cheese

Deep Dish Chicken Salad

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. 

Avocado On My Mind

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Avocado on My Mind! Watermelon and avocado, when mixed together, have a uniquely gratifying flavor.  Surprised?  It’s as refreshing as a walk in the park. Not only is this salad appealing to the eye, it’s easy on the wallet. These two fruits are affordable, low in calories, and can be eaten often since they are packed with nutrients. Permission granted. 

AVOCADO ON MY MIND

Ingredients:

1 ripe avocado 

1 wedge watermelon, seedless

1/2 lime, sliced

1 tablespoon feta cheese, crumbled

1 sprig cilantro 

Instructions:

Open the avocado, discarding seed. Remove pulp. Squeeze lime juice over both halves to prevent discoloration. Chop avocado into pieces and place into a medium-sized bowl. Using a melon-ball utensil, scoop the watermelon into round pieces. Discard rind. Add watermelon balls to bowl, tossing gently. Sprinkle feta cheese over top. Snip cilantro to taste. Garnish with lime slices. 

Yukon Cheesy Potatoes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Cut Above: Yukon Cheesy Potatoes! Before you stand in judgment over me, let me first say that a cheese-flavored product with outstanding melting capabilities is the reason I keep this item around. And I happen to know that popular restaurants also use it in combination with shredded cheddar cheese for amazing results. When I was growing up, it became associated with comfort food, like macaroni and cheese. It also melts wonderfully in homemade soups, dips, and queso. 

YUKON CHEESY POTATOES

Ingredients: 

24 ounce bag of Yukon Gold baby potatoes, skin on

1 pound package pasteurized prepared cheese product 

1 cup milk

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 green pepper, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 small jar pimentos 

Instructions: 

Place potatoes in a 4-quart pan with enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 20 minutes; drain. Allow to cool slightly. Cut potatoes in half. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine cheese product, milk, and cheddar cheese. Microwave on 50% for five minutes. Stir and repeat until a smooth creamy consistency is obtained. Add chopped green pepper, chopped onion, and chopped pimentos. Mix until combined. In a 9”x13” baking dish sprayed with nonstick oil, arrange the cooked potatoes. Pour the cheese mixture over the potatoes. Gently stir to coat all the potatoes. Bake in a 350° oven for one hour. Serve warm. 

Whipped Feta Rice Cake

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Cut Above: Whipped Feta Rice Cake! Every once in a while a craving for a rice cake enters my mind. Sure, I realize they are basically like eating fat-free air pockets with a satisfying crunch, so I can somewhat rationalize this temptation now and then by adding delicious toppings. Feta cheese, when whipped into submission becomes smooth, rich, and creamy. Lemon adds a refreshing zing, which goes well with pitas and veggies like my favorite, cherry tomatoes. Feel free to add fresh herbs or dried peppers. There’s really no limit to what you can do. 

WHIPPED FETA RICE CAKE

Ingredients: 

8 ounces Neufchâtel cheese, room temperature 

8 ounces feta cheese

1/4 cup water

2 1/2 tablespoons natural honey

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 lemon, zested

5.5 ounce package plain rice cakes

8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved

Micro greens, for garnish

Instructions: 

In a food processor, combine Neufchâtel cheese, feta cheese, water, natural honey, black pepper, sea salt, and lemon zest. Blend until mixture is smooth and creamy. Spread the whipped feta onto a plain rice cake. Spoon the cherry tomatoes over the top. Garnish with micro greens. Repeat assembly steps for number of servings needed. Enjoy! 

Sausage Cheddar Balls

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Cut Above: Sausage Cheddar Balls! Finger foods make the best snacks and appetizers. I could tell you I’ve made this recipe for over 40 years, but then I’d sound like one of those old lady-friends your grandma used to talk about. Granted, over the years, I have tweaked the recipe by adding the herbs and seasonings. The original recipe only required the first three ingredients. Personally, I choose to add a little spice to my life. You decide which way you prefer. They do seem to disappear in a flash……kinda like Time Travel…..one minute you’re here, the next you’re not. 

SAUSAGE CHEDDAR BALLS

Ingredients: 

1 pound ground pork sausage

2 cups biscuit baking mix

1 pound extra-sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic herb seasoning

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon fennel seed

Ranch dressing, for dipping

Green onion snips, for garnish

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 350°. Set aside a nonstick baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine bulk sausage and biscuit mix. Blend together with your hands until the two form a good dough. Add finely shredded cheddar cheese. Mix until fully incorporated. Add seasoned salt, garlic herb seasoning, red pepper flakes, and fennel seed. Mix well. Scoop the dough into tablespoons, roll, and form 30-36 walnut-size balls. Arrange them on the baking sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes or until the sausage is cooked and the sausage cheddar balls are golden brown. Offer ranch dressing, for dipping. Garnish with green onion snips. Serve warm. 

Quesabirria Tacos

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Cut Above: Quesabirria Tacos! One of the advantages of living in Florida is the convenience of a year-round food truck park located along a scenic waterway. It attracts a plethora of local vendors intertwining their cultural and generational street foods that offer appealing taste opportunities for locals, tourists, and foodie enthusiasts alike. You’ll see everything from gourmet lobster rolls, decadent desserts, fresh seafood, authentic gyros, sesame tofu, elote fritters, thirst-quenching cocktails at the waterfront bar, and more. When my son visited me recently, he suggested we go check it out. It was there he introduced me to my first taste of Quesabirria Tacos. It was love at first bite. What better way to kick back, bask in the tropical breezes, enjoy the live music, and catch up on each other’s lives. Well done, Son. 

QUESABIRRIA TACOS

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 pounds boneless chuck roast, cut into chunks

1 tablespoon olive oil 

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 small onion, quartered

2 guajillo chiles 

1 ancho chile, dried

1 Roma tomato, quartered

2 cloves garlic 

1 cinnamon stick

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/8 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 cup beef broth

12 corn tortilla shells

2 cups Mexican cheese blend, shredded

Cilantro, for garnish 

Green onions, chopped, for garnish 

Instructions: 

Place a Dutch oven on the stove over medium-high heat. Warm the olive oil. When it is hot, season the beef with salt and pepper. Add beef chunks to the pan and sear all sides, turning as needed. Add half the onions and cook 2 minutes longer. Remove pan from heat. Remove and discard the stems and seeds from the guajillo peppers and ancho chile pepper. In a medium pot, combine the chiles, tomatoes, remaining onions, garlic cloves, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf. Add 2 cups water to cover all ingredients. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat; turn heat down to simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Add oregano, cumin powder, and thyme. Simmer for 10 minutes longer. Pour the mixture into a strainer over a bowl. Remove cinnamon stick and bay leaf; discard. Transfer the solids to a blender, adding the beef broth, and purée until smooth. Return the beef mixture to the burner on medium-high heat. Pour the blended vegetables over the beef. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat, cover pan and cook for 2 1/2 hours, or until beef is soft and tender. Once the beef is completely cooked, using tongs, take the beef out of the sauce. Use two forks to shred the cooked meat. Set aside. To assemble the tacos, warm a skillet over medium-high heat. Dip one corn tortilla into the sauce to coat both sides. Place the dipped tortilla onto the skillet. Top with shredded beef and Mexican cheese blend. Fold over the tortilla; frying it for one minute per side until crispy. Transfer Quesabirria taco to a baking sheet. Repeat process until all corn tortillas are assembled. Keep warm in a 250° oven. When ready to eat, ladle birria sauce into individual bowls. Garnish with fresh cilantro and chopped green onions. To eat, dip each taco into the seasoned broth. Enjoy!

Prosciutto-Wrapped Smokies

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Cut Above: Prosciutto-Wrapped Smokies! I guess by now you realize I can graze through a meal by nibbling on this or that. I decided I prefer to eat small amounts of food rather than a full-blown plate of stuff. It works well to keep my digestive issues in check as well as controlling excessive weight gain. I also noticed my energy level remains consistent as long as I practice mindful eating habits. Willpower is my companion because, after all, at my age I’m now viewed as elderly. It’s okay, you can laugh. I do it every time I say it. 

PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED SMOKIES

Ingredients: 

12 mini peppers, assorted

1-1 1/2 cups chihuahua cheese, shredded

12 little smokie cocktail links

12 strips prosciutto, thinly sliced 

Italian herbs, for garnish

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick oil. Set aside. Cut a horizontal opening in the mini peppers; remove seeds and membranes. Fill each pepper well with shredded chihuahua cheese. Pierce each little smokie link before placing over the cheese-filled pepper. Wrap a strip of prosciutto around each filled pepper, finishing with the prosciutto end on the bottom to seal. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all peppers are filled and wrapped. Bake 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the prosciutto is crispy. Serve sprinkled with Italian herbs. 

New England Soup Pasta

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Cut Above: New England Soup Pasta! I just want to put this out there…..I’m a very forgiving person. That being said, IF you are in a crunch for time, and IF you have a favorite brand of New England Clam Chowder, I promise to look the other way for you to use a store-bought version of soup in lieu of making it from scratch. No judgment. Then proceed with the shell pasta portion for a fabulous meal that may cause you to scratch your head and mumble, “Why have I never thought of this amazing meal before?” See? Forgiven. 

NEW ENGLAND SOUP PASTA

Ingredients: 

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon flour

6.5 ounce minced clams, canned

8 ounce bottled clam juice

8 ounce package, shell pasta, small size 

1 Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced

1 rib celery, diced

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 cup light cream

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

Crumbled bacon, for garnish

Fresh tarragon, for garnish

Instructions: 

Warm butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and kosher salt. Cook and stir until onions soften and turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour; cook and stir until it turns into a roux. Drain clams, reserving the juice. Set aside the clams. Pour reserve clam juice and bottled clam juice into the skillet. Whisk to scrape bits from the bottom of the skillet. Raise heat to medium-high, then reduce to a simmer. While the clam sauce is thickening, cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add shell pasta. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta Al dente, approximately 7-8 minutes. Meanwhile, add diced potatoes, diced celery, and cayenne pepper to the simmering clam sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the reserved clams, light cream, and I tablespoon olive oil. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Fold in grated Parmesan cheese. Drain pasta; ladle into individual serving bowls. Top with clam sauce-soup. Garnish with crumbled bacon and fresh tarragon. Serve warm. 

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.