rosemary

Herbed Sea Salt

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food is Art: Herbed Sea Salt! When fellow blogger Erika Kind shared her use of enhancing foods with herbed sea salt, I couldn’t resist making some myself. Since I already have an organic herb garden for spotlighting on Snapshotsincursive, I knew this would be a “must try”. What a world of possibilities that opened up. No synthetic anti-caking agents, no chemical preservatives, and no artificial flavors made this herb combination a true winner. I can’t wait to try it sprinkled over roasted veggies, mixed into compound butter, or stirred into chunky soups. Thanks very much, Erika. 

HERBED SEA SALT 

Ingredients: 

1/3 cup assorted fresh herbs (rosemary, basil, oregano, and parsley)

2/3 cup coarse sea salt 

Instructions: 

Wash and dry the fresh herbs so no water remains. Pull the leaves off the woody stems. Place the herbs and half the salt in a mini chopper. Pulse until the herbs are very fine and the salt turns green. Stir in the remaining coarse salt. Grind again. Spread the damp herbed salt onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Dry in the oven on very low heat, about 170°, for 30 minutes. Break up any clumps with your fingers. Pour the dry herbed salt into a clean glass jar with a tight lid. Store until ready to use. 

Garlic Balsamic Dip

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food is Art: Garlic Balsamic Dip! Everyone is familiar with the Mediterranean favorite of bread-dipping olive oils dribbled with authentic Italian balsamic vinegar. So what happened to make it creamy? Did someone back in the kitchen of a family-owned restaurant decide in a pinch they needed something a little thicker to serve over iceberg lettuce? Probably so, but no one’s talking. In any event, here is a condiment that can be served as such. Or if you need a sauce for drizzling over pizza, serving with hot wings, and dipping celery sticks into before biting off the end……this just might be your secret sauce. Mum is the word. 

GARLIC BALSAMIC DIP 

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup mayonnaise 

1/4 cup Greek yogurt 

2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 

4-5 cloves garlic, minced 

1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 black pepper 

Instructions: 

In a blender, combine mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, chopped rosemary, olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy. Serve with green olives and toasted baguette slices. Enjoy. 

Rosemary Thyme Goat Cheese

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Stir. Spread. Flip. Repeat: Rosemary Thyme Goat Cheese! It’s always a good idea to keep goat cheese on hand. Because of its spreadable texture, its earthy flavor is the perfect partner for herbs and veggies. After the appetizer, if any portion remains, don’t let it go to waste. Add a dollop to pasta, scrambled eggs, or garden salad. 

ROSEMARY THYME GOAT CHEESE 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

2-3 sprigs thyme

8-10 whole black peppercorns 

4 ounce log goat cheese, room temperature 

Italian Crispy Breadsticks 

Instructions:

In a small saucepan, warm olive oil over medium-low heat. Add garlic cloves, rosemary, thyme, and peppercorns. Stir occasionally for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Place the goat cheese in a shallow dish. Spoon the warm olive oil mixture overtop. Serve immediately with Italian thin breadsticks or crusty artisan bread. 

Roasted Turkey Breast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Roasted Turkey Breast! Life just got a little easier. Instead of cooking an entire holiday bird, it is just as rewarding to roast a turkey breast. You still get the herb seasonings and butter-basted juicy portions, along with drippings for a savory pan gravy, without all the time and effort. It’s simple, economical, and carves up nicely. One more reason to serve turkey for any occasion.  

ROASTED TURKEY BREAST 

Ingredients:

5-pound bone-in turkey breast, thawed

1/8 teaspoon parsley 

1/8 teaspoon thyme

1/8 teaspoon rosemary 

1/8 teaspoon sage 

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons butter, softened

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325°. Place turkey breast side up in a roaster. Insert meat thermometer so the tip is at the thickest part of the breast meat. Brush the bird with butter. Sprinkle seasonings over all. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Do not use a lid. Every hour, baste the breast with butter or pan drippings. Turkey is done when the thermometer reads 185°, approximately 2 1/2 hours. There is no substitute for a meat thermometer for determining the doneness of a turkey, in my opinion. Remove from oven and allow it to stand for 15-20 minutes before carving. The skin will be crisp and the breast meat will be moist. 

   

Havarti Mashed Potatoes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Havarti Mashed Potatoes! The best kept secret for staying organized during the flurry of activity of family gatherings is “make-ahead” recipes that have the oven doing most of the work. By creating this side dish the day before, you eliminate everyone hovering in the kitchen while you whip it up at the last minute. And leftovers are a breeze because they automatically become Divine Duchess Potatoes.* Do yourself a favor, enjoy that glass of wine with your guests while the mashed potatoes bake in the oven. 

HAVARTI MASHED POTATOES 

Ingredients:

10 potatoes, peeled and cut up

4 tablespoons butter, softened 

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup yogurt 

1/2 teaspoon rosemary 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper 

1 cup Havarti cheese, shredded

1/2 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded 

1 tablespoon parsley

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Place potatoes in a 4 quart pan. Cover with water. Salt if desired. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low and cook potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well. Add butter and mash. Slowly add milk beating slowly to eliminate lumps. Add yogurt, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Beat vigorously until potatoes are fluffy. Fold in Havarti cheese. Transfer to casserole dish and top with cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered 30-35 minutes. Garnish with parsley. 

*Leftovers can be used to make Divine Duchess Potatoes. See link

https://snapshotsincursive.com/2015/11/13

Vidalia Oven-Roasted Onions

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Vidalia Oven-Roasted Onions! When Georgia Vidalia onions are in season, I can always count on my husband to bring home a 3-pound bag. It might be once a week, it might be less, depending on how fast they disappear. New recipes seem to pop up in my feed every season, too. These naturally sweet onions have a way of grabbing attention when served on burgers, deluxe pizza slices, grilled steaks, and in appetizing cheesy dips, bacon jams, and tasty spreads for toasted baguette slices. The fun never ends. 

VIDALIA OVEN-ROASTED ONIONS 

Ingredients: 

3 medium Vidalia onions, skins left on with tops and bottoms trimmed 

2 tablespoons butter, cut into 3 thin pats 

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

3 bay leaves

Balsamic vinegar, for finishing 

Instructions: 

Spray an oven-proof casserole dish with nonstick oil. Arrange the three onions in the baking dish. Broil on High setting 10 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and slightly charred. Watch carefully. Remove the baking dish. Turn the oven setting to 400°. Place a pat of butter on top of each onion. Press the chopped rosemary into the butter, allowing bits to fall over the onions as the butter melts. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Tuck the bay leaves around the onions. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake the onions for 60-70 minutes or until very soft and sweet. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Spoon the drippings over the baked onions. Serve immediately. 

Red Pepper Spicy Olives

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Red Pepper Spicy Olives! Here’s a little addition to your charcuterie board. Not everyone is a fan of olives, so by placing them in a decorative bowl, such as olive wood, it draws the eye away from everything which entertains the mind that a taste could be a possibility. (You never know, if you don’t try it.) Scoop a little onto a slice of crusty artisan bread, for starters. Then proceed to elevate the combo with a creamy burrata cheese. That tiny tickle at the back of your throat is the kick of pepper. Now you’re getting the picture. 

RED PEPPER SPICY OLIVES 

Ingredients: 

16 ounces assorted olives, pitted

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon roasted red peppers, chopped

1/8 teaspoon black peppercorns, cracked

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary 

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon dried parsley leaves

Instructions: 

Place assorted olives in a sieve to drain excess water; rinse. Warm the olive oil over medium-low heat in a skillet. Add roasted red peppers, cracked black peppercorns, sea salt, dried rosemary, red pepper flakes, and dried parsley leaves. Stir briskly. Add the assorted olives; stir gently to coat. Allow the mixture to cook for 2-3 minutes; reduce heat. Pour contents into a serving bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Hasselback Rainbow Carrots

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Hasselback Rainbow Carrots! If you haven’t tried rainbow carrots yet, you’re missing out. The antioxidants are reason enough to give them a whirl. Personally, I like the natural sweetness they provide. It’s the vibrant colors in these rainbow beauties that piqued my interest from the onset. It’s the bundles of purple, yellow, red, and orange that draw attention on the dinner plate. I like adding a drizzle of acacia honey. It’s kinda like icing on a cake. 

HASSELBACK RAINBOW CARROTS 

Ingredients: 

1 pound organic rainbow carrots

4 tablespoons butter, unsalted

1/2 tablespoon rosemary leaves

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon acacia honey

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9”x9” glass dish with nonstick oil. Set aside. Thoroughly clean rainbow carrots. One at a time, place a carrot on a soup spoon. Using a knife, carefully cut each carrot into slits without cutting all the way through. The spoon should stop the knife from cutting deeper. Repeat until all the carrots have hasselback cuts. Blanch the carrots in a pot of boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain completely and allow the carrots to dry. Lay the carrots in a single layer in the prepared casserole dish, cut side up. Melt the butter. Using a pastry brush, cover each carrot with butter, paying attention to drip the butter into the slits of the carrots. Sprinkle with rosemary leaves, sea salt, and black pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, then baste again with remaining butter. Brush acacia honey over the surface. Bake 10 minutes longer until cooked. Serve immediately. 

Unbelievable Egg Nog Cake

Eating My Way Through the Holidays. Festive Food Gifts: Unbelievable Egg Nog Cake! Did you know you can freeze eggnog for up to six months? You can. And isn’t it a relief to know that you won’t be pouring money down the drain? Too much of anything can take away the joy. We all get caught up in holiday indulgences, thinking it’s the only time of year to appreciate our favorite treats. No more. Rather than feeling like a glutton for punishment, followed by waves of guilt, here’s a way to stretch the cheer throughout the winter months. When the nights are dark and the fire warms your feet, snuggle up with a slice of nostalgia. You deserve it. 

UNBELIEVABLE EGG NOG CAKE

Ingredients:

16.5-ounce yellow cake mix

3-ounce vanilla instant pudding mix

1 cup eggnog 

4 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon nutmeg 

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Ingredients for Glaze:

1/4 cup butter, warmed

1/4 cup eggnog 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1/4 teaspoon rum

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

2 cups powdered sugar

Garnish with rosemary sprigs and pomegranate arils

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a bundt pan (or 8 mini bundt pans) with nonstick oil containing flour. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine yellow cake mix, dry vanilla pudding mix, eggnog, eggs, vegetable oil, nutmeg, water, and vanilla extract. Beat with a mixer for 2 minutes until thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides as needed. Pour batter into pan(s). Bake 50 minutes for large, or 25 minutes for small bundt cakes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven to cool for 10 minutes before inverting on a wire rack. Allow to cool 10 minutes longer before transferring to a cake plate. While cakes are cooling make the glazed icing. In a bowl, whisk together butter, eggnog, vanilla extract, rum, and nutmeg until smooth. Sprinkle in powdered sugar, stirring with a spoon, until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cake. Garnish with rosemary sprigs and pomegranate arils for a festive finish.