Food

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”.

Zenergy Avocado-Blue Smoothie

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Symphony of Flavors: Zenergy Avocado-Blue Smoothie! This recipe will turn you “green with envy”, so to speak. Because the ripe avocado tends to be smooth and creamy, it needs added flavor for pizzazz. Hence, bananas and blueberries enter the picture. I typically have frozen banana slices in the freezer, measured by the “one-banana-per-freezer-bag” method. It not only chills the smoothie, but it actually keeps it cold until you’ve finished drinking it. The touch of sweetness comes from the agave nectar. Before you turn up your nose and head the other way, give it a chance. You may find yourself receiving a pat on the back for such a healthy morning choice. 

ZENERGY AVOCADO-BLUE SMOOTHIE

Ingredients:

1 ripe avocado, pit and skin removed

1 medium banana, cut into slices

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 cup broccoli micro-greens

1/4 cup blueberries

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 tablespoon agave nectar

Fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Instructions:

Slice the avocados in half. Put the flesh into a blender. Add banana slices, lemon juice, broccoli micro-greens, blueberries, milk, vanilla extract, and agave nectar. Pulse in blender until smooth. Pour smoothie into two glasses. Top with fresh blueberries; garnish with mint leaves. Serve immediately. 

Yukon Oven Potatoes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Symphony of Flavors: Yukon Oven Potatoes! My husband is intrigued by the “40 Year Guy” on TikTok who posts life hacks that are so simple, they’re often stupid. He can be seen all over social media coming up with innovative ways to do ordinary things…….like making crispy baked potatoes in the oven. And I don’t mean on the “Air Fryer” setting. When my husband forwarded a recipe, I just knew I had to show him that I can do it, too. The verdict, you wonder? Taste and See. 

YUKON OVEN POTATOES 

Ingredients:

3 Yukon potatoes, skin on; cut in half lengthwise 

1/4 cup butter 

Sea salt, to taste

Bacon crumbles, for garnish 

Chives, for garnish 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Using a baking sheet, divide the butter into small pats, allowing 2 pats per potato half. Arrange each potato, cut side down, over two pats of butter. The skin side is facing up. Spray the skin with nonstick oil and sprinkle sea salt on top. Repeat with remaining potatoes. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until cooked through. If necessary, broil on High for 2 minutes for a golden skin color. Allow to rest 5 minutes before transferring to a platter. Garnish with fresh chives and bacon crumbles. 

Xingzi Apricot Crescents

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Symphony of Flavors: Xingzi Apricot Crescents! Need a quick dessert, after school treat, or late night snack? Think crescent rolls. Their light and buttery crust is so bakery-like sweet and flaky you’ll think you deserve accolades from everyone at first bite. Any fruit jam or preserves can be used. I like the chunkier ones simply because it resembles the texture of a pie filling. Obviously you can add canned fruit to really crank things up a level or two. That is the beauty of home cooking. Tweak as much as you like. You can always “eat” the mistakes and start over. Caution: overstuffing the crescent rolls may lead to the preserves spilling out onto the parchment paper as it bakes. 

XINGZI APRICOT CRESCENTS

Ingredients:

I tube crescent rolls

1/3-1/2 cup apricot preserves 

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. Separate the dough into 8 triangles. Place a dollop of apricot preserves in the wide end of each triangle. Roll up, starting at the wide end and roll to the opposite narrow end. Slightly curve the ends into a half moon with your fingers. Place each crescent roll on the prepared baking sheet. Bake 12-14 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly. Serve warm. 

Winter Apple Salad

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Symphony of Flavors: Winter Apple Salad! You may already be aware that apples are a wonderful fruit to eat in the winter months. They can easily be stored in the refrigerator, as long as the apples are not overly ripe to begin with. If they are, they’ll only become more soft and mushy, which is a bad thing. Apples have been getting good health reviews for years. Think about it: They help keep you full thereby being popular for weight management. They can also improve brain health and protect the body from certain diseases. Plus, apples are pretty easy to digest. All good stuff, so enjoy an apple a day! 

WINTER APPLE SALAD

Ingredients for the Salad:

6 ounces mixed baby greens 

1/2 cup candied pecans

1/2 cup dried cranberries

2.5 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

1 gala apple, skin on, seeds removed, apple diced into chunks 

Ingredients for the Dressing:

4 tablespoons champagne vinegar 

4 tablespoons olive oil 

2 tablespoons acacia honey

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

On a platter, arrange mixed baby greens. Place the sugared pecans and dried cranberries throughout the greens. Divide the crumbled bleu cheese accordingly. Lastly, top everything off with the diced apple chunks. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the champagne vinegar, olive oil, acacia honey, sea salt, and black pepper. Mix well to blend. Drizzle over salad or serve on the side. Enjoy!

Vegan White Bean Soup

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Symphony of Flavors: Vegan White Bean Soup! Here’s a quick and easy meal that will warm up the kitchen with distinctive aromas tantalizing your senses. Thank goodness it only takes a few minutes to pull everything together so you won’t have to hear the inevitable question, “When will dinner be ready? I’m hungry.” Since it’s prepared on the stovetop, you can prepare it year round. The chunky vegetables make it hearty and filling for even your fussiest critic. The crunchiness of the savory croutons is slightly salty and definitely delicious. The verdict….…a bowlful of Yum! 

VEGAN WHITE BEAN SOUP

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil 

1/2 yellow onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 carrots, diced

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 cups vegetable broth

1 Yukon potato, finely diced

15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained

Cracked black pepper, to taste 

Toasted croutons, for garnish

Instructions:

Warm the olive oil in a 4 quart pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the diced yellow onion, diced celery, diced carrots, and kosher salt. Cook until the vegetables are softened and just beginning to turn brown, about 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook 1-2 minutes longer until fragrant. Pour in a splash of vegetable broth to deglaze the pan, as needed. Stir the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the remaining broth, diced potatoes, and cannellini beans. Stir well. Bring the soup to a boil. Then reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer the soup for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. When the soup is done, ladle into bowls. Add cracked black pepper, to taste. Serve with toasted croutons. 

Unforgettable Pan Sauce

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Symphony of Flavors: Unforgettable Pan Sauce! You know the stuff that sticks to the bottom of the pan whenever you sear meats? Never (repeat after me), NEVER scrape it out and throw it away. This stuff, in culinary terms, is called “fond”. It’s loaded with luscious flavor. When adding butter, herbs, and liquid, the bottom of the pan gets deglazed so all those bits and pieces give the sauce a taste so wonderful you may be tempted to slurp it through a straw. Elevate your next meal. 

UNFORGETTABLE PAN SAUCE

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter, room temperature 

1 garlic clove, minced

1/8 teaspoon marjoram 

1/8 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1 rosemary sprig

1-2 teaspoons flour

1/4 cup wine

1/2 cup vegetable stock

Instructions:

After removing the seared meat from the frying pan, do not discard the browned bits that remain at the bottom of the pan. Turn the heat setting to low. Add the butter, minced garlic, marjoram, paprika, sea salt, white pepper, and rosemary sprig. Cook the herbs and spices in the pan for 30 seconds to a minute. Gently add the flour to the pan, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes. Deglaze the pan by adding the white wine. Allow the alcohol to evaporate, for about 15 seconds. Gradually add the vegetable stock to the pan. Simmer the sauce until it reduces and thickens slightly. Once you have the flavor and texture you like, remove the rosemary sprig; discard. Serve the sauce drizzled over meat or vegetables. 

Tangy Ranch Dressing

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Symphony of Flavors: Tangy Ranch Dressing! Who likes ranch dressing? I do, I do! My love of this stuff has broadened my horizons in all sorts of ways. Did you know ranch dressing can be used for more than a salad topping? Honestly, I have used it in place of pizza sauce when I make a “white pizza”. I’ve also used it on Mexican food when I want to drizzle the specialty dish for presentation, instead a dollop of sour cream. I’ve made appetizer dips by combining ranch dressing with cream cheese and shredded cheeses. I’ve also used it as a dip for french fries and tator tots. It makes a nice condiment for sandwich wraps and subs, too. You can see where this is going. Better make a double portion. It’ll be gone before you can blink an eye. 

TANGY RANCH DRESSING

Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise 

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup buttermilk 

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup fresh dill, stems removed

1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, stems removed 

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/4 teaspoon onion powder 

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Instructions:

Using a food processor, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, minced garlic, fresh dill, and Italian parsley. Pulse for one minute. Remove the lid and add lemon juice and zest, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and cracked black pepper. Process just until combined. Transfer to a jar; cover; refrigerate one hour before serving. 

Sheet Pan Pork Taquitos

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Symphony of Flavors: Sheet Pan Pork Taquitos! To season or not to season. Everyone has a basic slow cooker recipe for preparing roast pork. I like to keep mine fairly simple so, when finished, I have several options for the recipes I have in mind later on. If you’re thinking these taquitos sound too bland for your palate, simply add spices like chili powder, garlic, cumin, onion, and kosher salt during the cooking process. (Some of my friends use a prepackaged taco seasoning mix, for convenience.) You’re the chef, so you’re in charge. Make sense? Then carry on. 

SHEET PAN PORK TAQUITOS

Ingredients: 

12 corn tortillas 

3 cups pulled pork, precooked 

1 cup Mexican blend cheeses,  finely shredded

3-4 tablespoons butter, melted

Ranch dressing, for drizzling

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a sheet pan with nonstick oil. Set aside. In a bowl, combine pulled pork and Mexican blend cheeses. Mix well. Warm corn tortilla shells in the microwave until malleable. Place one tortilla down on a flat surface. Fill it with pork and cheese mixture just below the center of the tortilla. Roll up the tortilla tightly and transfer it, seam side down, to the sheet pan. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Using a silicone brush, lightly oil the tops of the tortillas with melted butter. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until tortillas are crispy. Drizzle with ranch dressing. Serve with shredded lettuce, red onion, salsa, cilantro, and lime.