spices

Hacienda Taco Salad Bowls

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Hacienda Taco Salad Bowls! It’s okay to indulge in those fast-food cravings. Everyone does now and then. When I get the urge to succumb to the temptation, I begin to turn things around in my own kitchen. Take, for example, the glorious Taco Salad with the edible crispy flour shell bowl. It can be made for half the cost at home, leaving extra money in your wallet for something like…oh I don’t know…SHOES! Make this guilt-free version at home. 

HACIENDA TACO SALAD BOWLS

Ingredients:

6 flour tortillas

1 pound lean ground beef

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

Romaine lettuce leaves, torn

2 tomatoes, diced

1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded

2 green onions, snipped

1/4 cup black olives, sliced

1/4 cup jalapeño peppers, sliced

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup salsa

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Using nonstick spray oil, coat the inside of oven-safe bowls. Gently mold the flour tortilla inside to form a bowl. Bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Remove from oven and cool before transferring to wire rack. Meanwhile, brown ground beef and drain. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cumin. Mix well.  Assemble hacienda bowls by filling with remaining ingredients, per taste. Top with Greek yogurt and salsa. 

Garlic Butter Mussels

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Garlic Butter Mussels! One of the best ways to experience new foods is to be adventurous at your nearby market. By trying a quality product there first, you can decide if you might want to step out and either order it at a restaurant or perhaps, attempt to make it at home from scratch. That’s exactly what I did with this version of mussels. By making subtle changes that appeal to my palate, it turned my kitchen into a gourmet restaurant. Picture this, my husband was drawn indoors by the enticing aromas of garlic and seafood. I literally stood there at the stove in my bare feet feeding him fingertip morsels of aromatic mussels and herb-infused vermicelli. Talk about romantic!!!

GARLIC BUTTER MUSSELS

Ingredients:

16-ounce package mussels in garlic sauce, frozen*

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons white wine

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

4 ounces vermicelli 

Sea salt to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon capers

1/8 teaspoon basil

1/8 teaspoon marjoram

1/8 teaspoon parsley

Instructions:

Empty contents of mussels pouch into a deep saucepan and cover. Heat on high for 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add butter, white wine, and garlic to increase juice. Meanwhile, cook vermicelli according to package directions. Drain. Return to pan. Add sea salt, olive oil, capers, basil, marjoram, and parsley. Mix well. Transfer vermicelli to individual serving pieces. Split mussels between them. (Serve in the shell.) Drizzle garlic butter wine sauce over all. Serve with crusty bread for dipping in juices. 

*The rule of thumb for serving mussels is ALWAYS ensure mussel shells are fully opened before serving. 

Enchilada Cheesy Hash Browns

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Enchilada Cheesy Hash Browns!  This time-honored recipe came to me from a friend who had perfected the art of authentic Mexican food. Monica shared some of her trade secrets on more than one occasion, but warned me about one unwary pitfall. “Once you perfect these traditional recipes, your husband may be less willing to take you out to dinner as often.”  So be forewarned. Choose this perfect alternative for those nights you need a “meatless” meal. 

ENCHILADA CHEESY HASH BROWNS

Ingredients:

4 baked potatoes, peeled and shredded into hash browns*

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

3/4 cup Spanish onion, chopped

10 ounces baby peas

1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1 1/2 cups extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

10-count package corn tortillas

15 ounces tomatillo salsa

Green onions for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9″x13″ glass baking dish with nonstick oil. Pour tomatillo salsa into a pie plate. Set aside. Place the corn tortillas on a plate nearby. In a large skillet, sauté onions in olive oil. Add hash brown potatoes, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper. Cook until slightly crisp. Add peas and mix well. To assemble enchiladas, dip one tortilla into tomatillo salsa on both sides. Transfer to a dinner plate and fill with potato mixture. Add 1 tablespoon of each cheese. Gently roll enchilada and place seam side down in glass dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Drizzle remaining salsa over all. Spread cheese over top of enchiladas. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and brown cheese 5 minutes longer. Remove from oven. Garnish with green onion snips. Olé!

*If time is of the essence, you may substitute with frozen shredded hash browns. 

ZZ “Zucchini” Topped Potatoes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: ZZ “Zucchini” Topped Potatoes! This recipe is going to be rock music to your ears. (If you pre-bake several potatoes on the weekend, it’ll eliminate one step during the week.) Create a fast meal by loading baked potatoes with yummy ingredients. Then top them off with sautéed zucchini, sweet onions, and hickory-smoked bacon. Can you feel the beat? Put this toe-tapping favorite in your recipe box…….and Rock On!

ZZ “ZUCCHINI” TOPPED POTATOES

Ingredients:

4 large potatoes, baked

Sea Salt

1 cup Greek yogurt

1/4 cup milk

2 green onions, snipped

1/4 cup butter

1 cup cheddar cheese, finely shredded

1 medium zucchini, chopped

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Wash potatoes, pat dry. Pierce each one on top. Spray with nonstick oil and sprinkle sea salt on skins. Bake for one hour. When done, let cool for ten minutes. Meanwhile, cook bacon. Drain on paper towels and crumble. Sauté onions and zucchini in olive oil. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise.  Remove the flesh into a bowl leaving enough skin to form a shell. Place skins in a shallow baking dish. To the flesh, add yogurt, milk, green onions, butter, and 1/3 cup cheddar cheese. Blend until creamy. Spoon the filling into the potato skins. Top with remaining cheese, sautéed zucchini, onions, and crumbled bacon. Bake 15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and bubbly. 

White Bean Hot Dish

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: White Bean Hot Dish! One of the secrets of being a seasoned cook is knowing when to use quality ingredients to your advantage. Especially when you’re short on time or just needing a mid-week break. I keep my pantry stocked with what I refer to as “staples”; standby products that produce excellent results. Then on the nights when we are on the go, I can turn to a delicious alternative while serving another food-lover’s favorite. Pat yourself on the back and make yourself a hero, too. 

WHITE BEAN HOT DISH

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 sweet yellow onion, chopped

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon celery seed

1 24-ounce jar Randall’s Great Northern Beans*

16 ounces ham, cooked and shredded

16 ounces baby carrots

14.5 ounces diced potatoes, including liquid

3 bay leaves

Instructions:

In a large deep skillet, heat olive oil on medium-high heat. Sauté chopped onions in seasoned salt and pepper until they turn opaque. Reduce heat to medium. Add beans, ham, carrots, and potatoes. Stir to combine thoroughly. Add bay leaves and celery seed.  Cover and reduce to simmer for 15 minutes. Remove lid and simmer longer for thicker results. Before serving remove bay leaves. 

*I receive no recompense for promoting their product.

Viva Poblano

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. 

Open-Faced Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: Open-Faced Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches! Stretch Summer to its limit with this popular sandwich that has maximum flavor on a toasted pretzel bun. Pile it high with tangy cole slaw and a dill pickle spear on the side for a satisfying meal. Once you combine the shredded pork with the barbecue sauce, keep it warm in the crockpot and savor the aromas filling the house. 

OPEN-FACED PULLED PORK BBQ SANDWICHES

Ingredients:

3-4 pound boneless pork roast prepared as directed from the segment Kalua Pork Roast https://snapshotsincursive.com/2015/05/27

Leftovers can be frozen and used later to make something incredible like today’s special. 

Add 1 cup of your favorite bottled barbecue sauce to the shredded pork. Simmer to blend flavors. Or…..make the sauce yourself!

BBQ SAUCE:

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup chili sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon liquid smoke

Instructions:

In a 2-quart saucepan, heat all ingredients to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more water if needed. Mix with pulled pork to blend flavors. Keep warm. 

Kauaiian-Rub Pork Medallions

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: Kauaiian-Rub Pork Medallions! Natural Pacific sea salt, combined with herbs and spices, lock in flavor for the most tender cut of grilled pork you’ve ever tasted. Don’t scrimp on the cut; it’s worth a little extra cost since there is no fat, no bones, and absolutely no waste. 

KAUAIIAN-RUB PORK MEDALLIONS

Ingredients:

2-3 pound Pork Filet Mignon, sliced in 3/4″ portions

1/3 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons soybean seasoning sauce

1-2 tablespoons Salty Wahine Gourmet Hawaiian Rub*

Instructions: 

Marinate at room temperature sliced medallions in a shallow dish with olive oil, soybean seasoning sauce, and gourmet rub on both sides of the pork. Preheat the outdoor gas grill to 500°. Place the tenderloins on the non-stick grate and lower the lid. The temperature should remain around 450°. After 4-5 minutes, turn medallions over, close lid, and grill for 5 minutes longer. To check for doneness, the internal temperature will register at 150°. Remove medallions and let them rest for 5 minutes in order for the juices to draw back inside. 

*Available through Salty Wahine Gourmet Hawaiian Sea Salts. (I receive no recompense for promoting their product.)

Indian Couscous with Saffron

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: Indian Couscous with Saffron! This side dish is wonderful to have with poultry instead of potatoes or stuffing.  I like its versatility because it doesn’t weigh me down, but offers appealing flavor. You can add or subtract herbs and vegetables to your heart’s delight, choosing what you have on hand. I tend to serve it warm rather than cold. Others make a meal out it. Either way, it’s very economical as well as exotic. 

INDIAN COUSCOUS WITH SAFFRON 

Ingredients:

1 cup couscous  

2 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon parsley flakes

1/8 teaspoon turmeric 

1/8 teaspoon paprika 

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 stalk celery, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 tablespoon chives, snipped

1/4 cup pine nuts

2 tablespoons hot water

4 threads saffron

Instructions:

Dissolve saffron in hot water. Set aside. In a 2-quart pan, combine chicken broth, olive oil, parsley, turmeric, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, celery, and carrots. Add saffron mixture. Bring to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in couscous. Cover and let stand until liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Couscous will be tender. Fluff with fork. Add the snipped chives and pine nuts. Season to taste with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Serve warm.