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Cheerful Choices

Escape the pandemic for a taste of cheerful choices that can be prepared with basic kitchen cookware and family-friendly ingredients. After all, you have enough rules to follow once you leave the house. Find your spotlight in the power of food. As your body calls out for comfort in the foods that trigger feel-good chemicals, let go of the guilty feelings society labels “taboo”. No one knows you or your family better than you do. It’s what makes you their favorite.

And speaking of favorite…Some of my posts have been noticed by the “Food Network” and Le Cordon Bleu on Twitter (Snapshotsincursive @DornaGail) as well as Ina Garten’s The Barefoot Contessa, on Instagram (gail _dorna). You can even find me on Pinterest at Gail Dorna. I’d love to connect with you there as well. I also met Chef Michelle Tribble of Hell’s Kitchen reality cooking show. Fun times. Experience different flavors and textures as you eat with your eyes. Catch a glimpse of “Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Cheerful Choices!” This remarkable journey of the palate is serendipitous because it gives me a few moments with you. Thanks very much to all of my guests and followers on http://snapshotsincursive.com for the uplifting support, award nominations, and moving words of encouragement. You’re the best.

Stir. Spread. Flip. Repeat.

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? No matter how many kitchen utensils I have, it seems I am still drawn to another pretty silicone tool, olive wood spoon, unique cutting board, artisan pottery, and so forth. Call me quirky. I can easily justify new kitchenware the same way another woman justifies adding another pair of shoes to her wardrobe. It’s not about need; it’s about want. So, crank up the music, dance in bare feet, and twirl that fancy spatula like it’s a karaoke microphone. Cooking is fun! Some of my posts have been favored by “Le Cordon Bleu” and the “Food Network” on Twitter-X (Snapshotsincursive @DornaGail) as well as Ina Garten’s The Barefoot Contessa, on Instagram (gail _dorna). You can even follow me on Pinterest at Gail Dorna. I’d love to connect with you. I also met Chef Michelle Tribble of Hell’s Kitchen reality cooking show. Fun times. Experience different flavors and textures as you eat with your eyes. Catch a glimpse of “What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen: Stir. Spread. Flip. Repeat.” This remarkable journey of the palate is unique because it gives me a few moments with you. Thanks very much to all of my guests and followers on http://snapshotsincursive.com for the uplifting support, award nominations, and daily words of encouragement. I couldn’t have come this far without you.

Country Casual Cravings

Going through a kitchen remodel has to be one of the most challenging home improvements ever. Symmetry and balance are important. Changing the layout was not an option since it remains functional as an open-ended galley kitchen including a central corridor. In fact, it all began being a simple goal to modernize the kitchen cabinets from 1970s dark wood to the bright airiness of antique white. As often happens, one thing leads to another. Before long we were updating stainless steel appliances, replacing countertops, leaving the double sink behind in lieu of a large single basin, choosing black matte cabinet pulls with copper accents, and more. One constant remained: the authentic dark hardwood flooring. To this day, it endures as the solid foundation from the time it was installed. Now that the kitchen remodel is complete, is it a state-of-the-art gourmet kitchen, you wonder. Not at all. But it has been designed around my needs, which makes it perfect. And speaking of perfect…Some of my posts have been favored by “Le Cordon Bleu” and the “Food Network” on Twitter (Snapshotsincursive @DornaGail) as well as Ina Garten’s The Barefoot Contessa, on Instagram (gail _dorna). You can even follow me on Pinterest at Gail Dorna. I’d love to connect with you. I also met Chef Michelle Tribble of Hell’s Kitchen reality cooking show. Fun times. Experience different flavors and textures as you eat with your eyes. Catch a glimpse of “What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen: Country Casual Cravings.” This remarkable journey of the palate is unique because it gives me a few moments with you. Thanks very much to all of my guests and followers on http://snapshotsincursive.com for the uplifting support, award nominations, and daily words of encouragement. I couldn’t have come this far without you.

The Power of Encouragement

Thank you to all those viewers who have brightened my days. Your actions have touched my heart with lasting impressions by showing me you take time to share kindness. Blessings! 🍃🍓

Always, Gail

“Nothing is impossible,

the word itself says

“I’m possible.”

~ Audrey Hepburn

Splurge-Worthy Goodness

All good things come at a cost. And that includes groceries. Most of the general public discovered during the recent pandemic that cooking at home doesn’t necessarily come cheap, especially when attention is paid to the quality and freshness of ingredients. At our core we all understand the things we should do: eat healthy portions, exercise regularly, and get plenty of sleep. It’s pretty basic stuff our mothers drilled into our heads as teenagers. In adulthood we may even find ourselves sounding like our parents, while echoing the same ideas to our kids and family members. Here’s the secret, though. By choosing some organic and natural items even eating desserts can be okay. Be splurge-worthy, like the professionals do. There’s no reason not to. You must value yourself before you can treasure others.

And speaking of the pros…Some of my posts have been favored by the “Food Network” on Twitter (Snapshotsincursive @DornaGail) as well as Ina Garten’s The Barefoot Contessa, on Instagram (gail _dorna). You can even find me on Pinterest at Gail Dorna. I’d love to connect with you there as well. I also met Chef Michelle Tribble of Hell’s Kitchen reality cooking show. Fun times. Experience different flavors and textures as you eat with your eyes. Catch a glimpse of “Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Splurge-Worthy Goodness!” This remarkable journey of the palate is serendipitous because it gives me a few moments with you. Thanks very much to all of my guests and followers on http://snapshotsincursive.com for the uplifting support, award nominations, and moving words of encouragement. You’re the best.

Elevated Edibles

You don’t need to go to a culinary school to step up cooking at home. By changing or adding a couple simple things in the way you prepare food, you can elevate the results from ho-hum to spectacular. There is no magic wand to wave or nose to twitch that guarantees creations like a celebrity chef, but then again we’re talking about feeding your family. That simply translates to taste-testing as you cook. I remember watching my grandma do exactly that. She’d say, “Trust your instincts,” as she’d sip the tomato sauce off the end of a wooden spoon. If you are aware your partner gags at the thought of mushrooms in a sauce, then forget the idea and tweak the recipe to make it work for you. Just remember to balance out the five basic flavors: sweet, salty, spicy, savory, and acidity. That’s half the battle. And speaking of the pros…Some of my posts have been favored by the “Food Network” on Twitter (Snapshotsincursive @DornaGail) as well as Ina Garten’s The Barefoot Contessa, on Instagram (gail _dorna). You can even find me on Pinterest at Gail Dorna. I’d love to connect with you there as well. I also met Chef Michelle Tribble of Hell’s Kitchen reality cooking show. Fun times. Experience different flavors and textures as you eat with your eyes. Catch a glimpse of “Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Elevated Edibles!” This remarkable journey of the palate is unique because it gives me a few moments with you. Thanks very much to all of my guests and followers on http://snapshotsincursive.com for the uplifting support, award nominations, and moving words of encouragement.

Graze or Gobble

Are you a slow eater or a fast eater? Depends on the day. Is Time a factor that makes you practically inhale a plate of food on your way from one commitment to another? Maybe you planted yourself in front of the tv to stream the latest season of a popular series and before you knew it, dinner was gone. (Some blame it on the dog.) Me? I say, if the food didn’t look so appealing, I wouldn’t devour it. On the other hand, as a grazer, I’ve been known to be “Chatty McChat Chat” in conversation lingering over a meal. It’s a tipsy-turvy world. We all have those days when we eat too quickly. Sooooo, the next collection of recipes gives you the opportunity to graze or gobble. Only you can decide. Some of my posts have been favored by the “Food Network” on Twitter (Snapshotsincursive @DornaGail) as well as Ina Garten’s The Barefoot Contessa, on Instagram (gail _dorna). You can even find me on Pinterest at Gail Dorna. I’d love to connect with you there as well. I also met Chef Michelle Tribble of Hell’s Kitchen reality cooking show. Fun times. Experience different flavors and textures one bite at a time. Catch a glimpse of “Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Graze or Gobble”. This remarkable journey of the palate is unique because it gives me a few moments with you. Thanks very much to all of my guests and followers on http://snapshotsincursive.com for the uplifting support, award nominations, and moving words of encouragement.

Talking Points

Social distancing can turn anyone into a creative genius by tapping into that part of us where imagination meets application. Imagination kicks into survival mode by combining thoughts, ideas, memories, and capabilities. Perhaps that is why I enjoy cooking so much. There are no set rules. Guidelines, yes. But rules? Not so much. Thankfully, I am married to a man who eagerly accepts the challenge of taste-testing new foods or simply trying our favorite foods a new way. Whenever we travel, we nose around art fairs and antique shops for interesting kitchenware. I have become a collector of “talking flatware”, which are spoons, forks, and knives with words stamped on them. I guess you could say I have a dialogue with my food, which brings me to this segment of Talking Points. Some of my posts have been favored by the “Food Network” on Twitter (Snapshotsincursive @DornaGail) as well as Ina Garten’s The Barefoot Contessa, on Instagram (gail _dorna). You can even find me on Pinterest at Gail Dorna. I’d love to connect with you there as well. I also met Chef Michelle Tribble of Hell’s Kitchen reality cooking show. Fun times. Experience different flavors and textures one bite at a time. Catch a glimpse of “Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Talking Points!”. This remarkable journey of the palate is unique because it gives me a few moments with you. Thanks very much to all of my guests and followers on http://snapshotsincursive.com for the uplifting support, award nominations, and moving words of encouragement.

Bright Ideas

Some days it may seem as though we have too many choices and not enough ideas. Ever run to the grocery store to buy a bottle of ketchup? Once upon a time, you had two choices: name brand or store brand. Pretty simple. Then we started reading the list of ingredients. Now you have to choose between Sugar or Sugar-Free. Low Carb versus Fat and Calories. Sea Salt or Low Sodium. Artificial coloring. Natural Spices. Preservatives. Wheat. Nuts. And the list goes on. Is it any wonder it takes forever to buy groceries? It can be exhausting. Perhaps that’s another reason people use Instacart® and DoorDash®. When you cook at home, in your own kitchen, you are in charge. So many foods and ingredients can be substituted to appeal to your lifestyle and palate. It’s all about your ideas and balance. I encourage you to make substitutions in the recipes I offer without sacrificing taste. I do it all the time; you can, too.

Some of my posts have been favored by the “Food Network” on Twitter (Snapshotsincursive @DornaGail) as well as Ina Garten’s The Barefoot Contessa, on Instagram (gail _dorna). You can even find me on Pinterest at Gail Dorna. I’d love to connect with you there as well. I also met Chef Michelle Tribble of Hell’s Kitchen reality cooking show. Fun times. Experience different flavors and textures one bite at a time. Catch a glimpse of “Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Bright Ideas!” This remarkable journey of the palate is unique because it gives me a few moments with you. Thanks very much to all of my guests and followers on http://snapshotsincursive.com for the uplifting support, award nominations, and moving words of encouragement.