Latte Mocha Brownies

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Graze or Gobble: Latte Mocha Brownies! Ahhhh, coffee and chocolate. It’s a marriage made in heaven. If you think about it, coffee and chocolate are practically related. Don’t believe me? Check out the flavor notes on a bag of coffee beans sometime. You may be surprised to discover that a medium-dark roasted coffee bean, grown in South America, Columbia or Brazil, has a caramelized note that resembles the same sugar in chocolate. If you pay close attention, you may detect the nutty flavor of hazelnut or almond. Nodding your head? Now you have proof those flavors find us craving more….in beverages, candy, and desserts.

LATTE MOCHA BROWNIES

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder

1 1/2 teaspoons water

1 cup flour

2/3 cup chocolate chips

1/3 cup chocolate chips, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray an 8”x8” pan with nonstick oil. Set aside. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together melted butter and brown sugar. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and instant espresso powder dissolved in water. Whisk vigorously until smooth. Add flour, beating until smooth and creamy. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips on top. Bake for 20 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool. Cut into squares.

Kumquat Pineapple Chutney

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Graze or Gobble: Kumquat Pineapple Chutney! Nowadays there’s always a use for something as unique as chutney. Don’t believe me? Check out charcuterie boards filled with meats, cheeses, breads, nuts, and pickles. There always seems to be a nice little bowl of spreadable chunky fruit to balance out the briny flavors. I also added a dollop to roasted pork loin and grilled chicken breasts. Someone even told me they slathered it on a grilled cheese sandwich. Who knew chutney would be your new best friend?!

KUMQUAT PINEAPPLE CHUTNEY

Ingredients:

5 ounces kumquats

1 cup crushed pineapple

3 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons orange juice

2 tablespoons orange liqueur

Instructions:

In a small saucepan of boiling water, blanch the kumquats for one minute. Drain and repeat three more times. Halve each kumquat. Squeeze the juice into a bowl. Discard the pulp and seeds before finely dicing the skin. In the same saucepan, combine the diced kumquats, crushed pineapple, lemon juice, brown sugar, orange juice, kumquat juice, and orange liqueur. Bring to a boil. Simmer the chutney over medium heat, stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken in approximately eight minutes. Allow mixture to cool before transferring to a jar. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Jugo Baby Potatoes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Graze or Gobble: Jugo Baby Potatoes! The first time I encountered this amazing condiment was in a roadside Mexican restaurant. I saw regular customers splash a little on a sizzling plate of fajitas and thought to myself….sure, why not? The dark salty droplets seemed to complement the smoky charred vegetables as well as the tenderized chunks of meat. It wasn’t soy and it wasn’t balsamic or Worcestershire. Interesting. Let me tell you, once I finished my meal, I headed to the nearest Mexican market and bought myself a bottle to use in my own kitchen.

JUGO BABY POTATOES

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds baby potatoes, halved, boiled, and drained

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 jalapeños, seeded and sliced

4 teaspoons Jugo* seasoning sauce

Red pepper flakes, for garnish

Instructions:

Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onions and sliced jalapeños. Cook until tender. Add boiled potatoes and Jugo seasoning sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until potatoes are caramelized. Garnish with red pepper flakes before serving.

*I receive no recompense for mentioning Jugo seasoning sauce.

Impromptu Sprinkle Wafers

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Graze or Gobble: Impromptu Sprinkle Wafers! Who likes the crunch of sprinkles on desserts? Is it because sprinkles add texture? Could it be the vibrant colors that scream “WOW”? Or is it all about the candy? Sprinkles seems to transform an ordinary day into a celebration event. They also spread joy, happiness, and excitement. Once you become a fan, you begin to notice all the bazillion colors, shapes, and dazzle connected to sprinkles. Mix ‘n match or pile ‘em high. Sprinkles are incredibly magical.

IMPROMPTU SPRINKLE WAFERS

Ingredients:

12 ounces white chocolate chips

8-ounce package strawberry wafer cookies, about 2 dozen

1/2 cup assorted sprinkles

Instructions:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, place the white chocolate chips. Heat on HIGH setting for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat until all chips are melted and smooth consistency, about 2 minutes total. In a shallow dish, combine assorted sprinkles of choice. Taking one wafer at a time, dip a third of the strawberry wafer cookie into the white chocolate. Place on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with assorted sprinkles. Repeat until all cookies are dipped in chocolate and layered with sprinkles. Allow the white chocolate to set 30 minutes before serving. Store in an airtight container.

Homemade Bleu Cheese Dressing

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Graze or Gobble: Homemade Bleu Cheese Dressing! What is it about ranch dressing that practically makes you slurp it with a straw? Ever dip raw veggies in it? Of course. Did you know if you add taco seasoning to ranch dressing, it becomes a popular “Calypso Dressing” at a Mexican cantina? Try dipping tortilla chips in that sometime. Ahhh, you wondered how they did that. One of my favorite concoctions is crumbled bleu cheese. Talk about that briny earthy zing of saltiness. Oh, yum.

HOMEMADE BLEU CHESE DRESSING

Ingredients:

1 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 packet dry Ranch dressing mix

1 cup bleu cheese crumbles

Instructions:

Combine Greek yogurt and mayonnaise. Stir until smooth. Add packet of Ranch dressing mix. Blend well. Fold in bleu cheese crumbles. Refrigerate for one hour. Drizzle over salads, vegetables, chips, cheese sticks, French fries, pizza, or meats. Store leftovers (if any) in refrigerator for one week.

Grapeful Roast Turkey

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Graze or Gobble: Grapeful Roast Turkey! Get set for a moist and flavorful crispy-golden brown roasted turkey. It’s so simple, you might find yourself buying an extra bird around the holidays to freeze for satisfying meals down the road. Seriously. Fresh herbs are easy to come by year round at the grocery or, even better, at Farmers Markets. By switching out the cranberry sauce for a combination of Muscat grape jelly and pure maple syrup, you elevate the meal to a whole new level. Someone once described Muscat grapes as “the taste of pleasant wine before it gets inside a bottle.” I like that. You may, too.

GRAPEFUL ROAST TURKEY

Ingredients:

8-10 pound turkey

3 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 lemon, halved

1 bunch thyme

1 bunch rosemary

2 bay leaves

1 head garlic, halved

1/3 cup Muscat grape jelly

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup butter

Bunch of Grapes, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325°. Line a roasting pan with foil, overlapping enough to enclose turkey. Place a wire rack in the bottom. Set aside. Rinse and pat turkey dry using a paper towel to remove excess liquid. Sprinkle turkey with kosher salt and black pepper. Place the lemon, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and garlic into the cavity. Transfer turkey to the wire rack in roasting pan. In a small saucepan, warm Muscat grape jelly, pure maple syrup, and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until combined, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; cool for 5 minutes. Brush one-fourth of the grape jelly sauce over turkey. Tent with foil and bake for 2 hours. Increase oven temperature to 425°. Brush another fourth of grape jelly sauce over turkey. Roast, uncovered for 20 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 165°. Brush remaining grape jelly sauce over turkey. Allow turkey to rest for 20 minutes before carving. Garnish with fresh grapes.