Black Pepper Bacon

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Junkie Favorites: Black Pepper Bacon! Bacon, bacon, bacon.  Did someone mention Bacon? Nothing smells more amazing than the aroma of hickory-smoked maple bacon lightly wafting through the home. It has been known to make robust men weak in the knees and healthy women light-headed. By adding the spicy jolt of black pepper, it kicks the fragrance up a notch and awakens the taste buds. 

BLACK PEPPER BACON

Ingredients:

1 pound hickory-smoked maple bacon, thick cut

1 teaspoon black pepper 

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350°. Place bacon strips on a baking sheet lined with a wire rack. Sprinkle black pepper over all. Bake 40-45 minutes or until crisp. Carefully remove pan from oven, being careful not to spill the hot liquid. Drain bacon on paper towels. Serve warm. 

Amaretto Strawberry Romanoff

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Junkie Favorites: Amaretto Strawberry Romanoff! Have you ever tasted vanilla extract? Well, amaretto tastes nothing like that. It has a smooth sweet hint of almonds with just a smidgen of apricot undertones. When you fold it into Greek yogurt, it transforms a dish of fresh strawberries into a light and elegant dessert you could easily find in a gourmet restaurant. 

AMARETTO STRAWBERRY ROMANOFF 

Ingredients:

1 quart fresh strawberries

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1-2 tablespoons amaretto liqueur 

Fresh mint sprig

Instructions:

Wash strawberries; pat dry. In a small bowl gently stir yogurt and brown sugar until no lumps remain. Fold in amaretto liqueur. Transfer to a decorative dish, garnish with fresh mint, and place on a serving platter. Arrange strawberries around sauce. Serve with frilled toothpicks. 

Food Junkie Favorites

Hello, my name is Gail and I’m a Food Junkie. I confess that I eat to live and enjoy the ride. I like fresh ingredients, garden herbs, rich chocolate, and French butter…to name just a few. But I’m in good company. Some of my posts have been favored by the “Food Network” on Twitter as well as Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa) on Instagram. Come along with me for “Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Food Junkie Favorites! This remarkable journey of the palate is special because it gives me a few moments with you. Thanks very much to all of my guests and followers on http://snapshotsincursive.com for the uplifting support, award nominations, and moving words of encouragement. What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? It’s as simple as reciting your A-B-Cs. One of my passions is being at home in my own country kitchen.   I love to cook, and my husband loves that I do it often.  Now more than ever, since I am retired, I relish the thought of creating something delicious from scratch.  I adore time-honored traditions using tried-and-true recipes. Yet, I often never think twice about tweaking old favorites or modifying others to suit the inner craving of the moment.  Most of the recipes serve 2-4 people, but can be altered in any direction.  The leftovers are golden morsels to be eaten again later or shared with others.  And I love to share.  To me, seeing a smile in gratitude is thanks enough. The recipes you will find here in the next several weeks can be prepared very easily.  Feel free to contact me with questions.  Now take a deep breath, inhale the aromas, and join me on a tasteful journey entitled, “EATING MY WAY THROUGH THE ALPHABET: FOOD JUNKIE FAVORITES!”

Zinfandel Balsamic Reduction Sauce

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Grocery List Ideas: Zinfandel Balsamic Reduction Sauce. By now you’re probably very familiar with that finishing touch to garden salads, grilled meats, roasted veggies, and creamy desserts. Look for glossy, syrupy, deep dark brown swirls that taste sweet and smell tangy. It’s the final garnish that stands alone. Pretend you’re writing in cursive or freeform as you drizzle it atop foods. The natural sugars in red wine and raw honey create a thick fine stream that makes any food sit up and take notice. We call it balsamic reduction sauce. 

ZINFANDEL BALSAMIC REDUCTION SAUCE 

Ingredients: 

1 cup Zinfandel red wine 

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 

1 tablespoon raw honey

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cold 

Sea salt & black pepper, to taste 

Instructions: 

In a stainless steel tapered sauce pan over high heat, place the Zinfandel wine, balsamic vinegar, and raw honey. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. In 15-20 minutes it will reduce by half, and thicken. It should coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat. Allow the mixture to cool slightly. Whisk in the cold butter until melted for a glossy finish. Season with sea salt and black pepper. 

Your Team Tailgate Cheeseball

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Grocery List Ideas: Your Team Tailgate Cheeseball. Elevate your next adventure in tailgating at home or in the parking lot at the stadium. I guarantee when you show up with this festive “football” cheeseball, heads will turn to take notice. If you really want to show off your team pride, wear colorful  jerseys or temporary tattoos. By the time the party’s over, you’ll be leaving with heightened expectations, good vibes, and a full stomach. That is, until the game begins and the munchies return. 

YOUR TEAM TAILGATE CHEESEBALL 

Ingredients: 

8 ounces Neufchâtel cheese, softened 

4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 

1 green onion, snipped 

1/4 cup pickled jalapeños, diced

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled 

1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped

1 slice mozzarella cheese 

Instructions: 

In a medium bowl, combine Neufchâtel cheese, cheddar cheese, green onion, pickled jalapeños, and garlic powder. Use a hand mixer to beat until well mixed. Shape the cheese mixture into the shape of a football. Place on a sheet of parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Sprinkle the Cheeseball with crumbled bacon and chopped chives, pressing firmly to coat. Transfer cheeseball to a serving dish. For the laces, cut the mozzarella cheese into thin slices. Leave one long piece for the center of the football. Arrange smaller slices in rows for the laces. Place the long strip horizontally over the top, down the middle. Press lightly. Serve with crackers and pretzels. 

Xtra Peas, Please

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Grocery List Ideas: Xtra Peas, Please. For an appetizer that will elevate any party, think puff pastry smothered in cheese. When these two partners are baked together, the flaky air-filled pastry surrounds the warm gooey cheese adding a depth of gourmet flavor that makes it unforgettable. On occasion I’ve even been known to toss a handful of flash fried pancetta over the top. It adds another layer of texture that makes it melt-in-your-mouth rich, savory, and buttery. Food for thought. 

XTRA PEAS, PLEASE 

Ingredients: 

2 cups frozen peas 

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed 

3/4 cup Gouda cheese, grated 

8 ounces herbed goat cheese 

2 teaspoons Tupelo honey 

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper 

1/2 cup snow peas, trimmed and halved crosswise 

1/2 teaspoon olive oil 

Balsamic glaze, for garnish

Red onion slices, optional

Diced pancetta, optional

Instructions: 

Preheat the oven to 400°. Place a piece of parchment paper on a rimmed baking sheet. Set aside. Cook the frozen peas according to package directions; drain and set aside to cool. For the crust, roll out the puff pastry and place it on the parchment paper. Using a fork, score a border all the way around the edge of the pastry, about 3/4 inch. Use the fork tines to prick the pastry inside the border. Sprinkle evenly with the shredded Gouda cheese. Bake until puffed and golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the goat cheese, Tupelo honey, one cup of the cooked peas, kosher salt, and black pepper in a food processor. Process until smooth and green in color. Spread the goat cheese mixture on the cooled tart. Sprinkle with the remaining cooked peas. In a medium bowl, gently toss the snow peas in olive oil. Arrange them over the top. Garnish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze, red onion slices, and diced pancetta. Serve. 

White Wine Garlic Shrimp

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Grocery List Ideas: White Wine Garlic Shrimp. You may want to add an artisan bread to this meal-in-a-skillet. I mean, look at those succulent juices just begging to be slurped. If you happen to have a bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer, once thawed, be sure to cook them gently no longer than 1-2 minutes. The object is to only warm them through. Then quickly remove the shrimp to keep them from turning rubbery. It’s easy to overcook shrimp, so avoid that mistake ahead of time. Are we good? Because it’s simply Shrimpolicious! 

WHITE WINE GARLIC SHRIMP 

Ingredients: 

2 teaspoons olive oil 

2 teaspoons butter 

6 garlic cloves, chopped

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 cup white wine 

1 cup clam juice 

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon anchovy paste 

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper 

1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined 

Instructions: 

Warm the olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté 1-2 minutes, or until golden. Add white wine, clam juice, lemon juice, anchovy paste, sea salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the jumbo shrimp, stirring for 2-3 minutes longer until opaque. Do not overcook the shrimp. Serve with crusty bread to soak up all the juices.