Tomato Soup and Grown Up Grilled Cheese

I bought a bunch of cheese for snacking before Christmas dinner, but we ended up not eating it. Any of it. I had Swiss, white cheddar, and chipotle Gouda BEGGING for a tummy to call home, but I wasn't sure just how I wanted to make that happen. Well, after a little cold snap, and passing a picture of a sandwich made with white mountain bread made a Publix, it hit me: grilled cheese.

Tomato Soup:
8 Medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped.
2 Cloves of garlic, minced
4 Leaves fresh basil, chiffonaded
1-2 tsp sugar, depending on how acidic the tomatoes are
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp AP flour
2 Cups chicken or vegetable broth

Melt the butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Once melted, mix in the flour and allow to cook until it turns golden in color. Add in the broth and combine well. Add in the tomatoes, garlic, basil, salt, and sugar, and reduce the heat to low to medium low. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the tomatoes have broken down well. Adjust the salt and/or sugar as needed. Blend the soup either with a blender or (my new favorite kitchen toy) a wand blender to your desired smoothness. Top with a little more basil, or cheese, or crackers, or whatever you prefer!

For the sandwiches:
4 thick slices of bread
6 slices Swiss
6 slices white cheddar
6 slices chipotle Gouda
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

In a large pan, melt the butter over medium to medium low heat. Mop up the butter with one side of each slice of bread. Or butter the bread directly. I prefer the first. Place two slices of the bread butter side down in the pan. Layer three slices of each cheese on the bread, and top with the remaining bread. Cover with a lid, and cook until golden brown. Flip, and again cook until golden brown. If the cheese isn't fully melted, lower the heat, and continue to cook for a few moments longer. Remove from the pan, and rest for a few minutes to allow the cheese to congeal some. Cut in half, and eat!

Hope you enjoy!

Eggplant Parmesan

I've taken to shopping at the local stand for our produce. Between the variety and freshness, our options for meals seem almost limitless! Last visit, they had some beautiful eggplant that I just couldn't pass up!

2 large eggplant, sliced 1/4" to 1/2" thick
2 cups milk
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
3 cups bread crumbs
2 Tbsp died oregano
2 Tbsp dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
1-2 baseball sized balls of fresh mozzarella
1 cup fresh grated/shredded/peeled parmesan

Heat your oven to 350f. Place the flour in a shallow dish, whisk together the milk and eggs in another shallow dish, and mix the bread crumbs and seasonings in another shallow dish. Coat the eggplant slices in flour, then the egg mixture, then the bread crumbs, and place in the oven. Flip all the slices after about 10 minutes, or until they've begun to brown some. Continue baking until both sides are golden brown. Be mindful of the thickness of your slices, and adjust your cooking time as needed.

While the eggplant cooks, boil your favorite pasta, and ready your favorite pasta sauce.

Once cooked, remove the eggplant, and allow it to rest a moment. To plate, place some pasta in the center of your plate, top with a few slices of eggplant, top that with some sauce, then sprinkle on some of the fresh Parmesan, and a bit of fresh basil. Hope you enjoy!

(BOTH my kids ate this! Depending on who you ask, either it was chicken, or eggplant! Either way, they liked it!)

Grilled Chicken Pasta

 

I'm all about quick and easy when it comes to meals for the whole family. I have a very picky eater, and a slightly eater, so finding something we can all sit down to can be a challenge! This pasta is a sure thing, every time. It has things both the kids like, and it's not fried or drowned in a cream sauce!


1 box bow tie pasta, cooked
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grilled
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, diced (Or use canned)
8oz semi-firm mozzarella cheese,cubed
5-6 large leaves fresh basil, chiffonaded
1Tbsp olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste


Start by boiling the pasta to al dente. While it cooks, salt and pepper the chicken, and grill. Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove and allow it to rest. Drain the pasta, and place in a large bowl. Chop up your tomatoes, mozzarella, garlic, and basil, and set aside. Slice the chicken into strips, or chunks, whichever you prefer, and place on top on the pasta. Add the rest of the ingredients, and toss well to combine! The heat from the pasta and chicken will slightly melt the cheese, and warm the garlic, making the pasta creamy and smell incredible! Hope you enjoy!

Fried Green Tamaytahs!

Down here in the south, fried green tomatoes is more than just a movie, it's a southern eye opener!! Now I know they are about the worst thing to eat, but I rationalize it by the fact that it's a vegetable (or a fruit)! How can that be bad??

3 medium GREEN tomatoes, not unripe red tomatoes. True GREEN tomatoes
2cups all purpose flour
1cup milk
1/2cup mayo
2Tbsp lemon juice
1Tbsp paprika
1tsp cayenne
1tsp garlic powder
1/2tsp onion powder
1/4tsp mustard powder
Salt & pepper to taste

Start heating 2" of vegetable oil in a large, deep, heavy skillet or pan. The oil will need to be 350f, which you can test by dropping a small piece of bread in. At the right temperature, it will brown in about 1 minute.

While the oil heats, wash, then slice the tomatoes. Make the slices about 1/4 inch thick. Combine the flour and a little salt and pepper in a bowl, and pour the mill in a separate bowl. Dredge the slices in the flour, then the milk, then the flour again.

Once the oil has reached temperature, carefully place a few slices in, but don't crowd them in! The temperature drops slightly for each slice you put in, and cold oil means soggy results, and no one likes soggy fried green tomatoes! Fry the tomatoes for 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove, and place on a wine rack with plenty of paper towels underneath it to catch the drippings.

While the tomatoes cool, combine the mayo, lemon juice, paprika, cayenne, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Put the sauce in a small ramekin or little bowl, and serve with a plate of the crispy tomatoes! Hope you enjoy!

Lamb Shoulder Chops

I saw a couple lamb shoulder chops at Publix the other day, but I wasn't sure if I was interested or not, or even how I would prepare it. After a little wandering for the other things I needed, I'd come up with a solution:

2 Lamb shoulder chops
1Tbsp olive oil
1Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
1Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt/Pepper to taste

1Lbs fresh green beans, ends removed
1/4cup sliced almonds, toasted
1Tbsp olive oil
Pinch salt

2 large white sweet potatoes
1Tbsp butter

I looooove sweet potatoes, but WHITE sweet potatoes?? Well hello new cool food! They have a milder flavor, but they certainly hold true to their orange cousins! Heat your oven to 400f. Clean the potatoes well, poke with a fork here and there 5-6 times, then place directly on the middle rack. Be sure to put either a piece of foil or a baking sheet under the potatoes to catch the sticky drippings! That stuff is hard to clean after being baked on... They will need about 40 minutes to an hour, or until a knife can be easily inserted and removed.

In a medium, heavy bottomed skillet (can't go wrong with cast iron!), heat the olive oil over medium to medium high heat. Season the chops with the salt, pepper, garlic, mint, and rosemary, then place in the hot pan. Cook until nicely browned, then flip and repeat. Once both sides are crisp and browned, and the meat has reach proper temperature, remove and set aside to rest.

Heat the remaining oil in the pan over medium heat, then add in the green beans. Saute for a few minutes until they begin to soften, then add in the almonds. Cook until the almonds have browned slightly more, and the beans are softened yet slightly crunchy, then remove and set aside.

 Once your potatoes are cooked, remove and carefully remove the skin. Place the potatoes and butter in a medium bowl, or food processor, and mash to your desired consistency.

To plate, start with the potatoes. Place a tall mound in the middle of the plate, then slowly allow a chop to press the mound down. Place a serving on top of the chop, being sure to include plenty of almonds! Hope you enjoy!

Pot Roast

I had a busy weekend coming up, so I planned a couple simple slow cooker meals.  Top blade roast was also on sale, so, bonus!!

1 top blade roast
1 small bag frozen pearl onions
1 dozen red potatoes, washed, quartered
6-8 carrots, peeled, cut into 1-2" chunks
3 cups beef stock
1 cup red wine
2 stems fresh rosemary, cut to 2" lengths
2Tbsp corn starch
2Tbsp water
2Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat your oven to 300f. Heat the olive oil in a heavy pan over medium high to high heat. Salt and pepper the meat as you prefer, then sear each side for a few minutes each, or until browned. Remove the meat from the and place it in a deep roasting pan. Surround the meat with the potatoes, pearl onions, carrots, and rosemary. Add in 2 cups of the stock and half wine, then sprinkle it all with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place the roasting pan in the oven, and cook for roughly 4 hours, or until the meat can be easily punctured and pulled apart.

Once the roast is done, remove the pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes or so. To plate, remove and discard the rosemary, then spread the veggies on a serving platter. Slice or shred the meat, and place on top of the veggies. Once the roasting pan is emptied of the veggies and meat, pour the remaining juices and contents into a medium sauce pan on medium heat to make the gravy. Add the remaining wine and stock, cream, and salt and pepper if needed. Whisk the corn starch and water together in a small bowl, then pour into the gravy. The gravy will thicken to coat the back of a spoon. Add more stock or corn starch slurry depending on the consistency. Pour over the pot roast, and eat!! Hope you enjoy!

Almond Biscotti

Sometimes inspiration isn't inspired by profound deep thought, but by a hankering for a certain something! Today's post was one of those moments. I saw a Starbucks commercial, which made me think of their great pastries, which then made me think of their biscotti, which made me think: "Mmmmm... Biscotti....".

1 cup sugar

1 3/4 cup flour

Pinch salt

1 3/4tsp baking powder

1/3 cup plain, roasted almonds, roughly chopped

1/4tsp vanilla extract

1/8tsp almond extract

2 eggs, combined

3 tsp veg oil

Heat your oven to 350f. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, and almonds. Add in the vanilla and almond extracts, oil, and eggs. Combine until the dough forms a ball that cleans the bowl walls. Lightly flour your counter or large cutting board, and turn out the dough onto it. Cut the dough in two, then form two logs, about 6-8 inches long. Roll each with a rolling pin to about 3/4-1 inch thick. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. Cut the biscotti's with a pizza cutter or knife to about 1 inch wide, then return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes. They should be hard when they're done, an nicely browned.

Serving suggestions: Plain, dipped in coffee, dipped in chocolate, dusted with powdered sugar... There's many different options! Hope you enjoy!