Beautiful Inside and Out! 🎭🎭🎭 “Premio Dardos Award!”

🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭
The rules are:
Thank the giver and link their blog to your post.

Pass the award on to other bloggers of your choice and let them know that they have been nominated.

🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭
The Premio Dardos {means Prize Darts in Spanish} Award exists to acknowledge the values that every blogger shows in their effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values every day. These stamps were created with the intention of promoting fraternization between bloggers, a way of showing affection and gratitude for work that adds value to the Web. 
🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭
My friend, Prynka, is so talented. I so appreciate you for nominating me. Prynka is nurturing, healthy, fashionable, and beautiful. She calls her blog “My Diary” because when you go there, you catch a glimpse of someone who has Peace and shares Joy. She opens herself up for you to take a peek so you can have the same fruits of the spirit. She tells you her secrets to Happiness, just like you would reveal in a diary. Please visit her blog,   https://healthbeautyfashionandcooking.wordpress.com  
🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭
I would like others to know that I appreciate their inner voice and desire to stay connected as well. Therefore I submit the following blogs for nomination of the “Premio Dardos Award!”

http://dreimalkunst.wordpress.com
http://thedomesticatedgoddessdotcom.wordpress.com
http://itstartedinoxford.wordpress.com
http://purpleslobinrecovery.wordpress.com
http://offmotorway.wordpress.com
http://betweenbreakfastandlunch.com
http://thesugartin.wordpress.com

Enjoy the journey of spreading joy and happiness.

Gail http://snapshotsincursive.com

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter P

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus! For all the asparagus lovers out there, prepared to be impressed. Really impressed. And if you’ve never had the desire to taste a delicate stalk of asparagus that seems to demand an additional fee on the restaurant menu, you may have discovered a reason to give it a whirl. Prosciutto. These two ingredients were destined to marry forever and ever, in my opinion. 
PROSCIUTTO WRAPPED ASPARAGUS 
Ingredients:

1-pound fresh asparagus spears, ends trimmed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb Seasoning 

6 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
Instructions:

Raise the oven rack to its highest level, which should be about 5 inches below the coils of the broiler. Preheat the broiler. Meanwhile take the asparagus spears and place in a gallon zip-lock bag. Add the olive oil and seasonings. Seal the bag, squeezing out the air, and flip to coat all pieces. Slice the prosciutto lengthwise. Taking one asparagus spear at a time, begin wrapping prosciutto midway from the tip to the stem base, spiraling as you go, overlapping the seams slightly. Place it on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick oil. Repeat until all pieces are prepared. Before broiling, make sure there is space between the asparagus. Broil for 3 minutes, remove the baking sheet, turn asparagus with a tongs, return to the oven, and broil another 3 minutes. Pieces should slightly char and appear crisp. The secret is to keep them spaced. For best results, choose medium-size asparagus instead of very thin stalks. 

Stairway of Life

“Life is a series of steps.

Things are done gradually.

Once in awhile there is a giant step, 

but most of the time we are taking small, 

seemingly insignificant steps

on the stairway of life.”

~ Ralph Ransom

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter O

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Oven-Glazed Pears! Presenting a dessert as sweet as honey and as satisfying as a piece of pie. Make one for yourself or enough for a crowd. The recipe measurements below only need one pear, which is two servings. Perfect for dessert for two. The aroma alone will make your house smell amazing!
OVEN-GLAZED PEARS
Ingredients:

1 slightly firm pear; peeled, halved, and cored

2 tablespoons sweet dessert wine

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon butter, unsalted

Cinnamon to taste
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Arrange pear halves in a small baking dish, cut side up. Sprinkle cinnamon, then vanilla over pears. Dot each pear with butter. Drizzle honey over each pear half. Pour in the sweet wine. Roast for 40 minutes. Using oven mitts, carefully remove the dish from the oven. Tilt the dish so the juices pool in one corner. Take a spoon and baste the pears. Turn each pear over and return to the oven to roast 20 minutes longer or until a paring knife inserts easily. Baste occasionally for a caramelized finish. The sauce will thicken slightly. Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter N

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Noodle Rigatoni! When time is of the essence, and you need a fulfilling meal, this dish can be made in minutes. While the wine is slightly chilling, and you wish to keep the kitchen cool, everything works together between stovetop and microwave. Your tastebuds will be satisfied without salad or bread as well since this meal-in-a-bowl hits the spot. 
NOODLE RIGATONI
Ingredients:

1 pound Italian sausage, ground

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon fennel

1/4 teaspoon oregano 

1/4 teaspoon basil 

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon marjoram

1 8-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, cut-up

2 cups of Italian Roma tomatoes in sauce, cut-up

1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

16 ounces rigatoni noodles
Instructions:

In a large skillet, brown Italian sausage until crumbled and cooked through. Drain and add garlic powder, pepper, salt, fennel, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, and marjoram. Keep warm over low heat, stirring occasionally. Warm separately the cut up tomatoes and the marinated artichoke hearts. Keep warm. Meanwhile, bring a 4-quart pan of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until tender; about 10 minutes. Stir often. It should be firm. Drain pasta. Place portions of rigatoni in individual serving bowls. Spoon tomatoes in sauce over noodles. Arrange artichoke hearts around edges. Lastly add crumbled Italian sausage over top. Garnish with feta cheese. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter M

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Meatball Marinara Moat! Lately we’ve been having some maintenance and home improvements done on the house. Whenever I have workmen around, I tend to offer them a bite to eat without hindering the project at hand. I needed something hearty and filling without anchoring them down afterwards. This savory sandwich sealed the deal when served with a portion of potato salad on the side. 
MEATBALL MARINARA MOAT
Ingredients:

1 4-pack hoagie rolls, top cut

16 Italian meatballs, pre-cooked

8 slices provolone cheese

24-ounce jar of all-natural tomato and basil sauce

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
Instructions:

Place meatballs in a covered casserole dish. Add tomato and basil sauce. Heat through on 30% power for 10 minutes in the microwave. Slice an opening in the top of the hoagie roll, hollowing out a portion to create a “moat” for the fillings. Place two slices of cheese in each hoagie, allowing them to overlap. Spoon 4 meatballs with sauce into each sandwich, lining them in a row. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Carefully wrap each hoagie in foil and place in a warm oven until ready to serve. 

What Time is Dinner? 🍴🍴🍴 “Sisterhood of the World” Award

What time is Dinner? I adore food blogs, so when a friend who shares my love of food nominates me for a blogging award…..I just want to celebrate by Eating Ice Cream!! 🍦Thank you, Kat, for nominating me. Her step-by-step photos make everyone feel like a gourmet chef. Check out her blog at   http://hunggrytummy.wordpress.com
🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴
The Rules:

Thank the blogger who nominated you, including a link back to their site.

Put the award logo on your blog.

Answer the ten questions the blogger has sent you.

Create ten new questions for your nominee to answer.

Nominate up to ten people of your own and notify them.
🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴
Questions asked of me:

(1) How many children do you see yourself with? 🍓 My husband and I together have five.

(2) What’s your favorite food? 🍓 Popcorn.

(3) What’s the current song stuck in your head? 🍓 Ed Sheeran, “Thinking Out Loud”.

(4) If you were to be stuck in an island… what’s one thing you’d bring?🍓 Sunscreen.

(5) If you were to be stuck in an island… who would you like to get stuck with? 🍓 My husband, Gerald. (He’s also an engineer.)

(6) Hot weather or cold weather? 🍓 Hot weather.

(7) Your make-up must have? 🍓 Blush.

(8) What weird obsession do you have? 🍓 No dirty dishes.

(9) What are you currently reading and how do you feel about it? 🍓 Bible Study, the books of 1, 2, and 3 John. A thought-provoking journey of self discovery.

(10) Your ultimate dream? 🍓 To publish a cookbook.
🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴
Questions for my Nominees:

(1) Do you like to cook?

(2) Would you rather use organic ingredients or packaged ingredients?

(3) Which do you prefer: A candlelight dinner for two OR Dining alone while watching TV?

(4) Would you rather host a dinner party OR be a guest at a dinner party?

(5) Do you snack while preparing a meal?

(6) Would you rather use porcelain dishes or paper plates?

(7) Do you think it’s silly to use cloth napkins every day at home?

(8) Are you of the opinion fresh flowers are a waste of money?

(9) When you eat out, do you usually want a taste of your partner’s food?

(10) what is your favorite dessert?
🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴
My Nominees:

http://lynzrealcooking.com
http://khayceelyncordovilla.wordpress.com
http://sangeetapradhannutritionist.wordpress.com
http://gervannastephens.wordpress.com
http://witlessdatingafterfifty.wordpress.com

🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴
Be Bold, Be Creative, Be Hungry!

Gail.    http://snapshotsincursive.com

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter L

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Lazy “Lobster” Wrap! When you don’t live at the ocean where lobster is in abundant supply, the next best thing is an imitation variety. Alaska pollock is not only heart-healthy, fat-free, and packed with omega-3 in every serving, it’s readily available at your neighborhood market. Amazingly, this mock lobster is a surprising alternative. Eat it now and with the money you save, you can stuff yourself with real lobster when you travel to the shore. 
LAZY “LOBSTER” WRAP
Ingredients:

7-ounce package of chunk-style imitation lobster

1 tablespoon lemon olive oil

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

cracked pepper to taste

sea salt to taste

1 pat of butter

Vidalia onion slices

1 4-ounce container of crab dip, deli-style

2 flour tortillas 

Spring Mix Salad Greens 
Instructions:

In a medium skillet, sauté imitation chunk lobster and onion slices in lemon olive oil, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. While still warm, add 1 pat of butter. Cook an additional minute to blend flavors. Remove from heat. To assemble wrap: Take a flour tortilla, spread on a layer of crab dip, top with salad greens, and add a spoonful of lobster mixture. Roll it together to form a wrap. Serve warm or cold. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter K

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Kinky Red Cabbage Slaw! When you need a little color, a satisfying crunch, and an extra dose of vitamin K, look no further than red cabbage. Its robust, hearty flavor can be combined with spices that have you feeling like the Queen of Sheba or the King of Siam. Make a healthy choice today. Opt out for red cabbage. It may provide just the twist you need. 
KINKY RED CABBAGE SLAW
Ingredients:

1/2 head red cabbage, shredded

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons celery seed

Sea salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon red onion, diced
Instructions:

Whisk together vinegar and sugar until dissolved. Slowly add oil, celery seed, salt, and pepper. Toss in cabbage and onions. Coat well. Refrigerate for one hour.