Frozen Nectarine Yogurt Pie

You know what's better than pie in the summer?  A no-bake pie.  I found the recipe for a frozen nectarine yogurt pie on one of my favorite websites, The Kitchn.  Unfortunately, this was last winter and not only were nectarines not in season, but I was craving warm baked goods, not frozen desserts.  I mentally bookmarked the recipe and as soon as June swung into action, I bought a bag of fresh nectarines at my nearest grocery store.  This pie is even better than you could imagine (and boy did I daydream about it during those long winter months).  I envision making it throughout the summer--for dinner parties, birthdays, and backyard BBQs.  Apart from baking the graham cracker crust very briefly, this no-bake pie is the perfect dessert for a hot summer day.  You can find the recipe here at The Kitchn.  

Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport

 On my way home from Greece, I had a 4.5 hour layover at JFK.  As expected, it wasn't the greatest.  I kept thinking back to my 4 hour layover in Amsterdam at the beginning of the trip.  I'd only been to Amsterdam by train before, but after spending time at Schiphol Airport, I can't think of a better place to make a flight connection.  It all started with the shockingly friendly and polite folks at passport control and things went uphill from there.  As we walked the terminal to kill time, I noticed how bright and clean everything looked.  We were hungry and right in front of us stood a beautifully designed cafe with tempting lunch items.  There I enjoyed the best airport sandwich of my life (made-to-order smoked salmon with red onion) and a glass of fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice, although there were more interesting combinations as well including kiwi and even sangria.  After a leisurely lunch, we used the free wireless internet and stretched out on recliners facing a floor-to-ceiling window.  Then we wandered up the escalator where we were transported to an airport oasis of green lushness.  There was an indoor park, complete with artificial trees and grass, bird sounds, charging stations of course, and beanbag chairs to boot!  We enjoyed a little pause, taking in the zen atmosphere, before I noticed a sign for hourly/overnight bookings at a hotel-shower space starting at 35 euros. 

I can't think of how many times I've wanted a nap or quick shower during a long layover and if I ever return to Amsterdam in that situation, I would definitely check it out.  We continued on our exploration, this time going outside to an outdoor space where there was a picnic area, more greenery, and a nice view of the airport to watch planes take off and land.  

This was the highlight of the airport for me.  I don't know of another airport where you can go outside to relax once you're past security.  We enjoyed the fresh air and wandered around a bit more until it was time for our next destination: Athens!

Momofuku Cornflake-Chocolate-Chip-Marshmallow Cookies

 After what seemed like an eternity on the wait-list, the library finally notified me that Christina Tosi's milk cookbook was ready!  Although the grapefruit pie is the whole reason I got this book in the first place, I decided to start with something a little less daunting: these cookies.  The Cornflake Crunch is so addicting I had to remove myself from the situation.  Recipe below. 

Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) butter

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cup tightly packed light brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

3 cups Cornflake Crunch (see below)

2/3 cup mini chocolate chips

1 1/4 cups mini marshmallows

Directions

1. Combine the butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes.  Scrape down the sides of bowl, add the egg and vanilla, and beat for 7 to 8 minutes.  

2. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Mix just until the dough comes together, no longer than 1 minute.  (Do not walk away from the machine during this step, or you will risk over-mixing the dough.)  Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

3.  Still on low speed, paddle in the cornflake crunch and mini chocolate chips until they're incorporated, no more than 30 to 45 seconds.  Paddle in the mini marshmallows just until incorporated.

4.  Using a 2 3/4 ounce ounce cream scoop (or a 1/3 cup measure), portion out the dough onto a parchment-lined sheet pan.  Pat the tops of the cookie dough domes flat.  Wrap the sheet pan tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least  1hour, or up to 1 week.  Do not bake your cookies from room temperature- they will not hold their shape.

5.  Heat the oven to 375 F.

6.  Arrange the chilled dough a minimum of 4 inches apart on parchment or Silpant-lined sheet pans.  Bake for 18 minutes.  The cookies will puff, crackle, and spread.  At the 19-minute mark, the cookies should be browned on the edges and just beginning to brown toward the center.  Leave them in the oven for an additional minute or so if they aren't and they still seem pale and doughy on the surface.

7.  Cool the cookies completely on the sheet pans before transferring to a plate or to an airtight container for storage.  At room temperature, the cookies will keep fresh for 5 days; in the freezer, they will keep for 1 month.

Cornflake Crunch Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 (12-ounce) box of cornflakes (5 cups)

1/2 cup milk powder

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

9 tablespoons melted butter

Directions

1.  Heat the oven to 275 F.

2.  Pour the cornflakes in a medium bowl and crush them with your hands to one-quarter of their original size.  Add the milk powder, sugar, and salt and toss to mix.  Add the butter and toss to coat.  As you toss, the butter will act as glue, binding the dry ingredients to the cereal and creating small clusters.

3.  Spread the clusters on a parchment or Silpat-lined sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes, at which point they should look toasted, smell buttery, and crunch gently when cooled slightly and chewed.

4.  Cool the cornflake crunch completely before storing or using in a recipe.  Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, the crunch will keep fresh for 1 week; in the fridge or freezer, it will keep for 1 month.  

My cookies turned out massive- I will be making them smaller next time

Asian-Style Spicy Coleslaw

I just arrived back from beautiful Greece a little past midnight.  Until I get those posts up, I have a backlog of things I prepared before my trip.  After taking a cooking class last month, I was up to my head in fish sauce, lime juice, tamarind, and lots of other wonderful Thai ingredients.  This Food and Wine coleslaw recipe was contributed by our neighbor to accompany our Thai food party and it went perfectly.  If you are in a rush to throw dinner together, just grab a coleslaw-type bag of pre-chopped cabbage and whip up the dressing.  If you plan on having leftovers, reserve some of the dressing in a jar and pour over the salad right before serving to preserve freshness.

Asian-Style Spicy Coleslaw from Food and Wine

Ingredients

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 tablespoons fish sauce

3 tablespoons sugar

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon Sriracha chili sauce

2 pounds napa cabbage, thinly sliced (12 cups)

3/4 pound red cabbage, thinly sliced (3 cups_

3 medium carrots, julienned 

2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

15 mint leaves

salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

In a medium bowl, whisk the peanut butter with the lime juice, fish sauce, water, sugar, garlic, and Sriracha.

In a large bowl, toss the napa and red cabbages with the carrots, peppers, cilantro, and mint.  Toss the salad with the dress and season with salt and pepper.  Serve right away.  Enjoy!