Author: Gail

Dining Outside the Home: Le Peep in Carmel, Indiana

Dining Outside the Home: Le Peep in Carmel, Indiana! There’s a lot to be said for a string of restaurants that originated in a converted gas station in Colorado over 40 years ago. They must be doing something right. And becoming a Hoosier tradition, in my opinion, is one reason to experience unique breakfast creations in your own back yard. The menu alone extends the option to eat breakfast any time of day. Gooey Bun. Dutch Apple Oatmeal. Pampered Eggs. The Great Reef Benedict. And don’t get me started on the coffees. When you come in with a smile and leave with a smile, is it any wonder their slogan is “It’s always a great day when you dine at Le Peep!”.

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter F

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Eat More: French Toast Bananas Foster! For that daily dose of potassium you get in bananas, think French Toast for breakfast. With an added twist of Bananas Foster, you may feel as though you’re dining on a private balcony overlooking the French Quarter in New Orleans. It’s that good! For starters, I used Hawaiian sweet bread for its unique fluffy texture. By soaking the slices in a custard-style egg mixture and browning them in a buttered iron skillet, the results were luscious. 
FRENCH TOAST BANANAS FOSTER
Ingredients for Sauce:

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup cream

1/4 cup maple syrup

1-2 tablespoons dark rum

3-4 bananas, cut into thick slices

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1 smidgen nutmeg
Instructions:

Melt butter in a small saucepan. Do not scorch. Add brown sugar; stir. Gradually bring to boil and add cream, stirring constantly. Cook until thick, about 4 minutes. Turn heat to lowest setting. Add maple syrup and dark rum. Stir until smooth. Add sliced bananas, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook until tender.  
Ingredients for French Toast:

4 slices Hawaiian sweet bread, sliced thick

3 whole eggs, beaten

1/2 cup half and half cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-3 tablespoons butter

Whipped cream

Mini chocolate chips

Pecan pieces
Instructions:

Whisk together eggs, half and half cream, and vanilla extract. In a shallow dish place 4 slices of Hawaiian bread, single layer. Pour custard egg mixture over bread; turn bread to coat both sides completely. Let moistened bread rest to soak up liquid. In an iron skillet, melt one tablespoon of butter on medium-low heat. Transfer the soaked bread to the skillet. Cook until golden brown, approximately 3 minutes per side. Add butter as needed. If cooking in batches, transfer browned French toast to a wire rack on a baking sheet and keep warm in a 200° oven. To serve, place a piece of French toast on a plate. Cover with banana sauce and dollop of whipped cream. Top with a second slice of French toast. Add more banana sauce. Garnish with whipped cream, chocolate chips, and pecan pieces. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter E

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Eat More: Eagle Brand Chocolate Fudge Sauce! Have you had your chocolate “fix” today? This homemade sauce can be served over ice cream, banana splits, fresh fruit, pound cake, or even drizzled into your morning coffee. The secret ingredient, Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk, is really no secret. It has been around since 1856. Truth. It was originally invented as a safe and wholesome milk product for the military. The fact that it provided nourishment for infants and children was a bonus. Besides, when Elsie the Cow became the spokes-cow at the New York World’s Fair in 1939, its popularity spread all over the globe. Every kitchen pantry should keep a can or two on the shelf. 
EAGLE BRAND CHOCOLATE FUDGE SAUCE
Ingredients:

1 14-ounce can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:

In a 2-quart glass measuring cup, combine sweetened condensed milk, chocolate morsels, butter, and water. Microwave on High power for a total of 3 minutes, stirring at one-minute increments. Add almond extract and vanilla extract. Microwave 30 seconds longer. Stir until smooth. Serve warm. Pour extra sauce into a jar; cover, and refrigerate. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter D

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Eat More: Dump Cake with Cherries! Allow me to explain what is a less appealing title for a cake recipe. Dump Cake, seriously? Before you head off in another direction, let me assure you this is literally the easiest cake recipe you’ll find today. It comes from one of those cookbooks put together by a group of church ladies in the early 1980s. And it is fantastic! After all, just “dump” the ingredients in a 9″x13″ pan and bake. Top it off with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of sweetened whipped cream. Can I hear a “Hallelujah”? 🌟
DUMP CAKE WITH CHERRIES
Ingredients:

1 21-ounce can cherry pie filling

1 15-ounce can crushed pineapple

1 18-ounce box of yellow cake mix

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 smidgen nutmeg

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup almonds, sliced
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Dump cherry pie filling into the bottom of a 9″x13″ glass baking dish. Spread into a single layer. Dump crushed pineapple, with juice, on top of cherries. Spread to cover. Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over fruit layers. Top with cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar. Dot with slices of butter. Cover with sliced almonds. Bake for one hour, or until golden brown and bubbly. Serve warm. 

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.