peppers

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter K

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Timeless Classics: Kickstart Breakfast Burrito! Eggs have a way of warding off those mid-morning hunger pangs, in my opinion. Being high in protein makes them a favorite and keeps me from caving in to foods with empty calories later on. Because I’m a bread-lover, the tortilla satisfies like manna from heaven. Cheese, turkey sausage, and veggies kickstart my breakfast so I can stay focused and on point. Choose a breakfast wrap the next time you want a little variety in your day. 
KICKSTART BREAKFAST BURRITO 
Ingredients:

2 flour tortillas, burrito size

2 tablespoons salsa

2 tablespoons onion, chopped

1 small green pepper, chopped

1 tomato, chopped

1 lemon chili pepper, chopped (optional)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

4 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons milk

2-4 turkey sausage links, precooked and sliced

4 tablespoons Colby-Monterey Jack cheese, finely shredded
Instructions:

Top tortillas with salsa. Set aside. Combine onion, green pepper, tomato, and lemon chili pepper in a microwave-safe dish. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Microwave on High for 1 minute, 45 seconds. Remove and set aside. Heat turkey sausage chunks for 30 seconds on High in the microwave oven. Set aside. In a nonstick medium skillet over medium heat, add beaten eggs. Cook, stirring occasionally for one minute. Add turkey sausage, shredded cheese, and vegetable mixture. Cook one minute longer or until eggs are set. Do not burn. Divide scrambled egg mixture between the tortilla shells. Fold into a burrito. Makes two breakfast burritos. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter J

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Timeless Classics: Jalapeño Confetti Jelly! This homemade jelly may become your all-time favorite. Not only is it enticing in the jar with its festive swirls of colorful confetti, but once you slather it over your favorite foods, it becomes a taste sensation. Don’t settle for ordinary. Be creative. Serve it as a dipping sauce with grilled meats and shrimp or spread it on crostini and crackers. No rules apply. Make some for yourself and some to share. Either way, it’ll be gone long before the next crop of garden jalapeños rolls around. 
JALAPEÑO CONFETTI JELLY
Ingredients:

8-10 jalapeño peppers, stems removed

12-ounce bag assorted mini peppers

2 cups apple cider vinegar

3 cups sugar

1 packet pectin, no sugar needed*
Instructions:

Wear disposable gloves when handling jalapeños. Chop jalapeño peppers, then pulse in a food processor until they are minced. Transfer jalapeños to a heavy bottomed 4-quart pan. Repeat with mini peppers after removing stems, inner ribs, and seeds. Work in batches to prevent overcrowding. Start with a rough chop, then pulse in the food processor until finely minced. Add mini peppers to the pan with the jalapeño peppers. Add apple cider vinegar and sugar to the pan. Stir to combine. Bring the pan to a boil. Gradually add the fruit pectin. Continue boiling for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Ladle the hot liquid into clean jars. (Makes three pints or use assorted jar sizes for gift-giving.) Set aside jars to cool before capping. As jelly cools, pepper bits float to the top. Stir occasionally to distribute more evenly for a confetti appearance. Once the jelly is cool, cap and refrigerate the jars. The Jalapeño Confetti Jelly will thicken as it cools.  
* I received no recompense for suggesting SURE-JELL, no sugar needed, premium fruit pectin, 1.75 ounce size box. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter I

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Timeless Classics: Italian Bread Salad! Panzanella. Travel with me to Tuscany for a delightful dinner on a gardened terrace. Indulge in a bountiful salad of artisan bread, juicy tomatoes, sweet onions, and green bell peppers. Appreciate the herbs de Provence perfectly blended with garlic wine vinegar whisked in extra-virgin olive oil. It’s enough to make you swoon. The ingredients are very forgiving. Tomatoes a little soft? Has the bread gone stale? No worries. This classic Italian meal was originally meant to be eaten that way. It’s truly amazing!
ITALIAN BREAD SALAD
Ingredients:

1-pound loaf artisan bread

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence, crushed

8 Roma tomatoes, sliced

1 medium green bell pepper, cut into strips

1/2 Vidalia onion, chopped

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine garlic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced

Cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 300°. Slice and cube the bread in bite-size pieces, leaving crusts on. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick oil. Form a single layer of bread cubes. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with Herbs de Provence. Bake 10 minutes; flip over and bake 10 minutes longer. Cool. For dressing, whisk together olive oil, red wine garlic vinegar, and sea salt. In a large salad bowl, combine bread with tomatoes, green pepper, and onion. Pour vinaigrette over all and toss to coat. Refrigerate for one hour before serving. Stir occasionally to blend flavors. Just before serving, gently toss with fresh basil. Add cracked black pepper to taste.
* Serving suggestion: Italian Bread Salad is best eaten the day it is made. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter H

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Timeless Classics: Habanero Hot Sauce! Let’s kick things up a notch or two with one of the hottest known chili peppers legally sold in grocery stores. And I mean REALLY hot, compared to the average pepperoncini. The adorable orange lantern with its sweet-looking dimples can be deceiving. Its sting may feel as strong as a viper while simultaneously releasing an endorphin rush that’ll knock you off your feet. This is my fourth batch from the garden harvest. I’m hooked! However, it comes with a few words of caution: Wear gloves and avoid the juices near your face and eyes. While oven roasting, set the exhaust fan on High. When taste-testing, keep a wedge of white cheese nearby. It actually cuts the heat almost instantly. Be brave, my Peeps. Heed these simple rules. Then and only then, will you become the master of your own domain. 
HABANERO HOT SAUCE
Ingredients:

16-20 habanero peppers, halved, stems, and seeds removed

3 cloves garlic, minced 

1/3 cup orange juice

3 tablespoons grapefruit juice

1/8 teaspoon lime juice

Sea salt to taste
Instructions:

Place habanero pepper halves, skin side up in a single layer, on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick oil. Roast habanero peppers on High for 10 minutes, or until black spots appear. Remove. Using tongs, transfer habanero peppers to a covered bowl and allow to steam for 15 minutes. Using gloves, remove any loose skins; discard. Add peppers to a food processor. Pulse to a slightly coarse texture. Add minced garlic, orange juice, grapefruit juice, and lime juice. Pulse until desired consistency. Season with sea salt. Store in a jar in the refrigerator. Serve in dips, as a condiment, paired with ripe fruits in salsas, or on grilled meats. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter J

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Be Our Guest: Jersey Hot Dogs! Ask anyone how they prefer a hot dog and you’re bound to get a multitude of answers. Some prefer ketchup and onions, others insist on mustard and pickle relish. When grilling or roasting you hear everything from “barely warm” to “charred and crispy”. And then there’s New Jersey where the technique has been practiced for over a century. Maybe you know the secret: crispy potato chunks, sweet red peppers, and grilled onions. Overload the bun and slather on the mustard. Pay attention. You’ve just entered the Hot Dog Zone of America!
JERSEY HOT DOGS
Ingredients:

3 new potatoes, cut into chunks

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1 sweet red pepper, cut into strips

1 Vidalia onion, sliced

1/2 teaspoon dry Italian seasoning

4 Angus beef hot dogs

4 hot dog buns

Deli Mustard to taste

Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:

Heat olive oil in an iron skillet on medium-high heat. Add potatoes. Fry for 3 minutes; turn and cook 2-3 minutes longer. Potatoes will be partially crisp and browned. Remove and set aside. Add sweet red peppers and onions; repeat same frying process. Return potatoes to skillet. Add Italian seasoning. Combine vegetables. Cook 5-7 minutes longer on medium heat until all are tender and browned. Open hot dog buns and smear with deli mustard. Grill hot dogs as you prefer them. Insert hot dogs into sliced buns and fill with potato mixture. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter P

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Eat More: Philly Cheesesteak Bolillo! While at the local bakery, I couldn’t help but choose these nicely shaped oval bolillo rolls. Their lack of crunchy outer crust, like the baguette, made them more appealing for the cheese-laden spicy shredded beef I planned as a main course. Don’t you just love it when you get extra servings from another day’s roast sirloin? The opportunities are endless. This time around the onions, green peppers, red peppers, and mozzarella cheese all team together for that infamous cheesesteak sandwich to die for. Add a slice of tomato and a couple sweet gherkin pickles to punch up the taste buds. Any takers?
PHILLY CHEESESTEAK BOLILLO 
Ingredients:

1 pound roast sirloin, cooked and shredded 

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1/2 yellow onion, chopped 

1/2 red pepper, chopped

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons vinegar

1-2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

1 teaspoon fennel

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper 

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 bolillo sub rolls, halved

2 tablespoons butter

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions:

In a large skillet over medium heat, add shredded sirloin beef, green pepper, onion, and red pepper. Combine Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, lemon juice, vinegar, honey, and whole grain mustard. Stir well. Pour over meat and vegetables. Add seasoned salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat to low; simmer until almost all liquid is absorbed and meat is tender, approximately 20 minutes. Preheat oven to Broil. Cut bolillo subs in half lengthwise and scoop out the centers to make a well. Butter the faces generously. Sprinkle with garlic powder. Broil on high until the tops are golden, 2-3 minutes. Spoon meat mixture onto each half. Divide cheese over all. Return to broiler to melt the cheese. Watch carefully. Remove from oven and match the sandwich sides together to form a sandwich. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter N

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Eat More: Nugget Sesame Chicken! What do you get when you cross chicken nuggets with Chinese food? You get a shortcut for creating a Hump Day meal that satisfies even the pickiest eater. I mean, who doesn’t love chicken nuggets? The next time you drive-thru your neighborhood fast-food chain, order an extra portion of chicken nuggets to place in the freezer. Since they’re already precooked, when you’re ready to have them for dinner, let them thaw in the refrigerator. Then crisp them up in a 350° oven for 5-10 minutes before adding them to this incredible homemade sauce. It’s as simple as ABC. Life just got easier. 
NUGGET SESAME CHICKEN
Ingredients:

20 pieces of chicken nuggets

1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1/4 cup apricot jam

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon Chinese chili paste

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1/4 cup honey

2 teaspoons corn starch

1/2 cup water

10 dried whole chilies 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

3 green onions, snipped
Instructions:

In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine chicken broth, hoisin sauce, apricot jam, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili paste, sesame oil, and honey. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Dissolve cornstarch into water. Stir until smooth. Gradually pour into saucepan, mixing well boil for 2 minutes until the sauce thickens. Add whole chilies and chicken nuggets. Toss to combine. Reduce heat to simmer to keep sauce warm with a thick glossy glaze. In a small skillet, sauté garlic cloves until fragrant, no longer than 1 minute. Add garlic and toasted sesame seeds to sauce. Garnish with green onion snips. Serve with rice. *
* Serving suggestion. Nugget Sesame Chicken partners well with Jasmine Rice Pilaf. Follow the link for the recipe. 

https://snapshotsincursive.com/2016/07/14

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter H

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Eat More: Hummus Amongus! If I told you this was a healthy alternative to chip dip, would you believe me? It’s true. The difference is hummus is made from chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans. They are rich in protein and provide daily fiber. Their smooth texture feels buttery in the mouth leaving a slightly nut-like aftertaste. By adding lemon and spices, it’s the perfect partner for pita chips and fresh vegetables. Go ahead, indulge!
HUMMUS AMONGUS
Ingredients:

1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained

1/2 cup tahini paste

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon pimento, diced

1 teaspoon lemon olive oil
Instructions:

Using a food processor, pulse garbanzo beans until smooth. Add tahini paste, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin powder, and salt. Process until mixed. Transfer hummus to a shallow bowl. Drizzle with lemon olive oil. Garnish with diced pimento. Serve with fresh crudités. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter Y

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? All the Buzz: Yucca Crispy Sticks! From time to time I get a little help from my friends. Recently The Dancing Herbalist* suggested I share a post on the yucca root with my readers. To be honest, I have yucca plants growing all over my yard, and while I enjoy their hardy green foliage year round, and their beautiful white fan of blossoms every summer, I never gave them a second thought as a food source. Apparently they contain dietary fiber advantageous in controlling blood sugar and cholesterol levels in subtropical regions. Tasting very much like a potato, with roots that simulate a sweet potato, the yucca root is an healthy option loaded with antioxidants. I admit, I learn something new every day. 
YUCCA CRISPY STICKS
Ingredients:

1 large yucca, peeled and cut into sticks

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon chili powder 

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/2 cup Panko seasoned bread crumbs

1/3 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs, finely ground

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425°. Peel yucca with vegetable peeler to remove waxy skin. Cut into sticks, as uniform in thickness as possible. Do not make too thin. Place in a 2-quart pan with enough water to cover. Bring to boil. Cook 5-7 minutes. Remove and drain immediately. Submerge in an ice bath. Transfer drained sticks to a large bowl. Coat with olive oil and chili pepper, seasoned salt, and cracked black pepper. Mix together panko crumbs, Italian seasoned bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese. Spread on waxed paper. Roll each seasoned yucca stick in the crust mixture to coat and line in a single layer on a wire rack nested on a baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes, turn and bake 5 minutes longer until golden brown. Serve warm with spicy mayo. 
Ingredients for Spicy Mayo:

3 tablespoons mayonnaise 

1-2 tablespoons sriracha sauce

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon chili pepper rings
Instructions:

Combine mayonnaise, sriracha sauce, lemon juice, and soy sauce in a bowl. Mix well until smooth. Garnish with chili pepper rings. 
* Please visit The Dancing Herbalist at 

https://thedancingherbalist.wordpress.com