Grilled Cheese with Bacon and Apple

This is the ultimate in super yumminess.  My husband said he was on his way home for lunch and asked if I could whip him up a sandwich....can't deny the man.  Instead of the usual boring sammie, I opened the fridge and took a little inventory of what we had.  Bacon...good.  Cheese, and a lot of it....good.  Apples...healthy and good.  Sweet and Spicy Mustard...addictive.  And a star was born.  Did I go too far?
I insist you make this at least once.  Everything in moderation right?  You won't be sorry.  You'll also be loved by whomever else you decide to share it with.  You will be LOVED!
The crunch of the bread, the saltiness of the bacon, the creaminess of the cheese, the sweetness of the apple.....drool much?!
p.s. if this sandwich could talk, it would say "Eat ME!"

....and another beautiful angle....

Grilled Cheese with Bacon and Apple

Serves 1

Butter
2 slices of Rye Bread
2 slices of Bacon, cooked to your liking
Aged Cheddar
1/4 of an Apple, sliced very thin
Sweet & Spicy Mustard (I used Epicure Selections)

Butter each slice of bread on one side only.  Spread about 1 tbsp mustard on the non-buttered side of your first piece of bread and layer on 1/2 the cheese you're using, the bacon, the apple and finely the other half of the cheese.  Grill in a pan over med-high heat, pushing down after each turn until the bread is golden and the cheese has melted.

Roasted Proscuitto Wrapped Asparagus

I was speaking to one of my fav people the other day, my cousin Robin, and she was talking about making Proscuitto wrapped asparagus.  She had me at  Proscuitto.  I hadn't made these in a long time and that conversation sparked a desperate need to do so. 
My main squeeze and I were having a date night with our daughter and taking her to see some of our friends in the  Decades Show (very entertaining) and instead of dinner, we did apps at home before we left.  These were on the menu.  The child, the husband and myself ate these in silence.  They were perfectly tender crisp, salty and very satisfying.
Easiest thing you'll make....I say that a lot, I know but these really are super simple.  You could serve these as a side or as an appetizer, which is what I do.  Hot out of the oven or at room temperature.  Whatever is going to float that boat of yours. 
I know it's not asparagus season but we're getting close.  These are still worth making right now...and next week, and a month from now, and in asparagus season.....
p.s. if you haven't figured it out, I love Proscuitto.  Along side some cheese and olives or wrapped around something and baked or roasted....it's all good.

Roasted Proscuitto Wrapped Asparagus

10 Spears (you'll likely want to double this)

Asparagus, 10 spears

Proscuitto, 5 thin slices, halved

Wedge of Parmesan

Olive oil

Pre-heat the oven to 425F.  Snap off the ends of the asparagus where it naturally bends and discard, or better yet, compost. Drizzle the spears with a little olive oil, 1-2 tsp should be plenty.  Freshly grate a little parm over each piece of proscuitto, use your own judgement on this, it doesn't take much.  Wrap each spear with the proscuitto and place on the baking sheet.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, checking after 15 minutes.  Voila.

Note: Investing in a wedge of Parmesan may be daunting for some because of the price but you only need a bit and it keeps well in the fridge. The fresh is far superior to the pre-grated stuff.  If you still can't bring yourself to buy any, look for Grana Padana.  It's very similar and doesn't carry the price tag.

Tip: Don't throw out the rind from the piece of parm when you're done.  Keep it in wrapped up in the fridge and toss it into a simmering pot of tomato, spaghetti or bolognese sauce.  When the sauce is done, retrieve and discard the rind.  It lends wicked flavour to the sauce!





Crab Stuffed Jalapeno's 2 Ways

Yeah, you read the name of this right.  Holy schmoly, these spicy little jewels are addictive.  So much so that I had 3 and I could have eaten 10 more.  I'm currently obsessed with stuffing these with anything and everything.  Good thing we like heat in this house. 
The first way is the healthier of the two by omitting the bacon.  Think of it as a vegetarian version...seafood isn't meat right?!  Well, whatever....  Anyhow, it's a little lighter.  The second way is full of porky goodness.  A little more decadent, and salty and chewy and well, bacony. 
My husband says these scream for an ice cold beer but I like them with a chilly Reisling.  The hint of sweetness pairs nicely with the heat.....who's kidding who.  I'll drink either one.
p.s. I'm not about to go out and buy fresh crab for this.  This isn't fancy schmancy.  I used President's Choice Chunk Crab Meat.  It's the best canned crab for this kind of thing, in my opinion.
p.s. If you don't want to use crab in the bacon wrapped, omit it and add a little fresh grated cheese or even some finely chopped cooked shrimp.  The subtle sweetness from the crab or shrimp is nice against the heat of the pepper.

Here are the first ones I had made.....lighter but yummy none the less.  Oh, and any leftover filling is great in mushrooms caps......I tried it.  I had to.  It meant stuffing something!

These little jewels are for those that need a little pork in their life.  I did and I'm ever so glad.  These are gooooood and higly addictive.

 

When you slice the peppers in half, make sure you're either wearing gloves or you wash your hands really good afterwards.  Hot stuff.  Clean out all of the seeds and as much of the white membrane as you can....that's where a lot of heat lies.  Too much and you won't taste anything.

When cooking the bacon wrapped peppers, place them on a wire rack to allow the fat from the bacon to drip.  You don't want them floating in bacon fat....your heart will thank you.

Voila, Jalapeno number 1 and ......

....Jalapeno number 2. 

1st Jalapeno - Meat Free

20 servings

10 Jalapeno's, sliced in half and seeded (handle with care)
1/4 cup of cream cheese (I used light)
1 can crab meat, drained
1/4 cup shredded cheese, mozarella or cheddar
1/4 cup red pepper, very finely chopped
2-3 tbsp bread crumbs or panko
olive oil cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 425F.
Combine the cream cheese, crab, shredded cheese and red pepper in a bowl.  Stuff all of the peppers with about 1 tbsp of the filling.  Spread them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Top each with a sprinkle of bread crumbs and spray lightly with cooking spray.  Alternatively, you can combine the bread crumbs with 1 tsp of olive oil and then top the peppers.
Bake for about 20 minutes, checking after 15 minutes.  Let cool for at least a minute as they will be hot.

YUM!!!

2nd Jalapeno - Bacon Wrapped

20 Servings

10 Jalapeno's, halved and seeded (handle with care)
1/2 cup cream cheese (I used light)
1 can of Crab Meat, drained
7-8 slices of bacon

Preheat the oven to 425F.  Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. 
Combine the cream cheese and the crab meat in a bowl.  Stuff each half with about 1 tbsp (more if needed).  Cut each piece of bacon into 3rds.  Wrap a piece of bacon around the pepper and secure with a toothpick.  The bacon should just wrap around.  You don't want to much over-hang or the bacon won't cook properly. Place on the wire rack and bake for 20 minutes, checking after 15 minutes. 
Let stand for about a minute after removing from the oven.  Discard the toothpicks.

YUM!!!!

My Smoothie

Well, it's Family Day and with any good long weekend, we've over-indulged.  It also happened to be my little dudes 3rd birthday which amped up the festivities.  Following a weekend like that, I like to get something healthy into our bodies stat. This is where my "go to" smoothie comes into play.
Recently I was introduced to Chia Seeds.  These little powerhouses pack a honkin' nutritional punch.  They are the highest plant based source of Omega 3, loaded with protein and fibre, are gluten free and have no real flavour to them.  They have a natural thicking quality to them which works well in a smoothie.  You can get them at any health food store or a Bulk Barn if you've got one.  You can either add the Chia Seeds directly into your blender or stir them in at the end.  The smoothie will thicken up quite a bit so you'll either need to use a spoon or add some extra milk.
This isn't so much a recipe as it is an idea that can be molded and shaped and blended to your taste buds.  This is how I do it.  This is how we like it.  It's what we always have on hand.  It's sooooo good for you and it tastes great.  Play with it or leave it as is....do what works for you.  Cheers to your health.
p.s. if you want this sweeter you could add a splash of maple syrup but remember, it's breakfast, not dessert.

My Smoothie

Serves 4

1 cup Yogurt, your choice (I like Vanilla Activia or Greek Yogurt)

1 1/2 cups 1% milk

2 bananas

1/3 cup fresh or frozen mixed berries

2 tbsp Chia Seeds

2 tsp ground flax (optional)

2 ice cubes (optional)

Toss everything into a blender and whiz away until you have the consistancy you like.

Note: if you let it sit too long it will get really thick and you will require a spoon

Chocolate Bark

Why buy a box of expensive chocolates for the one you love, when you can make this in absolutely no time at all!  This is easy beyond words and so tasty.  I pop mine in the freezer and eat it straight from there.  You can use any nut or substitute raisins for the dried cranberries.  This is just a favorite combo of mine. 
Wrap it in a decorative box or bag and tie with a red ribbon.  Kids and adults both love this. 
Happy Love Day.....make it a chocolately one.

They look so perty on the plate...

 

Also great for Christmas.....

Chocolate Bark

1 pkg of Semi Sweet or Dark Chocolate (I used Baker's)

1 pkg of White Chocolate (I used Baker's)

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup sliced almonds (toasted if you wish), or pistachio's

Melt both packages of chocolate separately over a double boiler following directions on the back of box (you can also place each in a stainless steel bowl placed over simmering water in a pot - melt slowly).  Place a piece of parchment paper on a large baking sheet.  Pour the darker melted chocolate on the parchment paper, following with the white chocolate.  Swirl the white into the darker chocolate.  Sprinkle over the nuts and cranberries.  Let cool.  Once it's firmed up, break it into chunks.



Proscuitto Wrapped Salmon

If you've never made this, you need to.  It's so simple, so yummy and perfect for a weeknight or for company.  It has 3 ingredients.  Yup, 3.  Make no excuses, this is easy and you can do it.  I know you can.....and you will.
I'm sure you could use any fish you'd like but I LOVE salmon.  Salmon loves pork.  It's true......it's a beautiful thing.
p.s. only lightly season the fish with salt if you must.  There is salt in the dijon and proscuitto so it certainly doesn't need much, if any.

Proscuitto Wrapped Salmon

Serves 2

2 5 oz pieces of salmon, skin removed

2 tsp dijon mustard

2 slices of proscuitto





Pre-heat the oven to 425F.  Smear each piece of salmon with a tsp of dijon.  Sprinkle a little fresh ground pepper on and wrap with proscuitto.  Place and on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, checking for doneness after 12 minutes. 

Note: I like to take my salmon out about a minute before it's done and tent it lightly with foil.  The residual heat will bring the salmon up to a perfect temp without over-cooking it.

Steak with a Boozy Cream and Blue

This was good.  No, this was really good.  Really stinkin' good.  C'mon, it's red meat, booze, cream and blue cheese.  Good.  Really stinkin' good.
I winged this recipe but luckily I wrote down what I was doing. You could totally add more cream (equal amount to broth) in lieu of the 1/4 cup broth broth but I was thinking about shaving off the fat....really?!  It's steak and cream and cheese!  Regardless, it was still delish and surprisingly easy. 
If you don't have Brandy (I always have a small bottle for times like this) then I bet whiskey would be good. 
I used a top sirloin which is lean but tasty if cooked to a medium rare but you could use any beautiful cut of steak you have on hand.  With a top sirloin, I like to slice it before serving it.  I also use a cast iron pan which I highly recommend because you can cook the steak in the pan and while it rests, make the sauce in the same pan to ensure you get all those crispy flavor bits from the bottom.  It all equals flavor.  I was lucky enough to get a cast iron pan for Christmas and man oh man, they cook a mean steak.  It creates a crust on a steak you can't get from a barbecue.  There's a time and place for everything, like this dish.  Make it.  You'll love it.
p.s. if you want to add an herbilicious note to this besides the parsley, a bit of Tarragon would be wicked.

Yeah, that's right.....it looks good doesn't it.   Scroll down and enjoy.

Slap that beautiful piece of beef in the cast iron pan and cook it until you own it.....remove it just before it's done, tent it to keep it warm and move on to sauceville.

Saute.  Pour some wine.
....for yourself.

Broth, booze, cream and bubbles.......yup.

I didn't want a soupy sauce....as you can see by the consistancy.  Nail it with some fresh parsley....it looks good and tastes good.

Perfect!  Stop drooling and pour this over your steak.  If you need to see the finished product again...scroll up.  You won't regret it.

Steak with  a Boozy Cream and Blue

Serves 2

1 Steak , your choice, enough to serve 2
1-2 tbsp butter
1/2 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp Brandy
1/4 cup beef broth (chicken will work fine)
1/3 cup whipping cream
3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
1 oz Blue Cheese (stilton or gorgonzola work well)

Heat a cast iron skillet over med high heat.  Season the steak with salt and pepper.  Melt the butter in the skillet and add the steak.  Cook about 4 min per side depending on the thickness (4 min for a 3/4 inch steak med rare - approx).  Remove the steak to a cutting board and tent with foil for at least 10 minutes.  In the same skillet add the onions and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and cook another 2 - 3 minutes.  Add the brandy and broth, if using.  Cook 1 minute and add the cream.  Let the cream reduce until just thickening, a couple of minutes.  Toss in the parsley, check for salt and give it a good grind of black pepper.  Pour over the steak and sprinkle with blue cheese. EAT!