Unlimited Broccoli Tidbits

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Take a Seat at the Table: Unlimited Broccoli Tidbits! Here is a salad you can snack on over and over. It keeps for days in the refrigerator as the flavor intensifies. And because the broccoli is fresh, the crunch appeases the taste buds. By adding the sweetness of raisins and the saltiness of bacon, it soothes those unexpected cravings that sabotage even the strictest diet enthusiast. Go ahead, take a bite. Permission granted.

UNLIMITED BROCCOLI TIDBITS 

Ingredients:

2 heads broccoli, cut into florets and stems

1/3 cup raisins

1/3 cup bacon bits, fully cooked

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 envelope of Italian dry salad dressing mix

Instructions:

Combine broccoli tidbits, raisins, and bacon in a covered bowl. Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, and Italian dry seasoning mix in a glass measuring cup until blended. Pour marinade over broccoli mixture. Gently stir to coat well. Cover and refrigerate salad for two hours. Spoon reserve marinade over salad before serving. 

Tilapia Macadamia Fillets

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Take a Seat at the Table: Tilapia Macadamia Fillets! Tired of hum-drum meals? The crispy crunch of tropical nuts on the outside are a prelude to the moist flaky fish inside. Turning that taste into a healthy and delicious dinner option is spot on! The subtle hints of sesame, green seaweed, and Parmesan cheese add to the nutritional value making this a new favorite to try again and again. 

TILAPIA MACADAMIA FILLETS

Ingredients:

2 tilapia fillets, boneless and skinless

1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup cornmeal 

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon furikake seasoning (sesame seed and green seaweed)

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon milk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425°. Rinse tilapia fillets and pat dry. Mix together all dry ingredients and spread on a sheet of waxed paper. Using a wire whisk, combine egg and milk in a shallow bowl. Dip one fish fillet at a time into the egg bath, coating both sides. Once wet, dredge in bread crumb mixture to fully cover both sides. Set aside and repeat for the second fish fillet. (For a crisper crust, repeat process in egg bath using all coating mix.) Place fish fillets in a nonstick pan and place to oven. Bake 8 minutes, gently turn over and bake 4 minutes longer. Do not over cook. Garnish with cilantro, lemon slice, and whole macadamia nuts. 

Salisbury Steak

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Take a Seat at the Table: Salisbury Steak! Everyone knows it’s not really steak, but instead hamburger patties smothered in thick brown gravy. I like to think of it as savory meatloaf patties that are more economical than certified Angus sirloin steak. And honestly, I’ve never heard a single complaint when serving this American favorite. Add mashed potatoes and your choice of vegetable. It takes less than hour to prepare from start to finish. 

SALISBURY STEAK

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef, lean

1/3 cup onion, chopped 

1/3 dry bread crumbs

1 tablespoon Lea and Perrins sauce

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon parsley flakes

1 tablespoon olive oil

For Gravy:

2 cups beef broth

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup flour

1/8 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper 

1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced

Instructions:

Combine ground beef, onion, bread crumbs, Lea and Perrins sauce, egg, and parsley in a medium bowl. Mix well and form into meat patties. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Brown the patties 4-5 minutes, then flip and brown 4 minutes longer. Remove from skillet. Add olive oil and mushrooms to the skillet over medium heat. Cook until soft. Sprinkle flour over all. Gradually add beef broth. Using a whisk, stir to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil. As the sauce thickens, reduce heat and cook for 1 minute longer. Return Salisbury steaks to pan. Coat with gravy. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes to blend flavors. Serve over mashed potatoes. 

Reuben Tacos

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Take a Seat at the Table: Reuben Tacos! Here you go…a Mexican taco with an Irish twist!  Anyone who is crazy about tacos will tell you the combinations are endless. Not long after St. Patrick’s Day, there were leftovers of corned beef brisket and a wedge of purple cabbage in the fridge. My husband had gone out for lunch with the guys and I thought, “Hmmm, what can I throw together for a scrumptious mid-day meal?”    It seemed like a no-brainer. Corn tortillas, Swiss cheese, pickled jalapeño slices, and Dijon mustard sealed the deal. Try it. One bite and you’ll shout, “Olé! Me Irish eyes ere smilin'”.

REUBEN TACOS 

Ingredients:

4 yellow corn tortillas, extra thin

6 slices Swiss cheese

1/4 wedge purple cabbage, shredded

1/2 pound corned beef brisket, cooked and shredded

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons whole grain mustard

1/4 cup jalapeño slices

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Warm corned beef brisket in microwave or medium skillet. On a foil-lined baking sheet, arrange the corn tortillas in a single layer. Divide cheese among tortillas. Layer with shredded cabbage. Pile on the corned beef brisket. Slather with both mustards and garnish with pickled jalapeño peppers. Bake in oven for 2-3 minutes just long enough to melt cheese. Watch carefully as you still want the cabbage to remain crunchy. Remove and fold tortillas in half to eat.  

Quick-Set Party Cheesecakes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Take a Seat at the Table: Quick-Set Party Cheesecakes! You’re stopping by a friend’s house later on and were asked to bring something delish. These miniature cheesecakes are super-easy and can be whipped up in a few minutes first thing in the morning. They refrigerate while you’re at work or the gym, so no worries there. Top with fresh fruit, seedless jam, chocolate bits, or candied ginger. Dust with powdered sugar for a professional finish. Another one-bite wonderful dessert can be found in the Fruit Tart recipe at the following link. 

http://Snapshotsincursive.com/2015/12/11

QUICK-SET PARTY CHEESECAKES

Ingredients:

24 mini cupcake liners

24 Nilla wafers

2 8-ounce packages Neufchâtel cheese

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

Fresh Fruit, Chocolate Chips, or Candied Ginger

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Beat Neufchâtel cheese and sugar. Add eggs, beating well. Fold in lemon juice and vanilla extract. Beat until light and fluffy. Place cupcake liners in muffin tin. Put 1 Nilla wafer in each. Fill with 1 heaping tablespoon of cheese mixture. Bake 15 minutes. Cool. Refrigerate 3 hours. Garnish with assorted toppings. 

Peppy Parmesan Egg Toast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Take a Seat at the Table: Peppy Parmesan Egg Toast! What do you get when you morph a Croque Madame with a BLT? The end result is a spot on open-faced healthy start for the day that will keep you energized for hours. Challenge yourself. Resist the temptation to take a fork and pierce the luscious center of the egg. The silky golden yolk may find you practically licking the plate clean. I won’t tell. 

PEPPY PARMESAN EGG TOAST

Ingredients:

4 slices thick bacon

2 slices rustic sesame bread

2 pats butter

4 slices Parmesan cheese

2 large eggs

2 green onions

Sriracha Sauce to taste

Instructions:

Fry bacon to crisp. Drain on paper towels. Toast bread slices to golden brown. Butter each piece. Slice Parmesan cheese with diagonal pieces to cover toast. Later crispy bacon on cheese. Crack eggs into a small skillet treated with nonstick spray; cook until whites are set, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip without breaking yolk. Reduce heat for one minute longer. Remove from burner and carefully transfer fried eggs to Parmesan toast. Drizzle with Sriracha sauce to taste. Garnish with green onion snips. 

Oyster Snack Crackers

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Take a Seat at the Table: Oyster Snack Crackers! When you get that craving for something slightly salty partnered with a crunchy snack, turn to these little gems made from basic oyster crackers. Add seasonings and oil; bake and store in an airtight container. I literally sprinkle them on homemade soups, organic salads, and sometimes the palm of my hand. In a pinch, I’ve crushed them as a coating for baked chicken or fish. It’s all up to you. 

OYSTER SNACK CRACKERS 

Ingredients:

16-ounce package of oyster crackers

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup olive oil

1 envelope dry ranch dressing mix

1/2 teaspoon dill weed

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325°. Take a one gallon ziplock bag. Pour oyster crackers into bag. In a glass measuring cup, combine butter, olive oil, ranch seasoning mix, dill weed, onion powder, and lemon pepper. Stir well. Pour over crackers. Seal the bag and toss to coat, alternating every 5 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Transfer to a baking sheet. Form single layer. Bake 10 minutes; toss and bake 10 minutes longer. Do not burn. Let cool and then store in an airtight container. Will keep for weeks.