Wheat Brioche Burgers

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Cheerful Choices: Wheat Brioche Burgers! Why brioche buns, you’re thinking. First of all, you must admit a hamburger bun that crumbles into your hands is very frustrating. After the first bite, you’re afraid to put it down in case it turns into a heaping mess on your plate. From that point on, a fork is your only option. Amirite? Brioche buns are rich, chewier, and a little more dense. The golden texture alone is soft and buttery while leaving you with an element of light consistency. Now that’s a way to compliment a savory, grilled burger. Wouldn’t you agree?

WHEAT BRIOCHE BURGERS

Ingredients:

1 pound ground chuck beef

2 beef bouillon cubes

2 tablespoons water, boiling

2 eggs, beaten

6 Ritz crackers, crushed

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

4 gourmet wheat brioche hamburger buns

4 tablespoons butter, softened

4 leaves romaine lettuce

1 large tomato, sliced into 8 rings

1/3 cup mayonnaise

Instructions:

In a small bowl, dissolve bouillon cubes in boiling water. Stir. In another bowl, combine ground chuck, bouillon water, and beaten eggs. Fold in crushed crackers. Divide beef into four portions. Form into patties about 1/2” thick and 1” wider than the burger buns. Indent with a thumbprint in the center of the patty. Sprinkle with black pepper. Chill for one hour. Preheat grill on high heat to 400°. Grill patties, indented side up, for 6 minutes. Juices will accumulate on top of burgers causing them to sear. Do not smash down. Flip; reduce grill temperature to 325° for another 6 minutes. Turn grill off, leaving burgers on grill for 4 minutes longer. At this time, spread the cut sides of the brioche buns with softened butter. Place buttered sides down on grill for a couple minutes to toast until golden brown. Meanwhile, coat romaine lettuce leaves with mayonnaise, gently turning. To assemble burgers, transfer buns to a platter. Add more mayonnaise, if desired. Layer hamburgers with grilled meat, romaine leaves, and tomato slices. Top with toasted buns. Serve immediately.

Vidalia Onion Dressing

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Cheerful Choices: Vidalia Onion Dressing! Have you ever loved the taste of a homemade salad dressing so much you wish it could be more? Well, consider this. Marinades are like a secret step to making meat taste flavorful and tender. By planning a little bit in advance, you can pour this dressing over chicken breasts to marinate one hour before grilling or baking. The dressing actually saturates the meat in a way that benefits the flavoring with a sweet onion taste. When everyone gathers around the table and raves about the extraordinary taste of ordinary chicken, just shrug your shoulders and say, “Its my grandma’s family secret.”

VIDALIA ONION DRESSING

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

1 medium Vidalia onion, grated

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup vinegar

Jalapeño sliced, pickled

Instructions:

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, sea salt, dry mustard, and celery seed. Stir. Add grated Vidalia onion, vegetable oil, and vinegar. Heat until sugar is melted, stirring constantly. Add jalapeño slices. Cool and refrigerate for one hour. Serve as a dressing over toasted salad.

Uff-Da Bread Tacos

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Cheerful Choices: Uff-Da Bread Tacos! Did you know there is a difference between naan and pita bread? Pita bread is definitely enhanced by all the ingredients stuffed into it. Naan, on the other hand, is made with egg and yogurt-instead of water-which are typically fermented (or rested) in the dough before baking in a clay oven, which makes it chewy and delicious. The texture is different and more pliable. Have I piqued your curiosity? If so, now it’s time to see for yourself. You’re welcome.

UFF-DA BREAD TACOS

Ingredients:

4 single-serving naan bread slices

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound ground chorizo

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup picante sauce, divided

1 cup romaine lettuce, gently torn

1 cup pinto beans, drained

1 cup Mexican blend cheeses, finely shredded

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup black olives, sliced

1/2 cup sour cream

Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Instructions:

In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook chorizo. Break apart the meat as it cooks. Drain off excess grease. Reduce heat to low; sprinkle in the chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, and black pepper. Mix well. Simmer 2 minutes. Keep warm. Warm grill pan, over medium-high heat; brush pan with vegetable oil. Use remaining vegetable oil to lightly coat naan on both sides. Place naan slices on pan for 1 minute; flip and repeat for one minute longer. Naan will be slightly charred, soft, and pliable. Remove pan from heat. Set aside. To assemble bread tacos, spoon picante sauce on each naan. Layer with romaine lettuce leaves, pinto beans, crumbled chorizo, Mexican blend cheeses, red onion slices, and black olives. Top with a dollop of sour cream and the remaining picante sauce. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve immediately.

Tomato Herb Cheese Naan

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Cheerful Choices: Tomato Herb Cheese Naan! The other day I sent my husband to the grocery store with a short list of produce items. Sounds simple, right? Within 15 minutes, I had several frantic texts asking me to clarify the type of tomatoes I needed him to buy. Perhaps you can understand his quandary. Years ago, a shopper had their choice of garden tomatoes or cherry tomatoes. Nowadays, you practically need an Old Farmer’s Almanac to clarify all the different varieties like Cherry, Grape, Green, Roma, Beefsteak, Campari, Cocktail, San Marzano, and Vine-Ripened tomatoes. Sheesh! All I really wanted were fresh tomatoes.

TOMATO HERB CHEESE NAAN

Ingredients:

1 prepared naan, store bought

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon cornmeal

6-8 cocktail tomatoes, sliced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon oregano

1/8 teaspoon basil

1/8 teaspoon marjoram

Fresh oregano leaves, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven 400°. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick oil. Set aside. Brush the bottom of the naan. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Transfer naan to the baking sheet, bottom side down. Bake 5 minutes. Remove pan and set aside. Meanwhile, to prepare tomatoes, arrange sliced cocktail tomatoes on a cutting board; sprinkle with kosher sea salt. Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Arrange sliced fresh mozzarella over naan. Layer with cocktail tomatoes. Sprinkle with garlic powder, oregano, basil, and marjoram. Bake 15 minutes longer, or until cheese is melted and golden. Cool slightly, cut into portions. Garnish with fresh oregano leaves. Serve warm.

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“Friendship is the hardest thing

in the world to explain. It’s not

something you learn in school. But

if you haven’t learned the meaning

of friendship, you really haven’t

learned anything.”

~ Muhammad Ali

Sweet Potato Wedges

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Cheerful Choices: Sweet Potato Wedges! Mention the word sweet potato french fries and watch everyone’s eyes glaze over. Just the thought of a crispy outer skin surrounding a fluffy center sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? Add homemade ketchup or sriracha mayo for dipping. Ahhh. Suddenly it’s a meal in itself……unless family members think you should share. Better make more.

SWEET POTATO WEDGES

Ingredients:

2 sweet potatoes, skin on and cut into wedges

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons agave nectar

Green onion, snipped, for garnish

Instructions:

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine sweet potato wedges and olive oil. Toss to coat. Cover. Microwave on HIGH for 6 minutes or until tender when pierced with a knife, tossing and replacing lid after 3 minutes. Allow to cool 10 minutes. Add chili powder, coarse sea salt, and black pepper. Toss to coat. Preheat grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush with olive oil. Place sweet potato wedges on oiled grill pan. Cook 3 minutes per side until charred and tender. Remove from heat. Drizzle with agave nectar. Garnish with green onion snips. Serve immediately.

Radish Cucumber Salad

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Cheerful Choices: Radish Cucumber Salad! For a scrumptious salad that satisfies the desire for crunchiness and color, these few wholesome ingredients practically transport themselves on a magic carpet ride from farm-to-table. No matter what time of year the calendar on the refrigerator affirms, every bite of cucumbers and radishes shift your mind to a taste of Springtime. Refresh, recharge, and renew yourself with feelings you can’t ignore.

RADISH CUCUMBER SALAD

Ingredients:

3 cups baby cucumbers, skin on, sliced

1 cup radishes, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons fresh dill weed

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

In a mixing bowl, combine sliced baby cucumbers and thinly sliced radishes. Gently toss. Add fresh dill. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt, and black pepper until incorporated. Pour the dressing over the cucumber-radish mixture. Allow it to marinate for 10 minutes before serving.

Queso Blanco Shrimp Street Tacos

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Cheerful Choices: Queso Blanco Shrimp Street Tacos! Not everyone has the luxury of accessibility to freshly-made corn tortillas. Because corn tortillas contain less fat than flour tortillas, they are more prone to breakage. One way to prevent this from happening is to dip them in warmed vegetable oil. The extra moisture enhances the taste. Another way is to take two corn tortillas to create a double-layered shell. That way if the inside tears or cracks when folded in half, the outer shell will keep all the ingredients from falling into your lap. Make sense?

QUESO BLANCO SHRIMP STREET TACOS

Ingredients:

8 corn street tacos

1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 pound medium shrimp, precooked, peeled, deveined, and tail removed

2 tablespoons bacon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon raspberry chipotle seasoning

1 ripe avocado, peeled, stone removed, and sliced into wedges

1 cup broccoli slaw

2 large leaves romaine lettuce, gently torn

1/2 cup prepared queso blanco with jalapeños

Fresh lime, for garnish

Cilantro, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 300°. Set aside a baking sheet. Warm vegetable oil over medium-high heat in an iron skillet. One at a time, dip a corn tortilla into the oil for about 15 seconds; flip and repeat. Drain and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining tortilla shells. Stack them two to a pile on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt (optional). Keep warm in the oven. Using the remaining vegetable oil, add bacon olive oil to the skillet. Gently place the shrimp in the warmed oil. Sprinkle with raspberry chipotle seasoning. After one minute, flip. Shrimp should be slightly charred. Cook one minute longer. Remove from heat. In a bowl, combine the broccoli slaw with the gently torn romaine leaves. Toss. Remove tortillas from the oven. On the four stacks of warmed tortilla shells, place avocado wedges. Divide the broccoli slaw blend between the tacos. Top with sautéed shrimp. Warm the jalapeño queso blanco for 20 seconds in the microwave on high setting. Stir. Repeat, if necessary. Drizzle over street tacos. Squeeze fresh lime juice over all. Garnish with fresh cilantro.