Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter V

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Velvet Filled Pumpkin Roll! Announcing a festive cake that looks as though you stopped by the bakery. Anyone can feel like a professional pastry chef with this holiday specialty. In a few simple steps, the rich pumpkin flavor is enhanced by the velvety cream filling. Afterwards all you have to do is sit back and bask in the accolades. 
VELVET FILLED PUMPKIN ROLL 
Ingredients for Pumpkin Roll:

3 eggs

2/3 cup pumpkin purée 

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

3/4 cup flour 

1/3 cup chopped pecans 
Ingredients for Velvet Filling:

8 ounces Neufchâtel cheese

3/4 teaspoon vanilla 

2 tablespoons butter, softened 

1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease and line a 10″x15″ jelly roll pan with waxed paper. For pumpkin roll combine eggs, pumpkin purée, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and flour. Mix until well blended. Pour into jelly roll pan and spread evenly to edges. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Bake 12-15 minutes. Watch carefully. Remove from oven. Sprinkle powdered sugar on a tea towel, turn cake onto towel, and remove the waxed paper. Starting at one end, roll the cake up, and refrigerate for one hour. Meanwhile, combine Neufchâtel cheese, vanilla, butter, and powdered sugar. Mix together until smooth and velvety. After one hour, unroll cake and spread the filling all the way to the edges. Reroll cake and refrigerate two hours longer. Dust with powdered sugar. Slice and serve. 

🐶🐶 All Dogs Go To Heaven 🐶🐶 “Starlight Blogger Award!”

Everyone has lost a pet, a best friend, sometime in their life. It is heart-breaking and bittersweet. Nupur shares the life and experiences of Mowgli in her blog entitled https://letterstomowgli.wordpress.com

From laughter to tears, Nupur will captivate you in her creative writings. It was an honor to be nominated by her for a symbolic award that reaches to the stars.
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Here are tithe rules for the Starlight Blogger Award:

~ Post an image of the award.

~ Thank the person who nominated you.

~ Answer the three (3) questions listed.

~ Nominate six (6) more bloggers to receive the award, and notify them.

~ List three (3) new questions for the nominees to answer in response.
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I was asked the following questions:

1. What led you to writing? I have kept journals my entire life.

2. How did you overcome the weakest point of your life? Prayer, Faith, and Strength.

3. What is the one thing you’ve always wanted to do, but haven’t done yet? I would love to visit New York City and experience the food and culture there.
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Here are my six (6) nominees:

http://ditchingthedog.wordpress.com
http://lifekidsandaglassofred.com
http://abike4allseasons.com
http://agirlwithpinkcheeks.com
http://modernpilgrimjourney.wordpress.com
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Please answer the following questions.

1. Did you have a favorite pet or best friend who passed away?

2. How do you keep their memory alive?

3. What helped you heal from the loss?
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Reach for the stars and connect with those you’ve lost.

Gail http://snapshotsincursive.com

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter F

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: Five-Minute Grilled Steak! In the time it takes to caramelize the onions, you can have a no-fuss mouth-watering T-bone steak. Make sure the steak is Choice beef from the loin and rib so it will taste tender and juicy. It has a little less marbling, but is well-suited for the dry heat of a gas grill. I gave my sliced onions a head-start by microwaving them for 2 minutes on high while the grill was preheating. 
FIVE-MINUTE GRILLED STEAK
Ingredients:

1 pound USDA Choice T-bone steak, 1/2″ thick at room temperature 

Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Pinch of garlic powder

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1 sweet onion, sliced

1/8 teaspoon seasoned salt

1 tablespoon butter
Instructions for Grilling Steak:

First of all, let me clarify that my husband and I prefer steak to be cooked Medium Rare, which is seared on the outside and pink in the middle. 
Salt and pepper both sides of the steak while the gas grill is preheating from 450°-500°. At this time sprinkle the steak with garlic powder as well. The salt begins to draw out a little bit of moisture which makes the steak sizzle when it hits the grill grate, sealing in the flavor. For accuracy in grilling, my husband sets the timer on his cell phone, which is quite handy. Grill the T-bone steak for 2 1/2 minutes on one side before flipping over for the remaining 2 1/2 minutes. The finished steak will be medium-rare. Now this is the most difficult part. Let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving. The juice will reabsorb back into the steak to give you that moist and meaty taste. 
Meanwhile, in Gail’s Kitchen the microwaved onion slices have been transferred to a medium skillet on the stove. They continue to sauté on medium high heat in the olive oil and seasoned salt. Turn and coat the onions without allowing them to burn. If necessary, reduce the heat. The onions will brown as they cook down. The rich flavor and caramelized color are the results of allowing the onions to breathe and have room to finish. When this happens, I add a tablespoon of butter for additional flavor. 

Keep Calm and Eat Strawberry Waffles! 🍓 “Post a Quote Challenge!”

Greetings! Here is a challenge that provides a pleasant diversion from regular posting. It has no thought-provoking questions to answer and no need to dig any deeper than the tip of your tongue. Whether your blog is fashion, food, art, poetry, photography, fiction, or non….everyone has quotes that impact them, in my opinion. Perhaps you will take a moment to share those quotes with others by accepting this challenge. It’s really very simple, actually.
I have Shamira to thank for this well-deserved break. Her blog, http://smilingnotes.wordpress.com is like food for the soul. In it she shares her love of food and travel through a category entitled “FoodVentures” where her experiences of dining out take on new meaning. Ask Shamira about the yummilicious “Wafels & Dinges” cart throughout New York City! 

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The Rules of this Challenge are:
– Post 1 quote a day for 3 days (can be your own or from other sources).
– Nominate 3 bloggers to participate per post.
– Thank the person who nominated you.
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My Nominations are:

http://bazallen.wordpress.com
http://chewtrue.wordpress.com
http://anxiouspen.net

Keep Calm, Eat Waffles, and Post a Quote! 🍓

Gail     http://snapshotsincursive.com

Keep Calm and Eat Waffles! “Post a Quote Challenge!”

Greetings! Here is a challenge that provides a pleasant diversion from regular posting. It has no thought-provoking questions to answer and no need to dig any deeper than the tip of your tongue. Whether your blog is fashion, food, art, poetry, photography, fiction, or non….everyone has quotes that impact them, in my opinion. Perhaps you will take a moment to share those quotes with others by accepting this challenge. It’s really very simple, actually.
I have Shamira to thank for this well-deserved break. Her blog,  http://smilingnotes.wordpress.com is like food for the soul. In it she shares her love of food and travel through a category entitled “FoodVentures” where her experiences of dining out take on new meaning. Ask Shamira about the yummilicious “Wafels & Dinges” cart throughout New York City! 

🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓
The Rules of this Challenge are:
– Post 1 quote a day for 3 days (can be your own or from other sources).
– Nominate 3 bloggers to participate per post.
– Thank the person who nominated you.
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My Nominations are:

http://thedotcouture.wordpress.com
http://agirlwithpinkcheeks.com
http://alwaysopinionatedgirl.wordpress.com

Keep Calm, Eat Waffles, and Post a Quote! 🍓

Gail   http://snapshotsincursive.com

🐉 Fact or Fiction; Friend or Foe 🐉 “The Dragon’s Loyalty Award!”

Often a dragon is referred to as a Phoenix who rises from the ashes. I believe every blogger can relate to being nameless at the onset of their journey. Being identified and recognized by those among us is an honor worth receiving. I acknowledge and thank my loyal friend, Gabriel, for his confidence and boldness. He has grit and determination in following his heart. Perhaps you should go visit him at  http://gabriel360live.wordpress.com  where he faces life with bravery and optimism.
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THE RULES:
1. DISPLAY THE AWARD CERTIFICATE ON YOUR WEBSITE.
2. ANNOUNCE YOUR WIN WITH A POST AND LINK TO WHOEVER PRESENTED YOUR AWARD.
3. PRESENT UP TO 15 AWARDS TO DESERVING BLOGGERS.
4. DROP THEM A COMMENT TO TIP THEM OFF AFTER YOU’VE LINKED THEM IN THE POST.
5. POST 7 INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF.
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7 things about me:
I walked around Paris all alone because my girlfriend broke her foot at Le Moulin Rouge and preferred to stay in the hotel room.

I am drawn to water fountains in order to toss a coin for silent wishes.

I love visiting old churches to experience the quiet within.

I like to sit on doorsteps for photographic memories.

I believe guardian angels are near each one of us.

I wonder what it means to have an “old” soul.

I believe in Providence in lieu of Coincidence.

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My Nominees:

http://appetitedeluxe.com
www.abroadandlocal.com
http://winebyari.wordpress.com
http://picafterpic.wordpress.com
http://cookeatstudyrepeat.com
http://deepruts.com

Nominated For The Real Neat Blog Award!

e's avatarWELCOME

Nominated For The Real Neat Blog Award!

Super honored, beyond thrilled and rarely speechless; I’ve been nominated by my cyber roadie Sean!

Though they’re not required to accept the nomination, it’s my pleasure to pay it forward!

So here are the rules:

1. Put the award logo on your blog.

2. Answer 7 questions asked by the person who nominated you.

3. Thank the people who nominated you, linking to their blogs.

4. Nominate any number of bloggers you like, linking to their blogs.

5. Let them know you nominated them (by commenting on their blog etc.)


THE COVETED 7 QUESTIONS


1. Where do most visits to your blog come from?

United States, Canada and the United Kingdom


2. What is your favorite sport?

Mental sparring😉


3. What has been a special moment for you in 2014?

An ‘Aha Moment’ after a close call. Serious health scare…

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