sugar

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.

Copycat Jiffy Cornbread

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Country Casual Cravings: Copycat Jiffy Cornbread! If you’re wondering why anyone would make a homemade version of a boxed mix, read on. Could it be I’m a control freak? Maybe I want a healthier version? Or is it because my adult son says he recalls fond memories of the blue and yellow box from his childhood? Truth be told, I was too lazy to drive into town to buy the store-bought variety. Good thing I keep a well-stocked pantry.

COPYCAT JIFFY CORNBREAD

Ingredients:

2/3 cup flour

1/2 cup organic cornmeal

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a square pan with non-stick oil. Set aside. In a bowl, combine flour, organic cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and sea salt. Mix well. Whisk in vegetable oil until smooth. Add egg and milk. Stir only until lumps no longer remain. Do not over-beat. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Serve warm.

Peanut Butter Fudge

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Sweet Celebrations: Peanut Butter Fudge! Once a year, my mother would send me a batch of her homemade peanut butter fudge. And, truthfully, I seldom shared it. Not because I was selfish, because it was THAT good! Now that she is no longer able to give me that glorious care package, I have assumed her role for others. The baton has been passed so the family tradition continues. Every peanut butter-lover should try some for yourself. One bite of this melt-in-your-mouth creamy fudge may lead you start a tradition to “Pay it Forward”.

PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE

Ingredients:

3 cups sugar

3/4 cup butter

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1 cup natural peanut butter, creamy

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 peanut butter until completely melted. Add marshmallow creme and vanilla. Mix well. Pour into greased 9″x13″ pan. Cool at room temperature; cut into squares.

Chocolate Chip Candied Cheese Ball

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Sweet Celebrations: Chocolate Chip Candied Cheese Ball! The most amazing surprise appears at first bite. Dark chocolate blended with sweetened cream cheese presents itself as a first class cheeseball that leaves everyone smacking their lips in satisfaction. The fun of swiping a cinnamon graham cracker cookie transforms this dessert in a mouth-watering finger food. Make this holiday surprise the happiest one yet.

CHOCOLATE CHIP CANDIED CHEESE BALL

Ingredients:

1 8-ounce block of cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 cup mini chocolate chips

1 cup sugared pecans, crushed

Graham cracker sticks

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the brown sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Slowly add powdered sugar. Mix until smooth and completely incorporated. Fold in mini chocolate chips. Chill two hours. On a sheet of waxed paper, sprinkle crushed sugared pecans. Form chilled mixture into a ball. Roll in pecan coating. Chill overnight. Serve with honey graham cracker sticks or cinnamon graham cracker sticks.

Rich Ricotta Cannoli

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Sweet Celebrations: Rich Ricotta Cannoli! For those of you like me, who can’t run down to the Italian bakery, try this recipe on for size. It’s perfect for the holidays and won’t leave you wringing your hands for something gourmet. By splurging on store bought cannoli shells, you can focus on the delectable filling instead. The results are astounding! Applause, applause!

RICH RICOTTA CANNOLI

Ingredients:

15 ounces ricotta cheese, whole milk

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

12 miniature cannoli shells, ready-to-fill

Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer on low speed, whisk the ricotta cheese and almond extract until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and nutmeg. Mix well. Refrigerate for one hour. To fill the cannoli shells, pipe the ricotta mixture into both ends of the shell, allowing the cream to fill the center. Garnish with mini chocolate chips. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve immediately. Prepared cannoli may be stored in the refrigerator in a covered container up to three days.