Author: Gail

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter N

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: No-Bake Hazelnut Bars! Here you go. A delicious nutty chocolate treat that can be a dessert or a snack. And there is no need to heat up the oven during the Summer months. This combination of dietary coconut fiber and heart-healthy hazelnuts are sure to become your personal favorite. One bar may provide the nutritious energy boost you need to keep going strong. But the question is…..can you stop at just one?

NO-BAKE HAZELNUT BARS
Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1/3 milk

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup coconut, flaked

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 13-ounce jar of Nutella Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread
Instructions:
Boil butter, milk, brown sugar, coconut, and cracker crumbs in a medium saucepan for 7 minutes, stirring constantly. Mix in vanilla extract. Line a 9″x13″ pan with club crackers. Pour the filling over crackers. Top another layer of crackers. Warm Nutella in microwave for 20 seconds. Spread over all. Garnish with nut meats. Cool in refrigerator until firm. Cut into squares.

Top of the World

“After your first day of cycling, one dream is inevitable. A memory of motion lingers in the muscles of your legs, and round and round they seem to go. You ride through Dreamland on wonderful dream bicycles that change and grow.”

~H.G. Wells, The Wheels of Chance

We Are the Champions! 👠👠”Sisterhood of the World Blogger Award!”

We Are the Champions! 👠👠”Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award!”

It just keeps getting better and better! 👠👠To be accepted into the blogosphere is so thrilling! Just like a pair of traveling jeans, every award that lands on my doorstep fits perfectly into my circle of friends. As the circle expands beyond my horizon, the world becomes a little bit smaller and a little brighter. One person I have to thank is Stephy of    http://stephysweetbakes.com who nominated me for my second “Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award!” Stephy’s blog is a bakery of pastry delights! When your sweet tooth kicks in, step over to her blog.
👠👠👠👠👠👠👠👠👠👠👠👠
THE RULES FOR THE AWARD:
1. Thank the blogger for nominating you and post a link to their blog.
2. Put the award logo on your site.
3. Answer the questions.
4. Nominate seven blogs.
👠👠👠👠👠👠👠👠👠👠👠👠
MY NOMINEES ARE LISTED BELOW:
1.  Kristina

2.  Carla

3.  Catherine

4.  Ginger

5.  Li Jiun

6.  Audrey

7.  Emory
INQUIRING QUESTIONS:
1. In one word, how would you like your readers to describe your blog? 🍓Captivating!
2. Which is your most favorite among your blog posts? Why? 🍓 “Eating My Way Through the Alphabet” simply because everyone loves food!
3. What, who inspires most of your blog posts? 🍓 I give credit to God for gently nudging me through my husband, family, and friends.
4. What do you wish to accomplish this year? 🍓 I wish to move in the direction of compiling a cookbook.
5. What do you aspire to learn this year? 🍓 I aspire to believe I can fulfill my heart’s desire.
6. What is your favorite book and why? 🍓 The Holy Bible is my favorite book. No matter what challenges I face, the answer is there.
7. What is the most courageous thing you have ever done? 🍓 I followed my heart.
8. If you could be a superhero, what would be your super power? 🍓 I would be the Invisible Woman so I could help others without them ever knowing it was me.
9. Who is your female role model? 🍓 The Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Mother Teresa.
Now is the time to Pay it Forward.
Blessings! 🍓 Gail of http://snapshotsincursive.com

In Celebration of Independence Day

🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 

“I pledge allegiance to the flag

of the United States of America

and to the Republic

for which it stands,

one Nation under God,

indivisible,

with liberty and justice for all.”

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter M

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Mushroom Caps! It you like mushrooms, you’ll be happy to know this is a meal in itself. If you wish to be the star of the next gathering, fix a platter and it becomes a very impressive appetizer to share!
MUSHROOM CAPS 
Ingredients:

1 pound of fresh white mushroom caps, stems removed

1 box of Low-Sodium Stove Top Stuffing 

4 tablespoons butter

1 pinch parsley

1 pinch rosemary 

1 pinch thyme

1 pinch sage

1 stalk celery, chopped finely

1 10-ounce can chicken breast in water, drained
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare stuffing mix according to directions on box but add extra herbs when preparing. Once the dressing is finished, gently add the celery and cut-up chicken breast pieces. Mix well. Spoon the filling into the mushroom cavities and arrange in a shallow baking dish, cavity side up. Bake 25 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender and the filling is heated through. The mushrooms should appear golden on top. Serve warm. 

It’s Raining Awards! The Liebster Award!

It’s Raining Awards!!!! ☔️☔️☔️☔️
“The Liebster Award!”
I feel privileged to receive my 4th Liebster Award nomination. My friend, Priti, nominated me. Her blog, http://mypinchofyum.wordpress.com connects with me simply because we are kindred spirits who love to cook. Her creativity is apparent in her mastery of recipes as well as her presentation afterwards. I mean, if it doesn’t look good on the plate, how can we instill anticipation? Priti captures all this in her blog. When you visit her, you will come away with a taste of international flavor.
🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓
These are the Award Rules:
1. Once you are nominated, make a post thanking and linking the person who nominated you.
2. Include the Liebster Award logo in the post as well.
3. Nominate ten (10) other bloggers who you think are worthy of this award. Let them know they have been nominated by commenting on one of their posts. You can also nominate the person who nominated you.
4. Answer the ten (10) questions asked to you by the person who nominated you and make ten (10) questions of your own for your nominees.
5. Lastly, copy these rules in the post.
🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓
I like the idea that the questions can be as simple as a favorite color to as deep as an unspoken desire. When shared among friends, it gives us a glimpse of the inner spirit and a connection that strengthens us all. Blessings!

Priti asked me the following ten (10) questions:
What do you value most in your life? 🍓 My Faith.

What inspired you to start your blog? 🍓 My husband, my family, and my friends were my champions in nudging me to express myself. The “catapult” was my father’s death.

Do you speak any other language apart from English? 🍓 No, but “Je parle un peu le Français, pas trés bien.” (I only speak a little French, but not very well.)

What do you like the most – vegetables, chicken, pork, beef, lamb or seafood? 🍓 Lobster & Shrimp are my best friends!

Which is your favorite spice? 🍓 Tough question. It’s a three-way tie between Basil-Cumin-Red Pepper Flakes!

Best moment in your life? 🍓 My wedding day, October 15, 2011.

Is there any food ingredient or dish that you will never eat? 🍓 I’ve tried repeatedly to eat Brussel Sprouts but they refuse to agree with me.

Which is your favorite cuisine in the world and why? 🍓 Oooh, La-La! French! Everything wonderful is made with French butter!

What is your signature dish? 🍓 I make a French Silk Pie that is to die for!

Where would you live if you could live anywhere you wanted on the Earth? 🍓 I would live in the south of France, inhaling the lavender fields at sunset.

🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓
I wish to nominate the following talented bloggers:

http://momoseita.wordpress.com
http://carolettastreats.com
http://explorenewness.com
http://dreaminginarabic.wordpress.com
http://fightalone.wordpress.com
http://teaisfun.wordpress.com
http://isetthetable.wordpress.com
http://forbiddenjungleexplore.wordpress.com
http://eatliveescape.wordpress.com
http://gardentokitchenwithsuz.wordpress.com

🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓

Please respond to the following ten (10) questions:
(1) Have you ever won a prize? If so, what was it?
(2) When you read a book, do you rush through it or do you savor every chapter?
(3) What would be the title of the story of your life?
(4) Are you cool-as-a-cucumber or hot-blooded?
(5) Name three places you would love to visit.
(6) Given the opportunity, would you take a trip into outer space?
(7) If you had to give up one of your senses, which one would you choose?
(8) Do you like cotton candy?
(9) What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
(10) Relaxing at home, do you wear socks or slippers?
I look forward to your responses. Have fun. Blessings! 🍓

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter L

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Loco Moco! Living up to its name, this breakfast food is actually one of Hawaii’s local favorites. The serving size is so generous you might think it’s way too much for breakfast. I didn’t eat the rest of the day after trying it at a local restaurant there. However, when you prepare it at home, you have more control over serving sizes as well as the time of day for this meal. Basically, it is composed of four layers. The bottom is fried rice, the middle is a beef patty, the next is an egg over easy. And the top layer is a ladle of gravy. Don’t knock it till you try it!

LOCO MOCO
Ingredients for Rice Layer:

1 cup prepared brown rice

1 strips bacon, crisp and crumbled 

1 sausage patty, crumbed*

2 ounces smoked sausage, 

cut-up

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons onion, cut-up

*Hawaiians favor SPAM. 
Instructions for Rice Layer:

In large skillet add sesame oil and sauté onions. Add remaining ingredients. Stir fry to blend flavors. Set aside. 
Ingredients for Beef Patty Layer:

4 1/4-pound beef patties 

1 can beef consommé 

Dash of pepper
Instructions for Beef Patty Layer:

Cook beef in consommé until tender. I did this the day before in my slow-cooker. It’s worth the effort! Save the broth for turning into gravy. 
Ingredients for Egg Layer:

4 fresh eggs
Instructions for Egg Layer:

Cook on stove to make eggs over-easy (or sunny-side up) so the yolks are still runny. 
Ingredients for Gravy Layer:

1 cup beef consommé*

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons butter

*Add water if necessary to make one cup of liquid. 
Instructions for Gravy Layer:

Melt butter in saucepan. Add flour to the butter and stir to make a roux. Cook over medium-low heat until the flour is lightly browned, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the consommé juices and stir until thickened. 
Now serve by assembling the layers in a shallow bowl: rice, beef, egg, and gravy. Loco Moco!

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter K

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Kolachy Wedding Cookies! The beauty of this wedding delicacy, popular in Central Europe, transforms every bite into a puff of pastry. Taste the splendor. Choose one or more of your favorite fruit toppings, sprinkle with a few chocolate morsels, and let the celebration begin! I made mine into Cherry Chocolate Chip Kolachys!
KOLACHY WEDDING COOKIES
Ingredients:

1 cup butter

1 8-ounce package Neufchâtel cheese

1 tablespoon milk

1 tablespoon sugar

1 egg yolk, beaten 

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder 

1 can pie filling, any flavor

1/2 cups semi-sweet mini chocolate morsels

Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions:

Cream together butter, Neufchâtel cheese, milk, and sugar. Add beaten egg yolk. Sift together flour and baking powder. Add to the creamed mixture and blend well. Refrigerate until the dough is thoroughly chilled (4 hours or overnight). Preheat oven to 400°. Roll out dough to 1/4″ thick on well-floured board. Cut with a 2″ round cookie cutter, or small glass. Place cut-outs on an ungreased cookie sheet. Make a depression with the back of a spoon in the center of each round. Fill the center with a dollop of fruit filling. Sprinkle chocolate morsels on top. Bake 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter J

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Jarlsburg Grilled Cheese! This is a perfect fusion of buttery, crisp, lightly salted Swiss-style cheese and dense artisan bread. Grilled at the correct temperature is crucial. It will result in a golden-brown crunch followed by a warm flow of oozing cheese with a sweet-tangy finish. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? It really is!
Ingredients:

8 ounces of Jarlsburg cheese, grated

4 tablespoons mayonnaise 

2 tablespoons red onion, chopped

Artisan bread of choice, sliced (sesame bread is pictured)

Salted Butter for browning
Instructions:

Combine cheese, mayonnaise, and red onion in a medium bowl. Mix well. Refrigerate in a covered container for one hour. Slowly melt a dab of butter in the skillet over medium-low heat before adding the bread. Do not let the butter burn. If you brown the bread on both sides first, it will hasten the melting process of the cheese inside. Once the bread is browned on both sides, spread a spoonful of the Jarlsburg cheese mixture over one piece of bread and then place the other slice on top of the sandwich. Apply light pressure being careful not to squeeze the filling out onto the pan. Swirl the sandwich to get a nice brown color, about 2 minutes. Gently flip and repeat. Serve immediately.