juice

Yearly Cranberry Sauce

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Yearly Cranberry Sauce! When you are the only one who likes cranberries, one recipe can seem like a lot to consume. Go ahead and make the sauce anyway. Here’s why. It can be a special treat for other meals, besides Thanksgiving. Plus it freezes well. For example, swirl it into your morning yogurt, then top with crunchy granola. Or add a little maple syrup and slather it onto a stack of pancakes. Turn your morning fruit smoothie into a delicious beverage-on-the-go. As an appetizer or late night snack, toast baguette slices, smear on softened goat cheese, and add a dollop of cranberry sauce sprinkled with orange zest. Are you getting the idea? When the family asks what you’re eating, just smile and say, “Oh, don’t worry….you wouldn’t like it.”

YEARLY CRANBERRY SAUCE

Ingredients:

12 ounces fresh cranberries

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 cinnamon sticks

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier, optional

Instructions:

Rinse cranberries thoroughly. Drain; set aside. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, water, lemon juice, and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add cranberries. Return to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cranberries will soften as the skins begin to pop. Cook 10 minutes longer. Add Grand Marnier. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool. Sauce will thicken. Remove cinnamon sticks; discard. Transfer cranberry sauce to a covered storage container. Refrigerate sauce until ready to serve.

Mildly Sweet Red Grouper

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Mildly Sweet Red Grouper! Trust your local source for fresh fish. I do. Since the fishermen often eat what they catch, it’s natural to ask them questions about the type of fish they sell. Oftentimes it seems to be different from what is common in the supermarkets. Does that make sense? I can relate to species that “taste like” sea bass, halibut, mahi mahi, swordfish, ahi, or tilapia. Beyond that, I really need some guidance for porgy, grouper, snapper, and hogfish. I tend to lean more toward mildly flavored and subtly sweet flavors. That way I can always default to melted butter and lemon. As they say, “There’s plenty of fish in the sea.”

MILDLY SWEET RED GROUPER

Ingredients:

4 red grouper fish fillets

1/2 cup orange juice

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon brown sugar

Instructions:

In a shallow dish, arrange red grouper in a single layer. Whisk together orange juice, soy sauce, olive oil, ground ginger, and brown sugar. Pour marinade over red grouper fillets. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Preheat the grill to 400°. Remove fish from marinade and place directly on the grill grates. Close lid and cook for 4 minutes until sides are slightly opaque. Discard marinade. Flip the fish and cook 4 minutes longer. Fish will appear charred with grill marks and flake easily. Transfer to a platter. Squeeze fresh lime juice over top. Serve immediately.

Turkey Burrito Bowl

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Waste Not, Want Not: Turkey Burrito Bowl! If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a hundred times…freeze leftover meat for another day. I’m still working on that 22-pound turkey I baked some time ago. You’d certainly never know it by the variety of meals we’ve eaten. Soups, sliders, hash, and the daily special are among the numerous ways we reduce food waste while saving money. By adding fresh produce and grains, using leftover turkey simply becomes a brilliant time saving option. You probably utilize leftovers yourself without even giving it a second thought. I’m thinking stir-fry, casseroles, omelets, and basic sammies. See how easy it is? Just don’t tell the kids.

TURKEY BURRITO BOWL

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked turkey, shredded

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup vinegar

2 tablespoons butter

Sides: Avocado, lettuce, red onion, tomato, rice, yogurt, and tortilla corn chips

Cilantro, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine shredded turkey, garlic powder, kosher salt, orange juice, vinegar, and butter. Transfer to an ovenproof covered dish. Bake 30 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. If necessary, remove lid after 30 minutes to allow the juices to breathe. Serve seasoned turkey with instant rice, tortilla chips, and fresh produce.

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Enjoyable Eats: Mexican Shrimp Cocktail! One bite, one little taste, will leave you wondering how you didn’t know about this version of an old classic. So what’s the difference, you ask. Actually, quite a bit. But I’m not gonna lie to you. If you’ve been following my blog, you can often see there’s a method to my madness. One recipe can be a critical ingredient to another dish. Like today. Recently I featured Jalisco Pico de Gallo. I’m gonna tell you it is a key ingredient in my Mexican Shrimp Cocktail, slightly tweaked. On the upside, it makes preparation a snap. Read on and you’ll see what I mean.

MEXICAN SHRIMP COCKTAIL

1 1/2 cups Jalisco Pico de Gallo*

1/2 cup Clamato Tomato Cocktail**

1/2 cup ketchup

1 pound jumbo shrimp, precooked but chilled

1 avocado, cut into medium chunks

Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Instructions:

In a bowl, combine Jalisco Pico de Gallo, Clamato Tomato Cocktail, and ketchup. Mix well. Take at least half the shrimp, discard tails, and cut into chunks. Add the shrimp chunks to the sauce mixture. The remaining whole shrimp will be used for dipping. Gently fold in avocado chunks. To serve, divide shrimp cocktail into parfait glasses. Arrange whole shrimp on the edge of the glass. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

*Follow the link for recipe.

http://Snapshotsincursive.com/2019/11/15

**I receive no recompense for mentioning this product.

Watermelon Firecracker Bites

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Start Smart: Watermelon Firecracker Bites! Who sprinkles salt on watermelon? Maybe you automatically did it as a child sitting on the back porch steps spewing seeds at your brother. If we saw mom with the salt shaker, everyone did it. Right? No judgment here. Actually, did you know watermelon can be naturally sour or bitter? Truth. By sprinkling it with salt, it brings out the sweetness of the melon. And salt just makes everything taste better. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

WATERMELON FIRECRACKER BITES

Ingredients:

2 cups watermelon, seedless and cut into bite-size cubes

1/2 cup peaches, peeled and chopped

1-2 jalapeño peppers, sliced

1/2 teaspoon raspberry chipotle seasoning

3 tablespoons lime juice

3 tablespoons lime olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Instructions:

Combine watermelon cubes, peach chunks, and jalapeño slices in a bowl. Toss lightly. Sprinkle raspberry chipotle seasoning over all. Whisk together lime juice, lime olive oil, and chopped cilantro. Pour dressing over the watermelon salad. Toss gently. Cover and refrigerate for one hour. When ready to serve, divide salad between four bowls. Drizzle marinade over all.

Rainbow Fruit Cup

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Start Smart: Rainbow Fruit Cup! As the seasons roll on, here’s a friendly reminder about buying fresh fruit. Most grocers feature fruits that are always in season, such as apples, bananas, and grapes. If you pay attention to the first ones you see as you walk in the door or in high traffic areas, most likely you’ll reap the savings. That’s one clue. If the store has an abundance of something on hand, they focus on “pushing” it through quickly, which translates BEFORE it becomes overripe. Consumers can take advantage of the prices while enjoying healthy options. Rainbow fruit simply means combining different colors for plate appeal. Keep in mind that canned fruit can be substituted at times. I like balancing out pineapple chunks or mandarin oranges along with fresh fruit. No worries. The citrus dressing will pull everything together nicely.

RAINBOW FRUIT CUP

1 cup strawberries, stems removed and quartered

1 cup blueberries

1 peach, sliced with skin removed

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons organic mango orange juice

2 tablespoons lemon olive oil

1 tablespoon raw acacia honey

1/2 teaspoon lemon citrus peel, granulated

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Fresh mint leaves for garnish

Instructions:

Combine sliced strawberries, blueberries, and peaches in a bowl. Toss lightly to mix. For dressing, combine lemon juice, mango orange juice, lemon olive oil, acacia honey, lemon citrus peel, kosher salt, and black pepper. Whisk together until blended. Pour over fruit salad. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

First Watch in Estero, Florida

Dining Outside the Home: First Watch in Estero, Florida! You can always tell breakfast is going to be good when you know the workers get up with the chickens, which means the crack of dawn. The oven heats up for freshly-baked pastries, the cage-free eggs get whipped for super-light lemon ricotta pancakes, and the smell of hardwood smoked bacon stimulates the appetite as succulent fruits and garden vegetables are chopped, sliced, or diced for the menu of the day. But that’s not all. Smell that coffee. Once you place the order, an aromatic pot of steaming coffee is set before you to drain at your leisure. This is how to enjoy the morning cuppa joe. As you can imagine, word has gotten out, so sometimes there’s a wait. No worries, it takes that long to decide what to choose. Besides, this is Florida and the weather brings a healthy disposition.

Zappy Mango Salsa Scoops

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Fab Foodstuff: Zappy Mango Scoops! Have you discovered how sweet and juicy the mango is? Like any other fruit, use your sense of smell to tell if it’s ripe. Sniff around the stem for a fragrant aroma. Because it has a natural sugar content, the mango will ferment on your kitchen counter for a couple days. It will be slightly soft to the touch, the same way an avocado feels when it’s time. Although the skin is edible, I prefer to peel it away. Just a note: the center stone is quite large and almost furry. Simply slice fruit chunks into a bowl and cut them into cubes. Mangoes go well with citrus fruits such as lemons and limes, spicy vegetables like jalapeños and peppers, and also protein-rich legumes like black beans. Now it’s time to put my money where my mouth is. Mmmm.

ZAPPY MANGO SCOOPS

Ingredients:

3 ripe mangoes, peeled and cubed

15.25-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 red onion, diced

1/4 cup pickled jalapeños, chopped

1/4 cup jalapeño liquid from jar

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped

Scoop-style corn chips

Instructions:

In a large bowl, toss cubed mangoes and black beans with diced red onions. Fold in chopped jalapeños. Add jalapeño liquid, lime juice, sea salt, garlic powder, and chopped cilantro. Gently stir to combine. Serve with scoop-style corn chips.

Perfect Pot Roast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Fab Foodstuff: Perfect Pot Roast! Today all chefs get the day off from cooking. Seriously. This one-pot meal will turn out perfectly, as long as you ignore it. Use a slow-cooker or a Dutch Baker in a low temperature oven. I actually begin with a frozen chuck roast and forget about it, that is until the savory aromas lightly waft throughout the house. The liquid turns into a pleasant au jus or can be thickened into gravy. Personally, I ladle the juice into a food storage container to use as a sauce for beef carnitas, but that’s another story. Leftovers promise delicious options.

PERFECT POT ROAST

Ingredients:

3-4 pound chuck roast, frozen

3/4 cup vinegar

3/4 cup orange juice

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup kosher salt (or less)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon oregano

1 pound baby carrots

3-4 white potatoes, skin on, quartered

2-3 sprigs thyme

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 275°. Place frozen roast in Dutch Baker. Combine vinegar, orange juice, and melted butter. Pour over roast. Sprinkle roast with kosher salt, garlic powder, and oregano. Lay thyme sprigs across the top of the meat. Put the lid on the Dutch Baker and bake for 4 hours. Then add carrots and cut-up potatoes to the pot. Reduce oven temperature to 185°. Bake 4 hours longer. The roast is fall-apart tender and ready to serve.