Long Hot Peppers

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Uplifting Aromas: Long Hot Peppers! Aren’t they pretty? I picked up these twisted green chiles at a Mexican Farmers Market. Their skin is smooth and waxy in a conical shape that promises a mildly sweet flavor. The owner wanted me to try them, so he basically gathered up a handful and put them in my market basket. “You’ll see”, he said. “Taste them and come back for more.” These versatile peppers are so much milder than jalapeños, which make them a delicious addition to garden salads, homemade salsas, sandwich toppers, as pizza and pasta partners. Chop or slice, roast or pickle them…..as long as you give them a chance. 

LONG HOT PEPPERS

Ingredients:

1 pound long hot green peppers

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

Instructions:

Only prepare the quantity you wish to use for a specific meal. Wash and pat dry the green peppers. Remove the stems; discard. Slice or chop each pepper, placing the pieces in a bowl. Whisk together olive oil, garlic powder, and seasoned salt. Pour over the peppers. Allow to marinate for 15 minutes before using. Savor the crunch! Store unused long hot peppers in the vegetable bin of the refrigerator. 

Korean Pork Tacos

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Uplifting Aromas: Korean Pork Tacos! Chile paste is a unique condiment that gives food a fiery kick of flavor whether you’re spicing up soups and dips, or veggies and meat. Keep in mind, Gochujang has a pungent flavor a notch hotter than sriracha, without the sweetness. Personally, I like the feel of the lingering heat on the roof of my mouth. Slow cooking makes it taste marvelous when mixed with the other ingredients. Gochujang is usually found near the barbecue sauces in the grocery aisle. In case you need to find a substitute, Sriracha gets my vote. Friendly Footnote: remember to use sriracha IN the sauce rather than splashing it on top afterwards. 

KOREAN PORK TACOS 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar 

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 cup gochujang 

3 tablespoons garlic, minced

3 tablespoons fresh ginger root, minced

2 tablespoons red pepper flakes 

1/2 teaspoon black pepper 

3 tablespoons sugar

3 green onions, chopped

1/2 yellow onion, chopped 

2 pounds pork loin

Instructions:

In a large bowl, combine rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, gochujang, minced garlic, minced ginger, red pepper flakes, black pepper, sugar, green onions, and yellow onions. In a slow cooker, place pork loin. Pour prepared sauce over meat. Cover. Heat on High setting for 4 hours; reduce to Low setting and cook 4 hours longer. Using two forks, shred the pork loin to mix well with the sauce. (Don’t let that yummy sauce go to waste.) Keep warm until ready to serve. Use your favorite taco shells, cheese, and fillings to make a meal. 

Jalapeño Crisps and Curls

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Uplifting Aromas: Jalapeño Crisps and Curls! I’m a pepper freak. I like habaneros, serrano, poblanos, jalapeños, chipotle, cayenne, banana peppers, and more. I’m not saying I want to burn the roof of my mouth, but I do appreciate the capsaicin-released adrenaline rush from time to time. I might even sneeze if I get a little too ambitious. The tangy flavor of chile peppers seem to be a natural substitute for using table salt, which I make an effort to limit in the daily diet. In case you’re wondering, if a hot pepper becomes too hot for you, reach for cheese instead of water. Cheese and dairy products actually neutralize the intensity and cool things down a bit. Then let the tug-of-war continue, because you know you want more. 

JALAPEÑO CRISPS AND CURLS 

Ingredients:

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded 

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1 smidgen garlic powder 

1/4 teaspoon tajin seasoning 

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped 

Instructions:

In a bowl, combine parmesan cheese, garlic powder, tajin seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Toss to mix; set aside. Trim a piece of parchment paper to fit a microwave-safe plate. Scoop 1-2 tablespoons of sharp cheddar cheese onto the parchment paper, forming a pile. Sprinkle parmesan cheese mixture on top. Arrange jalapeño pieces on each pile. Microwave for 1 minute on High power. If needed, microwave an additional 30 seconds longer until the cheese is crisp and golden. Remove plate from microwave and allow cheese crisp to cool to the touch. Carefully transfer cheese crisps to a wire rack. For curls, quickly wrap a cheese crisp around the handle of a wooden spoon until molded. Reuse parchment paper. Repeat process until all the cheese ingredients are used. Store at room temperature. 

Irish Cream Espresso Martini

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Uplifting Aromas: Irish Cream Espresso Martini! Coffee is one of those aromas that has a way of lifting my mood, even if I’m already feeling pretty upbeat. Recently, while discovering a new coffee shop on a weekend getaway, I perused the café shelves until it was time to place my order. Then I saw it…a homemade coffee-scented candle, referred to as Java Nut. It seemed to radiate with the appealing fragrance of roasted coffee beans, generating the hypnotic response of an impulse-buy. What a powerful aroma. I immediately bought two candles, along with a double shot espresso. I guess you could say I have a love affair with coffee. Now I can “light” my coffee and drink it, too. 

IRISH CREAM ESPRESSO MARTINI 

Ingredients:

2 ounces Irish Whiskey 

2 ounces Irish Cream Liqueur 

2 ounces prepared cold espresso 

1 ounce coffee liqueur 

1 ounce vodka

Instructions:

In a martini shaker, combine Irish Whiskey, Irish Cream Liqueur, cold espresso, coffee liqueur, and vodka. Add ice cubes. Shake well until chilled. Strain cocktail into two martini glasses. Garnish with a dusting of nutmeg. Serve immediately. 

Honey Grilled Carrots

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Uplifting Aromas: Honey Grilled Carrots! You know that slightly sweet and smoky flavor grilled foods release into our memory banks? Welcome another member to the weekend cookout. Move over, corn-on-the-cob, you might have competition with grilled carrots. The sweet juices, combined with a bit of honey, create a caramelized flavor that makes them a match worthy of any backyard barbecue on the horizon. So the next time you need another vegetable to be a star attraction, pick up a bag of carrots and watch them both disappear. 

HONEY GRILLED CARROTS

Ingredients:

8 large carrots, tops removed

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon natural honey

Juice from one lemon

1 teaspoon za’atar seasoning 

Instructions:

Preheat the gas grill to 450°. Place carrots in a single layer in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave carrots for 2 minutes on High before grilling. Whisk together olive oil, natural honey, lemon juice, and za’atar seasoning. Pour over carrots. Marinate until grill comes to set temperature. Using a tongs, transfer carrots directly onto heated grates. Grill for 6 minutes, turning as needed to char the carrots. 

Granola Banana Bread

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Uplifting Aromas: Granola Banana Bread!  Ever wonder why banana bread is so popular? First of all, it conjures up pleasant childhood memories. Remember playing outside all day with the neighborhood kids and returning home as hungry as a wolf? One foot in the door told you mother had baked a wonderful surprise. The pleasant aroma of bananas wafted through the house, intermingled with cinnamon spice sweet bread. You knew it had her stamp of approval because permission was granted to have a slice even before dinner was served. Which brings me to reason number two. Banana bread is one of Life’s comfort foods. And that’s all I’m going to say about that. 

GRANOLA BANANA BREAD

Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 ripe bananas, plus 1 banana sliced horizontally 

2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1/2 cup cinnamon almond granola

1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°.  Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, overlapping on the sides. Set aside. In a food processor, cream together butter and sugar. Add 2 bananas; mix until bananas are mashed. Stir in flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Pulse, alternating with milk, until mixed. Add vanilla extract. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Press both halves of the remaining banana onto the top of the batter. Lightly press the cinnamon almond granola over all. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake 50 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Remove loaf from the pan and allow bread to cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes before slicing. 

Fire-Roasted Strawberries

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Uplifting Aromas: Fire-Roasted Strawberries! Try something different with those exceptionally large strawberries you couldn’t resist buying (or picking). You want to choose berries which are firm to the touch, have an appealing aroma, are bright red in color, and taste naturally sweet. Some may elect to use stainless steel skewers to keep the fruit from tipping over or simply to have the appearance of charred grill marks. Kabobs have a charming finish as well. They’re all Strawberrylicious! 

FIRE-ROASTED STRAWBERRIES 

Ingredients:

1 quart fresh strawberries, washed whole

1 tablespoon butter, unsalted

2 tablespoons lemon olive oil

1 tablespoon natural honey

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Instructions:

Preheat a gas grill to 300°. Grease a grill pan with unsalted butter. Set aside. Arrange strawberries in a single layer of a baking dish. Whisk together lemon olive oil, natural honey, and balsamic vinegar. Brush onto strawberries, turning to coat. Transfer the strawberries to the prepared grill pan. Place the pan over the direct heat; close lid, and cook 5 minutes. Turn and repeat until the strawberries are bubbly and beginning to slump. Remove from grill and transfer strawberries to a serving platter.