pepper

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter J

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Jellylike Jezebel Sauce! I first heard about this sassy southern sauce with a spicy kick from fellow blogger, Camellia.* She piqued my interest since I sometimes crave the heat of horseradish to liven up ordinary foods. Talk about eye-popping sizzle! Yes, Ma’am! Then recently my husband and I travelled to South Carolina where I had a first-hand opportunity to taste it at a waterfront restaurant there. One bite of Coconut Shrimp dipped in Jezebel Sauce aroused my taste buds and the rest was history. Bless your heart, Camellia!
JELLYLIKE JEZEBEL SAUCE
Ingredients:

18-ounce apple jelly

13-ounce jar apricot preserves 

8-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained

8-ounce jar creamy horseradish, double strength 

2 tablespoons dry mustard

2 teaspoons black cracked pepper
Instructions:

Warm apple jelly in microwave for 30 seconds. Combine apple juice, apricot preserves, crushed pineapple, Creamy horseradish, dry mustard, and cracked black pepper. Stir to blend well. Pour into jars. Chill one hour to enhance flavors. Store in the refrigerator. 
*Please visit Camellia for her variation of Jezebel Sauce. 

http://camelliascottage.com/2017/01/25

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Figgy Honey-Baked Cheese 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Figgy Honey-Baked Cheese! Looking for an appetizer that brings in the cheer? It’s easy to create your own version of elegance when you use quality ingredients that begin with cheese. To awaken the taste buds, sprinkle in a few red pepper flakes which compliment the natural sweetness of honey. The crunch of walnuts satisfies those earthy snack-seekers. Bake it all together for the most captivating sweet holiday aroma. Deck the Halls with boughs of Holly. Fa-la-la-la-la…la-la-la-lah!
FIGGY HONEY-BAKED CHEESE
Ingredients: 

8-ounce wheel Normandy Style Camembert cheese, double crème 

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons natural honey

2 tablespoons fig jam

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 tablespoon walnuts, chopped
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Place cheese wheel in an oven-proof dish. Score the cheese in a criss-cross pattern. Pour melted butter over cheese. Drizzle natural honey over cheese. Spread fig jam over cheese. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Top with chopped walnuts. Bake 20-25 minutes until cheese is soft and bubbly. Serve warm with sliced apples, assorted crackers, and baguette slices.  

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter M

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food for Sharing: Mole Sesame Chicken! One of my longtime friends introduced me to this dish after spending some time in the Dominican Republic. The unique mole sauce contains chili pepper, aromatic spices, and dark Mexican chocolate making it a savory sauce over turkey or chicken. It creates a fabulous meal when you have leftover meat. Simply add plain or Spanish rice along with soft flour tortillas for the perfect pairings. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds for a nutty finish. 
MOLE SESAME CHICKEN
Ingredients:

8.25 ounce jar Doña Maria Mole*

28 ounces chicken broth 

1-2 pound rotisserie chicken

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Shred rotisserie chicken, removing skin and bones. Transfer chicken to a large bowl. Empty contents of mole paste into a blender. Add half the chicken broth. Blend until smooth. Add remaining broth. Repeat. Pour mole sauce over chicken. Stir to incorporate. Transfer to a covered casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Sauce will thicken. Serve with sticky rice or Spanish rice. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds. 
*I receive no recompense for recommending Doña Maria Mole, Mexican Condiment. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter P

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Timeless Classics: Pastime Pepper Jelly Appetizer! Someone once told me, I was the “Queen of Appetizers”. It may be the result of often serving hors d’oeuvres and finger food at festive parties and impromptu gatherings. Or perhaps, simply because it makes a light meal. Recently, though, my husband opened a bottle of dry red wine and we had a quiet dinner for two from this recipe alone. It may have been the ancient evening, the distant music, the cozy conversation, or the cherished companionship, but add it all together for the perfect pastime. 
PASTIME PEPPER JELLY APPETIZER 
Ingredients:

8 ounce block Neufchâtel cheese, softened 

6 ounce sleeve sesame crackers

8 ounce jar Jalapeño Confetti Jelly*

Fresh mint (optional)
Instructions:

Chop fresh mint. Spread a teaspoon of Neufchâtel cheese on a sesame cracker. Beginning with a half a teaspoon to taste, place a dollop of Jalapeño Confetti Jelly on top. Garnish with fresh mint. Serve with a nonalcoholic sparkling blood orange beverage or a glass of red wine. 
*Jalapeño or habanero jellies are recommended. You may follow the link to make your own Jalapeño Confetti Jelly @ https://snapshotsincursive.com/2016/09/29

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter U

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Unbelievable Cheesy Pimiento Spread! If you’re a cheese lover, this is a “must-do” appetizer. It is guaranteed to bring big raves at the next holiday gathering. The smokey-peppery version is sure to test your willpower. Should it just be slathered on crackers or bagel chips? What about apple slices? Or will you take it one step further and build a grilled cheese sandwich on sourdough bread? Whatever you choose, create all sorts of ideas for enhancing this nostalgic Southern favorite. 
UNBELIEVABLE CHEESY PIMENTO SPREAD 
Ingredients:

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

2 teaspoons French Dijon mustard 

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper 

4-ounce jar of diced pimientos, drained

2 green onions, snipped

8 ounces extra sharp yellow cheddar cheese, finely shredded 

10 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, medium shredded 

1 teaspoon sriracha hot chili sauce (optional)
Instructions:

In a large bowl, stir together mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, seasoned salt, and pepper. Mix well. Fold in pimientos and onions. Stir in both cheeses until blended. Add sriracha for a kick of heat. Chill one hour or overnight. 
Serving Suggestion: Serve as an Appetizer with crackers or assorted vegetables. Also excellent as finger sandwiches. 
*For block cheeses, grate one kind with small holes and the other with medium holes on a box grater or using food processor blades. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter X

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Xtreme Sloppy Joes! Some days you crave a sweet and savory warm sandwich over a lunchbox ham and cheese on wheat. Sure, it can be a little messy, but pile it high anyway and add a mound of shredded cheese. Then watch things melt together.
XTREME SLOPPY JOES
Ingredients:

2 pounds lean ground beef

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/3 cup green pepper, chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons pimento, diced

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon mustard

2 cups ketchup 
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325°. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef, onion, and green pepper seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook until meat is in crumbles. Reduce heat. Add diced pimento. Stir in vinegar, lemon juice, brown sugar, mustard, and ketchup. Mix well. Transfer to an ovenproof covered dish and bake in the oven for one hour. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter V

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: Viva Poblano! How can such small pepper plants produce so many poblanos? When it rains, it pours! It seems as though we have peppers coming out of our ears: jalapeño peppers, Marconi sweet peppers, poblano peppers, bell peppers, and finally habanero peppers. I have roasted, baked, dried, and pickled peppers in all sorts of delicious ways. Today’s dish is a Mexican specialty that showcases the smoky taste of poblanos. It’s a meal in itself. To tone down the heat, always add cheese. Permission granted. 
VIVA POBLANO 
Ingredients:

4 large poblano chiles, roasted, halved, seeded, skins removed

1/4 cup onion, diced

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 pound ground beef

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions. Add ground beef, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook until meat is completely brown and crumbly. Remove from heat. Spray four individual casserole dishes with nonstick oil. Place one poblano pepper in the bottom of each dish, laying the split pepper open to fill the dish. Cover the pepper with Monterey Jack cheese. Add a layer of seasoned ground beef mixture. Finally top with cheddar cheese. Spray aluminum foil with nonstick oil. Cover each casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 minutes longer. Serve with chips and salsa. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter C

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: Cornbread Cornucopia! This is the perfect accompaniment to any bean dish. It’s delicious hot and savory when eaten later warmed up in the microwave. 
CORNBREAD CORNUCOPIA 
Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal

1 1/2 cups wheat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup olive oil

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/4 cups milk

1/4 pound smoked sausage link, pre-cooked and diced

1 cup extra-sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded 

1/4 cup pickled jalapeño peppers, sliced

1 tablespoon pimento, diced
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Sift cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sea salt, and sugar into a mixing bowl. Blend beaten eggs and oil; add milk. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients stirring until just blended. Fold in meat, cheese, peppers, and pimento. Pour into an 8″x8″ pan that has been sprayed with a non-stick oil. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve warm with butter. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter A

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: Angel Hair Pasta Partners! When you’re short on time and need things at your fingertips, turn to this quick weeknight dinner option. You’ll appreciate the convenience without sacrificing flavor. The texture is pleasing and the presentation is reward enough. Make this and you’ll be able to put your feet up and enjoy the evening. 
ANGEL HAIR PASTA PARTNERS
Ingredients:

6 ounces angel hair pasta, uncooked

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

4-6 Roma tomatoes, quartered

1 green pepper, cut up chunks

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/8 teaspoon basil

1/8 teaspoon marjoram 

16 Italian-style meatballs, fully cooked

Parmesan cheese for garnish 
Instructions:

Cook and drain pasta per package directions. As pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and green peppers. Cook 2 minutes until tender; remove from heat. Stir in Roma tomatoes and meatballs. Return to low heat and warm through. Add drained pasta and gently toss with basil, marjoram, salt, and pepper. Serve pasta meal sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. Add a side of crusty garlic toast.