Author: Gail

When Life Gives You Lemons, Drink Lemoncello 

As many of you are aware, my husband and I recently travelled to Boston, Massachusetts. Our visit there enveloped us in historical harmony and direct presence with local residents who live and work there every day. Because the outreach of friendship and good will impacted us as such a positive experience, I felt compelled to share one of those delightful encounters. 
One afternoon as we strolled along the cobblestone streets of Little Italy, passing eye-catching windows adorned with overflowing flower boxes, the distant music and savory scents transported us to an Old World country rich in charm, spirit, and passion. Over the threshold, featuring Tuscan-style architecture, we entered a casually elegant corner specialty shop. Taste the “Dreams of Sorrento” was the personal invitation we received inside from Jeff Cirace, an established pillar in the community.* His masterpiece, Sorrento Lemoncello, is an extraordinarily distinguished lemon liqueur. It tells a story all its own. It brings the romance of Italy to your very own home. (And who doesn’t love romance?) The exceptional quality of organic lemons grown on the hillside of the Amalfi Coast is the secret to its intense aroma and exquisite citrus flavor. Not only were we intrigued and fascinated by our conversation with Jeff, but his personal attention to detail had us spellbound. We had to get some of this Lemoncello! And, without regrets, we ordered a gift basket. I look forward to sharing recipes with you that are enhanced by this fabulous flavor. Stay tuned…
*V. Cirace & Son is a family-owned business continuing the tradition of selling fine wine and spirits since 1906 in Boston’s vibrant historic North End of Little Italy.

Behold the Lovely Clematis 

“The common hill-flowers wither, but they blossom again. The laburnum will be as yellow next June as it is now. In a month there will be purple stars on the clematis, and year after year the green night of its leaves will hold its purple stars. But we never get back our youth.”~ Oscar Wilde, “The Picture of Dorian Gray”.

Dreams Do Come True! ✨ “Infinity Dreams Award!” ✨

I wish, I wish……Dreams really do come true! How exciting to receive this award, for which I was nominated by Stephy of http://stephysweetbakes.com who is not only a great friend, but also an amazing baking chef. She is so knowledgeable of decadent pastries. Who doesn’t love that?
In this award I am asked to list Seven (7) of my dreams. So, I invite you to read on.
(1) I would like to publish a cookbook of “Eating My Way Through the Alphabet”, complete with recipes and photographs.
(2) I would like to have a Gourmet Kitchen, yet still live in my current home with my husband, Gerald. The setting is idyllic.
(3) I would like to broaden my current mission project of sharing God’s love through food care packages, entitled “Manna From Heaven”. It’s really the brain-child of http://snapshotsincursive.com
(4) I would like to someday meet the people who have become my friends through the world of blogging.
(5) I would like to continue to travel with my husband to experience distant locales, romantic lifestyles, enticing cuisine, and fascinating acquaintances.
(6) I would like to continue living in good health and maintain an active schedule.
(7) I would like to be remembered as someone who made a difference in the life of those who knew me.
Perhaps those seven statements sound more like “wishes” than “dreams”, but nonetheless they express my inner desires. With that being said, I wish to nominate seven more recipients of the “Infinity Dreams Award”. Thanks, again, and Blessings!

(1) Douglas

(2) Malctg

(3) Oscar

(4) http://awanderingstoryteller.wordpress.com

(5) http://thegreyeye.wordpress.com

(6) Linda

(7) Mein Blog

Living the Dream! Blessings!

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter S

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Second Helping of Snickerdoodle Blondies! Mention the word “cinnamon” and automatically people have visions of pastry shops and bakeries emitting delectable aromas that seduce the mind and tempt the body with Happy Day dance moves. And who doesn’t like to say “Snickerdoodle”? Bake-and-Go with this all-time favorite recipe.  
SNICKERDOODLE BLONDIES 
Batter Ingredients:

2 2/3 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder 

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 cups brown sugar, packed

1 cup butter, melted

2 eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping Ingredients:

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9×13 pan. Mix butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add the baking powder, salt, and flour. Pour into pan. 

In a small bowl mix together the cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle over top of dough. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven. Try to wait until the Snickerdoodle Blondies cool down before sinking your teeth into that first bite. Enjoy!

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter R

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Second Helping of Rainbow Cookies! Wouldn’t it be nice to tap your ruby slippers together and have a super-easy delicious dessert? You can. Even Dorothy and her friends would find these yummy morsels “no-place-like-home” irresistible. What a great kid-friendly recipe when school’s out for summer!
RAINBOW COOKIES 
Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

12-ounce bag of mini M&M candies

15.6-ounce can Buttercream icing
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, eggs, and oil until moistened. Reserve 1/2 cup M&M candies for decorating. Then gently fold in remaining mini morsels. Form little balls with the dough and place 2-inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 5-8 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Remove from cookie sheet and cool slightly on wire racks. Spread frosting over warm cookies and immediately sprinkle each cookie with remaining mini M&M candies. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter Q

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Second Helping of Quinoa Mediterranean! Are you getting enough grains in your diet? Well, this nutritious food is actually gluten-free, yet high in fiber. And if you’ve been neglecting protein, this one is an excellent source to remember when dieting. I like the fact that it’s high in antioxidants. See what you think about spicing it up a bit. 
QUINOA MEDITERRANEAN 
Ingredients:

1/4 cup quinoa

1/4 cup long grain brown rice

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper 

1 green onion, sliced

2 tablespoons cashews

1/4 cup bacon pieces, cooked
Instructions:

Bring 1 3/4 cups of water to a boil. Add quinoa, brown rice, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Simmer 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add bacon, cashews, and green onion slices. Fluff with fork. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter P

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Second Helping of Pina Colada Pie! Sometimes it’s necessary to serve your guests a dessert low in sugar. This one is perfect because it boasts tropical flavor with enough fruity sweetness to satisfy that sugar craving which follows at the end of a meal. Please note you may substitute a sugar-free graham cracker crust for the homemade cookie crust. 
PINA COLADA PIE
Ingredients for Homemade Cookie Crust:

2 cups Macadamia Nut Shortbread Cookies, crushed

1/4 cup butter, melted
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix crushed shortbread cookies and melted butter. Press crumb mixture into a pie plate sprayed with nonstick oil. Bake 10 minutes. Cool before filling. 
Ingredients for Filling:

2 8-ounce blocks of Neufchâtel cheese

1 small box Sugar Free/Fat Free Lemon Jello

1 small box Sugar Free/Fat Free Vanilla Instant Pudding 

4-ounce of Lite Cool Whip

1 8-ounce can crushed Pineapple in Natural Juices, do not drain

1 teaspoon Coconut flavor
Instructions:

Soften Neufchâtel cheese and add other ingredients. Stir until well blended. Pour into pie crust and chill for several hours or overnight. 
*Garnish: Toast 1/2 cup flake coconut in 350° oven for 4 minutes. Watch! Set aside to cool. Fresh strawberries also make an appealing garnish. 

Follow the Boston Freedom Trail

Everyone should experience this once in their lifetime. The Freedom Trail traces the footsteps of United States history beginning with the American Revolution. The red-lined route can be followed at a pace you set for yourself leaving plenty of time for stops along the way. Paul Revere’s House. The site of the Boston Massacre. Bunker Hill Monument. Old North Church. The 2.5 mile walk is “visitor-friendly” and filled with landmarks. Do it your way. But do it. 

Dining Outside the Home: Petey’s Seafood by the Seashore 

Just north of the Hamptons on the Eastern Seaboard is a small community called Rye, where lobster is plentiful and people drive there to eat seafood. Yes, please. We indulged ourselves in a monstrous lobster roll, broiled lobster on a stick, crispy fried clams, and chunky clam chowder. Thank you, Leah, for the exceptional service!