chips

OMG Nachos

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Junkie Favorites: OMG Nachos! The first time I heard about putting tator tots on nachos, I thought, “What’s up with that?”.  Curiosity got the better of me. So I tried it and OMG Nachos were born! If you like cheese and potatoes, you’re going to love, love, love this! I pulled it all together in an iron skillet by arranging one layer of corn tortilla chips on the bottom and then around the edge of the pan to form a bowl. Next, I filled it with all the goodies. Fifteen minutes later I was wiping my chin from the incredible taste explosion in my mouth. OMG, you gotta try it. 

OMG NACHOS 

Ingredients:

1/2 bag of tator tots

Corn tortilla chips, café style

1/2 cup black beans, drained

2 tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup jalapeño slices

3 green onions, snipped

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese

4 ounces Havarti cheese

Salsa to taste

Guacamole to taste

Sour cream to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425°. Place tator tots on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes; turn over and bake 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven and set aside. In an iron skillet, place one layer of corn tortilla chips on the bottom of the skillet and then arrange chips around the edge of the pan to form a bowl. Layer remaining ingredients, including tator tots, alternating with cheese. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and dig in. Top with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream to taste. 

Kale Chips

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Take a Seat at the Table: Kale Chips! Mention the word “kale” and you can see the noses wrinkle. But, seriously, if you eat leafy vegetables anyway…what’s the big deal?  I find kale quite versatile. Its rich dark leaves hold up well in salads, pasta dishes, and snacks. Once baked, with the right seasonings, they turn into a spicy guilt-free alternative. 

KALE CHIPS 

Ingredients:

2 cups baby Kale leaves

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/8 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 300°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Break off the stems of the kale leaves and discard. Gently wash each leaf and dry on a paper towel to eliminate all moisture. One by one, using your fingers, rub both sides of each leaf with olive oil. Place the kale on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer without overlapping. Sprinkle with seasoned salt, cayenne pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake 10 minutes longer. The kale leaves will shrink and begin to curl. Do not over-bake! Remove baking sheet from oven and cool for 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately. 

Winterfest Walking Tacos

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Winterfest Walking Tacos! Here’s the perfect “Grab and Go” snack when you’re heading out the door. This time of year towns all over the world celebrate the holiday season with dazzling displays of outdoor Christmas lights. From Santa’s Workshop to high-tech Winter Wonderlands, the animation never stops. Pile the kids on board and have a tailgate party in your car, truck, or SUV. Keep it simple by using plastic picnic tumblers for easy handling. Enjoy a tasty snack while embracing the spirit of the holidays. 

WINTERFEST WALKING TACOS 

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1 package taco seasoning mix

15-ounce can chili beans

10-ounce can tomato bits and sauce 

2 cups shredded romaine

1 cup cheddar cheese, finely shredded 

10-ounce bag of corn chips, slightly crushed

1/3 cup salsa

Instructions:

Brown ground beef in a large skillet. Stir over medium heat until completely cooked. Drain. Add taco seasoning packet, chili beans, tomato bits and sauce. Stir well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until thickened. Stir occasionally. Before serving, assemble corn chips in the bottom of each cup followed by beef mixture and toppings of choice. Eat with a fork.  

Olive Tapenade

What’s cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Olive Tapenade! Here’s a nice prelude to an evening meal. Forego the usual focaccia bread and herbed olive oil for a southern France hors d’oeuvre instead. By using an exotic mixture of olives and spices, it creates a versatile condiment for crackers, bread, cheese, and vegetables. Later on, serve it over pasta or fish as another option. Whatever you choose, seek adventure. You won’t be disappointed in the mellow salty garlic flavor lingering long into the night. 

OLIVE TAPENADE 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup green olives with pimentos 

1/2 cup black olives, pitted 

1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted

2 tablespoons capers

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper 

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients. Pulse in a food processor for several minutes. Scrape sides and repeat. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for one hour. Serve with crusty artisan bread or pita chips. Tastes great spread over cream cheese for party flavor. 

Traditional English Toffee

Eating My Way Through the Holidays. Festive Food Gifts: Traditional English Toffee! So often we have those cherished childhood memories of homemade candy and cookies that accompanied holiday celebrations. They stick with us for life. I can remember being in eighth grade and determined to replicate a batch of my mother’s English Toffee. I waited for her to go into town and then pulled out her secret recipe. You know, the ones scratched on a 3.5”x5” card. More often than not, they showed a list of ingredients with instructions that simply said, “Bake at 350° for 30 minutes”. Let’s face it, that’s pretty vague compared to what we explain nowadays. As you can imagine, I melted the butter along with the brown sugar and stirred. And stirred. And stirred. So how come it wasn’t turning into this crisp crunchy texture of rich golden butter that fueled my addiction? What could I possibly be doing wrong? There was nothing written on the card to correct this runny, gooey mess. Alas, I scraped it all into the trash, washed the pan, and plopped myself at the kitchen table with my Algebra book. She walked in, smiled, and never said a word. 

TRADITIONAL ENGLISH TOFFEE 

Ingredients:

1 cup pecans, chopped 

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

Butter a baking sheet. Spread pecans in a single layer in the center. Heat butter and brown sugar to boiling in a heavy saucepan, stirring constantly. Boil over Medium heat, stirring constantly, for 7 minutes. Immediately spread mixture over pecans on baking sheet. Sprinkle chocolate chips over hot mixture. Place a cookie sheet over pan until chocolate chips are melted. Spread melted chocolate over candy. Refrigerate until firm. Break toffee into pieces. 

Jalapeño Spicy Cheese Dip

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: Jalapeño Spicy Cheese Dip! Some call it Tex-Mex, others call it Queso based on the ancient Aztec civilization. No matter what you call it, melted cheeses in a skillet of herbs and spices, plus a kick of heat can be my dinner any night of the week. Some nights I prefer original corn tortilla chips to scoop up the cheese. And other nights I go for the gold and crave a chili lime seasoned gourmet tortilla chip. Be unique and crank things up or calm things down. It’s all a matter of personal taste, so everyone wins. 

JALAPEÑO SPICY CHEESE DIP 

Ingredients: 

1 cup light cream

3/4 pound white American cheese, finely shredded

1/2 pound fontina cheese, finely shredded

1/4 cup pickled jalapeños, roughly chopped 

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Sliced radishes, for garnish

Jalapeño slices, for garnish

Cilantro, for garnish

Instructions:

In an iron skillet over medium-high heat, warm light cream until bubbles form around the edge. Reduce heat to low setting. Gradually stir in American white cheese and fontina cheese, stirring constantly to make a smooth consistency and avoid burning. Continue stirring until cheeses are melted. Add chopped pickled jalapeños, cumin powder, ground nutmeg, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and black pepper. Place iron skillet in the oven. Broil on High for 3-4 minutes, or until cheese begins to bubble. Remove from oven. Garnish with sliced radishes, sliced jalapeños, and fresh cilantro. Serve with chili lime gourmet tortilla chips. 

Fried Lavash Triangles

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: Fried Lavash Triangles! Lavash, like anything else these days, can often be purchased in the Deli Department of your local supermarket without having to make it at home. Lavash slightly resembles pita bread or flatbread, but much thinner. Different varieties are available including flax, oat bran, and whole wheat. The package I bought contained 4 sheets. Obviously, you can make triangular snack chips or square crispy crackers. Once you try it, you’ll see how versatile lavash really is. Crunch-time is back to Munch-time. 

FRIED LAVASH TRIANGLES

Ingredients:

2 sheets of lavash bread

1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon tajin seasoning

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 200°. Set aside a baking sheet. Warm vegetable oil in an iron skillet over medium-low heat. Brush the top of each sheet of lavash bread with olive oil. Sprinkle with tajin seasoning and sea salt. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper powder, to taste. Using a kitchen shears, cut lavash bread into triangles of desired size for snack chips. Place a single layer of triangles in the iron skillet. Watch closely. Using a tongs, flip over to fry both sides. When slightly golden, transfer the fried lavash triangles to the baking sheet, still forming a single layer. Repeat frying process until all chips are fried. Place baking sheet in the oven for about 5-6 minutes. Remove and let cool. This turns the chips crispier and adds more crunch. Serve with tzatziki dip.

Asparagus Guacamole

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: Asparagus Guacamole! Before you panic, this recipe still contains avocados. I say that because the end result is as creamy as the original guac, just elevated. With the addition of asparagus and tomatoes, it becomes savory with earthy undertones. By keeping it chunky, each dollop clings to the tortilla chip creating a rewarding mouthful. Still curious? Make a batch yourself. 

ASPARAGUS GUACAMOLE

Ingredients:

1/2 pound asparagus, lightly steamed and chopped

2 small avocados, skin and pit removed

2 teaspoons lime juice, freshly squeezed

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 clove garlic, minced

I large tomato, chopped

Cilantro, for garnish

Instructions:

In a food processor, combine steamed asparagus, avocados, lime juice, sea salt, and minced garlic. Blend until almost smooth, leaving the mixture slightly chunky. Fold in chopped tomatoes. Transfer asparagus guacamole to a serving bowl. Garnish with fresh cilantro. 

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.