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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. 

Toffee Coffee Cookies

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Grocery List Ideas: Toffee Coffee Cookies. Thank goodness toffee bits are now available in the baking department of the supermarket. They are right next to the chocolate chip morsels you also need for this unbelievable cookie recipe. I’m going out on a limb here to say that toffee is the star attraction. (Just in case you happen to toss a handful in your mouth as you’re baking. You’ll see.) The caramelized sweetness balances well with the buttery profile of the nutty crunch. The espresso and chocolate melt smoothly as the toffee breaks apart into roasted granules. This recipe makes a small batch, so you may want to double it if you think they’ll disappear before you get a taste. Just saying. 

TOFFEE COFFEE COOKIES 

Ingredients: 

1 cup flour 

1/4 teaspoon baking soda 

1/4 teaspoon sea salt 

4 teaspoons instant espresso powder 

1 1/2 teaspoons warm tap water 

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar 

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled 

1 egg 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1/4 cup toffee bits 

Sugar, for dusting

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips, for garnish

Flaky sea salt sprinkles, for garnish 

Instructions: 

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk espresso powder and warm water until the espresso powder has dissolved. Add sugar and melted butter; whisk until combined. Whisk in egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Using a wooden spoon, gently stir in the flour mixture until a soft dough forms. Fold in toffee bits. Divide cookie dough into 24 portions (1 tablespoon each) and roll into balls. Place 12 balls evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Using the bottom of a greased drinking glass, flatten dough balls slightly. Bake cookies until the edges are set, but the centers are still soft and puffy, about 10-12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. While cooling, place the sugar in a shallow dish. Dust the bottom only of each cookie. Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips on top as a garnish. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Transfer to a wire rack. Repeat with second batch of cookie dough. 

Peppy Parmesan Egg Toast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Take a Seat at the Table: Peppy Parmesan Egg Toast! What do you get when you morph a Croque Madame with a BLT? The end result is a spot on open-faced healthy start for the day that will keep you energized for hours. Challenge yourself. Resist the temptation to take a fork and pierce the luscious center of the egg. The silky golden yolk may find you practically licking the plate clean. I won’t tell. 

PEPPY PARMESAN EGG TOAST

Ingredients:

4 slices thick bacon

2 slices rustic sesame bread

2 pats butter

4 slices Parmesan cheese

2 large eggs

2 green onions

Sriracha Sauce to taste

Instructions:

Fry bacon to crisp. Drain on paper towels. Toast bread slices to golden brown. Butter each piece. Slice Parmesan cheese with diagonal pieces to cover toast. Later crispy bacon on cheese. Crack eggs into a small skillet treated with nonstick spray; cook until whites are set, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip without breaking yolk. Reduce heat for one minute longer. Remove from burner and carefully transfer fried eggs to Parmesan toast. Drizzle with Sriracha sauce to taste. Garnish with green onion snips. 

Kohlrabi Fritters

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Kohlrabi Fritters! I stumbled onto this odd shaped vegetable at the Farmers Market and was intrigued by the green spiked bulbous shape with its long leafy shoots. It reminded me of a turnip, but had the faint aroma of cabbage. After learning its name, I just had to try it. My mind was already thinking of its seasoned taste fried crisp in olive oil. 

KOHLRABI FRITTERS

Ingredients:

1 medium kohlrabi 

1 small sweet potato

1/2 yellow onion

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup flour

2 eggs, beaten

1 green onion

Olive oil for frying

Instructions:

Peel kohlrabi and sweet potato. Using a food processor, grate the kohlrabi, sweet potato, and yellow onion. It should equal 3 1/2 cups of shredded vegetables. Transfer to a bowl. Add seasonings, baking powder, and flour. Fold in the beaten eggs to coat well. Snip the green onion with kitchen shears and gently mix in. The fritters should stick together. Pour enough olive oil in a skillet to cover the bottom of the pan. Heat on medium high. Drop kohlrabi mixture by heaping spoonfuls into the oil. Pan fry 2 minutes without burning. Turn over and fry another 2 minutes. Watch! Remove and drain on paper towels. Continue making fritters until all mixture is used. Serve warm with a dollop of Greek yogurt and garnish with green onion snips. 

Glorious Glazed Pecans

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Glorious Glazed Pecans!  Go to any big city or farmers market and you’ll find street vendors roasting sweet and savory candied nuts. The bakery aroma practically has you walking on air. Now you can bring this enticing smell and sugary sweetness right into your very own kitchen. I’ve made it a tradition to bake a couple batches for holiday gift-giving. When mixed with an assortment of smoked almonds, wasabi peas, salty cashews, and honey roasted peanuts, these glazed pecans become a gourmet choice for absolutely anyone on your list. In fact, anticipation creates excitement followed by open delight and thanksgiving. 

GLORIOUS GLAZED PECANS 

Ingredients:

1 pound pecan halves 

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt 

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 egg white, room temperature 

1 tablespoon water

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 300°. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick oil. In a small bowl mix sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Stir well and set aside. In a large bowl beat egg white and water until frothy. Add one pound of pecans and coat well to cover. Pour sugar mixture over nuts. Stir completely to form a coating over pecans. Transfer nuts to the baking sheet. Form a single layer. Bake 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes to form a crystallized finish. Remove from oven. Let cool and then store in an airtight container. 

Xanthic Crème Brûlée

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Xanthic Crème Brûlée! Whenever you’re feeling a little “French”, imagine yourself at the Palace of Versailles, where everything reeks of opulence and grandeur. The popular “burnt cream” custard dessert boasts of its crackly, caramelized coating in shades of deep golden brown. Take the back of a dessert spoon and snap it onto the surface, thereby causing the top layer to separate for a glimpse of the silky creamed filling beneath. Just for kicks, I invite my guests to torch their own dessert, catching a whiff of the slightly burnt sugar aroma up close and personal. Pay no attention to the fine trickle of drool leaking from the corner of their mouths. This is sheer entertainment at its finest. 

XANTHIC CRÈME BRÛLÉE 

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla paste

4 large egg yolks 

Pinch of sea salt

1/4 cup sugar

Instructions: 

Preheat the oven to 300°. Over medium-high heat, bring two cups of water to a boil. Set aside. This will be used for the water bath. In a saucepan over low heat, warm the heavy cream and vanilla paste. Allow the mixture to start to simmer, stirring gently. In a mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, sea salt, and sugar. Whisk together until the yolks break down. Once the cream mixture is simmering, slowly pour a fourth of it into the egg yolk mixture, whisking as you work. This step tempers the eggs so they will not curdle. Add the remaining cream and whisk gently until thoroughly combined. Do not over mix to avoid air bubbles from forming. Pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps. Divide the custard equally between 4 (6-ounce) ramekins, filling almost to the top. Place the ramekins inside a baking tray. Carefully add the boiling water to the tray, avoiding the ramekins. The water should reach halfway up the height of the ramekins. Carefully transfer the tray to the oven. Bake 30-40 minutes, or until the crème brûlées are set around the edges. The centers should still remain wobbly in the middle when gently shaken. Immediately transfer the ramekins to the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight. The next day, sprinkle a thin layer of granulated sugar over the surface of each ramekin. Use a blowtorch to caramelize the sugar to a deep brown color. Add fresh fruit, if desired. Enjoy. 

Unbelievable Egg Nog Cake

Eating My Way Through the Holidays. Festive Food Gifts: Unbelievable Egg Nog Cake! Did you know you can freeze eggnog for up to six months? You can. And isn’t it a relief to know that you won’t be pouring money down the drain? Too much of anything can take away the joy. We all get caught up in holiday indulgences, thinking it’s the only time of year to appreciate our favorite treats. No more. Rather than feeling like a glutton for punishment, followed by waves of guilt, here’s a way to stretch the cheer throughout the winter months. When the nights are dark and the fire warms your feet, snuggle up with a slice of nostalgia. You deserve it. 

UNBELIEVABLE EGG NOG CAKE

Ingredients:

16.5-ounce yellow cake mix

3-ounce vanilla instant pudding mix

1 cup eggnog 

4 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon nutmeg 

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Ingredients for Glaze:

1/4 cup butter, warmed

1/4 cup eggnog 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1/4 teaspoon rum

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

2 cups powdered sugar

Garnish with rosemary sprigs and pomegranate arils

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a bundt pan (or 8 mini bundt pans) with nonstick oil containing flour. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine yellow cake mix, dry vanilla pudding mix, eggnog, eggs, vegetable oil, nutmeg, water, and vanilla extract. Beat with a mixer for 2 minutes until thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides as needed. Pour batter into pan(s). Bake 50 minutes for large, or 25 minutes for small bundt cakes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven to cool for 10 minutes before inverting on a wire rack. Allow to cool 10 minutes longer before transferring to a cake plate. While cakes are cooling make the glazed icing. In a bowl, whisk together butter, eggnog, vanilla extract, rum, and nutmeg until smooth. Sprinkle in powdered sugar, stirring with a spoon, until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cake. Garnish with rosemary sprigs and pomegranate arils for a festive finish.