, it was an amateur photographer's dream experience. In spite of the high temperatures and humidity, we tried to squeeze in as much as we could. With taking in two early morning sunrises at Higgs and Smathers Beaches, two evening sunsets at Mallory Square, strolling and shopping Duval street, uncharacteristically day (and night) drinking, and some touristy adventures, we managed to spend several hours relaxing by the pool. We should have been exhausted from the heat and being constantly on the go, but we weren't. At least not while we were there. While the time spent in Key West was great, it wasn't long enough. But neither was the time we had spending with everyone, but especially the two nieces, their spouses, and their children. While two year Vivian may not remember being at the Memorial Service for her great grandparents, I had a feeling that somehow her great grandparents knew she was there. Even more importantly, I had a sense they were deeply touched by the service and the words spoken by their eldest son.

In planning a recent birthday gathering for one of my friends, I asked the birthday girl to give me three or four of her favorite cake suggestions. Not only did I want here birthday cake to something she loved, I also wanted there to be some element of surprise it. After sharing her top three choices, she ended by saying 'if you have a new one you want to try or you think I would like' feel free to make it. Only someone with a kind, trusting, unselfish heart would allow someone else to make a 'truly surprise me' birthday cake. Little did she know I wanted to make this Strawberry Icebox Cake. However, the pressure of not having made it before and wanting her birthday cake to be perfect was too much for me handle. Additionally I worried a teeny tiny bit it may have not been something one would consider birthday cake worthy. I now know all that worrying was for naught as this would have been a both a perfect and great birthday cake! And one I believe she really would have liked. Maybe even loved. 

This is not a summer birthday cake. It's a summer, spring, fall, or winter one. Because the cake's filling is made with both frozen strawberries and freeze-dried strawberries, not fresh ones (unless you use them for decorating the top of the cake), you can make it 365 days a year.

Many of the Strawberry Icebox Cake and/or Pie recipes use a pretzel base crust. This one has a graham cracker, toasted pecan crust, and dark brown sugar crust. This incredibly flavorful crust may be my new graham cracker crust base. It's that good.

Toasting the pecans enhances their flavor and baking the crust before adding the filling deepens the flavors. So if given the choice between not baking or baking a graham cracker crust, always go the baking route. The extra step and cooling wait time is a small price to pay for the difference it makes.

In typical 'making a new recipe for the first time' fashion, I went on the Strawberry Icebox Cake hunt. All of the recipes I found, with the exception of one, called for use of gelatin or jell-o in the filling. Because the filling is a kind of no-churn ice cream, I too thought a gelatin-free version made the most sense. A pound of frozen strawberries didn't seem like it would deliver enough flavor so I decided to add some freeze-dried strawberries (I found them at Trader Joe's). 

The thick cake filling is poured into the cooled graham cracker-pecan crust. To ensure the top stays smooth, tightly cover the pan first with aluminum foil (it's thickness helps to prevent it from dipping into the batter) and then with plastic wrap. Put the pan on a baking sheet and place on a flat surface in your freezer. The Strawberry Icebox Cake needs at least six hours to firm up, but would recommend you allowing it set up overnight.

To unmold the cake from the pan, run a knife along the sides of the pan first. Frequently dipping your knife in hot water will make this process easier as well as keep the sides of the cake smooth.  Lining the springform pan with parchment paper makes transferring the Strawberry Icebox Cake to a platter effortless.

There are a million different options for finishing off this cake. You could leave completely unadorned, top it with some freshly whipped cream, layer some freshly sliced strawberries around the edge, or garnish with chocolate dipped strawberries are just some ideas. If there is an opportunity to add a chocolate garnish to any cake, I will take it.

Allow the Strawberry Icebox Cake to sit out a room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting into slices. The cake will continue to soften as it sits out, so if there any left after serving, return it back (well covered) back into freezer. 

This may be the most refreshing, delicious hot weather cake I have ever made. With the filling having a no churn ice cream like texture, it may be the most ingenious cake. The sweet, slightly crust and creamy, oh so strawberry flavored cake is everything a Strawberry Icebox Cake should be. It's a cake and ice cream confection perfect for a summer gathering, as the ending to a dinner party, and/or as a celebratory birthday cake. 

Recipe
Strawberry Icebox Cake (ingredient and assembly adaptations made to Wood and Spoon's recipe for Strawberry Icebox Pie)
Serves 10-12, depending on how you cut it.

Ingredients
Crust
7 1/8 ounces (204 g) graham crackers (approximately 13 1/2 sheets of graham crackers)
2 3/4 ounces (80 g) pecan halves, toasted
1/4 cup (50 g) dark brown sugar (could also use light brown sugar or a combination of both)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
7 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Strawberry Filling
16 ounces frozen strawberries
1/4 ounce (80g) freeze-dried strawberries
14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
Optional: Fresh strawberries, chocolate dipped strawberries, or freshly whipped cream for garnish

Directions
Crust
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 9" springform pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Combine graham crackers and toasted pecans into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until mixture is reduced to crumbs.
3. In a medium sized bowl, combine the graham cracker/pecan mixture, brown sugar, kosher salt, and melted butter. Stir until well combined.
4. Press the graham cracker crumb mixture evenly on the bottom and half way up the sides of the prepared springform pan. 
5. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, place on a cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature.

Strawberry Filling and Assembly
1. In a medium sized bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the sweetened condensed milk and beat until well combined. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of  a food processor, first process the freeze-dried strawberries. The mixture will be semi-fine. In other words, it will not be completely powder like. Add in the frozen strawberries, and process until you have a thick icy slush. There will still be some visible pieces of the strawberries. Do not over process to a liquidy texture.
3. Add the strawberry mixture to the cream cheese/sweetened condensed milk mixture. Beat until well combined. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside temporarily.
4. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
5. Fold the whipped cream into the strawberry mixture until no white streaks remain. Again, be careful not to overfold or you will begin breaking down the whipped cream.
6. Pour the mixture into the cooled to room temperature crust. Place the springform pan on a flat baking sheet. Tightly cover the springform pan first with aluminum foil and then with plastic wrap.
7. Place baking sheet on an even surface in the freezer. Allow to chill for at least 8 hours or overnight.
8. When ready to serve, remove the cake from the springform pan and place on serving platter. Top with fresh strawberries or chocolate covered strawberries if using. Allow the cake to sit out at least 10 minutes before cutting into slices, then serve immediately.
9. Return any unserved cake to the freezer, making sure it is well wrapped. Cake will store well in the freezer for up to a week.

Notes: (1) Only use frozen strawberries as fresh strawberries would liquify and the cake may not set up. (2) I toast my pecans for 10 minutes in a 350 degree (F) oven. (3) The strawberries on top of the cake were cut in quarters, then dipped in melted chocolate. (4) If you don't have a scale to weigh the pecans, would recommend using approximately 1/3 cup of pecan halves.

Sunrise at Smathers Beach, Key West, Florida (July 2018)