Author: Gail

Tulips Speak of “Fire and Ice”

“Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say in ice. 
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire. 
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.” ~ Robert Frost

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter D

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen?  Dutch Chocolate Profiteroles!  These yummy tender confections have a chocolate filling that will satisfy any sweet tooth.  Once the shells are made, you can utilize a time-saving option.  Simply change the filling to Breyers Dutch Chocolate Ice Cream and sprinkle it with powdered sugar. Your friends will think you spent hours in the kitchen. 

DUTCH CHOCOLATE PROFITEROLES
Cream Puffs:
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 whole eggs
Heat oven to 400°.  Heat water and butter to rolling boil in saucepan. Stir in flour. Stir vigorously over low heat until mixture forms a ball, about I minute; remove from heat. Beat in eggs, all at once, continue beating until smooth. Drop dough by scant 1/4 cupfuls about 3 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until puffed and golden, 35-40 minutes. Cool away from draft. Cut off tops; pull out any filaments of soft dough. Fill puffs with chilled cream filling. Replace tops; dust with powdered sugar. Refrigerate until serving time.  Yield: 6 cream puffs. 
Cream Filling:
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons cornstarch 
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups half-and-half
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
Garnish:
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1/4 c semi-sweet mini chocolate morsels 
Mix sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in 2-quart saucepan. Stir in half-and-half gradually. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir at least half of the hot mixture gradually into egg yolks. Blend into hot mixture. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla; cool. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter C

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen?  Caprese Salad!  Here’s a refreshingly healthy salad alternative to the traditional Cobb Salad. This little number boasts an international flavor with an Italian influence.  Right now fresh tomatoes-on-the-vine are available at the market. Hand-pick them in any size cluster you desire.  All natural mozzarella makes all the difference, especially when surrounded by this season’s basil leaves. Pluck the basil from your window herb garden or go straight to the organic produce section of your favorite grocers.  As you dive in to this crispy salad, notice the colors of the flag of Italy.  Grazie, grazie molto!

CAPRESE SALAD
Ingredients:
4-6 Roma Tomatoes 
16 oz. Marinated Mozzarella*
24 Fresh Basil Leaves
2 T Red Onion, slivered
Herbed Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Garlic Wine Vinegar 
Directions:
Cut the tomatoes into wedges.  Add the mozzarella cheese, onion, and basil. Gently toss with drizzled olive oil and vinegar to taste. 
***May Substitute Herbed Goat Cheese. Watch for this recipe in Letter G.
 

The Pageant of Mankind 

An old friend of mine looked me dead in the eye and said, “You know, kiddo, we can only expect to live a good life to 88 or so; beyond that Life is just uncomfortable, and not really very pleasant to live.”  Walt went on to explain to me how, after all these years, he finally understood the Passion of the Christ (from Palm Sunday through Easter) being a “pageant” for mankind.  


Walt, with tears in his eyes, explained how Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, portrayed our role in this world.  Jesus was held accountable for ALL sin, the laws of the land, enduring pain and hardship, physical challenges, and more.  Even when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, the disciples couldn’t remain awake for one hour to share his fears because it wasn’t happening to them. That’s the human side of us. We tend to stand outside looking in. Hanging on the cross, Jesus is still a man… (“My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?”) with two others guilty of their crimes, one on each side—which represents Mankind again.  One robber epitomizes the people of this world, and the other embodies the people of God.  When the robber confesses his sins, he knows he is undeserving of eternal life, and yet believes that Jesus Christ truly is the Son of God.  At that moment he is forgiven and Jesus assures him, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”  That’s all Jesus asks of us:  Believe in Him, that He is the Son of God, and you will be saved. It’s right there in the Bible for us to see.  John 3:16 reads “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.”

I always enjoyed talking with Walt.  He was an inspirational man who directed questions that were thought-provoking; ones that got to the heart of existence.  I cried a lot of tears the day he died. And then I shed a mountain of tears for the sacrifices Jesus made for us, because I finally understood the message that day. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter B

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen?  Beef au Jus!

Talk about a no-brainer.  This is a great meal when you have no time.  I pop a frozen beef roast into my Le Creuset covered roaster first thing in the morning and let it slow cook all day long.  By the time I return, the mouth-watering aroma greets me at the door.  Then all I have to do is add peeled potatoes, baby carrots, and some red wine.  A nice French Bordeaux adds richness and balance.  Go ahead and pour a glass for yourself and relax!  An hour later, dinner is served. Bon Appétit!
BEEF AU JUS
Ingredients:
3 lb. Beef Roast
1 can Beef Consommé 
Herbs de Provence
4 Idaho Potatoes 
1 lb. bag of Baby Carrots
1/2 lb. fresh Mushrooms 
1 cup Dry Red Wine
Directions:
Put frozen beef roast, herbs de Provence seasoning, and one can of beef consommé into a covered roaster. Set oven to 285 °.  Let it slow cook for 6-8 hours.  The meat will be juicy and fork-tender.  Add peeled and cut-up potatoes, baby carrots, and sliced mushrooms. Pour one cup of dry red wine over all. Cover.  Bake for one hour, or until tender.   Serve with crusty bread and dip into the “au jus”.  It’s so delicious, you’ll be tempted to drink it!
***Option:  The potatoes may be mashed with butter and milk.  Leave a few lumps for texture.  Top with “au jus”.

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter A

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen?  Apricot-Orange Crumble Bars!  Who doesn’t love this saucy little fruit?  Apricots add an exotic touch of class to everything from appetizers to dessert. Try a dollop of jam on a round of baked Camembert cheese sometime.  It is decadent!  My recipe today serves as a breakfast food, an afternoon snack, or a delicate dessert option.  

APRICOT-ORANGE CRUMBLE BARS

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup butter
1cup sugar
Directions:
Cream together sugar and butter. Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together. Add dry ingredients together. Spread 3/4 of batter into a 9×13 greased dish.  Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.  Spread 12 ounce dollops of Bonne Maman Apricot Preserves* on top.  Slice dried apricot pieces over jam mixture.  Fill in with a tablespoon or two of Bonne Maman Orange Marmalade*.  Crumble remaining batter on top.  Sprinkle with 1/4 cup brown sugar.  Bake 350* for 30-35 minutes.  Cool slightly and cut into 24 squares. 
* Bonne Maman is a product of France. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet 

What’s cooking in Gail’s Kitchen?  Stay tuned and you’re about to find out.  It’s as simple as A-B-C.  One of my passions is being at home in my own country kitchen.   I love to cook, and my husband loves that I do it often.  Now more than ever, since I am retired, I relish the thought of creating something delicious from scratch.  I adore time-honored traditions using tried-and-true recipes. Yet, I often never think twice about tweaking old favorites or modifying others to suit the inner craving of the moment.  Most of the recipes serve 2-4 people, but can be altered in any direction.  The leftovers are golden morsels to be eaten again later or shared with others.  And I love to share.  To me, seeing a smile in gratitude is thanks enough. The recipes you will find here in the next several weeks can be prepared very easily.  Feel free to contact me with questions.  Now take a deep breath, inhale the aromas, and join me on a tasteful journey entitled, “EATING MY WAY THROUGH THE ALPHABET”.

In the Eye of the Beholder 

Collecting art is like buying shoes. One purchase and you become addicted. It often happens by accident. Picture this….You are strolling along on a leisurely afternoon not necessarily looking for another purchase and then suddenly it hits you.  A captivating distraction.  You find yourself overcome with desire knowing if you walk away, it may become a lost opportunity. 


I wandered into a small gallery one blustery day and was greeted by the purring of the cat in residence.  “She can tell you’re a cat-lover”, remarked the owner from behind the counter.  “Oh, yes indeed”, I responded, “and I appreciate the warm welcome.”  As I turned my attention about the room, I was drawn to a wall of vibrant tiles.  Each one embodied a unique story of life.  Upon closer scrutiny, words were inscribed around the edges of each piece further encapsulating the imagery.  “These are Spiritiles*”, a voice behind me explained, “created by Houston Llew.”  I was mesmerized and intrigued.  The proprietor handed me a brochure which explained the mysterious artistic technique.  “Every Spiritile* is handcrafted in Atlanta, USA from American made copper, glass and wood. Finely ground colored glass is hand painted on copper, then fired by kiln at 1500 degrees. It’s like drawing with sand then toasting it on a very hot fire.”  I began to see my life mirrored through the blocks before me.  A French perfume bottle embraced by a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson.  A double heart repeating the words of e.e. cummings.  A three-layer cake deliciously inscribed with a Yiddish Blessing.  And that was just the beginning. I fell in love with Joyride, a French bicycle.  Coco Chanel’s Timeless expression of beauty was a “must have”.  Beach Walk reminded me of glorious vacations.  The list goes on and on.  I left the gallery that day with one treasured piece, already imagining where it was to be hung in my home.  Two years later, thanks to my impassioned husband, our collection has grown to a dozen pieces including a few priceless gems personally autographed by the artist.  I suspect the future holds more surprises in store.  And just like another pair of shoes, there’s always room for one more. 

How Late is Too Late?

When I was a teenager, I remember thinking that I was not going to be as strict with my own children as my parents were with me. Being the second of five children, but the older daughter, my parents felt that I needed more protection from Life’s diversions than my brothers did. For example, I was not allowed to date until I was sixteen years old. At that time I could only go out on a date on Saturday night as long as I was home by ten o’clock. It didn’t seem to matter whom I was with or where I went; the rules never changed. These draconian restraints made me angry because my brothers, on the other hand, were allowed to stay out late all week long. Sometimes they would smell of stale cigarette smoke and stagger slightly from consuming too many beers and other alcoholic beverages; yet, they were repeatedly entrusted with the keys to the family car. 


Many years later, after I married and had my first child, it seemed every stage of my baby’s development gave me reason to worry or be concerned. When she began to walk, she was forever bumping into furniture, especially table corners and chair arms. Learning to “child-proof” a home became a challenge for me. When I decided it was time to take away her bottle, at the age of eighteen months, she gave up her two-hour afternoon nap. That made me exhausted by the end of the day, so I retaliated by moving up her bedtime by one hour. Although it was a compromise, it seemed to work out quite well for both of us.  I have no desire to relive the potty-training stage. According to the child development books, the magic age is when the toddler is between twenty-four and twenty-eight months. Anything sooner seems to frustrate parents and merely becomes “parental potty training”.  I agree wholeheartedly with this declaration. After several unsuccessful attempts, my daughter woke up one morning and put the disposable diapers away for good. She decided she was ready to outgrow them at exactly twenty-eight months.   When I was in the process of house-training a three month old poodle puppy, curiosity prompted me to know the answer to the following question:  If a puppy can go all night without having an “accident”, why is it he cannot do the same during the day?

Turning back to the subject of curfews, my daughter is now thirteen years old and is allowed to group-date with her girlfriends. Together they go to basketball games, pizza parlors, movie theaters, and dances. When she is ready to begin serious dating, I hope we’ll come to a mutual understanding where trust and responsibility will prevail. If this concept is unacceptable, then she’ll just have to be home by ten o’clock on a Saturday night.