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Peach Turnovers

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What a fun conversation we had tonight in the Kitchen with Alesia!  

Alesia shared some history and fun facts about her home state of Missouri. I got to share a fun recipe I found in the cool cookbook she brought me back from her recent visit home.

The recipe for “Peach Turnovers” is a local favorite, and couldn’t be easier to make! I can see (and taste ) why locals love this seasonal fruit dessert.  But seriously, they could. be breakfast too! 

Peach Turnovers (recipe found in “Missouri Back Road Restaurant Recipes”)

3 large peaches

2 (8 ounce cans) crescent rolls

2 sticks butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

6 oz. Mountain Dew

1 pinch ground cinnamon (I used more than a pinch, I sprinkled my cinnamon sugar mixture on all of them)

Preheat oven to 350. Slice peaches and set aside. Unroll crescent dough, separate into 16 triangles. Please one pech slice at base of each and rollup. Arrange in a 9X13 pan as you work. Melt butter, add sugar, vanilla and salt. Pour over turnovers in baking pan. Pour Mountain Dew over turnovers, sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake 30-40 minutes, or until turnovers are golden brown and liquid is bubbling. 

Enjoy! 

Make sure to visit the Kitchen on  Facebook every Monday at 5 pm as we talk travel and share local recipes. 

And make sure to share pics and tag @fromginaskitchen and @ibooktravelforu if you make this recipe!

Enjoy!

Gina

Mid-way through “a year of brownies”!

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Ok foodie friends, where did the time go? We all want 2020 to get on out of here… but June flew by and I almost forgot about my mission to bake a brownie a month  thanks to inspiration from Food Network Magazine!)

I FINALLY got into the kitchen to make this month’s brownie , and boy is it a good one! 

Have you ever made a “skillet brownie’?  I love to make them, because it’s quite the showstopper dessert to impress a crowd, especially if your guests are around to watch you remove that giant cast iron skillet from the oven! 

This is what my “Pecan-Toffee Skillet Brownie ” looked like as soon as it came out of the oven.  The key with this brownie is to be patient, and give it time. First you make the brownie batter on the stove top, and bake it in your skillet. Then, after it’s done, let it cool. While it cools, you make the toffee topping. 

As you drizzle that gooey pecan mixture over the entire brownie, you can’t help but taste-testing a bit of the homemade toffee goodness!  Then… while you wait for the topping to set (about 90 minutes) you can lick the pan! Be careful though, it’s hot, lol! 

I can’t take credit for inventing the recipe, so I have to give props to my favorite foodie magazine for coming up with so many new and creative ways to makes brownies. Trust me, you want to see what I’m baking up next month (which is sadly already next week!)

To make this yummy recipe, visit Food Network Magazine’s site here.

I enjoyed my slice today , after it set up overnight:

See you next month, for a star-spangled brownie you’ll want to have around all month long.  

 

Gina

 

 

 

Happy National Cheeseball Day!

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Let’s face it, foodie friends. We are ALL looking for something to celebrate these days. I have never been good about keeping up with “International/National fill-in-the-blank day ” , but times have changed. I have a little more time to look up these facts and share them with you, lol.

I’ve been ready for this day since October, then again at Christmastime. My cheeseball is NOT your typical one though. It has a theme. No surprise, it’s Disney theme.

One of my favorite movies to watch the last three months of the year (every year) is “The Nightmare Before Christmas”. So on Halloween, I break out my “Jack Skellington” cheeseball recipe, and all my Disney peeps at our party rejoice! It’s Jack, in all his cheesy deliciousness!

And since the movie is really about two holidays, I can take this appetizer into the Christmas season as well!

The Jack Skellington cheeseball works from Halloween until Christmas!

Of course you an use the recipe year round (without the face) or , get your Disney on and decorate yours to look like our favorite Pumpkin King!

It easy to whip up, and great for an afternoon snack, party appetizer, or as addition to a cheese platter!

Jack Skellington Cheeseball

You’ll need the following ingredients :

2 8 oz. packages of softened cream cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup cooked bacon, crumbled or bacon bits (I use bacon bits, and I like to add a little extra. Everything’s better with bacon!)

1/2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

Black olives (some whole, sme cut into halves, for the facial features)

Parchment or Wax paper for easy molding

Add all ingredients into a stand mixer (or large mixing bowl with a hand mixer) mix well.

Place combined ingredients on your parchment or wax paper, pick up with your hands and form into a ball. Make it as round as possible.

Place your cheeseball on a plate or serving platter, and get ready to decorate!

Make the details of Jack’s face out of the olives.

Place in refrigerator for an hour (covered) to set.

Once set, it’s ready to serve. Add tortilla chips or pretzels (I love the holiday shaped ones!) carrots, crackers or slices of baguette around your creation.

Hope you’ll try this around YOUR kitchen table this weekend!

Happy National Cheeseball day, friends!

Gina

In the Kitchen this week!

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Happy Easter Monday , foodie friends!

I hope you had a blessed Easter! I know for us all it was a very different way of celebrating, and that’s ok. We have to take one day at a time in the “new normal” we are all living in. Take care of each other and reach out virtually to check in with loved ones near and far! And don’t forget to do something fun in YOUR kitchen!

Not sure if you caught me on FB Live last week (Friday to be exact) as a guest of PWC Moms. I demonstrated a few quick and easy ways to decorate Easter cupcakes. But really, these cuties can be considered spring themed as well. Watch here !

Farmers Market Menu:

The City of Manassas Farmers Market will be open this Saturday for pre-order, pre pay orders only. On the menu in the Kitchen this week:

Artisan brownie trays, baked with olive oils from Manassas Olive Oil Company .
Trays are 8×8, will serve 1-12 or more depending on how you cut them!  Each tray is $20 plus tax.  You can ask for traditional chocolate, blood orange, or chipotle cinnamon. 

Spring themed sugar cookie mixes, and make your own brownie mixes. $6.50 each.

Starting next week you can customize the cookie cutters in your kit!

Depending on availability of butter in the area, all-butter pound cakes (new larger size) could be on the menu. $7.50 each 

All Butter Pound Cake
NEW Larger Size !

ORDERS MUST BE PLACED BY WEDNESDAY APRIL 15th, and payment received by the 16th. 

The market is open at 10am in the parking lot across from Baldwin Elementary.  Pick-up between 10am-10:30am or by special arrangement.  

Place your order at fromginaskitchen@gmail.com

Have a sweet week, foodie friends!

Gina

My favorite banana bread recipe (and it should be yours, too!)

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It’s “Tip Tuesday” in the kitchen, and I have a great one for you!

My go-to idea for softened bananas (if we don’t throw into a morning smoothie) is always banana bread. But not just any banana bread… it’s Martha Stewart’s banana bread.

Stay with me here, it’s EASY! You probably have everything you need on hand, and here’s a secret- it calls for sour cream, but when I’m out I substitute greek yogurt and it still comes out moist and delicious!

I found the recipe years ago in one of my favorite cookbooks, pictured here.

My favorite banana bread recipe can be found in this trusty old gem!

I was excited to see the recipe in a FB post last week! If you don’t have the cookbook (it’s on page 106 if you do) click here .

You know how I love to share the kitchen sweetness. This makes one standard loaf of bread, or several smaller loaves perfect for gift giving.

Oh and if you DO have a copy of the book, try the recipe for Bourbon Bread, found on the same page. You’re welcome!

Hoping you are staying healthy and safe around YOUR kitchen table.

Gina

Thirsty Thursday… in a mug?

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Happy Friday Junior, Foodie Friends!

Welcome to what has become a monthly blog post-I really must get better at this writing and posting thing, lol. Well, I am thankful for my Food Network Magazine inspiration for “A Year of Brownies”.

It’s March already! I have been happily baking for my family this week, as I have my son home on spring break, as well as my niece visiting from Pittsburgh on her break. My house is full of happy taste testers! My heart is full having almost all my family together. The rest of my brood returns to the nest this weekend.

Last night I whipped up a batch of the “Irish Coffee Brownies” which happens to be the March featured brownie. You bake them in individual mugs, which are the perfect portion size for individual desserts!

I made a few minor adjustments, and I have to say they were DELICIOUS!! A little boozy (only a tablespoon of Bailey’s Irish Cream) , very dense, rich and fudgy. Highly recommend for all ages (without alcohol of course)! You could substitute the Irish Cream for a coffee flavored liqueur or Irish whiskey if you prefer. This recipe could also be the base of a brownie ice cream sundae!

I was lucky enough to find this mug at Home Goods, perfect size for “Irish Coffee Brownies” AKA “Mug Brownies”

The recipe was easy to follow, had minimal ingredients and serves four hearty dessert or snack portions of these totally cool mug brownies. You divide the batter among four microwave safe mugs, with each mug taking only 1 minute and 30 seconds to bake. Winner -winner for after dinner sweetness!

The recipe called for making your own flavored whipped cream for garnish, but I had store bought whipped cream in the fridge and opted to use that instead for ease and convenience. I had all other ingredients on hand , with the exception of coffee extract. I didn’t have that so I substituted vanilla extract and it was still amazing.

Click the link above for the original recipe. My only tweaks were store bought whipped cream and vanilla extract. We still enjoyed every bite!

I hope you try your hand at this recipe, and if you do, let me know!

Reach out to the Kitchen via email fromginaskitchen@gmail.com! I’d love to hear from you!

Until next time….

Make everyday a sweet one!

Gina

Pumpkin French Toast Casserole

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Happy Monday, Foodie Friends!

If you caught the latest installment of the “Curly Girls” this morning (I know, it’s a day early!) you saw us in our themed helmets recapping one foodie related highlight of AnnMarie’s trip to South Africa. I paired her french press coffee (spiked with Amarula ) with a perfect fall brunch casserole. Formal name ” Pumpkin French Toast Casserole”. Those at the brunch party today just called it “DELICIOUS”, “AMAZING” and “MORE, PLEASE ”

Pumpkin French Toast Casserole

I didn’t get the chance to snap a picture of it, as we were so excited to dig in while it was warm. You can see it in our Facebook video though!

My recipe was a take on one I found on Food Network, and it did not disappoint! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did today.

We devoured that casserole before I could get a pic… I guess you could say it disappeared like a ghost! You can see the bottle of alcohol used in the coffee AnnMarie made… so cheers to that!

One and one half 15 ounce cans pumpkin puree

One 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

One tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 cup almond milk

I tsp. vanilla extract

4 eggs

one loaf brioche bread, sliced (I used two small chocolate marble loaves from Walmart!)

Two 8 ounce packages cream cheese, at room temp.

I cup powdered sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 tablespoons softened butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. lightly butter or spray a 12×8 baking pan

Combine pumpkin, condensed milk, almond milk, pumpkin pie spices, and eggs in large bowl and whisk until combined. Dip read slices one by one (covering both sides of bread) and transfer to baking pan. Repeat process until bottom is covered.

With hand mixer in small bowl, mix vanilla, cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy (no lumps). Spread the mixture on top of the bread layer, spreading all the way to cover ends. Soak remaining bread slices in custard, layer on top of cream cheese mixture. (I poured the remaining custard over the whole thing after I finished layering. )

Combine softened butter, pecans, and brown sugar in small bowl. Top casserole with pecan mixture. I put my casserole in the fridge for about 90 mins, and baked before guests arrived.

Bake uncovered for 40-45 mins until top is golden.

Cheers to Monday brunch!

Gina