Food

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 tablespoons 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.

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

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup butter

1 cup 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”.

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Himalayan Salt Plate Lox and Bagels

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Himalayan Salt Plate Lox and Bagels! My newest kitchen “toy” is the Himalayan Salt Plate. Not only does it create a stunning presentation, it brings a subtle and unexpected flavor to foods served on it. First, chill it in the refrigerator overnight. It then becomes a serving platter on the table or buffet line. Everything lays directly on the salt plate to absorb the nutrients. I chose Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon, for starters, with all the trimmings for an exquisite banquet. The lox is traditionally smoked and sliced thin. It smells divine when I break the seal. Arrange hard-boiled egg slices for essence and red onion for a blend of slightly sweet gusto. Sprinkle on imported nonpareil capers for seasoning that lingers. Slather toasted bagels with the creamy Neufchâtel cheese mixture before adding ingredients. Top with fresh dill which pulls everything together, in my opinion. Now dig in. 
HIMALAYAN SALT PLATE LOX AND BAGELS
Ingredients:

4 ounces applewood smoked salmon

2 hard boiled eggs, sliced 

1/4 red onion, sliced

2 tablespoons imported capers, nonpareil

2 sesame bagels, split and toasted

4 ounces Neufchâtel cheese

1 tablespoon Greek yogurt

Fresh dill sprigs
Instructions:

Mix the Neufchâtel cheese and Greek yogurt until smooth, light, and creamy. Slather onto a toasted bagel. Top with smoked salmon pieces, hard boiled eggs, red onion slice, and imported capers. Garnish with fresh dill sprig. 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Jell-o Shots With Sugared Cranberries 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Jell-O Shots With Sugared Cranberries! The holidays ring in the cheer with festive activities, enticing food, and snappy beverages. Make things awesome with dressed up Jell-O shots that cap off any occasion. Not only do they have an elegant look, but they satisfy the sweet tooth as a miniature dessert. By creating a garnish of fresh fruit with the sugared cranberries, it’s a classy finish with a gourmet twist! 
JELL-O SHOTS WITH SUGARED CRANBERRIES 
For Make-Ahead Sugared Cranberries:

2 cups sugar, divided

1/2 cup filtered water

12-ounce bag fresh cranberries 

1 cinnamon stick

1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions:

Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup filtered water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved, about 3-5 minutes. Add cranberries. To prevent cranberries from bursting, do not boil. Stir until well coated. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cranberries to a wire rack. Let dry for one hour. Working in batches, roll cranberries in remaining sugar until well coated. Refrigerate for one hour or overnight. Store in airtight container. 
Ingredients for Jell-o Shots:

3-ounce package raspberry gelatin 

1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup amaretto liqueur 

1/2 cup ice water

Sugared cranberries Rosemary sprigs
Instructions:

Empty contents of raspberry gelatin packet into a mixing bowl. Add boiling water. Stir until completely dissolved, approximately 2-3 minutes. Add iced water and amaretto liqueur and iced water. Stir well. Pour into shot glasses. Refrigerate until set, 4 hours or overnight. Garnish with sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs just before serving. 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Green Bean Casserole 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Green Bean Casserole! Can we ever get enough of this all-time favorite side dish? I think not! It seems there are all sorts of variations on this classic holiday casserole. Some of my friends only use French-style green beans while others prefer freshly snapped. And the seasonings are all over the map from Hawaiian sea salt medleys to crushed Midwest garden herbs. I keep it simple because, honestly, once you add the French fried onion rings, everything else takes a back seat. 
GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE 
Ingredients:

2 cans whole green beans, drained and cut-up

1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted 

1/2 cup light cream

1/8 teaspoon Mrs. Dash herb and garlic seasoning

1/8 teaspoon seasoned salt

1 1/2 cups French fried onions
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325°. Spray a medium casserole dish with nonstick spray. Combine green beans, cream of mushroom soup, light cream, herb seasoning, and salt. Mix well. Fold in 1/2 cup of French fried onion pieces. Place in casserole dish. Spread evenly. Arrange remaining French fried onion rings over top around the edges leaving the center open. Bake 30-35 minutes. 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Olive Tapenade 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Olive Tapenade! Here’s a nice prelude to an evening meal. Forego the usual focaccia bread and herbed olive oil for a southern France hors d’oeuvre instead. By using an exotic mixture of olives and spices, it creates a versatile condiment for crackers, bread, cheese, and vegetables. Later on, serve it over pasta or fish as another option. Whatever you choose, seek adventure. You won’t be disappointed in the mellow salty garlic flavor lingering long into the night. 
OLIVE TAPENADE 
Ingredients:

1/2 cup green olives with pimentos 

1/2 cup black olives, pitted 

1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted

2 tablespoons capers

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper 
Instructions:

Combine all ingredients. Pulse in a food processor for several minutes. Scrape sides and repeat. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for one hour. Serve with crusty artisan bread or pita chips. Tastes great spread over cream cheese for party flavor.