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Red Pepper Spicy Olives

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Red Pepper Spicy Olives! Here’s a little addition to your charcuterie board. Not everyone is a fan of olives, so by placing them in a decorative bowl, such as olive wood, it draws the eye away from everything which entertains the mind that a taste could be a possibility. (You never know, if you don’t try it.) Scoop a little onto a slice of crusty artisan bread, for starters. Then proceed to elevate the combo with a creamy burrata cheese. That tiny tickle at the back of your throat is the kick of pepper. Now you’re getting the picture. 

RED PEPPER SPICY OLIVES 

Ingredients: 

16 ounces assorted olives, pitted

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon roasted red peppers, chopped

1/8 teaspoon black peppercorns, cracked

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary 

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon dried parsley leaves

Instructions: 

Place assorted olives in a sieve to drain excess water; rinse. Warm the olive oil over medium-low heat in a skillet. Add roasted red peppers, cracked black peppercorns, sea salt, dried rosemary, red pepper flakes, and dried parsley leaves. Stir briskly. Add the assorted olives; stir gently to coat. Allow the mixture to cook for 2-3 minutes; reduce heat. Pour contents into a serving bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies! Who doesn’t love soft, chewy, citrusy cookies?!?! Call me lazy or even quirky. Sometimes I keep ingredients on hand to create a bakery-like product in a pinch. Thus, these thumbprint cookies can be made in a snap. After all, cake mixes and lemon curd spreads are known for their consistency in perfection. The lemon curd is silky smooth while the lemon cake mix creates chewy cookies by lessening the baking time. Never over-mix the batter. Stirring too long actually makes cookies tough. When ingredients are room temperature beforehand, baked cookies are less apt to flatten out and harden, too. Make sense? Something tells me you are going to love these thumbprint cookies. 

LEMON CURD THUMBPRINT COOKIES 

Ingredients: 

15.25 Lemon Cake Mix

2 eggs, room temperature 

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup prepared lemon curd

Powdered sugar, for garnish

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 350°. Place silicone baking mats on two baking sheets. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the lemon cake mix, two eggs, and vegetable oil. Mix well until batter is smooth. Scoop cookie dough, by teaspoons, onto a prepared baking sheet. Roll each scoop into a round ball and place two inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove pan from oven, place on a cooling rack, and immediately press down the middle of each cookie to create an indentation for the curd to be placed. Allow cookies to cool before adding a dollop of lemon curd. Once the cookies have cooled, spoon a small amount of lemon curd into the middle of each cookie. Top with a dusting of powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Vidalia Grilled Onions

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: Vidalia Grilled Onions! Even if you don’t appreciate the taste of raw onions, by grilling them they turn into a totally different animal, so to speak. In raw form, onions can have a bite that is as raw, sharp, and bitter as a gator’s mouth. Grilling them releases the natural sugars to magically transform these bulbs into a sweeter, savory, delicious side dish that goes well with other grilled foods. Once you’ve tasted grilled onions at home, think variety for your next cookout. Combine potatoes, green peppers, and vidalia onions together in the foil packet and expect another flavorful explosion. 

VIDALIA GRILLED ONIONS 

Ingredients: 

4 Vidalia onions, skins discarded,  slice onions thick

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup garlic red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon oregano, dried 

Instructions: 

Place the sliced Vidalia onion in a bowl. Whisk together the olive oil, garlic red wine vinegar, and dried oregano. Pour the mixture over the onions; toss to coat well. Marinate the onion mixture for half an hour. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Line a grill pan with foil, overlapping the sides enough to make a tent. Place the marinated onions on the foil and form a seal. Grill the foil packet for 15-20 minutes. Remove pan from grill and set aside. Carefully open the tent and transfer the onions to a serving platter. Serve immediately. 

Korean Smashed Potatoes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: Korean Smashed Potatoes! What makes these delectable little gems taste different from ordinary potatoes? The outer skin is sweet and salty, making them tempting as well as chewy. You might think the high oven temperature would create a crispy skin, but that’s where the sauce makes all the difference. And before I forget, they are still soft and tender inside. Some recipes call for garlic and red pepper flakes, or gochujang. I’m going to leave the “tweaking” up to you. Make your batch umami-packed, nutty, savory, spicy, or whatever variety you choose. Either way, you probably won’t see any leftovers. 

KOREAN SMASHED POTATOES

Ingredients: 

3 cups baby potatoes with skins on 

1/4 cup soy sauce 

1/4 cup maple syrup 

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 green onion, finely chopped

Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Micro greens, for garnish

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat. Set aside. 

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, maple syrup, and sesame oil. Fill a 4-quart pan with enough water to cover the potatoes. Boil potatoes for 15 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain. Transfer potatoes to the prepared baking sheet. Gently flatten several potatoes to expose the insides. Using a pastry brush, baste potatoes with the soy sauce mixture. Sprinkle green onions overall. Bake 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and baste again. Bake 10 minutes longer. Sprinkle Korean potatoes with sesame seeds; garnish with micro greens. Serve immediately. 

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.

Basil Tomato Pesto

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: Basil Tomato Pesto! With a vibrant basil plant that thrives in the Florida sunshine, I get to reap the benefit of having this fresh herb as often as I crave it. The hubs doesn’t care for the taste or aroma of basil, but when I add a heaping tablespoon of pesto to spaghetti sauce, he knows he likes the taste. He just can’t figure out why it seems better than usual. True confessions? I think not! My lips are sealed. I simply respond, “I’ve got the magic touch.” And leave it at that. 

BASIL TOMATO PESTO

Ingredients:

1 cup cherry tomatoes

10-15 basil leaves

1/3 cup roasted pistachios, slightly chopped

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup olive oil

Fresh basil, for garnish

Instructions:

Combine cherry tomatoes, basil leaves, roasted pistachios, garlic powder, and kosher salt in a food processor. Pulse to blend into a fine purée. Scrape the sides down and turn the processor to Low setting. As it is running, pour the olive oil into the mixture in a continuous stream. The tomato pesto will thicken nicely. Transfer to a serving bowl; garnish with fresh basil leaves. 

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus!  For all the asparagus lovers out there, prepared to be impressed. Really impressed. And if you’ve never had the desire to taste a delicate stalk of asparagus that seems to demand an additional fee on the restaurant menu, you may have discovered a reason to give it a whirl. Prosciutto. These two ingredients were destined to marry forever and ever, in my opinion. 

PROSCIUTTO WRAPPED ASPARAGUS 

Ingredients:

1-pound fresh asparagus spears, ends trimmed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb Seasoning 

6 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced

Instructions:

Raise the oven rack to its highest level, which should be about 5 inches below the coils of the broiler. Preheat the broiler. Meanwhile take the asparagus spears and place in a gallon zip-lock bag. Add the olive oil and seasonings. Seal the bag, squeezing out the air, and flip to coat all pieces. Slice the prosciutto lengthwise. Taking one asparagus spear at a time, begin wrapping prosciutto midway from the tip to the stem base, spiraling as you go, overlapping the seams slightly. Place it on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick oil.  Repeat until all pieces are prepared. Before broiling, make sure there is space between the asparagus. Broil for 3 minutes, remove the baking sheet, turn asparagus with a tongs, return to the oven, and broil another 3 minutes. Pieces should slightly char and appear crisp. The secret is to keep them spaced. For best results, choose medium-size asparagus instead of very thin stalks. 

Vinaigrette, Garlic Red Wine-Style

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Cut Above: Vinaigrette, Garlic Red Wine-Style! Looking for a versatile salad dressing without mustard? Don’t give me that quizzical stare. I know mustard makes a wonderful bonding agent to keep the oil and vinegar from separating too quickly, but there are some people who simply don’t like the taste of it. Honestly, I could practically drink honey mustard salad dressing if the hubs wouldn’t look at me like I’ve gone off the deep end. SSShhh. It’s our little secret. 

VINAIGRETTE, GARLIC RED WINE-STYLE

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup garlic red wine vinegar 

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/4 tablespoons natural honey

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions: 

In a small bowl, combine garlic red wine vinegar, lemon juice, natural honey, sea salt, and black pepper. Whisk until ingredients are combined. Slowly pour in olive oil; continue whisking so create a smooth texture. Store in a covered jar in the refrigerator until ready to use. Before drizzling over a salad, whisk the ingredients to avoid separation of vinegar and oil. 

Unbelievable Fudge Brownies

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Cut Above: Unbelievable Fudge Brownies! If brownies fall into the category of “comfort food”, you’re going to appreciate this recipe. The rich dark chocolate is due to the cocoa powder as well as the semi-sweet dark chocolate morsels. The espresso powder gives it a slight taste of coffee without the jittery side effects of your morning cuppa joe. Keep a tall glass of cold milk in the refrigerator to wash down all the chocolate decadence. 

UNBELIEVABLE FUDGE BROWNIES 

Ingredients: 

3 eggs

1/3 cup oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla

1 teaspoon espresso powder

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

1 cup chocolate chips, divided

Sea Salt, for garnish

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9”x9” square baking pan with nonstick oil. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine eggs, oil, sea salt, vanilla, espresso powder, sugar, cocoa powder, and flour. Mix well. Fold in 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Pour mixture into the prepared pan. Bake 30-40 minutes, or until a pick inserted into the batter comes out clean. While brownies are warm, sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips over top.  Cover pan with a baking sheet for 2-3 minutes. Remove baking sheet and spread melted chocolate evenly over the brownies as a frosting. Sprinkle with sea salt, for garnish.