Cooking the Books – Page 5 – Read. Review. Recipe.

June 19, 2020June 19, 2020

A simple side for all occasions

OK, so maybe I spent an evening last week going through my Betty Crocker cookbook since I didn’t have the brainpower to read a book nor the mental health state to keep up on Twitter but had the anxious energy to do more than simply watch TV.

That’s just maybe how last week’s and this week’s recipes came to be the top of my queue of food to make. Even better, both last week’s 5 ingredient chicken and this week’s orzo vegetable side dish were simple to make, and (full disclosure) went well together.

The original recipe is for a main dish that uses plain sauteed chicken tenders that are first cooked and then mixed into orzo mixture. Since I planned to use it as a side dish with chicken, I skipped the chicken in the recipe and made a nice vegetarian side dish (or main dish but with fewer servings).

Anyone who owns a Betty Crocker cookbook knows that the recipes are not often the most exciting, but they’re also not the most difficult. They’re perfect, in other words, for a weeknight dinner when you want something homemade but don’t want to be cooking all night.

This one in particular was a nice reminder to me that orzo is a great pasta for a fast, tasty side dish. I think it’s one I’ll play with and enjoy over and over again.

Here’s what I did, adapting the Betty Crocker main dish:

Ingredients

14 oz. (1 can, or homemade) vegetable or chicken broth
1 ⅓ c. uncooked orzo
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium zucchini, chopped (yielding about 1 ½ c.)
1 ½ c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small bell pepper, chopped (yielding about 1 c.)
1 c. water
~1 T. chopped fresh rosemary
½ t. salt

Directions

Heat a 9- to 10-inch skillet on medium heat. Stir in the broth, pasta, and garlic. Heat to boiling, and then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for about 8 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add in the vegetables, water, rosemary, and salt, and stir together. Heat to boiling, and simmer another 5–7 minutes until the vegetables are tender-crisp and the pasta is cooked through. Let cool slightly, and enjoy!

June 12, 2020

Quick & easy chicken, Fun style

I mentioned last week that my sweetie found boneless, skinless chicken, and he was good enough to buy 2 lbs, which meant I could make Amy Thielen’s wonderfully fancy yet simple rosemary chicken with half the meat.

But it also meant that I could use the rest to make a Betty Crocker recipe that coats chicken breasts in sour cream and onion potato chips. From the time I came across the recipe, I knew I had to make it as soon as my sweetie could bring home the special cut of meat.

Of course, fried/sauteed chicken could be made with thighs or bone-in breasts, but this seemed to me the type of thing that would work best with what it called for. So, I was willing to wait until we could get what we need, and willing to eat less meat and get different cuts going forward so I could enjoy this the way I wanted.

There’s not a lot of work to it, but that doesn’t make it any less tasty. Besides, what’s not to love from chicken and potato chips mashed together.

It was a true delight, and I hope to make it again someday when meat is easier to come by and I feel less guilty buying some, since I’m usually content with a nice vegetarian meal.

Potato chips and chicken make pure perfection.

Here’s what I did:

~4 c. sour cream and onion potato chips, crushed (yielding ~1 c.)
1 T. parsley flakes
1 large egg
2 t. Worcestershire sauce
~2 T. vegetable oil
4 (about 1 ¼ lb.) boneless skinless chicken breasts

Directions

Place the crushed potato chips on a large shallow plate, and mix with the parsley. In a separate small bowl, beat together the egg and Worcestershire sauce.

In a 9- to 10-inch skillet, heat the oil over medium heat (cooking only half at a time or using 2 skillets if it doesn’t all fit into one skillet). Dip a chicken breast into the egg mixture and then coat with the potato chip mixture, pressing in as appropriate. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.

Cook the coated chicken breasts in the heated oil for about 10 to 12 minutes, turning once about halfway through, until the coating is a deep golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. Let cool slightly, and enjoy!

June 6, 2020

Quick & easy chicken, Fancy style

My sweetie managed to find some boneless, skinless chicken breasts so for the next two weeks, we feast!

I know for foodies that boneless, skinless chicken breast is not the mark of a true chef; however, I like its texture and blank-canvas nature. It has its place, and I’ve missed that it’s harder to come by, while I would gladly give it up entirely if we’d have done more to make meat-packing plant workers safer or, simply, kept them home for longer.

Still, old habits die hard, and when my sweetie found these at the co-op, I was excited to have a couple of different simple, but delicious, meals to serve showcasing this cut.

My first foray was an oldie but a goodie. Ever since I found out about Amy Thielen, I’ve been a fan. I love her Midwest-style, and while she’s been a big-time chef, she’s managed to take her recipes from haute cuisine to stuff I can do in my kitchen.

This rosemary chicken is one of those that seems like it’d be served in a farm-to-table restaurant, but I can also make it at home without stress and with few ingredients. It also lets its few ingredients shine.

While it’s perfect as a main dish with a side to accompany it, I’ll be honest, my sweetie and I usually enjoy it as a sort of appetizer. It’s great to go from warmed plate to living room table, and we’ll snack as we either wait for something else or have already had a salad. Sometimes simple can be so sweet.

I’ll note that Thielen’s recipe calls for discarding the rosemary sprigs after they’ve been infused, which I did this time and felt that it could have had more rosemary flavor. My sweetie and I have both made this before where we’ve left the sprigs in (or used more than 2); your mileage may vary on how strong of a rosemary flavor you like, but consider using more or keeping it infused for longer/while cooking if you want a heaping dose of the herbal, floral flavor.

Here’s what I did, following her recipe (but downsizing the skillet slightly):

Ingredients

16 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 T. (½ stick) butter
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 t. fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Directions

Cut each chicken breast into three long, fairly equal pieces. Set aside.

Heat a 9- to 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the butter, When it foams and then turns nut-brown, remove it from heat and add the rosemary sprigs, tilting the pan so that the butter foams over the rosemary. Set aside to infuse for 5 minutes. Remove and discard the rosemary sprigs (or keep them for a stronger, more rosemary flavor).

Set the skillet back on the burner, over medium-low heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and then add them to the skillet. Cook slowly, moving and turning the pieces often, until all the pieces have cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the parsley if using, and place on a warm plate, pouring the pan juices over the chicken, and enjoy!

May 30, 2020May 30, 2020

All the herbs!!!

At this point, I’ve lost track of the last time I went to the grocery store and have no idea what it looks like now.

I do, however, get dispatches from my sweetie when he makes his weekly stop, as he’s good enough to be our designated shopper given my compromised immune system. And what I know now is that while many staples are still available, and we’re in no danger of food shortages, some of the things we’re used to are getting harder to come by.

We appreciate it more when we can find the fresh herbs and vegetables we want, and especially, for me, when I can get the meat I most enjoy.

This week I was ecstatic to see that my grocery list items to make this Persian frittata all made it into the cart, and into the refrigerator at home.

I have even more reason to be grateful to my sweetie because in the before times he’d already test-driven this recipe from Bon Appetit for me, so I knew I was in for a treat.

There’s a fair amount of herb chopping, but I have these wonderful herb-cutting scissors that make the whole thing go smoothly. It’s so simple and easy that I made it with a simple Middle Eastern soup so we’d be able to enjoy the frittata for breakfast after our first meal.

If you’re able to find all the veggies and (mostly the) fresh herbs, this is a real, simple treat.

Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

5 T. vegetable oil, divided
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium leek, white and pale green parts only, finely chopped
5 large eggs
1 t. baking powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
½ t. ground turmeric
½ T. ground fenugreek
1 ½ c. finely chopped cilantro (about 1 bunch)
1 ½ c. finely chopped parsley (about 1 bunch)
1 ½ c. finely chopped dill (about 2 small packages)

Directions

Heat 2 T. oil in a 9- to 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion and leeks, stirring occasionally until soft but not browned, 10–12 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Wipe out the skillet and set aside.

Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, baking powder, salt and pepper, turmeric, and fenugreek in a large bowl. Mix in the onion mixture, cilantro, dill, and parsley. The egg mixture should look thick and very green (with bits of egg poking through, depending on how finely you chop the herbs; mine could be greener).

Heat the broiler.

On the stove top, heat the remaining 3 T. of oil in the reserved skillet. Pour in the egg mixture, and spread evenly across the pan with a spatula. Cover and cook the frittata until the bottom is just set, about 8–10 minutes. Remove from heat and take off the cover.

Broil for about 1 minute until the top is just set and starting to brown.

Let cool slightly, slide out onto a platter, cut into triangles, and enjoy!

May 22, 2020

Peanut butter jelly pie, peanut butter jelly pie

I can’t be the only one in these times who’s been reverting back to things that are comforting, while also somewhat ironically enjoying the chance to do things I’ve never done.

Some examples: I’ve recently rediscovered my love of Iron Chef: America, while also enjoying the fantasy dread and panic (as opposed to the real life dread and panic) of American Horror Story. I’ve dyed my hair (and donning a mask when I interact with other people), but I’m also wearing the same handful of outfits week in and week out.

This week’s recipe is very much in line with this new Christinia-in-the-time-of-Covid.

I made a peanut butter & jelly pie. All the comforts of a PB&J from my youth and the joy of making pie but made into something I’ve never had before.

I’ll admit my initial taste was one of mild disappointment, as the peanut butter and cream cheese had the familiar mouthfeel as a PB&J with a tad too much peanut butter where you have to use your tongue to break it up. I suggested — and am still considering for future alternative uses — mixing the peanut butter mixture with the whipped cream that goes on top.

However, upon tasting my second slice, I realized the simple fact that the pie really brings everything that’s great about a PB&J into a pie and doesn’t need my additional tweaking. I’ve enjoyed more slices since then and think it works wonderful as is.

I do think it’ll be worth trying to fold in the whipped cream at some point, and maybe trying it with something chocolatey, or as my sweetie suggested making a sort of fluffernutter. I’m still considering my options but suffice to say this simple, familiar dish has opened up whole new worlds for me.

Quick note: I went ahead and homemade my crust so that I could make it in my little Le Creuset, and I homemade my own whipped cream because it’s just so much better. But if you don’t have the energy in these times to make this, just remember you can save some time and energy by getting those items premade, at which point it’s basically just mixing the peanut butter center and topping with the jelly of your choice. No judgement from me.

Here’s what I did, using a Taste of Home recipe, with some alterations for my homemade crust and topping:

Ingredients

For the crust:

1 ½ c. graham cracker crumbs
5 T. unsalted butter, melted
¼ c. sugar
Pinch of salt

For the pie:

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
½ c. confectioners’ sugar
½ c. peanut butter (I went with creamy for the pie, even though I typically like crunchy, but you do you)
½ c. strawberry preserves (any flavor will work if you like it in a PB&J but this seemed perfect for the nostalgia I craved)

For the topping:

1 c. heavy cream
2 T. sugar
Salted peanuts, for topping (optional)

Directions

For the crust:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the ingredients in a medium bowl, and then press them into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch skillet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the edges are golden. Remove from oven, and let cool completely.

For the pie center:

In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and peanut butter until smooth. Spoon into cooled crust. Top with the preserves (I thought it’d be too messy, but it actually works.).

For the topping:

Beat together the heavy cream and sugar.

To finish:

Place the whipped topping on top of the pie, and peanuts if using. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight, and enjoy!

May 16, 2020

Take your time with chickpea stew

I had my ups and downs with this week’s recipe. Spoiler alert: it ends on an upswing.

However, when I first decided to make it, I soon realized that the recipe wasn’t going to work in my small skillet. So, I downsized to halve the recipe.

Then, I realized that the proportions seemed odd and off even in half-size, so I retooled again.

When it came time to make it, I wasn’t all that optimistic or eager.

It managed to get worse as it went on, and I started to wonder if the chickpea stew with spinach and topped with a fried egg would even be a tasty dinner.

Seriously, I thought as I was stirring, how is a mash of chickpeas and crushed tomatoes even going to be tasty?

What a fool I was.

I should have known better than to doubt Bon Appetit and my own savvy. Plus, time. Time allows the flavors to meld, the onion, the garlic, the cumin seeds, and the paprika to imbue their flavors into the tomatoes and chickpeas.

It was incredibly delicious. I don’t even think the eggs were all that necessary.

When I make this again, I will do a couple things differently.

First, the spinach was not nearly enough. I used an entire bag, but I should have used two. Also, I might *might* consider using thawed chopped spinach to save a little time. While it’s nice to be able to saute it with the garlic, there’s plenty of garlic in the dish (I forgot to halve the garlic but I’m not complaining) and I’m not sure the freshness made all that much difference. Then again, maybe I just should have used more.

Secondly, like with the purgatory eggs, this meal would have been wonderfully enhanced by having a nice sourdough or another good bread to serve it with. Since I halved the recipe, it went down to a three-serving meal; however, I think it would have been a nice four-serving meal if there had been bread.

But I can say this tasted so good that I will make it again. I might even go to full size skillet for even more deliciousness.

I wish the flavors would show through in this picture. It was so good.

Here’s what I did, adapting the recipe more than a bit:

Ingredients

3 T. olive oil, divided
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, divided
1-2 bags baby spinach
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 small onion, chopped
1 T. cumin seeds
2 t. smoked paprika
1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1 to 1 ½ c. vegetable broth
4 eggs
Sourdough bread, toasted, for serving (optional)

Directions

Heat 1 T. oil in a 9- to 10-inch skillet (10-inch probably preferable but I made it work in my 9-inch Le Creuset) over medium heat. When oil begins to shimmer, add the equivalent of one garlic clove of the sliced garlic to the skillet. Cook until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add spinach. Toss, adding salt and pepper as desired, and cook until the spinach is wilted but still bright green, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate, and set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the same pot. When oil begins to shimmer, add onion and the remaining sliced garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add in the cumin and paprika, and stir until the cumin is toasted and fragrant, another minute.

Add in the chickpeas and crushed tomatoes, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring often, for about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add about 1 c. of broth, and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Continue to simmer, occasionally using mashing some chickpeas with the back of a spoon, until sauce is thickened, another 8 to 10 minutes, adding more broth as necessary.

Add in the spinach and continue to simmer another 8 to 10 minutes, again adding more broth as necessary.

Meanwhile, in a separate non-stick skillet, pour in oil or butter and heat over medium high. Cook eggs to desired done-ness (the recipe says to do sunny-side up; I prefer over medium). Season eggs with salt and pepper and transfer to a plate.

Spoon chickpea mixture into bowls, top with an egg, and serve with some toasted bread as desired, and enjoy!

May 8, 2020

Have rice and eggs anytime

I admit that this week’s recipe was one of those where I just happened to have all the ingredients in the house, and so had the perfect excuse to make it.

Even easier to do as it was another of the Jamie Oliver 5 Ingredients recipes, so I literally only needed to have 5 ingredients (plus salt and water) on hand, most of them household staples for us.

Now, not all ingredients will be household staples for most. I’m just lucky that my sweetie has been doing the shopping for us since the pandemic began and has been adding a stop at the local Asian market to his errands while he’s out. That’s how we came to have kimchi available any time.

While the Korean eggs and rice dish is, of course, Korean, it’s also possible to replace the kimchi with another vegetable. Kimchi worked really well with the cilantro as well, but again, anyone could use a different herb or spice accompaniment.

I might recommend giving kimchi a try, though, as the fermented cabbage is quite a bit tastier than its name or its description might make it seem.

This is the second time I’ve made the dish and I’ve stuck to the recipe both times, other than the fact that I’ve used a smaller skillet than called for and increased the cilantro amounts. It’s been fine, though I’ve never quite managed to get the eggs to fully encompass the rice; I think next time I’ll just go ahead and stir it in a bit rather than hoping it wraps around. However, it does still taste great and does allow the rice to crisp a little more, which I enjoy quite a bit.

The meal also delightfully works as both breakfast and dinner. All around a nice, easy meal when you don’t have a lot of time or the energy to make something too difficult.

Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

1 T. sesame seeds (I didn’t really measure so definitely used more)
150 g. basmati rice
150 g. kimchi
8 sprigs of cilantro
4 eggs
Salt, to taste
400 ml water

Directions

Toast sesame seeds in a 9- to 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Once lightly golden, remove to a plate, and reduce heat to medium-low. Place the rice in a pan with a pinch of salt, and then pour in 400 ml of water. Cover and cook the rice for 10 to 15 minutes until the rice has absorbed all the liquid.

Meanwhile, chop the kimchi and tear up half the cilantro, and place in a medium bowl. Beat in the eggs, and then pour over the rice when it’s ready, spreading evenly with a spatula. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes or so until the eggs are just set.

Loosen the edges with a spatula, and then slide it out on a plate. Scatter the sesame seeds on top and then place the remaining cilantro leaves on top, and enjoy!

May 1, 2020

Breaking biscuits and gravy, Part 2

As promised, I am back this week with a chorizo gravy recipe.

I feel a little bad that I made everyone wait a week and worse that I imagine most readers would rather substitute in store-bought biscuits than just forego this great chorizo gravy recipe.

Well, I am here to tell you that good things are worth the wait, and this is no exception.

It was a true delight.

I don’t even think all the other additions (cotija, avocado, scallions, and cilantro) are strictly necessary, even though of course I added them and would definitely do them again. That being said, as much as I love cotija, I feel like it does add the least in the addition, just because the gravy is already so fatty and so flavorful that the crumbly Mexican cheese doesn’t add as much as I would have thought. Also, for my personal tastes, I could take or leave the scallions. But when I make it again, it will definitely still have avocados and cilantro, and frankly, probably the others too.

Here is where I do admit that I did semi-cheat by not using my Le Creuset on the gravy. I thought since the biscuits called for an 8-inch skillet (maybe a typo, see last week) that it’d be safer to use the 9-inch for the biscuits and not overwhelm it with gravy that could overtop, so I went with our 10-inch cast iron for the gravy.

Technically, I think 9-inch would still work, particularly as you brown the chorizo and then remove it to make the gravy, and only are supposed to add back in half the chorizo, with the rest on top separately. I went ahead and added all the chorizo back in and it fit comfortably in the 10-inch. Alternatively, when the gravy is done, it could be poured into the sitting chorizo instead and you could keep using a 9-inch without problem.

What I’m saying is this one is pretty adaptable. Cook your gravy how you like, and add what you like, or nothing, to the top, and all is good, man. Just enjoy.

I love it when a masterpiece comes together.

Here’s what I did, finishing out the Bon Appetit recipe without many changes:

Ingredients

1 T. vegetable oil
1 lb. fresh chorizo, casings removed (or just buy Beeler’s that already is removed from casings, like I did)
3 c. all-purpose flour
2 ½ c. whole milk (I accidentally did not specify when my sweetie went shopping so we used 2% and it was fine)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Hot sauce, to taste
3 T. butter, if needed (my chorizo was not very fatty, so to make a roux, I needed more fat, you may too)
2 avocados, for serving (optional)
4 scallions, sliced, for serving (optional)
½ c. cilantro, chopped, for serving (optional)
½ c. cotija cheese or queso fresco, for serving (optional)

Directions

Heat oil in a 9- to 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add chorizo, breaking up any large pieces, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chorizo is browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl (small if planning to add back in to gravy, larger if planning on adding gravy to bowl).

Add additional butter if needed so that you have a total of about 3 T of fat to mix with the flour to make a roux. Add the flour once the butter has melted, if using, and whisk constantly until the roux is starting to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Gradually add milk, stirring constantly, until incorporated. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook gravy until thickened, another 5 to 8 minutes.

Stir in half the chorizo, or all of it, or add the gravy to the chorizo mixture, as will fit and as desired. Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce, to taste.

To serve: Spoon some gravy over biscuits (either cornmeal from last week or store bought), and then top with avocados, scallions, cilantro, and cotija, if using any or all, and the rest of the chorizo if you didn’t mix it in. Add more hot sauce if desired, and enjoy the gluttony!

April 24, 2020

Breaking biscuits and gravy, Part 1

I had been considering making my usual biscuits and gravy recipe ever since I started the small skillet year, but it seemed like a cop-out as it’s just sausage and a general white gravy with store-bought biscuits.

Thankfully, I found a twist on the traditional recipe that allowed me to make one of my favorites *and* try something new. Bless you, Bon Appetit.

Even if I hadn’t been considering biscuits and gravy all along, this recipe had me from its name that implied to me a south by southwest mash-up.

In place of traditional flour biscuits, a cornmeal-based biscuit that very much resembled cornbread. In place of breakfast sausage, chorizo. In addition to all that, and if it wasn’t filling and unhealthy enough, the addition of cotija and avocado, as well as cilantro and scallions.

Of course, it was a delight.

I’m focusing this week just on the biscuits, as I believe each *could* be made individually, and I felt like throwing too much out at this point could be overwhelming.

Chorizo and/or gravy may not be for everyone, and I feel like it’d be possible to just use store-bought biscuits and use next week’s gravy recipe if one were not inclined to bake biscuits.

So, how did the biscuits turn out?

I was nervous that an 8-inch skillet wouldn’t be enough to separate the biscuit batter, and even using a 9-inch it was a single biscuit instead of distinct ones (however, placing them individually still made it easier to separate once baked). I think it must have been a typo. But a medium-skillet will work; even if you end up with a single biscuit, it’ll be possible to pull them apart.

The taste, though, was amazing. It really was like a cornbread in biscuit form. It’s not that they’re interchangeable, but it was the perfect combination of biscuit consistency with buttermilk cornbread flavors, and it worked really well with the particular gravy recipe. It’d also work as just a biscuit with butter, like I may have done with one leftover biscuit.

I used a little more buttermilk than the recipe called for but otherwise stuck to it, though I might recommend a slightly larger skillet (which may affect cooking time).

The giant singular biscuit still tasted like the perfect cross between biscuits and cornbread. So I don’t care, I love it.

Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

1 c. all-purpose flour
¾ c. cornmeal
1 T. sugar
1 ½ t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
¼ t. black pepper, freshly ground if possible (I did not measure but grinded generously)
½ c. (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
¾ to 1 c. buttermilk (I used it all but if your consistency is good and sticky after ¾ c., don’t add more)

Directions

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Use your hands or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour until the pieces are chickpea-sized. Add buttermilk and mix to blend until dough is just combined and sticky.

Drop dough by heaping ¼ cupfuls into a medium cast-iron skillet, spacing if at all possible. Bake, rotating once halfway through, until biscuits are puffed, golden brown, and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Cool slightly and enjoy with butter or next week’s gravy recipe!

April 17, 2020

Time for a slice of heaven

It’s a little early to be breaking out the icebox pies, but life’s too short (especially now) to wait for summer.

So, I took the chance in mid-April to enjoy some strawberry lemonade.

Thanks to the delightful series of pies I discovered on Taste of Home (I will be making more), I got to enjoy this wonderfully simple, extremely tasty pink lemonade pie.

All the more delightful, and new to me, it was made with a saltine crust. Just a sleeve and a half of saltines, a bit of sugar, and some melted butter; it’s like a graham cracker crust only salty and savory and extra sumptuous. I will be using it again, in both savor and sweet pies.

Like most icebox pies, this was quick and easy. You’ll likely still need to brave the grocery store for some of the ingredients, though many items are household staples. Namely, most of us—I don’t think—have 2 packages of cream cheese, unflavored gelatin, or 2 cups of (frozen or fresh) strawberries on hand.

However, with just a handful of extra ingredients, a little work, and a few hours of waiting, you’ll be able to have a little slice of heaven, even in self-isolation.

Here’s what I did, following the recipe with the exception of a little extra lemon:

Ingredients

~60 saltine crackers (about a sleeve and a half), coarsely crushed
1 c. sugar, divided
1 stick (½ c.) butter, melted
2 c. sliced strawberries (fresh or frozen, thawed if frozen)
Juice from 1 lemon (~2 T.)
Zest from 1 lemon (~2 t.)
¼ c. cold water
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
½ c. heavy whipping cream

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir to combine the crushed crackers, ¼ c. sugar, and the stick of melted butter. Use the bottom of a glass or your hands or something flat-bottomed to press the saltine crust into and up the sides of a 9-inch skillet. Bake until set and golden at the edges, about 15 to 18 minutes. Cool completely.

Combine strawberries, ½ c. sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest, and let stand 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over the cold water, and let stand 5 minutes. When ready, transfer the strawberry mixture to a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. Microwave the gelatin mixture for about 10 seconds, and then stir into the strawberry mixture.

Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and the last ¼ c. of sugar together until smooth. Gradually add in the cream, and then the strawberry mixture. Beat until well combined.

Pour the filling into the crust, and refrigerate covered until set, at least 2 hours and up to overnight, and then enjoy!!