In a Nutshell:

Crisp Salad with Cheese Dressing

I serve this unique salad on special occasions, either as an appetite-teasing first course or a tempting side dish. Combine 1 pkg shredded romaine lettuce, 1 thinly sliced red onion, a handful of grape or cherry tomatoes, and croutons for crunch. For the dressing, blend together 2½ slices Muenster cheese, 3 Tbsp Mehadrin cottage cheese, ¼ cup vinegar, 2/3 cup oil, 1 clove garlic, 2 tsp sugar, and 1 tsp salt. Pour over salad and top with croutons.

—Brynie Greisman

Ft, Help Me!!

Do you freeze cheesecakes? Are there do’s and don’ts for freezing them?

Yes, I do freeze cheesecakes. I try to chill them before freezing (they have to be totally cooled), and I wrap them very well. I find that the crust might sometimes get a bit soggy, so you can try to bake it a little extra so that it gets really crisp before filling it. Certain toppings (such as fruity toppings) don’t freeze so well, so I add them fresh.

—Faigy Grossman

Must Try

I recently saw a recipe for biscotti dipped into caramel. I bought the Arcor Milk Butter Toffee Candies to try it myself. They’re also delicious on their own!

—Chanie Nayman

A Reader Asks

I often read about how one should prepare schnitzel (boneless, skinless chicken breast) by pounding it thin. I always slice mine across so I have more pieces. It’s true that the way the chicken comes from the store is too thick for schnitzel. But is there really a quantitative difference between pounding the poor chicken to death versus cutting it thin — granted very carefully? I still get thin pieces, but I get more by slicing them versus pounding them flat.

—Bekki Lindow

There’s no difference between slicing and pounding. Some people pound it because the schnitzel is thin but not thin enough, so it’s easier and faster to pound it thin, whereas slicing can get tricky and it’s hard to get neat slices if the chicken isn’t partially frozen. It’s also easier to slice chicken breast than chicken cutlets. But if you’re fine with your method, you’re not missing out on anything by not pounding.

—Sina Mizrahi

Just Sayin’

What do you do with fruit in your fridge that’s going bad?

I make them into fruit chips! I cut apples and pears into thin pieces and toss them with just a bit of oil. Then I lay them out on a cookie sheet and sprinkle lightly with sugar. I bake them at 250°F (120°C) for two hours, then turn off the oven and leave them inside until they cool.

—Estee Kafra

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 842)