food

Dining Outside the Home: Cazador Mexican Restaurant in Ankeny, Iowa!

Dining Outside the Home: Cazador Mexican Restaurant in Ankeny, Iowa! Where do you go when the outside temp is rising to 100° with a heat index even higher? You head straight to a Mexican cantina where the margaritas are golden and the hospitality is family-friendly. In a place where there is standing room only, the staff bustles to and fro keeping the cafe-style corn chips and spicy rich salsa spot on until the main course arrives. It may be located in middle America, but the menu is authentic south-of the-border when it comes to authentic Mexican food. And we should know. We’ve stopped here faithfully on our trips up north for the past five years. Cazador rates an all-star rating, in my opinion. 

Dining Outside the Home: Dos Reales Mexican Restaurant in Champagne, Illinois

Dining Outside the Home: Dos Reales Mexican Restaurant in Champagne, Illinois! Whether you choose to dine al fresco on the rustic patio or slide into a comfortable booth next to the cantina, the margaritas deliver a tasty tequila cocktail in a frosted salt-rimmed glass. And that’s just the beginning. Alternate between the chunky tomato salsa and the classic chili hot sauce as you crunch on tortilla chips before the main course arrives. The extensive menu selections leave your head spinning from corn-wrapped tamales, cheesy chile rellenos, and grilled steak fajitas to spicy pork carnitas. But the menu doesn’t stop there. No worries. The waiter, Pedro, is patient beyond measure. He’ll explain the specials of the house and walk you through a tour of Mexico that invites you back again…and again. Muchas Gracias!

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter K

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Eat More: Kosher Salt Dill Pickles! When I visited the Farmers Market this week, I was impressed by the cute little cucumbers in abundant supply. The fact that my dill was showcasing its yellow flowery blossoms in proud display earlier that morning nudged me to take advantage of both. Canning a jar of classic dill pickles was about to become the focus of the day. So….when choosing a variety of cucumber to pickle remember three things: 1.) Choose small cukes about the size of your thumb. 2.) Make sure they have a thicker skin in order to maintain a crunchy snap. 3.) And remember to ask for the ones that were just freshly picked. Time is of the essence. The crucial time to pickle is as soon as practical after picking. This recipe will make one jar, which is exactly what I wanted. 
KOSHER SALT DILL PICKLES
Ingredients:

1 pound pickling cucumbers; cut off tips of both ends and slice in half

2 fresh dill sprigs, with heads

1 cup filtered water

1 cup distilled white vinegar

4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons Kosher salt

2 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon black peppercorns 

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions:

In a medium saucepan, combine water, vinegar, sugar, Kosher salt, garlic, peppercorns, and red pepper flakes. Heat to boiling. Stir to dissolve sugar and salt. Remove the pan from the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile in a clean quart jar, place one dill sprig and one garlic clove in bottom of jar. Arrange cucumber halves against the side of the jar working your way to the center. Do not crush. Add one more dill sprig. Pour cooled juice into the jar. Be sure to include the spices. Stop liquid within 1/4″ of top. Seal and store in refrigerator for 12 hours before opening. Keep refrigerated. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter J

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Eat More: Jasmine Rice Pilaf! If you can boil water, you can master the art of restaurant-style rice pilaf. It’s that simple. By using your favorite herbs and spices, the air is filled with an aromatic essence that draws everyone to the kitchen. Keep in mind, Patience is key. Follow this step-by-step recipe for a be-all and end-all gourmet fluffy rice pilaf that can be eaten as a main meal or partnered with a meat portion. I served it with Nugget Sesame Chicken, which you’ll be seeing a little later on. Stay tuned. 
JASMINE RICE PILAF
Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

1 cup long-grain jasmine rice

1 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup white wine

1-2 tablespoons butter

4 ounces prosciutto, cubed

1/2 cup sweet baby peas

1 egg, beaten

1-2 tablespoons soy sauce

Fresh chives, snipped
Instructions:

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine olive oil, onion, garlic cloves, seasoned salt, and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, stirring often, approximately 45 seconds. Sprinkle in cumin powder. Add jasmine rice; stir to coat. Cook 3 minutes until grains turn toasty. This prevents clumping later on. Add low-sodium chicken broth and wine. Bring to boil then reduce to simmer. Cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed, approximately 15 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with fork. Take a cotton tea towel and cover the pan. Place the lid over the towel to absorb the steam; let rice rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat butter on low. Add cubed prosciutto, peas, and beaten egg. Stir while cooking until egg is scrambled. Add soy sauce to taste. Before serving the rice, fold in the prosciutto mixture. To complete the pilaf, garnish with fresh chive snips. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter G

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Eat More: Gyro-mania! The debate continues…do you pronounce the sandwich like the Greeks, “(h)year-oh”, or the American standby, “Jai-roh”? Either way, it’s a taste sensation. Think about it: rotisserie meat crispy shaved into strips wrapped into a soft pita pocket topped with onion, tomato, cucumber, feta cheese, and tzatziki sauce. The bold foodie will pick it up with both hands and devour it until not a crumb remains. Others may eat it with a fork. Whatever you choose, with Eastern Mediterranean spices, this sandwich is not for the meek. 
GYRO-MANIA
Ingredients:

1 box Kronos Gyros Kit*

1 Vidalia onion, sliced

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tomato, chopped

1 cucumber, diced

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1/3 cup Greek yogurt

Watercress sprig, for garnish

Dill weed, for garnish
Instructions:

In an iron skillet, lightly grill both sides of pita bread on medium heat until light golden brown, about 30 seconds. Set aside. Add olive oil to skillet and sauté onions until tender. Remove and set aside. Add gyro slices of meat to skillet. Heat both sides on medium heat for 20 seconds per side. In a small bowl, mix Greek yogurt with tzatziki sauce. Stir until creamy. To assemble gyro sandwich, top pita bread with gyro meat slices, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese, and tzatziki sauce. Garnish with watercress leaves and dill. Enjoy!
* I receive no recompense for the suggestion of using Kronos Gyro Kit in this recipe. 

Dining Outside the Home: Galo’s Italian Grill in Richmond, Indiana

Dining Outside the Home: Galo’s Italian Grill in Richmond, Indiana! Without the cost of a plane ticket, you can be swept away for a taste of Italy. The journey winds through the countryside of Tuscany with fine wines born of the Sangiovese grape to the imported pastas of the outer regions. Choose linguine, penne, or capellini. Twirl the pasta against the curved indentation of the plate or use a spoon like an expert. Homemade breads drenched in herbed olive oil are too tempting to resist. If it’s seafood you desire, the portobello mushroom cap stuffed with lobster and shrimp over a bed of risotto is enough to make you sigh. Perhaps there’s room for dessert if you stop right now. Cannoli for two. Yes, please. 

Dining Outside the Home: Le Peep in Carmel, Indiana

Dining Outside the Home: Le Peep in Carmel, Indiana! There’s a lot to be said for a string of restaurants that originated in a converted gas station in Colorado over 40 years ago. They must be doing something right. And becoming a Hoosier tradition, in my opinion, is one reason to experience unique breakfast creations in your own back yard. The menu alone extends the option to eat breakfast any time of day. Gooey Bun. Dutch Apple Oatmeal. Pampered Eggs. The Great Reef Benedict. And don’t get me started on the coffees. When you come in with a smile and leave with a smile, is it any wonder their slogan is “It’s always a great day when you dine at Le Peep!”.

Eat More!

Eat More! Stop feeling guilty about fueling your body! Food fulfills many basic needs: nutrition, health, social connections…to name just a few. Think about it. What does food mean to you? I like fresh ingredients, garden herbs, rich chocolate, and French butter. But I’m in good company. Some of my recent posts have been favored by the “Food Network” on Twitter (Snapshotsincursive @DornaGail) as well as Ina Garten’s The Barefoot Contessa, on Instagram (gail _dorna). I’d love to see you there as well. Come along with me for “Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Eat More!” This remarkable journey of the palate is special because it gives me a few moments with you. Thanks very much to all of my guests and followers on http://snapshotsincursive.com for the uplifting support, award nominations, and moving words of encouragement. What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? It’s as simple as reciting your A-B-Cs. One of my passions is being at home in my own country kitchen. I love to cook, and my husband loves that I do it often. Now more than ever, since I am retired, I relish the thought of creating something delicious from scratch. I adore time-honored traditions using tried-and-true recipes. Yet, I often never think twice about tweaking old favorites or modifying others to suit the inner craving of the moment. Most of the recipes serve 2-4 people, but can be altered in any direction. The leftovers are golden morsels to be eaten later or shared with others. And I love to share. To me, seeing a smile in gratitude is thanks enough. The recipes you find here in the next several weeks can be prepared very easily. Feel free to contact me with questions or comments. Now take a deep breath, inhale the aromas, and join me on a tasteful journey entitled, “EATING MY WAY THROUGH THE ALPHABET: EAT MORE!”