“There is a Fountain of Youth:
it is your mind, your talents,
the creativity you bring
to your life and the lives
of people you love.
When you learn to tap this source,
you will truly have defeated age.”
~ Sophie Loren
How to Defeat Age
Author: Gail
Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter O
What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Be Our Guest: Okra is Optional! Mention the word “okra” and you may see people wrinkle their noses. It’s really not that bad, in my opinion. The flavor is mild and the texture is silky. Okra is often eaten fried in a delicious cornmeal batter or combined with vegetables in hearty homemade soups. Today’s version is pickled with its spicy second cousin, the jalapeño.
OKRA IS OPTIONAL
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh okra
2 jalapeño peppers, sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, halved
2 cups apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
Instructions:
Wash okra thoroughly and remove tips. Divide between 3 pint jars. Repeat with jalapeños and garlic. Combine vinegar, water, kosher salt, and mustard seeds in a 2-quart pan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Ladle hot vinegar over okra mixture in jars. Wipe rims. Cover jars with kids. Cool at room temperature. Refrigerate for no longer than two months.
Be a True Believer
“I’m a believer that there’s artistry
in everything from a lawn gnome
to a desk chair to a symphony
to an Andy Warhol painting.
There’s art in absolutely everything.”
~ Darren Criss
Purpose to be Happy
“Happiness is when
what you think,
what you say,
and what you do
are in harmony.”
~ Mahatma Gandhi
Determine to Succeed
“Always do your best.
What you plant now,
you will harvest later.”
~ Og Mandino
Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter N
What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Be Our Guest: Nutmeg Cinnamon Popovers! Don’t hate me. These bakery-style popovers come with a warning label: Highly Addictive! Perhaps I might include a disclaimer. If you never suffer with sweet tooth cravings or for some unknown reason dislike cinnamon, no worries. For the rest of us, all I can say is “Try to resist licking your fingers!”.
NUTMEG CINNAMON POPOVERS
Ingredients:
6 large eggs
2 cups light cream
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons sugar
2 cups flour
Topping:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400°. Move the oven rack one setting below the middle row. Grease a 12-count bouchon pan. In a food processor, combine eggs, light cream, butter, almond extract, vanilla extract, sea salt, sugar, and flour. Blend until no lumps remain and batter is light yellow and frothy, approximately one minute. Fill each bouchon cup 2/3 full. Do not overfill. (Refrigerate leftover batter until ready to make the next batch. At that time, use a whisk to vigorously stir the batter.) Place bouchon pan in the oven; bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Do not open the oven door during baking or the popovers will deflate. When golden brown, remove from the oven. After 2 minutes in the pan, transfer popovers to a wire rack. Do not allow them to cool in the pan or they may turn soggy. Meanwhile place melted butter in a small bowl. In another bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix well. Take a popover and brush it with melted butter to coat. Place the popover in the sugar mixture and roll to coat. Repeat with entire batch of popovers.
Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter M
What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Be Our Guest: Mini Caprese Skewers! Can you tell I’m trying to squeeze as many foods in my picnic basket as possible before Summer ends? For a quick veggie burst of flavor, these off-the-vine cherry tomatoes are a match made in heaven when paired with fresh basil. It doesn’t hurt that the marinated mozzarella balls are skewered together for lovely presentation. It’s all about the finger food.
MINI CAPRESE SKEWERS
Ingredients:
12 mozzarella balls
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon Italian spice blend
24 fresh basil leaves
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
12 black olives, sliced
Olive oil for drizzling
Instructions:
In a shallow bowl, place mozzarella balls. Drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle with Italian spices. Toss cheese to cover well. Beginning with a cherry tomato half, thread tomato on a toothpick or skewer. Then place one basil leaf, followed by a marinated mozzarella ball. Finish with the remaining cherry tomato and another basil leaf. Repeat with remaining cherry tomatoes, basil leaves, and mozzarella balls. Thread black olives on separate skewers. Drizzle olive oil mixture over finished caprese skewers. Transport in jars or covered containers.
Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter L
What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Be Our Guest: Liptauer Cheese Spread! I love appetizers. Mostly because they give you permission to graze through a meal. Some say by eating smaller meals more frequently, it can lead to a longer, healthier life. So, around dinner time you could find me uncorking a bottle of nice red wine and nibbling on fruit, cheese, and crudités. This mellow cheese spread offers a blend of anchovy-stuffed green olives, sweet onions, salty capers, and spicy French Dijon mustard. Permission granted, my friends.
LIPTAUER CHEESE SPREAD
Ingredients:
8-ounce block of Neufchâtel cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 tablespoons Vidalia onion, finely chopped
12 anchovy-stuffed green olives, finely chopped
1 teaspoon French Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon imported capers, chopped
1 teaspoon caraway seed
1 teaspoon paprika
Instructions:
Combine softened Neufchâtel cheese and butter. Mix until smooth. Add Vidalia onion, anchovy-stuffed green olives, French Dijon mustard, imported capers, caraway seed, and paprika. Mix well. Form into a ball. Chill for one hour. Garnish with parsley. Serve with toasted baguette slices and vegetable crudités.
Happiness Is: Knowing You!
Happiness is: KNOWING YOU! What an awesome, wonderful, and super-fantastic day! I’m so excited and I just can’t hide it! Moments ago I was alerted by my newest follower, Katie, that she is my 1000th follower!!! So many thanks and blessings to each and every person who made this milestone a reality! What a privilege it is to call you “Friend”! I invite you to meet Katie. Follow her link.
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