cheddar

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter Q

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Color of Food: Quick-Mix Cheesy Grits! Step away from the usual breakfast smoothie for an occasional southern meal of cheesy grits, eggs-over-easy, and crispy applewood bacon. Grits are not only quick and easy, they’re delicious and filling. This fail-safe method is spot on and can be whipped up in no time at all. It’s packed with enough protein to keep hunger pangs at bay. Save the weekends when you have more time for making grits from scratch.

QUICK-MIX CHEESY GRITS

Ingredients:

1/2 cup instant grits

2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded

Pat of butter, for garnish

Instructions:

Combine instant grits, water, and sea salt in a quart microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl. Stir. Microwave on HIGH 3 minutes or until thickened when stirred. Add cheese; stir. Cook 1 minute longer or until cheese melts into a creamy texture. Spoon cheesy grits into individual bowls and add a pat of butter to each bowl. Serves 4.

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter D

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Deep Dish Chicken Salad! Want to feel special? Try serving your next dinner in a traditional French-style mini au gratin pan. Not only does it show off food attractively, it offers single-serving portion control. It’s the perfect touch to any meal and bakes in less time. Make your life simpler with any of the oven-to-table choices available. I did.

DEEP DISH CHICKEN SALAD

Ingredients:

3 cups chicken, cooked

1 cup extra sharp cheese, finely shredded

1 tablespoon green onion

1/2 cup mayonnaise

4 stalks celery, chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon celery seeds

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Sea salt to taste

Dash of pepper

1 cup potato chips, crushed

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine chicken, celery, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, lemon juice, celery seed, red pepper flakes, and half the cheese. Mix lightly. Spoon casseroles into single serving pans. Bake for 20 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and potato chips. Bake another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Garnish with green onion snips.

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter S

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!

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter Q

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Queso Casa Dip! Here’s an all-around favorite for any social gathering. The cheese delivers a smooth creamy taste followed by a “bite” of chile! Some say it’ll curl the tines of a fork. Just kidding! But seriously, it’s so popular you’ll have your friends asking for the recipe!

QUESO CASA DIP

Ingredients:

4 cups cheddar cheese, extra-sharp finely shredded

1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons butter

1/7 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1 ghost chile pepper, cut-up and seeds discarded*

2 Roma tomatoes, cut-up

2 green onions, cut-up

16-ounce can green-chile and lime refried beans

Greek Yogurt and jalapeños for garnish

*Ghost peppers are extremely hot, so you may substitute jalapeño peppers instead.

Instructions:

Empty cheese into a large bowl, sprinkle with corn starch, and toss to coat. Melt butter into a large saucepan and add garlic, cheeses, and milk. Set on low heat and cook slowly, stirring mixture to keep from scorching. As it melts, fold in the 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt. Continue for 10-15 minutes until mixture is smooth and velvety. Add fresh tomatoes, green onions, and the ghost pepper. Stir gently to blend. Keep warm. Meanwhile, place refried beans in a microwave-safe dish and heat through. To serve, layer refried beans on a platter, pour Queso dip over top. Dollop with Greek yogurt. Serve with tortilla chips, café style.

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Yuletide Favs: Golden Oyster Stew!

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Yuletide Favs: Golden Oyster Stew! I knew it was something special when my father requested this savory stew once a year. Although he was the only one who indulged in its aromatic creaminess, I managed to sneak one spoonful each time. I guess you could say eventually I acquired a taste for this seafood delicacy. Now I’m sharing it with you. Carry on the tradition.

GOLDEN OYSTER STEW

Ingredients:

1 medium potato, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon onion, chopped

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

8 ounces of fancy whole oysters, with oyster liquor

1 cup light cream

1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, finely shredded

Oyster crackers

Instructions:

In a 2-quart pan over medium high heat, combine potatoes, onion, butter, sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Add just enough water to cover. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer and add oysters with liquor, cream, and cheese. Stir occasionally for cheese to melt. Gently bubble until the edges of the oysters begin to curl. Do not boil over. Serve the golden oyster stew immediately with oyster crackers.

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Yuletide Favs: Havarti Mashed Potatoes!

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Yuletide Favs: Havarti Mashed Potatoes! The best kept secret for staying organized during the flurry of activity of family gatherings is “make-ahead” recipes that have the oven doing most of the work. By creating this side dish the day before, you eliminate everyone hovering in the kitchen while you whip it up at the last minute. And leftovers are a breeze because they automatically become Divine Duchess Potatoes.* Do yourself a favor, enjoy that glass of wine with your guests while the mashed potatoes bake in the oven.

HAVARTI MASHED POTATOES

Ingredients:

10 potatoes, peeled and cut up

4 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup yogurt

1/2 teaspoon rosemary

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 cup Havarti cheese, shredded

1/2 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded

1 tablespoon parsley

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Place potatoes in a 4 quart pan. Cover with water. Salt if desired. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low and cook potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well. Add butter and mash. Slowly add milk beating slowly to eliminate lumps. Add yogurt, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Beat vigorously until potatoes are fluffy. Fold in Havarti cheese. Transfer to casserole dish and top with cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered 30-35 minutes. Garnish with parsley.

*Leftovers can be used to make Divine Duchess Potatoes. See link

https://snapshotsincursive.com/2015/11/13

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter W

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Chow Down: Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup! Not only is this soup perfect for those chilly evenings ahead, but it is also more fun to eat simply because instead of saltine crackers, fresh popcorn is used. That’s right, you heard me…popcorn. It really doesn’t matter if you use the air-popped variety, microwave movie popcorn, or slightly sweet kettle-style popcorn. I know, right!?! More and more you may discover this quirky dish on a restaurant menu, even outside the state of Wisconsin. It actually dates back to when German immigrants came to America. Beer was readily available and often used in soup. Over time, more veggies, spices, and cheese were added turning supper time soup into the comfort meal it is today. If you’re up for an adventure, read on. 
WISCONSIN BEER CHEESE SOUP 
Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups carrots, chopped 

1 yellow onion, diced

1 rib celery, chopped 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1/4 cup butter 

1/4 cup flour

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon dry mustard 

2 cups light cream or milk, warmed

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

10 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

16 ounces beer

Popcorn for garnish 
Instructions:

In a large skillet, warm olive oil. Add chopped carrots, diced onions, chopped celery, and minced garlic. Sauté until vegetables are tender, approximately 8-10 minutes. In a 4-quart pan, melt butter on low heat. Do not burn. Increase heat to medium-high and sprinkle in flour. Stir constantly while cooking. The flour mixture will turn a light brown. Add red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, sea salt, black pepper, and dry mustard. Mix well. Gradually pour in warmed milk, stirring constantly to avoid lumps or scorching. It will thicken nicely. Add Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Sprinkle in shredded cheese, stirring constantly to melt the cheese. Slowly add beer and bring to a boil. Stir until foam disappears. Reduce heat to low setting. Add vegetable mixture to the cheese soup. Simmer 10 minutes. Serve with popcorn garnish. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter P

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Chow Down: Positively Popular Poutine! While traveling to Canada recently, I was taken aback by a friendly waitress who recommended a very popular dish on the menu made with crispy French fries, fresh cheese curds, and rich brown gravy. She called it Poutine. Like a deer in the headlights, I was completely frozen at the thought. So I shook my head no, thanked her, and ordered my fries plain. By the end of the meal I was convinced I had missed out on something spectacular. Practically every restaurant listed Poutine as their specialty. Some Poutine platters were loaded with bacon, others chunk lobster, beef brisket, jerk chicken, or sautéed veggies. One place even boasted “Award Winning Poutine” and stayed open til 4:00 a.m. just to meet the late-night cravings of college students. Maybe this dish will catch on, after all. 
POSITIVELY POPULAR POUTINE 
Ingredients:

2 pound bag of frozen extra crispy seasoned crinkle fries

Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

2 cups cheddar cheese curds, white and yellow 

1-2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons cornstarch 

1/4 cup cold water

2 cups beef broth 

Fresh parsley to garnish 
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425°. Arrange frozen French fries in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Season with sea salt and black pepper, to taste. For the gravy, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Do not scorch. Whisk together cornstarch and cold water until no lumps remain. Add cornstarch mixture to melted butter, stirring constantly. Gradually add beef broth, continuing to stir until all broth is used. Bring gravy to a boil, as you stir. Allow gravy to boil at least one minute to dissolve thickener. Reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally. Divide the crinkle fries among serving bowls. Cover each bowl with cheese curds. Ladle rich brown gravy over each portion. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve immediately. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter U

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Front-Runner Favs: Underwood Chicken Pâté! Sometimes you need a snack or an appetizer in a pinch for hungry grandkids, neighbors relaxing on the back porch, or late night munchies. A quick solution can be found in the kitchen pantry with premium quality canned meats. Simply add cheese, veggies, and spice for a people-pleasing dip that hits the spot. Adding a side of pepper jelly is a nice compliment to the creamy dip. 
UNDERWOOD CHICKEN PÂTÉ 
Ingredients:

8 ounces Neufchâtel cheese, softened 

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, extra-sharp, finely shredded 

2 tablespoons red onion, diced

1/3 cup celery, chopped

1/8 teaspoon celery seed

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

4.25 ounce can Underwood Chicken Spread

1 sprig of tarragon 

Cilantro for garnish 
Instructions:

In a medium mixing bowl, combine Neufchâtel cheese, cheddar cheese, red onion, chopped celery, celery seed, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Mix well. Fold in Chicken Spread and fresh tarragon leaves. Chill until ready to serve. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with toasted baguette slices or assorted crackers.