(Fancy) Grilled Cheese

A very good friend of mine recently asked if I could come and cook for her.  She said that the only thing she could come up with for dinner lately was grilled cheese.  Unfortunately, we live 3,000 miles from one another so going to her house wasn't an option at that moment.  So instead I thought I could at least help her amp up her grilled cheese, which happens to be one of my favorite meals.

This grilled cheese is no ordinary grilled cheese and yet it's not anything too fancy or time consuming to make.  It may be the pesto, which can be store bought and you won't hurt my feelings for doing so, or the pretty pan seared shrimp that makes this grilled cheese dinner worthy.  But any way you look at it, it's dinner in under 20 minutes and I know a lot of you will be happy about that!  Better yet, serve it with a side of leafy greens (and a big glass of wine) and you've got a whole meal!

Pesto Shrimp Grilled Cheese

Ingredients

2 slices of bread (I use ciabatta) 

4 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 

1 medium tomato, sliced

2-4 slices pepper jack cheese

1-2 tablespoons Basil-Almond Pesto (store bought pesto works too)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil.  Place the shrimp into the pan carefully and season with salt and pepper.  Allow the shrimp to cook for about 2-3 minutes.  Carefully turn the shrimp over and cook for another 2-3 minutes until, opaque and cooked through.  Remove the shrimp from the pan and allow to cool slightly.  Slice the shrimp lengthwise and set aside.

In a large skillet melt the butter.  Spread both slices of bread with the pesto and place them pesto side up in the pan.  On one slice of the bread place 1 or 2 slices of the cheese then the shrimp, tomatoes and then the remainder of the cheese.  Top with the other slice of bread.  Cook for about 3-5 minutes until browned.  Carefully flip the sandwich and cook for another 3-5 minutes until browned and the cheese has melted.  Remove from the pan and allow to rest for minute or two.  Cut the grilled cheese in half and serve.  Makes 1 large grilled cheese.

NYE: Sparkle and Shine

This year has really flown by and this holiday season is coming fast with only 1 day for shopping left!  As I look back on 2013 I am so fortunate to have celebrated my first year of marriage, traveled through France and Italy (that post is coming soon, I promise!), and share my success and life with the people I love most.  This year I will be spending the holidays in California for the first time even though I've lived here for almost 11 years.  While my husband and I will be sharing an exquisite surf and turf dinner (check our Instagram for upcoming pics), I will definitely be missing my family and friends on the East Coast.

My lovely friends who I wrote about in November will be ringing in the New Year together...with all nine of their kids!!  I'm sad to miss the festivities again but am very excited to supply the recipes for their adult appetizers, the cocktail and a treat for the kids.  Last year my dear friend Erica from Conflicted Pixie helped us all in guiding us what to wear for the perfect Christmas Eve party while I suggested some great wines to serve.  This year she has out done herself and has found some beautiful, and always affordable, serving ware, glassware, and of course what to wear for this NYE.  Thanks to her my cocktail will be sure to sparkle in these glasses and my appetizers are bound to shine on these serving plates.  

So while they may be celebrating this holiday with their kids, they will be sure to do it in style!  Hopefully next year Greg and I will be able to join them and maybe we'll be adding to the kid count. 

Happy Holidays!

Baked Brie with Savory Fig Chutney

Ingredients
12.5 ounce brie round
4 fresh figs, roughly chopped (dried figs will work too)
1/2 cup fig spread 
1/4 cup roasted and salted pistachio nutmeats, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
French baguette or water crackers 


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Remove the rind from the top of the brie and dig out a small amount of the brie to make an indent.  Place the brie round in a parchment paper lined baking dish.  Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl add the figs, fig spread, and thyme.  Mix until all ingredients are well combined.  Season lightly with salt and pepper.  Pour the fig mixture on top of the brie.  Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes.  Sprinkle the pistachios on top and bake for another 5-10 minutes.  The center should be soft and the fig chutney should be hot.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.  

Carefully remove the baked brie from the baking dish using the the parchment paper.  Using the spatula carefully transfer the baked brie to a serving platter and serve with a sliced french baguette or water crackers.  Makes about 6-8 servings.

Sweet Potato and Chorizo Skewers with Roasted Garlic - Lemon Creme Fraiche Dipping Sauce

Ingredients
2 large sweet potatoes, washed and cut into 1 inch cubes or triangles
8 ounces dry cured Spanish chorizo, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 - 7.5 ounce container creme fraiche
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 garlic bulb, roasted and then chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
20-30 Small wooden skewers

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a small mixing bowl place the creme fraiche, lemon juice, and roasted garlic.  Mix until well combined.  Season with a bit of salt and pepper and stir to combine. Transfer the creme fraiche dipping sauce into a small serving bowl and set aside.

Boil a large pot of water.  Place the sweet potatoes into the pot and boil for 3-4 minutes.  Remove the sweet potatoes from the pot and drain well.  Lightly grease a foil lined baking sheet with a bit of olive oil.  Place the boiled sweet potatoes on the prepared baking sheet.  Brush the sweet potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, turning half way through, until crispy and turning golden brown.  

While the sweet potatoes are baking skewer the chorizo onto the wooden skewers.  Once the sweet potatoes are done remove from the oven and carefully skewer them onto the chorizo prepared skewers.  Serve hot with the creme fraiche dipping sauce.  Makes about 25-30 skewers.

Basil-Almond Pesto and Mascarpone Cheese Pastry Puffs with Sun Dried Tomato Dipping Sauce

Ingredients
1/2 cup almond-basil pesto
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
2 sheets pastry puff, thawed
1 - 8.5 ounce jar sun dried tomatoes in olive oil
4 small fresh tomatoes, deseeded and roughly chopped
3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
European Herbed Oil to drizzle
Wooden toothpicks

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

In a small food processor place the sun dried tomatoes with the olive oil in the jar and fresh tomatoes.  Pulse to combine.   Add the Greek yogurt, season with salt and pepper and pulse to combine.  Transfer the mixture into a serving bowl and drizzle with the European herbed oil.  Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl place the almond-basil pesto and mascarpone cheese.  Stir until well combined.  Set aside.

Roll out the puff pastry until it's about 11x14 inches.  Using a 2-1/2 inch square or round cookie cutter or ravioli cutter, cut out the pastries.  Place about 1/4 teaspoon of the pesto-mascarpone cheese mixture in the center of the pastry.  Bring up 2 opposite corners of the pastry and stick one toothpick in it securing it tightly.  Repeat with the other two corners.  Pinch any bits of the pastry together making sure the pesto mixture is tuck in tight.  

Place the pastry puff on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for about 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.  Remove the pastry puffs from the oven and discard the toothpicks and serve warm with the sun dried tomato dipping sauce.  Makes about 30-32 pastry puffs.

Sparkling Pear and Vanilla Bean Cocktail

Ingredients
2 cups Vodka (1.5 ounces for a single serving)
1-1/2 whole vanilla beans (1/4 of whole vanilla bean for a single serving)
1 - 32 ounce jar pear juice (I use R.W. Knudsen, 3 ounces for a single serving)
2-3 bottles prosecco
2 cinnamon sticks, plus extra for garnish

In a large airtight jar or container pour in the vodka.  Cut the vanilla beans in half and scrape the beans into the jar or container.  Then drop the whole vanilla bean in.  Stir to combine.  Add the pear juice and cinnamon sticks and stir to combine.  Marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.  

Making the cocktail: In an ice filled glass pour about half to 3/4 full of the pear vanilla vodka mixture.  Top with the prosecco and garnish with a cinnamon stick.  Makes about 10-12 servings.

Kids Corner

Because my Gingerbread Cookie Cocktail has been so popular this holiday season on Pinterest and the blog, I thought why not make it kid/non-alcoholic friendly.  Now my favorite cute kids can join in on the sparkly fun of ringing in the new year!

Gingerbread Cookie Ice Cream Float

Ingredients
1-1/2 quarts vanilla bean ice cream, softened
2 cups ginger snap cookies, crushed
1 six pack IBC Cream Soda

In a blender or food processor blend the vanilla ice cream and ginger snap cookies until combined.  Return the gingerbread cookie ice cream to carton and refreeze overnight.

Making the floats: In a glass (or plastic cup) scoop 1 scoop of ice cream into the glass and top with the cream soda.  Serve with a festive straw and spoon.  Makes about 8-10 servings.
  

Basil-Almond Pesto

I can't believe it's been a week since I last posted.  I'm so sorry for that and promise to keep them coming this week.  With that said, I thought I would start off with something wonderful that could be used all week for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Pesto is such a versatile ingredient that I just had to make it and share.  I have to admit in the past I have tried many different recipes but was never satisfied with the way it has turned out.  It was usually too salty or just lacked flavor and texture.  So in search for the best techniques and ingredients to use to make the perfect pesto I came across a recipe from Country Living.  It is simple and fresh.  Modifying a few things to my personal taste I created this delicious Basil Almond Pesto.


The pesto was so yummy on its own and perfect to serve with a french baguette or crackers for a party.  However, I found myself adding it to my toast in the morning, sandwiches and roasted veggies in the afternoon and to a spaghetti squash (that had been sitting on our counter for weeks) for dinner.  The freshness of the basil and lemon are a perfect match with the earthiness of the almonds which give it a fantastic texture.  Seeing that we still have some left, I am thinking about baking it into pork chops or adding it to some rice or quinoa for extra flavor and serve with a grilled salmon.  OR, mixing it with some greek yogurt would make a wonderful veggie dip or pasta sauce for that matter.  The options are endless!  I would love to hear what you decide to do with it.

Basil-Almond Pesto

Ingredients

1 cup (tightly packed and heaping) organic basil, chopped

1/2 cup raw almonds, sliced or roughly chopped (I use Trader Joe's Raw Sliced Almonds)

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1-2 large cloves garlic

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1/2 cup high quality extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest (about 1 small lemon)

In a large liquid measuring cup, combine the extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. Set aside.   In a food processor place the organic basil, almonds, parmesan cheese, garlic and salt.  Pulse until well combined.  Next, slowly add the oil mixture to the basil mixture and pulse again until well combined and oil has been absorbed.  Makes about 1 cup.  A little goes a long way.

Note:  Pesto will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks and in the freezer for up to 3 months.