Vegetarian

Broccoli Cheese Soup

January 4, 2013 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

I’m not sure what it is but cold weather and frost on the ground makes me crave comfort food. Food that warms you up inside and makes you feel all cozy. The weather we’ve had lately has definitely been comfort food weather. That weather where you want to put on your pj’s, cuddle up on the couch, cover up, eat a big bowl of soup and watch t.v. You know what I’m talking about! There’s nothing better, right?

When I think of comfort food I think of mom’s home cooking, chicken and dumplings, and soups, just to name a few things. To me, this broccoli cheese soup definitely falls into the category of comfort food. Cheesy, creamy goodness with pieces of broccoli in every bite. Yum.

I love this recipe for so many reasons. It’s simple, quick to put together, hearty and satisfying. It’s great for a cozy, weekend meal but quick enough to assemble for a weeknight meal, as well. The best part, though-it’s a one pot meal! Saute the onions and garlic, add the liquids, seasonings and veggies and simmer. Add the cheese and serve. We enjoyed this with a few, thick slices of buttery, toasted bread but it would also be delicious in a bread bowl!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

1 Medium onion, diced
1 Clove garlic, minced
4 Heads broccoli, cut into florets
1/2 Cup (1 stick) butter
4 Cups whole milk
2 Cups half and half
1/3 Cup flour
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch red pepper flakes
Fresh ground black pepper
Salt
1 1/2 Cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, plus more for serving
1 3/4 Cups shredded cheddar, plus more for serving
Chicken broth, if needed

Directions:

Place a large stock pot, or Dutch oven, over medium heat and add butter. Once the butter has melted add the onions and saute for 3-4 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds, until fragrant. While stirring continuously, add the flour until combined. Continuing to stir, slowly add the milk and half and half until combined. Add the broccoli, nutmeg, salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Reduce heat to low. Cover the mixture and allow to simmer 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the broccoli is tender add the cheese and stir until melted. Taste the soup, adjust seasonings if needed.*

Ladel into bowls, top with more cheese and serve.

*If soup is too thick add chicken broth or milk, to achieve the desired consistency.

Recipe source: barely adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Creamy Spinach and Arugula Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Tomatoes

November 8, 2012 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Here we are in the midst of fall, part of the country is being slammed with rain and snow but here in Arkansas we’ve had no such weather. We’ve had some chilly days but no frosts or severe weather, yet. So, unlike a lot of people, our garden is still in full bloom and we are still picking bell peppers, tomatoes, and jalapenos by the buckets. Believe it or not, my herbs are still in full bloom too; parsley, basil and even some cilantro. Wild, right? I plan to utilize every piece of fresh produce possible while I still have access to it.

When I first saw this recipe on Josie’s blog it wasn’t a matter of wanting to make it, I knew I had to make it. And make it soon. I decided to change it up a tad, since it is fall and there’s so much wonderful fall and winter produce available. I substituted spaghetti squash in place of the pasta and it was delicious. But if you are not a big fan of spaghetti squash you could easily use your favorite type of pasta. I also used a combination of spinach and arugula for the sauce. The arugula added a nice, peppery flavor that complimented the butteriness of the avocado and spaghetti squash perfectly.

I loved everything about this dish. The sauce was creamy and bursting with tons of flavor. But I think my favorite part of this dish was the roasted tomatoes. Oh. My. Goodness. Delicious! Slightly sweet, incredibly fresh and perfect. I even stole one, or two…or three or four, but who is counting, before I even put them on the pasta. I served this with a side of crusty bread and it make for a perfeclty satisfying meal that the entire family enjoyed.

Creamy Spinach and Arugula Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Tomatoes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups grape tomatoes, halved
Olive oil
Kosher salt
1/2 Tsp sugar
1 Baked spaghetti squash*
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Small white onion, diced
2 Cloves minced garlic
6 Oz baby spinach, washed
6 Oz arugula, washed
1/4 Cup Greek yogurt
1/4 Cup vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
1 Avocado, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/4 Cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 Cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place tomatoes on the prepared baking sheet and toss with olive oil, slat and sugar. Spread tomatoes evenly onto baking sheet and place in the preheated oven. Roast the tomatoes for 20-25 minutes, tossing once half way through.

While the tomatoes are roasting, place butter in a large saute pan and allow to melt. Once the butter has melted place onions in the pan and saute until softened and translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragarent, another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the spinach and arugula, a handful at a time and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes.

Add the yogurt and stir to combine. Remove pan from heat and carefully transfer ingredients to a food processor (an immersion blender may be used instead), pulse the ingredients until smooth, adding stock 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved. Transfer the puree back to the pan and add basil and cheese and stir to combine. Add the spaghetti squash and toss to coat.

Divide the “pasta” among plates, top with roasted tomatoes and additional cheese, if desired.

*The baked spaghetti squash can be made a day or two in advance and placed in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Recipe source: adapted from Pink-Parsley originally from Perry’s Plate

WC: Roasted Tomato, Mozzerella, and Spinach Sandwiches

October 19, 2012 by Lynsey 8 Comments

Caprese salad is one of my all time favorites. It’s such a simple salad with simple ingredients; spinach (or basil), tomatoes, mozzerella and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, but it’s so delicious, flavorful and refreshing. So needless to say, when summer rolls around and we have tons of ripe, red tomatoes on the vine I am one happy girl! Although it’s not summer anymore we still have tons of tomatoes in our garden. Not sure if we have magic dirt or if it’s just a benefit of living in Arkansas and having ever changing weather; from day to day! Either way, I will take it because it’s that much longer I can enjoy my beloved caprese salad.

While caprese salad is amazing on it’s own, over the past few months I’ve seen these simple ingredients incorporated into recipes and they all look amazing. This sandwich is one of those recipes I’ve been eyeing and wanting to try for quite some time. And now I’m finally getting to! For this round of the What’s Cooking recipes swap it was blogger’s choice. What that means is we get to choose the recipe we make from our assigned blog. It didn’t take me long to figure out what I was going to make from Kate’s blog, that’s right this roasted tomato, mozzerella and spinach sandwich!

Boy, did this sandwich ever live upto my expectations. It was incredible! My only issue is why I waited so long to make this. I loved every single thing about this sandwich, even better is it’s a sinch to throw together. The roasted tomatoes added so much flavor. You could give me a fork and pan of roasted tomatoes and I would gladly eat them. All. Don’t worry, I didn’t, I saved them for the sandwiches. Okay, back to the sandwich. The roasted tomatoes are stacked on top of the fresh mozzerella, and the heat from tomatoes slighlty melts the mozzerella and that makes the sandwich that much better. A drizzle of that candy-like balsamic, a little spinach and another piece of toasted bread. Oh my gosh, it’s so good and it doesn’t get much better than this sandwich! I served this on whole clove garlic bread from a local bakery, and it just added that much more flavor to the meal. Serve this sandwich with your favorite soup and you’ve got a light, tasty and flavorful meal in no time!

Roasted Tomato, Mozzerella, and Spinach Sandwich

Ingredients:

1 Large tomato
1/2 Cup baby spinach
5 Oz fresh mozzerella, sliced slighlty thin
Salt and fresh cracked black pepper
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
4 Thick slices crusty bread

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Thickly slice the tomato, slices should be about 1/4 inch thick. Place tomatoes on prepared baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in oven and roast for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, place a large skillet over low-medium heat and allow to preheat. Once skillet is warm, drizzle one side of each piece of bread with olive oil and place oiled side down in the preheated pan. Allow to toast until golden, about 2-3 minutes. Drizzle the tops with olive oil and flip each piece, allow to toast an additional 2-3 minutes, until golden. Remove from heat.

To assemble-
Place equal amounts of mozzerella on 2 pieces of toasted bread. Top the mozzerella with tomoatoes. Place the spinach on the empty pieces of bread. Drizzle the tomatoes, to taste, with balsamic vinegar. Place the spinach and bread on top of the tomatoe and mozzerella topped bread. Serve.

Recipe source: adapted from Kate’s Recipe Box, originally from BBC Good Food

Baked Spaghetti Squash

October 5, 2012 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Fall is officially upon us! Can you believe it’s already October? Where has the year gone? Like so many of you, I’m so incredibly excited that fall is here! It’s time for football, chilis and stews, pumpkin, and so much more.

If you’re anything like me, you can tell what season is nearing by looking around at the fruits and vegetables in your local market. When I start seeing all of the fall and winter squash and gords I can’t help but get excited! That actually happened a few weeks ago for me! I went to the store and right when I walked through the door there it was, glowing in aww. A huge display of butternut squash, spaghetti squash and pumpkins. What a site that was. After I composed myself I quickly darted to the display and just stared at it in all it’s beauty and then quickly snatched up a delicious spaghetti squash.

If you’ve never had spaghetti squash you are definitely missing out. It’s all the buttery goodness of your normal spaghetti noodles but without any added butter and it’s better for you! That’s a win win, right? I could honestly get a fork and take a baked spaghetti squash, sit down and devour it. Yes, it’s that good. This squash, while delicious on it’s own is so versatile and can be substituded for spaghetti in pretty much any dish. While this recipe is basic, it’s definitely delicious and one that everyone should try!

Baked Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:

1 Spaghetti squash
Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Cut spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise. Using a large spoon, scoop out and discard the seeds and fibers. Place the squash on a baking sheet, cut side up, and season with salt and pepper. Place in preheated oven and bake for 1 hour.

Remove the baked squash and allow to cool about 15 minutes. Once the squash has cooled, and can be handled, use a fork and gently scrape the flesh a little at a time. It will separate into spaghetti-like strands. Place in a serving dish and serve hot.*

*For a fun presentation, place all of the spaghetti squash strands in one half of the squash shell.

Chickpea Cakes with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce

October 1, 2012 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

A few months ago I posted a recipe from one of my new favorite cookbooks, ATK Best Simple Recipes and since then I have made several other recipes from this wonderful cookbook. Just when I think I can’t be any more impressed by all of these simple, yet mouthwatering recipes I make another and I am impressed all over again. America’s Test Kitchen (ATK) never ceases to present amazing recipes as well as the information as to what makes these recipes work. I love, love, love this cookbook and ATK. This cookbook helps me make tasty and nutritious meals for my family even on those hectic weeknights. This is definitely one of those tools that all you busy people want to have in your survival toolbox.

Initially this was one of those recipes that I wasn’t very sure about. I had it on the menu for a few weeks before I finally decided to make it, and boy am I glad I finally got around to this recipe. I love chickpeas and I love hummus, but that was about the extent of my cooking with chickpeas, until now. These chickpea cakes are tasty, with a light and breaded filling and a crispy outer shell. They are packed full of flavor, slighlty earthy from the cilantro and onions and a hint of spice from the cayenne and garam masala. The cake is then pan fried until crispy and golden brown and topped with the cucumber yogurt sauce which lends a light and fresh flavor to the dish. I served these cakes with a green salad, and it made for a wonderfully light and filling meal perfect for weeknight.

Chickpea Cakes with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients:

2 Slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
1 Cucumber, peeled, halved lenthwise, seeded and shredded
1 1/4 Cups Greek yogurt
6 Scallions thinly sliced on the biased
1/3 Cup cilantro, roughly chopped
2 Large eggs
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garam masala
1/8 Tsp cayenne pepper
2 (16 oz) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 Medium shallot, minced
1 Lime, cut into wedges

Directions:

Preaheat oven to 350.

Place bread pieces into a food processor and pulse until coarse crumbs begin to form. Spread crumbs onto a rimmed baking sheet. Place crumbs in oven and bake 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once crumbs are dry and golden remove from oven and set aside allowing to cool.

While the crumbs are baking, combine the shredded cucumber and 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss to combine. Place salted cucumber in a colander and allow to drain for 15 minutes. In a small bowl combine drained cucumber, 3/4 cup yogurt, 2 tablespoons scallions, and 1 tablespoon cilantro and stir to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, 2 tablespoons oil, garam masala, cayanne pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Place chickpeas in the food processor and pulse until mostly smooth, making sure the mixture is not pureed. Transfer to a large bowl, add bread crumbs, egg mixture, shallot, and remaining yogurt, scallions and cilantro and stir to combine. Form the mixture into six 1-inch thick patties.

Place a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon oil and allow skillet and oil to heat. Place part of the patties in the pan, being sure not to overcrowd, and cook until well browned, about 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer cooked patties to a plate and loosely tent with foil. Repeat process with remaining oil and patties. Serve with cucumber-yogurt sauce and lime wedges.

Recipe source: Barely adapted from America’s Test Kitchen, The Best Simple Recipes

Southwestern Pasta Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

September 19, 2012 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

The pumpkin is out and fall recipes are all around us. I love fall and all the things that come with it but I’m not quite ready…yet! We are still getting tomatoes, jalapenos and bell peppers from our garden. Yes. Still! So I’m still taking advantage of every. last. fresh vegetable I can.

That’s why I’m so excited to share this pasta salad recipe with you. It’s packed full of fresh vegetables, and ours utilized vegetables straight from our garden. I think about 95% of the vegetables used were from our garden. We used tomatoes, red onion, red and green bell peppers, and corn! Talk about straight from the farmer’s hand. There’s nothing better!

This pasta salad was incredibly delicious, filling and light all at the same time. It’s packed with tons of flavor. It starts with a base of pasta and vegetables. Lime juice adds a slight tartness and brightness to the dish. The cilantro adds color, and bright earthy flavor. And last but not least, the best part. The creamy avocado dressing. Oh. My. Gosh! This stuff is sooo good. It’s creamy and rich and yet still healthy. Doesn’t get much better than that. This delightful dressing is then poured over the pasta and veggies and given a quick toss to coat everything. The end result is a light and refreshing salad, perfect by itself or as a side. I served this as a side with pan seared chicken and I used some of the extra creamy avocado dressing as a sauce for the chicken and it was out of this world! If you love avocado you will love this pasta!

Southwestern Pasta Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

Ingredients:

For the salad-
8 oz pasta (I used bowtie)
1 (15oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 Cup grape tomatoes
1/2 Cup red bell pepper, diced
1/2 Cup green bell pepper, diced
1/2 Cup red onion, diced
3/4 Cup sweet corn, I used fresh but canned is fine too
1 Large avocado; peeled, seed removed and chopped
1/2 Cup cilantro, roughly chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the dressing-
2 Rip avocados, peeled and seeds removed
1 (5oz) container Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp milk
2 Cloves garlic, minced
1/3 Cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1 Jalapeno, seeds removed and roughly chopped
2-3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 Tsp ground cumin
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Fill a large stockpot with water and place over high heat. Bring water to a boil, salt and add pasta. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water, drain, rinse and set aside.

Meanwhile, prepared the creamy avocado dressing. Combine avocados, yogurt, milk, garlic, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice and cumin in a food processor and pulse until smooth. If the dressing is still thick, add a bit more milk 1/2 a tablespoon at a time. Once desired consistency is achieved, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

In a large bowl combine black beans, tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, corn, avocado, and pasta. Top with creamy avocado dressing, gently stir to combine. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the salad, adjust seasonings and top with chopped cilantro.

Recipe sourc: barely adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

Avocado Enchiladas

August 24, 2012 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

A lot of people tend to have weekly richuals as far as food goes; tonight is Mexican night, tomorrow is burger night and so on. I’ve never really thought of myself as being one of those people, but the more I start to look at our weekly meal plans the more I start to see particular types of food appear on there on a weekly basis. Although we don’t have some type of Mexican inspired meal every. single. week, we come close to it. I’ve said before that I could honestly live on Mexican food, and I truly mean it. What’s not to love about some fresh, cold and spicy salsa, hot cheese dip and chips? I could honestly make a meal of that alone, but I make myself save room for the entree…most of the time!

I love enchiladas, and I believe we’ve been enjoying a vareity of enchiladas as of lately. For our latest Mexican night, I decided to try something completely new (to us) and make avocado enchiladas. I love avocado, I could honestly eat it by itself, but instead I try to find or creat different recipes that utilize it!

These burritios are fairly quick to put together and surprisingly filling. The avocado flavor really shines and is complimented by the addition of garlic, onions and cilantro really help to enhance the flavor and bring this dish to life. It starts by sauteing onions, garlic and various seasonings. That mixture is then combined with the avocados, cilantro and lime juice. Fill the tortillas with the mixture, then lay them in a nice little bath of salsa verde. A quick topping of salsa verde and cheese and then they are ready to be popped in the oven. After a quick bake, the enchiladas are given an additional drizzle of salsa verde, cilantro and tomatoes. The end result is simply amazing.

Avocado Enchiladas

Ingredients:

2 avocados
Juice of 1 lime
½ Cup cilantro, chopped
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ Tsp cumin
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Cups Colby jack cheese, shredded
1 ½ Cups salsa verde
5 Flour tortillas
Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Place skillet over medium heat, allow to heat up. Pour 1 tbsp of oil in the skillet and add onions, garlic, and cumin. Saute the ingredients until onion is translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the brown sugar and stir to combine, add another ½ to 1 tbsp oil and cook until brown sugar has dissolved.

Remove the avocados from the skin and roughly chop. Place chopped avocado in a bowl, add cilantro and lime juice and toss to combine. Add the onion mixture and stir.

Pour ½ cup salsa verde in the bottom of a casserole/baking dish and spread over the dish evenly. Spoon 2-3 tbsp of the avocado mixture in the tortilla, sprinkle with 1 tbsp shredded cheese and roll up, place seem side down in baking dish. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Top the enchiladas with an additional ½-3/4 cup salsa verde, sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes, remove foil and bake an additional 5-10 minutes, until tortilla edges begin to turn golden and cheese is melted.

Top with additional cilantro, salsa verde, and ¼ cup chopped tomatoes, if desired.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Lou’s Original

Quinoa Fruit Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing

August 22, 2012 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Fruit salad is one of those things that is left open to many interpretations. You have your classic fruit cocktail, you know…the ones in the little cups with the cherries, pears, pineapples and so on? Yes, those are the fruit salads that everyone remembers from their childhood and maybe some of you still enjoy it to this day. Well, that’s just one of numerous fruit salad recipes. There’s no rhyme or reason to what all can go into a fruit salad and there’s no “set recipe” for the proper fruit salad. I’ve enjoyed many variations of fruit salad throughout the years; each of them different but delicious in their own way. And now I have yet another fruit salad to share with you!

I’m so excited to share this quinoa fruit salad with you all. This differs from other fruit salad because of one of the ingredients; it’s not a fruit, it’s actually a grain. This salad includes a small, yet delicious and filling grain called quinoa. It has a slightly different texture; it’s mildly crunchy yet soft at the same time. It’s almost like it has an outer crunchy shell to incase the soft inside. Quinoa doesn’t have just a ton of flavor on it’s own, so it’s the perfect ingredient to include in many recipes to make it a little more filling without having to work with another flavor profile. Quinoa also takes on the flavors of whatever it’s included in, and can also be substitued in the place of rice and even beans. I am always trying to introduce new beans and grains to our family, and this salad was the perfect way to introduce quinoa.

This salad was full of bright bold colors with big flavor. I loved the combination of blueberries, strawberries, and mango. The addition of the honey-lime dressing just amps up the flavor that much more. You know I’m big on flavor and this salad hits a lot of flavor notes; sweet, tart, and slightly tangy. The mint also adds a nice splash of flavor and another hint of color to this already colorful salad. I loved the flavor combinations of the fruit that I used this time, but I can’t wait to try this salad with various other fruit combinations. This salad is perfect for a hot day and will go well with a variety of meals.
Quinoa Fruit Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing

Ingredients:

For the quinoa-
1 Cup quinoa
2 Cups water
Pinch of salt

For the dressing-
1/2 Tsp lime zest
Juice 1 large lime
3 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp mint, finely chopped plus more for garnish, if desired

For the fruit-
1 1/2 Cups blueberries
1 1/2 Cups sliced strawberries
1 1/2 Cups chopped mango

Directions:

For the quinoa-
Rinse quinoa under cold water. Combine quinoa, salt and water to a medium saucepan and place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Allow quinoa to remain at a boil for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove quinoa from heat and fluff with a fork. Allow to cool at room temperature.

For the dressing-
Combine lime zest, lime juice and honey in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add mint and whisk just a few seconds more to combine. Set aside.

To assemble-
In a large bowl combine quinoa, blueberries, strawberries, and mangos and stir to combine. Top with dressing and mix until all ingredients are well incorporated. Garnish with additional mint, if desired.

Recipe source: Two Peas and Their Pod

Goat Cheese and Avocado Grilled Cheese

August 13, 2012 by Lynsey 4 Comments

Grilled cheese sandwiches are an all time classic, they were a staple in my childhood and still are to this day. There is just something so comforting about the classic grilled cheese sandwich. It truly is the “original” comfort food. Plus, let’s not forget that all time classic pairing of grilled cheese and tomato soup. That combination is most popular during the winter months but does make appearances on our menu from time to time during the summer months as well.

The grilled cheese sandwich is one of those things that is so versatile and is open to various types of interpretation. While the classic grilled cheese with American or cheddar cheese is probably the most popular, there are various other combinations of cheeses and other additions that have made appearances on the grilled cheese from time to time. And people aren’t done trying to “amp up” the grilled cheese just yet.

This goat cheese and avocado grilled cheese is yet another example of how the “basic” grilled cheese can be taken to the next level. Layers of provolone cheese, topped by buttery avocado, sharp and tangy goat cheese, baby spinach and then topped with another layer of provolone. Wow! This is probably one of my favorite grilled cheese sandwiches to date. The avocado adds so much flavor to the sandwich, but it’s not out done by the goat cheese. Boy, I LOVE goat cheese and it really does add so much flavor to this sandwich. Not only does it add a sharp tang, but it compliments the avocado, provolone and spinach at the same time. This really is the ultimate comford food with bold, amped up flavors.

Goat Cheese and Avocado Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:

4 Slices bread
1 Avocado, sliced
4 Slices provolone cheese
5 Tbsp goat cheese, crumbled
1 Cup baby spinach
Salt and pepper, to taste
Butter

Directions:

Place frying pan over low heat.

Meanwhile, place 1 slice provolone cheese on a slice of bread. Top cheese with 1/2 cup spinach, half of the avocado slices, and 2 1/2 tablespoons goat cheese crumbles. Season with salt and pepper, top with another slice of provolone then a slice of bread. Spread butter on top of the slice of bread.

Place 1 tablespoon butter into the preheated pan and allow to melt. Place the sandwich in the pan, with the non-buttered piece of bread in the pan. Cook until bread is golden and cheese is beginning to melt, then flip sandwich and allow to cook until the cheese is completely melted and other slice of bread is golden brown, and slightly crunchy. Repeat with remaining ingredients and enjoy hot.

Recipe source: slightly adapted from Tastespotting

Grilled Corn with Spicy Cilantro Lime Butter

August 1, 2012 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

I honestly think grilling is one of my favorite things of spring and summer. Even with the extreme heat we’ve been experiencing I continue to put grilled recipes on our menu rotation. To me, grilling is so much fun, it adds a fun and new twist to meals, it’s a fairly quick method of cooking things and it’s adds wonderful flavor to any food.
Typically when people think of grilling they think of steaks, burgers, hotdogs, chicken and so on. While those are all very popular items to grill, more and more people are taking their vegetables to the grill. Grilling vegetables is not only simple, but it adds another element of flavor to already delicious, fresh vegetables.

Throughout the spring and summer I try to utilize as many fresh vegetables from our garden as possible. Since we are always fortunate to have an abundance of fresh vegetables on hand I try to think of different ways to prepare and enjoy them. I know grilling isn’t anything new but it does add a different flavor to the vegetables that can’t be achieved in other cooking methods.

I love corn in any form, but fresh corn on the cob is one of my favorites. It’s subtly sweet, slightly rich and perfect natural or with a touch of butter and sprinkle of salt. Although I could eat fresh corn all day long, I do enjoy playing with flavors and pairing different flavors together. This time, instead of grilling corn and spreading plain ol’ butter on there, I decided to spice things up a bit and make a simple compound butter. I loved the way the flavors all married together and complimented one another so nicely. The sweet corn topped by slightly spicey, tart butter was delicious. The cayenne pepper added the perfect amount of spice and was offset by the addition of fresh lime juice, and bright earthy cilantro. Simple yet so delicious.

Grilled Corn with Spicy Cilantro Lime Butter

Ingredients:

For the spicy cilantro lime butter-

2 Tbsp butter, room temperature
1/8-1/4 Tsp cayenne pepper (depending on spice preference)
2 Tsp fresh squeezed lime juice
3 1/2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the grilled corn-
4 Ears fresh corn, cleaned and silks removed
Vegetable oil
Fresh chopped cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

For the butter-
Place the softened butter in a bowl. Add the cayenne pepper, lime juice and cilantro and stir to completely combine. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper and to to incorporate. Roll the butter into a small log, or ball, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.

Preheat grill to a low heat.

Meanwhile, liberally brush corn with vegetable oil. Place the prepared corn on the preheated grill. Grill on each sideo for 3-4 minutes, some of the kernals will char slightly and that is fine. Once cooked completely, remove from grill and top each ear of corn with the compound butter. Sprinkle with additional cilantro, if desired, and serve immediately.

Recipes source: A Lynsey original

Don’t Miss a Thing!

Vegetarian

Footer

Don’t Miss a Thing!