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Yakitori Chicken Skewers

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Yakitori Chicken Skewers! Our dinner was supposed to be grilled outdoors. Thank goodness when the weather doesn’t cooperate, meat and vegetables can be broiled indoors with very tasteful  results. The international marinade lends itself to an enhanced blend of aromatic soy, olive oil, and pungent ginger which is pleasing to the palate. The Japanese-style dish is a light and healthy alternative when mixed with fruit and vegetables. 

YAKITORI CHICKEN SKEWERS

Ingredients:

2-3 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, and cut into small sections

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup sake or vermouth

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, shaved

1 garlic clove, minced

6″ skewers

1/2 cup pineapple chunks

1/2 cup green pepper strips

Instructions:

Place chicken in a dish. Combine sugar, soy sauce, sake, vinegar, ginger, and garlic. Mix well to combine. Pour over chicken pieces and marinate in the refrigerator for one hour. Thread chicken, pineapple, and green pepper alternating on skewers. Preheat oven broiler on high setting. Place skewers on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 5 minutes; turn and broil an additional 5 minutes on the other side. Cook until chicken is fully cooked. Remove from oven being careful of hot juices. 

Old-Fashioned Blueberry Peach Galette

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Old-Fashioned Blueberry Peach Galette! For a rustic dessert that is sure to please, this classic French pastry is a perfect blend of natural fruit sweetness complimented by a flaky butter crust. No need for a pie plate, it is oven baked on a sheet pan. *Note: Be sure to prep the pan as directed. Otherwise, you may need to replace it. 

OLD-FASHIONED BLUEBERRY PEACH GALETTE 

Ingredients:

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2-3 tablespoons ice water

3 cups peaches, sliced

1/2 cup blueberries 

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 tablespoon apricot preserves, melted

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons almonds, sliced

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425°. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Then line it with parchment paper. Make a 9-inch pie crust: cut butter into flour and salt until particles are the size of small peas. Sprinkle in water 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry cleans the side of the bowl. Gather pastry into a ball; shape it into a flattened round on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 9-inch crust and place on parchment paper. Combine sugar, blueberries, and sugar. Beginning in the center, arrange fruit into a fan, spiraling around the pie. Be sure to leave a border. Fold edges of dough toward the center, pressing gently to seal. The dough only partially covers the fruit. Brush the melted preserves over the fruit and along the edges of the dough. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350° but do not remove the galette. Bake an additional 40 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove the galette from the baking sheet by lifting it with the parchment paper. It needs to cool on a wire rack to keep the bottom from getting soggy. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Serve warm. 

* Serving suggestion: Top with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. 

No-Bake Hazelnut Bars

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: No-Bake Hazelnut Bars! Here you go. A delicious nutty chocolate treat that can be a dessert or a snack. And there is no need to heat up the oven. This combination of dietary coconut fiber and heart-healthy hazelnuts are sure to become your personal favorite. One bar may provide the nutritious energy boost you need to keep going strong. But the question is…..can you stop at just one?

NO-BAKE HAZELNUT BARS

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1/3 milk

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup coconut, flaked

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 13-ounce jar of Nutella Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread

Instructions:

Boil butter, milk, brown sugar, coconut, and cracker crumbs in a medium saucepan for 7 minutes, stirring constantly. Mix in vanilla extract.  Line a 9″x13″ pan with club crackers. Pour the filling over crackers. Top another layer of crackers. Warm Nutella in microwave for 20 seconds. Spread over all. Garnish with nut meats. Cool in refrigerator until firm. Cut into squares.

Kolachy Wedding Cookies

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Kolachy Wedding Cookies! The beauty of this wedding delicacy, popular in Central Europe, transforms every bite into a puff of pastry. Taste the splendor.  Choose one or more of your favorite fruit toppings, sprinkle with a few chocolate morsels, and let the celebration begin! I made mine into Cherry Chocolate Chip Kolachys!

KOLACHY WEDDING COOKIES

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

1 8-ounce package Neufchâtel cheese

1 tablespoon milk

1 tablespoon sugar

1 egg yolk, beaten 

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder 

1 can pie filling, any flavor

1/2 cups semi-sweet mini chocolate morsels

Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions:

Cream together butter, Neufchâtel cheese, milk, and sugar. Add beaten egg yolk. Sift together flour and baking powder. Add to the creamed mixture and blend well. Refrigerate until the dough is thoroughly chilled (4 hours or overnight).  Preheat oven to 400°. Roll out dough to 1/4″ thick on well-floured board. Cut with a 2″ round cookie cutter, or small glass. Place cut-outs on an ungreased cookie sheet. Make a depression with the back of a spoon in the center of each round. Fill the center with a dollop of fruit filling. Sprinkle chocolate morsels on top. Bake 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. 

Elderflower Raspberry Muffins

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Elderflower Raspberry Muffins! If you are a citrus lover, you will think you have died and gone to Heaven. The elderflowers from the St. Germain region of France are harvested into a delectable liqueur every Spring. Their delicate flavor is a blend of lemon, peach, and pear with a slight floral nature. When added to the ripe taste of raspberries with lemon zest, this fruity muffin becomes delightfully pleasing to the palate. 

ELDERFLOWER RASPBERRY MUFFINS

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup Greek yogurt

1/4 cup milk

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 lemon for zest strips

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray the muffin tin with a nonstick oil. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside. Using a food processor, combine lemon zest strips and sugar. Pulse to finely chop the zest into the sugar. Add yogurt, milk, butter, egg, and extracts. Pulse until blended. Mix the yogurt mixture into the flour mixture and fold until almost blended. Gently fold in raspberries. Divide the batter into the muffin cups. Bake the muffins 18 to 25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for five minutes before covering with glaze. Serve warm. 

Elderflower Glaze

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup elderflower liqueur*

2 teaspoons unsalted butter 

Directions:

Combine sugar and elderflower liqueur in microwave-safe bowl. Add butter and microwave for 45 seconds. Whisk until smooth, eliminating lumps. Let sit for a minute or two before pouring over warm muffins. 

*Elderflower liqueur may be substituted by using lemon juice instead. 

Wonderful Waffles

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Simple Sensations: Wonderful Waffles! This is perfect for that weekend brunch when it’s fun to plan things a little different. Add fruit and nuts, sausage or bacon, but top it off with real maple syrup. Then serve with mimosas on the side and you’ll be smiling all day long!

WONDERFUL WAFFLES

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cup butter, melted 

2 eggs, separated 

1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

Preheat waffle iron. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. In a second bowl, lightly beat egg yolks. Add milk, butter, and vanilla. Mix well. Stir into dry ingredients until moistened. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into batter. Spray the waffle iron with nonstick spray. Pour enough batter to just cover the waffle grid. Bake waffles until crisp on the outside, yet light and fluffy on the inside, about 2 to 3 minutes. They will appear golden brown. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and warm syrup. Serve immediately. 

Ultimate Fudge

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Simple Sensations: Ultimate Fudge! My mother taught we well on this recipe. Her secret was to “stir it until your arm falls off!” You see, stirring makes it extremely melt-in-your-mouth creamy. And if you try to cut corners, it’ll turn out grainy, which is a result of the sugar not dissolving under heat. I discovered another tip when making fudge: Do not attempt this on a humid day. I guarantee you, it will be a disaster. Being forewarned…… are you ready, peeps? Read on. 

ULTIMATE FUDGE 

Ingredients:

3 cups sugar 

3/4 cup butter

2/3 cup evaporated milk

12-ounces semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1 teaspoon vanilla

7-ounce jar marshmallow creme

Instructions:

Combine butter, sugar, and milk in a 2-quart pan. Bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling over medium heat for four minutes. Stir constantly to prevent scorching. Be sure to scrape sides as well. Remove from heat. Work quickly stirring in chocolate morsels until completely melted. Add marshmallow creme and vanilla. Mix well. Pour into greased 9″x13″ pan. Cool at room temperature; cut into squares. 

Snickerdoodle Blondies

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Simple Sensations: 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″x13″ 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!

Glazed Carrots

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Simple Sensations: Glazed Carrots! My husband, Gerald, absolutely loves the texture of cooked carrots. He usually asks for more in every recipe. Unimpressed by their nutritional value, he could care less about the fiber content. Maybe it’s the bright orange color that echoed an enthusiastic response at the dinner table as a child. In any event, I know without a doubt, whenever I serve this appetizing choice of root vegetable, he knows it’s been a very special day. 

GLAZED CARROTS 

Ingredients:

16 ounces of fresh baby carrots, greens removed

2 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed firmly

1 cup water

Dash of sea salt

Cracked pepper to taste

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, combine the whole baby carrots with remaining ingredients. Stir well to blend. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and continue boiling uncovered for 20-25 minutes. Carrots should be tender and liquid evaporated to leave a nice glaze coating.