pastry

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter E

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Foodstuff Redefined: Easy Escargot! If anyone ever asks you to try this classic French dish, be brave and nod your head. You may surprise yourself because, truth be told, how bad can it be when it’s drenched in melted cheese and garlic butter? Now add my version, which includes white wine and a puff pastry crust. Hello. How could it not be incredibly delish?
EASY ESCARGOT 
Ingredients:

4.4 ounce can very large escargots, drained and rinsed

2/3 sheet puff pastry, thawed

4 tablespoons butter 

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 

1 tablespoon minced parsley 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon Herbes de Provence 

2 tablespoons semi-dry white wine

1 egg 

4 ounces Havarti cheese with Dill, sliced

4 ounces parmesan cheese, shaved
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Open the can of escargot. Drain well and place the snails in a bowl of cold water. Allow them to soak for 10 minutes. This will cleanse them for a richer taste. Using a shot glass for size, cut a small disc in the puff pastry. Lay the disc on a lightly floured surface. Continue cutting another disc until all the puff pastry is used. You should end up with 16-18 circles of dough. Set aside. Drain escargot using a mesh strainer. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the snails, garlic powder, minced parsley, sea salt, Herbes de Provence, and white wine. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer escargot mixture to an oven-proof dish that has been sprayed with non-stick oil. Cover the snails with Havarti cheese. Next, layer shaved parmesan cheese evenly over all. Arrange the puff pastry discs on top. Separate the egg. Discard yolk. Using the egg white only, take a pastry brush and “paint” the surface of each disc. This will turn the crust a beautiful golden brown in the oven. Bake 10 minutes until crust is done and cheese is bubbly. Bon Appétit!

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter F

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Simple Sensations: Fresh Pear Tart! Even if you are only slightly crazy about pears, one taste of this beautiful caramelized fruit dessert will have you boasting of connections to Le Cordon Bleu. The secret to making this incredible tart is baking it in an iron skillet; first on the stove and then in the oven. 
FRESH PEAR TART
Ingredients:

1 sheet of Puff Pastry

6 ripe pears; peeled, cored, and sliced

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon 
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Place the butter in the iron skillet on the stove. As it melts, add the sugar and arrange the pears carefully to look appealing when the tart is served “bottom up”. Increase the heat and cook gently until sugar is caramelized. Sprinkle in the cinnamon. Once the sugar has turned golden brown, remove the pan from the heat and gently lay the puff pastry over the fruit. Be sure it fits snugly to the pan. Place the skillet into the oven. Bake 15-20 minutes until the pastry crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before turning upside down onto a serving platter. Cut and serve warm. Add a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for the finishing touch. Smile lovingly and say, “It’s just a little something I made with all my heart!” ❤️

Dining Outside the Home: Kalaheo Cafe & Coffee Company in Kalaheo, Kauai

Dining Outside the Home: Kalaheo Cafe & Coffee Company in Kalaheo, Kauai!  Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, according to the generous portions served up at the Kalaheo Café. Stick to the favorites: a Very Veggie Omelette with melted cheese or add some Portuguese sausage for the Kahili Breakfast. Choose between a side of rice or potatoes, your way. And don’t forget the buttered toast or incredibly delicious cornbread muffins. Top it off with flavored coffee to rev up your engine. Now you’re beginning to see what I mean. Dine inside or on the front porch with a view of the mountains. Take a deep breath and dig in. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter V

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Timeless Classics: Vidalia Onion Tart! For those of you who adore caramelized onions, but need the confidence to make them at home, read on for some helpful hints that bring astounding results. Begin with yellow sweet onions. I choose Vidalias right now because they are in season. Slice them thicker than you would for a sandwich. If the onions are too thin, they burn and stick to the bottom of the pan. This is not the time to be using olive oil. Butter is your friend. The flavor is makes a difference, so do not scorch the butter. Make sure the onions are coated, top and bottom, with melted butter. It helps them to turn soft and caramelized. Also, make sure the pan is large enough to prevent overcrowding. The last thing you want is steam, which turns the onions mushy. Maintain a constant heat for the onions’ sugars to caramelize. If they char a little, don’t sweat it. Believe me, the results are worth the wait. Besides, the aromas will drive everyone else crazy, too. 
VIDALIA ONION TART
Ingredients for Tart:

1 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

6 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into chunks

4-5 tablespoons iced water
Instructions:

Using a food processor, mix together flour and sea salt. Add the chilled butter and pulse until mixture resembles small peas. With the machine running, gradually add iced water until dough forms a ball. Remove dough, flatten into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for one hour. 
Remaining Ingredients:

5 tablespoons butter, unsalted 

2 large Vidalia sweet onions, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence 

Sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon corn meal, coarsely ground 

2 slices baby Swiss cheese

1 egg yolk, beaten

Fresh tarragon for garnish
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. In a medium skillet over medium high heat, melt the butter. Do not scorch. Add the Vidalia onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add Worcestershire sauce, Herbs de Provence, sea salt, and black pepper. Cook until onions are golden, about 35-45 minutes longer. Remove from heat and let cool. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle cornmeal evenly. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough in half. Roll out each portion into an 8″ round. Transfer to the baking sheet. Place one slice of Swiss cheese in the center of each round. Spread the onions over the cheese, leaving a 1 1/2″ border. Fold the edge of the dough up and over the filling. Brush the edges with the egg yolk wash. Bake for 40 minutes, until the bottom crust is brown. Transfer the baking sheet to the top shelf and continue baking 5 minutes longer. Top crust will be golden brown. Cool tarts on a wire rack to prevent them from getting soggy. Garnish with fresh tarragon. Cut into wedges and serve warm. Makes two tarts. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter B

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? All the Buzz: Blueberry-Almond Coffeecake! The battle begins. Will you choose to eat this incredible coffee cake first thing in the morning for breakfast or the last thing at night for dessert? The brown sugary crumbled topping seems like candy, but the fluffy moist cake filled with blueberries seems more like a last course to the meal. Whatever is one to do??? My choice? I’ll never tell. Enjoy!
BLUEBERRY-ALMOND COFFEECAKE 
Ingredients:

2 cups fresh blueberries 

2 tablespoons corn starch

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened 

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 egg
CRUNCHY TOPPING

Ingredients:

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons butter, softened 

1/4 cup almonds, chopped
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease and flour a 10″ round baking dish. In a bowl, gently toss blueberries and cornstarch to coat. Set aside. Cream together sugar and butter. Add flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon. While mixing gradually add milk, yogurt, almond extract, and egg. Blend well. Gently fold in blueberries. Pour batter into baking dish. To make topping, combine brown sugar and flour. Cut butter into topping until it resembles pea-size crumbs. Spread over cake batter. Sprinkle almonds over all. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Serve warm. 

Dining Outside the Home: Café Belle Madeleine at Paris in Las Vegas, Nevada 

Dining Outside the Home: Café Belle Madeleine at Paris in Las Vegas, Nevada! This French patisserie is the icing on the cake. Follow the cobblestone walk through the double French doors and you’ll find a casual bistro where the pastries are seductive, the savory sandwiches are divine, and the rich gelato is refreshing. The Parisian woven chairs welcome tired souls in a crisp checkered palette. Come in and stay awhile. The specialty brewed coffees are intense with flavor; a nice balance to the cream-filled desserts. Grab a prosciutto pickle baguette or chicken breast pesto brioche for the perfect picnic lunch the next day. 

Dining Outside the Home: Paris Baguette at The Venetian in Las Vegas, Nevada 

Dining Outside the Home: Paris Baguette at The Venetian in Las Vegas, Nevada! Surrounded by elegant architecture on the edge of St. Mark’s Square where charming costumed characters entertain the crowds with music, song, and dance is Paris Baguette, a café and bakery. Sweetened pastries overflowing with light cream, decadent chocolate, and honeyed fruit as well as gourmet sandwiches abundant enough to share make the perfect picnic lunch along cobbled streets. Be serenaded in this deliciously delightful romantic setting. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter S

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Second Helping of Snickerdoodle Blondies! Mention the word “cinnamon” and automatically people have visions of pastry shops and bakeries emitting delectable aromas that seduce the mind and tempt the body with Happy Day dance moves. And who doesn’t like to say “Snickerdoodle”? Bake-and-Go with this all-time favorite recipe.  
SNICKERDOODLE BLONDIES 
Batter Ingredients:

2 2/3 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder 

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 cups brown sugar, packed

1 cup butter, melted

2 eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping Ingredients:

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9×13 pan. Mix butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add the baking powder, salt, and flour. Pour into pan. 

In a small bowl mix together the cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle over top of dough. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven. Try to wait until the Snickerdoodle Blondies cool down before sinking your teeth into that first bite. Enjoy!