Palm trees lined the middle of the boulevard waving their fronds in greeting. Spanish moss hangs in crimped curls from regal trees like Rapunzel’s braid let loose. The timeless beauty of the historical Lakeside Inn with its grande veranda is a rejuvenating respite from the fast-paced obligations of everyday Life. Picturesque? Yes, Ma’am.
What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: Peanut Buster Oreo Perfection! This icebox treat will satisfy every craving you have, as long as it’s for something cold, salty, and sweet. The Oreo cookie crust is amazing! The layer of fudge nestled between natural vanilla bean ice cream and fluffy light whipped cream is a lip-smacking delight for the palate. The best advice I can give you is… SHARE. Otherwise, you’ll be tempted to eat the entire pan.
PEANUT BUSTER OREO PERFECTION
Ingredients:
1 package of Oreo cookies
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 gallon vanilla bean ice cream
12 ounces of hot fudge sauce
1 cup Spanish peanuts
8 ounces of frozen whipped topping
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease bottom of 9″x13″ pan. Crush 24 Oreo cookies and mix well with the melted butter. Spread into the bottom of the pan making a thin, even layer. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Slice the ice cream and place in an even layer over cookie crust. Pour the hot fudge topping over the ice cream. Sprinkle peanuts over fudge sauce. Spread the whipped topping over all. Crush two more Oreo cookies and sprinkle lightly as garnish. Freeze overnight. Enjoy the perfection!
What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: Open-Faced Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches! Stretch Summer to its limit with this popular sandwich that has maximum flavor on a toasted pretzel bun. Pile it high with tangy cole slaw and a dill pickle spear on the side for a satisfying meal. Once you combine the shredded pork with the barbecue sauce, keep it warm in the crockpot and savor the aromas filling the house.
OPEN-FACED PULLED PORK BBQ SANDWICHES
Ingredients:
3-4 pound boneless pork roast prepared as directed from the segment Kalua Pork Roast https://snapshotsincursive.com/2015/05/27
Leftovers can be frozen and used later to make something incredible like today’s special.
Add 1 cup of your favorite bottled barbecue sauce to the shredded pork. Simmer to blend flavors. Or…..make the sauce yourself!
BBQ SAUCE:
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
Instructions:
In a 2-quart saucepan, heat all ingredients to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more water if needed. Mix with pulled pork to blend flavors. Keep warm.
Behold a rich menu of Turkish cuisine. Imagine this, take your hands and gently tear the sesame-laden puffed homemade bread. Feel the air deflate like a balloon as you dredge it across a plate of authentic hummus prepared with classic ingredients like olive oil and tahini. Next, the main course is a buffet of chile-infused chicken, garlic lamb and beef gyro strips plus grilled vegetables over sweet sticky rice. The platter is drizzled with enough melted butter to make your eyes roll back in satisfaction. All the flavors culminate with a sweet, nutty finale of homemade layered baklava dessert drenched in a syrup of natural honey. Pure and simple gratification.
What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: Naan Margherita Flatbread! Naan is an exotic oven-baked bread that makes the perfect personal size pizza. It can be made from scratch, but today’s version was available at my local supermarket bakery. I was looking for a quick and easy weeknight meal that wouldn’t weigh me down. Add fresh ingredients and you have a healthy choice for dinner. Basil was in abundance in my herb garden, so I decided to utilize it. Yum!
NAAN MARGHERITA FLATBREAD
Ingredients:
One slice of naan bread
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
8-10 basil leaves, whole and cut
1/8 teaspoon oregano
Sea salt to taste
Cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400°. Spread olive oil on naan flatbread. Layer mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, tomato halves, and basil leaves. Sprinkle with oregano, salt, and pepper to taste. Bake on a pizza stone sprinkled with corn meal for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melted.
Down a cobblestone alley, among palm treed archways and iron grillwork, you can hear the passionate Cuban rhythms playing overhead. The aromas of sweet plantains and garlic butter mojo sauce waft over tropical breezes. A dark-haired beauty, Gaby, served up fresh mint and iced lime juice concoctions for sipping in leisure as we wiled away the afternoon. At the copa…Copacabana, the hottest spot north of Havana!
“I call horses ‘Divine Mirrors’.
They reflect back
the emotions you put in.
If you put in love,
and respect, and kindness,
and curiosity,
the horse will return that.”
~ Allan Hamilton
Dining Outside the Home: Pisces Rising, Seafood and Steak House. This alluring southern home-turned-restaurant sits on the edge of a quaint downtown in a peaceful lakefront community. Its quiet elegance is visible through full length windows in views that overlook the endless beauty of Lake Dora. Our meal was spectacular, especially the classic dessert finale skillfully prepared table-side, French Creole Bananas Foster.
“I always sort of swooned
at the sight of
the classic barn structures
in central and northern Minnesota,
where everything seemed rustic
and weathered
and made to age gracefully.”
~ Richard Dean Anderson
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