carrots

Yaki Chicken Udon

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Stir. Spread. Flip. Repeat: Yaki Chicken Udon! Who likes Japanese noodles, sautéed veggies, and a rich savory sauce? Me, too. If I can sneak a couple mushrooms into a dish, it’s always a good day for me. The hubs isn’t as crazy about fungus as I am, which is why I put in his favorite (carrots) to tastefully distract him. No judgment, please. 

YAKI CHICKEN UDON

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon mirin

7.76-ounce package udon Japanese-style noodles

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup onion, chopped

2-3 whole mushrooms, sliced

4-ounce chicken breast, boneless and skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 baby carrots, julienned 

1/4 cup red cabbage, shredded

Cilantro, for garnish

Instructions:

In a small bowl, combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, and mirin. Mix well; set aside. To prepare the udon noodles, bring water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the dried udon noodles. Cook 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Drain; set aside. Spray a skillet with nonstick oil. Warm pan over medium heat. Sauté garlic clove and chopped onions. Stir thoroughly, about 2-3 minutes, to prevent scorching. The onions will begin to soften as the garlic turns golden. Add chicken chunks and sliced mushrooms. Cook 3-4 minutes, turning chicken on each side, or until the chicken pieces are seared and cooked thoroughly. Once the chicken is ready, add the udon noodles, soy sauce mixture, julienned carrots, and shredded cabbage. Toss everything together until well coated. Garnish with fresh cilantro. 

Hasselback Rainbow Carrots

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Hasselback Rainbow Carrots! If you haven’t tried rainbow carrots yet, you’re missing out. The antioxidants are reason enough to give them a whirl. Personally, I like the natural sweetness they provide. It’s the vibrant colors in these rainbow beauties that piqued my interest from the onset. It’s the bundles of purple, yellow, red, and orange that draw attention on the dinner plate. I like adding a drizzle of acacia honey. It’s kinda like icing on a cake. 

HASSELBACK RAINBOW CARROTS 

Ingredients: 

1 pound organic rainbow carrots

4 tablespoons butter, unsalted

1/2 tablespoon rosemary leaves

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon acacia honey

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9”x9” glass dish with nonstick oil. Set aside. Thoroughly clean rainbow carrots. One at a time, place a carrot on a soup spoon. Using a knife, carefully cut each carrot into slits without cutting all the way through. The spoon should stop the knife from cutting deeper. Repeat until all the carrots have hasselback cuts. Blanch the carrots in a pot of boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain completely and allow the carrots to dry. Lay the carrots in a single layer in the prepared casserole dish, cut side up. Melt the butter. Using a pastry brush, cover each carrot with butter, paying attention to drip the butter into the slits of the carrots. Sprinkle with rosemary leaves, sea salt, and black pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, then baste again with remaining butter. Brush acacia honey over the surface. Bake 10 minutes longer until cooked. Serve immediately. 

Upright Pot Pie

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Upright Pot Pie! Do you ever have those nights when you can’t decide what to cook for dinner?  You look in the refrigerator and all you see are leftovers? Again? Well, I had made a beef pot roast earlier in the week, so all the ingredients were on hand to make individual servings of pot pies. Obviously, if you don’t have mashed potatoes and gravy on hand, you can improvise.  Keep it upright by filling custard dishes with single servings and then top them off with crescent roll pastry sheets. It requires very little effort, but the taste is home cooking at its best.

UPRIGHT POT PIE

Ingredients:

2 cups beef pot roast, chunks

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/3 cup onion, chopped

1 cup brown gravy 

1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

Crescent rolls

1/2 cup baby carrots 

1 cup mashed potatoes

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. In a large skillet, sauté onion in olive oil over medium heat. Add beef and stir. Reduce heat and gradually add gravy and mixed vegetables. Spoon mixture in ungreased single serving custard cups. Transfer cups to a baking sheet, in case they bubble over while baking. Remove dough from tube. Do not separate into triangles. Place one square over each custard dish. Press lightly around edges. Bake for 15-20 minutes until crust is golden brown. Serve with mashed potatoes and baby carrots. 

Jazzy Jerk Sauce

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Jazzy Jerk Sauce! Get fired up as you crank up the heat with this homemade habanero pepper sauce. Choose those festive little lantern-shaped peppers from the local market or nearby health food resource, don a pair of vinyl gloves, and fill your kitchen with aromas from the Caribbean Islands. As it cooks, let your imagination run wild for the condiment that sends the temperature rising!

JAZZY JERK SAUCE

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 sweet onion, diced

1 cup baby carrots, chopped

2 cups water

10-12 habanero peppers, seeded and finely chopped

3 tablespoons orange juice

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions:

In a medium sauce pan, sauté garlic in olive oil. Add onion, carrots, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until carrots are soft. Remove from heat. Add habanero peppers, orange juice, vinegar, and sea salt. Transfer to a blender and purée until smooth. Pour into a jar and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. 

*Serving suggestion: Wicked Hot Wings and Drummies!

White Bean Hot Dish

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: White Bean Hot Dish! One of the secrets of being a seasoned cook is knowing when to use quality ingredients to your advantage. Especially when you’re short on time or just needing a mid-week break. I keep my pantry stocked with what I refer to as “staples”; standby products that produce excellent results. Then on the nights when we are on the go, I can turn to a delicious alternative while serving another food-lover’s favorite. Pat yourself on the back and make yourself a hero, too. 

WHITE BEAN HOT DISH

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 sweet yellow onion, chopped

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon celery seed

1 24-ounce jar Randall’s Great Northern Beans*

16 ounces ham, cooked and shredded

16 ounces baby carrots

14.5 ounces diced potatoes, including liquid

3 bay leaves

Instructions:

In a large deep skillet, heat olive oil on medium-high heat. Sauté chopped onions in seasoned salt and pepper until they turn opaque. Reduce heat to medium. Add beans, ham, carrots, and potatoes. Stir to combine thoroughly. Add bay leaves and celery seed.  Cover and reduce to simmer for 15 minutes. Remove lid and simmer longer for thicker results. Before serving remove bay leaves. 

*I receive no recompense for promoting their product.

Indian Couscous with Saffron

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: Indian Couscous with Saffron! This side dish is wonderful to have with poultry instead of potatoes or stuffing.  I like its versatility because it doesn’t weigh me down, but offers appealing flavor. You can add or subtract herbs and vegetables to your heart’s delight, choosing what you have on hand. I tend to serve it warm rather than cold. Others make a meal out it. Either way, it’s very economical as well as exotic. 

INDIAN COUSCOUS WITH SAFFRON 

Ingredients:

1 cup couscous  

2 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon parsley flakes

1/8 teaspoon turmeric 

1/8 teaspoon paprika 

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 stalk celery, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 tablespoon chives, snipped

1/4 cup pine nuts

2 tablespoons hot water

4 threads saffron

Instructions:

Dissolve saffron in hot water. Set aside. In a 2-quart pan, combine chicken broth, olive oil, parsley, turmeric, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, celery, and carrots. Add saffron mixture. Bring to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in couscous. Cover and let stand until liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Couscous will be tender. Fluff with fork. Add the snipped chives and pine nuts. Season to taste with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Serve warm. 

Giddyup Gazpacho

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: Giddyup Gazpacho!  Yee-haw!  Get set to gather the bounty of your garden because this dish has quite a variety of appetizing vegetables! You’ll experience an explosion of flavor in every mouthful. Gazpacho is one of those mysterious soups that is meant to be eaten COLD. Sound bizarre? I know, right!  Trust me, the fusion of wholesome produce is unsurpassed. And the temperature is perfectly refreshing this time of year. 

GIDDYUP GAZPACHO 

Ingredients:

4 large ripe tomatoes, chopped 

1 small sweet onion, finely chopped

2 stalks of celery, diced

1 small green pepper, diced

1/2 cup baby carrots, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons garlic vinegar 

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 teaspoon sriracha hot chili sauce (optional)

2 cups 100% vegetable juice, low sodium

Instructions:

In a large mixing bowl add all the ingredients from the top of the list to the bottom. Stir well. The vegetable juice is added last so you can determine the consistency of the soup. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. 

Hearty Roasted Carrots

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: Hearty Roasted Carrots! My husband is a fan of savory-sweet carrots. Then again, he could eat his weight in cooked carrots. When roasting them in the oven, I have noticed an enhanced sweetness emerges from the oven’s dry heat. That might explain the love affair it creates. As they roast in the olive oil and seasonings, a strange phenomenon occurs. Natural caramelization adds a flavorful profile making them fork-tender and irresistible. No wonder they say “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”. Show your partner how much you love them. 

HEARTY ROASTED CARROTS

Ingredients: 

I pound garden carrots, peeled

2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole

1/4 cup olive oil 

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 lime, cut in half

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat. Set aside. In a large bowl, toss carrots with garlic cloves, olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Pour veggies onto the prepared baking sheet. Arrange into a single layer. Squeeze lime juice over all; then place cut limes onto baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes, flip and roast 15 minutes longer, or until tender. Drizzle balsamic vinegar over carrots. Bake 5 minutes longer to form a slight glaze. Remove from oven and serve immediately. 

Rolled Fillets of Chicken

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Rolled Fillets of Chicken! There seems to be a hundred ways of serving chicken, but I like this one best because it makes a savory meal that is also filling. Split one serving with your partner and add another vegetable side dish for a healthy alternative. I omitted salt in lieu of herbs. 

ROLLED FILLETS OF CHICKEN

Ingredients:

1 pkg. Stove Top Chicken Stuffing

2 stalks celery, diced

2 cups chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon rosemary

1/4 teaspoon sage

1/4 teaspoon thyme 

1/4 teaspoon parsley

4 chicken breasts

1 cup baby carrots

1 cup chopped celery

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. In a medium pan, bring one cup chicken broth and seasonings to a boil. Add stuffing mix and diced celery. Mix, cover, and set aside for 5 minutes. Flatten chicken breasts with a rolling pin. Fill with stuffing and roll up. Place seam side down in covered casserole dish. Sprinkle herbs on top. Surround chicken with celery and carrots. Add one cup of chicken broth to the bottom of the dish to keep it from going dry. Cover tightly. Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove lid and butter tops of chicken. Then sprinkle with parsley. Bake 5 minutes longer uncovered. 

*The pan drippings can be made into gravy or simply spoon the juice over the chicken for a moist finish.