Zesty Citrus Salad

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Clean Eating: Zesty Citrus Salad! “If you build it, they will come.” That familiar quote may spark a flicker of remembrance from a popular movie years ago, Field of Dreams. Kevin Costner was the actor who had an idea and went with it. Cooking is like that, in my opinion. For example, build a better salad. It’s pretty simple, actually. Choose garden greens for the foundation, layer on fruits or vegetables for flavor, toss in some crunchy nuts, and slather on the sauce to dress it up. Of course, you can include cheese, meat, and eggs to bulk it up into a meal if you’d like. May as well go ahead and make your own salad dressings. There’s no comparison; being naturally better than bottled, they serve nicely as dips if you have any leftover. No promises on that note, because they’re that good.

ZESTY CITRUS SALAD

Ingredients:

2 cups lettuce, gently torn

1/4 cup celery leaves

1 naval orange, segments cut into thirds

6 strawberries, quartered

2 tablespoons red onion, sliced

2 tablespoons almonds, sliced

Ingredients for Dressing:

1/4 cup garlic wine vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons Tupelo honey

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Dash sriracha

Instructions:

Place torn lettuce into salad bowls. Divide celery leaves between them. Arrange the orange segments, quartered strawberries, and red onion slices. Scatter almonds over all. Set aside to chill in the refrigerator. To combine dressing, whisk together garlic wine vinegar, olive oil, Tupelo honey, Dijon mustard, toasted sesame seeds, and dash of sriracha sauce. Mix well. Drizzle over salad before serving.

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.

X-otic Black Raspberry Ice Cream

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Clean Eating: X-otic Black Raspberry Swirl Ice Cream! Creamy concoctions are so decadent with swirls of tangy sweetness mixed in. You control the tart flavor among the smooth texture by making this version of gourmet ice cream at home. No special gadgets required, except that counter workhorse stand mixer. But how hard can it be to flip a switch and scrape down the sides of the bowl? This “tried and true” no-churn ice cream recipe has been reliable on more than one occasion. The secret to my success is chilling the utensils overnight in the freezer. Also, begin with ingredients that are refrigerator cold. The greatest hardship is waiting 24 hours for the ice cream to chill. Don’t believe me? Guess you need to see for yourself.

X-OTIC BLACK RASPBERRY SWIRL ICE CREAM

Ingredients:

2 cups heavy cream

14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

1 tablespoon Mexican vanilla extract

1/2 cup black raspberry sauce*

Instructions:

Using a stand mixer, whip the heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed for 4-5 minutes. Transfer half to the chilled loaf pan. Smooth with a spatula. Add dollops of black raspberry sauce on top. Swirl the sauce with a knife to create a design. Pour the remaining ice cream mixture over top. Smooth. Repeat swirling process. Cover tightly. Place loaf pan in the freezer overnight. To serve, scoop ice cream into bowls and garnish with fresh mint leaves.

*To make the black raspberry sauce, click on the link below.

https://snapshotsincursive.com/2018/07/05

Wasabi Shrimp Cocktail

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Clean Eating: Wasabi Cocktail Shrimp! Everyone loves shrimp, we know that already. But does everyone like wasabi? You may have tasted it before in the snack form of wasabi peas. You’re probably thinking, “easily tolerable”. Wasabi, though, really can’t be compared to the heat of a jalapeño or habanero pepper. It’s a different kind of animal. Wasabi is from the horseradish family giving it a strong pungency that can be felt more in the nasal passages than on the tongue. You might take a swipe and then sit back thinking all is well…until, like a viper, it strikes with such intensity you find your eyes tearing up, followed by a cough or sneeze. Once the rush has passed, don’t be surprised if your brain says, “I’ve gotta have more of this stuff!”

WASABI SHRIMP COCKTAIL

Ingredients:

1 pound precooked shrimp, tail on and thawed

1/2 cup prepared cocktail sauce

1/8 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon wasabi paste

Instructions:

Rinse shrimp in cold water. Drain. Dab with a paper towel. Arrange the shrimp on a platter. In a small bowl, combine cocktail sauce, lemon juice, and wasabi paste. Stir well. Serve chilled.

Vinaigrette Like The French

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Clean Eating: Vinaigrette Like the French! I’m all about the creamier versions of salad dressings, yet sometimes I really must stick to a basic oil and vinegar one to appreciate the fabulous herbs the French adore. Rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, and sometimes lavender are the star attractions. These unique flavors are very typical of the southeastern part of France, known as Provence. As a Francophile, is it any wonder I grow these herbs at home in my garden herb bed? Once dried, they keep very well in a sealed jar. Their shelf life can be up to three years, but I have yet to make that happen. Because the flavor is so distinctive, herbes de Provence may be incorporated into meat or fish recipes, soups, breads, fries, salad dressings, and more. Substitute the need for salt next time with a virtual trip to the French countryside. C’est magnifique!

VINAIGRETTE LIKE THE FRENCH

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons garlic wine vinegar

5 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon herbes de Provence

1 small garlic clove, minced

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Instructions:

Whisk together garlic wine vinegar, olive oil, herbes de Provence, minced garlic, and cracked black pepper. Blend well. Let stand 10 minutes to infuse flavors. Whisk again before serving.

Umami Bomb Chorizo Grits

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Clean Eating: Umami Bomb Chorizo Grits! Say whaaat? Somebody needs to tell me what that word means. Umami. Evidently it is the taste bud beyond the famous four: sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. Oh yeah, taste buds we’ve been familiar with since we first began to put food in our mouths. This “umami” envelopes earthy, meaty, and savory. Examples of foods that reflect this are soy sauce, tomatoes, cheeses, anchovies, and cured pork products. Chorizo falls into the latter category, you probably concluded. Sooo, are we good?

UMAMI BOMB CHORIZO GRITS

Ingredients:

1/2 cup grits, uncooked

1/3 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

2 chorizo sausage links, casing removed

1 tablespoon red pepper, diced

1 tablespoon green pepper, diced

1 tablespoon red onion, sliced

1 tablespoon frozen corn, thawed

1 tablespoon parmesan cheese, crumbled

1 hard-boiled egg

Cayenne pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Prepare grits according to package directions. Stir in cheddar cheese. Set aside. Remove the casing of the chorizo. Spray a skillet with nonstick oil. Add chorizo. Sauté over medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Crumble the meat with a fork as it cooks. Add red pepper, green pepper, red onion, and corn. Continue cooking until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. To serve, transfer cheesy grits to a shallow dish. Add chorizo and sautéed vegetables. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve with a hard-boiled egg. Garnish with cayenne pepper, to taste.

Tortilla Roll-Ups

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Clean Eating: Tortilla Roll-ups! Bite-size portions have a way of making a pinwheel platter into an appetizing celebration. The variations are endless, mostly depending on what you have on hand or the cravings that come knocking at your door. Make ahead recipes are popular, and convenient, as time-saving options when schedules become a bit blurry. Kids smile and giggle knowing this in one time eating with your fingers is allowed without scolding or frowns from the adults in the room. Think school lunchbox treats, picnic basket munchies, game day favorites, or holiday gatherings. Anything goes!

TORTILLA ROLL-UPS

Ingredients:

2 flour tortillas

4 tablespoons thousand island salad dressing, prepared

2 romaine lettuce leaves, washed and patted dry

4 slices deli-sliced honey ham

2 slices provolone cheese

2-3 radishes, sliced thin

Instructions:

Lay out the flour tortillas in a work space. Spread each tortilla with thousand island salad dressing. Next, place the lettuce leaves over the mixture. Layer the ham and cheese slices evenly for easier rolling. Finally, divide the thinly sliced radishes between them. Starting at one end, slowly roll the tortilla as tight as possible. Hint: you can tie them with baker’s twine to keep them snug. Refrigerate for two hours, or overnight, before slicing into 1/2” pinwheels. Enjoy!