Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter Q

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Quiche Lorraine!  Pie for Breakfast? Or Brunch or a light Dinner?  Without a doubt!  This flaky pastry tart filled with a rich, creamy filling is a classic French staple that boasts tradition in every bite. 

QUICHE LORRAINE
Pastry:
1 1/3 cup flour
Pinch of salt
3 ounces Neufchâtel cheese
1/2 cup butter
Sift together flour and salt. Add softened butter and Neufchâtel cheese. Mixture becomes crumbly but eventually forms a single large ball. Set aside for 30 minutes to an hour. Roll out and line a deep 9-10″ pie dish. 
Filling:
8 thin slices cooked ham or crisp smoked bacon
8 ounces Gruyère cheese*
2 cups sour cream
3 eggs and 1 yolk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon melted butter
Cover pastry alternating ham and cheese. Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over ham and cheese. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake at 375° 50-60 minutes until set. 
*May substitute Gruyère cheese for thinly sliced Swiss cheese. 

Elvis is Alive and Well

“We’re going through the gates!”  People flock to Graceland year-round in Memphis, Tennessee. Some men appear wearing blue suede shoes while others comb their slick black hair into the legendary upswept pompadour.  An Elvis-wanna-be directs his attention to a crowd exiting a tour bus, smiling that sexy half smirk that causes women to swoon.  His sultry wink is cast from hooded baby blues, and you find yourself wondering, “Is The King of Rock and Roll still alive?”.  Inside the modest home, framed gold records and platinum albums hang in hallways proving this was a man who sold more than any other artist in history.  If you look closely, a vulnerable side is visible in the life of this immortal rock star.  Just when you begin to wonder if it is all an illusion, another slender, handsome stranger approaches wearing a blue silk scarf draped around his neck.  The mob goes crazy snapping photos with their cell phones.  He stops for moment when a young blonde beauty calls out the cherished name of “Elvis”.   He strums his guitar and swivels his hips to a rhythm and blues tune hypnotically causing her to feel giddy and lightheaded before turning on his heels to disappear.  “Thank you, thank you very much.”  

Every August thousands of fans descend to this remote area of Memphis and stand in line for hours waiting to pay tribute to the ghost who wanders around Graceland.  Passing the gravesite in a candlelight vigil the sound of a pin drop can be heard. Glancing about, some devoted fans are sniffling shamelessly while others openly dab a tear.  It seems no matter the age, everyone is touched with a special memory of the King.  At the end of the day, Elvis has left the building. The experience is timeless. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter P

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen?  Panchovillas!  Olé!  Who Doesn’t Love Mexican Food?  I’ve collected the best recipes from my friends’ kitchens where family secrets are passed down from generation to generation; where added spices become second nature.  And measurements are made by instinct and taste preference.  Proving that point, here’s a tasty meal thrown together from leftover pork roast.
PANCHOVILLAS
Ingredients:
1 pound pork roast, shredded
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder 
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup chopped jalapeños 
1/4 cup diced tomatoes 
2 cups tomato sauce 
2 cups refried beans
2 tablespoons butter, melted 
6-8 flour tortillas 
2 cups cheddar cheese 
Directions:
Simmer first ten ingredients, smashing a portion of the beans to keep the consistency thick.  Add more tomato sauce if necessary.  Brush the tortillas lightly with melted butter. Fill with pork and bean mixture. At this point I fold them into a burrito-style portion, seam side down.   Place in a 9×13 casserole dish. Cover tortillas with extra topping and cheddar cheese. Bake at 350° until the cheese is melted, usually about 30 minutes.  Top with sour cream and black olives to garnish.  Serve with mixed greens salad, guacamole, and crispy chips.  Add salsa for more spice.  And don’t forget the Classic Margarita!

A Yellow Tulip Smile 

The Tulip Bed

“The May sun—whom
all things imitate—
that glues small leaves to
the wooden trees
shone from the sky
through blue gauze clouds
upon the ground. 
Under the leafy trees
where the suburban streets
lay crossed,
with houses on each corner,
tangled shadows had begun
to join
the roadway and the lawns. 
With excellent precision
the tulip bed
inside the iron fence
upreared its gaudy
yellow, white, and red,
rimmed round with grass,
reposedly.”
~ William Carlos Williams

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter O

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Orange, Pineapple, Banana Ice Cream!  And, before you ask…..No, you do not need an ice cream maker. What I love the most about this refreshing recipe is that any fresh fruit can be used for a mélange of flavor choices, depending on the season.

ORANGE-PINEAPPLE-BANANA ICE CREAM

Ingredients:
1/3 cup mandarin oranges, frozen
1/3 cup pineapple chunks, frozen
1 banana, frozen
1/4 cup powdered sugar 
1/2 cup heavy cream, very icy cold
Directions:
Combine the frozen fruit and sugar in a food processor or blender. Process on “Pulse” until the fruit is roughly chopped. With the processor running, slowly add the heavy cream until fully mixed. Transfer fruit ice cream to a plastic storage container with lid. Place in the freezer for 2-3 hours or until firm. To serve, use a melon ball scoop to form bite-size portions. Garnish with dried fruit and shredded coconut. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter N

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen?  Neiman-Marcus Cake!  Repeat after me, “Butter is my friend. Butter is my new best friend.” One bite of these sweet cream butter bars and you’ll swear they came from a French bakery. Look no further than the Neufchâtel cheese filling for confirmation. I always serve this cake with fresh fruit for the ultimate pâtisserie experience. 

NEIMAN MARCUS CAKE
Ingredients:
1 lb. box of yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 lb. powdered sugar
8 oz. bar of Neufchâtel cheese
1 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup sliced almonds
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°. Stir cake mix, melted butter, and one egg. Press into the bottom of a greased and floured 9 x 13 glass dish.  Mix powdered sugar, 2 eggs, almond extract, and softened Neufchâtel cheese until smooth. Pour over top of cake mix. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top. Bake 50-60 minutes. Cool. Cut into squares and serve with fresh strawberries. 

The Hopeful Romantic Hyacinth

HYACINTH 

by Edna St. Vincent Millay

“I am in love with him
To whom a hyacinth is dearer
Than I shall ever be dear. 
On nights when the field-mice
Are abroad, he cannot sleep. 
He hears their narrow teeth 
At the bulbs of his hyacinths. 
But the gnawing at my heart…
He does not hear.”

Stripy, the Green-Eyed Lady

The Cat

“You get a wife, you get a house,
Eventually you get a mouse. 
You get some words regarding mice,
You get a kitty in a trice. 
By two a.m. or thereabouts,
The mouse is in, the cat is out. 
It dawns upon you, in your cot,
The mouse is silent, the cat is not. 
Instead of kitty, says your spouse,
You should have got another mouse.”
~ Ogden Nash

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter M

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen?  Mexican Spiced Brownies!  Olé!  If you’re as crazy about adding a “kick” to your palate, look no further. (And if you’re not, the recipe can be modified.)  The wild ride adrenaline rush you get from chili peppers can be addictive.  I like the fact that your immune system can get a boost.  The color of red chili peppers signals its high content of beta-carotene or pro-vitamin A. Combine the chili with dark chocolate and there you have it…..permission to eat brownies!

MEXICAN SPICED BROWNIES
Ingredients:
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or a smidgen of cayenne pepper)
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon powder
Preheat oven to 350°. Melt the butter and add to the sugar.  Stir until blended.  Add the eggs, vanilla, red pepper flakes, and cinnamon powder to the sugar mixture. Mix well. Slowly add the flour and cocoa powder.  Stir until smooth.  Pour into a greased 9 x 9 pan.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
***For regular brownies, omit crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon. 
Chocolate Icing:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 heaping tablespoon cocoa powder
2 tablespoons butter, softened 
1 teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract
2 tablespoons warm milk
Gently mix butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder until smooth.  Stir in vanilla extract and milk until frosting is of spreading consistency. Spread evenly on cooled brownies. Sprinkle top with semi-sweet mini chocolate morsels.