Food

Waste Not, Want Not

If you needed a reason to stay home, despite the current climate, turn social distancing to your favor. After all, your place is a Safe Haven. Now may be the time to expand your creativity in the kitchen by being budget-friendly, challenging your cooking skills, and focus your energy on healthy alternatives. Take a look in the pantry, the refrigerator, and the freezer. People buy food they like in the first place. Right? Have fun when pulling meals together. Pretend you’re a celebrity chef and make cooking a choice of entertainment. Display some of your placemats, napkins, and dishes to keep it fun and interesting. Some of my posts have been favored by the “Food Network” on Twitter (Snapshotsincursive @DornaGail) as well as Ina Garten’s The Barefoot Contessa, on Instagram (gail _dorna). You can even find me on Pinterest at Gail Dorna. I’d love to connect with you there as well. I also met Chef Michelle Tribble of Hell’s Kitchen reality cooking show. Fun times. Experience different flavors and textures one bite at a time. Catch a glimpse of “Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Waste Not, Want Not!” This remarkable journey of the palate is unique because it gives me a few moments with you. Thanks very much to all of my guests and followers on http://snapshotsincursive.com for the uplifting support, award nominations, and moving words of encouragement. As of this writing, WordPress has acknowledged that I’m on a 1853-day streak. Let’s keep it going!

Zakarian Chocolate Pudding

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Zakarian Chocolate Pudding! Sometimes you look to a celebrity chef for inspiration. Today’s feature recipe is brought to you by “Iron Chef”, Geoffrey Zakarian. Although it is filed under Dark Chocolate Pudding, its decadent taste and smooth consistency remind me more of a French Silk Pie. Do I have your undivided attention? Can you hear me now? This is most definitely a chocolate-lovers dream! By serving it in shot glasses, you control the portion and everyone gets a taste. Mr. Zakarian serves it with whipped sour cream. I modified it a bit by adding crushed pistachios and a slice of strawberry.

ZAKARIAN CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Ingredients:

6 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup light cream

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pinch sea salt

4 large egg yolks

Whipped sour cream, optional

Strawberries for garnish

Pistachios for garnish

Instructions:

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over low heat. In a medium saucepan, bring the heavy cream and light cream to a bare simmer. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, vanilla extract, sea salt, and egg yolks. Slowly pour the milk mixture into the egg mixture to temper it, whisking all the while. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 4 minutes. Pour in the melted chocolate and whisk until smooth. Pour into glasses or custard cups. Refrigerate until chief and set, about 3 hours. Serve with whipped sour cream, if desired. Garnish with fresh strawberry slice and chopped pistachios.

Yogurt Tropical Breeze

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Yogurt Tropical Breeze! Breakfast never tasted so good. Elevate an ordinary yogurt serving to something extraordinary by switching to tropical fruits like juicy ripe pineapple and buttery sweet papaya. Instead of granola, sprinkle on toasted coconut for a refreshing taste that will transport you like a summer breeze on a tropical island.

YOGURT TROPICAL BREEZE

Ingredients:

16 ounces Greek yogurt

15.25 ounce can tropical mixed fruit; pineapple, red and yellow papaya*

1 small seedless orange, separated into segments

3 strawberries, sliced

2-3 tablespoons toasted coconut

Fresh mint for garnish

Instructions:

Drain fruit, save reserve juice for later. Divide Greek yogurt into serving dishes. Add topical fruit, orange segments, and strawberry slices. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Garnish with sprig of fresh mint.

*Kroger brand Tropical Mixed Fruit in fruit nectar, 15.25 oz can. I receive no recompense for recommending this product.

X-treme Fudge Bouchons

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: X-Treme Fudge Bouchons! These chocolate fudge brownies are the perfect bite-size dessert at the end of a meal. Because they are baked in a popover pan, their shape resembles a cork, or French bouchon. The dense chocolatey cake is filled with rich dark chocolate morsels and dusted with powdered sugar making it an appealing dessert, no matter the occasion. Picnic season is upon us. Treat yourself to a taste of France.

X-TREME FUDGE BOUCHONS

Ingredients:

3/4 cup flour

1 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar plus 3 tablespoons

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

12 ounces butter, unsalted and melted

6 ounces semisweet mini chocolate morsels

Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter and flour popover pan. Set aside. Sift together flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and kosher salt. Set aside. Using a stand mixer, combine eggs and sugar on medium speed for 5 minutes. It will appear thick and very pale in color. Add the vanilla extract. Reduce to low speed alternating 1/3 of dry ingredients, then 1/3 of warm butter until all is blended. Add semisweet chocolate morsels. Place popover pan on a baking sheet and fill each mold two-thirds full. Place in the oven. Bake for 25-28 minutes until tops look shiny and a cake tester comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack for 3 minutes. Invert mold and allow bouchons to cool upside down. Lift off popover pan. When cool, dust with powdered sugar.

Wonton Cheese Bites

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Wonton Cheese Bites! Whenever I visit a Chinese Buffet, I practically make a pig of myself nibbling on those wonderful cream cheese-filled wontons. So, I picked up a package of wonton wrappers at the grocery store and decided it was time to make a batch at home. It’s so easy, my grandkids could do it, supervised of course. The results were delicious!

WONTON CHEESE BITES

Ingredients:

8 ounces Neufchâtel cheese

2 green onions, chopped

1 tablespoon sriracha hot sauce

1 egg

1/2 cup water

24 wonton wrappers

Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions:

Combine softened Neufchâtel cheese, sriracha hot sauce, and green onion pieces. Mix well. Set aside. In another bowl combine the egg and water. Mix well. Set aside. One at a time, assemble the wontons. Scoop 1 teaspoon of cream cheese mixture near one corner of a wonton wrapper. Line the edges with egg wash by dipping your finger into it and “painting” the egg wash around the wrapper. Fold the wrapper on a diagonal and gently finger press the seams together. If necessary, dip your finger back in the egg wash to moisten the wrapper so it seals completely, eliminating any air pockets. (This could cause it to burst.) Bring the 2 opposite points of the triangle together to form a bishop’s hat. Apply more egg wash onto a tip, and press to seal. Curl back the top point to resemble a peaked cap. Keep the filled wontons under plastic wrap on a baking sheet to avoid drying out before frying. Heat oil for frying to 350°. Carefully fry a few wontons at a time, until golden brown and crispy. Serve with a sauce for dipping.

Vietnamese Dipping Sauce

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Vietnamese Dipping Sauce! Like any good dish, the sauce can make or break it. Some like it sweet and mild, others prefer hot and tangy. As you pull everything together, don’t be shy about taking a taste test. If you prefer less sweetness, adjust accordingly. Do the same to crank up the heat a notch or two. I took the advice from a friend of mine who puts this sauce on everything from spring rolls to noodles to salads to fish. It’s amazing!

VIETNAMESE DIPPING SAUCE

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1 cup rice vinegar

1 cup fish sauce

2 cups sugar

10 red chili peppers, chopped fine

1 clove garlic, crushed

Instructions:

Combine water, rice vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, chili peppers, and garlic in a pan over medium-high heat. Stir to dissolve sugar. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Unbelievable Bacon Jam

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Unbelievable Bacon Jam! Your morning just got better. Everyone loves bacon, right? And coffee is often casually referred to as a “cuppa joe”. Know what you get when you mix the two together, along with a few other items from the food pantry? You guessed it: Bacon Jam that can be slathered on buttered toast or added later to a Charcuterie Board. Tested on guests at Gail’s Kitchen, this recipe is spot on. Give it a try and see for yourself. You can thank me later.

UNBELIEVABLE BACON JAM

Ingredients:

9 slices Applewood Smoked Bacon, sliced thick

4 tablespoons bacon drippings

1 large red onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

3/4 cup brewed coffee

1/4 cup pickled jalapeños, diced

1 teaspoon smoked sea salt

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Instructions:

Cook the bacon until brown and slightly crispy. It should be chewy. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces. In a medium skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons bacon drippings. Add diced red onion. Turn to coat. Sprinkle with garlic powder. Sauté until onions are cooked, stirring frequently. Set aside. In a medium sauce pan, combine apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup, remaining bacon grease, brewed coffee, pickled jalapeños, smoked sea salt, Dijon mustard, and bacon pieces. Add cooked onions. Stir well. Bring the bacon jam to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 45 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the jam is thick. The bacon jam should appear chunky. Refrigerate in an airtight container.

Tequila Tacos

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Tequila Tacos! Do you follow any of the chef’s on the Food Network? It seems they are always thinking outside the box when it comes to expanding our palates. Take Guy Fieri and his famous hamburgers. Anyone who has had the opportunity to visit Guy’s Burger Joint can see how he very casually broke the mold when it comes to men in the kitchen. Anything Goes! Today’s “nod” of adding silver tequila to ordinary tacos definitely gets the party started!

TEQUILA TACOS

1 pound lean ground beef

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/3 cup tequila, silver

8 flour tortillas

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 romaine lettuce heart, torn

1 tomato, chopped

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup salsa

1 cup Greek yogurt

1/4 cup black olives, sliced

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium skillet, brown ground beef until cooked and crumbled. Drain. Stir in garlic powder, cumin powder, sea salt, black pepper, and tequila. Reduce heat to simmer on low until liquid is absorbed. Stir occasionally. Set aside. Brush one side of tortillas with melted butter. Spoon about 1/4 cup crumbled meat mixture onto center of unbuttered side. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Fold in half; place on a baking sheet. Repeat until all tortillas are filled and meat is evenly divided between them. Bake in oven 10-15 minutes or until tortilla shells are crisp. Remove from oven and serve with lettuce, tomato, green onions, and cilantro. Spoon salsa over top; add a dollop of Greek yogurt. Garnish with black olive slices.

Spiced Pear Blueberry Cobbler

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Spiced Pear Blueberry Cobbler! For a truly gourmet experience, this dessert is spot on. You may notice a very distinct flavor, but can’t quite put your finger on it. Not only is it different, it’s alluring and extraordinary. I’m here to tell you, the secret ingredient is cardamom. Not only is it a key ingredient in the spiced pear combination, but if you scroll down to the bottom, you’ll find it’s the grande finale and the perfect compliment for this exotic cobbler. Cardamom sprinkled on ice cream that has been drizzled with honey is practically like eating two desserts…in one. Bonus points!

SPICED PEAR BLUEBERRY COBBLER

Ingredients for Filling:

1 cup blueberries

1 tablespoon cornstarch

3 pears, peeled, cored, and chopped

1/4 cup orange marmalade

1 tablespoon agave nectar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/8 teaspoon cardamom

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions:

In a shallow bowl, place blueberries. Sprinkle with corn starch. Turn to coat. Set aside. In a medium bowl, toss pears with orange marmalade, agave nectar, and lemon juice. Add ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon. Gently fold in blueberries.

Ingredients for Batter:

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup butter

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cups almonds, sliced

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9″x13″ pan with nonstick oil. Set aside. Cream together sugar and butter. Mix flour, sea salt, and baking soda together. Add dry ingredients. Batter will be crumbly. Spread 3/4 batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Layer fruit filling, spreading to edges. Crumble remaining batter on top. Sprinkle with brown sugar and sliced almonds. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Serve warm, a la mode with vanilla bean ice cream drizzled with natural honey and sprinkled with cardamom.