parmesan

Onion Basil Bread

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? All the Buzz: Onion Basil Bread! You have got to try this! Tasty Vidalia onions are unbelievably sweet and mild. They are grown locally in the state of Georgia, yet recognized all over the world. You begin to see them pop up in the neighborhood markets from mid-April to mid-June. Their unique fresh taste makes them an outstanding option for eating raw or cooking in recipes. Packed with nutritional value makes them a bonus. Become a believer; discover why Vidalia onions are all the buzz!

ONION BASIL BREAD

Ingredients:

Loaf of sesame artisan bread

1/3 cup olive oil plus 2 tablespoons 

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon marjoram

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1 large size Vidalia onion, sliced

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1 cup Jarlsberg cheese, shredded

2-3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

Fresh basil

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with foil. Cut the bread in half, then length-wise, and quarters. Dredge the cut sides in 1/3 cup olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder, marjoram, and sea salt. In a skillet on medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onion slices and seasoned salt. Cover and cook one minute. Stir, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the onions are caramelized, about 12 minutes. Watch carefully to reduce scorching and stir if necessary. Meanwhile divide Jarlsberg cheese equally over the face of the bread. Top with caramelized onions. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh basil. 

Mandarin Orange Side Salad

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? All the Buzz: Mandarin Orange Side Salad! Whenever I serve this colorful side salad to my guests, they rave about the dressing. I create my own version of infused garlic oil, but it can be purchased at your local grocery. Dark, leafy watercress can also be found at the area Farmers Market this time of year. A little bit goes a long way in adding a surprisingly light peppery taste. When partnered with oranges and tomatoes, it refreshes the palate for the next course. If you like a tastier and fresher alternative to an ordinary garden salad, give this one a whirl. 

MANDARIN ORANGE SIDE SALAD

Ingredients:

1/2 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

1/2 cup watercress

8 cherry tomatoes, halved

18 mandarin orange segments 

1/4 cup bacon pieces

1/4 cup almonds, sliced

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shaved

Instructions:

Divide the romaine lettuce, watercress, cherry tomatoes, mandarin oranges, bacon, almonds, and cheese evenly between 6 salad bowls. Serve chilled with dressing. (See dressing recipe below.)

Dressing Ingredients:

1/2 cup garlic vegetable oil

3 tablespoons wine vinegar 

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 

1/4 cup red onion, chopped

Instructions:

Combine garlic vegetable oil, wine vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, sea salt, dry mustard, and onion. Whisk well until blended. Refrigerate one hour before serving. 

Asparagus Shrimp Linguine

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? All the Buzz: Asparagus Shrimp Linguine! Whether you scour the ditches and railroad tracks, visit the local Farmers Market, or drop by your favorite grocers, the growing season of asparagus is upon us. Now is the time to take full advantage of its abundance. Look for signs of firm, tight buds for tender morsels. The delicate purplish tips are the best of the stalk. Indulge thy self. Permission granted. 

ASPARAGUS SHRIMP LINGUINE 

Ingredients:

3 ounces lemon pepper linguine

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons lemon olive oil

1/2 pound shrimp, precooked 

8-10 asparagus spears, cut-up

8 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon herb and garlic seasoning 

1/4 teaspoon marjoram 

1/4 teaspoon basil

1 tablespoon nonpareil capers

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shaved

Instructions:

Cook lemon pepper pasta with sea salt according to package directions. Drain. Set aside. In a large saucepan, heat lemon olive oil on medium. Add shrimp, asparagus, and tomatoes. Sprinkle with seasoned salt, red pepper flakes, herb and garlic seasoning, marjoram, and basil. Fry shrimp and vegetables until crisp and tender, 4-5 minutes. Add linguine and cook until heated through. Swirl to toss gently. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese shavings. Garnish with capers. 

Florentine Meatball Pasta

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Junkie Favorites: Florentine Meatball Pasta! When you talk about a meal in minutes, this one ranks at the top of the list. After all, some days the family schedule runs tight between daily obligations and evening commitments. In the time it takes to cook the pasta, everything else can be thrown together. Utilize the microwave in conjunction with the stovetop for time-saving results. Ready-Set-Go!

FLORENTINE MEATBALL PASTA

Ingredients:

1/2 pound rigatoni pasta

6-8 Italian meatballs, pre-cooked

12 ounces spaghetti sauce, any chunky style

2 cups baby spinach

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shaved

Instructions:

Cook rigatoni pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. While the pasta is cooking, microwave Italian meatballs according to package directions. In a large skillet on medium heat, combine chunky spaghetti sauce and Italian meatballs. Cook until bubbly, then reduce heat to simmer, stirring gently. Add cooked rigatoni; toss to coat pasta. Turn off heat. Add baby spinach to the skillet. Toss to combine and cover. The steam will wilt the spinach. Right before serving, add Parmesan shavings. 

Nested Potato Cups

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Grocery List Ideas: Nested Potato Cups. Here comes the weekend. When you want hash brown potatoes with your morning eggs, but don’t necessarily want to go out in your pajamas, try this tasty version at home instead. It’s as uncomplicated as you want to make it. I chose to keep the eggs and the potatoes separate for leftovers later on. The potatoes won’t get soggy that way. However, dangerous minds want to keep the potato nest hollow in order to plop an egg in the center and tackle everything at once. That’s the beauty of cooking at home. Your kitchen, your rules. 

NESTED POTATO CUPS 

Ingredients: 

30-ounces frozen has brown potatoes, thawed 

1 cup onions, chopped 

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded 

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil 

Cheddar Cheese, for garnish

Fresh Chives, for garnish

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a muffin tin with nonstick oil. Set aside. Defrost and thaw hash brown potatoes. Drain all the liquid from the potatoes. Again, squeeze out all the excess liquid. Press dry with paper towels. Transfer potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Add chopped onions, Parmesan cheese, sea salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Stir ingredients well to combine. Press potato mixture firmly into the prepared muffin tins, forming a nest. Add more mixture to the center to mound slightly. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the potato nests are crispy around the edges and golden brown in the center. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. Garnish with fresh chives. Serve immediately. 

Veal Parmesan

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Take a Seat at the Table: Veal Parmesan! Actually, this recipe works really well with chicken, if you choose to substitute. Either way, it’s a gourmet dinner entrée that deserves a friendly nod of approval. By first browning the coated veal in a skillet, the crust seals in the rustic Italian flavor. Top it with Muenster cheese instead of mozzarella for a tangy smooth complement to the savory tomato sauce. 

VEAL PARMESAN 

Ingredients:

1 pound veal cutlets or chicken breasts

1/3 cup Italian dry bread crumbs

1/3 cup Panko seasoned dry bread crumbs

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 cups Italian tomato pasta sauce, chunky

2 cups Muenster cheese, sliced

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Between plastic wrap, flatten each cutlet to a disc. In a shallow dish, whisk egg and milk together to blend. On a sheet of waxed paper, combine Italian bread crumbs, Panko bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese. Dip veal into egg mixture, then coat with bread crumb mixture. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the veal 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. In a greased baking dish spoon half the pasta sauce on the bottom. Next layer the veal cutlets. Spoon remaining sauce over veal. Top with Muenster cheese overlapping the meat. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes until sauce is bubbly and cheese is golden brown in spots. Garnish with fresh basil. 

Peppy Parmesan Egg Toast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Take a Seat at the Table: Peppy Parmesan Egg Toast! What do you get when you morph a Croque Madame with a BLT? The end result is a spot on open-faced healthy start for the day that will keep you energized for hours. Challenge yourself. Resist the temptation to take a fork and pierce the luscious center of the egg. The silky golden yolk may find you practically licking the plate clean. I won’t tell. 

PEPPY PARMESAN EGG TOAST

Ingredients:

4 slices thick bacon

2 slices rustic sesame bread

2 pats butter

4 slices Parmesan cheese

2 large eggs

2 green onions

Sriracha Sauce to taste

Instructions:

Fry bacon to crisp. Drain on paper towels. Toast bread slices to golden brown. Butter each piece. Slice Parmesan cheese with diagonal pieces to cover toast. Later crispy bacon on cheese. Crack eggs into a small skillet treated with nonstick spray; cook until whites are set, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip without breaking yolk. Reduce heat for one minute longer. Remove from burner and carefully transfer fried eggs to Parmesan toast. Drizzle with Sriracha sauce to taste. Garnish with green onion snips. 

Kale Chips

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Take a Seat at the Table: Kale Chips! Mention the word “kale” and you can see the noses wrinkle. But, seriously, if you eat leafy vegetables anyway…what’s the big deal?  I find kale quite versatile. Its rich dark leaves hold up well in salads, pasta dishes, and snacks. Once baked, with the right seasonings, they turn into a spicy guilt-free alternative. 

KALE CHIPS 

Ingredients:

2 cups baby Kale leaves

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/8 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 300°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Break off the stems of the kale leaves and discard. Gently wash each leaf and dry on a paper towel to eliminate all moisture. One by one, using your fingers, rub both sides of each leaf with olive oil. Place the kale on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer without overlapping. Sprinkle with seasoned salt, cayenne pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake 10 minutes longer. The kale leaves will shrink and begin to curl. Do not over-bake! Remove baking sheet from oven and cool for 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately. 

Artichoke Pesto Dip

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Take a Seat at the Table: Artichoke Pesto Spread! No matter if you eat artichokes for their nutritional value (high in antioxidants) or if you just need a serving of veggies that taste incredible on toast, this recipe is an excellent tool to pull out in a pinch. The main ingredients are usually in the pantry or refrigerator, so everything is ready to serve in minutes. 

ARTICHOKE PESTO SPREAD

Ingredients:

14-ounce can marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1-2 tablespoons garlic basil pesto

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

3/4 cup mayonnaise

2 green onions, sliced

Rosemary Olive Oil Crackers

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine artichoke hearts, pesto, Parmesan cheese, and mayonnaise in a mixing bowl. Blend well. Fold in sliced green onions. Transfer to an ovenproof dish that has been sprayed with a nonstick oil. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Serve warm with crusty artisan bread and seasoned crackers.