Nellie & Joe’s Key Lime Pie with Zest, Swirls and Graham Cracker Crust

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Perfection for a hot 4th of July party!

It may be a sin to mess with a classic … I know! But I love limes and wanted to deepen the taste of the key lime in the pie. So mess away I did! I started by adding lots of lime zest to the filling and the graham cracker crust. Absolutely love the fleck of green in the filling!

But, as we know, presentation often is everything. So, this year, I pushed the graham cracker crust up high in a spring form pan so that once the pie was finished the crust would rise jaggedly above the filling. Then, I marbled the filling for that extra wow factor. Please let me know what you think!

Ingredients for 9″ graham cracker pie crust:

15 graham crackers (each 3 by 5 inches), broken

1⁄3 c. packed brown sugar

6 T. unsalted butter, melted, (plus more, room temperature to grease the pan)

Zest of 1 lime, finely grated, plus 1 T. fresh juice

1 ¼ t. kosher salt

Ingredients for Key Lime Filling:

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

3 egg yolks, whites not used.

1/2 c. Nellie & Joe’s key west lime juice

2-3 lg. limes for zest and garnish slices

Whipped cream or meringue

Directions for the crust:

In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until finely ground. Add butter, granulated sugar, lime zest and juice, and salt; pulse until combined. Press crumbs evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9″ spring form pan.

It is a beautiful effect to allow the crust to rise higher than the filling.

Directions for the Pie Filling:

Combine milk, egg yolks and lime juice and the zest of the limes. Blend until smooth. (Pieces of zest should be visible.)

Now you can pour the filling into the graham cracker crust for the classic key lime pie (and skip the next two paragraphs)…

…but, if you want to make it “fancy” and are not adverse to adding a little food color, you can make marble-like swirls in the pie. To do so, measure out 1/4 to 1/3 c. and tint that small separated portion, then pour the rest of the filling into the graham cracker crust.

Take the small portioned bowl of the filling and tint it with very small drops of green and yellow food coloring. (The goal is to create a lime green hue.) Start very small and add as you go.

Once you are happy with the tint, you can start to marble the plain filling in the crust with the tinted lime curd. Gently place unequal spoonfuls of the green tinted curd (in no particular fashion) on top of the plain filling batter, leaving some areas plain. Use a skewer or butter knife to gently and lightly swirl the plain and tinted mixtures together to create a marbled effect.

Bake at 350º for 15 min. Allow to stand 10 min. or longer to cool. Refrigerate to ice cold. Just before serving, top with freshly whipped cream, or meringue, and garnish with lime slices.

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Cocoa & Fig Minneapolis Rhubarb Strawberry Galette

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Minneapolis Star Tribune photo

This recipe comes from a 2014 Mpls. Star Tribune story by Rick Nelson. Galette must be prepared in advance, advised Laurie Lin of Cocoa & Fig in Minneapolis. “Early summer is a perfect time to make this galette, essentially a free-form pie,” said Lin. “I like to keep a recipe or two of the dough in the freezer, so all I have to do is roll out the dough and chop my strawberries and rhubarb for an easy, no-fuss taste of summer.” Serves 6 or 8.

For dough:

1 c. flour, plus extra for rolling dough
1/4 c. yellow cornmeal
3/4 t. salt
2 t. sugar, plus extra for garnish
8 T. (1 stick) butter, cold and cut into small pieces
2 to 4 T. ice water

For filling:

1 1/3 c. cored and sliced strawberries
1 3/4 c. rhubarb, cut into 1/2″ pieces
1/2 c. sugar
2 T. plus 2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 t. salt
Freshly squeezed juice from 1/2 lemon
1 egg, beaten

Directions

To prepare dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, salt and sugar. Using a pastry cutter, cut cold butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs (or combine ingredients in a food processor and pulse). Add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture just comes together. Turn dough out onto a clean work surface and flatten into a disk. Wrap disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day (dough can be frozen for up to 1 month).

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove dough from refrigerator and let it warm up slightly. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a 12″ round, about 1/8″ thick. Transfer dough to prepared baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to add filling.

To prepare filling: In a large bowl, combine strawberries and rhubarb. Add sugar, cornstarch, salt and lemon juice and toss to coat.

To assemble galette: Arrange strawberry-rhubarb mixture on top of dough, leaving a 2″ border all the way around. Fold border over the filling’s outer edge, overlapping where necessary and pressing gently to adhere the folds. Brush edges of dough with a beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly, about 45 min., turning baking sheet occasionally to ensure even browning. Remove from oven and serve warm or at room temperature. Nice with vanilla ice cream!

Stoney River’s Au Gratin Potatoes

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The recipe comes to us via the Atlanta Constitution on May 19, 2021. Thankfully we snowbirds travel and can delight in Southern cooking!

Ingredients:

3 c. heavy cream

2 T. chopped garlic

1 1/2 t. kosher salt

1 1/2 t. pepper

2 lbs. peeled Russet potatoes, sliced 1/8-inch thick, divided

3 c. coarsely grated Gruyere, divided

1 c. finely grated Parmesan, divided

In a medium saucepan, combine cream, garlic, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook 10 min. Turn off heat.

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray an 9″ square, 4″ high baking dish (or a 9″-by-13″ baking dish) with nonstick cooking spray.

Layer half the sliced potatoes on the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 c. Gruyere and 1/2 c. Parmesan. Ladle half the cream mixture over the potatoes and cheese. Arrange remaining potatoes in a layer over the cream. Pour remainder of cream over the potatoes. Top with remaining 1 1/2 c. Gruyere and 1/2 c. Parmesan. Cover baking dish with foil and bake 1 hour or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.

Uncover potatoes and keep baking until top begins to turn golden brown, 30 to 40 min. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving. For the neatest slices, allow to cool almost completely. Serves 8.

Panera Bread Portobello & Roasted Garlic Bisque

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Domestic mushrooms and sliced portobellos simmered in roasted garlic embellished with Amontillado sherry, prosciutto, sweet cream and chives.


Minced chives

1 large garlic bulb

2 slices thick sliced bacon; minced

12 ounces portabella mushrooms

1/2 teaspoon thyme

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine (sherry or brandy)

1/4 cup flour

4 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup heavy cream

Freshly ground black pepper (I like a lot)

Roast the garlic first. This can be done up to a day ahead of time. Pre-heat oven to 350°. Remove the peel from the garlic bulb, cut the top off and drizzle with a little olive oil. Wrap up completely in foil and roast in the oven for 50 min. until very tender, cool in foil for about 25 min., remove from foil and cool enough to handle. Squeeze soft roasted garlic from each garlic clove, discard peel. Mash garlic with a fork until smooth and creamy.

Meanwhile make the soup: In a medium size, heavy sauce pan brown bacon until almost crisp. Remove the dark brown gills from the mushrooms and slice; add to bacon in the pot along with the minced chives. Sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper and add olive oil, cover and sweat until very tender 5 to 8 min., uncover and continue to simmer until liquid is evaporated. Stir in wine and continue to simmer until wine is almost evaporated.

Make a Veloute’ (white sauce (roux) made with stock or broth instead of milk): Sprinkle flour over mushrooms and stir, continuing to cook and stir while pouring in broth. Stir in garlic and cook until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Stir in cream, taste and add more salt and fresh ground pepper as desired.

Sour Cream Topping for Cheese Cake

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Generally this topping highlights a lovely sour cream cheese cake. It is also wonderful on pumpkin cheese cake, or uncooked on fresh fruit, banana cake, poppy seed cake, etc.

SOUR CREAM LAYER:

2 c. sour cream

1/3 c. sugar

1 t. vanilla extract

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS: Ground cinnamon, caramel sundae syrup, chocolate syrup, whipped cream, chocolate curls.

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, sugar and vanilla; spread over filling or cake, then bake as usual. Bake 5 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Chill overnight.

Moo Goo Gai Pan (Chicken with Mushrooms)

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Great for that “take out” taste at home. Recipe adapted from Creative Wok Cooking.

Moo Goo Gai Pan

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into ½” cubes

½ c. dry white wine

½ t. salt

1 bunch of scallions, cut into ½” slices

1 c. celery, chopped into ½” pieces

1 T. sesame seed oil

1 container of snow pea pods, strings removed

½ lb. sliced mushrooms

1 can water chestnuts, sliced

½ c. chicken broth

1 T. cornstarch, mixed with 2 tbsp. cold water

½ t. salt

Whole blanched almonds, opt.

Combine chicken with wine and ½ t. salt. Set aside. Stir fry scallions and celery in oil for 1 min. Set aside. Stir fry pea pods 2 min. and set aside. Stir fry mushrooms and water chestnuts 1 to 2 min. Set aside. Stir fry the chicken and wine 2 to 3 min. or until done. Combine chicken and vegetables in a wok. Stir together the broth, cornstarch mixture and ½ t. salt. Slowly add to chicken and vegetables in the wok and heat until thick and clear. Serve with rice.

Hot Crab Meatball appetizer from Smith Bros. Fish Shanty Restaurant, Port Washington, Wis.

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This 1977 recipe was shared with the Milwaukee Journal from the famous restaurant in Port Washington, Wisconsin. There is now a coffee shop and Duluth Trading Company store occupying the once large and bustling Smith Bros. Fish Shanty restaurant that served delicacies from Lake Michigan, and the oceans delicacies that came to port here via the Great Lakes.

Thankfully, the brilliant, historic neon sign with a fisherman carrying a sturgeon as large or larger than he is still shines there.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 T. butter

3 T. flour

1/2 c. chicken stock or consomme

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. white pepper

1/2 c. whipping cream

2 c. crab meat

1/2 t. finely cut tarragon

2 t. finely cut parsley

1 3 oz. can mushrooms, chopped

2 T. butter

Melt butter in saucepan and slowly stir in flour until golden brown. Stir in stock; boil 1 min. Add salt, pepper. Stir in cream slowly.

Flake crab meat, removing all fibers. Add crab tarragon, parsley and mushrooms. Let cool on a platter. Form into small balls. Refrigerate or freeze.

At cocktail time, warm the cream sauce. Then, saute’ the crab meatballs in butter or fry in deep fat. Use chafing dish and cover with cream sauce, keep warm. Serve with wooden picks. Makes 30 crab balls.

Smith Bros. Fish Shanty Potato Salad

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Smith Bros. shared this recipe with the Milwaukee Sentinel in 1982. My father who was a a Hellman’s mayo or nothing kind of guy and who hated green peppers may have passed on this salad, but the rest of us loved it. And if you agree with my dad, you can swap the ingredients, I will not tell.

Ingredients:

1 qt. boiled potatoes diced

1 qt. Miracle Whip salad dressing

3 T. sugar

1/4 t. yellow food coloring

3/4 c. diced celery

3/4 c. diced green pepper

1/4 c/ diced onion

1/2 c/ dried sweet red pepper

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients and chill 24 hours before serving.

Sweet and Sour Brisket

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This is a classic and extremely delicious Jewish Kosher dish, and definitely where Jewish cooking influences Polish cooking. This tangy tomato topped brisket is so elegant when served thinly sliced on a tray. It is unbelievably easy to prepare and just melts in a bite! Mom made this for my daughter’s baptism.

Ingredients:
1 c. water
1 c. ketchup
1/2 c. vinegar
2 lg. onions , diced
cl. garlic, minced
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 T Kosher salt
4 lbs. beef brisket, trimmed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Combine water, ketchup, vinegar, onions, garlic, brown sugar and Kosher salt in a bowl. Place the brisket in a large baking dish, pouring the ketchup mixture over the brisket. Cover (I use parchment rather than foil) and cook in the oven for 4 hours.

Remove brisket from oven, carefully release steam,and let sit 10 min. before slicing. (Or, if preparing the day ahead, refrigerate. On the day of the party, warm, then slice.)

Aunt Joan Moore’s Pineapple Upside Down Cake

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No family party was complete without my Aunt Joan’s Pineapple Upside Down Cake. My Aunt Joan was an amazing lady, cook, seamstress, professional and so much fun. I still have my 40+ year-old Communion dress she made for me!

I have to check with her daughter Jeannie, but I believe this may be her recipe.
 

Ingredients:

1 lg. can of sl. Hawaiian Pineapple

2 c. flour

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1/2 c. butter

1 c. sugar

2 eggs, separated

1/2 c. milk

2 T. butter

1 c. of brown sugar

Maraschino cherries

Directions:

Drain the juice from 1 lg. can of sl. Hawaiian Pineapple. Sift 2 c. flour. Sift again with 2 t. baking powder and 1/2 t. salt. Cream 1/2 c. butter, gradually add 1 c. sugar; cream well.

Beat yolks and whites of 2 eggs separately.  Add yolks to creamed mixture; mix well, then add flour and 1/2 c. milk alternately, mixing well.

Fold the 2 beaten egg whites and 1 t. vanilla.

Melt 2 T. butter in large frying pan. Spread 1 c. of brown sugar over pan.
Lay slices of on top of the sugar and garnish the centers of each pineapple ring with a Maraschino cherry. Pour the cake batter on top of the fruit.

Bake 45 min. at 350 degrees.

Jack Pandl’s German Pancake

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Jack Pandl’s is a family run German restaurant that has been a fixture in Whitefish Bay since it was opened in 1915 by Anna and John Pandl. It was passed on to their sons, George and Jack, and now to Jack’s son, John.  George’s sons, Jim and Jerry, owned three restaurants, including Eagan’s on Water, which has also closed and the Waterfront Deli, also on Water St. in Milwaukee.

This is the gigantic pancake Jack Pandl’s is famous for, served with the preferred garnish of sprinkled powdered sugar and the juice of a wedge or two of lemon. If you must, pure maple syrup is allowed. Jack Pandl’s Whitefish Bay Inn is located at 1319 E. Henry Clay, Whitefish Bay, Wis.; the phone number is (414) 964-3800.

Jack Pandl’s German Pancake

Ingredients:

1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. milk

Pinch of salt

4 eggs

1 T. butter

1 T. vegetable shortening

Lemon wedges

Confectioners’ sugar (sifted if lumpy)

Preheat oven to 425 F. Mix flour, milk and salt together until smooth. Add eggs and beat until smooth. Melt butter and shortening together in a 9-10″ slope-sided (frying) pan with an oven-proof handle. Pour batter in pan and cook over medium heat until the bottom of the pancake is brown, but some uncooked batter remains on top — about 3 min.

Flip the pancake over while the top is still uncooked, being careful of the splatter from hot uncooked batter. Immediately, make a crisscross “X” cut all the way through the pancake, edge to edge. Put the pan in the preheated oven, 6-10 min., until edges brown. It will rise 3-5″ above the pan, and the crisscross cut will close.

When done, remove pancake from the pan, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, and serve with extra sugar and lemon wedges on the side.

Heinemann’s Restaurant and Bakery Heinemann’s Layered Chocolate Pistachio Cake

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In 1923 Byron and Dorothy Heinemann started a little bakery and breakfast and lunch place in Milwaukee. Heinemann’s was loved in Milwaukee and grew to as many as eleven locations.

As an ever-dieting 1980s Marquette student, I passed Heinemann’s downtown often. I was not alone as peering into Heinemann’s large windows — as is oft said, it was fattening just to look — and entered a store filled with cakes, pastries, cookies muffins and more. Other locations offered small tables, comforting meals and endless coffee. We lost Heinemann’s in 2009.

Vanilla Bean Pistachio Cake {A Delicious, Light, Flavorful Cake}

Heinemann’s Layered Chocolate Pistachio Cake with thanks to the talented “Baked By An Introvert” at https://www.bakedbyanintrovert.com/chocolate-pistachio-cake/

Cake Ingredients:

2 c. flour

⅔ c. cocoa powder, plus more for dusting the pans

2 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

¾ c. unsalted butter, melted

1 ¾ c. granulated sugar

2 lg. eggs

1T. vanilla extract

1 ½ c. buttermilk

½ c. strong brewed coffee, cooled

Frosting Ingredients:

1 ½ c. unsalted dry or roasted pistachios, shelled – (roasted provide stronger flavor)

1 t. canola oil

2 c. unsalted butter, softened

2 T. heavy cream

1 T. vanilla extract

¼ t. salt

3-6 c. confectioners’ sugar

1-2 drops green food coloring

1 c. unsalted pistachios, shelled and chopped for garnish

Ganache Ingredients:

2 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 T. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 t. light corn syrup

Cake Directions:

Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease three 8” round pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Grease the parchment and dust pan lightly with cocoa powder, tapping out excess.

Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, whisk and set aside. Add chocolate to a small heatproof bowl set over a pot of lightly simmering water. Stir continuously until melted and smooth, remove from heat, set aside and cool.

Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla. Add cooled melted chocolate and mix well. Set mixer set to low and gradually add half the flour mix, followed by buttermilk and coffee, and then remaining flour mixture. Combine, the batter will be thick.

Divide the batter evenly and to the edges of the three prepared pans. Bake for 30-40 min., until done in the center of the cake, checking with a toothpick (should come out clean after being inserted into the center). Cool in pans 10 min., then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, remove parchment.

Frosting Directions:

In food processor, coarsely grind pistachios, adding oil if the pistachios do not break down easily. Blend, stopping and scraping bowl as needed until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

Separately, beat the butter until smooth. Then, incorporate cream, vanilla, and salt. Add 2 c. confectioner’s sugar, beating until most of the sugar is moistened. Gradually add remaining sugar, one cup at a time. (Use more or less depending on how soft the butter is.) Once the sugar is moistened, turn the speed up to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy. Fold in pistachio paste and food coloring.

Assembly:

Place one cake layer on serving platter and top with a generous amount of frosting, spreading to the edge. Repeat with second and third cake layer then frost sides.

Freeze10 min.

Ganache and Pistachio Decoration:

Melt chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in a medium heat-proof bowl set over lightly simmering water until smooth. Cool 5 min.

Do the following two steps in the order needed to fit desired design:

Press chopped pistachios into the sides of the cake and sprinkle pistachios on top of the cake and just over the top, to preference (see photos).

Spoon the Ganache over the top of the cake, may place in the center of the pistachio border, using the back of a spoon to smooth, or allow to drip over edge.

Set the cake back into the freezer at least 10 min. before serving. Cake freezes well.

Heinemann’s Russian Vegetable Soup

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Ingredients:

10 c. homemade beef stock

1 c. chopped celery

1 ¼ c. chopped onion

1 c. chopped carrots

1 ¼ c. diced canned tomatoes (undrained)

1 ¼ c. crushed tomatoes (undrained)

1 lb. ground beef

1 lb. (about 5 c.) chopped cabbage

4 c. peeled and diced potatoes (¾-inch cubes)

½ t. black pepper

3T. sugar

3-4 T. cider vinegar (This is a sweet-sour soup; adjust cider vinegar to taste.)

2 T. freshly chopped parsley

Directions:

In large pot, combine stock, celery, onion, carrot and diced and crushed tomatoes and simmer, uncovered, 1 hr.

While soup cooks, cook the beef until well browned. Drain to remove fat.

After soup has cooked, add cabbage and beef and cook another hr., skimming top as needed. Add potatoes and cook just until tender, about 20 min. Add remaining ingredients, heat through and check seasonings.

8-10 servings.

Heinenmann’s Baked Oatmeal

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The baked oatmeal recipe is posted all over the internet. But a cook who responded to this recipe, tweaked it with these comments; “I used to be a cook at Heinemann’s Restaurant in Brookfield and I always wished I had been able to learn a lot of the recipes and different processes for making all of the amazing food they served. I took pride in what I served and I loved their food. I’d love to open a place and bring back some of their classics….I just made this recipe for New Years day. I don’t remember it being the texture that resulted. Is it possible the oats were cooked first or partially before proceeding with the recipe?”

So the recipe below calls for cooked oatmeal, and does not call for steel cut oats.

And, from an 2007 article, “Restaurateurs feel their oats with new twists on old standby” by Sonia Moore,
“Heinemann’s Baked Oatmeal, $4.79, consists of rolled oats that are cooked at the restaurants’ main commissary and then made into a paste with vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon and egg. The oatmeal then is baked in sheets and delivered to the different restaurant locations, where it’s cut and heated to serve with brown sugar and choice of milk. Raisins are optional.”

Ingredients:

3 c. cooked oats
1 c. packed brown sugar
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
2 t. cinnamon
4 egg whites
1 1/4 c. whole milk
1 T. vegetable oil
2 t. vanilla extract
Raisins, granola, and other toppings (optional)
Additional milk for serving
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine cooked oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, egg whites, milk, oil, and vanilla and mix well. Pour into a buttered 8-9″ square baking dish.

Bake 28-30 min., or until center is from and edges begin to brown. Slice and serve warm with toppings and milk.