nuts

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter Y

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Simple Sensations: Yogurt Cups! Talk about healthy, nutritious, calcium-rich, and yummy! The best part is you create the parfait of flavors bursting in every spoonful. Will you make it Raspberry-White Chocolate? Strawberry-Kiwi? Banana-Chocolate Chip? Or Pineapple-Macadamia Nut? I chose four different combinations. The possibilities are endless. 
YOGURT CUPS
Ingredients:

1 16-ounce carton of Greek yogurt 

Assorted Fruit (blueberries, peaches, mandarin oranges, and Rainier cherries)

Mini marshmallows 

Dried cranberries

Toasted Coconut Flakes

Almond Slivers

Cinnamon Powder
Instructions:

Divide yogurt into individual servings. (If you like fruit on the bottom, layer some first.) Then assemble combined flavors together. Shown in photo from the top and going clockwise are:
Blueberries & Dried Cranberries

Toasted Coconut Flakes & Cinnamon Peach

Rainier Cherries & Almond Slivers

Mandarin Orange-Mini Marshmallow Puffs
See what I mean? What combination will you create? Please share your ideas with me! I’d love to hear from you. I’ll see you next time in Gail’s Kitchen!

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter V

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Sunshine Eats: Vegan Charcuterie Board! Here’s your solution to what to serve with grilled meats this summer. Choose popular garden veggies, distinct to the season. Arrange them on a charcuterie board with nuts and flavorful dips. Peruse the local farmers’ market or produce section of your nearest grocers. With a little effort, the Vegan Charcuterie Board can be the star attraction for holidays and picnic outings. Check it out!
VEGAN CHARCUTERIE BOARD
Ingredients:

Carrot sticks 

Asparagus spears

Celery sticks

Cherry tomatoes 

Mini cucumbers, sliced

Radishes, quartered

Yellow sweet peppers, sliced Green olives, stuffed

Kalamata olives, pitted

Pistachios in shell

Assorted crackers
Ingredients for Hummus:

15-ounce can chickpeas, drained

1/2 cup tahini paste

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin powder 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon lemon olive oil

1 tablespoon capers
Using a food processor, pulse chickpeas until smooth. Add tahini paste, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, cumin powder, and sea salt. Process until mixed. Transfer hummus to a shallow bowl. Drizzle with lemon olive oil. Garnish with capers. 
Ingredients for Dill Dip:

4 ounces Neufchâtel cheese, softened

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish 

1 tablespoon dill weed

1 teaspoon capers

1 tablespoon chives, chopped
Combine Neufchâtel cheese and prepared horseradish. Stir until smooth. Fold in dill weed, capers, and chives. Refrigerate one hour before serving. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter S

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Spiced Pear Blueberry Cobbler! For a truly gourmet experience, this dessert is spot on. You may notice a very distinct flavor, but can’t quite put your finger on it. Not only is it different, it’s alluring and extraordinary. I’m here to tell you, the secret ingredient is cardamom. Not only is it a key ingredient in the spiced pear combination, but if you scroll down to the bottom, you’ll find it’s the grande finale and the perfect compliment for this exotic cobbler. Cardamom sprinkled on ice cream that has been drizzled with honey is practically like eating two desserts…in one. Bonus points!
SPICED PEAR BLUEBERRY COBBLER 
Ingredients for Filling:

1 cup blueberries 

1 tablespoon cornstarch 

3 pears, peeled, cored, and chopped

1/4 cup orange marmalade 

1 tablespoon agave nectar 

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/8 teaspoon cardamom 

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 
Instructions:

In a shallow bowl, place blueberries. Sprinkle with corn starch. Turn to coat. Set aside. In a medium bowl, toss pears with orange marmalade, agave nectar, and lemon juice. Add ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon. Gently fold in blueberries. 
Ingredients for Batter:

1 cup sugar 

3/4 cup butter 

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon sea salt 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cups almonds, sliced
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9″x13″ pan with nonstick oil. Set aside. Cream together sugar and butter. Mix flour, sea salt, and baking soda together. Add dry ingredients. Batter will be crumbly. Spread 3/4 batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Layer fruit filling, spreading to edges. Crumble remaining batter on top. Sprinkle with brown sugar and sliced almonds. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Serve warm, a la mode with vanilla bean ice cream drizzled with natural honey and sprinkled with cardamom. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter M

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Macadamia Nut Pineapple French Toast! Forget the maple syrup. Indulge instead in a tropical fruit explosion of flavor. Some compare this breakfast specialty to caramelized pineapple bliss. I suppose the taste could remind you of a tropical Pina Colada cocktail. It’s that good. For your next “Staycation”, why not treat yourself to paradise on a plate. 
MACADAMIA NUT PINEAPPLE FRENCH TOAST
Ingredients for Sauce:

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup cream

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tablespoon coconut syrup

1 teaspoon almond extract

8-ounce can pineapple chunks, drained

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 smidgen nutmeg

2 tablespoons shredded coconut 
Instructions:

Melt butter in small saucepan over low heat. Do not scorch. Add brown sugar. Stir. Gradually bring to a boil. Add cream, stirring constantly. Cook until thick, about 4 minutes. Turn heat to lowest setting. Add maple syrup, coconut syrup, and almond extract. Stir until smooth. Add pineapple chunks, cinnamon, nutmeg, and shredded coconut. Cook until tender. 
Ingredients for French Toast:

4 slices Hawaiian sweet bread, sliced thick

3 whole eggs, beaten

1/2 cup light cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-3 tablespoons butter

Macadamia nuts, chopped

Fresh strawberries 
Instructions:

Whisk together eggs, light cream, and vanilla extract. In a shallow dish, place 4 slices of Hawaiian bread, single layer. Pour custard egg mixture over bread; turn to coat both sides completely. Let moistened bread rest to soak up liquid. In an iron skillet, melt one tablespoon of butter on medium-low heat. Transfer the soaked bread to the skillet. Cook until golden brown, approximately 3 minutes per side. Add butter as needed. If cooking in batches, transfer browned French toast to a wire rack on a baking sheet and kept warm in a 200° oven. To serve, place one piece of French toast on a plate. Cover with pineapple sauce. Top with second slice of French toast. Add more pineapple sauce. Garnish with sliced strawberries and macadamia nut pieces. Dust with powdered sugar. 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Mincemeat Cookies

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Mincemeat Cookies! When my friend, Ray, “gifted” me with a batch of his time-honored traditional homemade mincemeat, I felt as though I had received a portion of the Holy Grail. Could this secret from the past hold special powers? Would one bite provide happiness, eternal youth, and food in infinite abundance? You tell me. Ray carefully coached me on how to “season” the mixture by adding flavored brandy (I chose apricot) over a three-week period, stirring it occasionally in a covered clay crock. I was an awestruck student following his instructions to the letter. The results were phenomenal and elegant. Don’t let anyone tell you mincemeat is awful. When prepared correctly, some things are worth the wait. 
MINCEMEAT COOKIES
Ingredients for Cookies:

2/3 cup butter, softened 

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs

1 cup mincemeat* 

2 cups flour

1 cup pecans, chopped 

Pecan halves for garnish
Ingredients for Icing:

3 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons butter, softened 

1 tablespoon apricot brandy

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1-2 tablespoons warm milk, as needed
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Cream together butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Add eggs and mincemeat. Gradually stir in the flour. Fold in chopped pecans. Drop by spoonfuls onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes until tops of cookies are dry and set. Bottoms will be slightly golden. Remove from oven. Transfer to a wired rack. Frost while slightly warm. Top each cookie with a pecan half before frosting sets. 
Instructions for Icing:

In a medium bowl gently mix powdered sugar and butter until smooth. Add brandy and vanilla. Stir well. As needed, add warm milk to create a thick consistency. Place a dollop of icing on each cookie. Garnish with pecan half. 
*The “Elegant Homemade Mincemeat” recipe can be found in the 1972 Farm Journal’s Country Cookbook, page 371.

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Pumpkin Roll

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Pumpkin Roll! Announcing a festive cake that looks as though you stopped by the bakery. Anyone can feel like a professional pastry chef with this holiday specialty. In a few simple steps, the rich pumpkin flavor is enhanced by the velvety cream filling. Afterwards all you have to do is sit back and bask in the accolades. 
PUMPKIN ROLL 
Ingredients for Pumpkin Roll:

3 eggs

2/3 cup pumpkin purée 

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

3/4 cup flour 

1/3 cup chopped pecans 
Ingredients for Filling:

8 ounces Neufchâtel cheese

3/4 teaspoon vanilla 

2 tablespoons butter, softened 

1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease and line a 10″x15″ jelly roll pan with waxed paper. For pumpkin roll combine eggs, pumpkin purée, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and flour. Mix until well blended. Pour into jelly roll pan and spread evenly to edges. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Bake 12-15 minutes. Watch carefully. Remove from oven. Sprinkle powdered sugar on a tea towel, turn cake onto towel, and remove the waxed paper. Starting at one end, roll the cake up, and refrigerate for one hour. Meanwhile, combine Neufchâtel cheese, vanilla, butter, and powdered sugar. Mix together until smooth and velvety. After one hour, unroll cake and spread the filling all the way to the edges. Reroll cake and refrigerate two hours longer. Dust with powdered sugar. Slice and serve. 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Figgy Honey-Baked Cheese 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Figgy Honey-Baked Cheese! Looking for an appetizer that brings in the cheer? It’s easy to create your own version of elegance when you use quality ingredients that begin with cheese. To awaken the taste buds, sprinkle in a few red pepper flakes which compliment the natural sweetness of honey. The crunch of walnuts satisfies those earthy snack-seekers. Bake it all together for the most captivating sweet holiday aroma. Deck the Halls with boughs of Holly. Fa-la-la-la-la…la-la-la-lah!
FIGGY HONEY-BAKED CHEESE
Ingredients: 

8-ounce wheel Normandy Style Camembert cheese, double crème 

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons natural honey

2 tablespoons fig jam

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 tablespoon walnuts, chopped
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Place cheese wheel in an oven-proof dish. Score the cheese in a criss-cross pattern. Pour melted butter over cheese. Drizzle natural honey over cheese. Spread fig jam over cheese. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Top with chopped walnuts. Bake 20-25 minutes until cheese is soft and bubbly. Serve warm with sliced apples, assorted crackers, and baguette slices.  

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Chocolate Chip Candied Cheese Ball

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Chocolate Chip Candied Cheese Ball! The most amazing surprise appears at first bite. Dark chocolate blended with sweetened cream cheese presents itself as a first class cheeseball that leaves everyone smacking their lips in satisfaction. The fun of swiping a cinnamon graham cracker cookie transforms this dessert in a mouth-watering finger food. Make this holiday surprise the happiest one yet. 
CHOCOLATE CHIP CANDIED CHEESE BALL
Ingredients:

1 8-ounce block of cream cheese, softened 

1/2 cup butter, softened 

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 cup mini chocolate chips

1 cup sugared pecans, crushed

Graham cracker sticks
Instructions:

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the brown sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Slowly add powdered sugar. Mix until smooth and completely incorporated. Fold in mini chocolate chips. Chill two hours. On a sheet of waxed paper, sprinkle crushed sugared pecans. Form chilled mixture into a ball. Roll in pecan coating. Chill overnight. Serve with honey graham cracker sticks or cinnamon graham cracker sticks. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter O

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food for Sharing: Outrageous Oatmeal Fudgies! Who doesn’t love No-Bake cookies? Forget about spending hours in the kitchen. This kid-friendly favorite can be ready in a flash. The toughest part is deciding if you want to top them off with a piece of candy corn, a walnut half, a maraschino cherry, or leave them plain. Either way, they won’t hang around long because…..(repeat after me)…Everyone loves peanut butter and chocolate!
OUTRAGEOUS OATMEAL FUDGIES 
Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk

3 tablespoons cocoa powder 

Dash sea salt

1/2 cup natural peanut butter, crunchy

2 cups whole grain oats

1 teaspoon vanilla

Candy corn
Instructions:

Combine butter, sugar, milk, cocoa powder, and dash of salt in a 4-quart pan. Bring to boil over medium-high temperature. Stirring occasionally, boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Quickly add crunchy peanut butter, whole grain oats, and vanilla. Mix well. Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Top with one piece of candy corn. Let stand until cool. Store in a covered container.