recipes

grape + ricotta latkes

1. Make a batch of ex-boyfriend latkes (below)

2. Top them with a healthy plop of ricotta and a sprinkle of salt

3. Make a divot in the ricotta to hold the jam

4. Fill the divot with grape jam

5. Enjoy!

A few years ago I dated a human whose legacy lives on in two tasty ways: his mom’s meatless meatballs and his dad’s latkes. His dad’s latkes were perfect. Crispy on the outside, soft and flavorful on the inside. I remember being in shock when I first had them at his family’s annual Hanukkah party because not even the best delis could make them this good. And since then I haven’t had the pleasure of post-break-up latkes (has anyone?).

But then I decided that if I’m going to throw a “How the mensch stole Christmas party,” I need to make good latkes. So I sat and thought about ways to get the recipe. Do I just try to shoot in the dark and try to recreate them? Do I hope that a letter from ex-boyfriend magically arrives at my doorstep saying, “Hey! No worries that you didn’t wish me a happy birthday for the third year in a row, but I thought you’d like my dad’s latke recipe!” Do I straight up ask him?

I asked Twitter what to do.

And secretly I hoped that maybe one of my Twitter followers who knew my dating history would pass on the message and eliminate my needing to ask. But that didn’t happen.

So, finally, I just sucked it up and Facebooked the man. I know, this is a really anticlimactic ending to a not-really-climactic story. The point is I got the recipe, a bit of Jewish guilt, and the best latkes I ever made. (Now I wonder what kind of karma I have to acquire in order to get his mom’s meatless meatballs recipe.)

Molly Yeh

EX-BOYFRIEND LATKES

Makes about 18 (and I’m going to eat five because I earned them). To be real, this recipe is simply based on ex-boyfriend's dad's recipe because he didn't have exact measurements.

INGREDIENTS

5 medium russet potatoes

1 medium yellow onion

Salt and pepper to taste (I use about 5 large pinches of salt)

The juice of 1 lemon

6 egg whites

1 cup all-purpose flour

Oil, for frying

Apple sauce + sour cream, for serving

Directions

Shred potatoes and onion using a food processor or mandolin. Add salt and squeeze out as much moisture as you can by pouring them into a cheesecloth and squeezing over the sink. Place in a large bowl, add pepper, lemon juice, egg whites, and flour. Mix well.

Heat about ¼ inch oil in a large pan over medium high heat, and then scoop spoonfuls of mixture (I use an ice cream scoop) into the pan. Flatten a bit with a spatula, and brown on both sides.

Remove from the pan and pat off excess oil with paper towels. Serve with apple sauce and sour cream.

is the author of the IACP award-winning cookbook, Molly on the Range, which was one of New York Times’ top fall cookbook releases of 2016. She is the creator of the food blog, my name is yeh, which showcases recipes inspired by Molly’s Chinese and Jewish roots, her travels near and far, and her upper-Midwest surroundings. my name is yeh was Saveur’s 2015 Blog of the Year and Yahoo’s 2014 Food Blog of the Year. Molly has been featured by the New York Times, Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, Cherry Bombe, and New York Magazine, and she has contributed to Vanity Fair, Saveur, Lucky Peach, Food52, The TODAY Show, and as a columnist for the Jewish Daily Forward. She was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list for 2017 and Apartment Therapy’s 10 Under 40 list for 2016. Outside of the kitchen, Molly is a Juilliard-trained percussionist and has performed with orchestras around the world, in off-Broadway theater, and as the glockenspielest for the pop-band San Fermin. She lives on a farm on the North Dakota-Minnesota border with her fifth-generation farmer husband and their little flock of chickens.

Overnight oatmeal jars are one of the easiest, healthiest and most versatile breakfasts or snacks. Meal prepping these oatmeal jars the night before, or even at the beginning of the week, allows you to have a healthy breakfast or snack that’s ready to grab and go. These will save you time in the morning while keeping your body nourished and satisfied. They are great for the whole family, so if you have kids, get them involved in making their own jars by letting them choose their own mix-ins and having them give the jars a good shake before bedtime. It’s fun for the whole family and they’ll look forward to eating their own breakfast or snack jar the next day. The recipes to follow are healthy, festive and a delicious way to indulge in the season’s best flavors and “desserts.”

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