Sunday, January 27, 2013

Parmesan Crusted Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich

My new obsession is Pinterest. I actually joined the site about a year ago, but at the time I didn't really get it. Well, now I get it, and I love it. I have been collecting recipes to try on my "Eat, drink & be merry!" board. I recently pinned this recipe and decided it sounded simple enough.

Take a look at that link to see what it's supposed to look like, because my pictures don't seem to look like that! This recipe proved that not all recipes are as easy as they seem, but the final product doesn't have to be pretty to taste delicious.


 If you're looking for a twist on the classic grilled cheese, you've come to the right place. 

Here's what you'll need:

2 slices ciabatta or French bread (I used ciabatta)
1 tablespoon soft butter
2 slices mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons basil pesto
1/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese


Here's how to make it:

Spread the butter on the outside of each slice of bread.  Spread the basil pesto on the inside of each slice of bread.  Place the mozzarella slices on top of one pestoed inside piece of bread.  Place the other slice of bread on top of that.

 

Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on the outside of one side.


This is where it gets tricky.  Place the sandwich, cheese-side down in a medium-hot pan.  The recipe says to let it cook for about 2 minutes or until the cheese is crusty and golden brown. I found that it cooked pretty quickly and even stuck to the pan, so I didn't leave it on long before I sprinkled some cheese on the other side, flipped it over, and cooked it on the other side for another minute or so.


All in all, this was a very quick, delicious eat. It only took me about 10 minutes to make, and while it doesn't look all that special, it was a tasty mixture of flavors that satisfied my grilled cheese craving.


Thursday, January 17, 2013

Four Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

My other half was out of town this week, so I took the opportunity to try some recipes I’ve recently come across that I knew he wouldn’t touch with a 10-foot pole.   
 
I’ve had the Allrecipes app on my phone for some time now (love the DinnerSpinner!), but I recently signed up to receive newsletters for recipe ideas from Allrecipes.com.  This site is great because for each recipe, you can change the servings amount for how many you actually need, and the ingredients list automatically reflects the new serving size.  I still haven’t figured out what a ¼ of an egg is, but it gives me a better idea of how much I need of everything. 
 
Going for easy and delicious, I decided to try a 4-cheese Mac & Cheese, adapted from this recipe on Allrecipes.com.
 
What you’ll need to get going (based on the original recipe, for 9 servings):  

1/2 (8 ounce) package elbow macaroni
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded provolone cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk 

For the record, there are like eleven billionty different kinds of cheese out there – not just type, but shredded, sliced, reduced fat, low-fat, etc. – and that's just the pre-packaged section!  But I must have missed the shredded provolone, because that's the one cheese I did not come across.  Alas, I got slices of provolone instead and it was a fun excuse to try my new Microplane® Paddle Grater, which I forgot I registered for and received almost a year ago!


I realize I probably could have bought a block of provolone, but I figured I wasn't going to need that much since I was cooking for one.  The grater still worked perfectly on the slices, shredding into delicious looking morsels that I wanted to just eat immediately.  (I refrained.)


How to make it:


Bring a medium saucepot full of water to a boil. Add salt for a bit of seasoning. Greg actually taught me that trick. Ha! He’s a part of this recipe even though he’s not going to eat it!
 
Anyway, add macaroni and cook for 8-10 minutes or your preference. Drain. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a shallow baking dish. Add cheddar cheese, then a layer of macaroni, add provolone cheese, then another layer of macaroni, add mozzarella cheese, then the last layer of macaroni.  Add the Colby/Jack cheese. 

Beat egg and spread it over the top, then pour the milk over that. Don't add too much milk or it will end up runny. 

Bake for 20 minutes or until “bubbly and golden brown.” (Or longer if you added too much milk.)
 

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Cavatelli with Sausage & Broccoli

When I first moved out, my mom gave me a very simple cookbook to get me started.  To this day, I still make meals found in Campbell's Classic Recipes cookbook. This cookbook contains recipes for basic dinners, sides, appetizers and more, using Campbell's brands and products.


Cavatelli with Sausage & Broccoli is a favorite in our home. This recipe is adapted from Campbell's KitchenYou'll need the following:
1 package frozen cavatelli pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian pork sausage
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bag (16 ounces) frozen broccoli florets
1 3/4 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth
2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
Crushed red pepper

So simple! 


Start by getting some water boiling in a medium sauce pot.

Heat oil in a large skillet and start breaking up the sausage and adding it to the pan.  I prefer bulk sausage, but links work, too. You just have remove the casing before breaking it up.

While sausage is browning, add pasta to boiling water, carefully so you don't splash hot water on yourself. Ouch!  Once pasta is cooked to your liking, you can drain and set aside.

Now it's time to prepare the garlic. One of my favorite kitchen gadgets is my Martha Stewart Garlic Zoom.  After years of sharp knives, messy garlic presses, and the lingering smell of garlic on my fingers, I'm so happy I finally found this product.
Simply remove the skin of each clove by gently pressing on the side of the clove with the dull side of a knife. That should make it start cracking off enough that you can peel it away. Then simply slip the cloves into the Garlic Zoom, secure the latch, and then run it up and down your counter a few times.
Voila! Freshly minced garlic without having to lift a finger!

Remove browned sausage with slotted spoon, leaving excess oil behind. Put a dollop of butter in the skillet along with the garlic. Stir garlic around for a couple of minutes until browned.  
Add broccoli to skillet. Cook, stirring, until tender crisp.

Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add in the sausage and pasta. (If you like cheese, here is where you would also add in the grated cheese.)  Since I live with a non-cheese eater (gasp! I know...), I add in crushed red pepper flakes now, and then I add in cheese just to my portion once served.

Cook, stirring occasionally over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until most of the liquid soaks up.  

Serve with additional red pepper, if desired.

 

 

 

 

Notes:


  • Since I'm only cooking for 2, I generally make a half recipe.
  • It takes me about 40 minutes, start to finish.