Beef Au Jus

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen?  Beef au Jus! Talk about a no-brainer.  This is a great meal when you have no time.  I pop a frozen beef roast into my Le Creuset covered roaster first thing in the morning and let it slow cook all day long.  By the time I return, the mouth-watering aroma greets me at the door.  Then all I have to do is add peeled potatoes, baby carrots, and some red wine.  A nice French Bordeaux adds richness and balance.  Go ahead and pour a glass for yourself and relax!  An hour later, dinner is served. Bon Appétit!

BEEF AU JUS

Ingredients:

3 lb. Beef Roast

1 can Beef Consommé 

Herbs de Provence

4 Idaho Potatoes 

1 lb. bag of Baby Carrots

1/2 lb. fresh Mushrooms 

1 cup Dry Red Wine

Directions:

Put frozen beef roast, herbs de Provence seasoning, and one can of beef consommé into a covered roaster. Set oven to 285 °.  Let it slow cook for 6-8 hours.  The meat will be juicy and fork-tender.  Add peeled and cut-up potatoes, baby carrots, and sliced mushrooms. Pour one cup of dry red wine over all. Cover.  Bake for one hour, or until tender.   Serve with crusty bread and dip into the “au jus”.  It’s so delicious, you’ll be tempted to drink it!

***Option:  The potatoes may be mashed with butter and milk.  Leave a few lumps for texture.  Top with “au jus”.

Apricot-Orange Crumble Bars

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen?  Apricot-Orange Crumble Bars!  Who doesn’t love this saucy little fruit?  Apricots add an exotic touch of class to everything from appetizers to dessert. Try a dollop of jam on a round of baked Camembert cheese sometime.  It is decadent!  My recipe today serves as a breakfast food, an afternoon snack, or a delicate dessert option.  

APRICOT-ORANGE CRUMBLE BARS

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 cups flour

1teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

12-ounce jar of apricot jam

1/3 cup dried apricots, sliced

2 tablespoons orange marmalade 

Directions:

Cream together sugar and butter. Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together. Add dry ingredients together. Spread 3/4 of batter into a 9×13 greased dish.  Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.  Spread 12 ounce dollops of Bonne Maman Apricot Preserves* on top.  Slice dried apricot pieces over jam mixture.  Fill in with a tablespoon or two of Bonne Maman Orange Marmalade*.  Crumble remaining batter on top.  Sprinkle with 1/4 cup brown sugar.  Bake 350* for 30-35 minutes.  Cool slightly and cut into 24 squares. 

* Bonne Maman is a product of France. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet

What’s cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Stay tuned and you’re about to find out. It’s as simple as A-B-C. 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”.

Zenergy Avocado-Blue Smoothie

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Symphony of Flavors: Zenergy Avocado-Blue Smoothie! This recipe will turn you “green with envy”, so to speak. Because the ripe avocado tends to be smooth and creamy, it needs added flavor for pizzazz. Hence, bananas and blueberries enter the picture. I typically have frozen banana slices in the freezer, measured by the “one-banana-per-freezer-bag” method. It not only chills the smoothie, but it actually keeps it cold until you’ve finished drinking it. The touch of sweetness comes from the agave nectar. Before you turn up your nose and head the other way, give it a chance. You may find yourself receiving a pat on the back for such a healthy morning choice. 

ZENERGY AVOCADO-BLUE SMOOTHIE

Ingredients:

1 ripe avocado, pit and skin removed

1 medium banana, cut into slices

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 cup broccoli micro-greens

1/4 cup blueberries

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 tablespoon agave nectar

Fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Instructions:

Slice the avocados in half. Put the flesh into a blender. Add banana slices, lemon juice, broccoli micro-greens, blueberries, milk, vanilla extract, and agave nectar. Pulse in blender until smooth. Pour smoothie into two glasses. Top with fresh blueberries; garnish with mint leaves. Serve immediately. 

Yukon Oven Potatoes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Symphony of Flavors: Yukon Oven Potatoes! My husband is intrigued by the “40 Year Guy” on TikTok who posts life hacks that are so simple, they’re often stupid. He can be seen all over social media coming up with innovative ways to do ordinary things…….like making crispy baked potatoes in the oven. And I don’t mean on the “Air Fryer” setting. When my husband forwarded a recipe, I just knew I had to show him that I can do it, too. The verdict, you wonder? Taste and See. 

YUKON OVEN POTATOES 

Ingredients:

3 Yukon potatoes, skin on; cut in half lengthwise 

1/4 cup butter 

Sea salt, to taste

Bacon crumbles, for garnish 

Chives, for garnish 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Using a baking sheet, divide the butter into small pats, allowing 2 pats per potato half. Arrange each potato, cut side down, over two pats of butter. The skin side is facing up. Spray the skin with nonstick oil and sprinkle sea salt on top. Repeat with remaining potatoes. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until cooked through. If necessary, broil on High for 2 minutes for a golden skin color. Allow to rest 5 minutes before transferring to a platter. Garnish with fresh chives and bacon crumbles. 

Xingzi Apricot Crescents

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Symphony of Flavors: Xingzi Apricot Crescents! Need a quick dessert, after school treat, or late night snack? Think crescent rolls. Their light and buttery crust is so bakery-like sweet and flaky you’ll think you deserve accolades from everyone at first bite. Any fruit jam or preserves can be used. I like the chunkier ones simply because it resembles the texture of a pie filling. Obviously you can add canned fruit to really crank things up a level or two. That is the beauty of home cooking. Tweak as much as you like. You can always “eat” the mistakes and start over. Caution: overstuffing the crescent rolls may lead to the preserves spilling out onto the parchment paper as it bakes. 

XINGZI APRICOT CRESCENTS

Ingredients:

I tube crescent rolls

1/3-1/2 cup apricot preserves 

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. Separate the dough into 8 triangles. Place a dollop of apricot preserves in the wide end of each triangle. Roll up, starting at the wide end and roll to the opposite narrow end. Slightly curve the ends into a half moon with your fingers. Place each crescent roll on the prepared baking sheet. Bake 12-14 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly. Serve warm. 

Winter Apple Salad

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Symphony of Flavors: Winter Apple Salad! You may already be aware that apples are a wonderful fruit to eat in the winter months. They can easily be stored in the refrigerator, as long as the apples are not overly ripe to begin with. If they are, they’ll only become more soft and mushy, which is a bad thing. Apples have been getting good health reviews for years. Think about it: They help keep you full thereby being popular for weight management. They can also improve brain health and protect the body from certain diseases. Plus, apples are pretty easy to digest. All good stuff, so enjoy an apple a day! 

WINTER APPLE SALAD

Ingredients for the Salad:

6 ounces mixed baby greens 

1/2 cup candied pecans

1/2 cup dried cranberries

2.5 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

1 gala apple, skin on, seeds removed, apple diced into chunks 

Ingredients for the Dressing:

4 tablespoons champagne vinegar 

4 tablespoons olive oil 

2 tablespoons acacia honey

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

On a platter, arrange mixed baby greens. Place the sugared pecans and dried cranberries throughout the greens. Divide the crumbled bleu cheese accordingly. Lastly, top everything off with the diced apple chunks. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the champagne vinegar, olive oil, acacia honey, sea salt, and black pepper. Mix well to blend. Drizzle over salad or serve on the side. Enjoy!