bread

Mediterranean Shrimp Bake

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Cut Above: Mediterranean Shrimp Bake! Whether you call them individual casserole dishes, mini bakers, or au gratin ramekins…..you get the idea. It’s all about, “This is mine, and that is yours!” I can already hear you whining, “But your food tastes better than mine.” Why is that? It’s the exact same thing. In some cases, your dining partner may actually believe that the other person’s food not only looks better presented, but has more luscious ingredients in it, too. At my house, my mother always taught me: give everyone else the better looking portion, even if it ends up being the larger half of a homemade recipe. To them the grass may not only look greener, or in this case, the shrimp bigger and cheese more gooey than what’s right in front of them. 

MEDITERRANEAN SHRIMP BAKE

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup shallots, chopped

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 

3/4 pound precooked shrimp, tails removed and peeled

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray two individual casserole dishes with nonstick oil. Set aside. In a small bowl, add chopped shallots, olive oil, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper. Microwave on high setting for one minute. Set aside. In a skillet, combine cherry tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and dried oregano. Cook, stirring occasionally, on medium heat until mixture is juicy and tomatoes have softened, approximately 10 minutes. Fold in microwaved shallots and prepared shrimp. Spoon contents into two individual casserole dishes. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until tomatoes are bubbling and cheese has melted. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Serve with seasoned lavash triangles. 

Lavash Fajita Flatbread

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Cut Above: Lavash Fajita Flatbread! Lavash is a Turkish flatbread rolled into thin sheets and baked. Its texture is soft and pliable, which also makes it ideal for sandwich wraps or quesadillas. You can often find it in the Deli Department of your local grocery. The size I chose fit perfectly on a 9”x12” baking sheet. A typical package contains 4 sheets of lavash. Being a healthy option for the bread group, lavash contains fewer calories, less carbs, and is low in fat. When making a lavash flatbread pizza, show restraint when adding ingredients. Too many toppings can turn it into a soggy mess. 

LAVASH FAJITA FLATBREAD 

Ingredients: 

1 sheet of Lavash bread; flax, oat bran, and whole wheat variety

3 tablespoons marinara sauce

1/2 cup chihuahua cheese, shredded

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 

1 cup shredded fajita meat mixture with sautéed peppers and onions 

Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Drizzled ranch dressing, if desired. 

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick oil. Place the lavash flatbread onto the pan. Spread marinara sauce evenly over all. Layer shredded chihuahua cheese on top. Sprinkle with dried oregano. Arrange fajita meat and vegetables over the cheese layer. Bake 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and edges of the flatbread are crispy. Garnish with fresh cilantro sprigs. Drizzle with prepared ranch dressing. Serve immediately. 

Goat Cheese Fig Toast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Cut Above: Goat Cheese Fig Toast! Get ready for a flavor explosion……or at the very least, your eyes will roll back from sheer gratification. Whenever you run across fresh figs, kick up your heels while containing your excitement. You definitely want to choose the best ones for yourself before letting others know of your discovery. Figs are a seasonal delicacy, much like Rainier cherries. These compact, purplish gems deliver a sweet, berry-like flavor that probably reminds you of a distant cousin to everyone’s favorite, the strawberry. Don’t be greedy. Only buy what you need; their shelf life is quite short. Then let your imagination flow. I promise you will not be disappointed. 

GOAT CHEESE FIG TOAST

Ingredients:

4 slices sesame seed artisan bread, toasted

4 ounces goat cheese, room temperature 

4 ounces Neufchâtel cheese, room temperature 

1 tablespoon thyme 

3-4 figs, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons hot honey, for drizzling 

Fresh thyme leaves, for garnish

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 400°. Arrange slices of sesame seed artisan bread on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake 4-5 minutes, watching closely. Remove from oven, transfer to a platter, and set aside. Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine goat cheese, Neufchâtel cheese, and thyme leaves. Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy. Spread the whipped goat cheese onto the sesame seed toast. Arrange fig slices over all. Drizzle with hot honey. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves. Serve immediately. 

Sombrero Bread Bowl

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Sombrero Bread Bowl!  OMG, this is the best kept secret!  Go to your nearby Bakery and choose a savory artisan bread, small loaf. I chose Rosemary Olive Oil. From there, the biggest challenge is waiting for your mouth-watering seasoned creation to come out of the oven!  Repeat after me, “All good things come to those who wait!” You can thank me later. 

SOMBRERO BREAD BOWL

Ingredients:

4 ounces Neufchâtel cheese

1/2 cup ranch salad dressing

1 cup extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

2 green onions

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

14.5-ounce round loaf of artisan loaf

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 300°. In medium bowl, blend Neufchâtel cheese, ranch dressing, cheddar cheese, red pepper flakes, and bacon until well mixed. Stir in onion snips. Cut off top of bread bowl. Hollow out insides. These may be used for dipping later. Fill center cavity with creamy mixture. Replace top. Wrap entire loaf in foil. Bake for 90 minutes. Peel back foil to expose bread bowl. Bake 30 minutes longer. Serve warm with bread cubes, multi-colored tortilla chips, and green onions. Enjoy!

Jarlsberg Grilled Cheese

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Jarlsberg Grilled Cheese!  This is a perfect fusion of buttery, crisp, lightly salted Swiss-style cheese and dense artisan bread. Grilling at the correct temperature is crucial. It will result in a golden-brown crunch followed by a warm flow of oozing cheese with a sweet-tangy finish. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? It really is!

JARLSBERG GRILLED CHEESE

Ingredients:

8 ounces of Jarlsberg cheese, grated

4 tablespoons mayonnaise 

2 tablespoons red onion, chopped

Artisan bread of choice, sliced (sesame bread is pictured)

Salted Butter for browning

Instructions:

Combine cheese, mayonnaise, and red onion in a medium bowl. Mix well. Refrigerate in a covered container for one hour. Slowly melt a dab of butter in the skillet over medium-low heat before adding the bread. Do not let the butter burn. If you brown the bread on both sides first, it will hasten the melting process of the cheese inside. Once the bread is browned on both sides, spread a spoonful of the Jarlsberg cheese mixture over one piece of bread and then place the other slice on top of the sandwich. Apply light pressure being careful not to squeeze the filling out onto the pan. Swirl the sandwich to get a nice brown color, about 2 minutes. Gently flip and repeat. Serve immediately. 

Virginia Smoked Ham Sandwich

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Virginia Smoked Ham Sandwich!  The wonderful thing about baking a Virginia smoked ham is the assortment of menu options you glean from a three-pound ham purchase. And with picnic season upon us, this is a quick and easy meal to enjoy at the park. 

VIRGINIA SMOKED HAM SANDWICH 

Ingredients:

1/2 pound shaved precooked smoked Virginia ham pieces

4 slices sesame seed artisan bakery-fresh bread

2 tablespoons butter

2 slices Baby Swiss cheese

Mayonnaise or Mustard, optional to taste

Dill Pickle wedge for garnish

Instructions: 

Butter top sides of bread all the way to the edge. Put two slices into a heated skillet over medium-low heat. Assemble ham and Swiss cheese; top with remaining bread slices. Cook until golden brown on each side, turning once. Serve with the slightly tart taste of a dill pickle.  Add a tossed salad and sea salt Kettle chips for the perfect meal!

Jalapeño Corn Stix

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Jalapeño Corn Stix. Cornbread is always the right accompaniment to dried bean dishes. Serve it hot, right out of the oven. Leftovers can be warmed in the microwave nicely. Go south of the border!  Jalapeño peppers give these golden stix the right amount of gusto to compliment the creamy cheddar center. 

JALAPEÑO CORN STIX

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal 

1 1/2 cups sifted flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup olive oil

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/4 cup skim milk

1/4 cup jalapeños, diced

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions:

Sift dry ingredients into medium-size mixing bowl. Blend beaten eggs and oil; add milk. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just blended. Gently fold in jalapeños and cheddar cheese. Pour into a molded corn stick pan or an 8 by 8-inch pan which has been sprayed with a non-stick spray. Bake in 400° oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. 

Quince Essential Baguette

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Symphony of Flavors: Quince Essential Baguette! On your recent trip to the supermarket, you may have wondered about that hard yellow fruit in the produce department that resembles a cross between an apple and a pear. Before you buy one and take it home to eat it raw, think again. Quince is one of those fruits that smells citrusy and fresh, but the flesh is actually quite stringy. You’re better off making jam, jelly, or preserves instead. Cooking transforms them into a softer and sweeter treat worth raving about. I took the shortcut and bought a jar of quince spread instead. 

QUINCE ESSENTIAL BAGUETTE 

Ingredients:

8” bakery baguette 

1.05-ounce jar quince spread

4.4-ounce wedge bleu cheese, room temperature 

1 pound green grapes, seedless

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Rub a little water on both sides of the baguette. Place bread on baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven and slice. Arrange baguette slices on a charcuterie board. Open a jar of quince spread to slather on half a baguette slice. Spread crumbled bleu cheese on the other half. Serve with seedless green grapes. 

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.