lime

One Fish, Two Fish

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: One Fish, Two Fish! The health benefits of eating tilapia are enough to make you feel like a poet. By choosing a fish that is high in protein and low in calories, why not get creative with a baked and crispy crust?  This one has a kick of spice balanced with natural cornmeal and grated cheese. Give it a whirl and pass your comments on to me. I’d love to hear from you. 

ONE FISH, TWO FISH

Ingredients:

2 tilapia fillets, boneless and skinless

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup cornmeal 

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper 

1/2 cup Jazzy Jerk Sauce*

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425°. While the oven is preheating, cover the bottom of an iron skillet with the olive oil. Place skillet in oven while you prepare the breading for the tilapia. Mix together all dry ingredients and spread on a sheet of waxed paper. Pour the Jazzy Jerk Sauce* into a shallow bowl. Dip one fish fillet at a time into the sauce, coating both sides. Once wet, dredge in bread crumb mixture to fully cover both sides. Set aside and repeat for the second fish fillet. Using oven mitts, carefully remove iron skillet from oven. Place fish fillets in pan and return to oven. Bake 8 minutes, gently turn over and bake 4 minutes longer. Do not over cook. Serve with a side of cole slaw. 

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

https://snapshotsincursive.com/2026/01/15

Lively Calypso Mac ‘n Cheese

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Lively Calypso Mac ‘n Cheese! When I needed a quick side dish to serve with the Xtreme Sloppy Joes, I turned to my pantry for a flavorful inspiration from Pappardelle’s*. The multicolored shapes alone are conversation starters. Picture this: Lime gnocchi shells, mango-peach sea shells, and red southwestern chile lumache. The natural flavors explode when cooked and mixed with cheese, butter, and milk. It’s macaroni and cheese with a Caribbean twist. Well done!

LIVELY CALYPSO MAC ‘N CHEESE

Ingredients:

8 ounces Pappardelle’s Calypso Blend pasta

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup butter

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup milk

Crushed croutons for garnish

Instructions:

Bring a 2-quart pan of salted water to a rolling boil on high heat. Add 8 ounces of Pappardelle’s Calypso Blend pasta. Stir for the first 15 seconds. As the water returns to a slow simmer, reduce heat to medium and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Drain pasta. Melt butter in pan on low heat. Add cheddar cheese and milk. Stir to blend until cheese is melted. Return pasta to pan and stir to coat evenly. Do not burn. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with crushed croutons. 

*I receive no recompense for promoting this product.

Key Lime Pie in a Flash

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Key Lime Pie in a Flash! I’m Busy! When the hours fly by in a flurry of activity, it’s nice to know shortcuts don’t imply sacrificing flavor. After all, pre-packaged dessert mixes and sweet treats have gone the distance with culinary masters. Tried and true components can become the foundation for producing inspiring results, like today’s version of Key Lime Pie. By using fewer ingredients, preparation can be done in a flash! 

KEY LIME PIE IN A FLASH

Ingredients:

1 box Jell-o No Bake Real Cheesecake Dessert

2 tablespoons sugar

5 tablespoons butter, melted

1 1/2 cups cold milk

1 tablespoon lime extract

1 drop green food coloring

1 lime, sliced

1 tablespoon toasted coconut

Instructions:

To make the crust, combine butter, sugar, and crust mix. Reserve one teaspoon of crumb mixture for garnish. Press remaining crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Refrigerate until ready to fill. Next, pour milk into a medium bowl. Add filling mix and blend with a hand mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape sides and beat on medium speed 3 minutes until filling turns thick. Slowly add 1 tablespoon of pure lime extract. Mix 30 seconds longer. Add 1 drop of green food coloring and mix another 30 seconds. Pour into the chilled crust. Refrigerate one hour. Garnish with fresh lime slices, reserve crumb mixture, and toasted coconut. 

Daily Diet of Papaya

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Daily Diet of Papaya! OMG, the first time I had this in Kauai, I knew I had tasted the fruit of Paradise. It was like eating sunshine. Did you know Christopher Columbus called it “the fruit of angels”? If I had to describe the taste, I guess I would say papaya has a natural sweetness that feels like butter in your mouth. With a squeeze of lime, it is refreshingly nectarous. I could go on and on about its nutritional value, but I’d rather you taste it first. I can tell you this-just one single papaya provides 224% of your daily needs. Eat it for breakfast and you’re good to go!

DAILY DIET OF PAPAYA

Ingredients:

1 medium sized ripe papaya

1 avocado, peeled and sliced

Strawberries, halved

2 lime wedges

Instructions:

Cut papaya in half. Remove seeds. Squeeze lime juice over each half. Fill center with fresh strawberries. Serve with avocado slices. 

No-Bake Lime Coconut Truffles

Eating My Way Through the Holidays. Festive Food Gifts: No-Bake Lime Coconut Truffles! Here’s a festive treat that satisfies the desire for something sweet enough without the overkill. This time white chocolate becomes the confectionery of choice. Instead of nuts, candied ginger and lime zest become key ingredients to complement the tropical tones of coconut. One might suggest these truffles resemble tiny snowballs, if not for the lime zest. To serve, simply place each truffle in a fluted foil or paper candy cup and arrange on a decorative platter. It promises to bring “Oohs” and “Ahhs” as a crowd-pleaser. 

NO-BAKE LIME COCONUT TRUFFLES

Ingredients:

1 cup white chocolate chips

2 cups sweetened coconut, shredded 

1/2 cup crystallized ginger, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoon lime zest, grated

1 1/2 teaspoon lime juice

Lime zest, for garnish 

Instructions:

Melt white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl on 50% for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat until completely smooth. Mix in sweetened shredded coconut. Fold in crystallized ginger and lime zest. Add lime juice to the mixture. Form into 16 small mounds. Garnish with more lime zest. Chill until set. 

Quesadilla Chicken Lavash

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: Quesadilla Chicken Lavash! By now you’ve no doubt heard that lavash Turkish flatbread is a healthier alternative to flour tortillas. Not only is it lower in calories, it is higher in fiber, especially if you choose the flax, oat bran, whole wheat variety. Choose your protein, in this case chicken, to help keep you full throughout the day. Add sautéed veggies, radishes green peppers, or mixed greens to ramp up the fiber even more. Flavor is your friend. Now you’re talking about healthy eating. Well done!

QUESADILLA CHICKEN LAVASH 

Ingredients: 

1 sheet of lavash flatbread

1 tablespoon olive oil 

1/2 cup precooked chicken, shredded

1/2 teaspoon fajita seasoning

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 cup Mexican cheese blend, finely shredded

Ranch dressing, for drizzle 

Cherry tomatoes and lime wedges, for garnish

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 400°. Place a silicone mat on a heavy baking sheet. Brush one side of the lavash bread with olive oil. Place the oiled side down on the silicone mat. Set aside. To prepare the cooked chicken, add it to a bowl. Sprinkle fajita seasoning over all. Add red pepper flakes. Gently toss the chicken mixture. To assemble the quesadilla, sprinkle half the shredded cheese over one half of the lavash bread. Arrange the chicken mixture over the cheese layer. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the chicken layer. Fold the empty half of the lavash over the filled half. Press down lightly. Bake the quesadilla for 5 minutes; flip and bake 5 minutes longer, or until the cheese is melted and the lavash is crispy. Remove the chicken quesadilla from the baking sheet. Slice it into wedges. Drizzle with ranch dressing. Serve immediately with cherry tomatoes and lime wedges, for garnish. 

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. 

Hearty Roasted Carrots

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: Hearty Roasted Carrots! My husband is a fan of savory-sweet carrots. Then again, he could eat his weight in cooked carrots. When roasting them in the oven, I have noticed an enhanced sweetness emerges from the oven’s dry heat. That might explain the love affair it creates. As they roast in the olive oil and seasonings, a strange phenomenon occurs. Natural caramelization adds a flavorful profile making them fork-tender and irresistible. No wonder they say “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”. Show your partner how much you love them. 

HEARTY ROASTED CARROTS

Ingredients: 

I pound garden carrots, peeled

2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole

1/4 cup olive oil 

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 lime, cut in half

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat. Set aside. In a large bowl, toss carrots with garlic cloves, olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Pour veggies onto the prepared baking sheet. Arrange into a single layer. Squeeze lime juice over all; then place cut limes onto baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes, flip and roast 15 minutes longer, or until tender. Drizzle balsamic vinegar over carrots. Bake 5 minutes longer to form a slight glaze. Remove from oven and serve immediately. 

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.