butter

Jambalaya With Garlic Mussels

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? All the Buzz: Jambalaya with Garlic Mussels! Traditional Flavor, Deep South flavor, intense flavor. Your mouth will thank me. Everything you need for dinner is in this hearty dish.  All you want to add is your favorite jazz music to feel the unique culture and staple food of New Orleans. For the seafood lover as well as those who crave veggies, try something a little different this week when you hanker after a taste of Louisiana. “Laissez les bon temps rouler.” (Let the good times roll.)

JAMBALAYA WITH GARLIC MUSSELS

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter

1 1/2 cup egg noodles

1 cup minute brown rice

1/3 cup onion, chopped

15 ounce can chicken broth

8 ounce can diced tomatoes and green chiles, with sauce

1 cup okra, frozen

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 pound kielbasa sausage, pre-cooked

1/4 pound shrimp, pre-cooked

1 pound mussels in tomato garlic sauce, frozen

Instructions:

Melt butter in large skillet on low-medium heat. Add egg noodles, instant brown rice, and chopped onion.  Stir to coat well; brown to a golden color but avoid burning.  Add chicken broth, diced tomatoes and green chiles with sauce. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Meanwhile cook okra in microwave for 2 minutes, together with soy sauce, fish sauce, and red pepper flakes. Set aside. Heat shrimp and sausage. Set aside.  In a saucepan, heat mussels on high for 4 minutes; reduce and simmer 3 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.  When rice blend is cooked, add okra mixture to large skillet.  Add sausage and shrimp to large skillet. Toss gently to blend. Serve jambalaya with mussels and sauce in a bowl.  

Instant Mac ‘n Cheese

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? All the Buzz: Instant Mac ‘n Cheese! Face it. Every once in awhile the craving hits us to settle into a comfy chair with a warm bowl of Mac ‘n Cheese. Most pantries have all the ingredients you need to make it at home in a flash. Pasta, butter, milk, cheese, and seasonings. If you don’t have elbow macaroni, substitute ziti. If you’re low on cheddar cheese, use a couple slices of Velveeta instead. It’s all good. Sprinkle the gooey Mac ‘n Cheese with Cajun seasoning for extra zest. Oh, yeah!

INSTANT MAC ‘N CHEESE 

Ingredients:

4 ounces pasta

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup milk

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Dash of Cajun seasoning 

Instructions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. In medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add flour and sea salt. Stir until smooth. Raise heat to medium. Slowly add milk, stirring occasionally. Cook until bubbly. Add cheese and stir well until melted. Drain pasta. Blend with cheese sauce stirring to coat. Sprinkle with Cajun seasoning. 

Creamed Honey on Toast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? All the Buzz: Creamed Honey on Toast! Begin today at the Farmers Market on a quest for liquid gold. This version of natural honey is thicker in consistency, lighter in color, and creamier than ordinary honey varieties. For one, it does not contain the noticeable sugar crystals that can often leave a grainy aftertaste. Trained beekeepers put more effort into this little delicacy but, in my opinion, it is worth the extra time and effort. Pick up a couple jars this summer. Store them at room temperature and they will be good until you scrape the bottom of the jars. 

CREAMED HONEY ON TOAST

Ingredients:

Artisan bread, sliced

Sea salt French butter

Creamed honey

Ground cinnamon 

Instructions:

Choose a nice artisan bread for toasting. Slather on a tablespoon of sea salt French butter and watch it melt. Next, drizzle a generous swirl of creamed honey over the butter layer. Finally, top it off with a sprinkling of cinnamon. 

Blueberry-Almond Coffeecake

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? All the Buzz: Blueberry-Almond Coffeecake! The battle begins. Will you choose to eat this incredible coffee cake first thing in the morning for breakfast or the last thing at night for dessert?  The brown sugary crumbled topping seems like candy, but the fluffy moist cake filled with blueberries seems more like a last course to the meal. Whatever is one to do??? My choice? I’ll never tell. Enjoy!

BLUEBERRY-ALMOND COFFEECAKE 

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh blueberries 

2 tablespoons corn starch

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened 

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 egg

CRUNCHY TOPPING

Ingredients:

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons butter, softened 

1/4 cup almonds, chopped

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease and flour a 10″ round baking dish. In a bowl, gently toss blueberries and cornstarch to coat. Set aside. Cream together sugar and butter. Add flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon. While mixing gradually add milk, yogurt, almond extract, and egg. Blend well. Gently fold in blueberries. Pour batter into baking dish. To make topping, combine brown sugar and flour. Cut butter into topping until it resembles pea-size crumbs. Spread over cake batter. Sprinkle almonds over all. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Serve warm. 

Unrivaled Chocolate Caramel Treats

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Junkie Favorites: Unrivaled Chocolate Caramel Treats! Do you get weak in the knees over chocolate? You may be tempted once you taste this salty sweet confection. One little piece will have you rolling your eyes in delirium. The crust keeps this bar crunchy, kinda like a shortbread cookie. And the sea salt crystals form a balance that is unrivaled! This recipe has a few shortcuts, so it can be thrown together in a matter of minutes. No baking is required. Don’t hate me!

UNRIVALED CHOCOLATE CARAMEL TREATS

Ingredients:

Club crackers, whole

1 cup crushed Club crackers

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup coconut, flaked

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup butter, melted

16-ounce can of Chocolate Fudge Frosting

1/4 cup pecans, chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt crystals

Instructions:

Put one layer of whole Club crackers on the bottom of a 7″X11″ pan. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, coconut, milk, and melted butter. Boil ingredients for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; let cool. Form a layer of caramel mixture over crackers. Put another layer of Club crackers on top. Frost with canned frosting, sprinkle with pecans and sea salt crystals. Store in the refrigerator. 

Tropicana Bars

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Junkie Favorites: Tropicana Bars! When you combine exotic fruits, flaky coconut, and macadamia nuts, you may feel as though you stepped off an airplane onto a tropical island in the Pacific. This mouthwatering dessert is perfect for summer. Go ahead, take a bite for a quick trip to a faraway destination. Let your mind wander to swaying palm trees, magical waterfalls, and sunshine that warms the body as well as the spirit. 

TROPICANA BARS

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 cups flour

1teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 1/2 cups Zucchini Jam*

1/4 cup flaked coconut 

1/4 cup macadamia nuts, crushed 

1 tablespoon crystallized sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Cream together sugar and butter. Set aside. Whisk flour, salt, and baking soda together until blended. Combine dry ingredients with sugar mixture until crumbly. Spread 3/4 of batter into a 9″x13″ greased dish to make a crust. Sprinkle with cinnamon.  Layer with Zucchini Jam, coconut, and nuts. Crumble remaining batter over all. Sprinkle with crystallized sugar. Bake for 20-30 minutes.  Cool slightly and cut into 24 squares. 

* For Zucchini Jam recipe, please follow the link below. 

http://Snapshotsincursive.com/2016/04/12

Johnny Cake

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Junkie Favorites: Johnny Cake! When my kids were younger, I made them Johnny Cake for breakfast. It was right-out-of-the-oven steaming hot cornbread topped with real butter and maple syrup. Growing up in the country, my mom made me Johnny Cake for breakfast once a week. And when she was a little girl, her mom made it for her, too. I guess that’s why it’s considered a comfort food. As Dr. Seus once said, “You will know the true value of a moment when it becomes a memory.” Family traditions are to be cherished. 

JOHNNY CAKE 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup milk

1 egg

1 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal 

1 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray an 8″x8″ pan with nonstick oil. In a large bowl, beat the melted butter, milk, and egg with a wire whisk until well mixed. Add the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and sea salt at one time. Stir just until moistened. The batter will be lumpy. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Spread evenly in pan and smooth top of batter Bake 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean. Serve warm topped with butter and maple syrup. 

Griddle Golden Pancakes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Junkie Favorites: Griddle Golden Pancakes!  Dust off that old iron skillet you’ve shoved to the back of the cabinet; you’ll never use the electric griddle again. The benefits? Foods brown beautifully holding the cooking temperature steady, plus cleanup is a snap. Just saying. The results are light, fluffy, and golden brown pancakes that would make your grandma proud. 

GRIDDLE GOLDEN PANCAKES 

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 egg, beaten

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Vegetable oil for skillet

Instructions:

Heat an iron skillet on medium to low heat. This may take about 5-8 minutes. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and sea salt in a bowl.  Form a well in the center. Add egg, milk, vanilla extract, and butter. Mix until a few lumps remain. Brush vegetable oil evenly onto the skillet. Using a 1/4 cup, drop batter into the oiled skillet. Cook 2-3 minutes on side one. Bubbles will appear on the surface before flipping over. Then cook 1-2 minutes longer.  Serve with warm maple syrup and butter. 

Zinfandel Balsamic Reduction Sauce

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Grocery List Ideas: Zinfandel Balsamic Reduction Sauce. By now you’re probably very familiar with that finishing touch to garden salads, grilled meats, roasted veggies, and creamy desserts. Look for glossy, syrupy, deep dark brown swirls that taste sweet and smell tangy. It’s the final garnish that stands alone. Pretend you’re writing in cursive or freeform as you drizzle it atop foods. The natural sugars in red wine and raw honey create a thick fine stream that makes any food sit up and take notice. We call it balsamic reduction sauce. 

ZINFANDEL BALSAMIC REDUCTION SAUCE 

Ingredients: 

1 cup Zinfandel red wine 

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 

1 tablespoon raw honey

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cold 

Sea salt & black pepper, to taste 

Instructions: 

In a stainless steel tapered sauce pan over high heat, place the Zinfandel wine, balsamic vinegar, and raw honey. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. In 15-20 minutes it will reduce by half, and thicken. It should coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat. Allow the mixture to cool slightly. Whisk in the cold butter until melted for a glossy finish. Season with sea salt and black pepper.