cheddar

Boursin Stuffed Sweet Peppers

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Boursin Stuffed Sweet Peppers! Eat more veggies, the experts say. Get multivitamins, extra fiber, a little protein, and more flavor. It seems no matter where you turn nowadays, the mantra is the same. Nix the chips and processed foods in favor of healthier food options. Here is a painless way to follow your path without all the guilt. It actually might bring a smile to your face. Whether you mix up a batch for a neighborhood get-together, or simply reward your family with a colorful treat, stuffed peppers with Boursin cheese are a winning combination. 

BOURSIN STUFFED SWEET PEPPERS

Ingredients: 

16-ounces sweet peppers, mini assorted

5.3-ounce Boursin gourmet cheese, shallot and chives variety

1/2 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Fresh basil, for garnish

Chopped tomatoes, for garnish

Instructions: 

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick oil. Set aside. Place each pepper on the cutting board to slice lengthwise to remove 1/3 of the pepper. This will allow you to scoop out the seeds and membranes on the inside and discard. Repeat until all peppers are hollow. Place the empty peppers on the prepared baking sheet. Fill each one with the Boursin cheese. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over top. Bake for 20 minutes or until the peppers are cooked and the cheese is melted. Transfer to a platter and garnish with chopped basil and tomatoes. Serve warm. 

Xtreme Sloppy Joes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Xtreme Sloppy Joes! Some days you crave a sweet and savory warm sandwich over a lunchbox ham and cheese on wheat. Sure, it can be a little messy, but pile it high anyway and add a mound of shredded cheese. Then watch things melt together.

XTREME SLOPPY JOES

Ingredients:

2 pounds lean ground beef

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/3 cup green pepper, chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons pimento, diced

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon mustard

2 cups ketchup 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325°. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef, onion, and green pepper seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook until meat is in crumbles. Reduce heat. Add diced pimento. Stir in vinegar, lemon juice, brown sugar, mustard, and ketchup. Mix well. Transfer to an ovenproof covered dish and bake in the oven for one hour. 

Not Your Momma’s Scrambled Eggs

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Not-Your-Momma’s Scrambled Eggs! Do you have a fussy eater? Sometimes it takes a lot of energy to keep things interesting and fun. Here’s your answer for simplifying breakfast or dinner: put the scrambled egg mixture in a hollowed out pepper shell. Bake it in the oven while the bread is toasting. The aromas alone will grab their attention. Trust me, it’s worth the wait. 

NOT-YOUR-MOMMA’S SCRAMBLED EGGS

Ingredients:

3 sweet peppers, seeded and ribs removed

1/4 cup dry aged prosciutto, cubed

2 tablespoons sweet red pepper, diced

2 tablespoons onion, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

smidgen of seasoned salt

nip of cracked black pepper

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, finely shredded

2 eggs

1 tablespoon milk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Coat oven-proof baking dish with nonstick spray. Place peppers upright in bottom of dish, like a boat. They need to sit flat in order to keep the eggs from running out. In a small skillet, add olive oil, red pepper, onion, and prosciutto. Sauté in seasonings. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Beat well. Layer the pepper boats with cheese and prosciutto mixture. Pour eggs over all to fill. Bake for 30 minutes or until set. Serve with buttered toast and salad. 

Lively Calypso Mac ‘n Cheese

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Lively Calypso Mac ‘n Cheese! When I needed a quick side dish to serve with the Xtreme Sloppy Joes, I turned to my pantry for a flavorful inspiration from Pappardelle’s*. The multicolored shapes alone are conversation starters. Picture this: Lime gnocchi shells, mango-peach sea shells, and red southwestern chile lumache. The natural flavors explode when cooked and mixed with cheese, butter, and milk. It’s macaroni and cheese with a Caribbean twist. Well done!

LIVELY CALYPSO MAC ‘N CHEESE

Ingredients:

8 ounces Pappardelle’s Calypso Blend pasta

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup butter

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup milk

Crushed croutons for garnish

Instructions:

Bring a 2-quart pan of salted water to a rolling boil on high heat. Add 8 ounces of Pappardelle’s Calypso Blend pasta. Stir for the first 15 seconds. As the water returns to a slow simmer, reduce heat to medium and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Drain pasta. Melt butter in pan on low heat. Add cheddar cheese and milk. Stir to blend until cheese is melted. Return pasta to pan and stir to coat evenly. Do not burn. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with crushed croutons. 

*I receive no recompense for promoting this product.

Incredible Ham Potato Casserole

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Incredible Ham Potato Casserole! As the days grow shorter and the night chill sets in, gather around the table for this hearty harvest meal. It can be made ahead and popped in the oven at a moment’s notice. When it comes out with the cheese bubbly and the topping crisp, serve it in the same vessel to keep it hot. By adding smoky Virginia ham chunks and chopped vegetables, this main dish is easy-to-follow and goes a long way. The crunchy topping gives it a nice finish. Plus, leftovers are a bonus!

INCREDIBLE HAM POTATO CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

3 cups ham chunks

1 green pepper, chopped

1 sweet onion, chopped

1 tablespoon pimento, diced

30-32 ounces frozen southern-style hash brown potatoes, thawed 

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup cream of chicken soup, condensed

16 ounces sour cream

1/2 cup butter, melted

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine all ingredients. Mix well and pour into a greased 9″x13″ casserole dish. Add topping. 

Topping Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 cups corn flakes

Instructions:

Gently mix corn flakes with butter and spread over top of casserole. Bake in oven for one hour. Serve family-style. 

Hacienda Taco Salad Bowls

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Hacienda Taco Salad Bowls! It’s okay to indulge in those fast-food cravings. Everyone does now and then. When I get the urge to succumb to the temptation, I begin to turn things around in my own kitchen. Take, for example, the glorious Taco Salad with the edible crispy flour shell bowl. It can be made for half the cost at home, leaving extra money in your wallet for something like…oh I don’t know…SHOES! Make this guilt-free version at home. 

HACIENDA TACO SALAD BOWLS

Ingredients:

6 flour tortillas

1 pound lean ground beef

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

Romaine lettuce leaves, torn

2 tomatoes, diced

1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded

2 green onions, snipped

1/4 cup black olives, sliced

1/4 cup jalapeño peppers, sliced

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup salsa

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Using nonstick spray oil, coat the inside of oven-safe bowls. Gently mold the flour tortilla inside to form a bowl. Bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Remove from oven and cool before transferring to wire rack. Meanwhile, brown ground beef and drain. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cumin. Mix well.  Assemble hacienda bowls by filling with remaining ingredients, per taste. Top with Greek yogurt and salsa. 

Enchilada Cheesy Hash Browns

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Enchilada Cheesy Hash Browns!  This time-honored recipe came to me from a friend who had perfected the art of authentic Mexican food. Monica shared some of her trade secrets on more than one occasion, but warned me about one unwary pitfall. “Once you perfect these traditional recipes, your husband may be less willing to take you out to dinner as often.”  So be forewarned. Choose this perfect alternative for those nights you need a “meatless” meal. 

ENCHILADA CHEESY HASH BROWNS

Ingredients:

4 baked potatoes, peeled and shredded into hash browns*

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

3/4 cup Spanish onion, chopped

10 ounces baby peas

1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1 1/2 cups extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

10-count package corn tortillas

15 ounces tomatillo salsa

Green onions for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9″x13″ glass baking dish with nonstick oil. Pour tomatillo salsa into a pie plate. Set aside. Place the corn tortillas on a plate nearby. In a large skillet, sauté onions in olive oil. Add hash brown potatoes, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper. Cook until slightly crisp. Add peas and mix well. To assemble enchiladas, dip one tortilla into tomatillo salsa on both sides. Transfer to a dinner plate and fill with potato mixture. Add 1 tablespoon of each cheese. Gently roll enchilada and place seam side down in glass dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Drizzle remaining salsa over all. Spread cheese over top of enchiladas. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and brown cheese 5 minutes longer. Remove from oven. Garnish with green onion snips. Olé!

*If time is of the essence, you may substitute with frozen shredded hash browns. 

Neufchâtel Nibblets

Festive Food Gifts: Neufchâtel Nibblets! Instead of serving the traditional large cheese ball at your next group gathering, think about individual portions. As a centerpiece on a buffet table, a cheeseball makes a great focal point until someone digs in. Then it immediately loses its form. On the other hand, nibblets remain appealing. Finger food is always a good idea, in my opinion. Not only are they fun to eat, they make things easier for walking around the edge of a party. Grab a few crackers and nibble away. 

NEUFCHÂTEL NIBBLETS 

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons Neufchâtel cheese, softened

4 tablespoons butter, softened

1/3 cup Swiss cheese, shredded

1/3 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped

Carrot sticks, cut 3 inches long

Celery sticks, cut 3 inches long

Instructions:

Line a baking sheet with wax paper. In a mixing bowl combine Neufchâtel cheese, softened butter, Swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, sea salt, and smoked paprika. Mix well. Using a cookie scoop, form mixture into balls, transfer to prepared baking sheet, and refrigerate one hour or until balls are firm. In a shallow dish, combine fresh chives and chopped pecans. Gently press chilled cheeseballs in nut mixture. Insert vegetable stick into each cheeseball. Arrange a platter and serve. 

ZZ “Zucchini” Topped Potatoes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: ZZ “Zucchini” Topped Potatoes! This recipe is going to be rock music to your ears. (If you pre-bake several potatoes on the weekend, it’ll eliminate one step during the week.) Create a fast meal by loading baked potatoes with yummy ingredients. Then top them off with sautéed zucchini, sweet onions, and hickory-smoked bacon. Can you feel the beat? Put this toe-tapping favorite in your recipe box…….and Rock On!

ZZ “ZUCCHINI” TOPPED POTATOES

Ingredients:

4 large potatoes, baked

Sea Salt

1 cup Greek yogurt

1/4 cup milk

2 green onions, snipped

1/4 cup butter

1 cup cheddar cheese, finely shredded

1 medium zucchini, chopped

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Wash potatoes, pat dry. Pierce each one on top. Spray with nonstick oil and sprinkle sea salt on skins. Bake for one hour. When done, let cool for ten minutes. Meanwhile, cook bacon. Drain on paper towels and crumble. Sauté onions and zucchini in olive oil. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise.  Remove the flesh into a bowl leaving enough skin to form a shell. Place skins in a shallow baking dish. To the flesh, add yogurt, milk, green onions, butter, and 1/3 cup cheddar cheese. Blend until creamy. Spoon the filling into the potato skins. Top with remaining cheese, sautéed zucchini, onions, and crumbled bacon. Bake 15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and bubbly.