cheese

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!

Quince Essential Baguette

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Symphony of Flavors: Quince Essential Baguette! On your recent trip to the supermarket, you may have wondered about that hard yellow fruit in the produce department that resembles a cross between an apple and a pear. Before you buy one and take it home to eat it raw, think again. Quince is one of those fruits that smells citrusy and fresh, but the flesh is actually quite stringy. You’re better off making jam, jelly, or preserves instead. Cooking transforms them into a softer and sweeter treat worth raving about. I took the shortcut and bought a jar of quince spread instead. 

QUINCE ESSENTIAL BAGUETTE 

Ingredients:

8” bakery baguette 

1.05-ounce jar quince spread

4.4-ounce wedge bleu cheese, room temperature 

1 pound green grapes, seedless

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Rub a little water on both sides of the baguette. Place bread on baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven and slice. Arrange baguette slices on a charcuterie board. Open a jar of quince spread to slather on half a baguette slice. Spread crumbled bleu cheese on the other half. Serve with seedless green grapes. 

Poppyseed Ham Sliders

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Symphony of Flavors: Poppyseed Ham Sliders! For a buttery good appetizer or game day snack, these quick and easy sliders get the party going. Be prepared to watch them disappear. If you’re short on time, make them a day ahead and store, covered, in the refrigerator. You will need to adjust the baking time to 20 minutes (covered) and then 8 minutes (uncovered). Either way, your family will thank you for being such a crowd pleaser. Simply smile and respond, “This old recipe? I’ve had it forever.”

POPPYSEED HAM SLIDERS

Ingredients:

12-count Hawaiian sweet dinner rolls

1/3 cup mayonnaise 

6 slices Swiss cheese, cut into quarters

24 slices deli honey ham

1 tablespoon poppyseeds

1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 tablespoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Cut the rolls in half; spread mayonnaise onto one side of the rolls. Place a slice of Swiss cheese between two slices of ham. Replace the top of the rolls. Transfer sandwich to a baking dish. Repeat. In a medium bowl, whisk together poppyseeds, Dijon mustard, melted butter, onion powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour butter mixture over the rolls, just covering the tops. Cover with foil; let sit for 10 minutes. Bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Remove foil; bake 2 minutes longer until the tops are slightly browned and crisp. Serve warm. 

Honeycomb & Cheese

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Symphony of Flavors: Honeycomb & Cheese! Raw honeycomb is such an elegant centerpiece for charcuterie boards and grazing stations at your next home entertainment gathering. It’s also a unique conversation-starter. Did you know it can take bees anywhere from one week to several months to build a full honeycomb? It all depends on the availability of natural nectar, the bee population, and how far the bees will fly to collect food. Now you, too, can get “busy as a bee” planning your next get together. 

HONEYCOMB & CHEESE

Ingredients:

8-ounce wedge of parmesan cheese

5.6-ounce block of raw acacia honeycomb 

Sprig of fresh thyme

Instructions:

Arrange a wedge of parmesan cheese on a marble serving plate. Break off a few bite-size pieces in chunks. Place a hunk of raw acacia honeycomb nearby with the hexagonal cells visible for appealing presentation. Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme. The beeswax and natural honey are lightly sweet with subtle hints of vanilla. The honeycomb wax is completely edible, for those who wonder. Serve with warm bread, fresh fruit, assorted nuts, and cured meats. 

Grill Pan Supreme Pizza

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Symphony of Flavors: Grill Pan Supreme Pizza! Who doesn’t like the taste of grilled foods? You know, that tiny bit of charred smokiness that delivers a presentation of black lines on pizza crust, vegetables, and meat. The raised edges keep food from sitting in fats or unnecessary grease, making it somewhat more healthy. The grill pan actually mimics cooking outdoors on a gas grill, without all the hassle, especially if it’s raining or snowing. Clean up is pretty simple, too. It gets my vote all day long. 

GRILL PAN SUPREME PIZZA

Ingredients:

1 prepared pizza crust, room temperature 

1 cup pizza sauce

8 slices pepperoni 

2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 slices deli ham, chopped

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1/4 cup green pepper, chopped

1/2 cup pizza sauce

1/2 cup fresh mozzarella, sliced

Giardiniera, for topping

Red pepper flakes, for garnish

Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions:

Preheat the grill pan on medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Using a silicone brush, oil the pan to prevent sticking. Grill one side of the dough until bubbles begin to form on the top. Lift the edge to check for charred grill lines on the dough. Carefully, flip over and arrange toppings. Add pizza sauce and fresh mozzarella. Place the whole grill pan in a preheated 400° oven. Bake 5-7 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Remove and serve with giardiniera, red pepper flakes, and grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Fig Prosciutto Goat Cheese

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Symphony of Flavors: Fig Prosciutto Goat Cheese! Now here is an exotic treat you may want to try. Look for figs that have a dark purplish skin, known as the black mission fig. Once you cut into it, a burst of ruby red color will reveal the sweet fleshy center. At first bite, you will notice it tastes similar to fruit jam or concentrated honey. Pairing it with salty meat, like prosciutto, provides a balance that will keep you coming back for more. Don’t forget the cheese. A nice substitute for goat cheese is bleu cheese. Let the adventure begin. 

FIG PROSCIUTTO GOAT CHEESE

Ingredients:

4 figs

4 balls of goat cheese, rolled into 3/4” diameter 

2 slices prosciutto, cut lengthwise in half, each strip rolled up

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 fresh thyme sprig, leaves only

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400°. Lightly spray a baking dish with nonstick oil. Place the four figs, stem side up, in the dish. Remove stems. Using a knife, make a deep cross, without cutting through the bottom. Spread the figs apart. Press a ball of goat cheese in the center of each fig. Top with rolled prosciutto. Drizzle with maple syrup. Sprinkle with fresh thyme. Bake 10 minutes. Serve warm. 

Artichoke Garlic Parm Dip

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Symphony of Flavors: Artichoke Garlic Parm Dip! Life Lesson—-Never go to a social event hungry. It’s probably not a good idea to starve yourself all day with words like, “Since I’m eating later, I’ll skip breakfast or lunch.” The best intentions fly out the window when you discover how the hostess has perfected stationed food to look irresistible and amazing. It’s no accident the food and beverage areas become the focal point. That’s kinda the idea. My suggestion? Do as the French do. Graze. Anything more than 3 bites of one item can lead to overindulgence. 

ARTICHOKE GARLIC PARM DIP

Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise 

1 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

14-ounce can marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

Parsley, for garnish 

Garlic bagel chips

Rosemary olive oil crackers

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a baking dish with nonstick oil. Set aside. Combine mayonnaise, parmesan cheese, and garlic powder in a bowl. Fold in the chopped artichoke hearts. Mix well. Spread into the prepared baking dish. Bake 20 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. Serve warm with garlic bagel chips and rosemary olive oil crackers. 

Vine-Ripened Tomato Flatbread

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Uplifting Aromas: Vine-Ripened Tomato Flatbread! I miss my vegetable garden. Although it wasn’t huge, it provided me with tomatoes in all shapes and sizes. I used to snack on cherry tomatoes as I picked a handful for the evening dinner salad. Sometimes the juices would squirt out of my mouth, which made me thankful no one was around to be the target of such fluid madness. The Roma tomatoes were perfect when puréed into a delectable sauce for pasta or pizza. And the beefsteak varieties provided enough texture to hold everything together in a salty BLT smothered in mayonnaise. Talk about a sensory explosion. Ah, yes, tomatoes make me very happy. 

VINE-RIPENED TOMATO FLATBREAD 

Ingredients: 

1 naan flatbread 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon cornmeal 

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 tomatoes, sliced and halved 

4 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced

1/4 cup provolone cheese, shredded 

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herb blend

Fresh Basil, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Brush the bottom of the naan flatbread with olive oil. Dust with cornmeal. Sprinkle with garlic powder and sea salt. Bake flatbread, seasoned side down, on a pizza pan for 5 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Arrange tomato slices over the top of the flatbread. Cut mozzarella cheese slices in half and cover the tomatoes. Top with shredded provolone cheese. Sprinkle Italian herb blend over all. Bake 10 minutes longer, or until cheese is gooey and tomatoes have softened. Drizzle with more olive oil, if desired.  Garnish flatbread with fresh basil. 

Urban Pea Salad

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Uplifting Aromas: Urban Pea Salad! It’s funny. I remember eating pea salad when I went to visit my mother. I also remember placing a spoonful of pea salad on my plate at a church dinner buffet. In addition, I remember adding pea salad as a flavorful choice from a bountiful restaurant salad bar. But I don’t ever remember making pea salad at home for myself or my family. And I’m not sure why not. I guess as we age, we peruse our memory banks to revisit those satisfying moments that bring a smile to our faces. Don’t be surprised if you discover more of these bits of nostalgia for yourself. After all, they’re only a memory “snapshot” away. 

URBAN PEA SALAD

Ingredients:

1/4 cup mayonnaise 

2 cups frozen baby peas, slightly thawed

4 slice’s applewood smoked bacon, cooked until crisp; crumbled

1/4 cup red onion, finely sliced 

1/3 cup sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded

Instructions:

Gently combine the mayonnaise, baby peas, bacon crumbles, red onion, and shredded cheddar cheese in a bowl. Stir until the peas are coated and everything is mixed. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate two hours. Serve slightly chilled.