yogurt

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter F

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? All the Buzz: Fabulous Fruit Dip! Recently I served a delightful fruit cup for breakfast when family came to visit. Because it is made with Greek yogurt and nutmeg, it’s an impressive alternative to ordinary yogurt. Think of it as Summer-in-a-Cup. Whether you decide to arrange a generous fruit platter for a crowd or scale it down to individual portions, the results are the same: heavenly delicious!
FABULOUS FRUIT DIP
Ingredients:

1 large orange*

8 ounces of Neufchâtel cheese, room temperature 

4 ounces marshmallow Creme

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon orange extract

1/8 teaspoon orange zest

Smidgen nutmeg

Assorted fresh fruits

Mint Sprig for Garnish
Instructions:

Cut 1/3 off the top of the orange to create a “bowl”. Carefully run a sharp knife around the inside. Do not cut through the peel. Gently scoop out the fruit. Set aside. In a medium bowl, mix together Neufchâtel cheese and marshmallow creme. Beat until smooth. Fold in Greek yogurt. Make the zest by using the top portion of the orange peel. Add orange extract, zest, and nutmeg. Blend thoroughly. Chill one hour. Scoop into the orange “bowl” before serving. Garnish with fresh mint sprig. Place on a serving platter surrounded by fresh fruit. 
* For individual servings, choose four small navel oranges. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter B

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? All the Buzz: Blueberry-Almond Coffeecake! The battle begins. Will you choose to eat this incredible coffee cake first thing in the morning for breakfast or the last thing at night for dessert? The brown sugary crumbled topping seems like candy, but the fluffy moist cake filled with blueberries seems more like a last course to the meal. Whatever is one to do??? My choice? I’ll never tell. Enjoy!
BLUEBERRY-ALMOND COFFEECAKE 
Ingredients:

2 cups fresh blueberries 

2 tablespoons corn starch

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened 

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 egg
CRUNCHY TOPPING

Ingredients:

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons butter, softened 

1/4 cup almonds, chopped
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease and flour a 10″ round baking dish. In a bowl, gently toss blueberries and cornstarch to coat. Set aside. Cream together sugar and butter. Add flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon. While mixing gradually add milk, yogurt, almond extract, and egg. Blend well. Gently fold in blueberries. Pour batter into baking dish. To make topping, combine brown sugar and flour. Cut butter into topping until it resembles pea-size crumbs. Spread over cake batter. Sprinkle almonds over all. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Serve warm. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter Y

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Junkie Favorites: Yellow Bloomin’ Onion! Nothing is more fitting for Spring than an appealing appetizer that resembles a flower, in my opinion. Now you can make a healthy version at home by baking the breaded onion instead of deep-frying it. The last few minutes under the broiler give it a crispy finish that adds extra crunch to the delicious petals. And the dipping sauce….oh my gosh, you have to try it!
YELLOW BLOOMIN’ ONION
Ingredients:

1 large yellow onion

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

1/4 cup Panko crumbs

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 tablespoon Cajun spices

2 eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon milk

1-2 tablespoons butter, melted

Seasoning salt to taste
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. In one bowl, combine the flour, bread crumbs, Panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and Cajun spice. Mix well. Set aside. In another bowl, combine beaten eggs and milk. Whisk together. Set aside. Cut the top side of the onion. Turn over and carefully cut the root side just enough to peel the outer skin of the onion. Leave the root intact as this will be the base and hold the onion together. Discard onion skins. In order to give the appearance of an open flower, 16 sections are made. With the root side up, place the knife 1/8″ away from the core and slice straight down. It is best to begin with quarters and then make 3 slices in each quadrant all the way around. Carefully turn the onion over and spread the “petals” apart. Dip the onion in the milk bath and wash it completely using a pastry brush. Carefully transfer the onion to the bowl filled with breading. Beginning at the bottom, cover each petal with dry coating. Again using the pastry brush, continue coating the petals until the egg wash is gone. You may alternate the egg mixture and dry coating to cover the petals. Transfer the onion to an oven-safe pie plate or dish. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Using hot pads, take the pan from the oven and remove the foil. Using a pastry brush, coat the onion with melted butter. Return to the oven. Bake 10 minutes longer, or until crispy. I set the broiler on High and broiled it for 4-5 minutes to make it extra-crunchy. Watch carefully so it does not burn. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with seasoned salt. Place on a serving platter. Serve with dipping sauce. 
DIPPING SAUCE

Ingredients:

1/4 cup mayonnaise 

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

3 teaspoons ketchup 

2 teaspoons Lea and Perrins 

2 tablespoons horseradish 

1/2 teaspoon paprika 

1/8 teaspoon cayenne 
Instructions:

Combine mayonnaise, yogurt, ketchup, Lea and Perrins, horseradish, paprika, and cayenne. Mix well and refrigerate for one hour. Pour into a small cup and place in the center of the onion. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter A

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Junkie Favorites: Amaretto Strawberries Romanoff! Have you ever tasted vanilla extract? Well, amaretto tastes nothing like that. It has a smooth sweet hint of almonds with just a smidgen of apricot undertones. When you fold it into Greek yogurt, it transforms a dish of fresh strawberries into a light and elegant dessert you could easily find on a gourmet restaurant menu. 
AMARETTO STRAWBERRIES ROMANOFF 
Ingredients:

1 quart fresh strawberries

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1-2 tablespoons amaretto liqueur 

Fresh mint sprig
Instructions:

Wash strawberries; pat dry. In a small bowl gently stir yogurt and brown sugar until no lumps remain. Fold in amaretto liqueur. Transfer to a decorative dish, garnish with fresh mint, and place on a serving platter. Arrange strawberries around sauce. Serve with frilled toothpicks. 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays: Special Edition 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! What’s cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home For the Holidays: Dried Beef Pretzel Dip! Try a new creamy variation of the traditional chipped beef cheeseball. In lieu of the cream cheese, substitute Greek yogurt instead. Make it super lo-cal by serving it with fresh veggies and whole-grain crackers. The blend of parsley and dill give it an irresistible twist only lighter! 
DRIED BEEF PRETZEL DIP
Ingredients:

16 ounces of Greek yogurt 

16 ounces of light mayonnaise 

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

2 teaspoons dill weed

2 teaspoons parsley flakes 

1/2 teaspoon onion powder 

2 2.5-ounce packages lean smoked chopped beef, cut-up
Instructions:

In a medium size mixing bowl, combine yogurt and mayonnaise. Blend until smooth. Add seasoned salt, dill weed, parsley flakes, and onion powder. Stir until combined. Fold in cut-up smoked beef pieces. Refrigerate one hour before serving. Easy peasy. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter I

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Ina Garten’s Fruit Crunch Sundae! The Barefoot Contessa is a familiar face on the Food Network these days. Not only does she offer great ideas for any meal, but she makes them seem incredibly simple. Today’s recipe comes from a recent episode where Ina wanted to serve up a special breakfast for her husband. I like the idea of taking everyday food and turning it into something extraordinary. By baking a batch of crunchy granola and storing it in an airtight container, single servings can be assembled in a flash. Use whatever fruit is on hand to make it unique. 
INA GARTEN’S FRUIT CRUNCH SUNDAE 
Ingredients:

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup shredded coconut 

1/2 cup sliced almonds 

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons pure honey

4 strawberries 

1/4 cup blueberries 

1/4 cup pineapple tidbits

1 cup Greek yogurt
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Toss the oats, coconut, almonds, oil, and honey together in a large bowl until completely combined. Pour into a baking sheet and bake until mixture turns golden brown. Stir occasionally. Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool. Stir once. Combine the strawberries, blueberries, and pineapple in a bowl. Using stemmed glasses or parfait glasses, layer granola, yogurt, and fruit until full. You may alternate ingredients to repeat layers. Serve immediately. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter F

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Frittata Frenzy! So you like quiche, but sometimes you could really do without the pie crust. Me too. And what about those small containers in the fridge with a smidgen of leftovers that are just too yummy to toss out? Here’s your answer. Mix your favorite ingredients such as cheese, meat, and vegetables. Combine them with egg, dairy, and spices. The end result is practically a masterpiece. It promises to surprise everyone, including you!
FRITTATA FRENZY
Ingredients:

4 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup Greek yogurt 

1/8 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon Mrs. Dash garlic herb seasoning

2 tablespoons green pepper, chopped

1 tablespoon onion, chopped

1 tablespoon pimento, diced

4 ounces Mango Fire Cheddar cheese, shredded

4 ounces chorizo, cooked

1/3 cup herb croutons
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325°. Beat eggs, milk, yogurt, and seasonings. Gently stir in green peppers, onions, pimentos, and cheese. Pour into two 6-inch individual greased baking dishes. Divide crumbled chorizo over the top of the omelet. Gently fold in croutons. This is done right before baking to avoid the meat and bread from sinking to the bottom. Bake uncovered 40 minutes or until omelet is set and top is golden brown. Garnish with fresh parsley. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter U

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Unique Greek Salad Dressing! For those who are addicted to that dab of tzatziki sauce you get on a gyro, now you have a way to make a variation of it yourself. Simply made, it’s a refreshing low-fat alternative to the creamy classics. Top off your sandwich or salad for lunch and then try it on baked potatoes later on. Win, Win!
UNIQUE GREEK SALAD DRESSING
Ingredients:

1 cup Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped

2 green onions, snipped

1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeds removed, and grated

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon fresh dill weed

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Cracked pepper to taste
Instructions:

Peel cucumber. Cut in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Grate and toss with 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt. Put in strainer over a bowl to drain excess water. It takes about one hour. Then squeeze more water out of cucumber and pat dry. Put yogurt, onions, and chives into a medium bowl and set aside. In another bowl add cucumber and whisk in vinegar, olive oil, garlic, dill, sea salt, and pepper. Mix well until blended. Fold into the yogurt until combined. Chill one hour to enhance flavors. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter Q

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Queso Casa Dip! Here’s an all-around favorite for any Summer gathering. The cheese delivers a smooth creamy taste followed by a “bite” of chile! Some say it’ll curl the tines of a fork. Just kidding! But seriously, it’s so popular you’ll have your friends asking for the recipe! 
QUESO CASA DIP
Ingredients:

4 cups cheddar cheese, extra-sharp finely shredded 

1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded 

1 tablespoon cornstarch 

2 tablespoons butter

1/7 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1 ghost chile pepper, cut-up and seeds discarded*

2 Roma tomatoes, cut-up

2 green onions, cut-up

I 16-ounce can green-chile and lime refried beans

Greek Yogurt and jalapeños for garnish

*Ghost peppers are extremely hot, so you may substitute jalapeño peppers instead. 
Instructions:

Empty cheese into a large bowl, sprinkle with corn starch, and toss to coat. Melt butter into a large saucepan and add garlic, cheeses, and milk. Set on low heat and cook slowly, stirring mixture to keep from scorching. As it melts, fold in the 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt. Continue for 10-15 minutes until mixture is smooth and velvety. Add fresh tomatoes, green onions, and the ghost pepper. Stir gently to blend. Keep warm. Meanwhile, place refried beans in a microwave-safe dish and heat through. To serve, layer refried beans on a platter, pour Queso dip over top. Dollop with Greek yogurt. Serve with tortilla chips, café style.