toast

Lemon Curd French Toast

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Sweet Celebrations: Lemon Curd French Toast! Shortcuts, gotta love them. Just because you’re preparing food at home doesn’t mean everything has to be made from scratch. Betty Crocker, an American cultural icon, is proof of that. I used a store-bought lemon curd instead of making it from scratch. And if you want to take this recipe one step closer to simplifying your life, merely substitute the fresh berry compote with frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed of course. After all, the main attraction is the lemony rich oven-baked French toast sprinkled with vanilla bean and nutmeg. Everything is prepared the night before so all that’s needed is baking time the next morning. See? Simple isn’t so bad.

LEMON CURD FRENCH TOAST

Ingredients:

4 eggs

2 cups milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped out and reserved

10-ounce jar lemon curd

1 loaf Hawaiian Sweet Bread, sliced

1/2 cup blueberries

1/2 cup cherries

1/2 cup mulberries

1/2 cup cranberries

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Powdered sugar, garnish

Instructions:

To make the French toast, butter an oval baking dish. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, and vanilla bean seeds. Fold in the lemon curd. Stir well. Arrange the Hawaiian Sweet Bread slices evenly in the prepared dish, slightly overlapping them. Pour egg mixture over bread. Spoon to coat all slices. Cover and refrigerate overnight. To make the fruit compote, in a saucepan over medium heat, combine blueberries, cherries, mulberries, cranberries, and sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fruit breaks down, about 15 minutes. As the juices are released, the fruit will thicken. Remove from heat, cover, and refrigerate. Warm in the microwave the next day before serving. The next day, to bake the French toast, preheat oven to 350°. Let the French toast stand at room temperature 15 minutes before placing in the oven. Remove lid. Bake 45-50 minutes. To make the whipped topping, chill the mixing bowl and beaters beforehand. Place the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract in the mixer bowl. Beat on medium speed until the cream begins to thicken, about 4-6 minutes. The whipped cream will double in volume and form soft peaks. Remove the French toast from the oven. Let it cool for 10 minutes. Top with warm berry compote, whipped cream, and dusting of powdered sugar. Serve warm.

Wild Salmon Avocado Toast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Uplifting Aromas: Wild Salmon Avocado Toast! Receiving gourmet food makes for an exciting day. I mean, name a foodie who doesn’t like yummy surprises of that nature. When I received a box of Pacific Northwest Smoked Wild Salmon from dear family members living on the opposite coast, I practically jumped up and down. Everything was fully-cooked, ready to serve, smoked, and vacuumed sealed, needing absolutely no refrigeration. I couldn’t ask for more. I am so thankful we live in a very special time when gourmet and specialty foods can be ordered online and practically delivered next day. Now there’s no reason to miss out on those fabulous items that were once restricted to geographical locations. We can have it all at the click of a button.

WILD SALMON AVOCADO TOAST

Ingredients:

2 slices baguette, toasted

1 tablespoon sea salt butter

1 small avocado, pitted and slightly mashed

1 slice red onion, roughly chopped

2 ounces smoked wild salmon, flaked

1 teaspoon capers

Everything But Bagel seasoning

Instructions:

To build-a-breakfast, place warm baguette slices on a plate. Spread each with sea salt butter. Cover each piece of toast with the slightly mashed avocado. Add the red onions. Arrange the smoked wild salmon as the next layer. Top with capers. Sprinkle Everything But Bagel seasoning over all. Serve with eggs, if desired.

Multi-Grain Avocado Toast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Uplifting Aromas: Multigrain Avocado Toast! Have you heard that eating eggs are no longer bad for you? Well, that’s the story I told my doctor and I’m sticking to it. He actually agreed, after looking at my bloodwork. Now, as a disclaimer, I’m going to clarify that I usually eat one egg a day, for breakfast, and I prepare it in the microwave, without butter. I also buy organic eggs with that Florida-sunset orange yolk. Farmers here tell me that deep color means more vitamins because free range hens get to enjoy the “greener pastures of grass and clover by foraging the great outdoors.” All I know is, way back in the day when I was a country girl growing up, we didn’t have GMOs and food modifications that make an ingredient list look like it came out of a chemistry book. Rant over.

MULTIGRAIN AVOCADO TOAST

Ingredients:

2 pieces multigrain bread, toasted

1 avocado, halved and pitted

1 teaspoon lime juice

2 eggs, sunny side up

1/4 teaspoon everything but bagel seasoning

Fresh blueberries and orange segments

Cinnamon dusting, for garnish

Instructions:

Mash the avocado, drizzle with lime juice, and spread onto the toasted bread, or simply use the toast to “dip” into the avocado/egg mixture. Spice it up with everything but bagel seasoning. Toss fresh blueberries and orange segments. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Quick and Tasty!

Rise & Shine Breakfast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Graze or Gobble: Rise & Shine Breakfast! It’s no surprise America has turned to breakfast as the nutritional meal of the day. Especially with the rising cost of food. Eggs provide enough vitamins to justify a well-balanced diet. What I’ve noticed more than anything, is the fact that I feel fuller throughout the day and less apt to snack. I’m told it’s the power of protein, and I believe it.

RISE & SHINE BREAKFAST

Ingredients:

4 eggs

1-2 tablespoons butter

2 slices honey wheat toast

2 slices, applewood smoked bacon, baked until crispy

Fresh Strawberries

Instructions:

Warm butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Crack each egg into a small bowl; this will eliminate bits of shell from being poured into the skillet. Pour the eggs over the melted butter. After one minute, the outer edges of the white appear opaque. For sunny-side up eggs, do not flip. Cover the skillet with a lid and lower the heat for 4 minutes. The steam will gently cook the top of the egg, leaving the yolks runny. Sprinkle with seasoning or herbs. Serve with toast points, bacon, and fresh fruit as desired.

Grapeful Roast Turkey

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Graze or Gobble: Grapeful Roast Turkey! Get set for a moist and flavorful crispy-golden brown roasted turkey. It’s so simple, you might find yourself buying an extra bird around the holidays to freeze for satisfying meals down the road. Seriously. Fresh herbs are easy to come by year round at the grocery or, even better, at Farmers Markets. By switching out the cranberry sauce for a combination of Muscat grape jelly and pure maple syrup, you elevate the meal to a whole new level. Someone once described Muscat grapes as “the taste of pleasant wine before it gets inside a bottle.” I like that. You may, too.

GRAPEFUL ROAST TURKEY

Ingredients:

8-10 pound turkey

3 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 lemon, halved

1 bunch thyme

1 bunch rosemary

2 bay leaves

1 head garlic, halved

1/3 cup Muscat grape jelly

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup butter

Bunch of Grapes, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325°. Line a roasting pan with foil, overlapping enough to enclose turkey. Place a wire rack in the bottom. Set aside. Rinse and pat turkey dry using a paper towel to remove excess liquid. Sprinkle turkey with kosher salt and black pepper. Place the lemon, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and garlic into the cavity. Transfer turkey to the wire rack in roasting pan. In a small saucepan, warm Muscat grape jelly, pure maple syrup, and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until combined, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; cool for 5 minutes. Brush one-fourth of the grape jelly sauce over turkey. Tent with foil and bake for 2 hours. Increase oven temperature to 425°. Brush another fourth of grape jelly sauce over turkey. Roast, uncovered for 20 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 165°. Brush remaining grape jelly sauce over turkey. Allow turkey to rest for 20 minutes before carving. Garnish with fresh grapes.

Yolk-Stream Morning Eggs

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Clean Eating: Yolk-Stream Morning Eggs! I’m always in a good mood when I make these soft-boiled eggs for breakfast. Perhaps it’s because I get to dip crunchy, buttery strips of toast into the yolk and watch it run over the edge of the cup. I imagine the toast as soldiers on parade, each awaiting their turn to be dunked. Or maybe it’s because slurping the fatty center of the egg makes me feel naughty and I’m completely aware I’m getting away with it. In any event, playing with my food this way is absolutely satisfying.

YOLK-STREAM MORNING EGGS

Ingredients:

4 large eggs

2 slices whole wheat bread, toasted

2 tablespoons butter, softened

Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan on the stove. Fill the pan with cold water, covering eggs. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a rapid simmer. Cook 6 minutes for a runny yolk-stream. Remove eggs from water with a slotted spoon. Transfer immediately to individual egg cups. Butter toast and slice into strips for dipping into the egg yolks. Crack the egg near the top, remove its“lid” and scoop the white of the egg from the shell. Dip toast “soldiers” into the runny yolk. Season with salt and pepper.

Radish Chive Egg Salad

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Talking Points: Radish Chive Egg Salad! Meatless meals do not have to be boring, that’s for sure. I find it fun to put together interesting combinations of fresh veggies with egg salad. You can, too. If you like a hint of celery seed, think of feathery green celery leaves instead. Or if you usually add chopped shallots, what about snipped chives this time? Instead of tomatoes, add the crunch of radish slices. Bread doesn’t have to be humdrum either. Ditch the bland white open-faced for rye, pumpernickel, or honey wheat. Do you see where this is heading? Anything goes.

RADISH CHIVE EGG SALAD

Ingredients:

6 hard-boiled eggs, shells removed and halved

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons chives, chopped

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

2 slices honey wheat bread, toasted

12 celery leaves, washed

2 radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced

Chives, for garnish

Instructions:

Place the peeled eggs in a bowl. Roughly chop into pieces. Add mayonnaise, chopped chives, Dijon mustard, sea salt, white pepper, turmeric, and ground ginger. Mix the ingredients together until combined. Cut the toast into diagonal quarters. Arrange on a platter. Dollop a portion of the egg salad onto each piece of bread. Tuck celery leaves around egg salad. Top with thinly sliced radishes. Using a kitchen shears, snip the chives over all for garnish.

Pea and Radish Crostini

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Talking Points: Pea and Radish Crostini! There’s something decadent about bite-size grilled toast. It could be the olive oil that transports you to the central region of Tuscany where rows of timeless Italian vineyards parade alongside twisted trunks of enduring olive trees. Or perhaps it’s the exotic radish with a history dating back to pre-Roman times. Maybe you just like smaller bites. A smudge of this, a smidge of that. Whether you find food tantalizing, adventurous, or hopefully romantic, the appetizer is here to stay. You may as well make it healthy and visually appealing at the same time.

PEA AND RADISH CROSTINI

Ingredients:

1 baguette, sliced into 1/4” slices

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt

1/8 teaspoon oregano

1/8 teaspoon marjoram

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 large avocado, pitted and sliced

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup frozen baby peas, thawed

4-5 radishes, sliced thin

2 mint sprigs, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Brush each side of the baguette slices with olive oil and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with Himalayan pink salt, oregano, marjoram, and garlic powder. Bake 5-7 minutes until slightly toasted. Let cool. Transfer to a platter. Drizzle the sliced avocado with lime juice. Sprinkle with garlic powder and sea salt. Mash a few slices of avocado to spread a thin layer of guacamole on each piece of baguette. Place 2-3 slices of avocado in the center of each toast. Lightly press the peas in place onto the mashed avocado on each end. Arrange sliced radishes on top. Garnish with mint leaves. Buon Appetito!

No Yeast Beer Bread

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Talking Points: No Yeast Beer Bread! Never in my wildest dream did I ever realize there would be a shortage of all-purpose flour and yeast. Yet, the grocery store shelves were bare. I don’t know if it had anything to do with panic-buying during the coronavirus quarantine or if people were baking up a storm in isolation. Homemade bread is a comfort food, after all. Kneading dough can be a distraction from stay-at-home kids and social media rants. Plus the incredible aroma of bakery bread is soothing and rewarding. So, the obvious answer was to go to the fridge and open a can of beer. Beer acts as a leavening agent, as long as baking powder is included in the recipe. For those who wonder, the alcohol does burn out and evaporate. Now the results are a more dense and heavy bread with a thicker crust, just so you know. Personally, I like the crunchiness of toast better that way. Then again, it could be the result of “bathing” it in butter before baking. Let’s jam with beer bread!

NO YEAST BEER BREAD

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

3 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

12-ounces beer, room temperature

1/4 cup butter, melted

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and sea salt. Stir until mixed. Add the beer, stirring until the dough forms. Set aside. Warm the butter in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. Brush the parchment paper on bottom and sides of the loaf pan. Spoon the dough into the buttered loaf pan. The dough will have a rustic appearance. Brush the remaining butter evenly over the top of the dough. Bake for 50 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. The bread will be a golden brown. Remove pan from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Invert pan to remove the beer bread. Slice and serve.