salsa

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter M

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Eat More: ‘Mazing Mango Salsa! Turn Taco Tuesday into one more reason to celebrate. Take ordinary salsa and kick it up a notch into a flavor explosion that is as sweet as it is spicy. Honey mangoes make all the difference when paired with tomatoes, jalapeños, and cilantro. One scoop of a chip and you may find yourself filling up before the meal is served. No worries. Sit back, relax, add a classic lime margarita on-the-rocks, and turn it into “Happy Hour”. 
‘MAZING MANGO SALSA
Ingredients:

2 honey mangoes, peeled and diced

1/2 Vidalia onion, chopped

1 Roma tomato, diced

1 tablespoon pimento, chopped

3 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped

3 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Toss gently to mix. Refrigerate one hour. Serve with warm salted tortilla chips. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter O

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Junkie Favorites: OMG Nachos! The first time I heard about putting tator tots on nachos, I thought, “What’s up with that?”. Curiosity got the better of me. So I tried it and OMG Nachos were born! If you like cheese and potatoes, you’re going to love, love, love this! I pulled it all together in an iron skillet by arranging one layer of corn tortilla chips on the bottom and then around the edge of the pan to form a bowl. Next, I filled it with all the goodies. Fifteen minutes later I was wiping my chin from the incredible taste explosion in my mouth. OMG, you gotta try it. 
OMG NACHOS 
Ingredients:

1/2 bag of tator tots

Corn tortilla chips, café style

1/2 cup black beans, drained

2 tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup jalapeño slices

3 green onions, snipped

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese

4 ounces Havarti cheese

Salsa to taste

Guacamole to taste

Sour cream to taste
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425°. Place tator tots on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes; turn over and bake 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven and set aside. In an iron skillet, place one layer of corn tortilla chips on the bottom of the skillet and then arrange chips around the edge of the pan to form a bowl. Layer remaining ingredients, including tator tots, alternating with cheese. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and dig in. Top with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream to taste. 

Dining Outside the Home: Plaza Azteca in Williamsburg, Virginia 

Dining Outside the Home: Plaza Azteca in Williamsburg, Virginia! Rich flavors originating in Jalisco, Mexico came across the U.S. to the East Coast over twenty years ago. Now customers come to Plaza Azteca expecting table side guacamole prepared fresh before their eyes. If you’re looking for ordinary, forget it. The grill is working overtime serving up everything from stuffed pineapple to sizzling fajitas. The biggest challenge is breaking away from the usual choices to sample something truly new and amazing. 

Dining Outside the Home: Tortilla Republic in Kōloa, Kauai 

Dining Outside the Home: Tortilla Republic in Koloa, Kauai. Located in the center of activity at Kukui’ula Village Shopping Center with a perfect vantage point for dining al fresco, is a Mexican restaurant serving classic dishes using the freshest local ingredients. The cantina atmosphere sets the mood with handmade wicker furniture and authentic Mexican art before you ever take that first swipe of salty chips and chunky salsa. Enjoy margaritas and live music while savoring food grilled to perfection. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter Q

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Quirky Quesadilla! Have you ever noticed when you announce quesadillas are on the menu for the next meal, everyone begins to feel as though they’ve been invited to a party? It’s probably due to the fact that it opens the door to endless possibilities. Do you prefer seafood, chicken, vegetables, cheese, or all of the above? No problem. Once you offer a buffet of ingredients, everyone can build-their-own. Win! Win!
QUIRKY QUESADILLA 
Ingredients:

12-ounces shrimp; peeled, deveined, tail off

1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon dill

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 chicken breasts; boneless, skinless, cubed

1/8 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons red onion, chopped
4-6 flour tortillas

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup Queso Fresco cheese

1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese

1 green onion
Instructions:

Sauté shrimp in 1 tablespoon olive oil, Old Bay seasoning, red pepper flakes, and dill on medium heat. Cook until pink and opaque, turning often, usually 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a dish and set aside. Using the same skillet, add another tablespoon of olive oil. Cook the chicken and onion together with seasonings. Turn heat to low. Add the shrimp. Mix gently. Sprinkle in the Queso Fresco cheese and cover. It will melt into the quesadilla filling to bond everything together. Watch carefully so the cheese does not burn. In another skillet over low heat, butter one side of a flour tortilla. Place buttered side down. Sprinkle in cheddar cheese. Add two spoonfuls of filling. Spread to within 1/2-inch of the edge. Top with another buttered tortilla. Put lid on skillet to melt cheeses. Cook until lightly brown, about two minutes. Turn the tortilla over and cook the other side until the tortilla is lightly brown and the cheese is gooey. Place on a platter to cool slightly before cutting. Repeat with remaining tortillas until no ingredients remain. Serve with salsa, yogurt, and guacamole.
*Hint: if you’re serving a crowd, it’s easy to prepare several at the same time. Place the filled quesadillas on a cookie sheet and bake them in a 375° oven for 10 minutes. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter T

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Tiki Tacos! There was a time I could eat a dozen tacos at one sitting. Seriously. I was 20 years old, worked two full time jobs and road my bicycle everywhere! Nowadays, I show a little more restraint and stop after two tacos. But it’s still one of my favorite meals. Sometimes I use corn tortilla shells and other times I use flour. The shell determines which spices to use. Today it’s flour tortillas. 
TIKI TACOS
Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

8 flour tortillas

1/4 cup butter, melted

Lettuce, torn

Tomato, chopped

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1/4 cup jalapeño peppers, sliced

1/2 cup prepared salsa
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium skillet, brown ground beef. Drain. Stir in garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Brush one side of tortillas with butter. Spoon about 1/4 cup of meat mixture onto center of unbuttered sides. Fold in half; place on a baking sheet. Repeat until all tortillas are filled and meat is distributed evenly between them. Bake in the oven about 15 minutes or until tortilla shells are crisp. Remove from oven and serve with lettuce, tomato, and cheese. Spoon salsa over too and garnish with jalapeño pepper slices. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter F

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: First-Class Fajitas! Grilling season is in full swing and what better way to prepare a smorgasbord of flavor. I prefer shrimp, my husband prefers steak, and we both like chicken. So we blend it all together and make this fabulous main course. Throw in the sides, salsa, and cheese, and everyone is happy!
FIRST-CLASS FAJITAS 
Ingredients:

1-pound of shrimp

2 chicken breasts, boneless

1 pound of sirloin steak
Marinate each meat/shrimp in the following: (x3)

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/4 cup tequila 

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Sea salt to taste
1 Vidalia onion

1 green pepper
4 romaine leaves, gently torn

1 tomato, chopped

2 green onions, snipped

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup salsa 

1/2 cup sliced jalapeños 

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro 

4 flour tortillas
Instructions:

In three shallow dishes, place steak, chicken and shrimp in their own marinade. Let stand for one hour. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Drain marinade and discard. Place meats and shrimp on grill.* Cook through until done. (Chicken will take about 7 minutes per side.)

(Steak will take 4 minutes per side for medium-rare.)

(Shrimp will take 2 minutes per side.)

(Grill the vegetables until tender, about 10 minutes total.) 

Meanwhile toss romaine leaves, tomatoes, and green onions to blend in a bowl. Fill tortillas with your favorite meats, veggies, and toppings. Serve with chips, salsa, and sour cream. Olé!
*For easy cooking on the grill, use one grill pan for the shrimp as well as one for the vegetables.

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter Z

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Second Helping of Zesty Fish Tacos. The first time my California friend ordered Fish Tacos, I was like, “Whaaaaaaat??” After all, being a Midwestern girl, fish was caught to be dredged in beer-batter or lemon-peppered, deep fried, and eaten with a side of French fries. Not exactly good for the heart, but tasty. Well, my taste buds have matured over the years and now I tend to cook a little healthier without sacrificing great flavor…..which brings me to the Recipe of the Day.
ZESTY FISH TACOS 
Ingredients:
2 Tilapia fillets

1 egg

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal 

2 tablespoons Panko seasoned bread crumbs

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper 

2 tortillas, flour or corn

1 cup shredded broccoli-carrot blend

1/4 cup salsa

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1 green onion, snipped
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400°. Mix egg and lime juice in a shallow dish. On a sheet of waxed paper, use a fork to blend flour, cornmeal, Panko crumbs, salt, pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin powder. Dip fish fillet in egg mixture to cover. Then coat with crumb topping. (This can be done more than once for an extra crispy crust.) Place breaded fillets on a greased baking dish. Bake for 8 minutes. Flip over bake 4 minutes longer. If you prefer a crispier crust, broil 4 minutes longer. Watch carefully. Fill each tortilla with fish, broccoli-carrot blend, salsa, and Greek yogurt. Garnish with green onion snips. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter P

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen?  Panchovillas!  Olé!  Who Doesn’t Love Mexican Food?  I’ve collected the best recipes from my friends’ kitchens where family secrets are passed down from generation to generation; where added spices become second nature.  And measurements are made by instinct and taste preference.  Proving that point, here’s a tasty meal thrown together from leftover pork roast.
PANCHOVILLAS
Ingredients:
1 pound pork roast, shredded
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder 
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup chopped jalapeños 
1/4 cup diced tomatoes 
2 cups tomato sauce 
2 cups refried beans
2 tablespoons butter, melted 
6-8 flour tortillas 
2 cups cheddar cheese 
Directions:
Simmer first ten ingredients, smashing a portion of the beans to keep the consistency thick.  Add more tomato sauce if necessary.  Brush the tortillas lightly with melted butter. Fill with pork and bean mixture. At this point I fold them into a burrito-style portion, seam side down.   Place in a 9×13 casserole dish. Cover tortillas with extra topping and cheddar cheese. Bake at 350° until the cheese is melted, usually about 30 minutes.  Top with sour cream and black olives to garnish.  Serve with mixed greens salad, guacamole, and crispy chips.  Add salsa for more spice.  And don’t forget the Classic Margarita!