garlic

Wicked Hot Wings and Drummies

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Wicked Hot Wings and Drummies!  Get set for an explosion of hot jerk sauce slathered over fork-tender chicken slowly cooked all afternoon. These “fall off the bone” juicy morsels will have you smacking your lips and wiping your chin. A side dish of chunky Bleu cheese dressing snuffs out the fire and tramples the heat. Keep stalks of celery handy and you’ll find yourself wondering how you finished the entire platter. 

WICKED HOT WINGS AND DRUMMIES 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Jazzy Jerk Sauce**

1/2 cup butter

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons oregano

2 teaspoons onion powder 

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1/2 cup ginger beer

1 1/2 pounds chicken wings and drummies

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Instructions:

Mix together habanero sauce, butter, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, onion powder, and garlic powder. Bring sauce to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer on low for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup ginger beer. Stir to blend. Place chicken wings and drummies in a crockpot. Cover all with sauce. Cook on High setting for 2 hours. Reduce temperature to Low setting and cook 2 1/2 hours longer. Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with foil. Spray with nonstick oil. Place wings and drummies on foil. Baste tops with sauce. Bake 15 minutes. Turn with tongs, baste, and bake 15 minutes longer. Serve with additional sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds. Serving suggestion: Celery sticks and chunky Bleu cheese dressing. 

*The Jazzy Jerk habanero sauce may be substituted for another hot pepper sauce. 

**Jazzy Jerk Sauce recipe may be found by clicking on the link below. 

https://snapshotsincursive.com/2015/10/15

Vegetarian Bruschetta

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Vegetarian Bruschetta! There’s something about sharing an appetizer for dinner. It feels sinful and tastes shamefully delicious. The rustic combination of artisan bread, savory veggies, and warm cheese conjure up images of the Italian landscape. Transcend yourself to a country villa in the hills of Tuscany. Lend a little romance to dinner with finger food that melts in your mouth with a slightly salty finish. 

VEGETARIAN BRUSCHETTA 

Ingredients:

1 baguette, sliced horizontal 

1/2 cup olive oil

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon marjoram

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper 

12-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

1 cup mozzarella cheese

2 green onions, snipped

1 tablespoon pimento, chopped

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Slice baguette horizontally and place open face on baking sheet. Spread olive oil on top of baguette. Sprinkle with garlic powder, marjoram, salt, and pepper. Drain artichoke hearts, reserving liquid. Cut artichokes into bite size pieces and add back into the liquid. Add mushrooms to liquid. Mix well to coat. Divide artichoke/mushroom mixture between the baguette halves. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and bread is crunchy. Cut into diagonal slices. Garnish with green onion and pimento. 

Salad and Slice

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Salad and Slice! Now here’s a perfect combo that won’t set you back on the calorie-counter scale. One slice of pizza with a garden salad is a deliciously satisfying portion any time of day or night. Add a Greek peperoncino and a couple of olives for that burst of flavor and you’ll be patting yourself on the back for stirring up that wall of will power. Who says you can’t have your cake (or pizza) and eat it, too?

SALAD AND SLICE

Ingredients Single Serving Pizza: 

1/2 cup bread flour

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 cup warm water

Pinch salt

Toppings of your choice

Instructions:

Get the oven warm and then turn it off. This helps the dough to rise. Combine flour, yeast, olive oil, and sugar. Gradually add the warm water and stir. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Knead the dough on a floured surface until it forms a ball. Place the ball in a bowl, cover it loosely with plastic wrap and set it in the warm oven for 30 minutes. It will double in size. Remove from oven, flatten to the size of a plate, and add sauce and desired toppings. Bake on a pizza stone in a 400° oven for 12-15 minutes. Cut into 4 pieces for now and later. 

Ingredients for Garden Salad:

1-2 Romaine leaves, gently torn

2 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese

2-3 crunchy croutons

Garlic Vinegar and Olive Oil, salad dressing

Instructions:

Mix together and serve. 

Jazzy Jerk Sauce

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Jazzy Jerk Sauce! Get fired up as you crank up the heat with this homemade habanero pepper sauce. Choose those festive little lantern-shaped peppers from the local market or nearby health food resource, don a pair of vinyl gloves, and fill your kitchen with aromas from the Caribbean Islands. As it cooks, let your imagination run wild for the condiment that sends the temperature rising!

JAZZY JERK SAUCE

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 sweet onion, diced

1 cup baby carrots, chopped

2 cups water

10-12 habanero peppers, seeded and finely chopped

3 tablespoons orange juice

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions:

In a medium sauce pan, sauté garlic in olive oil. Add onion, carrots, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until carrots are soft. Remove from heat. Add habanero peppers, orange juice, vinegar, and sea salt. Transfer to a blender and purée until smooth. Pour into a jar and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. 

*Serving suggestion: Wicked Hot Wings and Drummies!

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. 

Garlic Butter Mussels

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Garlic Butter Mussels! One of the best ways to experience new foods is to be adventurous at your nearby market. By trying a quality product there first, you can decide if you might want to step out and either order it at a restaurant or perhaps, attempt to make it at home from scratch. That’s exactly what I did with this version of mussels. By making subtle changes that appeal to my palate, it turned my kitchen into a gourmet restaurant. Picture this, my husband was drawn indoors by the enticing aromas of garlic and seafood. I literally stood there at the stove in my bare feet feeding him fingertip morsels of aromatic mussels and herb-infused vermicelli. Talk about romantic!!!

GARLIC BUTTER MUSSELS

Ingredients:

16-ounce package mussels in garlic sauce, frozen*

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons white wine

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

4 ounces vermicelli 

Sea salt to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon capers

1/8 teaspoon basil

1/8 teaspoon marjoram

1/8 teaspoon parsley

Instructions:

Empty contents of mussels pouch into a deep saucepan and cover. Heat on high for 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add butter, white wine, and garlic to increase juice. Meanwhile, cook vermicelli according to package directions. Drain. Return to pan. Add sea salt, olive oil, capers, basil, marjoram, and parsley. Mix well. Transfer vermicelli to individual serving pieces. Split mussels between them. (Serve in the shell.) Drizzle garlic butter wine sauce over all. Serve with crusty bread for dipping in juices. 

*The rule of thumb for serving mussels is ALWAYS ensure mussel shells are fully opened before serving. 

Yam Sticks

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: Yam Sticks! Here is a nice alternative when craving French fries. Substitute the Idaho potatoes for yams and bake them instead of frying. You’ll feel better about making a healthy choice while mixing up the menu a bit. Give your taste buds a real surprise as you go from hum-drum to WOW!

YAM STICKS

Ingredients:

6 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into sticks

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425°. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well until yam sticks are evenly coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for one hour. Meanwhile, place a baking sheet in the oven so it is already hot before adding the yams. Being careful when removing it from the oven, lightly spray the baking sheet with non-stick oil. Spread yam sticks into single layer. They crisp up better when they’re not touching. Bake about 40 minutes or until tender and slightly browned. Turn halfway through baking, using kitchen tongs. Serve immediately. 

Viva Poblano

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: Viva Poblano! How can such small pepper plants produce so many poblanos?  When it rains, it pours!  It seems as though we have peppers coming out of our ears: jalapeño peppers, Marconi sweet peppers, poblano peppers, bell peppers, and finally habanero peppers. I have roasted, baked, dried, and pickled peppers in all sorts of delicious ways. Today’s dish is a Mexican specialty that showcases the smoky taste of poblanos. It’s a meal in itself. To tone down the heat, always add cheese. Permission granted. 

VIVA POBLANO 

Ingredients:

4 large poblano chiles, roasted, halved, seeded, skins removed

1/4 cup onion, diced

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 pound ground beef

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions. Add ground beef, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook until meat is completely brown and crumbly. Remove from heat. Spray four individual casserole dishes with nonstick oil. Place one poblano pepper in the bottom of each dish, laying the split pepper open to fill the dish. Cover the pepper with Monterey Jack cheese. Add a layer of seasoned ground beef mixture. Finally top with cheddar cheese. Spray aluminum foil with nonstick oil. Cover each casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 minutes longer. Serve with chips and salsa. 

Holy Capers—Salmon Avocado Toast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: Holy Capers-Salmon Avocado Toast! Whenever I have leftover grilled salmon, this is my favorite indulgence. The first time I made it, my husband and I literally stood at the kitchen counter nibbling on it until it was completely gone. Each morsel had us licking our fingers and begging for more. The combination of lemon thyme and salty capers balance the slightly smoky texture of the salmon. It’s followed by a crunch of sesame seed artisan toast with a creamy avocado finish. If you take the time to sit down and enjoy this delightful open-face sandwich, think about pairing it with a light and fruity rosé wine. It’ll tickle your palate and have you giggling all afternoon or evening long. 

HOLY CAPERS—SALMON AVOCADO TOAST

Ingredients:

6 ounces of grilled salmon fillet, flaked 

Sprigs of fresh lemon thyme

2 teaspoons imported capers, non-pareil 

2 slices of sesame artisan bread, toasted

1 small avocado, mashed

1 small tomatillo, diced

Pinch of garlic powder 

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions:

Make sure the grilled salmon fillet is flaked. Set aside. Combine the mashed avocado, diced tomatillos, garlic powder, and lemon juice in a bowl. Blend well. To assemble the open-face sandwich, place the toasted artisan sesame slice on a luncheon plate. Next spoon avocado mixture over top. Layer flaked salmon over all. Sprinkle with capers and garnish with lemon thyme.