capers

Smoked Mahi Fish Dip

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Smoked Mahi Fish Dip! If you haven’t had the opportunity to taste Florida’s smoked fish dip, you must add it to your list of interesting foods. It has a creamy texture accented by a rich smoky flavor. Did you just wrinkle your nose at the word “Fish”? Hold on a sec, because we’re not talking about pungent canned tuna here. The fish that is used has white flesh, is pretty mild and actually sweet tasting, so it balances beautifully with a citrusy kick that will entice you to another mouthful. Try it in a restaurant or seafood diner first. Then come back for this recipe and make it yourself. Without reservations.

SMOKED MAHI FISH DIP

Ingredients:

2 8-ounce smoked fillets of mahi-mahi, skin removed

1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped

1 tablespoon capers, finely chopped

Instructions:

Flake smoked mahi-mahi fish into 1/2” chunks in a bowl. Set aside. In a larger bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, olive oil, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and white pepper. Mix until smooth. Add sliced scallions, chopped dill, and capers. Gently stir. Fold in smoked mahi-mahi until incorporated. Do not over mix. Small chunks will keep the dip from turn mushy. Chill slightly. Spread the smoked fish dip over crackers or toasted baguettes.

Avocado Onion Dip

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Country Casual Cravings: Avocado Onion Dip! Nowadays I look for any reason to eat avocados. Once I’ve have my fill of guacamole, I turn to other creative ways to produce a nutritional boost to the menu. Although stuffed avocados can be baked or grilled, sometimes it’s a real treat to prepare them this way. Some might call it a light lunch, simply because it satisfies the appetite as a filling meal.

AVOCADO ONION DIP

Ingredients:

8 ounce Neufchâtel cheese, softened

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons capers, chopped

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup crispy-fried onions, slightly crushed

2-3 ripe avocados, halved and pits removed

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Green onion snips, for garnish

Whole celery seed, for garnish

Instructions:

Using an electric mixer, beat together softened cream cheese, Greek yogurt, chopped capers, and cayenne pepper until blended. Fold in crushed crispy-fried onions until combined. Transfer to a covered bowl. Refrigerate for one hour. Prepare avocado halves. Brush with lime juice; sprinkle with sea salt and garlic powder. When ready to serve, scoop onion dip into each avocado half. Garnish with green onion snips, chopped capers, and a sprinkling of whole celery seed. Serve immediately.

Vegan Charcuterie Board

Eating My Way Through the Holidays. Festive Food Gifts: Vegan Charcuterie Board! Here’s your solution to what to bring to the next holiday party. Choose popular garden veggies, distinct to the season. Arrange them on a charcuterie board with nuts and flavorful dips. Peruse the local farmers’ market or produce section of your nearest grocers. With a little effort, the Vegan Charcuterie Board can be the star attraction for office pitch-ins, family gatherings, and other festive occasions. Check it out!

VEGAN CHARCUTERIE BOARD

Ingredients:

Carrot sticks

Asparagus spears

Celery sticks

Cherry tomatoes

Mini cucumbers, sliced

Radishes, quartered

Yellow sweet peppers, sliced

Green olives, stuffed

Kalamata olives, pitted

Pistachios in shell

Assorted crackers

Ingredients for Hummus:

15-ounce can chickpeas, drained

1/2 cup tahini paste

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon lemon olive oil

1 tablespoon capers

Using a food processor, pulse chickpeas until smooth. Add tahini paste, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, cumin powder, and sea salt. Process until mixed. Transfer hummus to a shallow bowl. Drizzle with lemon olive oil. Garnish with capers.

Ingredients for Dill Dip:

4 ounces Neufchâtel cheese, softened

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1 tablespoon dill weed

1 teaspoon capers

1 tablespoon chives, chopped

Combine Neufchâtel cheese and prepared horseradish. Stir until smooth. Fold in dill weed, capers, and chives. Refrigerate one hour before serving.

X-tra Tender Marinated Chicken

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Clean Plate Club: X-tra Tender Marinated Chicken! Here is one recipe that definitely lives up to its name. Tender. And I mean “melt-in-your-mouth” tender. For variety, I have used the marinade ingredients but switched the meat between chicken and pork. Both with astounding results. Because I literally took the meat out of the freezer and popped it in the slow-cooker may be another reason the outcome was so effective. Do it first thing in the morning before you’re off and running. When you return home later on, the irresistible aromas will greet you at the door. For a finishing touch, flash fry the pieces (plus juices from the marinade) in an oiled iron skillet at high temperature for a minimal amount of time. The results will leave everyone singing your praises. You can thank me later.

X-TRA TENDER MARINATED CHICKEN

Ingredients:

2-3 pounds chicken

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup vinegar

1 cup orange juice

1/4 cup kosher salt

1 tablespoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Oil for frying

Lemon and capers for garnish

Instructions:

Place chicken in a slow-cooker. Combine melted butter, vinegar, orange juice, kosher salt, oregano, and garlic powder. Pour over meat. Cover. If meat is frozen, set timer for four hours on High, then four hours on Low. If meat is thawed, set timer for eight hours on Low. When finished, using a tongs, transfer chicken to a platter. Reserve marinade. To “flash fry”, warm an iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil on medium heat. Add chicken. Do not overcrowd. Ladle a small portion of marinade juice over chicken. It will sizzle, so a screen lid is recommended. After 2-3 minutes gently turn juicy chicken to char the other side. Add oil to prevent meat from sticking. Repeat until all chicken is fried. This works well with boneless or shredded meat. Serve warm with assorted vegetables. Garnish with capers and lemon slices.

Veal Scallopini Piccata

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Clean Plate Club: Veal Scallopini Piccata! Did you know substituting pork cutlets for veal meat is a common practice? If the idea of a baby calf makes you squeamish, you will be delighted with that little bit of news. It’s all about the select few bull calves, but that’s a story for another day. Here again, we’re talking about a time-saving recipe. After all, we’re on the brink of Summer with daylight extending further into the evenings tempting us with outdoor activities that are much more pleasant that cleaning up the kitchen. This recipe calls for pork cutlets, lemon, capers, wine, and butter. Ah, now I have your attention.

VEAL SCALLOPINI PICCATA

Ingredients:

1 pound veal (or pork) cutlets, pounded 1/4” thick

4 tablespoons butter, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

14-ounce can chicken broth

1/2 lemon, thinly sliced

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons capers, drained

1 tablespoon parsley

Instructions:

Warm 2 tablespoons butter and olive oil in an iron skillet over medium-high heat. On a sheet of wax paper, combine flour, sea salt, and pepper. Dredge veal (pork) in flour; shake off excess. Add veal (pork) to skillet. Cook until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter; set aside. Add wine to skillet. Cook, scraping bottom of pan until reduced by half. This will take approximately 3 minutes. Add chicken broth and lemon slices. Bring to boil. Cook 8 minutes longer. Add remaining butter, lemon juice, capers, and parsley. Return veal (pork) cutlets to pan. Coat with sauce. Serve immediately.

Avocado Breakfast Toast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Chow Down: Avocado Breakfast Toast! Nothing looks more appealing in the morning than an open face breakfast sandwich, in my opinion. Avocado and salmon step things up a notch when paired with a nice yolk-drenched piece of artisan toast. I love French butter, but if you choose to omit slathering the toast with it, I’ll understand. My husband and I don’t mind a little taste sensuality in the morning. You choose.

AVOCADO BREAKFAST TOAST

Ingredients:

2 slices artisan bread, toasted

1-2 tablespoons sea salt butter

1 avocado; halved, pitted, peeled, and chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

2 eggs, cooked over easy or poached

1/2 cup grilled salmon, flaked

1 teaspoon capers

Pinch Herbes de Provence

Fresh thyme for garnish

Instructions:

Take the chopped avocado and mash it until chunky. Fold in the lemon juice and garlic powder. Set aside. Toast bread as desired. Spread with sea salt butter and keep warm. Cook the eggs over easy so the yolks are still runny. Place one piece of buttered toast on a plate. Spoon a thick layer of avocado over toast. Next divide flaked salmon between the two servings. Sprinkle with capers. Place one egg on top. Garnish with Herbes de Provence and fresh tarragon.

Ginger-Orange Salmon Lettuce Cups

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Front-Runner Favs: Ginger-Orange Salmon Lettuce Cups! Is it an Appetizer or an Entrée? Both. Ginger paired with orange creates amazing flavor, not to mention health benefits galore. Adding grilled salmon for omega-3s is a bonus. But enough about that and back to the lettuce cup popularity. Anytime you cut down on calories, carbs, and gluten it adds up to guilt-free options. Mix things up with seasonal fruits, garden veggies, grilled seafood, and roasted meat for creative favorites. Anything goes!

GINGER-ORANGE SALMON LETTUCE CUPS

Ingredients:

1 cup grilled orange-ginger grilled salmon, flaked

4 ounces Neufchâtel cheese

1 tablespoon horseradish

1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

1 teaspoon capers

1 green onion, chopped

1/3 cup mandarin oranges

Bibb lettuce leaves

Fresh chives, for garnish

Ground Pistachio nuts, for garnish

Instructions:

Grill ginger-orange salmon according to package directions. Flake salmon; set aside to cool. In a small bowl, combine Neufchâtel cheese and horseradish until smooth. Gently fold in chopped dill, capers, and green onion. Spread onto Bibb lettuce leaves. Equally divide salmon over cream cheese mixture. Add mandarin orange slices. Garnish with fresh chives and pistachios. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Vegan Charcuterie Board

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Sunshine Eats: Vegan Charcuterie Board! Here’s your solution to what to serve with grilled meats this summer. Choose popular garden veggies, distinct to the season. Arrange them on a charcuterie board with nuts and flavorful dips. Peruse the local farmers’ market or produce section of your nearest grocers. With a little effort, the Vegan Charcuterie Board can be the star attraction for holidays and picnic outings. Check it out!

VEGAN CHARCUTERIE BOARD

Ingredients:

Carrot sticks

Asparagus spears

Celery sticks

Cherry tomatoes

Mini cucumbers, sliced

Radishes, quartered

Yellow sweet peppers, sliced Green olives, stuffed

Kalamata olives, pitted

Pistachios in shell

Assorted crackers

Ingredients for Hummus:

15-ounce can chickpeas, drained

1/2 cup tahini paste

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon lemon olive oil

1 tablespoon capers

Using a food processor, pulse chickpeas until smooth. Add tahini paste, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, cumin powder, and sea salt. Process until mixed. Transfer hummus to a shallow bowl. Drizzle with lemon olive oil. Garnish with capers.

Ingredients for Dill Dip:

4 ounces Neufchâtel cheese, softened

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1 tablespoon dill weed

1 teaspoon capers

1 tablespoon chives, chopped

Combine Neufchâtel cheese and prepared horseradish. Stir until smooth. Fold in dill weed, capers, and chives. Refrigerate one hour before serving.

Eggs Deviled With Salmon

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Sunshine Eats: Eggs Deviled with Salmon! Have you noticed? Variations of deviled eggs are all the rage on the appetizer menus. Known once as a classic staple for every summer gathering, the deviled egg has been reinvented in countless ways. Creativity knows no bounds. Whether you choose spicy jalapeño*, creamy tuna salad, or low-cal Greek yogurt, the spin-off creations are definitely show-stoppers. Don’t believe me? Try these Smoked Salmon beauties at your next party or pitch-in picnic.

EGGS DEVILED WITH SALMON

Ingredients:

6 hard boiled eggs, cooked and peeled

1/4 cup cream cheese

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 tablespoon red onion, diced

1/8 teaspoon dill weed

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

4 ounces Applewood Smoked Salmon

1 teaspoon capers, for garnish

Fresh dill sprigs, for garnish

Paprika, if desired

Instructions:

Halve the eggs lengthwise. Carefully remove yolks and place in a medium bowl. Gently place white portions on a platter. Arrange dill sprigs. These will help to keep the eggs from rocking. Set aside. Cut the salmon slices into 12 thin strips. Roll each strip to make a tight rosebud. Transfer to a plate. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Chop the remaining salmon into small pieces. Mash the egg yolks with a fork until crumbly. Add cream cheese, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, white vinegar, red onion, dill weed, sea salt, white pepper, and remaining salmon. Stir until combined. Spoon mixture into hollowed out egg white shells. Place a salmon “rosebud” on top. Garnish with one caper in the center of each salmon piece. Sprinkle with paprika, if desired. Refrigerate for one hour before serving. Store leftovers in a covered container.

*Xanthous Jalapeño Deviled Eggs can be found at the following link.

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