cakes

Whipped Feta Rice Cake

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Cut Above: Whipped Feta Rice Cake! Every once in a while a craving for a rice cake enters my mind. Sure, I realize they are basically like eating fat-free air pockets with a satisfying crunch, so I can somewhat rationalize this temptation now and then by adding delicious toppings. Feta cheese, when whipped into submission becomes smooth, rich, and creamy. Lemon adds a refreshing zing, which goes well with pitas and veggies like my favorite, cherry tomatoes. Feel free to add fresh herbs or dried peppers. There’s really no limit to what you can do. 

WHIPPED FETA RICE CAKE

Ingredients: 

8 ounces Neufchâtel cheese, room temperature 

8 ounces feta cheese

1/4 cup water

2 1/2 tablespoons natural honey

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 lemon, zested

5.5 ounce package plain rice cakes

8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved

Micro greens, for garnish

Instructions: 

In a food processor, combine Neufchâtel cheese, feta cheese, water, natural honey, black pepper, sea salt, and lemon zest. Blend until mixture is smooth and creamy. Spread the whipped feta onto a plain rice cake. Spoon the cherry tomatoes over the top. Garnish with micro greens. Repeat assembly steps for number of servings needed. Enjoy! 

Maryland-Style Crab Cakes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Palatable Possibilities: Maryland-Style Crab Cakes! When my step-daughter, Brandi, gifted me with a copy of one of her favorite seafood cookbooks, I knew exactly what dish I was going to make first. After all, the cookbook is based on a popular Hilton Head Island restaurant that has become her family’s traditional spot whenever they visit. Because Florida has an abundance of connections for fresh seafood, vendors are able to get premium, wild-caught crab meat to sell to their customers. Farmers Markets, as well as fish companies specialize in pre-made crab cakes. One taste and I thought, why compete with the best? So, I use two or three resources for incredible tasting Maryland crab cakes. Supporting local businesses builds strong communities and helps everyone thrive. For dinner in a snap, read on.

MARYLAND-STYLE CRAB CAKES

Ingredients:

6 pre-made Maryland crab cakes

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons red onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup diced tomatoes

1 cup spicy Bloody Mary mix

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Lemon slices, for garnish

Parsley flakes, for garnish

Instructions:

To make the gazpacho sauce, warm olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add red onion and minced garlic. Cook 1-2 minutes. Add diced tomatoes, Bloody Mary mix, Worcestershire sauce, sea salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Transfer gazpacho to a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use. To bake the crab cakes, preheat oven to 425°. Place crab cakes on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick oil. Bake 12 minutes, flip, and bake 3 minutes longer until golden brown. To serve, ladle the slightly chilled gazpacho onto a plate; center a crab cake on top. Arrange lemon slices. Sprinkle with parsley flakes.

Ranier Cherry-Topped Hot Cakes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Time To Eat: Ranier Cherry-Topped Hot Cakes! Treat yourself to a summer delicacy with the extraordinary flavor of Ranier cherries. You’ll easily recognize this variety by its honeyed yellow skin that appears to have a faint red blush of color. At first bite, they almost resemble a miniature plum, which may carry divine flavor flashbacks of cherished childhood memories. Now add a golden stack of hot cakes with a crisp outer edge and fluffy cake-like center. This is what mornings are meant to be.

RANIER CHERRY-TOPPED HOT CAKES

Ingredients:

1 pint Ranier cherries, rinsed, patted dry, pitted, and halved

2 1/4 cup flour

1/3 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup sour cream

2 eggs

Instructions:

Preheat griddle to 375°. For gas stove griddles, set knob at medium-low setting for 10-15 minutes. While griddle is heating, sift flour into a bowl. Add sugar, sea salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix well. In another bowl, combine milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, cider vinegar, sour cream, and eggs. Mix well. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Gently fold together, without over mixing. Allow the batter to rest for 5 minutes. The batter will be thick and bubbly. Lightly oil the heated griddle with butter. Gently pour 1/4 cup pancake batter onto the griddle. Do not overcrowd. Allow the pancakes to cook until bubbles appear around the edges, about 4 minutes. Then flip pancakes and cook 2 minutes longer until done. Remove from griddle and top warm pancakes with creamy butter, fresh Ranier cherries, and pure maple syrup.

Mashed Potato Cakes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Time To Eat: Mashed Potato Cakes! Remember when you were a kid and you went to the beach to build sandcastles? Sometimes they molded and other times they crumbled. Well, today is a day for you to try again and get it right. There is one exception, though. Instead of using sand, we are going to use mashed potatoes. The results are crispy on the outside and perfection on the inside. Let the fun begin.

MASHED POTATO CAKES

Ingredients:

3 medium potatoes, peeled, rinsed, and quartered

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon butter

1-2 tablespoons milk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Cook potatoes in plenty of salted water until thoroughly cooked; then drain. Meanwhile, sauté the onions until translucent; set aside. In a large bowl, combine cooked potatoes, beaten egg, sautéed onions, sea salt, black pepper, and butter. Adjust the texture with milk, as needed. On the baking sheet, using a ring mold, scoop mashed potato mixture to shape the cakes, about 1 1/2” thick. Press down slightly with the back of a spatula. Remove the ring mold and repeat the process for remaining mashed potatoes. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer the potato cakes to a platter and top with a dollop or two of butter. Serve immediately.

Maryland-Style Crab Cakes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Palatable Possibilities: Maryland-Style Crab Cakes! When my step-daughter, Brandi, gifted me with a copy of one of her favorite seafood cookbooks, I knew exactly what dish I was going to make first. After all, the cookbook is based on a popular Hilton Head Island restaurant that has become her family’s traditional spot whenever they visit. Because Florida has an abundance of connections for fresh seafood, vendors are able to get premium, wild-caught crab meat to sell to their customers. Farmers Markets, as well as fish companies specialize in pre-made crab cakes. One taste and I thought, why compete with the best? So, I use two or three resources for incredible tasting Maryland crab cakes. Supporting local businesses builds strong communities and helps everyone thrive. For dinner in a snap, read on.

MARYLAND-STYLE CRAB CAKES

Ingredients:

6 pre-made Maryland crab cakes

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons red onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup diced tomatoes

1 cup spicy Bloody Mary mix

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Lemon slices, for garnish

Parsley flakes, for garnish

Instructions:

To make the gazpacho sauce, warm olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add red onion and minced garlic. Cook 1-2 minutes. Add diced tomatoes, Bloody Mary mix, Worcestershire sauce, sea salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Transfer gazpacho to a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use. To bake the crab cakes, preheat oven to 425°. Place crab cakes on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick oil. Bake 12 minutes, flip, and bake 3 minutes longer until golden brown. To serve, ladle the slightly chilled gazpacho onto a plate; center a crab cake on top. Arrange lemon slices. Sprinkle with parsley flakes.

Crunchy Crab Cakes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Palatable Possibilities: Crunchy Crab Cakes! Get ready for a celebration meal by simply serving crab cakes. You’re going to want to savor every bite, so try really hard to chew your food 20 times before taking another forkful. The outer layer is crispy crunchy, which works well for serving with a homemade jezebel sauce, creamy horseradish, or Caesar dressing. Personally, I prefer a bed of romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and green onions simply because it intensifies the sweet lump crabmeat filling that much more. Pour yourself a glass of chilled Chardonnay, bubbly Prosecco, or Pinot Blanc. Now let’s get this party started.

CRUNCHY CRAB CAKES

Ingredients:

1 large egg, beaten

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sriracha

1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1 cup red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped

16-ounce can lump crabmeat, rinsed and drained

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425°. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick oil. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together beaten egg, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, soy sauce, sriracha, and Cajun seasoning. Add chopped red pepper and green onions. Fold in crabmeat and 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs. Place remaining breadcrumbs on a sheet of waxed paper. Sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Divide crab mixture into fourths. Shape each portion into a patty. Coats both sides in the panko bread crumbs. Place crab cake on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat process with the remaining mixture. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until crab cakes are crispy on the bottom. Flip over and bake 10-12 minutes longer or until golden brown and crispy. Serve immediately.

Heart-Healthy Honey Cakes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Elevated Edibles: Heart-Healthy Honey Cakes! Way down south, in the Florida panhandle, grows an unusual tree that produces the “Cadillac” of all honey varieties known as raw Tupelo. The tree blossoms are short-lived and delicate, creating a nectar that is nothing short of superbly exquisite. The finespun flavor is buttery, highly distinctive, and almost magical. If you happen to put your hands on a jar of Tupelo honey, first unscrew the lid and place a couple droplets on your tongue. You owe yourself a genuine taste of the liquid amber gold before adding it to your culinary portfolio. Then, by all means, elevate everyday favorites.

HEART-HEALTHY HONEY CAKES

Ingredients:

1 cup flour plus 2 tablespoons

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup Tupelo raw honey, reserving 1 1/2 tablespoons for drizzling over the batter

1/2 cup sugar

2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup coffee

2 1/2 tablespoons orange juice

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Generously grease six mini bundt pans with nonstick oil. Set aside. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Mix well. Add vegetable oil, raw honey, sugar, brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, coffee, and orange juice. Mix thoroughly until no lumps remain. Pour batter into prepared mini bundt pans, filling each just over halfway. Do not overfill. Drizzle reserved raw honey over batter. Bake 30 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven. Cool 10 minutes, then invert pans to remove honey cakes. Cool on wire rack. Garnish with fresh lemon thyme.

Carlo’s Bakery in New York, New York

Dining Outside the Home: Carlo’s Bakery in New York, New York! He’s the Boss, that’s for sure. Luscious cakes, cream-filled cannolis, chewy cookies, and countless culinary creations will have your head swimming from refrigerated display case to bakery case. Customers in line murmur, “I want this. I’ve had that” as their fingers point to the delicious pastries behind the lighted glass. In no time at all, by the time you snake your way up to the energetic staff, you’ll easily walk away clutching fifty dollars worthy of dreamy confections.