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Vodka Sauce Shrimp Fettuccine

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Palatable Possibilities: Vodka Sauce Shrimp Fettuccine! Here’s something a little different for you to try instead of the usual fettuccine alfredo. Now, wait a sec to hear me out. Don’t get me wrong. I love alfredo sauce as much as the next one, but sometimes you gotta think about limiting calories and fat just to squeeze into that favorite outfit. Marinara sauces might be just the answer you’re looking for on “Pasta Night”. You won’t sacrifice taste because there’s still butter, light cream, and vodka. Some alcohol does evaporate as it is simmering, but only about 15%. (However, it will completely burn off if the sauce cooks for long periods of time.) Because vodka is somewhat tasteless, it basically enhances all the other flavors of the dish without overpowering it. Try it, you may like it.

VODKA SAUCE SHRIMP FETTUCCINE

Ingredients:

6 ounces fettuccine pasta

1 tablespoon sea salt

1 tablespoon butter

3/4 cup onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

15-ounce Italian tomatoes, crushed

2 tablespoons vodka

3 tablespoons light cream

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 pound precooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

Fresh basil, for garnish

Instructions:

In a large pan, add sea salt to 2 quarts boiling water. Cook pasta 10 minutes. Drain, cover, and set aside. For the vodka sauce, in a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Lower heat to medium. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook one minute longer. Add the crushed tomatoes to the onions. Stir in vodka, light cream, and lemon zest. Simmer 5 minutes. Add the precooked shrimp, simmering 5 minutes longer. Gently fold the fettuccine noodles into the vodka sauce. Heat through. Divide portions into pasta bowls. Garnish with fresh basil. Serve immediately.

Teriyaki Chicken Bowl

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Palatable Possibilities: Teriyaki Chicken Bowl! Do-ahead meals take a little bit of planning, but the “devil is in the details”, they say. In this case it means, make sure the chicken breasts are thawed AND marinated 24 hours before you plan on serving them. I realize that requires the cook to be somewhat organized. Pantries don’t stock themselves. There’s nothing worse than trying to make a dish without all the ingredients. Take sesame oil, for example. I find it absolutely delicious because it adds an earthy nuttiness to Asian food. Vegetable oil tastes meh, in my opinion. Not only does it alter the taste, the texture will be different. When I can find it, I buy toasted sesame seeds so I don’t have to worry about toasting them on the stove or in the oven. That’s 10 minutes I could be planning tomorrow’s meal. Idiosyncratic, but true.

TERIYAKI CHICKEN BOWL

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

1/2 cup teriyaki sauce

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Green onion snips, for garnish

Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Instructions:

Place chicken breasts, teriyaki sauce, lemon juice, minced garlic, and sesame oil in a shallow dish. Baste chicken completely. Cover dish with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 24 hours. When ready to cook, preheat grill to 450°. Lightly oil grill grate. Remove chicken breasts from marinade, place directly on grill, close lid, and cook for 5 minutes. Discard marinade. After 5 minutes, open lid, flip over chicken breasts, close lid, and cook 5 minutes longer, or until cooked through and no longer pink. Remove teriyaki chicken from grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with green onion snips and toasted sesame seeds. Serve with sticky rice and mixed vegetables.

Rainier Cherry Watermelon Salad

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Palatable Possibilities: Rainier Cherry Watermelon Salad! I’ve been in love with the taste of Rainier Cherries from my first bite. Truth be told, my love affair began long before it, though. I saw a beautiful blue French bowl overflowing with golden sunset cherries dipped in pink petal blush on the cover of a magazine. I was smitten, as with most things French, no matter the cost. I imagined the natural sweet allure as tempting as the charisma of dark chocolate. Once I grew past being spellbound, I knew I would treat myself to a pound of Rainier cherries once a year. Perhaps that is why this variety is known as the “Champagne of Cherries”.

RAINIER CHERRY WATERMELON SALAD

Ingredients:

2 cups watermelon, seeds removed, cut into chunks

1 cup Rainier cherries, halved with stems and pits removed

1-2 jalapeño peppers, sliced

2 tablespoons red onion, roughly chopped

3 tablespoons lime juice

Sea Salt, optional.

Instructions:

Combine watermelon chunks, Rainier cherry halves, jalapeño peppers, and red onions. Squeeze lime juice over all. Gently toss. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Sprinkle with sea salt. Serve.

Papaya Pineapple Boat

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Palatable Possibilities: Papaya Pineapple Boat! The first time I tasted fresh papaya I was on the island of Kauai. I was told it had indescribable flavor different from cantaloupe, watermelon, or mango. They were right. Papaya is not sugary sweet. It’s light and juicy with a buttery texture that allows it to taste almost creamy. Does that make sense? The lime actually adds to the tropical ambiance, which is why I prefer a squeeze of fresh to slightly mingle with the other ingredients. I’ve read that the rough black seeds can be bitter to taste. Honestly, I’ve never gotten that far to put them to the test.

PAPAYA PINEAPPLE BOAT

Ingredients:

I ripe papaya, halved horizontally with seeds removed

1 cup pineapple chunks

1 cup blackberries

2 tablespoons red onion, cut into strips

Fresh Lime, for garnish

Instructions:

Gently remove fruit from papaya; dice into chunks. Place hollowed out shells onto shallow plates. Arrange diced papaya, pineapple chunks, fresh blackberries, and red onion strips. Squeeze lime juice over all. Allow fruit “bowls” to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. This will enhance the flavors. Serves two.

Orange-Tomato Pico de Gallo

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Palatable Possibilities: Orange-Tomato Pico de Gallo! Chunky sauces and relishes make a wonderful addition to any meal, in my opinion. First of all, they can be substituted for a vegetable side dish. They also serve as a nice condiment for stuffing into tacos or for sharing a plate of scrambled eggs. The vibrant colors will even catch the eye of a fussy-eater, if you know what I mean. Pico de Gallo compliments seafood, pork, chicken, and beef as well as any vegetarian star attraction. Better make a batch for dinner tonight. It’s a healthy option you can thank me for later.

ORANGE-TOMATO PICO DE GALLO

Ingredients:

4 navel oranges, peeled and chopped

2 tomatoes, diced

1 cup red onion, roughly chopped

1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons orange peel, grated

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions:

In a bowl, combine chopped navel oranges, diced tomatoes, roughly chopped red onions, and finely chopped jalapeños. Toss gently. Sprinkle with kosher salt, garlic powder, ground ginger, grated orange peel, and chopped cilantro. Stir gently to combine thoroughly. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for one hour. Serve with tortilla chips.

Lettuce Cup Shrimp Salad

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Palatable Possibilities: Lettuce Cup Shrimp Salad! When you need a boost from the usual lunch menu, treat yourself to an outstanding salad that feels gourmet-worthy. As a shrimp-lover, I already had ideas about serving this to my husband. In my opinion, the bigger the shrimp you can find, the better. Because I saw for myself the seafood deli offered humongous jumbo shrimp (yeah, I know), I couldn’t resist getting a pound to take home. Here’s the secret: oftentimes the market gets specific seafood brought in frozen. Frozen shrimp is usually same-day fresh. They thaw it for the customers and sell it individually or by the pound. I asked the seafood specialist if I could buy a frozen quantity from him. He was more than happy to oblige. Now you know.

LETTUCE CUP SHRIMP SALAD

Ingredients:

1 pound jumbo shrimp, precooked and tails removed

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

1 stalk celery, sliced

2-3 lettuce leaves, washed and patted dry

Red onion, finely sliced, for garnish

Instructions:

In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, and fresh dill. Gently fold in the precooked shrimp and celery slices. Place a lettuce leaf onto a plate. Scoop shrimp salad on top. Garnish with red onion. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Serve.

Haricot Vert Hot Off the Grill

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Palatable Possibilities: Haricot Vert Hot Off the Grill! I’m not trying to go all fancy shmancy with you. I just like the French language and use some terminology whenever I can. Cooking seems to be the logical place to do that. I bet you do, too. Ever hear the words aioli, béchamel sauce, baguette, charcuterie, julienne, pâté, roux, or soufflé? I’m sure you can come up with a few words yourself. We live in that kind of a world. Check out any list of restaurants in your area and you’ll see what I mean. Well, that being said, “haricot vert” translates into “green beans”. And this recipe may transport you to a place you’ve never been.

HARICOT VERT HOT OFF THE GRILL

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh green beans

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon garlic herb seasoning

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup French fried onions, for garnish

Instructions:

Place a grill pan on the grill. Close the lid and preheat to 400°. Rinse the fresh green beans and pat dry. Trim the ends off the green beans and discard. In a large bowl, toss the green beans and olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic herb seasoning and sea salt. Gently toss. Using grill tongs, transfer the green beans to the grill pan. Close the grill cover and cook for 3 minutes. Open the lid, and toss the green beans. Cook 1-2 minutes longer. They should blister and slightly char. Transfer green beans to a serving dish and garnish with French fried onions before serving.

Zesty Butter-Baked Crackers

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Bright Ideas: Zesty Butter-Baked Crackers! When you are looking for a crunchy snack and really have no interest in leaving the house, fancy crackers satisfy. More than likely, you have all the ingredients on hand. I think you’ll be surprised. In a few minutes, the kitchen will draw curiosity-seekers who put down their electronic devices to see what smells so good. Then go one step further, serve them with a slather of cream cheese, cocktail sauce, and baby shrimp. It can transform these buttery snacks into a culinary appetizer your family will remember. Better make more and hide them in the freezer.

ZESTY BUTTER-BAKED CRACKERS

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon dill weed

1 sleeve saltine crackers

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325°. Lightly mist a baking sheet with nonstick oil. Set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, warm butter on Low setting for 20 seconds. Add olive oil, onion powder, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, seasoned salt, cayenne pepper, and dill weed. Stir to mix thoroughly. Take one cracker at a time, dip into the butter mixture to coat both sides, and place it on the baking sheet. Repeat until all crackers and butter are used. Arrange the crackers in a single layer by rows. Bake 10 minutes; turn over and bake 10 minutes longer. Watch carefully to avoid burning. Allow to cool before storing in an airtight container.

Vine Tomato Relish

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Bright Ideas: Vine Tomato Relish! Here’s a farm fresh recipe that can be substituted for a side salad, vegetable accompaniment, or sandwich condiment. I’ve even used it in pasta salad as well as on homemade pizza instead of marinara sauce. It’s that versatile. The fact that tomato relish is chunky makes it appealing no matter how you serve it. The herbs and spices enhance the flavor of the garden tomatoes making it a tasty treat that will surprise you. Keep a jar in the refrigerator and watch it disappear.

VINE TOMATO RELISH

Ingredients:

1 pint cherry tomatoes on the vine, halved and stems discarded

2 tablespoons thinly sliced red onion, chopped

2 green onions, chopped

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Italian spices

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions:

In a mixing bowl, combine cherry tomato halves, red onions, and green onions. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Italian spices, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Drizzle vinaigrette over tomato mixture. Lightly toss. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour before serving.