sweet

Yam Sticks

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: Yam Sticks! Here is a nice alternative when craving French fries. Substitute the Idaho potatoes for yams and bake them instead of frying. You’ll feel better about making a healthy choice while mixing up the menu a bit. Give your taste buds a real surprise as you go from hum-drum to WOW!

YAM STICKS

Ingredients:

6 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into sticks

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425°. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well until yam sticks are evenly coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for one hour. Meanwhile, place a baking sheet in the oven so it is already hot before adding the yams. Being careful when removing it from the oven, lightly spray the baking sheet with non-stick oil. Spread yam sticks into single layer. They crisp up better when they’re not touching. Bake about 40 minutes or until tender and slightly browned. Turn halfway through baking, using kitchen tongs. Serve immediately. 

Balsamic Reduction Sauce – It’s Sweet

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: Balsamic Reduction Sauce-It’s Sweet! This is the elegant dark sauce you find drizzled over salads, cheese, meats, vegetables, and even fruity desserts in restaurants. At home, it can be made in minutes. You’ll feel like a master chef when you swirl it over your favorite dishes. I do. 

BALSAMIC REDUCTION SAUCE-IT’S SWEET!

Ingredients:

1 cup imported Italian balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup pure honey

Instructions:

Mix vinegar and honey together in a reduction pan.* (If you do not have one, simply substitute a 2-quart pan instead.) Bring contents to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Stir occasionally. You will need to use the exhaust fan on the stove since the aroma of vinegar will fill the kitchen. It will take 10-30 minutes to reduce to half the amount, depending on how thick you want your sauce to be. I prefer it closer to molasses so it stands up when drizzled. Watch carefully so it does not burn. Set the timer every10 minutes to see how it coats the back of a spoon. (It is also helpful to use the markings on the measuring tool.) Once it has reduced to half, remove from heat and set aside to cool. It does thicken up as it cools. Store in the refrigerator. Drizzle on foods in teaspoon-size portions. Enjoy! You’re Welcome! 

* A reduction pan tapers from wide at the top to narrow at the base to encourage evaporation when reducing liquids. It often comes with a measuring spoon that has markings on it for accuracy. 

Deviled Eggs With Relish

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: Deviled Eggs with Relish! When I was younger, there was only one way to make deviled eggs: mustard, mayo, and paprika. The recipe never changed and the eggs always got eaten first. Fast forward to today, just try “Googling” deviled eggs. Nowadays there must be dozens of unique ways to make them including flavorful spices, fresh herbs, tangy pickles, crumbled toppings, and pretty much anything your mind can imagine. Be creative. Test them out on your friends and family. There’s no better way to get egg-cellent results. 

DEVILED EGGS WITH RELISH

Ingredients:

8 hard boiled eggs

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/3 cup mayonnaise 

2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish

Sprinkling of paprika

Micro greens, for garnish

Instructions:

Peel the hard boiled eggs. Cut each egg in half horizontally. Remove yolks and place in a mixing bowl. Transfer egg white halves to a serving dish. To make the filling, mash the yolks with a fork. Add sea salt, black pepper, and mayonnaise. Mix well. Fold in the sweet pickle relish. Fill each halved egg white with the egg yolk mixture. Dust with a sprinkling of paprika. Garnish with micro greens. Chill for one hour before serving. 

Indiana Sweet Corn

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Indiana Sweet Corn! With July on the horizon, already the taste buds begin yearning for that extra juicy sweet corn freshly picked straight from the farmer’s field. After all, it’s best eaten the day it’s picked. There’s no taste quite like it. Get connected to the Farmers Market in your area for the best produce. Then do what I do, freeze extra for those cold, wintry days. 

INDIANA SWEET CORN

Ingredients:

4 ears of Indiana sweet corn

Sea salt to taste

Butter for slathering

Instructions by Boiling:

Fill a stock pot with enough water to cover the corn. Bring it to a boil. Dissolve a tablespoon of salt in the water. Remove outer husk and silk from corn. Rinse corn. Carefully drop each ear into boiling water. Cover with lid and lower heat to medium. Cook 3-5 minutes. Remove with tongs and serve immediately with butter and sea salt. 

Instructions for Microwaving:

I cook one ear at a time when I’m only preparing a few ears for a meal. Leave corn in husk. With a sharp knife, cut off the pointed end of the corn cob. Rinse under running water. While the ear of corn is wet, wrap a paper towel around it. The water will moisten the paper towel. Place the ear of corn in the microwave and cook on 100% power for 2-3 minutes. The husk will trap and steam the corn. Watch!  Remove from microwave and let sit for a couple minutes. Use the paper towel to carefully shuck the corn. The silks come off easily. 

Whichever method you choose, the reward is a taste of sugary-sweet Indiana heaven. Enjoy!

Xia, Gan Shao

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Xia, Gan Shao which translates to Sweet and Sour Shrimp!  I know I’m stretching the alphabet a bit thin with this one, but I am crazy about shrimp!  I improvised a little, so I apologize in advance. Hopefully this will become one of your all time favorites. 

XIA, GAN SHAO

Ingredients:

1 pound of jumbo shrimp

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon crushed pepper flakes

1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb seasoning blend

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup lime juice

Instructions:

Put shrimp in a baking dish, single layer. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over shrimp. Marinate 1 hour. Remove shrimp from marinade and place in a nonstick vegetable grilling basket. Discard marinade. Preheat outdoor grill for medium heat. Grill 2 minutes on each side, or until opaque. Do not over-cook! Serve with Asian Sesame dressing infused with Sriracha sauce. 

Turnips & Roasted Sweet Potatoes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Turnips and Roasted Sweet Potatoes! Here’s a little twist on adding turnips to your menu. When seasoned and mixed with other root vegetables, like sweet potatoes, the somewhat bland flavor of the turnip becomes robust and savory. You’ll find yourself serving them more often. 

TURNIPS & ROASTED SWEET POTATOES 

Ingredients:

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges 

4 medium turnips, peeled and cut into chunks

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425°. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well until vegetables are evenly coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for one hour. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray. Spread vegetables into single layer. Avoid contact. Bake about 40 minutes or until tender and slightly browned. 

Serving suggestion:  For a creamy dip, mix Greek yogurt with fresh onion chives.  It will seem like a mild onion dip, but with a much lighter flavor. 

Bourbon Yams

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Symphony of Flavors: Bourbon Yams! As if we needed another excuse to eat yams. Their flavor alone is practically permission to devour sweets with that hint of vanilla bean. Amirite? I especially like the buttery crunch of pecans. Next time add some bourbon to the mashed potato combo. I promise you, it will totally elevate the experience. Like I said, Dessert. 

BOURBON YAMS

Ingredients:

2 pounds sweet potatoes

2 tablespoons bourbon

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 

Instructions: preheat the oven to 400°. Spray a baking dish with nonstick oil; set aside. Roast potatoes about an hour. When cool enough, remove and discard skins. Chop potatoes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°. Mash potatoes together with bourbon, one tablespoon butter and one tablespoon brown sugar. Season with sea salt. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Combine chopped pecans, cinnamon, remaining butter and brown sugar. Sprinkle over potatoes. Bake until bubbly, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately. 

Butterscotch Icebox Cookies

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Butterscotch Icebox Cookies! Here’s an old-time favorite from the North Pole. Imagine Mrs. Claus, with her crew of kitchen elves up to their elbows in flour as the aroma of bakery items fill the air. Repeat after me: “Never substitute the butter with another oil.” It will completely change the outcome. Think about it for a minute. If you remove the “butter” from butterscotch, what will that leave? Trust me, you don’t want to find out. Go for the gold instead and reap the reward. Catch the spirit and watch your little helpers share the excitement, too. 

BUTTERSCOTCH ICEBOX COOKIES 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter

2 cups brown sugar 

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla 

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

3 1/2 cups flour

1 cup walnuts, chopped

Instructions:

Melt the butter. Stir in brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. In a medium bowl combine baking powder, sea salt, and flour. Pour the flour mixture into the sugar mixture, stirring to form a solid dough. Fold in walnuts. Shape dough into two long rolls. Wrap each log in wax paper. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. To bake, preheat oven to 375°. Slice dough thinly. Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly browned.