Author: Gail

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter C

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Eat More: Cucumber Strawberry Sandwiches! Here’s a combination you will truly enjoy: crisp sliced cucumbers with juicy sweet strawberries. Together they come across as eye candy. Whip up a creamy spread of sea salt butter, Neufchâtel cheese, and Italian seasonings to slather across the top of a toasted slice of artisan rye bread. Add a sprig of dill, sprinkled with tiny thyme leaves to crown things off. The results may find you believing you embarked on a journey through the charming countryside of Tuscany. 
CUCUMBER STRAWBERRY SANDWICHES
Ingredients:

8 ounces Neufchâtel cheese, room temperature

3 tablespoons sea salt butter, softened

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon dill weed

1 large cucumber, sliced

1 pint strawberries, stems removed and halved

2-4 slices rye bread, toasted

Fresh dill sprig, for garnish

Fresh thyme leaves, for garnish
Instructions:

Cream together Neufchâtel cheese, butter, and yogurt until smooth. Fold in Italian seasoning and dill to blend. Refrigerate one hour. Slice cucumber; halve strawberries. Toast rye bread; slather with seasoned cheese spread. Top with cucumber slices and strawberries. Add dill sprig and thyme leaves for garnish. 

Make Dining Magnificent 

“I think people are more savvy 

about cooking, food, and dining. 

I notice they are looking for

more value for their money – 

not in larger portions but 

more in terms of healthier, fresh, 

farm-to-table dishes with 

nice presentation.”

~ Cat Cora

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter B

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Eat More: Beef and Noodles! I decided to take the day off from cooking so I tag-teamed with Le Creuset. All the ingredients went into the enameled cast iron French oven pretty much all day. This reliable way of slow-cooking gave me the opportunity to spend time ironing tea towels and perusing my towering stack of current magazines. As the day wound down, the mouth-watering aromas filled the air and before I knew it, dinner was ready. The roast had basted in its own juices to blend with the herbs, wine, and vegetables for delicious results. Now leftover recipes will be a breeze. Well done! 
BEEF AND NOODLES 
Ingredients:

3 pound sirloin tip roast, frozen

1 can beef consommé 

1/2 cup ginger beer

1 tablespoon Hawaiian Rub*

8 ounces homestyle noodles

1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup red wine

1/4 cup cornstarch 

Parsley sprigs
Instructions:

Place frozen sirloin roast in a Dutch oven with a lid. Add the can of beef consommé and ginger beer. Sprinkle Hawaiian Rub over roast. Cover. Put in oven and set the temperature to 225°. After six hours, add noodles and mushrooms. Bake covered 45 minutes longer. Remove pan from oven and ladle the roast drippings into a saucepan. It should be about 2 cups of liquid. Bring to a boil. Mix the red wine and cornstarch, stirring until smooth. Slowly stir into the roast drippings, stirring occasionally to prevent lumps. As gravy thickens, reduce heat to simmer. If necessary add water if it becomes too thick. Remove beef to a platter and shred, as needed. Return shredded beef to the noodle/mushroom mixture. Cover with gravy. Transfer to serving portions. Garnish each dish with parsley sprig.  
* Hawaiian Rub is available from the Salty Wahine Gourmet Hawaiian Sea Salts company. I get no recompense for mentioning this product in my recipe. 

Rocky Neck Art Colony is Gloucester’s Hidden Gem

Art lovers will appreciate the magnificent view nestled along the harbor in Gloucester, Massachusetts. To stumble upon the existence of Rocky Neck Art Colony while exploring the peninsula is like discovering a treasure trove of history around every bend. While walking in the midst of the cultural community, a feeling of déjà vu is overwhelming. How can it be? To feel convinced of such an illusion that one has previously experienced such an encounter is mind-boggling. Perhaps it reminded me of the south of France, or the iris-laden paths of Monet’s Giverny. Quaint workshops, artist studios, galleries, and restaurants dot the inlet with American Impressionism en plein-air. To every art lover out there, make a note to add this unique art colony to your list of “must sees”.

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter A

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Eat More: Angel Food Cake Kabobs! Feeling Patriotic? This colorful dessert is perfect for an Independence Day picnic or gathering. Strawberries for Red, angel food cake for White, and blueberries for…..well, you know…Blue! Get the kids involved by letting them assemble the delectable desserts in advance. Better throw in extra ingredients for nibbling. Transport the kabobs in pint-size canning jars. Drizzle with chocolate before serving or make up individual portions of hot fudge sauce in small jars for dunking. It’s all fun and celebration for a light, refreshing dessert-on-stick. Then sit back and enjoy the fireworks! 
ANGEL FOOD CAKE KABOBS
Ingredients:

Angel Food Cake

12-15 bamboo skewers 

1 quart strawberries 

1 pint blueberries 

I jar chocolate fudge sauce
Instructions:

Cut the angel food cake into large square, bite-sized pieces. Wash strawberries; pat dry. Repeat with blueberries. To assemble kabobs skewer one strawberry, one piece of cake, then two blueberries. Repeat to fill each skewer. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Eat More!

Eat More! Stop feeling guilty about fueling your body! Food fulfills many basic needs: nutrition, health, social connections…to name just a few. Think about it. What does food mean to you? I like fresh ingredients, garden herbs, rich chocolate, and French butter. But I’m in good company. Some of my recent posts have been favored by the “Food Network” on Twitter (Snapshotsincursive @DornaGail) as well as Ina Garten’s The Barefoot Contessa, on Instagram (gail _dorna). I’d love to see you there as well. Come along with me for “Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Eat More!” 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 later or shared with others. And I love to share. To me, seeing a smile in gratitude is thanks enough. The recipes you find here in the next several weeks can be prepared very easily. Feel free to contact me with questions or comments. Now take a deep breath, inhale the aromas, and join me on a tasteful journey entitled, “EATING MY WAY THROUGH THE ALPHABET: EAT MORE!”

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter Z

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? All the Buzz: Zillions of Zoodles! Anyone who owns a KitchenAid stand mixer will tell you they know all about the Spiralizer. I know it may sound like a super-hero with super-powers, but in many ways it is….for foodies, in my opinion. A Spiralizer is an attachment that can peel and slice vegetables into a uniform spiral making the vegetables look like noodles. This is a great tool for those going Paleo or living gluten-free. In mere seconds any vegetable, like zucchini, can be transformed into an abundant bowl of Zoodles. Think about the options for yellow squash, cucumbers, carrots, and potatoes! Move over, Pasta, there’s a new sheriff in town!
ZILLIONS OF ZOODLES 
Ingredients:

1-2 zucchini, spiralized 

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces shrimp, precooked

1/8 teaspoon dill weed

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup Greek olive mix

3 tablespoons basil pesto

Fresh parsley, for garnish 
Instructions:

Spiralize zucchini zoodles into a bowl. Discard spiral stems. In a large skillet, heat olive oil to sauté shrimp sprinkled with dill weed, sea salt, and red pepper flakes. Remove from pan; keep drippings. Reduce heat and toss zoodles in reserve oil to coat. Add sun-dried tomatoes and olives. Stir in basil pesto. Toss gently. Heat zoodles no longer than 3-4 minutes. Remove and serve with sautéed shrimp. Garnish with fresh parsley.