Food

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter R

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food for Sharing: Rich Ricotta Cannoli! For those of you like me, who can’t run down to the Italian bakery, try this recipe on for size. It’s perfect for the holidays and won’t leave you wringing your hands for something gourmet. By splurging on store bought cannoli shells, you can focus on the delectable filling instead. The results are astounding! Applause, applause! 
RICH RICOTTA CANNOLI 
Ingredients:

15 ounces ricotta cheese, whole milk

1/4 teaspoon almond extract 

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

12 miniature cannoli shells, ready-to-fill

Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions:

In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer on low speed, whisk the ricotta cheese and almond extract until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and nutmeg. Mix well. Refrigerate for one hour. To fill the cannoli shells, pipe the ricotta mixture into both ends of the shell, allowing the cream to fill the center. Garnish with mini chocolate chips. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve immediately. Prepared cannoli may be stored in the refrigerator in a covered container up to three days. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter Q

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food for Sharing: Quatre Fromage Garlic Breadsticks! For all the bread-lovers out there, be aware. What may begin as a simple after-school snack can quickly escalate into an early supper. The aroma of freshly baked bread spreads into a room like magic. Turn things to your advantage. Pair these ooey gooey cheesy breadsticks with a garden salad or plate of fresh veggies. The end result is a contagious good mood, a full stomach, and the rest of the evening to pamper yourself. How’s that for a recipe that is spot on?
QUATRE FROMAGE GARLIC BREADSTICKS 
Ingredients:

1 tube prepared pizza dough

1-2 tablespoons corn meal

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/3 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded

1/3 cup Harvarti cheese, shredded

1/3 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/3 cup Parmesan Reggiano cheese, shredded

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 teaspoon dill weed
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick oil. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Unroll pizza dough. Place over cornmeal on baking sheet. Brush top side with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder. Bake 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Layer four cheeses evenly over dough. Take a pizza cutter and slice the dough lengthwise into 10-12 strips. Then cut those in half. Do not separate. Bake 10-13 minutes until crust is golden brown and cheeses are gooey. Remove from oven. Recut each strip all the way through. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with dill weed. Serve warm with marinara sauce, garlic butter, or ranch dressing. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter P

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food for Sharing: Pear Camembert Flatbread! It’s seldom I get the cart before the horse, but I had to share this phenomenal flatbread with you, simply because I couldn’t wait any longer. Let’s refer to today’s recipe as a Prequel, shall we? Perhaps it will whet your appetite in anticipation of what lies ahead. As promised, the Tomato Jam recipe will be featured in the upcoming post entitled, Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter T. Some things are simply worth the wait. 
PEAR CAMEMBERT FLATBREAD 
Ingredients:

1 tablespoon corn meal

1 prepared-dough naan round

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup tomato jam*

1 pear, peeled, stem and seeds removed, thinly sliced

2 ounces Camembert cheese, diced

1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Sprinkle corn meal onto a baking sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick oil. Brush both sides of naan with olive oil. Place on top of corn meal. Bake 5 minutes; set aside. Spread tomato jam evenly over naan, leaving a crust edge. Arrange pear slices over crust. Scatter Camembert and mozzarella cheeses over top. Bake 10 minutes until pears are soft, cheese is bubbly, and crust is golden. Remove from oven. Cool slightly; then cut into wedges. 
*Tomato Jam recipe is featured at the following link. 

http://Snapshotsincursive.com/2016/11/21

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter O

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food for Sharing: Outrageous Oatmeal Fudgies! Who doesn’t love No-Bake cookies? Forget about spending hours in the kitchen. This kid-friendly favorite can be ready in a flash. The toughest part is deciding if you want to top them off with a piece of candy corn, a walnut half, a maraschino cherry, or leave them plain. Either way, they won’t hang around long because…..(repeat after me)…Everyone loves peanut butter and chocolate!
OUTRAGEOUS OATMEAL FUDGIES 
Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk

3 tablespoons cocoa powder 

Dash sea salt

1/2 cup natural peanut butter, crunchy

2 cups whole grain oats

1 teaspoon vanilla

Candy corn
Instructions:

Combine butter, sugar, milk, cocoa powder, and dash of salt in a 4-quart pan. Bring to boil over medium-high temperature. Stirring occasionally, boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Quickly add crunchy peanut butter, whole grain oats, and vanilla. Mix well. Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Top with one piece of candy corn. Let stand until cool. Store in a covered container. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter N

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food for Sharing: Narrow Noodle Harvest Soup! Comfort food. We nurture our bodies as well as our minds with childhood favorites that are food for the soul. Take advantage of the abundant supply of fresh vegetables right now for a health-conscious main course meal. I chose peas, carrots, and green beans to compliment the grilled chicken breast and Amish-made narrow noodles. When it’s all said and done, there’s “no place like home.”
NARROW NOODLE HARVEST SOUP
Ingredients:

2 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons onion, chopped 

1 stalk celery, chopped 

1/2 cup mixed vegetables 

1/2 cup chicken, precooked and chopped

1/4 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Herb and Garlic seasoning 

2 bay leaves

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 teaspoon parsley flakes

1/4 cup narrow home style noodles

2-3 sprigs fresh cilantro
Instructions:

In a heavy pan, combine onion, celery, mixed vegetables, chopped chicken, herb and Garlic seasoning, bay leaves, and white pepper. Bring to a boil. Add narrow noodles and cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add parsley flakes. Reduce heat to simmer. Cook 35 minutes longer until vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaves before serving. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter M

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food for Sharing: Mole Sesame Chicken! One of my longtime friends introduced me to this dish after spending some time in the Dominican Republic. The unique mole sauce contains chili pepper, aromatic spices, and dark Mexican chocolate making it a savory sauce over turkey or chicken. It creates a fabulous meal when you have leftover meat. Simply add plain or Spanish rice along with soft flour tortillas for the perfect pairings. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds for a nutty finish. 
MOLE SESAME CHICKEN
Ingredients:

8.25 ounce jar Doña Maria Mole*

28 ounces chicken broth 

1-2 pound rotisserie chicken

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Shred rotisserie chicken, removing skin and bones. Transfer chicken to a large bowl. Empty contents of mole paste into a blender. Add half the chicken broth. Blend until smooth. Add remaining broth. Repeat. Pour mole sauce over chicken. Stir to incorporate. Transfer to a covered casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Sauce will thicken. Serve with sticky rice or Spanish rice. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds. 
*I receive no recompense for recommending Doña Maria Mole, Mexican Condiment. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter L

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food for Sharing: Leeks and Wild Mushroom Stuffing! With the holiday season on the horizon, here’s a tasty side dish that is sure to please. If you have the time, I suggest substituting homemade breadcrumbs (which is about one loaf of day-old bread) for the stuffing mix. I split the difference and added homemade croutons on top of the casserole. 
LEEKS AND WILD MUSHROOM STUFFING 
Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

5 ounces shiitake wild 

mushrooms, sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 large leeks, sliced

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup butter

1 teaspoon parsley flakes

6 ounce box chicken stuffing 
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a covered casserole dish. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the wild mushrooms and sauté until browned, approximately 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; set aside. Using the same pan, add one tablespoon olive oil. Sauté leeks and celery until translucent, approximately 7-8 minutes. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, heat chicken broth, butter, and parsley flakes. Bring to a boil. Stir in contents of stuffing mix. Remove from heat; cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Fold in wild mushrooms, leeks, and celery. Stir until well combined. Transfer stuffing mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Bake covered for 20 minutes; remove lid and bake 20 minutes longer. Serve warm. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter K

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food for Sharing: Kulfi with Pistachios and Lavender Buds! Kulfi is a type of homemade ice cream popular in Southeast Asia and India. This “instant” version can be made in your very own kitchen without the cost or hassle of an ice cream maker. Flavored with pistachio nuts and a hint of lavender make it a delectable frozen dessert worth crowing about. 
KULFI WITH PISTACHIOS AND LAVENDER BUDS
Ingredients:

10 ounces evaporated milk

1 cup heavy cream

14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

2 teaspoons cardamom 

1/2 cup pistachios, chopped

1 teaspoon lavender buds, crushed

1 teaspoon lavender extract
Instructions:

Combine evaporated milk, heavy cream, and sweetened condensed milk. Blend until smooth. Add cardamom, pistachios, lavender buds, and lavender extract. Stir. Pour into bouchon molds, fluted pan, or popsicle molds. Freeze overnight. Before serving, dip the molds in warm water. Invert kulfi onto a dessert plate. Garnish with crushed pistachios. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter J

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food for Sharing: Jambon de Bayonne Baguette! If you don’t have time to run by the local artisan bakery, consider this option. By using ingredients you may already have on hand from the local supermarket deli, this homemade version of a Parisian favorite can be done in minutes. It’s basically a ham and cheese sandwich stepped up a notch. 
JAMBON DE BAYONNE BAGUETTE 
Ingredients:

1 baguette, cut in half (serves 2)

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon Herbs de Provence 

1-2 Roma tomatoes, sliced

3 ounces Jambon de Bayonne, or aged prosciutto 

2 romaine lettuce leaves

2 slices espresso/lavender rubbed cheese

8 cornichon gherkins
Instructions:

Slice baguette lengthwise, without cutting all the way through to create a submarine sandwich. Spread a fine layer of Dijon mustard over each baguette half. In a small bowl, combine olive oil and herbs de Provence. Add slices tomatoes to coat, reserving olive oil mixture. Place one layer of tomatoes in each baguette. Next divide prosciutto, romaine lettuce, and gourmet cheese between baguette sandwiches. Top with cornichon gherkins. Drizzle with remaining herbed olive oil. Close and serve. Bon Appétit!