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Overstuffed Pineapple Boat

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Sunshine Eats: Overstuffed Pineapple Boat! If you’re looking for the WOW-factor for the next social gathering, bookmark this recipe for a standing ovation. It’s that good! Not only does it satisfy the meat and seafood lover in all of us, it also has “healthy” written all over it. You gotta admit, the pineapple presentation is a show-stopper. And the best part is, with a little planning, anyone can pull it off.

OVERSTUFFED PINEAPPLE BOAT

Ingredients:

1 whole ripe pineapple

1 pound frozen cooked shrimp; thawed, tails removed

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon Chesapeake Bay Style seafood seasoning

1/4 teaspoon dill

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 cup butter

1 cup instant rice, brown or white

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

Instructions:

Cut pineapple lengthwise; cut around the inside, following the edge to create a “boat”. Do not pierce the underside. Cut the pineapple flesh into chunks. Scoop out and place in a bowl. Set pineapple aside. In a deep skillet, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add seafood seasoning, dill, and lime juice. Cook 1-2 minutes, turning once. Remove sautéed shrimp and place on paper towel-lined plate. Melt butter in the same 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. Gently fold in sautéed shrimp and pineapple chunks, to taste. Refrigerate leftover pineapple in a covered container. Fill pineapple boats. Serve on platters. Garnish with cilantro leaf.

Lobster-Mate Cheddar Biscuits

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? After the Holidays: Lobster-Mate Cheddar Biscuits! Having to shelter-in-place during the pandemic does not mean that restaurant cravings just stop. I see you nodding your head in agreement. If I named a restaurant, chances are you would say, “Oh, I love their…steak burgers, iced tea, queso dip, sweet potato wedges, or cheddar biscuits.” Admit it, dining out is a fact of life and we miss it right now. So, the alternative is to give it our best shot at home. Thanks to my friend, Colleen, for her blog post* on a name-brand seafood restaurant’s copycat recipe for the bread basket. These cheddar biscuits are spot on. I guarantee you, the results will astound you.

LOBSTER-MATE CHEDDAR BISCUITS

Ingredients:

4 cups prepared baking mix

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 1/3 cup water

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion salt

Dill weed, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. Combine baking mix, cheddar cheese, and water in a bowl. Mix well. Drop biscuits by spoonful on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. In a small bowl, combine melted butter, garlic powder, and onion salt. Brush butter mixture over warm cheddar biscuits. Sprinkle with dill weed. Serve warm.

*Check out Colleen’s recipe at

http://leencuisine.com/2020/12/01

Hard Boiled Eggs

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? All the Buzz: Hard Boiled Eggs! We’ve all heard the expression, “It’s as easy as boiling water.” So why is it we continue to be puzzled by the mystery of the hard-boiled egg? Are the eggs too fresh? (Actually, if they are super-fresh, they tend to adhere to the shell a little tighter.) Should the water be hot or cold? (When the water heats up gradually, it prevents the white of the egg from becoming rubbery.) Afterwards is the egg bath truly necessary? (Yes. If you skip the step of quickly plunging the egg into cold water, the egg will continue to cook. This results in a greenish-gray yolk.) Too complicated? If all else fails, go buy an egg timer.

HARD-BOILED EGGS

Ingredients:

6 eggs

Instructions:

Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan. Cover eggs with cold water, making sure the eggs are submerged. Bring to a boil over high heat. As the water boils, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Drain immediately; run the eggs under cold water. Refrigerate until ready to eat. For easier peeling, remove the shell under cold running water. Cooling allows the egg to contract inside the shell. Simple.

Quenching Celery Bites

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Quenching Celery Bites! Okay, how many of you get your daily allowance of water? I know, right! Well, I’m here to share with you some very good news. By eating certain fruits and vegetables, which carry a high water content, you can cut down the number of glasses you drink throughout the day. Take a tomato, for example. It’s 94% water. Strawberries are 92%. Celery contains 95% water. Are you getting the gist? And the best part is these foods are guilt-free. Plus, the added fiber fills your stomach so those midafternoon cravings don’t send you on a stomach-growling quest for junk food.

QUENCHING CELERY BITES

Ingredients:

One stalk of Celery

Instructions:

“Choose celery with upright stalks that snap when bent. The leaves should be fresh and crisp. When selecting celery, remember this rule of thumb: the darker the color, the stronger the flavor. Freshly chopped celery retains its nutrients much better than if you chop and store it even for a few hours. Steamed celery not only retains its flavor, but also most of its nutrients-up to 99%, in fact!”*

*Taken from Care2 article entitled, “11 Super Health Benefits in Just One Celery Stalk”.