Simple Breakfast or Lunch

I have the hardest time figuring out what to eat for lunch. Most of the time I'll end up eating Peanut Butter Pows cereal (my current favorite) or even worse - cave into my canned tuna cravings (which I'm supposed to be limiting while pregnant). I often get into food patterns where I'll eat the same thing over and over again for weeks and then completely forget about it.



I was relieved to spot a couple of eggs left from my french toast escapade and was instantly reminded of my egg + tomato obsession. But this time I remembered the onions, a light sprinkling of smoked paprika on top - oh and I didn't scramble the eggs. So saute the onions in some olive oil then add tomatoes (salt + pepper) until they get a little soft then drop in two eggs in the middle (more salt on yolk). I poked a hole in the yolks and waited a couple of minutes before turning them over to cook just for a couple of minutes (all for Emma's sake of course!) Served on top of toasted & buttered English muffin :)

Halfway through the meal, I realized I forgot to sprinkle some fresh parsley on top (Cholula Hot Sauce would've been nice too!). Oh well, next time.

Easy Veggie Sandwich

I'm definitely NOT a vegetarian but what's a girl to do when you're told that deli meat is a big no no when you're pregnant? Apparently eating any sort of deli meat could be risky coz it could contain listeria monocytogenes - a foodborne bacteria that can cause premature labor and stillbirths (yikes). I'm not one to banish anything from my diet (including the occasional caffeine drink) but this one kinda scared the crap out of me. SO, I stopped making my favorite turkey/ham sandwiches for lunch and came up with an alternative. Plus Ez is a vegetarian and I've been touting myself as a master sandwich maker so I had to prove it to her :) She gave me the idea of adding honey mustard and that's how this one came about...

You'll need:
2 slices of Oat Nut Bread (Whole Foods brand) toasted
handful of mixed greens
slices of red bell pepper
thinly sliced cucumber (skin on)
sliced tomatoes (seasoned with salt + pepper)
sliced swiss cheese or whatever cheese you like
mayonnaise
balsamic vinaigrette*
honey mustard dressing*
salt & pepper

Balsamic Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup quality extra virgin olive oil
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 to 1 tsp sugar
1/2 pinch of black pepper
1/2 tbs water (tap)
*optional tiny squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Mix everything but the olive oil. While mixing with a fork or a small whisk, drizzle in the olive oil into your vinegar mixture. Taste and season according to taste.

Honey mustard:
Mix equal parts yellow mustard + honey

Putting it all together:

Prepare both dressings.

Toast bread. By the way, I highly recommend the Whole Foods Nut Oat Bread (green bag). If you can't find it, Pepperide Farm's Hearty Oat bread is a good substitute. In the meantime, cut all your veggies.

Spread mayo on both slices of bread (one side only). Spread about a teaspoon or so of the honey mustard dressing (both slices) on top of the mayo. Layer one side with the cucumber slices, then the peppers, tomatoes and mixed greens. Slowly drizzle balsamic vinaigrette over the mixed greens OR you can toss the greens with dressing in a separate bowl. I'm too lazy to do this and I hate having extra dishes to wash so I just drizzle it once it's on the sandwich. Top with cheese and the other slice of bread. That's it!

I usually eat my sandwiches with potato chips but this time I was a bit more healthy and served it with some fresh strawberries.

Last Night's Dinner #132: BLT

So here's the quickest way to a man's heart, ooops I mean stomach!

A classic BLT sandwich. MMmmmm bacon.

I had some leftover mashed potatoes from Sunday night's dinner so I decided to heat it up and use it as a spread (instead of mayo).

Spread mashed potatoes or mayo

Bacon

Lettuce & Tomatoes

And because I was feeling so guilty about eating a bacon and mashed potato sandwich... I decided to make a side salad to go with it :)

Thinly sliced fennel with shoestring cut honey crisp apples! Drizzle some good olive oil and fresh lemon juice, season well with salt and pepper. Add some parmesan shavings and you're good to go!

Last Night's Dinner #117: Sausage with Peppers & Onions

Easy and tasty. Whole Foods sells the best Sweet or Hot Italian Sausages (meat counter) - the same ones I used for the Sausage and Fennel Special.


This time, I just roasted (broiled) the onions and peppers, drizzled in olive oil and seasoned until nice and tender then roasted the sausages until cooked through and slightly charred on the outside.

So good.

You'll need:
Hot dog buns
1 Vidalia onion sliced
1 Red bell pepper sliced
1 Cubanelle pepper sliced
Olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Sweet Italian sausages

Last Night's Dinner #117: Fresh Mozzarella and Prosciutto Sandwich

What happens when you put all these great ingredients together?



You get one helluva sandwich!


Drizzle some good olive oil on both sides of the bread, layer slices of cheese, basil, tomatoes and prosciutto. I roasted the tomatoes in olive oil, salt and pepper (someone around here doesn't like raw tomatoes).


Mmmmmm.

What's for lunch?

I'd forgotten how good this is...


bananas + honey + peanut butter on toast

Inspired by this, but too lazy to make the crepes :)
Listening to Olivia Newton John's Let's Get Physical (hey it's on shuffle!)

Last Night's Dinner #99: Rustic Proscuitto Sandwich

Arugula, prosciutto, Parmigiano-Reggiano, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and good Olive oil - all on top of a ciabatta loaf.

Cut the bread in half and drizzle some olive oil on both halves, sprinkle some salt and pepper. Transfer bread into the oven or toaster oven and toast slightly.

Remove from heat and top with arugula, a couple of slices of prosciutto, cheese and toast for another 10 minutes. Drizzle more olive oil on top for good measure! You can also squeeze some some fresh lemon juice to finish before serving (optional).



A perfect, casual and easy to make meal for a weekday night.

Last Night's Dinner #80: Crispy Ham & Cheese Sandwich

Here's another recipe from my new book - it's like a Monte Cristo French Toast hybrid (and maybe chicken parmesan). OK that description may not be the best way to sell this one... but then again, the words crispy, ham AND cheese in one sentence?? BTW - my pictures definitely don't do it justice.

You'll need:
8 slices of hearty sandwich bread
1/2 - 1 cup of breadcrumbs
1/2 pound of serrano ham (I just used deli ham)
1 cup grated manchego cheese
2 tbs minced scallions (white part only)
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 eggs
2 tbs milk
olive oil
a pinch of dried thyme
freshly ground black pepper



step 1. Combine cheese, scallions, mustard, thyme, pepper to taste and 2 tbs of oil. Mix in one of the eggs.


step 2. Remove crust from bread and slice diagonally. Spread the mixture on one half (4) of the bread slices. Top with ham and place other half of bread on top.


step 3. Mix remaining egg with milk in a shallow bowl. Dip each sandwich in egg, making sure you get all five sides. Dredge each sandwich in bread crumbs.


step 4. Heat up 2 tbs of olive oil and fry sandwiches (*I had two batches) until nicely browned (2 - 3 minutes each side). It's a little tricky, but try to brown the sides as well by carefully standing each one on its sides.

*I wiped the pan with a paper towel and added new oil before I started my second batch.

Last Night's Dinner #74: Tuna melt

When I'm not in the mood or don't have the time to cook an elaborate dinner, my go-to meal is usually a sandwich or a salad (or takeout). I love tuna salad sandwiches. My favorite canned tuna from the supermarkets are Genova Tonno in Olive Oil and Progresso Light Tuna in Olive Oil - both taste fresher and less canny than other brands. I hear Pastene's is also good, but I haven't tried it.



I love adding red onions and fresh lemon juice to tuna. I drain most of the olive oil but keep enough to minimize the need for too much mayo. I add a touch of mayo to help bind the whole thing together - I prefer a much lighter salad so I go heavy on the lemon juice. Unless I'm using Genova Tonno in Olive Oil (it's much saltier than Progresso) I add a pinch of salt and black pepper. If I'm not being lazy, I also like to add fresh chopped parsley and capers (use less salt if adding capers).


I scoop out some of the bread to make room for the tuna then pre-toast/bake for a couple of minutes (without tuna) - this way the bread doesn't end up soggy.

Finally, I like to top it all off with extra love - grated cheese. I prefer cheddar. Back in the oven until the cheese starts to bubble.



Don't forget the chips/crisps. Eating chips with a tuna sandwich takes me back to my brown bag lunch days. Now only if I can get my hands on a carton of Hi-C or CapriSun.

Last Night's Dinner #72: Meatball Hero

Not really sure why, but I was craving meatballs. So I decided to make some for dinner, but instead of serving it with spaghetti I opted for the hero. I spent some time researching the origins of the "hero" sandwich but didn't find anything substantive - anyone out there a sandwich history buff?



I used the Frankie's Meatballs recipe and of course my favorite tomato sauce recipe.

I toasted a couple of rolls, then layered on some sauce, meatballs and topped it with more sauce. The best part? Leftover sauce and meatballs, which are now in the freezer - waiting to be a quick solution for a lazy cook.

Last Night's Dinner #65: Leftover Ham & Cheese Sandwich

Almost done with the ham! Easy dinner last night - sliced ham, grated cheddar cheese, whole grain mustard, and a dab of butter & mayo. I'm slowly trying to wean off the bad eating habits of last week, notice the side dish of sliced apples ;-)



I didn't want to bust out the panini press, so I used my grilling pan and used another pan as the press.

Last Night's Dinner #26: Tuna Artichoke Panini & Peach Pie

Here's another easy and tasty dinner idea. I got this panini recipe from Giada's Family Dinners.

Tuna and Artichoke Panini
Prep time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 15-20 mins

You'll need:
3/4 c pitted kalamata olives
2 tbs olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 c mayo
2 (6oz) tuna in olive oil, drained (my favorite kind is Genova's, Progresso's is also good)
1 (12oz) jar marinated artichokes drained coarsely chopped
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 (1lb) loaf ciabatta
1 tomato sliced (optional)



Combine olives, garlic, oil, zest and puree in food processor. Blend in mayo toss tuna, artichokes, lemon juice pepper in a separate bowl. Carefully hallow out the bread leaving mostly crust. Spread olive spread on bread, add tuna mixture on top. Gently press down and throw it on the grill or a heated pan. If you're using a pan, use a smaller one to place on top and with oven mitts on, press on it to weigh it down =)

Farm Fresh Peach Pie
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 35 - 45 mins



I was on my way to Trader Joe's yesterday and noticed these lovelies. I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them. I was initially planning to make Banana Cream Pudding pie but my bananas aren't quite ripe yet. I found a recipe from my Betty Crocker Book. I couldn't be bothered to make my own crust, so I tried out TJ's for the first time (I'll probably make it from scratch next time). I was happy with how it turned out, the filling was nice - sweet and tart, just the way I like it!.

Preheat oven to 425F
Bake for 35 to 45 mins



filling (for 9" - 9.5"):
4 peaches, peeled and sliced
1 c sugar
1/3 cup (minus 1 tbs) of all purpose flour
splash of vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 pinch of salt

Mix all the ingredients together and gently mix together. Dot peach mixture with 1 1/2 tbs of butter before placing top crust.

Last Night's Dinner #23: Toastie (Ham & Cheddar)

Hillsy's mom makes the best toasties is the world and I've been trying to persuade her to open up a Toastie shop in NYC (no luck so far). She claims it's the bread but I'm convinced that she puts an extra layer of lard when I'm not looking. I've tried and tried to replicate Kay's famous toasties but my version is only half as good. There's just something about how moms cook things. I guess I'll have to wait my turn!



You'll need:
- a panini grill or a large cast iron skillet and another heavy one to use as a weight
- bread* (I used Ciabatta )
- ham (thinly sliced french ham would be preferable)
- English cheddar, shredded (can be substituted with Irish cheddar)
- olive oil for brushing
- spreadable butter

* I have not been able to find a good loaf of white bread that's comparable to the ones found in the UK. The white bread over there is much denser/compact and really lends itself well to being pressed. If you're lucky enough to have a chinese bakery close, you can try buying a loaf of white sliced bread. I find that it's more compact than WONDER. Pepperidge Farm's "bread with substance" loaf isn't bad either. A third alternative would be Whole Foods' White Enriched White Bread. Wow, I didn't know I could write an entire post dedicated to white sliced bread!



- Butter both sides of the bread.
- Place cheese on top of one side.
- Distribute desired amount of ham evenly (don't lay out flat, create air pockets) on top of the cheese.
- Place other half on top and brush both top sides with olive oil.
- Place in the grill and press down to flatten as much as possible.
- Grill for about 8 minutes and turn. Grill for another 8 -10 minutes or until golden brown. Don't worry if you hear the cheese sizzling.
- Cut and serve with a simple salad.

Last Night's Dinner #20: Calzone & Hueguenot Torte

Main: Sweet Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Calzone
Adapted from Not Martha
Difficulty: Medium - I had some trouble with the pizza dough
Prep time: 30 minutes (with camera work)
Cook time: Meat filling 8-10 minutes / Calzones 11-12 minutes



Dessert: Hueguenot Torte
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 20 minutes (while on the phone with Zandra + camera work)
Cook time: 35-45 minutes



Calzone
You can make your own pizza dough if you'd like but I just bought ready-made pizza dough from the supermarket. If you have a favorite pizza shop, I would ask if you could buy some from them. Just let them know you want to make 6 Calzones.

I've never worked with pizza dough before so I was semi surprised by its elasticity. Let's just say I won't be working at Vinno's Pizza anytime soon. The dough just didn't want to be rolled out into 9" circles. I even attempted to use my fist like the way they do it in the pizza shops but I just ended up tearing the dough. So be patient. If you roll it out a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, it sticks to it and helps it stretch out and maintain the shape. I also used flour to avoid it from sticking to the rolling pin. If you're like me, you'll get the hang of it by the 3rd one!

This isn't the prettiest thing I've ever made but it definitely was tasty. I had way too much left-over cheese filling and a bit of meat filling left. So I'll have to incorporate that with tonight's dinner!



You'll need:
Cheese mixture -
15 oz tub of whole milk Ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cups (8oz) of shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg yolk
1 tbs of chopped fresh oregano

Meat filling -
By the way, if you don't like broccoli rabe, you can always use spinach or leave it out altogether. Zandra, I know you hate veggies, so you can make a sausage and cheese only calzone instead.

4 Italian sausages (sweet or spicy), remove from casings
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
pinch of black pepper
1/4 tsp of salt or to taste
12 oz of broccoli rabe
1 tbs of cold water

You'll need to preheat the oven for 30 mins on 500F. Set the rack on the lowest possible position. Don't burn yourself...



Step 1. Prep by shredding/grating cheeses, mincing garlic, chopping fresh oregano, removing sausages from the casings and cutting the broccoli rabe if you don't have the pre-cut kind. You can prep this the night before or a couple of hours prior to cooking.



Step 2. Combine all of the "cheese mixture" ingredients and set aside. Again, you can make this ahead of time just make sure you cover it up with cling wrap and store in the fridge. (Prep time for steps 1 and 2: 15 minutes)



Step 3. Meat mixture. Heat up a skillet and add sausages (no need to add oil, there should be plenty of natural oil from the sausages). Break up into bite size pieces. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes once you see that the meat is almost cooked. Add the broccoli rabe. Don't worry if it looks like it's going to overflow. The broccoli rabe will soon wilt as it cooks. You can help speed the process by sprinkling in 1 tbs cold water. This will create steam and will help the cooking process.
Step 4. Remove from heat and place in a plate or a baking dish lined with 4 or 5 layers of paper towels - this will help remove most of the liquid from the mixture. It's important to allow this to cool off and drain as much liquid off of the mixture so that it doesn't make the dough soggy.
Step 5. In the meantime, roll out six approx 9" circles. They should be thin but not too thin that they rip. First cut the dough into 6 equal pieces and roll into balls, then roll out each one.
Step 6. It helps to roll out the dough in parchment paper. As you roll each one, stack one on top of the other with parchment paper in between each layer (the weight of each one helps keep the other one flat). Each piece should have its own piece of parchment paper.



Step 7. Divide the cheese and meat filling by 6. Eye ball this and gauge whether or not you're putting too much or too little. Make sure to keep each piece on a piece of parchment paper. I put about 2 tbs of the cheese mixture and 2tbs of the meat mixture. Place the fillings in the center of the rolled out dough and drag one side to the other and twist edges shut. Trim the extra paper around each calzone.
Step 8. Brush the calzones with olive oil and sprinkle the tops with coarse salt.

Took me about 20 minutes to complete the rolling out and filling process.

Step 9. Cook for 12 minutes (or until nice and golden) on 500F on a baking sheet if you don't have a pizza stone. Once done, allow to cool off for 5 minutes before serving.

Hueguenot Torte
This is really an interesting dessert. I've never had anything quite like it. It has a very different texture but really really really good. I specially like the way it looks when you serve it. It just looks like a mess but a good type of mess. It just has a certain casualness to it. A great recipe for you and your kids to do together. Karen - once it cools, Miles can help you assemble the dessert. You basically attack the pan and pile pieces on top of each other and plop on whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on top. You serve it in the center and everybody just digs in with a fork!

By the way, I made the dessert before the calzones.

You'll need:
1 1/2 cup of granny smith apples, cut into 1" pieces
1 cup of pecans, chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbs of all purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp of baking powder
pinch of salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
one 17 1/4 x 11 1/2 baking pan
Non-stick spray
whipped cream or vanilla ice-cream (optional but DO IT)



Step 1: Prep. Chop pecans, cut and core apples. Combine four, baking powder and salt - sift on a large piece of parchment paper. Spray your baking pan with non-stick spray. (Prep time: 10 minutes)
Step 2. With a hand mixer, beat eggs until pale and fluffy (~4 mins). Begin to slowly add the sugar.
Step 3: Continue mixing and slowly add the flour mixture, roll up the parchment paper in a tube/funnel and add mixture little by little so it doesn't blow all over you. Did that happen to moi?... maybe. Beat for another 30 seconds.
Step 4: Manually fold in the pecans, apples and vanilla extract.
Step 5: Pour into pan evenly. Steps 2 to 5 took another 10-15 minutes.
Step 6. Cook for approx 40-45 mins until golden. Let cool for at least 20 minutes.



Scoop out of pan and stack/layer pieces on a large plate. Serve topped with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla bean ice-cream. Dig in!