pimentos

Yukon Cheesy Potatoes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Cut Above: Yukon Cheesy Potatoes! Before you stand in judgment over me, let me first say that a cheese-flavored product with outstanding melting capabilities is the reason I keep this item around. And I happen to know that popular restaurants also use it in combination with shredded cheddar cheese for amazing results. When I was growing up, it became associated with comfort food, like macaroni and cheese. It also melts wonderfully in homemade soups, dips, and queso. 

YUKON CHEESY POTATOES

Ingredients: 

24 ounce bag of Yukon Gold baby potatoes, skin on

1 pound package pasteurized prepared cheese product 

1 cup milk

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 green pepper, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 small jar pimentos 

Instructions: 

Place potatoes in a 4-quart pan with enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 20 minutes; drain. Allow to cool slightly. Cut potatoes in half. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine cheese product, milk, and cheddar cheese. Microwave on 50% for five minutes. Stir and repeat until a smooth creamy consistency is obtained. Add chopped green pepper, chopped onion, and chopped pimentos. Mix until combined. In a 9”x13” baking dish sprayed with nonstick oil, arrange the cooked potatoes. Pour the cheese mixture over the potatoes. Gently stir to coat all the potatoes. Bake in a 350° oven for one hour. Serve warm. 

Wild Chilean Shrimp Stuffing

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Graze or Gobble: Wild Chilean Shrimp Stuffing! You’re probably wondering what is so special about Wild Chilean Shrimp. First of all, it is a cold water shrimp, rich in nutrients, caught wild along a small band of Chile. These shrimp contain no additives, making them a simple sustainable seafood option. The quality tastes better knowing each shrimp is hand peeled. The difference, you wonder? Here again the sweet briny flavor of the sea comes out in every bite. As the shrimp is cooked, it retains its flavor, color, and texture. With any product, tasting is believing. Perhaps the next time you spot these ocean treasures, you’ll pick up a bag. Discover how shrimp-ly wonderful they are.

WILD CHILEAN SHRIMP STUFFING

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter, cubed

1 onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup celery, chopped

1/4 cup green pepper, chopped

12 ounces Wild Chilean Shrimp, fully cooked, peeled, deveined, and tail off

1/4 cup beef broth

1 teaspoon pimentos, drained and diced

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon dill weed

1/2 teaspoon chives, minced

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a one-quart casserole dish with nonstick oil. Set aside. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm butter. Add finely chopped onions, chopped celery, and chopped green pepper. Sauté until tender. Add wild Chilean shrimp; heat through. Add beef broth, diced pimentos, Worcestershire sauce, dill weed, minced chives, sea salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir occasionally to heat through. Remove from heat. Fold in soft bread crumbs. Transfer stuffing to the prepared casserole dish. Bake uncovered 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter Z

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Color of Food: Zuppa Toscana! The secret to great Italian soups can be found as near as your local Italian restaurant. However if you want to save a little money, now you can create a mouth-watering meal at home in your very own kitchen. Don’t believe me, check your pantry. With basic ingredients plus Italian herbs, you can get outstanding results. Pick up bakery fresh breadsticks or focaccia bread for a hearty meal. Buon Appetito!

ZUPPA TOSCANA

Ingredients:

1 pound Italian sausage, ground

1 sweet onion, chopped

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 potatoes, washed with peel on and cut into chunks

14-ounce can chicken broth

1 1/2 cups water

2 teaspoons flour

1 cup heavy cream

2 ounces diced pimentos

2 cups kale, gently torn

4 strips of thick-sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled

Instructions:

In a skillet over medium heat, brown Italian sausage until fully cooked and crumbled. Add onion, garlic powder, sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir and continue cooking until onions are soft. Reduce heat to keep warm. In a 2-quart pan, add potato chunks, chicken broth, and water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Blend flour with enough water to make a paste. Slowly add flour mixture to potatoes, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add sausage mixture. Stir to combine. Simmer 15 minutes. Reduce heat to low; add heavy cream, diced pimentos, torn kale, and crumbled bacon. Heat through. Ladle into soup bowls. Serve with breadsticks or focaccia bread.