Food

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter C

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? All the Buzz: Creamed Honey on Toast! Begin today at the Farmers Market on a quest for liquid gold. This version of natural honey is thicker in consistency, lighter in color, and creamier than ordinary honey varieties. For one, it does not contain the noticeable sugar crystals that can often leave a grainy aftertaste. Trained beekeepers put more effort into this little delicacy but, in my opinion, it is worth the extra time and effort. Pick up a couple jars this summer. Store them at room temperature and they will be good until you scrape the bottom of the jars. 
CREAMED HONEY ON TOAST
Ingredients:

Artisan bread, sliced

Sea salt French butter

Creamed honey

Ground cinnamon 
Instructions:

Choose a nice artisan bread for toasting. Slather on a tablespoon of sea salt French butter and watch it melt. Next, drizzle a generous swirl of creamed honey over the butter layer. Finally, top it off with a sprinkling of cinnamon. 

Dining Outside the Home: Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill in Las Vegas, Nevada

Dining Outside the Home: Mesa Grill in Las Vegas, Nevada Bobby Flay, celebrity chef of the Food Network, is a pretty popular guy in Las Vegas. It might be because he takes grilled meats and fresh vegetables and then pairs them with the spicy seasonings and peppery sass of Mexican food to create his own signature dishes. If you’re looking for ordinary, pass him by. Mesa Grill electrifies the palate! The Goat Cheese “Queso Fundido” is a blistering appetizer of poblano peppers in a creamy dip for blue corn tortilla chips. Get the picture? It may take a few minutes to study the menu, but then again, from time to time everyone needs to take a break from the intoxication of Vegas!

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter B

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? All the Buzz: Blueberry-Almond Coffeecake! The battle begins. Will you choose to eat this incredible coffee cake first thing in the morning for breakfast or the last thing at night for dessert? The brown sugary crumbled topping seems like candy, but the fluffy moist cake filled with blueberries seems more like a last course to the meal. Whatever is one to do??? My choice? I’ll never tell. Enjoy!
BLUEBERRY-ALMOND COFFEECAKE 
Ingredients:

2 cups fresh blueberries 

2 tablespoons corn starch

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened 

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 egg
CRUNCHY TOPPING

Ingredients:

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons butter, softened 

1/4 cup almonds, chopped
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease and flour a 10″ round baking dish. In a bowl, gently toss blueberries and cornstarch to coat. Set aside. Cream together sugar and butter. Add flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon. While mixing gradually add milk, yogurt, almond extract, and egg. Blend well. Gently fold in blueberries. Pour batter into baking dish. To make topping, combine brown sugar and flour. Cut butter into topping until it resembles pea-size crumbs. Spread over cake batter. Sprinkle almonds over all. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Serve warm. 

Dining Outside the Home: Carlo’s Bakery of “Cake Boss” in Las Vegas, Nevada 

Dining Outside the Home: Carlo’s Bakery of “Cake Boss” in Las Vegas, Nevada! It all started when the late night dessert craving hit me. Anyone who’s had an authentic Italian cannoli will appreciate the quest for perfection. Up the stairs at The Venetian across from Buddy V’s, delicious bakery creations are showcased for all to see: abundant fruit tarts, luscious cream-filled cannolis, deep dish cheesecake, elaborate dark chocolate cupcakes topped with ribbons of buttercream icing. It is impossible to choose just one. Forget the diet and indulge yourself. After all, it’s Vegas!

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter A

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? All the Buzz: Asparagus Shrimp Linguine! Whether you scour the ditches and railroad tracks, visit the local Farmers Market, or drop by your favorite grocers, the growing season of asparagus is upon us. Now is the time to take full advantage of its abundance. Look for signs of firm, tight buds for tender morsels. The delicate purplish tips are the best of the stalk. Indulge thy self. Permission granted. 
ASPARAGUS SHRIMP LINGUINE 
Ingredients:

3 ounces lemon pepper linguine

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons lemon olive oil

1/2 pound shrimp, precooked 

8-10 asparagus spears, cut-up

8 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon herb and garlic seasoning 

1/4 teaspoon marjoram 

1/4 teaspoon basil

1 tablespoon nonpareil capers

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shaved
Instructions:

Cook lemon pepper pasta with sea salt according to package directions. Drain. Set aside. In a large saucepan, heat lemon olive oil on medium. Add shrimp, asparagus, and tomatoes. Sprinkle with seasoned salt, red pepper flakes, herb and garlic seasoning, marjoram, and basil. Fry shrimp and vegetables until crisp and tender, 4-5 minutes. Add linguine and cook until heated through. Swirl to toss gently. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese shavings. Garnish with capers. 

Dining Outside the Home: China Poblano at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada

Dining Outside the Home: China Poblano at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada! Who says noodles and tacos don’t mix? Take a voyage where East meets West at the same table. Mixing traditions creates a balance of ancient spice and modern flavor at China Poblano. Fresh corn tortillas are filled with braised meats, house-made sauces, and mellow herbs. Twenty-Vegetable Fried Rice is a culinary adventure that changes with every season. Believe it or not, it works. Whatever you choose, do not go away without ordering the signature Salt Air Margarita. Words simply cannot express its pizzazz. 

Dining Outside the Home: Secret Pizzeria at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada 

Dining Outside the Home: Secret Pizzeria at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada Word of mouth is your best defense. Ask any bartender or waitress around The Strip where to get real Italian pizza and you’ll be told it’s a secret. So secret, the best direction you’ll get is “It’s tucked in a corner at the end of an unmarked corridor inside the Cosmopolitan. Look for long lines.” It’s away from the Food Court, not listed on the directory, and there’s no indication of advertising anywhere. Because the narrow hallway on the third floor is covered in old vinyl album jackets, at first it becomes a mystery of what lies ahead. And then you see it. Hungry customers are filing by holding checkered wax paper nestling piping hot slices of gooey cheese wedges. One guy takes a mouthful, too impatient to wait any longer. Sold by the slice, or the entire pie, this secret place is where you’ll find authentic New York-style pizza. Its crisp crust and generous toppings leave you craving more. 

All the Buzz!

Life can find us as busy as a bee some days, so I invite you to drop by from time to time to find something sweet. Who doesn’t enjoy dining al fresco, picnics in the park, and foods that are healthy? I do. I like fresh ingredients, garden herbs, rich chocolate, and French butter…to name just a few. But I’m in good company. Some of my recent posts have been favored by the “Food Network” on Twitter as well as Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa) on Instagram. Come along with me for “Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: All the Buzz! This remarkable journey of the palate is special 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. What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? It’s as simple as reciting your A-B-Cs. 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: ALL THE BUZZ!”

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter Z

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Junkie Favorites: Zingy Lemon Blueberry Scones! Question: What do you get when you cross a cake and a quick bread? Answer: An English Scone, of course! Now here’s an excuse to eat something lightly sweetened in the middle of the day. Scones are popular with brunch or afternoon tea in some countries. They are made in a single-serving size and come in several variations. By adding fresh fruit and a sprinkling of sanding sugar, the results are astounding. Drizzle a lemony glaze on top to transform this beauty into a dessert as well.
ZINGY LEMON BLUEBERRY SCONES
Ingredients:

3 cups flour

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon granulated lemon citrus peel

1 1/2 cups butter

1 1/2 cups blueberries

1/2 cup chopped almonds

3/4 cup milk

White sanding sugar, for sprinkling
Lemon Glaze Icing Ingredients:

2 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons butter, softened

1 tablespoon granulated lemon citrus peel

1/4 cup lemon juice
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Line a large with sheet with a Silpat nonstick baking mat. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, sea salt, and lemon citrus peel in a large bowl. Add butter and blend until crumbly. Fold in the blueberries and almonds. Stir in the milk. On a lightly floured surface, transfer dough. Form into two 6-inch disks. Cut each disk into 6 wedges. Gently transfer wedges to the prepared sheet; brush with milk; sprinkle lightly with the sanding sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Cool on the pan. Drizzle with lemon glaze. Serve warm.
Lemon Glaze:

Whisk together powdered sugar, butter, lemon citrus peel, and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over warm scones.