cheese

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter W

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Wholesome Waffle BBLT! You’ve never tried a waffle sandwich before? Me, either. Since I had some Belgian waffles in the freezer from the last time we pulled out the waffle iron, I thought today would be a great day to transform a classic BLT sandwich into something wonderful. The waffle dough keeps the sandwich soft and chewy, rounding off and eliminating the sharp edges of toast. The extra B, you ask? It’s for the subtle hint of bleu cheese; Bacon-Bleu-Lettuce-Tomato!

WHOLESOME WAFFLE BBLT

Ingredients:

1 Belgian waffle, quartered

6 slices black pepper bacon, cooked crisp

Romaine lettuce leaves

Sliced tomatoes

1 tablespoon Bleu cheese, crumbled

1 tablespoon Greek yogurt

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

Instructions:

Warm waffle wedges on low heat in a skillet brushed with a little butter. Do not let burn. Remove from heat. In a small bowl mix mayonnaise, yogurt, and Bleu cheese crumbles. To assemble sandwich, spread the mayonnaise blend on one waffle. Next, layer tomato, lettuce, and bacon. Top with another waffle. Secure the stack with a toothpick.

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter T

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Tiki Tacos! There was a time I could eat a dozen tacos at one sitting. Seriously. I was 20 years old, working two full time jobs and rode my bicycle everywhere! Nowadays, I show a little more restraint and stop after two tacos. But it’s still one of my favorite meals. Sometimes I use corn tortilla shells and other times I use flour. The shell determines which spices to use. Today it’s flour tortillas.

TIKI TACOS

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

8 flour tortillas

1/4 cup butter, melted

Lettuce, torn

Tomato, chopped

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1/4 cup jalapeño peppers, sliced

1/2 cup prepared salsa

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium skillet, brown ground beef. Drain. Stir in garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Brush one side of tortillas with butter. Spoon about 1/4 cup of meat mixture onto center of unbuttered sides. Fold in half; place on a baking sheet. Repeat until all tortillas are filled and meat is distributed evenly between them. Bake in the oven about 15 minutes or until tortilla shells are crisp. Remove from oven and serve with lettuce, tomato, and cheese. Spoon salsa over too and garnish with jalapeño pepper slices.

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!

Dining Outside the Home: Chip-Wrecked Da Kine Nachos in Poipu, Kauai

Dining Outside the Home: Chip-Wrecked Da Kine Nachos in Poipu, Kauai! Ever wonder why we love nachos so much? Might it be the crunch of crispy tortilla chips smothered in a lava flow of melted cheese? Or possibly the mountain of tender spicy meat engulfed in shredded veggies and fresh fruit? Chip Wrecked takes you on a voyage for your bellies. Their secret? I’m told it’s the homemade flour tortilla chips individually dipped into a vat of five gooey cheeses to give your tastebuds explosive flavor in every bite. After all, naked chips are pretty dull. Check out the Black Pearl, Castaway, S.S. Minnow, Hurricane, or Mermaid with Avocado. Aargh! Be brave, mate! Add on the Lilikoi Passion Fruit Habanero sauce for good measure. It’ll make a landlubber out of you!

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.

Dining Outside the Home: Kickshaws Food Truck in Lawai, Kauai

Dining Outside the Home: Kickshaws Food Truck in Lawai, Kauai. Here’s something you don’t see everyday. It’s a gastronomic kitchen on wheels steered by owner, Seth Peterson. Like a mad scientist at home in a laboratory, Seth produces extraordinary food combinations paired with unusual techniques. The results are strangely delicious. The top-seller, hands down, speaks for itself. 100% Awesome Burger is made with 80% fresh ground chuck steak and 20% ground bacon. Then it’s topped with crispy bacon, a pineapple-black pepper-onion marmalade, cheddar cheese, fresh arugula, and garden tomato. Are you getting the picture? The finishing touch is a torta roll slathered with mayonnaise. Definitely a two-handed burger! One night recently, I ordered it while enjoying a high-quality craft brew at the Kauai Beer Company. Try not to stare.

Dining Outside the Home: Pomodoro Italiano Food Truck in Lihue, Kauai

Dining Outside the Home: Pomodoro Italiano Food Truck in Lihue, Kauai! What does a retired couple do after a long and successful career as owners of an authentic Italian restaurant? They take a deep breath, get a second wind, and open a food truck under the same name. Simply because Tony and Geri are Italian to the core. They love to cook, which means sharing their heritage with others. Try the House Special featuring an unbelievable Lasagna. The layers of gooey cheese and fresh herbs are enough to make your eyes roll back. The savory marinara sauce slathered over Italian sausage on a bed of spaghetti is simply delish. Twirl your fork around that. Are you getting hungry? No worries. The menu will have you already planning a return visit to try something else. Grazie, grazie molto!

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter K

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Kolachy Wedding Cookies! The beauty of this wedding delicacy, popular in Central Europe, transforms every bite into a puff of pastry. Taste the splendor. Choose one or more of your favorite fruit toppings, sprinkle with a few chocolate morsels, and let the celebration begin! I made mine into Cherry Chocolate Chip Kolachys!

KOLACHY WEDDING COOKIES

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

1 8-ounce package Neufchâtel cheese

1 tablespoon milk

1 tablespoon sugar

1 egg yolk, beaten

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 can pie filling, any flavor

1/2 cups semi-sweet mini chocolate morsels

Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions:

Cream together butter, Neufchâtel cheese, milk, and sugar. Add beaten egg yolk. Sift together flour and baking powder. Add to the creamed mixture and blend well. Refrigerate until the dough is thoroughly chilled (4 hours or overnight). Preheat oven to 400°. Roll out dough to 1/4″ thick on well-floured board. Cut with a 2″ round cookie cutter, or small glass. Place cut-outs on an ungreased cookie sheet. Make a depression with the back of a spoon in the center of each round. Fill the center with a dollop of fruit filling. Sprinkle chocolate morsels on top. Bake 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter J

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Jarlsburg Grilled Cheese! This is a perfect fusion of buttery, crisp, lightly salted Swiss-style cheese and dense artisan bread. Grilling at the correct temperature is crucial. It will result in a golden-brown crunch followed by a warm flow of oozing cheese with a sweet-tangy finish. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? It really is!

Ingredients:

8 ounces of Jarlsburg cheese, grated

4 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons red onion, chopped

Artisan bread of choice, sliced (sesame bread is pictured)

Salted Butter for browning

Instructions:

Combine cheese, mayonnaise, and red onion in a medium bowl. Mix well. Refrigerate in a covered container for one hour. Slowly melt a dab of butter in the skillet over medium-low heat before adding the bread. Do not let the butter burn. If you brown the bread on both sides first, it will hasten the melting process of the cheese inside. Once the bread is browned on both sides, spread a spoonful of the Jarlsburg cheese mixture over one piece of bread and then place the other slice on top of the sandwich. Apply light pressure being careful not to squeeze the filling out onto the pan. Swirl the sandwich to get a nice brown color, about 2 minutes. Gently flip and repeat. Serve immediately.