spices

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter T

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food for Sharing: Tasty Tomato Jam! Crank up your taste buds a bit with this savory sweet jam that is bursting with flavor. Spread it on toast or grilled cheese. Think of it as a condiment for meatloaf, fish, hamburgers, or grilled shrimp. Serve it on a charcuterie board with cured meats and gourmet cheeses. One of my favorite combos is Pear Camembert Flatbread.* It’s all the rage! Decide for yourself what the fuss is about. I did. And now tomato jam is a “must have” at my house. 
TASTY TOMATO JAM
Ingredients:

1 small red onion, finely diced

28-ounce can Roma tomatoes, cut-up with sauce 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon candied ginger, minced

1/2 cup garlic red wine vinegar 

1/4 cup natural honey

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Pinch of ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 teaspoon Mexican tarragon, minced

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions:

In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave red onion on High setting for two minutes. Using a reduction pan over medium heat, combine diced onions and Roma tomatoes. Add olive oil, garlic powder, candied ginger, garlic red wine vinegar, natural honey, brown sugar, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, Mexican tarragon, red pepper flakes, and sea salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have broken down and liquid is evaporated. This will take 60-75 minutes. Ladle the tomato jam into sterilized jars while hot. Store in the refrigerator. 
*For the recipe, click the following link. http://Snapshotsincursive.com/2016/11/15

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter M

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food for Sharing: Mole Sesame Chicken! One of my longtime friends introduced me to this dish after spending some time in the Dominican Republic. The unique mole sauce contains chili pepper, aromatic spices, and dark Mexican chocolate making it a savory sauce over turkey or chicken. It creates a fabulous meal when you have leftover meat. Simply add plain or Spanish rice along with soft flour tortillas for the perfect pairings. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds for a nutty finish. 
MOLE SESAME CHICKEN
Ingredients:

8.25 ounce jar Doña Maria Mole*

28 ounces chicken broth 

1-2 pound rotisserie chicken

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Shred rotisserie chicken, removing skin and bones. Transfer chicken to a large bowl. Empty contents of mole paste into a blender. Add half the chicken broth. Blend until smooth. Add remaining broth. Repeat. Pour mole sauce over chicken. Stir to incorporate. Transfer to a covered casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Sauce will thicken. Serve with sticky rice or Spanish rice. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds. 
*I receive no recompense for recommending Doña Maria Mole, Mexican Condiment. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter H

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food for Sharing: Hamburger Strudel! Dress up a classic meatloaf recipe with this super simple crust to create an elegant wrap for a main course. No, it’s not Beef Wellington, but it’s a tasty alternative at a fraction of the cost. I highly recommend an all-natural organic lean beef for fabulous results. It’s dinner-party worthy!
HAMBURGER STRUDEL 
Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1 onion, chopped

1/4 pound mushrooms, sliced

2 pounds ground beef

1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

1/2 teaspoon oregano 

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 

3 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1/4 cup parsley 

1 tube 8-count crescent rolls

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Pinch of parsley

1 cup sour cream

2 green onions, snipped
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Spray a baking pan with nonstick oil. In a large skillet, sauté onions and mushrooms in butter. Add ground beef. Cook until crumbly and brown. Drain excess liquid. In a large bowl, combine meat mixture, sea salt, black pepper, oregano, and garlic powder. Let cool slightly before folding in beaten eggs. Add cheddar cheese and parsley. Form into a loaf pan and freeze for one hour. Carefully remove chilled loaf from pan. Unroll tube of crescent rolls. Pinch seams to seal. Wrap dough around meatloaf; seal. Transfer to the prepared baking pan. Brush with butter; sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and pinch of parsley. Bake 30-35 minutes. Cut into 1″ slices. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and green onion snips. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter E

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food for Sharing: English Pot Roast! Simplify the evening meal. Let the crockpot do the cooking. By adding wine and herbs to the natural meat juices, the slow cooker locks in moisture which tenderizes the roast. Throw everything together, cover, and do something else. Without realizing it, you may find yourself imagining all sorts of ways to serve up the tantalizing leftovers. Utilize the pan drippings for a made-from-scratch gravy or savory soup stock. No matter how you serve it up, the results are Win, Win!
ENGLISH POT ROAST
Ingredients:

2 1/2 pound boneless English beef roast

1 cup dry red wine

10 ounce can beef consommé, undiluted 

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon seasoned salt 

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence 
Instructions:

Place the beef roast in the bottom of a slow cooker. Mix red wine, beef consommé, and balsamic vinegar to blend. Pour over the English roast. Sprinkle seasonings evenly over roast. Cover and turn on low heat setting. Cook 8 hours until fork tender. Serve with potatoes and vegetables for a well-balanced meal. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter U

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Timeless Classics: Upcountry Apple Crumble! Take a trip to the local apple orchard. It’s overflowing with bushels of newly-picked produce in several varieties. Red Delicious. Jonagold. Gala. Cortland. And the abundance of ready-made market items puts visitors to the test: nutty caramel apples, chunky applesauce, icy cider slushes, Dutch apple pies, and gooey apple turnovers. Don’t let Autumn slip away without bringing the crisp textures, bakery goodness, spicy aromas, and locally grown produce back home into your favorite dishes. 
UPCOUNTRY APPLE CRUMBLE 
Ingredients:

2-3 large apples

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup oatmeal 

1/2 cup butter, chilled, cut into small chunks 

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly butter a 10″ round baking dish. Peel, core, and thinly slice apples. (A Spiralizer does a perfect job.) Combine apples with lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar. Mix well. Arrange mixture in the bottom of the baking dish. To make the crumble topping, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, oatmeal, and butter in a food processor. Pulse mix until crumbly and butter is the size of peas. Spoon topping over apples, spreading to the edges. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Bake 40 minutes or until the top is brown and the apples are bubbly. Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter K

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Timeless Classics: Kickstart Breakfast Burrito! Eggs have a way of warding off those mid-morning hunger pangs, in my opinion. Being high in protein makes them a favorite and keeps me from caving in to foods with empty calories later on. Because I’m a bread-lover, the tortilla satisfies like manna from heaven. Cheese, turkey sausage, and veggies kickstart my breakfast so I can stay focused and on point. Choose a breakfast wrap the next time you want a little variety in your day. 
KICKSTART BREAKFAST BURRITO 
Ingredients:

2 flour tortillas, burrito size

2 tablespoons salsa

2 tablespoons onion, chopped

1 small green pepper, chopped

1 tomato, chopped

1 lemon chili pepper, chopped (optional)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

4 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons milk

2-4 turkey sausage links, precooked and sliced

4 tablespoons Colby-Monterey Jack cheese, finely shredded
Instructions:

Top tortillas with salsa. Set aside. Combine onion, green pepper, tomato, and lemon chili pepper in a microwave-safe dish. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Microwave on High for 1 minute, 45 seconds. Remove and set aside. Heat turkey sausage chunks for 30 seconds on High in the microwave oven. Set aside. In a nonstick medium skillet over medium heat, add beaten eggs. Cook, stirring occasionally for one minute. Add turkey sausage, shredded cheese, and vegetable mixture. Cook one minute longer or until eggs are set. Do not burn. Divide scrambled egg mixture between the tortilla shells. Fold into a burrito. Makes two breakfast burritos. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter I

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Timeless Classics: Italian Bread Salad! Panzanella. Travel with me to Tuscany for a delightful dinner on a gardened terrace. Indulge in a bountiful salad of artisan bread, juicy tomatoes, sweet onions, and green bell peppers. Appreciate the herbs de Provence perfectly blended with garlic wine vinegar whisked in extra-virgin olive oil. It’s enough to make you swoon. The ingredients are very forgiving. Tomatoes a little soft? Has the bread gone stale? No worries. This classic Italian meal was originally meant to be eaten that way. It’s truly amazing!
ITALIAN BREAD SALAD
Ingredients:

1-pound loaf artisan bread

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence, crushed

8 Roma tomatoes, sliced

1 medium green bell pepper, cut into strips

1/2 Vidalia onion, chopped

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine garlic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced

Cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 300°. Slice and cube the bread in bite-size pieces, leaving crusts on. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick oil. Form a single layer of bread cubes. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with Herbs de Provence. Bake 10 minutes; flip over and bake 10 minutes longer. Cool. For dressing, whisk together olive oil, red wine garlic vinegar, and sea salt. In a large salad bowl, combine bread with tomatoes, green pepper, and onion. Pour vinaigrette over all and toss to coat. Refrigerate for one hour before serving. Stir occasionally to blend flavors. Just before serving, gently toss with fresh basil. Add cracked black pepper to taste.
* Serving suggestion: Italian Bread Salad is best eaten the day it is made. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter A

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Timeless Classics: Apricot-Glazed Apple Galette! It’s apple-picking time of year. Pay a visit to the nearest orchard for an afternoon of relaxation and sipping cider slushes. Local farmers encourage and invite visitors to catch a glimpse of the family farm in celebration of Harvest. Not only can you nibble on caramel-dipped apples and warm apple dumplings, but don’t be surprised if you find yourself taking a hayride to the corn maze or pumpkin patch. Me? I grab my French market bag and load up on Galas and Granny Smith apples!
APRICOT-GLAZED APPLE GALETTE
Ingredients for crust:

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter, cold

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons ice water
Ingredients for filling:

2 large gala apples, core removed, peeled, and sliced

Scant lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup apricot jam

1-2 tablespoons apricot brandy

3 tablespoons butter

1 egg yolk
Instructions:

This recipe makes two individual galettes. Preheat oven to 425°. Using a food processor, pulse cold butter, flour, and salt to the size of small peas. Sprinkle in ice water one tablespoon at a time until dough forms a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1/2 an hour. Remove wrap and place dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut in half. Roll each half into an 8″ circle. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Beginning in the center, spiral apple slices like a fan. Be sure to leave a border. Fold edges of dough toward the center, creating a rustic crust. Press gently to seal. Repeat for second galette. Sprinkle apples with lemon juice. Cover apples with sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Spread apricot jam over apples. Pour apricot brandy over all. Dot with butter. Whisk together egg yolk and water. Brush the egg wash along the edges of the dough. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° but do not remove the galettes. Bake an additional 45 minutes until lightly browned. Transfer the galettes from the baking sheet by lifting with the parchment paper. Cool on wire rack to keep the bottoms from getting soggy. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter S

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Be Our Guest: Street Tacos! This is literally Cooking 101. I have been making tacos since I was 16 years old, before microwave ovens and gourmet kitchens were commonplace. My Aunt Gail, in Michigan, taught me the timeless secrets of a classic Mexican staple. First of all, you must use authentic yellow corn tortillas. Forget the box because you’re going to fry up the shells for freshness. It’s worth the effort, believe me. 
STREET TACOS
Ingredients:

16-ounce package yellow corn tortillas

2-4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound ground beef, lean

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 green onions, snipped

1 cup cheddar cheese, finely shredded

Shredded lettuce

Fresh cilantro

Pico de Gallo or salsa
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 250°. Brown ground beef in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until the beef is crumbly. Drain, if necessary. Season beef with garlic, cumin powder, onion powder, sea salt, and black pepper. Set aside. In a small skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add tortilla; cook 10 seconds per side. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat until all tortillas have been fried. Reduce heat. One at a time, place a tortilla back into the skillet. Add 1-2 tablespoons ground beef mixture into each tortilla. Fold in half and place on a baking sheet. Repeat until all tortillas and ground beef are used. Warm in the oven until ready to serve. Assemble street tacos, per taste, with shredded lettuce, onion, cheese, cilantro, and Pico de Gallo.