oranges

Tropicana Bars

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Junkie Favorites: Tropicana Bars! When you combine exotic fruits, flaky coconut, and macadamia nuts, you may feel as though you stepped off an airplane onto a tropical island in the Pacific. This mouthwatering dessert is perfect for summer. Go ahead, take a bite for a quick trip to a faraway destination. Let your mind wander to swaying palm trees, magical waterfalls, and sunshine that warms the body as well as the spirit. 

TROPICANA BARS

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 cups flour

1teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 1/2 cups Zucchini Jam*

1/4 cup flaked coconut 

1/4 cup macadamia nuts, crushed 

1 tablespoon crystallized sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Cream together sugar and butter. Set aside. Whisk flour, salt, and baking soda together until blended. Combine dry ingredients with sugar mixture until crumbly. Spread 3/4 of batter into a 9″x13″ greased dish to make a crust. Sprinkle with cinnamon.  Layer with Zucchini Jam, coconut, and nuts. Crumble remaining batter over all. Sprinkle with crystallized sugar. Bake for 20-30 minutes.  Cool slightly and cut into 24 squares. 

* For Zucchini Jam recipe, please follow the link below. 

http://Snapshotsincursive.com/2016/04/12

Quaker Oat Breakfast Companions

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Junkie Favorites: Quaker Oat Breakfast Companions! I must confess, some days a cup of Italian espresso and a crispy wafer roll is enough to get my engine up and running. But on those mornings when I wake up ravenous, I turn to a hearty bowl of Quaker Oats with all the trimmings: pomegranate arils, orange slices, almonds, cinnamon, and brown sugar. I appreciate the fiber, fruit, and nuts for healthy living. Topped with a bit of honey and milk in lieu of brown sugar, and I’m left feeling full for longer periods of time. Plus, it’s a good source of fiber and iron. Switch things up now and then by choosing a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast. 

QUAKER OAT BREAKFAST COMPANIONS

Ingredients:

1 cup milk

1 dash sea salt 

1 dash cinnamon

1/2 cup whole grain oats

1 mandarin orange, peeled

1 tablespoon almond slices

1 tablespoon pomegranate arils

1 teaspoon brown sugar or natural honey

Instructions:

Combine milk, salt, cinnamon, and oats in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on High 2 1/2-3 minutes. Remove and mix well. Top with oranges, almonds, arils, and honey. 

Yogurt Cups

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!

Crêpe Expectations

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Simple Sensations: Crêpe Expectations! From sweet to savory, appetizers to dessert, this amazing little confection will not disappoint. It is the French cousin to the American pancake. Stack it, roll it, or fold it into a triangle. No matter how you fill it, the result is a pleasure for the palate. Make a batch to keep on hand. Then get creative!

CRÊPE EXPECTATIONS 

Ingredients:

4 eggs, beaten 

1 cup flour

1 cup 1/2 & 1/2

2 tablespoons butter, melted 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Filling:

8 ounce Neufchâtel cheese

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup marshmallow creme 

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon almond extract 

1/2 cup sliced almonds

Directions:

Combine eggs, flour, 1/2 & 1/2, butter, and sea salt.  Beat until smooth. Let stand 30 minutes. For each crêpe, pour scant 1/4 cup batter into hot, greased 8-inch skillet rotating to distribute batter evenly. Cook on one side. Flip and lightly brown. Stack on plate to cool. 

For filling combine softened Neufchâtel cheese and butter; mix well. Stir in marshmallow creme. Add sugar and extract; mix well. Fold in nuts. Fill each crêpe with 3 tablespoons cream cheese mixture; roll up. Add sliced strawberries, raspberries, seedless grapes. Top with whipped cream.  

Orange-Pineapple-Banana Ice Cream

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Orange, Pineapple, Banana Ice Cream!  And, before you ask…..No, you do not need an ice cream maker. What I love the most about this refreshing recipe is that any fresh fruit can be used for a mélange of flavor choices, depending on the season.

ORANGE-PINEAPPLE-BANANA ICE CREAM

Ingredients:

1/3 cup mandarin oranges, frozen

1/3 cup pineapple chunks, frozen

1 banana, frozen

1/4 cup powdered sugar 

1/2 cup heavy cream, very icy cold

Directions:

Combine the frozen fruit and sugar in a food processor or blender. Process on “Pulse” until the fruit is roughly chopped. With the processor running, slowly add the heavy cream until fully mixed. Transfer fruit ice cream to a plastic storage container with lid. Place in the freezer for 2-3 hours or until firm. To serve, use a melon ball scoop to form bite-size portions. Garnish with dried fruit and shredded coconut. 

Everyday Lunch Salad

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Symphony of Flavors: Everyday Lunch Salad! I could give you a bunch of reasons to incorporate salads into your diet. The short list is…salads are high in fiber, contain nutrients that are beneficial to the immune system, help fight off infections, and promote better heart health. Fruit and vegetables have a way of filling you up, and at the same time, stave off cravings that can lead to unnecessary binging on junk food. By packing a salad lunch be creative with colorful fruits and veggies. Keep the dressing in a separate container to avoid a soggy, wilted mess. I typically add nuts for protein, crunch, and another snack option. Be good to yourself. If you don’t, who will?

EVERYDAY LUNCH SALAD

Ingredients for the Salad:

3 cups mixed spring greens

1 cup mandarin orange, segments

1/2 cups radish slices, packed loosely

1/4 cup sliced almonds

2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Ingredients for the Dressing:

1/3 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon acacia honey

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

In a large bowl, place mixed spring greens, mandarin orange segments,  radish slices, sliced almonds, and crumbled bacon. Gently toss; set aside. In a smaller bowl, whisk together olive oil, acacia honey, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, sea salt, and pepper. Whisk until smooth. Offer the dressing on the side, or drizzle over salad mixture and toss. Serve immediately. 

Multi-Grain Avocado Toast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Uplifting Aromas: Multigrain Avocado Toast! Have you heard that eating eggs are no longer bad for you? Well, that’s the story I told my doctor and I’m sticking to it. He actually agreed, after looking at my bloodwork. Now, as a disclaimer, I’m going to clarify that I usually eat one egg a day, for breakfast, and I prepare it in the microwave, without butter. I also buy organic eggs with that Florida-sunset orange yolk. Farmers here tell me that deep color means more vitamins because free range hens get to enjoy the “greener pastures of grass and clover by foraging the great outdoors.” All I know is, way back in the day when I was a country girl growing up, we didn’t have GMOs and food modifications that make an ingredient list look like it came out of a chemistry book. Rant over. 

MULTIGRAIN AVOCADO TOAST

Ingredients:

2 pieces multigrain bread, toasted

1 avocado, halved and pitted 

1 teaspoon lime juice

2 eggs, sunny side up

1/4 teaspoon everything but bagel seasoning 

Fresh blueberries and orange segments 

Cinnamon dusting, for garnish 

Instructions:

Mash the avocado, drizzle with lime juice, and spread onto the toasted bread, or simply use the toast to “dip” into the avocado/egg mixture. Spice it up with everything but bagel seasoning. Toss fresh blueberries and orange segments. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Quick and Tasty! 

Valencia D’Orange Liqueur

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Fabulous Fixings: Valencia D’Orange Liqueur! Pre-dinner drinks, called apéritif, actually prepare the body for a nice evening meal. They can stimulate the appetite as well as aid in digestion. Is it any wonder the Europeans practice this technique in order to prolong gathering together over dinner? A two-hour meal actually becomes a social occasion without being rushed. I learned this firsthand while visiting France. Food is served in stages as multiple courses to appreciate the taste of each individual type of food.  Think of it this way: eating slowly gives the body less chance to overeat. Now you know why. Make your next meal sip-worthy with an apéritif. 

VALENCIA D’ORANGE LIQUEUR 

Ingredients:

2 Valencia oranges, cut into wheels and halved

1 lemon, cut into slices

1/3 cup sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

1 vanilla bean, split

1/2 bottle rosé wine

1/2 cup vodka

1/2 cup rum

Instructions:

Layer the sliced oranges and lemons in a glass jar. Add sugar, cinnamon sticks, and vanilla bean. Pour in the rosé wine and vodka. Replace the jar lid and shake well to dissolve the sugar. Place the sealed jar in the refrigerator for 4 weeks, shaking every few days to blend flavors. Strain out the oranges, lemons, cinnamon sticks, and vanilla bean. Funnel liquid into glass bottles or jars. Add the rum. Enjoy beverage as an apéritif. Store containers in the refrigerator for up to one year. 

Navel Orange Avocado Plate

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Graze or Gobble: Navel Orange Avocado Plate! Keeping things simple seems to be working for me these days. By focusing on a few ingredients, the star attractions quickly become tart and juicy oranges complemented by creamy avocados with a slight crunch of seasoning. Who could ask for more? In order to intensify the ripeness of an avocado, I typically transfer a couple to a brown bag, seal it, and store the bag at room temperature in my pantry for two days. The skin will feel slightly soft to the touch, yet not mushy. From there, I refrigerate the avocados in the crisper drawer no longer than a day. Perhaps you have a system that works as well. Feel free to share. 

NAVEL ORANGE AVOCADO PLATE

Ingredients:

4 navel oranges

2 avocados 

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/2 teaspoon Everything But Bagel seasoning

Fresh cilantro, for garnish 

Instructions:

Rinse the oranges and avocados. Using a sharp knife, slice the navel oranges into thin even slices, leaving peels on. Arrange them on a platter. Cut the avocados crosswise into quarters; remove the pits. Gently peel the skin off. Slice the avocado into wedges. Drizzle with lime juice. Arrange the avocado wedges around the orange slices. Sprinkle avocados with Everything But Bagel seasoning. Garnish platter with fresh cilantro. Serve.