onions

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter L

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Loco Moco! Living up to its name, this breakfast food is actually one of Hawaii’s local favorites. The serving size is so generous you might think it’s way too much for breakfast. I didn’t eat the rest of the day after trying it at a local restaurant there. However, when you prepare it at home, you have more control over serving sizes as well as the time of day for this meal. Basically, it is composed of four layers. The bottom is fried rice, the middle is a beef patty, the next is an egg over easy. And the top layer is a ladle of gravy. Don’t knock it till you try it!

LOCO MOCO

Ingredients for Rice Layer:

1 cup prepared brown rice

1 strips bacon, crisp and crumbled

1 sausage patty, crumbed*

2 ounces smoked sausage,

cut-up

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons onion, cut-up

*Hawaiians favor SPAM.

Instructions for Rice Layer:

In large skillet add sesame oil and sauté onions. Add remaining ingredients. Stir fry to blend flavors. Set aside.

Ingredients for Beef Patty Layer:

4 1/4-pound beef patties

1 can beef consommé

Dash of pepper

Instructions for Beef Patty Layer:

Cook beef in consommé until tender. I did this the day before in my slow-cooker. It’s worth the effort! Save the broth for turning into gravy.

Ingredients for Egg Layer:

4 fresh eggs

Instructions for Egg Layer:

Cook on stove to make eggs over-easy (or sunny-side up) so the yolks are still runny.

Ingredients for Gravy Layer:

1 cup beef consommé*

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons butter

*Add water if necessary to make one cup of liquid.

Instructions for Gravy Layer:

Melt butter in saucepan. Add flour to the butter and stir to make a roux. Cook over medium-low heat until the flour is lightly browned, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the consommé juices and stir until thickened.

Now serve by assembling the layers in a shallow bowl: rice, beef, egg, and gravy. Loco Moco!

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter A

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Asian Noodle Salad! Not only does this dish make a stunning presentation of color, it also boasts a crunchy taste of the Orient. The sesame and ginger dressing is so yummy, you’ll find yourself making excuses to eat this salad every week.

ASIAN NOODLE SALAD

Ingredients:

1 package ramen noodle soup mix, any flavor

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup almonds, sliced

1 pound of shredded broccoli and carrot slaw mix

3/4 cup roasted Cardini’s Gourmet Asian Sesame Dressing*

2 green onions, sliced

Instructions:

Melt butter in a medium skillet over low heat. Remove noodles from soup mix. Discard seasoning mix. Break up uncooked noodles. Add to the skillet, along with the almonds. Stir to combine and brown until slightly toasted and brown. Do not burn. Remove from heat. In a large bowl add broccoli/carrot slaw and the noodle/almond mixture. Pour salad dressing over all and toss until combined. Garnish with green onion snips. Serve immediately. Leftovers may be refrigerated but the noodles will lose their crunch.

*I receive no recompense for mentioning Cardini’s Gourmet Asian Sesame Dressing.

Dining Outside the Home: Burger Brasserie in Las Vegas, Nevada

Dining Outside the Home: Burger Brasserie in Las Vegas, Nevada! What happens when the French take an American classic and turn it into their own version of a sandwich? Give up? You get a number of gourmet burgers made of chicken, lamb, or beef with incredible toppings. Caramelized onions are a given. Gruyère, Bleu, and Brie cheeses are also an option, among others. And the buns…well, never mind ordinary white bread, it’s not even on the menu. After all, this is the Paris casino. Expect the best. If you’re feeling lucky, go for the $777 Burger. It’s made with Kobe beef and topped with lump Maine lobster. No worries, included is a bottle of Don Perignon Champagne. After all, this is Vegas.

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Yuletide Favs: Green Bean Casserole!

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Yuletide Favs: Green Bean Casserole! Can we ever get enough of this all-time favorite side dish? I think not! It seems there are all sorts of variations on this classic holiday casserole. Some of my friends only use French-style green beans while others prefer freshly snapped. And the seasonings are all over the map from Hawaiian sea salt medleys to crushed Midwest garden herbs. I keep it simple because, honestly, once you add the French fried onion rings, everything else takes a back seat.

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

2 cans whole green beans, drained and cut-up

1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1/2 cup light cream

1/8 teaspoon Mrs. Dash herb and garlic seasoning

1/8 teaspoon seasoned salt

1 1/2 cups French fried onions

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325°. Spray a medium casserole dish with nonstick spray. Combine green beans, cream of mushroom soup, light cream, herb seasoning, and salt. Mix well. Fold in 1/2 cup of French fried onion pieces. Place in casserole dish. Spread evenly. Arrange remaining French fried onion rings over top around the edges leaving the center open. Bake 30-35 minutes.

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter O

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Chow Down: Organic Red Lentil Pasta Salad! Every once in awhile it’s a good idea to serve up gluten-free meals. This one, in particular, is packed with protein and fiber, plus non-GMO red lentils. You don’t need to have allergic restrictions to appreciate its natural goodness. The texture is firm while providing an amazing taste sensation. Eat it cold or warmed up a bit. You decide. Either way, the health benefits will have you patting yourself on the back for making such a healthy choice. 
ORGANIC RED LENTIL PASTA SALAD
Ingredients:

8 ounces organic red lentil pasta

1 cup broccoli florets

1 cup cauliflower florets 

1/3 cup red onions, sliced

1 tablespoon pimento, diced

1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted

1/4 cup garlic wine vinegar 

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon dry Italian dressing and seasoning mix

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 

1 tablespoon natural honey 

Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:

Cook red lentil pasta 8-10 minutes, according to package directions. Water will turn cloudy and foam up, so be sure to use enough water. Remove from heat. Drain, rinse, and set aside. To make dressing, combine garlic wine vinegar, olive oil, Italian seasoning mix, Dijon mustard, and natural honey. Whisk together until nicely blended. Fill a large bowl with pasta, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, red onion slices, diced pimento, and Kalamata olives. Pour dressing over all. Toss gently to coat ingredients. Serve cold. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter L

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Chow Down: Lamb Flatbread! I think I could eat my weight in flatbread simply because of the endless combination of ingredients. When I’m in the mood for something with a Greek twist, I turn to lamb meat permeated with ethnic spices such as oregano, dill, parsley, and coriander. A sprinkling of crumbled feta cheese is nice, especially when it melts around Kalamata olives grown under Grecian sunshine. At least, that’s what I imagine. Maybe you will, too. 
LAMB FLATBREAD 
Ingredients:

1 pound organic lamb, ground

1/2 cup water

1-2 beef bouillon cubes

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/4 teaspoons coriander 

1 1/4 teaspoons cumin powder

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 

1 teaspoon dried parsley 

1/2 cup prepared ranch dressing 

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1/4 teaspoon dill weed

2 baby cucumbers, chopped

1 garlic flatbread 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon cornmeal 

4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded

4-5 cherry tomatoes, sliced 

1 shallot, sliced

3-4 Kalamata olives, sliced

1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Fresh arugula leaves

1/8 teaspoon oregano 
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. In a large skillet, combine ground lamb, water, bouillon cubes, sea salt, coriander, cumin powder, garlic powder, and dried parsley. Bring to boiling, crumbling meat with a fork to cook thoroughly. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until all moisture is absorbed and meat is browned. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix ranch dressing, Greek yogurt, and dill weed. Stir until smooth. Brush bottom of garlic flatbread with one tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Bake 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Spread half the ranch dressing mixture over the flatbread. Add the chopped cucumbers to the remaining sauce. Set aside. Top flatbread with mozzarella cheese, crumbled lamb mixture (you will have extra to use later on), cherry tomatoes, sliced shallot, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, arugula leaves, and oregano. Bake 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven, slice accordingly, and use reserve cucumber dip as side condiment. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter L

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Front-Runner Favs: Lyonnaise Potatoes! Don’t you love fancy names for regular dishes. Think about it. Instead of skinny flat pancakes, we say “Crepes”. Or an old-fashioned grilled ham and cheese sandwich popular in France goes by “Croque Monsieur”. What about American hot dogs in crescent rolls? Anybody? That’s right, “Pigs in a Blanket”. Today’s pan-fried potatoes and onions can be fancied up for dinner when you refer to them as “Lyonnaise Potatoes”. But don’t say that too often or the hubs may announce he wants to eat at “Chez Maison” tonight. (at home)
LYONNAISE POTATOES
Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1-2 Idaho russet potatoes, peel on and sliced 1/4″ thick

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1 Vidalia sweet onion, sliced

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 

Fresh chives and tarragon for garnish 
Instructions:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cover bottom of pan with potatoes in a single layer. Season with sea salt and white pepper. Dot with half the butter. Repeat with remaining potatoes and butter. Cook until potatoes are brown on the bottom, 10-15 minutes. Add onions; season with garlic powder. Cook, gently turning onions and potatoes until thoroughly cooked, 8-10 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer potato mixture to a serving platter. Garnish with fresh chives and tarragon leaves. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter K

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Front-Runner Favs: Kooky Cucumber Salad! Does anyone really count the number of daily servings of vegetables recommended for a healthy diet? I know I don’t. And I suspect I’m not in the minority. What I do pay attention to is how appealing food looks on the plate. It’s one of the reasons I have a Spiralizer among my kitchen utensils. Besides, it takes minimal effort to make ordinary foods look this good. The fact that I’m maintaining a low fat, low carb, and low calorie intake just gives me all the more reason to splurge on something sweet later on. Call me crazy, or call me “kooky”.
KOOKY CUCUMBER SALAD
Ingredients:

1 large cucumber, halved

1 tomato, chopped

1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons garlic red wine vinegar 

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped for garnish
Instructions:

Spiralize half the cucumber with the apple core attachment, for wider strips. Spiralize the remaining cucumber half with the noodle attachment, for spaghetti-like spirals. Arrange cucumbers in a serving bowl. Top with chopped tomatoes and red onion slices. Add Kalamata olives. Whisk together olive oil and garlic red wine vinegar. Drizzle over salad. Sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Garnish with fresh oregano. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter X

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Foodstuff Redefined: Xavier Grilled Steak! Just when you thought a juicy New York Strip steak couldn’t get any better, here you go. Grilled to taste, smothered in gooey Swiss cheese and crowned with fresh asparagus spears is a meal-in-one guaranteed to make anyone feel like royalty. For those who love onions, take it one step further. Sprinkle crispy French-fried onions over all before serving. Looks good, doesn’t it? Try not to stare. 
XAVIER GRILLED STEAK
Ingredients: 

2 New York Strip steaks, 1 1/2 inches thick

2 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste

10 asparagus spears, ends trimmed

4 slices Swiss cheese 

1/4 cup French-fried onions
Instructions:

Rub both sides of the New York Strip steak with olive oil. Season to taste with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place in a shallow dish. Marinate steak for 45 minutes in the refrigerator, turning once. Remove from refrigerator to allow meat to come to room temperature, approximately 15 minutes. Preheat outdoor grill. Cook steaks over medium heat 4-5 minutes until slightly charred. Turn the steaks over and grill 3 minutes longer for medium-rare, 5 minutes longer for medium, or 8 minutes longer for medium-well. Meanwhile to steam asparagus spears, bring water to a boil. Reduce to simmer. Place asparagus spears into the steamer basket. Cover and steam approximately 3-5 minutes until asparagus turns bright green, but is still tender. Remove from steamer. When steaks are cooked to perfection, place them on a platter to rest so the juices are absorbed. (This is the secret to juicy steak.) While the meat is resting, place two slices of Swiss cheese on each. Divide asparagus spears between them. Tent with foil. Let rest 5-7 minutes. Top with crispy French-fried onions before serving.