grilled

Zia Marianna’s Grilled Peppers

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Cheerful Choices: Zia Marianna’s Grilled Peppers! Did you know there are three ways to roast peppers? You can use a grill pan over a burner flame, a broiler for fast charring, or roast them in the oven. The results are amazing, compared to raw peppers sliced into a salad. The incredible flavor is so smoky and sweet you may wonder why you don’t take the time more often. Pay attention to your taste buds! This is how we add depth to any dish, I promise you that.

ZIA MARIANNA’S GRILLED PEPPERS

Ingredients:

10 mini sweet peppers, mix of red and orange

5 cloves garlic

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Celery leaves

Instructions:

Heat a grill pan on high heat until hot. Rinse the mini sweet peppers and garlic cloves; pat dry. Place the whole peppers and garlic cloves onto the grill pan, charring the skin completely on all sides until black on the outside and soft on the inside, 5-8 minutes per side. Remove and discard charred skin of peppers, seeds, and stems. Cut the peppers into thin slices about 1/4” thick. Transfer the charred pepper slices and garlic cloves into a container with a lid. Slightly wilt celery leaves on grill pan. Add to pepper mixture. Drizzle with vegetable oil. Add the seasoned salt and cracked black pepper. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Warm slightly before serving.

Xtra Tender Grilled Radishes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Cheerful Choices: Xtra Tender Grilled Radishes! If you’ve avoided radishes because of their bitter earthy taste when eaten raw, perhaps it’s time to give them another chance. Keep in mind radishes are simply a root vegetable, no different than a potato or turnip. Once they are cooked, a natural sweetness emerges. Surprise! The slightly crisp outer core reveals a nice soft middle that makes your mouth go “Mmmm.”

XTRA TENDER GRILLED RADISHES

Ingredients:

4 cups radishes, stems removed and halved lengthwise

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic and herb seasoning

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

Warm an iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Toss the radishes in olive oil to coat. Sprinkle with garlic and herb seasoning. Reduce the heat to medium. Place the radishes, cut side down, on the iron skillet. Sear the radishes for 3-4 minutes per side. They will start to soften without losing their crunch. Remove pan from heat. Drizzle the radishes with melted butter. Sprinkle with chopped thyme leaves, sea salt, and black pepper. Serve immediately.

Wagyu Gourmet Hot Dogs

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Stir. Spread. Flip. Repeat: Wagyu Gourmet Hot Dogs! The buzz word among steak aficionados is “Wagyu”, which is basically premium quality highly marbled beef that comes from Japanese cattle. American Wagyu is a crossbred mix of angus beef as well as a variety of wagyu. It’s not as pricey as Japanese Wagyu or Kobe beef. Either way you spin it, the rich, buttery taste practically melts in your mouth at first bite. Granted, it’s not an everyday menu item, but on occasion it is certainly worth the extravagance.

WAGYU GOURMET HOT DOGS

Ingredients:

8 wagyu beef franks

3 tablespoons salted butter

8 brioche top-slit hot dog buns

Instructions:

Preheat the grill to 400°. Arrange Wagyu beef hot dogs directly on the grill grates. Close lid. Cook for 3 minutes; turn and repeat until the internal temperature is 150°. Set aside. Turn the grill off. Brush the inside of the brioche buns with salted butter. Put buns on the grill shelf to gently warm and toast. Serve immediately.

Salami-Wrapped Grilled Asparagus

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Stir. Spread. Flip. Repeat: Salami-Wrapped Grilled Asparagus! Whether it’s a snack, appetizer, or side dish you’re needing, think salami. It can be a little savory, smoky, or spicy, depending on the variety. Forget the idea that salami is only served on deli sandwiches. This recipe proves it can be more by adding zing to asparagus.

SALAMI-WRAPPED GRILLED ASPARAGUS

Ingredients:

1 pound asparagus, washed and patted dry

1/2 pound salami, sliced thin

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons everything but bagel seasoning

Instructions:

Preheat the gas grill to 400°. Spray a grill pan with nonstick oil. Set aside. Use a knife to trim the woody ends of the asparagus stalks. Discard the ends. Wrap one piece of salami around the center of each asparagus spear. Repeat until all asparagus is used. Arrange spears in the prepared grill pan. Using a silicone brush, coat the asparagus with olive oil. Sprinkle with everything but bagel seasoning. Place grill pan onto the preheated grill. Close lid and cook for 4 minutes; turn with tongs for even grill marks. Close lid and cook 4 minutes longer, or until the spears are tender and salami is crisp. Transfer to a platter and serve warm.

Italian Herb Grilled Corn

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Stir. Spread. Flip. Repeat: Italian Herb Grilled Corn! Get fired up about charred corn on the cob. By closing the lid of the grill, the corn gets slightly charred with a pleasant smoky flavor. The natural sweetness becomes an invitation to bump things up with seasoned butter…because we all know, it’s about the luscious creamy butter.

ITALIAN HERB GRILLED CORN

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon Italian herbs

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 tablespoons butter, room temperature

4 ears corn, husked

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

Preheat gas grill to 400°. Whisk together Italian herbs, red pepper flakes, and 4 tablespoons butter. Set side. Rub olive oil on the four ears of corn. Sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Place the prepared corn directly on the grill grates. Close lid. Cook 10 minutes until tender and slightly charred, turning 4 times during cooking. Remove corn from grill and allow to cool slightly before slathering with Italian herb butter mixture. Serve.

Halibut Grilled to Perfection

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Stir. Spread. Flip. Repeat: Halibut Grilled to Perfection! An outdoor kitchen sure makes my life easier. I had no idea how much I would appreciate the convenience, entertainment value, and dining alfresco by the pool. What a backdrop for casual conversation and cherished memories. I’m still learning to be a seasoned “grillmaster”, but then again, that’s the fun of cooking.

HALIBUT GRILLED TO PERFECTION

Ingredients:

2 fresh halibut fillets

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/8 teaspoon dried dill

Lemon wedges, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. While the grill is heating, squeeze lemon juice over halibut fillets. Brush with olive oil. Season with garlic powder, sea salt, cracked black pepper, and dried dill. Once the grill is hot, spray the grill grates with nonstick oil. Place the fillets on the grill. Close the lid; cook for 5 minutes. Then flip fish fillets over and cook 5 minutes longer. Close lid. The internal temperature should be 145°. Remove the fillets from the grill and serve. Garnish with lemon wedges.

Edamame Chicken Breast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Stir. Spread. Flip. Repeat: Edamame Chicken Breast! If it is time to make a few minor adjustments to your dietary needs, think edamame. These little green cousins of the pea are high in essential vitamins, minerals, and slightly nutty. Their subtle sweet flavor offers a freshness that can add depth to any meal. Anyone looking for a meatless option can double the portion of edamame and skip the chicken. I believe everything is good in moderation.

EDAMAME CHICKEN BREAST

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons garlic wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon za’atar seasoning

1/4 red onion, sliced

1 cup edamame, steamed

1/4 cup radish slices

Green onion curls, for garnish

Instructions:

Place chicken breasts in a single layered shallow dish. Combine olive oil, garlic wine vinegar, and za’atar seasoning. Mix well. Pour over chicken breasts. Cover; Marinate in the refrigerator for one hour. Preheat gas grill to 400°. Oil the grates to keep the chicken from sticking. Place the marinated chicken on the preheated grill. Discard marinade. Close the grill lid. Cook 6-8 minutes, then flip the chicken with grill tongs. Close lid and cook 6-8 minutes longer, or until the internal temperature of the chicken breast is 165°. Transfer chicken to a platter; allow to rest before cutting. Meanwhile, place edamame in a microwave-safe dish with 2 tablespoons water. Cover. Microwave on High for 3 minutes. Drain. Sprinkle with flaked sea salt. Divide edamame onto two dinner plates. Place a chicken breast over top. Add sliced red onions and sliced radishes. Garnish with green onion curls. Serve.

Spinach Ricotta Flatbread

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Country Casual Cravings: Spinach Ricotta Flatbread! Savory flatbreads have to be on my Top 10 list of foods to make. Growing up as a child of the ‘60s, Sunday nights were the night for pizza. Because my mother cooked well-balanced meals all week, she boldly declared Sundays “Pizza Night”. Back then it still meant she made homemade pizza because we lived in the country and, to my knowledge, there was no such thing as pizza delivery. Years later, while raising my own children, I adopted her “modus operandi” and to this day I still honor it. Sometimes I make the dough from scratch, and other times I take a shortcut by using prepackaged flatbreads found in the bakery department of the grocery store. The toppings change according to the mood of the day and the ingredients in the kitchen. So far, no complaints from the husb.

SPINACH RICOTTA FLATBREAD

Ingredients:

1 flatbread, prepackaged

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon cornmeal

1/2 cup marinara sauce

3/4 cup ricotta

1 cup grilled chicken, precooked and cubed

1 cup baby spinach leaves, stems trimmed

1/3 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush both sides of flatbread with olive oil. Sprinkle bottom side with cornmeal. Place flatbread, bottom side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Spread marinara sauce evenly over top of flatbread. Place dollops of ricotta cheese over marinara sauce, leaving 1/2” perimeter around the edge. Arrange grilled chicken and baby spinach leaves as the next layer. Sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan cheeses over top. Garnish with dried oregano and red pepper flakes. Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and slightly gooey. Remove flatbread from oven. Allow to cool for 2 minutes before cutting into slices. Serve warm with extra marinara sauce for dipping.

Kielbasa Grilled Romaine

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Here Come the Holidays: Kielbasa Grilled Romaine! When the sun comes out and the wind dies down, it’s not unusual to see Northerners uncover the gas grill for a momentary glimpse of Summer. Everyone needs a reprieve from the winter doldrums, right? Nothing works better than a protein-rich complex carbohydrate meal, in my opinion. And grilled foods definitely lift the mood like a breath of fresh air. Sound painless? It pretty much is. Even the birds are chirping louder than usual.

KIELBASA GRILLED ROMAINE

Ingredients:

1 pound kielbasa sausage link

2 romaine hearts

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic and herb seasoning

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

4 ounces parmesan cheese, crumbled

Instructions:

Remove kielbasa sausage link from package. Rinse and pat dry. Transfer to a platter. Rinse romaine lettuce hearts. Pat dry. Trim the end stalks, leaving enough to keep the bunches intact. Transfer to a platter. In a small dish, combine olive oil, seasoned salt, garlic and herb seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Using a silicone brush, coat the leaves of the romaine hearts, inside and out with the olive mixture. Halve the cherry tomatoes; place in a serving bowl. Preheat the outdoor grill on High setting. Using tongs, transfer the seasoned romaine lettuce hearts directly to the grill. Repeat with kielbasa sausage link. Grill for 3 minutes. Flip the romaine lettuce and grill 2 minutes longer. Rotate the kielbasa sausage for even browning. Remove all to clean platters. To serve, place charred romaine lettuce hearts on a dinner plate. Divide the kielbasa sausage between plates. Add cherry tomato halves. Top with crumbled parmesan cheese. Drizzle with remaining olive oil mixture. Serve immediately.