cream

Granny Smith Apple Crumble

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Grocery List Ideas: Granny Smith Apple Crumble. It’s called a crumble because when you combine brown sugar, flour, and butter the end result should look bumpy and crunchy. Streusel comes to mind, in case you wonder why you’re suddenly drooling all over your apron. I like to add another sprinkling of cinnamon over the topping, but my husband reminds me not everyone likes the taste of cinnamon. (Who are these people, I wonder with a shrug and a smile.) 

GRANNY SMITH APPLE CRUMBLE

Ingredients for Crumble:

4-6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into slices 

1 tablespoon apple cider bourbon 

1 cup light cream, minus one tablespoon 

3/4 cup sugar 

1/3 cup butter, room temperature 

1 1/4 cup flour 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt 

2 teaspoons baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

I egg

Star anise, for garnish

Fresh sage leaves, for garnish

Ingredients for Crunchy Topping: 

1/2 cup brown sugar 

2 tablespoons flour 

2 tablespoons butter, softened 

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease and flour a 10” round baking dish or iron skillet. Set aside. Pour the apple cider bourbon into a one-cup measuring cup; fill remaining space with light cream. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Add flour, sea salt, baking powder, and cinnamon. While mixing, gradually add light cream mixture and egg. Blend well. Gently fold in sliced apples. Pour batter into prepared baking dish. To make the crunchy topping, combine brown sugar and flour. Cut butter into mixture until it resembles pea-size crumbs. Spread over apple batter. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean. Garnish with star anise and fresh sage leaves. Serve warm. 

Dried Beef Cheeseball

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Grocery List Ideas: Dried Beef Cheeseball! This is one of those all-time favorite appetizers that are crowd-pleasers. Some refer to it as “chipped” beef; others call it “dried” beef. I guess it depends on where you lived the first time you sampled it at a family friendly gathering. Either way, the umami salty savory concoction tickled your taste buds while tempting you for more. Just one more. In my experience, the firm texture of the spreadable cheeseball will last long after all the crackers and pretzels have vanished. Then there’s no other option but to “sigh” and reach for the celery sticks to finish it up. 

DRIED BEEF CHEESEBALL 

Ingredients: 

16 ounces cream cheese, softened 

4.5 ounces dried beef, chopped and divided 

5 green onions, chopped and divided 

8 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 

Instructions: 

In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and chopped dried beef (reserving about 1/4 cup chopped beef), 3 green chopped onions, shredded cheddar cheese, seasoned salt, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. Mix well. Roll into a ball and place in plastic wrap. Chill for one hour, or until firm. Unroll the cheese ball from the plastic wrap. Roll in the reserved chopped beef and remaining chopped onions. Serve with crackers. 

Caramel Apple Rice Cake

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Grocery List Ideas: Caramel Apple Rice Cake! Whether you are looking for a light breakfast, midday snack, or energy-booster…..think rice cakes. They offer a satisfying crunch and are easily digestible. Fruit, nuts, seeds, and protein contain vitamins that are justifiable as well. I like the taste. Be forewarned. You may find yourself at the grocery store standing in front of the packaged display highly impressed with all the varieties. Sure, you can eat them plain, but why would you? 

CARAMEL APPLE RICE CAKE 

Instructions: 

1 apple cinnamon rice cake

2 tablespoons whipped cream cheese 

1/2 Gala apple, cored and sliced 

1-2 tablespoons sea salt caramel sauce

2 tablespoons redskin Spanish peanuts 

Instructions: 

Place one rice cake on a plate. Spread whipped cream cheese evenly on the cinnamon rice cake. Arrange apple slices over the top. Drizzle with sea salt caramel sauce. Sprinkle Spanish peanuts over all. 

Artichoke Spinach Dip

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Grocery List Ideas: Artichoke Spinach Dip! Some say retro appetizers are making a comeback, while others argue they never really went out of style.  I can see both sides of this coin. And no matter how you flip it, everyone wins. This particular party-perfect 1970’s dip includes a jar of marinated artichoke hearts, which gained popularity in the 1990’s. Before long, this tangy, savory, zesty taste became the star attraction making it a “must have” at every fellowship gathering. WYKYK. 

ARTICHOKE SPINACH DIP

Ingredients: 

1 sweet onion, cut into quarters 

8 cloves garlic 

14-ounce jar artichoke hearts, drained and chopped 

10-ounce frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

8-ounce parmesan cheese, shredded

1.4 ounce package dry vegetable soup mix

8-ounce cream cheese, room temperature 

1 cup mayonnaise 

8-ounces sour cream

Instructions: 

In a food processor, combine chopped onion and garlic cloves. Pulse until finely chopped. Add artichoke hearts; continue chopping. Add spinach, parmesan cheese, and vegetable soup mix. Process until well blended. Transfer mixture to a glass bowl. Combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream until smooth. Fold into the artichoke mixture. Cover and refrigerate one hour, or overnight. Serve in a hollowed out pumpernickel bread bowl. Cut the extra bread into chunks for dipping. Enjoy! 

Xenial Spinach Dip

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Take a Seat at the Table: Xenial Spinach Dip! Take a trip down Memory Lane with this hip 1970s all-star party staple. “I called it!”, shouted my best friend when asked to bring an appetizer to share. Maybe it was the presentation of carrying an artisan bread bowl into the room, or perhaps it was the “healthy” alternative to potato chips and onion dip, or it could have been the standing ovation it got from everyone who tasted it. Think about it….how fun is that to tear off a piece of crusty bread and slather it in creamy spinach mingled with a spicy crunch of water chestnuts. “I called it!”

XENIAL SPINACH DIP

Ingredients:

1 pound artisan bread bowl

1 pint Greek yogurt

3 ounces Neufchâtel cheese

10 ounces mayonnaise 

8 ounce can of water chestnuts, drained and chopped

1 package Swiss vegetable dry soup mix

10 ounce package of frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and chopped

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, mix Greek yogurt, Neufchâtel cheese, and mayonnaise. Chill one hour. Add water chestnuts, package of Swiss vegetable dry soup mix, and uncooked spinach. Mix well. Chill one hour longer. Hollow out center of bread bowl. Fill with spinach dip. Serve with raw vegetables. 

Espresso Obsession

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Take a Seat at the Table: Espresso Obsession! You can be a master barista in the comfort of your own kitchen. Some essential items make all the difference in the results; a good coffee bean grinder and a reliable espresso machine, for instance. Always use quality ingredients. Begin with a premium blend of whole roasted coffee beans to grind yourself. A very fine ground is necessary in order to brew classic Italian roast espresso beverages. Drink it hot or turn it into an iced coffee version. Grazie!

ESPRESSO OBSESSION 

Ingredients:

Fresh roasted espresso beans

Purified water

Whipped cream

Instructions:

After the coffee beans are ground to a consistency of sugar, use 1/4 ounce per shot, an one ounce serving. (If it is too coarse, water will run straight through it leaving the coffee lacking a robust flavor.) Pack the grinds into the espresso handle and press down with a tamper, but not too hard. You’ll know when you see the cream-like foam finish. Make sure the water is not boiling. An espresso machine will keep the temperature at 90C degrees. Perfection. Serve immediately.  

I choose a dollop of whipped cream on top making my signature coffee drink an “Espresso Con Panna”.

Devil’s Food Cake

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Take a Seat at the Table: Devil’s Food Cake! Sometimes all you crave is a slice of good old-fashioned chocolate cake like your grandma used to make, before Betty Crocker introduced the world to cake mixes. It’s very simple, really. Take a walk down Memory Lane with a recipe that recaptures youthful musings.  

DEVIL’S FOOD CAKE

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup cocoa

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup salad oil

1 cup boiling water

1 cup milk

2 eggs, beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a bundt pan. Mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add salad oil and boiling water. Stir until lumps are gone. Gradually add milk; stir. Add eggs and vanilla; stir. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Invert onto serving platter. Cool before frosting or sprinkling with powdered sugar. 

Belgian Waffles

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Take a Seat at the Table: Belgian Waffles!  Call me crazy, or call me lazy, but truth be told sometimes you need to take a shortcut in preparing a meal. Just because you’re short on time doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice taste. Here’s a perfect example: Belgian Waffles made from starter pancake mix in a box. Add a few extras like pure vanilla and fresh fruit to turn an ordinary waffle into a spectacular one. Make a batch for breakfast, brunch, or dinner. Let the cheers begin!

BELGIAN WAFFLES

Ingredients:

2 cups Log Cabin All Natural Pancake Mix

4 tablespoons oil

2 eggs

1 1/3 cups milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract 

Instructions:

Preheat waffle iron. Combine pancake mix, oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla in a blender. Blend 30 seconds until lumps are removed. Let batter rest for a few minutes. Grease waffle iron if necessary. Pour batter by scant cupfuls onto center of hot waffle iron. Bake 3-5 minutes or until steaming slows and waffle is golden brown. Carefully remove. Serving suggestions: Fresh fruit, melted butter, dark amber maple syrup, pecans, whipped cream, and a side of bacon. 

Quiche Cups

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Stir. Spread. Flip. Repeat: Quiche Cups! Beginning the day with eggs in any form is always a good idea. Adding vegetables makes them even better when sautéed, which eliminates moisture than can turn a quiche soggy. By eliminating the bread crust, and focusing on the cream for a filling more like custard, the depth of flavor intensifies. Cheese simply makes everything incredibly Yumolicious. Need I say more?

QUICHE CUPS

Ingredients:

1/4 cup diced prosciutto 

1/4 cup broccoli florets

1/4 cup onions, chopped

1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved

5 eggs

1/4 cup light cream

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper 

1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325°. Spray the bottom of a muffin tin. Set aside. Heat an iron skillet over medium heat. Add prosciutto. Sauté a few minutes, stirring often. Add the broccoli florets, chopped onions, and grape tomatoes. Cook 3-4 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Add 2 tablespoons of mixture to each muffin well. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and light cream. Add seasoned salt and pepper. Mix well. Fold in sharp cheddar cheese. Carefully pour egg mixture into each muffin well, filling about 3/4 full. Bake 25 minutes, or until quiche cups are set. Remove from oven and serve immediately.