Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Slow Cooker French Onion Soup! Ever have one of those days when errands and appointments have you running nonstop? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a home cooked meal with a glass of dry red wine when it’s finally time to put your feet up? Look no further than your trusty workhorse, the slow cooker. Not only does it welcome you with aromatic flavors, but the taste is something you just can’t duplicate in 30 minutes. Bask in the reward of a make-ahead dinner. Leftovers can be eaten the next day, or frozen for up to three months. Problem solved. 

SLOW COOKER FRENCH ONION SOUP 

Ingredients: 

3 pounds sweet onions, peeled and sliced into quarters

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons olive oil 

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

10 cups beef broth

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons cognac, if desired

Baguette slices, toasted

2 cups Gruyère cheese, divided

French fries crispy onions, garnish 

Green onion snips, garnish

Diced tomatoes, garnish

Instructions: 

Place cut onions in a 5-quart slow cooker. Add melted butter, olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir to coat. Cover; cook on Low setting for 12 hours, or overnight. Onions will appear caramelized and dark golden-brown. Stir in beef broth and balsamic vinegar. Cover and cook on Low setting for another 6-8 hours. Add cognac, if using. Preheat the oven to 350°. Ladle hot soup into oven-safe bowls. Place on a baking sheet. Add one toasted baguette slice to each bowl. Top with Gruyère cheese. Bake 20-30 minutes or until cheese melts. Broil 2-3 minutes until bubbly and golden. Garnish with French fried crispy onions, green onion snips, and diced tomatoes. Serve immediately. 

Red Pepper Spicy Olives

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Red Pepper Spicy Olives! Here’s a little addition to your charcuterie board. Not everyone is a fan of olives, so by placing them in a decorative bowl, such as olive wood, it draws the eye away from everything which entertains the mind that a taste could be a possibility. (You never know, if you don’t try it.) Scoop a little onto a slice of crusty artisan bread, for starters. Then proceed to elevate the combo with a creamy burrata cheese. That tiny tickle at the back of your throat is the kick of pepper. Now you’re getting the picture. 

RED PEPPER SPICY OLIVES 

Ingredients: 

16 ounces assorted olives, pitted

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon roasted red peppers, chopped

1/8 teaspoon black peppercorns, cracked

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary 

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon dried parsley leaves

Instructions: 

Place assorted olives in a sieve to drain excess water; rinse. Warm the olive oil over medium-low heat in a skillet. Add roasted red peppers, cracked black peppercorns, sea salt, dried rosemary, red pepper flakes, and dried parsley leaves. Stir briskly. Add the assorted olives; stir gently to coat. Allow the mixture to cook for 2-3 minutes; reduce heat. Pour contents into a serving bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Quiche, Basque-Style

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Quiche, Basque-Style! For a creamy egg center filling that you will seriously roll your eyes over, think outside the box with two impressive ingredients, Greek yogurt and real mayonnaise. These protein rich substitutes will have your friends thinking you’re a gourmet French chef who spent all day creating edible art. The velvety texture is similar to that of a savory custard. Notice the deeply caramelized brown crust. Some call it burnt; I call it rustically charming. It actually highlights the rich interior and draws your eye to the molten custardy center. 

QUICHE, BASQUE-STYLE 

Ingredients: 

9-inch premade deep dish pie crust

5 slices deli tavern hickory-smoked ham

8-ounces Gruyère cheese, or Swiss Cheese, thinly sliced

1 cup Greek yogurt

1 cup mayonnaise 

3 eggs and 1 yolk

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1/8 teaspoon Italian herbs 

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 375°. Spray a 10” pie plate with nonstick oil. Carefully mold the pie crust into the prepared pie plate. Cover pastry, alternating with the ham slices and the cheese slices. In a bowl, combine Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, eggs, seasoned salt, and melted butter. Mix well. Pour over the ham and cheese. Sprinkle with Italian herbs. Bake for 50-60 minutes until set. Check near the end to prevent over-baking. 

Pineapple Crush Angel Food Cake

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Pineapple Crush Angel Food Cake! If you’re looking for an impressive dessert for that neighborhood gathering, middle school bake sale, church fellowship meal, or romantic dinner for two…. look no further. Angel food cake is just what the name implies: light, airy, magical, and sinfully delicious. Its fluffy texture practically melts in your mouth. The sugary slightly charred taste of vanilla and marshmallow can be deceiving. Wanna know why? Because unlike other cakes, this tempting version is made without oil, butter, or egg yolks granting it to fall in a class all its own: Low-Fat and Low-Cholesterol. I prefer a more mysterious name like “Snow-Drift Cake”, “Silver Cake”, or “Foam Cake.” Hey, it’s your dessert, call it as you see it. 

PINEAPPLE CRUSH ANGEL FOOD CAKE 

Ingredients: 

20-ounce can crushed pineapple with juice

16-ounce box angel food cake mix

Powdered Sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions: 

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a bundt pan with nonstick oil. Set aside. In a bowl, combine crushed pineapple with juice and angel food cake mix. Gently stir until completely combined. Pour batter into the prepared bundt pan. Place the bundt pan on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, approximately 25 minutes. Let cake cool; invert pastry onto a cake plate. Add a dusting of powdered sugar. Serve each slice as is, or with a fresh fruit compote.*

*Visit the link for Mixed Berry Marnier at http://snapshotsincursive/2026/02/26

One-Bowl Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: One-Bowl Chocolate Chip Banana Bread! Imagine, if you will, a time years ago when mothers stayed home to raise children, cooked homemade meals, cleaned the house, washed clothes (and ironed them) all as part of the weekly chores. Evening dinner, or supper to some, was followed by a daily dessert. No exceptions. The cookie jar was always full, you didn’t dare ask for a bowl of cereal for dinner, and you cleaned your plate at every meal. About that time my mom decided mixing chocolate chips into a butter-based dough produced a loaf of banana bread that literally became the envy of all the neighborhood kids. Some things were meant to last. 

ONE-BOWL CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA BREAD

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 ripe bananas, peeled and crushed

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

3/4 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a loaf pan with a nonstick oil containing flour. Set aside. Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and crushed bananas. Mix well. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Add to the creamed mixture. Stir just until batter is combined. Do not over mix. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with extra chocolate chips, if desired. Bake one hour or until tester comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes and then remove banana bread from loaf pan. Cool longer on a wire rack.

Natural PB Banana Rice Cake

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Natural PB Banana Rice Cake. Did you know the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll”, Elvis Presley, absolutely loved peanut butter and banana sandwiches? It’s true. Sometimes he would mash the bananas; sometimes he would add fried bacon to the mix, and sometimes he would eat them for days on end as a comfort food. Over time, this quirky sandwich became known as “The Elvis” on menus across the South. Fast forward to today. Puffed rice cakes can replace white bread as a lower calorie, crunchy alternative, especially for those watching their weight. I treat them as a guilt-free afternoon snack and so can you. 

NATURAL PB BANANA RICE CAKE 

Ingredients: 

1 rice cake, apple cinnamon variety 

1-2 tablespoons natural peanut butter, creamy texture 

1 ripe banana, peeled and sliced 

Ground Cinnamon, for garnish 

Instructions: 

Spread creamy peanut butter onto the apple cinnamon puffed rice cake; swirl. Top with banana slices. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon or nutmeg, if desired. Serve immediately. 

Mixed Berry Marnier

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Mixed Berry Marnier! Throw together this amazing berry concoction when searching for a new idea for morning breakfast, afternoon appetizer, or dinner dessert. It’s that versatile. For less chunkier results, place half the fruit into the blender until smooth and then add it to the remaining mixed fruits. Once combined macerate the mixture, which draws out the natural flavors and slightly changes the texture of the sauce. A few hours of refrigeration magically transforms the berries and juices into a gourmet treat, no matter how you serve it. 

MIXED BERRY MARNIER 

Ingredients: 

1 pint fresh raspberries 

12 ounces fresh blueberries 

1 pint strawberries, halved and quartered 

2 tablespoons sugar 

1/4 cup Grand Marnier liqueur 

Instructions: 

Rinse and pat dry the fresh raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. Place berries in a glass bowl. Sprinkle with sugar and Grand Marnier liqueur. Gently toss to mix completely. Cover and refrigerate up to four hours before serving. Allow the berry mixture to blend for 30 minutes at room temperature before serving. Serve the fruit over ice cream, waffles, cheesecake, yogurt, Brie cheese, or as a fruit compote dessert.