cinnamon

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter Y

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Chow Down: Yumolicious GF Harvest Muffins! Have you discovered the silky taste of almond butter lately? I recently came across a gourmet item that enhanced the almond butter with cinnamon and chia seeds. Because it works with this muffin recipe, I went ahead and used it. Obviously, if chia seeds are not your thing, no worries. The butternut squash is the star attraction, in my opinion. It has a natural sweet flavor that surpasses the pumpkin patch variety that is more common. Since I recently made a batch of glazed pears, they were added to the “harvest”, but you can certainly substitute with a delicious apple instead. If I haven’t piqued your interest by now, let me further add the fact that these yumolicious muffins are gluten-free. See? It works. You learn something new everyday. 
YUMOLICIOUS GF HARVEST MUFFINS 
Ingredients:

3/4 cup butternut squash purée 

1 cup almond butter

1/3 cup maple syrup

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 pear, finely chopped 

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened 

1 tablespoon almond flour

2-3 tablespoons old fashioned oats

2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325°. Use muffin cup liners for 12 muffins. Line the muffin tin; set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine butternut squash purée, almond butter, maple syrup, beaten egg, cinnamon, and baking soda. Mix well. Fold in the chopped pears. Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full. For the topping, mix brown sugar, softened butter, almond flour, and old fashioned oats. Mixture will be crumbly. Sprinkle each muffin with streusel topping. Top with sunflower seeds. Bake 30-35 minutes or until muffins pull away from paper liner. Watch carefully. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter V

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Chow Down: Vanilla Laced French Toast! Here’s a twist on ordinary French toast. If you prefer the outside to be crispy, don’t be ashamed to coat the bread with crushed cracker crumbs before dropping it into the buttered skillet. It not only seals in the flavor, but also produces a “to-die-for” custard filling. Forget soggy bread, go instead for a golden brown crunch drizzled in dark maple syrup and topped with the rich flavor of vanilla glazed pears. Have I got your attention?
VANILLA LACED FRENCH TOAST 
Ingredients:

2 eggs

1/2 cup light cream

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup Ritz crackers, crushed*

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 

1-2 tablespoons butter

6 slices Hawaiian sweet bread

Glazed Pear Topping, if desired**

Powdered sugar, sprinkling

Pecan halves, as garnish
Instructions:

Whisk eggs, light cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Set aside. On a sheet of waxed paper, combine crushed crackers, cinnamon, and nutmeg with a fork. Melt butter on low heat in an iron skillet. Do not burn. Increase heat to medium. Dip bread slices in egg mixture, coat both sides in cracker crumbs, and place in the skillet. Cook 3 minutes until brown. Turn. Cook 3 minutes longer. Remove to a platter. Repeat until all slices are used. Serve with butter, maple syrup, and fruit, if desired. Garnish with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and pecans. 
*I receive no recompense for mentioning Ritz Crackers. 
**Recipe for Cinnamon Glazed Pears can be found at this link. 

https://snapshotsincursive.com/2015/12/28

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter Y

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Front-Runner Favs: Yam Streusel Boats! Root vegetables are our friends. Yams, also known as sweet potatoes, contain more healthy fiber and Vitamin A than white potatoes. Plus they are lower in calories. Granted today’s recipe has a streusel topping, but think about it. When you eat a baked (white) potato, do you add butter, sour cream, and crumbled bacon? I know, right! Obviously portion-control is part of the equation in making healthy choices. With the holidays on the horizon, think warm, comfort foods containing root vegetables. 
YAM STREUSEL BOATS
Ingredients for Yams:

2 medium sweet potatoes 

1 tablespoon olive oil

Sea salt

1 tablespoon butter, softened

1 teaspoon maple syrup 

1 pinch cinnamon 

1 pinch chipotle chili powder 
Ingredients for Chipotle Pumpkin Seeds:

2 tablespoons butter, melted 

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/8 teaspoon raspberry chipotle rub

3/4 cup pumpkin seeds
Ingredients for Streusel Topping:

1 tablespoon flour

1/3 cup brown sugar 

1 tablespoon butter, softened 

1/4 cup chipotle pumpkin seeds, chopped 
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Rub sweet potatoes with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt. Pierce the top with a knife. Place potatoes directly on the oven rack. Bake one hour. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop the flesh into a mixing bowl. Place potato shells on a baking sheet. Slightly mash the sweet potato flesh. Add butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, and chipotle chili powder. Whisk until smooth. Spoon mixture equally into yam shells. For seasoned pumpkin seeds, combine butter, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, and raspberry chipotle rub. Whisk well. Put pumpkin seeds in a ziplock bag. Pour butter mixture over all. Seal and shake to coat. Transfer seeds to a baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Toss and bake 5 minutes longer. Cool. Chop 1/4 cup of seasoned pumpkin seeds for topping. For streusel topping, use a medium bowl. Combine flour, brown sugar, and butter. Mix well. Topping should be crumbly. Fold in chopped pumpkin seeds. Sprinkle streusel topping over mashed sweet potatoes. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and serve. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter X

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Front-Runner Favs: Xingzi Apricot Tartlets! Apricots have a way of turning simple desserts into gourmet treats. Their rich flavor is similar to a peach, but with a more tender outer skin. The juicy tang blends well with spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom for a warm flavorful finish. The buttery dough of puff pastry makes the tartlets as light as air. Guaranteed to impress, and delicious to eat. 
XINGZI APRICOT TARTLETS
Ingredients:

1 sheet prepared puff pastry, thawed

14-ounce can apricots, halved in syrup

2 tablespoons apricot jam, warmed

Nutmeg, Cinnamon, and Cardamom to taste

1 vanilla bean pod, slivered
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Unroll the puff pastry and cut it into small rectangles. Place on a nonstick baking sheet. Arrange apricot halves on each pastry strip. Brush with apricot jam. Sprinkle with nutmeg, cinnamon, and cardamom to taste. Bake 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Garnish with slivers of vanilla bean before serving. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter F

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Front-Runner Favs: Flaming Cherries Jubilee! Here’s a dessert that always leaves a nice impression. And why wouldn’t it? After all, it was specially prepared for Queen Victoria’s Jubilee celebration in the late 1800’s. Hence the name. Begin with the season’s plump and juicy cherries found at the local Farmer’s Market or neighborhood grocery. Gently warm them in a sweet simple syrup. Add brandy and ignite for an amazing presentation. Then serve over bowls of ice cream. Super-simple yet super-delish!
FLAMING CHERRIES JUBILEE 
Ingredients:

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar 

2 cinnamon sticks 

Lemon rind

1 cup cherries, stems and stones removed; halved

2 tablespoons brandy

Vanilla Ice Cream
Instructions:

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, and lemon rind. Stir to dissolve sugar. Boil for 3-5 minutes until mixture thickens. Reduce heat to simmer, add cherries. Cook over low heat until fruit is softened. The syrup will turn color to match the cherries. Remove the lemon rind; discard. Add the brandy, but do not boil. Turn off stove. Flame the cherries with a kitchen torch. Using a spoon, baste cherries with liqueur and juices until the flames extinguish. Spoon over bowls of vanilla ice cream. Serve warm. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter Y

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Simple Sensations: Yogurt Cups! Talk about healthy, nutritious, calcium-rich, and yummy! The best part is you create the parfait of flavors bursting in every spoonful. Will you make it Raspberry-White Chocolate? Strawberry-Kiwi? Banana-Chocolate Chip? Or Pineapple-Macadamia Nut? I chose four different combinations. The possibilities are endless. 
YOGURT CUPS
Ingredients:

1 16-ounce carton of Greek yogurt 

Assorted Fruit (blueberries, peaches, mandarin oranges, and Rainier cherries)

Mini marshmallows 

Dried cranberries

Toasted Coconut Flakes

Almond Slivers

Cinnamon Powder
Instructions:

Divide yogurt into individual servings. (If you like fruit on the bottom, layer some first.) Then assemble combined flavors together. Shown in photo from the top and going clockwise are:
Blueberries & Dried Cranberries

Toasted Coconut Flakes & Cinnamon Peach

Rainier Cherries & Almond Slivers

Mandarin Orange-Mini Marshmallow Puffs
See what I mean? What combination will you create? Please share your ideas with me! I’d love to hear from you. I’ll see you next time in Gail’s Kitchen!

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter S

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Simple Sensations: Snickerdoodle Blondies! Mention the word “cinnamon” and automatically people have visions of pastry shops and bakeries emitting delectable aromas that seduce the mind and tempt the body with Happy Day dance moves. And who doesn’t like to say “Snickerdoodle”? Bake-and-Go with this all-time favorite recipe.  
SNICKERDOODLE BLONDIES 
Batter Ingredients:

2 2/3 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder 

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 cups brown sugar, packed

1 cup butter, melted

2 eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping Ingredients:

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9″x13″ pan. Mix butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add the baking powder, salt, and flour. Pour into pan. 

In a small bowl mix together the cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle over top of dough. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven. Try to wait until the Snickerdoodle Blondies cool down before sinking your teeth into that first bite. Enjoy!

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter F

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Simple Sensations: Fresh Pear Tart! Even if you are only slightly crazy about pears, one taste of this beautiful caramelized fruit dessert will have you boasting of connections to Le Cordon Bleu. The secret to making this incredible tart is baking it in an iron skillet; first on the stove and then in the oven. 
FRESH PEAR TART
Ingredients:

1 sheet of Puff Pastry

6 ripe pears; peeled, cored, and sliced

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon 
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Place the butter in the iron skillet on the stove. As it melts, add the sugar and arrange the pears carefully to look appealing when the tart is served “bottom up”. Increase the heat and cook gently until sugar is caramelized. Sprinkle in the cinnamon. Once the sugar has turned golden brown, remove the pan from the heat and gently lay the puff pastry over the fruit. Be sure it fits snugly to the pan. Place the skillet into the oven. Bake 15-20 minutes until the pastry crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before turning upside down onto a serving platter. Cut and serve warm. Add a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for the finishing touch. Smile lovingly and say, “It’s just a little something I made with all my heart!” ❤️

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter M

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Sunshine Eats: Moroccan Stuffed Dates! The next time you throw together a Charcuterie Board, surprise everyone with an elegant delicacy of royal ancestors. Their natural sweet flavor and crunchy texture make pitted dates ideal for snacking. And who doesn’t love finger-food? When stuffed with an amazing almond paste, and a sprinkling of rose water, a superior appetizer is born. Impress yourself by turning ordinary into absolutely delicious. 
MOROCCAN STUFFED DATES
Ingredients:

8 ounces pitted dates

3/4 cup natural almonds

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

dash of cinnamon 

1 teaspoon rose water

1 teaspoon almond extract

1-2 teaspoons water

12-16 walnut halves

Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions:

Pulse almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Add powdered sugar and cinnamon; mix well. Add rose water, almond extract, and one teaspoon of water. Pulse until mixture becomes a paste, adding another teaspoon of water if necessary. Fill each date with the almond mixture, using a demitasse spoon. You want the paste to form a slight bulge over the top of the slit. Repeat until all dates are filled. Place the stuffed dates on a serving platter. Garnish with a walnut half and a dusting of powdered sugar.