sugar

Valentine State-of-Mind

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Time To Eat: Valentine State-Of-Mind! There’s no need to wait for February every year for “My Heart” sugar cookies. Anytime you want to share the love with friends and family, coworkers and neighbors, whip up a batch and see the magic. Sugar cookies are delectable simply because their buttery goodness is slightly sweet, soft, and chewy with hints of vanilla and almond. They practically melt in your mouth. And the sprinkles……talk about a way to lift your mood. The visual alone creates giggles and laughter. You’ll see.

VALENTINE STATE-OF-MIND

Ingredients for Cookies:

1 cup butter, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 large egg yolks

2 1/4 cups flour

Ingredients for Frosting:

1 ounce cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk, as needed

Pink Sprinkles, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Mix in salt, vanilla extract, almond extract, and egg yolks until blended. Add flour, one cup at a time, mixing as you go, until just combined. Shape dough into a ball. Place on top of a baking mat and roll out to 1/4” thickness. Chill dough 15 minutes. Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, place cookies about an inch apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 7-8 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. While cookies are cooling, prepare the frosting. In a large bowl, combine together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add almond extract and salt. Stir. Add I cup of powdered sugar, followed by one tablespoon of milk until all the powdered sugar is used. Mix on high speed, using a hand mixer. For light and fluffy results repeat until all milk is used. Spread frosting on cooled cookies. Add sprinkles, if desired. Store in an airtight container.

Ranier Cherry-Topped Hot Cakes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Time To Eat: Ranier Cherry-Topped Hot Cakes! Treat yourself to a summer delicacy with the extraordinary flavor of Ranier cherries. You’ll easily recognize this variety by its honeyed yellow skin that appears to have a faint red blush of color. At first bite, they almost resemble a miniature plum, which may carry divine flavor flashbacks of cherished childhood memories. Now add a golden stack of hot cakes with a crisp outer edge and fluffy cake-like center. This is what mornings are meant to be.

RANIER CHERRY-TOPPED HOT CAKES

Ingredients:

1 pint Ranier cherries, rinsed, patted dry, pitted, and halved

2 1/4 cup flour

1/3 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup sour cream

2 eggs

Instructions:

Preheat griddle to 375°. For gas stove griddles, set knob at medium-low setting for 10-15 minutes. While griddle is heating, sift flour into a bowl. Add sugar, sea salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix well. In another bowl, combine milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, cider vinegar, sour cream, and eggs. Mix well. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Gently fold together, without over mixing. Allow the batter to rest for 5 minutes. The batter will be thick and bubbly. Lightly oil the heated griddle with butter. Gently pour 1/4 cup pancake batter onto the griddle. Do not overcrowd. Allow the pancakes to cook until bubbles appear around the edges, about 4 minutes. Then flip pancakes and cook 2 minutes longer until done. Remove from griddle and top warm pancakes with creamy butter, fresh Ranier cherries, and pure maple syrup.

Quick Cherry Nut Bread

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Time To Eat: Quick Cherry Nut Bread! The nice thing about “quick breads” is they require no extra time needed for allowing yeast to rise. The secret ingredients become the baking powder and eggs, which act as leavening agents. No kneading required. By adding fruit and nuts, the quick bread transforms itself into a breakfast delight along with muffins, scones, and biscuits. Keep the texture light by barely mixing the ingredients before baking. Small lumps are completely acceptable. As long as the oven temperature remains constant, the quick bread will rise just fine.

QUICK CHERRY NUT BREAD

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, room temperature

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup almonds, chopped

1 cup chopped maraschino cherries

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325°. Grease and flour two loaf pans. Set aside. Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla extract. Mix flour and baking powder. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk with the butter mixture until all ingredients are added. Do not over beat. Fold in chopped almonds and maraschino cherries. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pans. Bake for one hour or until done. Cool 10 minutes before slicing.

Gochujang Glazed Pork

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Time To Eat: Gochujang Glazed Pork! I like it when fellow bloggers share success stories about recipes they’ve used. It’s the best kind of testimonial for good eating, in my opinion. Judy, of Cooking With Aunt Juju*, also knows the value of letting the slow cooker do most of the work. Plus, it makes the house smell ah-mazing! The only difference I made was substituting pork loin for the beef stew meat. But you know what they say, “Two heads are better than one.” Thanks Judy for another great home-cooked meal.

GOCHUJANG GLAZED PORK

Ingredients:

2 pounds pork loin, cubed

4 scallions, sliced and separated

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup cola

3 tablespoons gochujang

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

Green onions, for garnish

Instructions:

Combine cubed pork loin, scallions, and minced garlic in an 8-quart crockpot. Combine cola, gochujang, soy sauce, brown sugar, and sesame oil. Whisk well. Pour over meat; coat well. Cover the crockpot and cook on low heat for 8 hours. Stir well; remove pork loin cubes to a platter. Gently shred the chunks. Pour the remaining sauce into a skillet and simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until thickened. Add the rice vinegar and platter of shredded pork. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is coated and sauce turns thick and glossy. Transfer to plates; garnish with green onion snips and toasted sesame seeds, as desired. Serve with steamed rice.

* Check out the original recipe at http://cookingwithauntjuju.com/2023/04/20

Vidalia Onion Dressing

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Cheerful Choices: Vidalia Onion Dressing! Have you ever loved the taste of a homemade salad dressing so much you wish it could be more? Well, consider this. Marinades are like a secret step to making meat taste flavorful and tender. By planning a little bit in advance, you can pour this dressing over chicken breasts to marinate one hour before grilling or baking. The dressing actually saturates the meat in a way that benefits the flavoring with a sweet onion taste. When everyone gathers around the table and raves about the extraordinary taste of ordinary chicken, just shrug your shoulders and say, “Its my grandma’s family secret.”

VIDALIA ONION DRESSING

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

1 medium Vidalia onion, grated

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup vinegar

Jalapeño sliced, pickled

Instructions:

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, sea salt, dry mustard, and celery seed. Stir. Add grated Vidalia onion, vegetable oil, and vinegar. Heat until sugar is melted, stirring constantly. Add jalapeño slices. Cool and refrigerate for one hour. Serve as a dressing over toasted salad.

Xtreme Frosting Cinnamon Rolls

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Stir. Spread. Flip. Repeat: Xtreme Frosting Cinnamon Rolls! Does anyone, besides me, often wish there was more frosting in the prepared tube of cinnamon rolls? I mean, who doesn’t want more of the lusciously rich and fluffy sweet mixture? By doubling the amount of frosting per cinnamon roll, there’s never a debate over who is left craving more.

XTREME FROSTING CINNAMON ROLLS

Ingredients:

12-ounce tube cinnamon rolls

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-2 tablespoons milk

Instructions:

Bake cinnamon rolls according to package directions. Set aside. While cinnamon rolls are baking, prepare the buttercream frosting. In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar and butter on low speed with a hand mixer. Stir in vanilla extract and one tablespoon milk. Gradually beat in remaining milk to make frosting smooth and spreadable. Pour over freshly baked cinnamon rolls and serve immediately.

Ginger Glazed Baked Tilapia

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Stir. Spread. Flip. Repeat: Ginger Glazed Baked Tilapia! Do you bypass those brownish stems in the produce department that resemble tree roots? Think twice about ignoring them. Ginger is a plant-based spice that produces an energized aroma. It adds a wonderful zing to bakery items, carbonated beverages, and today’s feature, tilapia fish. Embrace the flavor without regrets.

GINGER GLAZED BAKED TILAPIA

Ingredients:

2 tilapia fish filets

1/3 cup orange juice

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon brown sugar

Instructions:

Season tilapia filets with sea salt and black pepper. Place in a shallow baking dish. In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, soy sauce, olive oil, ginger, and brown sugar. Pour over tilapia. Cover; marinate in refrigerator for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°. Place baking dish in oven. Bake fish for 13-15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Nutella Espresso Rollups

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Country Casual Cravings: Nutella Espresso Rollups! French toast makes every day a wonderful day, doesn’t it? Now you can take a few basic ingredients, follow a super simple recipe, and create a treat that tastes like a chocolate-filled donut. Each sugar coated flute is perfect as a finger food for weekend breakfast, lazy day brunch, afternoon snack, or late night dessert. Ambitious cooks may choose to make more than one variation. I’m thinking flavored cream cheese and strawberry filling, for one. Peanut Butter Banana is another. Meat lovers may decide to use sausage links, then drizzle them with maple syrup. You’re thinking holiday buffet. I can see it in your eyes.

NUTELLA ESPRESSO ROLLUPS

Ingredients:

6 slices honey wheat bread

1/2 cup Nutella spread*

1/4 teaspoon espresso powder

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 tablespoons fine sugar

2 tablespoons butter

Nutella, for drizzling

Powdered Sugar, for garnish

Instructions:

Trim the edges of the sliced bread and discard crusts. Flatten bread with a rolling pin. Spread 1-2 teaspoons of Nutella on each slice. Sprinkle with espresso powder. Roll up the bread tightly and place seam side down on a plate. In a shallow dish, whisk together egg, milk, vanilla extract, and sugar. Set aside. On a plate, combine cinnamon and fine sugar. Set aside. Warm butter over medium heat in a nonstick skillet. Do not scorch. Dip bread roll in the egg mixture, coating well. Place in the nonstick skillet, seam side down. Cook in batches until golden brown, turning often to brown all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove immediately and roll in cinnamon sugar. To serve, drizzle with Nutella and dust with powdered sugar.

*I receive no recompense for mentioning this product.

Fritter Fratter Apple Loaf

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Country Casual Cravings: Fritter Fratter Apple Loaf! This recipe is pure country. If you don’t believe me, ask the Amish. They cook for taste, dietary staples, and comfort. It definitely checks all the boxes when it comes to a flavor-filled bakery bread loaded with fresh fruit, brown sugar, and cinnamon spice. No frying allowed, simply because this delectable treat falls in the category of “quick breads”. No need to feel intimidated. You have everything you need. As with any recipe, the results depend on the one baking it. You can do this.

FRITTER FRATTER APPLE LOAF

Ingredients:

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups diced apples, peeled and cored

For Glaze Topping:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tablespoon butter, softened

2 tablespoons milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick oil. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix well; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until blended. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and sea salt. Gradually add to the large bowl. Stir until blended. Pour milk into the batter; blend until smooth. Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Layer with half the diced apples. Pour reserve batter over the apple layer. Top with remaining apples. Gently press into the batter. Cover the top with cinnamon sugar. Bake for 60 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. For the glaze topping, blend the powdered sugar and softened butter until smooth. Add milk and vanilla extract to form a smooth consistency. Allow the apple loaf to cool for 20 minutes. Drizzle the glazed topping over all. Slice loaf and serve.