Food

Dining Outside the Home: Leroy’s Kitchen and Lounge on Coronado Island San Diego, California 

Dining Outside the Home: Leroy’s Kitchen and Lounge on Coronado Island San Diego, California! There’s no better feeling than being on a island and eating fresh, local, sustainable food. That’s exactly what Leroy’s Kitchen is all about. They partner with local farmers to create specialty dishes from seasonal ingredients for a flavor explosion in every bite. It doesn’t hurt that they’re a block from the ocean and dishes appear served farm-to-table on a salty breeze. Portions were so generous I didn’t dare take a peek at the Dessert Menu. Sounds like a great reason to return. 

Dining Outside the Home: Point Loma Seafoods in San Diego, California 

Dining Outside the Home: Point Loma Seafoods San Diego, California! Quality fish and other creatures of the sea are caught straight from the boat, directly bought from local fishermen, and sold at the market the same day. It doesn’t get any fresher than that. What began as a family business of simply processing and selling sport-caught fish over 50 years ago, turned into a place to gather and nibble on the salt-water delicacies prepared with secret recipes. From flaky crab cakes and shrimp cocktail to breaded clam strips, seared ahi, and smoked salmon on bakery fresh sourdough bread, the selection is overwhelming. What a unique experience for the heartiest eaters. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter Z

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Ziti Baked Spinach! Four simple ingredients are baked together to create a timeless Italian favorite: ziti pasta, tomato sauce, spinach, and cheese. The rest is simply embellishment for the palate. The short tubular shape of ziti grabs onto chunky sauces, making it a distant cousin to penne, which may be easier to find in the grocery aisle. However, I visited a specialty store where I chose an authentic organic brand of ziti pasta made in Italy. Buona Saluté!
ZITI BAKED SPINACH 
Ingredients:

8 ounces ziti

1 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed

1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, finely shredded 

16 Italian style meatballs, halved

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced and sautéed

24 ounce jar of basil spaghetti sauce

1/8 teaspoon oregano 

1/8 teaspoon marjoram 

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease an 8″x8″ casserole dish. Cook pasta according to package directions, al dente. Drain in a colander. Sauté mushrooms in a tablespoon of olive oil. Cook spinach according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a medium bowl. Combine spinach, bread crumbs, egg, olive oil, 1/4 cup cheese, and ziti. In a large skillet, mix spaghetti sauce, mushrooms, Italian sausage, oregano, marjoram, and garlic powder. Simmer for 10 minutes until heated through. Layer a third of the meat sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish. Fill the next layer with the spinach ziti mixture. Top with remaining spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese over all. Bake for 30 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes and serve. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter Y

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Yummy Sea Salt Caramel Cookie Dough Bars! “Honestly, you had me at Salted Caramel”, someone exclaimed to me recently. If you crave chocolate or adore peanut butter, this dessert will grab your attention. Although its golden caramel layer is dotted with mounds of cookie dough infused with white and dark chocolate, underneath lies a layer of peanut butter, oats, and toffee bits. Oh my! You may need a scoop of natural ice cream on top just to cut the sweetness. Trust me when I say, “A little goes a long way!”
YUMMY SALTED CARAMEL COOKIE DOUGH BARS
Ingredients for Cookie Dough:

3/4 cup butter, unsalted

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter, creamy

2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 cup instant oats

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup toffee bits
Ingredients for Caramel Topping:

11 ounce bag of caramels

14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup butter
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9″x13″ pan with nonstick oil and line with parchment paper. Using a food processor, cream butter and sugar together. Add peanut butter and blend well. While running, add one egg at a time, thoroughly mixing in each egg. Add vanilla. In a small bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add flour mixture to sugar mixture. Fold in chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and toffee bits. Spread 2/3 of the dough on the bottom of the pan. Meanwhile, unwrap caramels and place in a saucepan with butter and sweetened condensed milk. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until caramels are fully melted. The mixture will be smooth. Slowly pour caramel sauce evenly over dough. Flatten the remaining 1/3 dough like a pancake, cut into squares, roll into balls, and drop randomly over caramel sauce. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle coarse sea salt over all. Cool completely before cutting into bars. 

Dining Outside the Home: Pizza Nova of Point Loma San Diego, California 

Dining Outside the Home: Pizza Nova of Point Loma San Diego, California! You gotta love a pizzeria that serves hand-tossed garlic knots rolled in rosemary butter as soon as you reach your table. A view of the water doesn’t hurt either. The wood burning ovens lent a coziness to the atmosphere as aromas of time-honored Italian dishes kept our heads spinning. A traditional meat-lover specialty pizza oozing in heirloom San Marzano tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella was delivered to the table on a pedestal. Within seconds, the crunch of the award-winning crust had us yearning for more. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter X

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Xtreme Sloppy Joes! Some days you crave a sweet and savory warm sandwich over a lunchbox ham and cheese on wheat. Sure, it can be a little messy, but pile it high anyway and add a mound of shredded cheese. Then watch things melt together.
XTREME SLOPPY JOES
Ingredients:

2 pounds lean ground beef

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/3 cup green pepper, chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons pimento, diced

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon mustard

2 cups ketchup 
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325°. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef, onion, and green pepper seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook until meat is in crumbles. Reduce heat. Add diced pimento. Stir in vinegar, lemon juice, brown sugar, mustard, and ketchup. Mix well. Transfer to an ovenproof covered dish and bake in the oven for one hour. 

Dining Outside the Home: Seaport Village Pier Café in San Diego, California 

Dining Outside the Home: Seaport Village Pier Café in San Diego, California! For a charming waterfront experience with an amazing sunset view, this landmark café on the pier was a natural choice. The quaint New England-style wooden structure harbored a casual, yet romantic atmosphere. The automatic choice for a late-night dinner was the fresh catch of the day: Flaky batter-fried fish fillets and crunchy golden chips. The tangy tartar sauce and malt vinegar satisfied the taste buds. As the sun dipped below the shadowed horizon, we quenched our thirst with the ultimate refreshment, a Grand Marnier margarita. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter W

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Wicked Hot Wings and Drummies! Get set for an explosion of hot jerk sauce slathered over fork-tender chicken slowly cooked all afternoon. These “fall off the bone” juicy morsels will have you smacking your lips and wiping your chin. A side dish of chunky Bleu cheese dressing snuffs out the fire and tramples the heat. Keep stalks of celery handy and you’ll find yourself wondering how you finished the entire platter. 
WICKED HOT WINGS AND DRUMMIES 
Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Jazzy Jerk Sauce**

1/2 cup butter

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons oregano

2 teaspoons onion powder 

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1/2 cup ginger beer

1 1/2 pounds chicken wings and drummies

1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions:

Mix together habanero sauce, butter, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, onion powder, and garlic powder. Bring sauce to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer on low for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup ginger beer. Stir to blend. Place chicken wings and drummies in a crockpot. Cover all with sauce. Cook on High setting for 2 hours. Reduce temperature to Low setting and cook 2 1/2 hours longer. Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with foil. Spray with nonstick oil. Place wings and drummies on foil. Baste tops with sauce. Bake 15 minutes. Turn with tongs, baste, and bake 15 minutes longer. Serve with additional sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds. Serving suggestion: Celery sticks and chunky Bleu cheese dressing. 
*The Jazzy Jerk habanero sauce may be substituted for another hot pepper sauce. 
**Jazzy Jerk Sauce recipe may be found by clicking on the link below. 

https://snapshotsincursive.com/2015/10/15

Dining Outside the Home: Café Coyote in Old Town San Diego, California 

Dining Outside the Home: Café Coyote in Old Town San Diego, California! Nestled in the heart of the city, at the site of the oldest settlement in San Diego, you can stand on the street corner and inhale the spicy aromas. Turn one way and you’ll be lured by mariachi music. Turn the other, and you’ll catch a glimpse of smiling señoritas making handmade tortillas from scratch sold warm to those passing by. Our table on the open patio at the Café Coyote afforded us the advantage of an authentic Mexican meal with a view that entertained. After all, this was the “Day of the Dead! (Dia de Los Muertos).