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Paleo Pepper Steak

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Paleo Pepper Steak! Before you delete this post, hear me out for sec. Paleo does not mean blah, boring, and tasteless. In fact, this recipe gives you permission to only eat the stuff you crave. No hidden sauces or funky herbs. Basically, what you see is what you get. (Disclaimer: Pay no attention to that slice of garlic bread. It was put in the photo by my alter ego who loves carbs.) The green and red peppers are so fresh you may feel like nibbling on one or two as you slice them into strips. And the caramelized onions compliment the taste of steak, in my opinion.  

PALEO PEPPER STEAK

Ingredients:

1 large green bell pepper, sliced and seeds removed 

1 large sweet red pepper, sliced and seeds removed

1 large yellow onion, skin removed and sliced

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

2-6 ounce filet mignon steaks

Sea salt, black pepper, and garlic powder steak to taste

1 pat of butter

Instructions:

Salt and pepper both sides of the steak while the gas grill is preheating from 450°-500°. At this time sprinkle the steak with garlic powder as well. The salt begins to draw out a little bit of moisture which makes the steak sizzle when it hits the grill grate, sealing in the flavor. For accuracy in grilling, my husband sets the timer on his cell phone, which is quite handy. Grill the steak for 2 1/2 minutes on one side before flipping over for the remaining 2 1/2 minutes. The finished steak will be medium-rare. Now this is the most difficult part. Let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving. The juice will reabsorb back into the steak to give you that moist and meaty taste. 

Meanwhile, sauté pepper and onion slices in olive oil and seasonings in a large skillet on medium heat. Turn often to gradually brown the vegetables and avoid burning. They will be tender in about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to low simmer to keep warm. Before serving, surround the steak with peppers and onions. Finish with a pat of butter.  

Loaded Lettuce Cups

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Loaded Lettuce Cups! Eating with your fingers is so much fun!  Here’s an idea for supper that is not only kid-friendly, but has an Asian flair that adults adore. By toasting the rice and noodles in butter, it gives the food a nice crunchy taste complimented by sesame and soybean undertones. Add chicken and water chestnuts for a healthy meal. The mere fact that it’s all wrapped up in the soft, buttery Boston lettuce leaves make it an all-star hit! 

LOADED LETTUCE CUPS 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter

1 cup instant white rice

1 1/2 cups fine home style noodles

10-ounce can chunk chicken breast, drained

14-ounce chicken broth

4 green onions, chopped

8-ounce can of slivered water chestnuts, drained

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup soybean seasoning sauce

Boston lettuce leaves

Instructions:

Melt butter in a deep skillet. Do not burn. Add white rice and thin noodles. Coat well. Cook them over medium heat 3-5 minutes, turning often until golden brown. Stir in chicken broth and chicken chunks. Cover. Simmer 15 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Add chopped green onion with tops, water chestnuts, sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, and soybean seasoning sauce. Mix well and serve in Boston lettuce cups. 

Red Pepper Spicy Olives

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Red Pepper Spicy Olives! Here’s a little addition to your charcuterie board. Not everyone is a fan of olives, so by placing them in a decorative bowl, such as olive wood, it draws the eye away from everything which entertains the mind that a taste could be a possibility. (You never know, if you don’t try it.) Scoop a little onto a slice of crusty artisan bread, for starters. Then proceed to elevate the combo with a creamy burrata cheese. That tiny tickle at the back of your throat is the kick of pepper. Now you’re getting the picture. 

RED PEPPER SPICY OLIVES 

Ingredients: 

16 ounces assorted olives, pitted

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon roasted red peppers, chopped

1/8 teaspoon black peppercorns, cracked

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary 

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon dried parsley leaves

Instructions: 

Place assorted olives in a sieve to drain excess water; rinse. Warm the olive oil over medium-low heat in a skillet. Add roasted red peppers, cracked black peppercorns, sea salt, dried rosemary, red pepper flakes, and dried parsley leaves. Stir briskly. Add the assorted olives; stir gently to coat. Allow the mixture to cook for 2-3 minutes; reduce heat. Pour contents into a serving bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Garlic Roasted Vine Tomatoes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Garlic Roasted Vine Tomatoes! When baking cherry tomatoes on the vine, there is no need to remove the vine beforehand. As they bake, the skin will often crack or split. No worries. Grab a fork and mash them a little bit. This step enhances the presentation, giving the garlicky tomatoes a chunky consistency. Once the tomatoes are baked, the vine can be easily removed and discarded. The star attraction, I found, was sinking my teeth into a roasted garlic clove. Surprisingly, the sweet, nutty taste is nothing like the sharp pungency of raw garlic. And the natural caramelized sweetness can turn anyone into a grab-aholic, greedily picking out more garlic cloves when no one is looking. I confess, I can be sneaky. 

GARLIC ROASTED VINE TOMATOES 

Ingredients: 

8-ounces cherry tomatoes on the vine

1 garlic bulb, peeled and separated into garlic cloves

1 tablespoon olive oil 

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

5-6 fresh basil leaves

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, place the cherry tomatoes. Set aside. Slice each garlic clove into three sections. Add to the cherry tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle mixture with kosher salt and red pepper flakes. Gently toss to coat. Transfer the tomato mixture to a cast iron skillet. Bake 10 minutes until lightly browned; add the basil leaves. Stir. Return skillet to oven for 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven and transfer to a platter. Spoon warm tomatoes, in sauce, over toasted baguette slices. 

Not Your Momma’s Scrambled Eggs

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Not-Your-Momma’s Scrambled Eggs! Do you have a fussy eater? Sometimes it takes a lot of energy to keep things interesting and fun. Here’s your answer for simplifying breakfast or dinner: put the scrambled egg mixture in a hollowed out pepper shell. Bake it in the oven while the bread is toasting. The aromas alone will grab their attention. Trust me, it’s worth the wait. 

NOT-YOUR-MOMMA’S SCRAMBLED EGGS

Ingredients:

3 sweet peppers, seeded and ribs removed

1/4 cup dry aged prosciutto, cubed

2 tablespoons sweet red pepper, diced

2 tablespoons onion, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

smidgen of seasoned salt

nip of cracked black pepper

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, finely shredded

2 eggs

1 tablespoon milk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Coat oven-proof baking dish with nonstick spray. Place peppers upright in bottom of dish, like a boat. They need to sit flat in order to keep the eggs from running out. In a small skillet, add olive oil, red pepper, onion, and prosciutto. Sauté in seasonings. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Beat well. Layer the pepper boats with cheese and prosciutto mixture. Pour eggs over all to fill. Bake for 30 minutes or until set. Serve with buttered toast and salad. 

Yam Sticks

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: Yam Sticks! Here is a nice alternative when craving French fries. Substitute the Idaho potatoes for yams and bake them instead of frying. You’ll feel better about making a healthy choice while mixing up the menu a bit. Give your taste buds a real surprise as you go from hum-drum to WOW!

YAM STICKS

Ingredients:

6 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into sticks

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425°. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well until yam sticks are evenly coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for one hour. Meanwhile, place a baking sheet in the oven so it is already hot before adding the yams. Being careful when removing it from the oven, lightly spray the baking sheet with non-stick oil. Spread yam sticks into single layer. They crisp up better when they’re not touching. Bake about 40 minutes or until tender and slightly browned. Turn halfway through baking, using kitchen tongs. Serve immediately. 

Southern-Style Sausage Gravy and Biscuits

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: Southern-Style Sausage Gravy and Biscuits! Some call it “comfort food”, others say it reminds them of Home. Whether you’re from the southern states or not, this meal is a hardy choice for an early breakfast, mid-day brunch, or late-night dinner. Add a side of tomatoes, eggs, cheese, or grits and you’ll soon have another family favorite. 

SOUTHERN-STYLE SAUSAGE GRAVY AND BISCUITS

Ingredients:

12-ounces of bulk pork sausage

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup butter 

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk

1 tube buttermilk biscuits

Instructions:

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown sausage with black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon seasoned salt, and red pepper flakes, stirring occasionally. It will be crumbly when cooked through. Set aside. In a 2-quart pan, melt butter and remaining 1/8 teaspoon seasoned salt over medium-low heat, being careful not to scorch. Add flour all at once into the butter to make a roux. Whisk vigorously for about one minute. The mixture will thin and begin to bubble. Reduce heat to low and let it cook for two minutes more, stirring occasionally. Continue whisking and gradually pour the milk into the mixture, eliminating any lumps. Bring the gravy to a boil, stirring often. Lower the heat and gently simmer for two minutes longer or until thickened. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to the gravy, reserving 1/3 cup for garnish. Meanwhile, bake biscuits according to package directions. Remove from oven. 

Split biscuits in half and top with sausage gravy. Sprinkle crumbled sausage over all and serve immediately. 

Sriracha Mayo Dipping Sauce

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: Sriracha Mayo Dipping Sauce! Please don’t accuse me of serving under-seasoned food. Years ago I saw people dipping their French Fries in a bowl of mayonnaise and thought it very strange. And then I was informed the Europeans do it all the time. They say the full earthy flavor of the potatoes are enhanced by the rich, tangy taste of mayonnaise rather than the stronger sweet taste of ketchup. Fast forward to now, and I can justify a mayonnaise-based chili sauce, known as sriracha mayo, as a popular condiment. It’s thicker consistency latches onto a chip and won’t drop off on its way to your mouth. Adding the kick of spice is pure pleasure. Wouldn’t you agree?

SRIRACHA MAYO DIPPING SAUCE

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup mayonnaise 

1 tablespoon sriracha chili sauce

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions: 

In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, sriracha chili sauce, lemon juice, soy sauce, kosher salt, and red pepper flakes. Stir until smooth. Serve as a dipping sauce with Garden Salsa Sun Chips*.

*I receive no recompense for mentioning this product. 

Kinky Red Cabbage Slaw

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Kinky Red Cabbage Slaw! When you need a little color, a satisfying crunch, and an extra dose of vitamin K, look no further than red cabbage. Its robust, hearty flavor can be combined with spices that have you feeling like the Queen of Sheba or the King of Siam. Make a healthy choice today. Opt out for red cabbage. It may provide just the twist you need. 

KINKY RED CABBAGE SLAW

Ingredients:

1/2 head red cabbage, shredded

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons celery seed

Sea salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon red onion, diced

Instructions:

Whisk together vinegar and sugar until dissolved. Slowly add oil, celery seed, salt, and pepper. Toss in cabbage and onions. Coat well. Refrigerate for one hour.