Frankie Celenza, a well-known culinary expert, has released her latest cookbook titled “EAT: Easy, Affordable, Tasty.” Published by Union Square & Co., an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, the book showcases over 100 recipes that adhere to Celenza’s three guiding principles: easy, affordable, and tasty. The real rock star recipe here is the Key Lime Pretzel Icebox Pie. It has an unusual, understudied crust that balances out its punchy filling.
The Key Lime Pretzel Icebox Pie has a crust made entirely of crushed up mini pretzels. This unusual crust introduces a wonderful salty snap to the sweet treat. The crust is an absolutely scrumptious mixture of sugar and unsalted butter. This sweet and savory combo makes for a delicious base for the pie and pairs perfectly with the salty pretzels. The filling, oh my goodness, that is so delicious! It’s made with a whole block of full-fat cream cheese, a can of sweetened condensed milk, and fresh key lime juice or regular lime juice. To take the flavors up a notch, whipped topping and fresh lime zest are mixed into the filling.
Celenza wants people to know that making the Key Lime Pretzel Icebox Pie is much easier than it sounds. It was first categorized under frozen semi-homemade treats that can be prepared ahead of time. Freeze the filling overnight or until completely set. This fruity dessert is the ultimate no-bake sweet treat to impress summer cookouts and family dinners!
“An icebox cake is a semi-homemade frozen treat that significantly lowers the bar to entry into the world of homemade desserts. This recipe sports a crust made of crushed mini pretzels (so tasty!), and the filling can be made with Persian limes or key limes. Expect an intriguingly bright and cool pie, with a welcome salty crunch to each bite.” – Frankie Celenza
Frankie Celenza’s imaginative approach to cooking has earned her a large following on Instagram, TikTok, and television. Her gift at making healthy recipes doable, delicious and friendly is an immediate home run for all cooks—seasoned or not. They wish to improve their cooking techniques without breaking the bank.
One of the more approachable desserts is Celenza’s fantastic Key Lime Pretzel Icebox Pie. It’s a real lifesaver for busy weeknight dinners. She points to this recipe for baked fish tacos as an example of the kind of no-fuss, quick-cooking meals she’ll inspire everyone to make. The group-friendly tacos are made to be served family-style, so everyone can assemble their plates and top them off with their favorite toppings. The choice to include fragile cod in the recipe lends itself to all sorts of seasoning and texture variations, making it attractive to a wide range of tastes.
“For a quick dinner, few fish preparations are easier than these baked fish tacos. And when they’re served family-style, everyone can pick the elements that they want. Because cod is so delicate, I went to town with the seasonings, but if you’re like me and have a hot sauce collection, you can take it even further and line those bottles up! The mild fish also begs for texture to be added, and not doing so is a missed opportunity.” – Frankie Celenza
Beyond offering practical recipes, Celenza’s new cookbook invites readers to find freedom in the kitchen. The Key Lime Pretzel Icebox Pie can be prepared with either Persian limes or key limes, demonstrating her focus on accessibility in cooking. It’s that flexibility that home cooks crave, enabling anyone to cook with what they have available while still producing amazing, tasty results.
The recipes included in “EAT: Easy, Affordable, Tasty” reflect Celenza’s commitment to making cooking enjoyable and straightforward. If you’re looking for an easy weeknight dinner, her new cookbook can help with that too. It is the home of deliciously refreshing desserts that are a perfect part of your active daily life.
