Grilled Cheese Night Just Got an Upgrade...

Prosciutto Much?

 Allllrighty, this is the second day of following my recipe plan and so far, so good! That's right, tonight I made fancy grilled cheese...well they kind of turned into ham and cheese...but then I got prosciutto...ok, ok, it definitely ended up going a different direction than "grilled cheese." Especially because I found smoked Swiss...I knew smoked cheddar was around, but smoked Swiss?? This exists?! Anyway, TRUST me, they were insanely delicious cheesy experiments and that's all that mattered! Naturally, I used my new favorite technique, broiling, to melt the cheese before I browned the sandwiches. These are a little higher caliber sandwiches and could definitely be served for a friendly sophisticated dinner with a light salad or soup. My favorite salads involve romaine lettuce, arugula, spinach, dried cranberries, and balsamic vinaigrette.

Now prosciutto is a dry-cured Italian, deliciously salty, ham that I have never purchased, but discovered today is INSANELY EXPENSIVE. Um 25 dollars a pound?! Well I was just making sandwiches for myself, so I splurged...6 slices for 6 dollars...I say if you don't completely lose your senses around a deli counter-like Yours Truly-just use a thinly-sliced flavorful ham. However, to give in to the Snobby Foodie deep within-the prosciutto reeeally added a rich, salty, light flavor that made for a spectacular "Grilled Cheese." I made two tonight...

The Smokin' Golden Apple...

       2 slices quality bread, buttered on one side

       Smoked Swiss Cheese, enough to cover each slice of bread (or 2 slices Swiss Cheese)

       2 1/4" slices Golden Delicious Apple

       1 slice prosciutto (can also use ham)

Heat the broiler. Place the bread slices, butter-side-down in a frying pan. Layer cheese on top of each slice. Put frying pan in oven about 5" from broiler, with oven cracked open, until cheese begins to melt-3-4min. 

Once cheese has melted, place an apple slice on each side of sandwich, then prosciutto (or ham) on one side.

Place on stove over medium heat, after each half is lightly browned put sandwich together and finish cooking to desired brown. Serve Immediately.

       The Cheesy Tomata

       2 slices quality bread, buttered

       2 slices Swiss Cheese

       2 slices tomato (enough for one layer, completely covering bread)

       1 slice prosciutto (or ham)

I followed the same procedure as in the first sandwich. I used a little extra tomato and cheese because I had fairly large bread slices. First, I broiled the Swiss cheese on the bread until melty.

Then topping with tomato and prosciutto and finishing on the stovetop. Delicious!!

These sandwiches made for a quick and elegant dinner. They were delicious and filling, I would have pushed one on The Roommate, if not for her strong aversion to cheese...such a strange child she is. I especially loved the Smokin' Golden Apple, the salty cheese and prosciutto played off the super tender and sweet golden delicious apple admirably. I want to thank my motorcycle-riding Dayton friend for the prosciutto inspiration, which totally brought it all together!

       

“Jack Can’t Talk Thai!”

 Ok, to motivate myself and all of the millions of people reading this blog, I think I should have a tentative meal plan for the week…so here it goes…

Monday (yup today) – Thai Peanut Noodles w Veggies

Tuesday – Two kinds of Grilled Cheese…I'm seriously craving some grilled cheese…

Thursday – Shrimp n' Grits…Going Away Partayyy!

Friday – Either Stuffed Peppers, or something for little sister's 19^th Birthday!!



I have at least kept to the plan so far, yah I know it's only Monday, but I'm all about the little victories. Not too long ago I saw a recipe from SELF Magazine for Peanut Thai Noodles, which I thought looked interesting, but I knew if peanuts were involved I would need a lott of flavor. I mean, I love a good PB&J as much as anyone else, but every time I see a Thai recipe involving peanut butter all I can think of is attempting to scrape rice noodles and peanut butter off the roof of my mouth. Point being, I had to put a lot of research into devising my perfect Thai Peanut Noodle recipe. I was all over Allrecipes.com and of course Food Network, comparing and contrasting any recipe involving peanut butter, soy sauce, and rice noodles. Fiiinally, I felt prepared to attempt the most delicious Thai recipe Ever! And I definitely did!

Seriously, I called my little sister and rushed her over to partake in this Peanutty Bliss! I texted my work friend and told her I would be bringing some to work for lunch and she would be trying some! The Roommate was out, but as soon as she came home I rushed a forkful to her and insisted she try my latest creation…she's suuper patient. So I know you're all on the edge of your seats, waiting for this recipe…so here we go with…

The Only Thai Peanut Noodles You'll Ever Need 4-6 Servings

      8oz thin rice noodles

      1 Tbsp Seasame Oil (or Olive Oil)

      1 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped

      ½ lb sugar snap peas, ends trimmed

         Sauce:

            ¼ c + 1 Tbsp peanut butter

            2 Tbsp soy sauce

            1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

            2 ½ Tbsp honey

            1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

            ½ tsp chilli powder

    
Soak rice noodles in hot water for 8-10 min until noodles are tender. Then rinse with cool water, to avoid clumping.


While the noodles are soaking, mix all sauce ingredients together over low heat until peanut butter is melted and sauce is combined. Keep sauce warm over very low heat, making sure it doesn't burn.

Heat oil over med-high heat in large saucepan. Sauté bell pepper and snow peas for 3-4 min, so they are hot but still crunchy.

      *If you wish to add meat, like chicken, now would be the time to sauté chicken strips until cooked through (6-8 min) – then add the veggies. This dish would be great with chicken or tofu!


Add rice noodles to veggies and toss/stir to evenly combine. Then stir in peanut butter sauce several tablespoons at a time, until noodles and veggies are all coated. Serve Immediately.

 

Bits and Pieces...with a Little Trip to India...

First off, I'd like to thank a new friend from this weekend who helped me name this post. Ok, acknowledgments aside, it was a long weekend spent without my computer so I have some catching up to do...

Once again this past "Jersday" as The Roommate has dubbed it, my foodie friends and I got together for some sophisticated television, courtesy of our favorite East Coasters. Great people, catty television, all we needed were the eats! After much deliberation, we decided to try an Indian restaurant that we've had our eye on for a little while.

Aab India is located in Grandview and owned by a family that has 5 successful Indian restaurants in Cincinnati. They serve Northern Indian Cuisine and have takeout or dine-in available. The gorgeous interior is a great little surprise, as the exterior is super unassuming. We decided on takeout and showed up in relaxed, comfy clothes...we felt very under-dressed as the dining experience was clearly slightly more refined than our "jeans and tees" look! 

Let me tell ya, the food was outstanding! I tried a little of everyone's dish and each one was better than the last! The Roommate had never had Indian before and is a complete convert-we will be going back regularly for.sure! Ok, ok, here's what I got. I've only had Indian a few times so every menu is still my proverbial "candy store." I'd read a great review for Aab India's Chicken Tikka Marsala so that's what I went for this time. Of course, I had to have my naan! I got a garlic naan and a regular...seriously, I love naan. 

Getting home, we all tore open our "rations" and started digging in. I tried a keema samosa, or a fried pocket of beef, for my appetizer. It was crunchy and filled to the max with spiced beef-yum! They gave us 3 chutneys to try with them, although the chutneys were all delish, the samosas definitely stood on their own! The chutneys were a chili-onion, mint-cilantro, and a sweeter tamarind chutney. My Tikka Marsala was incredibly tender chicken pieces drrrenched in a creamy tomato-based sauce. I couldn't get enough! I got the medium heat option and it was just enough to make me feel the heat, but definitely not too much. The naan was, get this...still steaming hot when we got home! I seriously question whether I took a single breath as I inhaled the dish! 

I'm also kind of budget-conscious, their portion served me and my younger sister for dinner when she dropped by for a surprise visit! Then, I had a very filling portion for lunch the next day! There's very little that can cheer up a Friday at work like a seriously delicious lunch...or maybe that's just me?

The rest of the weekend was spent traveling to Dayton to take my Graduate Record Exam that I have been dreading for months. The test went well, but I am definitely ready to be back home and devoting myself to finding some great recipes! 

This week the plan is a Shrimp and Grits going-away dinner for one of my best friends before she heads back to school to be a physician assistant so I might someday live in her guest cottage...

I've also found a unique Strawberry-Melon Gazpacho recipe that I will definitely be trying out for a fresh end-of-summer dessert, looks incredible!

The goal is a recipe-a-day...get ready for some intense food blogging!

I know my ABC's! Asparagus, Broiling, and Corn Grits (Polenta)

Ok, I have a dirty little secret which I am only sharing so at-home cooks who share my plight may comfortably come into the fold...I had never used a broiler until last night. OH YES my friends! I have played the "sophisticated chef" for years, all the while avoiding use of a broiler out of fear...until last night.


You see, the other day I found a recipe on SELF Magazine's website for polenta with roasted asparagus (one of my faves) and zucchini, drizzled in a roasted red pepper sauce. Well, I don't have a grill so in the summer, roasting has a special place in my routine meals. I also had never made polenta and I thought this would be a delicious, light meal. So I made a special trip to the store, ensuring my kitchen was adaquately stocked for my version of this recipe. When I got home and was reading through the recipe again while gathering my equipment, I saw that every.thing in the recipe except the sauce was BROILED! I'm not sure how I missed this large "detail" the first couple times I glanced over it, but miss it, I did. However, I often think things happen for a reason and decided that this clearly happened so I might conquer my unreasonable fear of the broiler. And let me tell ya, I love broiling! I doubt I'll cook any other way ever again!


For those of you who don't know what broiling is, many ovens have a setting on them that only turns on the top of the oven, directing intense heat to the top of foods. It is an excellent substitute to grilling, especially on a rainy day or if you are preparing the majority of the meal in the kitchen and do not have time to keep an eye on the grill outside as well. For some great broiling advice in detail check out this link! 


Now to the recipe, I adjusted it a bit as the only veggies I wanted to use were asparagus and zucchini, but you can use any roasting vegetables. The original recipe used asparagus, japanese and italian eggplant, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes. SELF Magazine also only seasoned their polenta with cayenne pepper, whereas I used my supply of Emril's Essence which I make and then store in an airtight container for months. I highly recommend making yourself some one evening, it is basically a mix of everything you have in your spice drawer and saves the time of sprinkling "a little of this and a little of that"


Emril's "All Purpose" Essence
     2 1/2 Tbsp paprika
     2 Tbsp salt
     2 Tbsp garlic powder
     1 Tbsp black pepper
     1 Tbsp onion powder
     1 Tbsp cayenne pepper (I only use 1/2 Tbsp because I don't want everything I use it in to have that much heat)


Ok, so fun with computers-somehow the rest of this post was deleted after I wrote it the first time...I'm going to attempt to recreate it as best I can...just another lesson to always back everything up!


Now to the actual recipe! When I originally made this recipe and had it for dinner, it was good. I won't post anything on here with the rating "good" so I was slightly concerned that I would have nothing to share from the experience. The main hitch was the sauce...there was just something a little off about it...something was missing and I couldn't figure it out. The next day I took it to work for lunch, it reheated really well...but there was still something not quite right. Then it hit me, SUGAR! I wouldn't be surprised if a lightbulb actually went off over my head! I grabbed the Splenda from my desk and sprinkled a little bit, mixed it up, and had to stop myself from  eating the sauce like a soup! A perfect example of how one little ingredient pushed a good recipe to a delicious recipe. And now, behold...

Polenta and Veggie with Red Bell Pepper Sauce (Now Roast It All!)

      1c uncooked instant polenta
      1/2c grated Parmesan cheese, then 1/3c for topping polenta
      1 T Emril's Essence, or 1/2tsp of each of the components
      Cooking Spray
      2 cloves garlic, chopped
      1/4c Olive Oil
      1lb asparagus, ends trimmed
      1 med-large zucchini, 1/3" slices


      Sauce
          1 12-oz jar roasted red peppers, drained
          1/3 chicken, or vegetable, broth
          1 large close garlic, chopped
          3 Tbsp fresh basil, chives, or parsley
          1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
          1/2 Tbsp brown sugar (this is an estimate as I haven't had the chance to try the recipe w brown sugar)

Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a med to large saucepan. Add polenta steadily, whisking to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring, until thick-this took my instant polenta 1-2 min. Whisk in 1/2 cup Parmesan and season with Essence or your seasoning choice.

Transfer polenta to pie pan prepped with cooking spray, smooth into an even layer and let cool 15 minutes.

Heat broiler. Coat veggies in olive oil. Arrange veggies in a single lay on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper, I added a little dash of Essence. Broil vegetables about 4-5 inches from heat until tender, 3 to 5 min on each side. Transfer to a platter and set aside.

Combine all sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Sprinkle polenta with remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan, again I thought this was a good place for an Essence sprinkle...I literally can't stop using it when I start. Broil polenta in pie plate until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, then cut polenta into triangles. Divide polenta among 4-6 plates. Layer veggies on top of polenta "pie piece" and drizzle with sauce. Serve any remaining sauce on the side.

Without Sauce

This recipe was fresh and delicious, but the polenta is also very filling. Every flavor from the veggies to the red pepper sauce comes through on it's own-but they all blend together very smoothly. And unless you missed this point...the sugar really brings it all together.

A "Whole" New Quesadilla!

Recently, I have been trying to eat healthier when I'm cooking for myself. I've found that cooking veggie and lean protein-based meals not only makes me feel less sluggish, but since I often eat meals for several days after I make them, the veggies last longer than meat. Of course when I go out with friends, or stop at my parents house; Chili Cheese Dip, sugar-laden cocktails, and Columbus' Famous Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream are all definitely on the menu!
However, eating healthy the days that I'm just staying home at least gives me the illusion of having a healthy lifestyle...


Back off my tangent, last night I wanted to get crazy and save the rest of my delicious soba noodle salad for lunch at work today, so I thought I'd get a little experimental and I'm soo glad I did!!!


A while back I was surfing the internet for recipe ideas, as I spend a good percent of my waking hours doing, and I came across a recipe on thekitchn.com for a flatbread topped with goat cheese crumbles, sauted onions, and basil.


It was beautiful and  those are three of my favorite ingredients, but goat cheese crumbles? I have a serious relationship with cheese and love a relatively high cheese to bread ratio, obviously crumbles just would not do. I thought maybe I could do a mini "flatbread" with a tortilla as the base and a spreadable goat cheese on the tortilla...ok now we're getting somewhere...and that somewhere is Cheeseland.


So off I went to Whole Foods. I found some whole wheat tortillas, which I had never tried before, and one of my favorite spreadable goat cheeses with garlic and herbs-yes! I thought basil would be too stong an indivdual flavor for what I was going for, so I picked up some fresh baby spinach...but looking back arugala would have been an amazing choice. I do so loove my spicy greens!


A slight rant, most people here would say substituting frozen spinach for the fresh is appropriate here. I am not a food snob and I will sub velveeta, yes, velveeta if I'm too hungry and can't wait for real cheese to melt in a dish. However, there are very few times that I will use frozen spinach rather than fresh and this is definitely not a time for thawing the green!

Ok, I apologize for the lecture-now back to the task at hand. When I started cooking last night, I was making a mini flatbread. Midway thru, I decided to put a second tortilla on top, making a kind of quesadilla-sammich-just to add a little more substance to the meal. The result.was.incredible. When I was finished, I had created...

The QuesadillaWich Chevre  1 serving

     1 med onion, sliced into rings

     1 Tbsp Olive Oil (or any cooking oil)

     1 Tbsp Brown sugar (can use white, or sugar substitute)

     1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

     1 Handful Baby Spinach

     2.5oz Spreadable Goat Cheese (aka Chevre)

     2  8" Whole Wheat Tortillas (you can use regular)

     Heat olive oil in a medium or large frying pan over just-warmer-than medium heat. Add onions and stir, when onions are coated with oil, add brown sugar. Cook onions until they are soft and begin to brown, about 4-5 min. Add Balsamic Vinegar and allow to simmer about 1min, so the onions are coated and have absorbed the vinegar. Pour onions into bowl and set aside.

     Without changing the heat setting, add spinach leaves to pan. I didn't add extra oil because the pan was not completely dry and I wanted the spinach to soak up the rest of the oil. Saute spinach until they warm and begin to wilt, about 1.5min. Add spinach to onions and set aside.

     Spread the goat cheese on one side of both tortillas, like you're making a sandwich.

     Over med heat, place bottom tortilla, cheese-side-up, in the frying pan and place onion-spinach mixture over cheese side of the tortilla. Make sure to spread the mixture out evenly, but not too close to the edges, so the filling doesn't spill out. Top with second tortilla, cheese-side-down.

     Cook quesadilla-wich until one side is lightly toasted, about 1-2 min, then carefully flip and toast the other side for about same length of time. You just want both sides to be lightly browned and stiff to the touch, and the cheese to be warmed.

I sliced pizza-style and ate without utensils. The tangy acid and touch of sweetness from the brown sugar work spectacularly with the onions, and the fresh spinach flavor definitely held it's own.

*Mushrooms would also be delicious in here, maybe baby bellas? I would only use a handful of sliced mushrooms and add them to the brown sugar and onions after they become translucent, about 1 min of cook-time.