milk

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter E

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Front-Runner Favs: Earl Gray Tea Ice Cream! Before I begin, let me assure you this recipe does not require any special equipment other than a stand mixer. Truth. No ice cream maker is needed. It’s also done in stages. That means you can steep the tea and refrigerate it overnight before combining all the ingredients to store in the freezer. And the taste, you wonder? Bold, creamy, sweet, and melt-in-your-mouth smooth. Now let’s get started. You’re going to love this. 
EARL GRAY TEA ICE CREAM
Ingredients:

2 cups heavy cream

2 Earl Grey Tea bags

14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk*

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons natural honey
Instructions:

Be sure the mixing bowl, whisk, and loaf pan are chilled before using. (I placed mine in the freezer overnight.) Measure heavy cream into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 3 minutes on HIGH; just until little bubbles form around the edge of the bowl. Watch carefully. Do not allow the cream to boil or froth up. Remove from microwave. Immediately add tea bags to cream and cover. Steep the tea bags for 30 minutes. Remove tea bags and discard. Place the covered bowl in the refrigerator until chilled or overnight. In the chilled bowl of the stand mixer, combine heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, and natural honey. Whip on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to the chilled loaf pan. Freeze 6 hours or overnight before serving. 
*If the ingredients are warm, the mixture won’t thicken to desired texture. I put the can of sweetened condensed milk in the refrigerator beforehand. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter T

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Foodstuff Redefined: Thai Peanut Sauce! Known as a popular condiment for skewered meat or seafood in East Asian cuisine, peanut dipping sauce gets all the attention. Homemade Pad Thai is one example. After all, it’s no secret anyone can get addicted to peanut butter. Think about it. We add spicy chili peppers for heat, exotic curry for an earthy taste, coconut milk for authenticity. And depending on the day, there is no substitute for peanut butter and chocolate. Just saying. 
THAI PEANUT SAUCE
Ingredients:

1/2 cup natural peanut butter, creamy

3/4 cup coconut milk, unsweetened 

1/4 cup agave nectar

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
Instructions:

In a food processor, combine peanut butter, coconut milk, agave nectar, fresh lime juice, soy sauce, garlic powder, ground ginger, kosher salt, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. Pulse until mixture is smooth and creamy. Pour into a jar. Store in the refrigerator. 
*Serving Suggestion: Skewered Shrimp with orange wedges and cilantro. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter U

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Simple Sensations: Ultimate Fudge! My mother taught we well on this recipe. Her secret was to “stir it until your arm falls off!” You see, stirring makes it extremely melt-in-your-mouth creamy. And if you try to cut corners, it’ll turn out grainy, which is a result of the sugar not dissolving under heat. I discovered another tip when making fudge: Do not attempt this on a humid day. I guarantee you, it will be a disaster. Being forewarned…… are you ready, peeps? Read on. 
ULTIMATE FUDGE 
Ingredients:

3 cups sugar 

3/4 cup butter

2/3 cup evaporated milk

12-ounces semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1 teaspoon vanilla

7-ounce jar marshmallow creme
Instructions:

Combine butter, sugar, and milk in a 2-quart pan. Bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling over medium heat for four minutes. Stir constantly to prevent scorching. Be sure to scrape sides as well. Remove from heat. Work quickly stirring in chocolate morsels until completely melted. Add marshmallow creme and vanilla. Mix well. Pour into greased 9″x13″ pan. Cool at room temperature; cut into squares. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter O

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Simple Sensations: Over-the-Border Spicy Chicken Ranch Soup! That’s a mouthful, to be sure. I start with my classic potato soup recipe and spice things up a bit. As you can imagine, one thing leads to another and within minutes, you’ve got a meal in a bowl. 
OVER-THE-BORDER SPICY CHICKEN RANCH SOUP
Ingredients:

2 cups water

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut up

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 small onion, chopped

1 packet of dry Ranch seasoning mix

2 cups milk

1 cup pre-cooked grilled chicken strips, cut into cubes

1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables (corn, peas, carrots, and green beans)

4 ounces Velvetta cheese, sliced

Instant potatoes to thicken, if needed

Parmesan cheese, shaved
Instructions:

In a 2-quart pan, add water, potatoes, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, onion, and butter. Bring to boil and cook until tender. Do not drain. Stir in Ranch seasoning mix until blended. Add milk, chicken, vegetables, and cheese. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. To thicken, sprinkle instant potatoes into soup using a tablespoon at a time. Garnish with shaved Parmesan cheese. 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Green Bean Casserole 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Green Bean Casserole! Can we ever get enough of this all-time favorite side dish? I think not! It seems there are all sorts of variations on this classic holiday casserole. Some of my friends only use French-style green beans while others prefer freshly snapped. And the seasonings are all over the map from Hawaiian sea salt medleys to crushed Midwest garden herbs. I keep it simple because, honestly, once you add the French fried onion rings, everything else takes a back seat. 
GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE 
Ingredients:

2 cans whole green beans, drained and cut-up

1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted 

1/2 cup light cream

1/8 teaspoon Mrs. Dash herb and garlic seasoning

1/8 teaspoon seasoned salt

1 1/2 cups French fried onions
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325°. Spray a medium casserole dish with nonstick spray. Combine green beans, cream of mushroom soup, light cream, herb seasoning, and salt. Mix well. Fold in 1/2 cup of French fried onion pieces. Place in casserole dish. Spread evenly. Arrange remaining French fried onion rings over top around the edges leaving the center open. Bake 30-35 minutes. 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Golden Oyster Stew

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Golden Oyster Stew! I knew it was something special when my father requested this savory stew once a year. Although he was the only one who indulged in its aromatic creaminess, I managed to sneak one spoonful each time. I guess you could say eventually I acquired a taste for this seafood delicacy. Now I’m sharing it with you. Carry on the tradition. 
GOLDEN OYSTER STEW
Ingredients:

1 medium potato, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon onion, chopped 

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 

8 ounces of fancy whole oysters, with oyster liquor 

1 cup light cream

1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, finely shredded 

Oyster crackers 
Instructions:

In a 2-quart pan over medium high heat, combine potatoes, onion, butter, sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Add just enough water to cover. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer and add oysters with liquor, cream, and cheese. Stir occasionally for cheese to melt. Gently bubble until the edges of the oysters begin to curl. Do not boil over. Serve the golden oyster stew immediately with oyster crackers. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter K

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food for Sharing: Kulfi with Pistachios and Lavender Buds! Kulfi is a type of homemade ice cream popular in Southeast Asia and India. This “instant” version can be made in your very own kitchen without the cost or hassle of an ice cream maker. Flavored with pistachio nuts and a hint of lavender make it a delectable frozen dessert worth crowing about. 
KULFI WITH PISTACHIOS AND LAVENDER BUDS
Ingredients:

10 ounces evaporated milk

1 cup heavy cream

14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

2 teaspoons cardamom 

1/2 cup pistachios, chopped

1 teaspoon lavender buds, crushed

1 teaspoon lavender extract
Instructions:

Combine evaporated milk, heavy cream, and sweetened condensed milk. Blend until smooth. Add cardamom, pistachios, lavender buds, and lavender extract. Stir. Pour into bouchon molds, fluted pan, or popsicle molds. Freeze overnight. Before serving, dip the molds in warm water. Invert kulfi onto a dessert plate. Garnish with crushed pistachios. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter G

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food for Sharing: German Chocolate Brownies! Take a journey to the Land of Chocolate. It’s a place where milkshakes are thick and creamy and go down easy. You can nibble on chocolate chip cookies for breakfast, candy bars for lunch, and dark chocolate cake as a bedtime snack. No calories exist because chocolate is good for you! Wouldn’t that be lovely? It would be Paradise, in my opinion. Today’s recipe requires a little more self-control than that. You can do this!
GERMAN CHOCOLATE BROWNIES 
Ingredients for Crust:

1 box devil’s food chocolate cake mix

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 egg
Ingredients for Filling:

14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 egg

1 cup pecans, chopped

1 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9″x13″ pan with foil. Lightly spray with nonstick oil. Mix together chocolate cake mix, melted butter, and egg. Press into the bottom of the pan. Bake 7 minutes. Remove from oven. For the filling, combine sweetened condensed milk, almond extract, egg, pecans, and coconut. Mix well. Pour over chocolate crust, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips. Bake 25 minutes or until top is golden brown. Remove from oven; cool. Cut into brownie squares. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter V

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Be Our Guest: Vietnamese Iced Coffee! It isn’t often I feature a beverage, but I realized from time to time you may have the desire to try something different there as well. Years ago my friend, Yen, shared her family recipe for incredible Vietnamese iced coffee. She went one step further and supplied me with everything I would need to make it, including the single serving Vietnamese coffee filter set. The results were glorious!
VIETNAMESE ICED COFFEE
Ingredients:

2 tablespoons dark roast ground coffee (preferably Trung Nguyen Premium Blend and Café Du Monde Coffee with Chicory*)

1 cup boiling water

2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
Instructions:

Bring the water to a boil. Remove the top screen from filter. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons Vietnamese coffee grounds plus 1/2 tablespoon coffee with chicory. Screw on top screen. Place filter over a heatproof glass measuring cup. Begin with a splash of boiling water into the filter. Coffee grounds will bloom. As the coffee begins to drip through, fill boiling water to top of filter. Place lid on filter and let coffee drip for 4 minutes. If the dripping stops, gently loosen screw to relieve pressure. Stir in sweetened condensed milk. Pour over ice and serve. 
* I receive no recompense for mentioning Trung Nguyen Premium Blend and Café Du Monde Coffee with Chicory.