It's Always Better Between Two Slices of Bread

     When you're a kid is there anything better than a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?  Maybe peanut butter and banana, or peanut butter and honey, or maybe all three!  Then there's grilled cheese.  Ooey, gooey goodness packed between two slices of grilled, buttered bread.  What we learn young is that when you put it between two slices of bread, its almost always better.

     I remember a time when my family didn't have much  money and we had to stretch our culinary skills by making something out of whatever it was we had in the kitchen.  In this particular instance, delving into the fridge brought out italian hard salami, dill pickles and mustard.  It made a sandwich that was actually quite good.  One might think that all those sour and savory ingredients would over power you, but, at least that night, a pickle and salami sandwich was a hit.

     Now I like to hide vegetables in grilled cheese for my little guy, Ryan.  Yesterday we had a grilled cheese with spinach puree in it.  He seemed to enjoy it and didn't mind the spinach one bit.  My sister takes whole leave spinach and sautees it in a little vinegar, salt and pepper, and then puts it on a grilled cheese.  She serves it with Campbell's canned tomato soup, but if you add a little fresh basil to it right before you serve it, suddenly you're eating a gourmet lunch.

     The great thing about sandwiches is that there are so many choices.  First, there's the bread.  You could go with traditional white sandwich bread (but to me that's a little boring) or you could go with wheat.  There's honey wheat, whole wheat, multi-grain, split-top wheat, just to name a few.  Then of course you have rye, pumpernickel, sourdough, and brioche, just for starters.  Each bread has its own personality.

     Let's not forget flat bread, pitas, and naan. Subway has started featuring flat bread, while not always a lower calorie option is a nice change of pace.  Flat bread also makes great paninis and is a hardier container for hot ingredients or even saucy components.  When I worked at my family's coffee shop I loved experimenting with panini ingredients.  One of my favorites was a roast beef sandwich that I put on the flat top with some peppers.  A little worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and fresh ground black pepper added just a little bit of kick.  Add a piece of provolone cheese and fresh tomatoes before putting it on the grill so the tomato just gets a little bit of heat.  Too hot and the tomato will turn mushy and fall apart.  You can add a piece of lettuce after taking it off the heat, but I happen to not be a fan of warm lettuce.  Pita bread can easily be substituted in for the flat bread.  Sandwiches are really about what you have handy.

     In the summer sandwiches are more about all the great produce that is available.  Vidalia onions, when available, make a fantastic sandwich.  You really want a light bread like a white sandwich bread or a french bread (I like the crustiness of the french) for an onion sandwich.  Mayonnaise, salt, and pepper is really all you need with a nice thick slice of Vidalia onion.  They are so sweet they really make the sandwich.  Liverwurst is a nice addition to add a little bit of salty savoryness to an onion sandwich and many a night my family and I have made that dinner with a nice bottle of wine or beer.

     All of these sandwiches are leading up to my sandwich today.  I literally had a dream about this sandwich and I think I may have woken up with drool on the pillow.

2 pieces of honey wheat bread, toasted

3 pieces of turkey bacon

handful of alfalfa-clover sprout mix

fresh sliced tomato

fresh sliced cucumber

romaine lettuce

1 tsp (approx) fresh chopped basil

1/2 tsp (approx) fresh chopped oregano

1 tbsp olive oil mayonnaise

Stir the herbs into the mayonnaise and then spread it on one slice of bread.  Put the sprouts right on top, it helps them stay in place.  I used turkey bacon, but I think 3 slices of real bacon cooked nice and crispy would elevate this sandwich tremendously.  I also put a little salt and pepper on the tomatoes because, well I like it that way.

I'd also like to brag that I went out my front door and picked the herbs from my garden.  Go me!

     The moral of the story is have fun with sandwiches.  I haven't found many foods that can't go in or on a sandwich.  I'd really like to hear about some of your favorite sandwiches!

It's All About the Thin Skin

When we first moved to Georgia, I remember my mom's hunt for a good chinese restaurant.  Coming from the bay area where there is a prevalence of good asian food, I think she thought it might be difficult.  However, just down the road, we found a place called Mandarin Garden.  One of the things that made this our chinese restaurant of choice was the fact that their fried potstickers were made with a nice thin dough that didn't overwhelm the delicious pork stuffing.  Many a Friday night we ordered General  Tso's Chicken (which turns out isn't even chinese but was actually invented in San Francisco), pot stickers and Mu Shu Pork (or sometimes Sweet and Sour Pork... yum yum).
Sadly, Mandarin Garden eventually went out of business when the shopping center it was in  was basically deserted by the anchor store (that was a grocery store) and slowly all the rest of the small businesses left.  We never did find another chinese place that had potstickers as good as Mandarin Garden.  So many of the new places had such thick dough on their potstickers (I keep mentioning these, but seriously, who likes doughy potstickers?) and just wasn't quite as good.
So the point of this story (and there is one, I promise) is that when I moved back out here to the west coast, chinese food was one of the things I was really looking forward to.  Chinese, Sushi, and sourdough bread from San Francisco (I'm heading there next weekend and look for an entire post on the perfection that is a clam chowder sourdough bread bowl).
Sadly, there are 3 chinese restaurants I can think of off the top of my head.  I've been to two of them and the third one has the kind of reputation that makes me want to have the paramedics on speed dial.  The one in Atascadero is a chinese buffet.  Aaron is pretty sure that when you call them for delivery they just take the food out of the buffet trays and bring you that.  I have not had to break down to call for delivery from them so I don't actually know if that's true.  What I can tell you is, once was enough.
When we really need chinese food in SLO, we head down to Mandarin Gourmet.  It's no Mandarin Garden, but they have a lunch special that can't be beat.  A cup of soup, cup of rice, an entree, a fried wonton, a spring roll and a slice of orange for color all for under ten dollars.  The price varies by dish, but most all of them are under ten.  Also when they bring you the fortune cookies, ask them for an almond cookie.  They come with a slice of almond and some orange sugar on top.  They are surprisingly addictive for a packaged cookie.
I've had the cashew chicken, the General Tso's chicken, beef and broccoli, sweet and sour pork (not one I'd highly recommend), and the vegetable chow mein.  Ryan especially enjoys the hot and sour soup especially the tofu pieces.  Surprisingly he really seems to enjoy tofu in general, but that's the subject of another post.
Overall, its not bad and gets high grades for value.  If you're going to go, they really can't be beat for their lunch specials.  They also give a lovely hot pot of tea as soon as you sit down and always include fortune cookies at the end.  We even sometimes get a nice surprise dessert for being regulars.

Mandarin Gourmet
1316 Madonna Road
San Luis Obispo, CA

Peaches, Mangoes, and Berries, Oh My!

Oh Summer, how I love thee. Thy bountiful harvests overload my refrigerator with delicious fruit.

Ok, enough of the old English, but the sentiment is the same. Summer has the best fruit. I was addicted to mangos for quite a while and ate two or three a day. At first I had to learn how to cut them because the pit is just about impossible to get out. You basically have to cut the meat away from the pit as closely as you can. Kind of like a peach. Here's a web page with step by step instructions. Mangoes are a great addition to fruit salad, smoothies and salsa. Next time I grill a steak, Bobby Flay has an amazing Mango Chimichurri salsa I can't wait to try.

Another great summer fruit is peaches. There aren't many things better than sinking your teeth into a sweet, juicy, perfectly ripe peach. I learned recently that freestone peaches are the ones that separate easily from the stone in the middle. They can be a little more expensive, but they do make eating easier. White peaches are known to be sweeter, but they are also more delicate than yellow peaches and are also typically pricier than the yellow peach. I saw this Grilled Peach Salad and have put it on my to-do list. However, my favorite way to eat peaches is in Peach Crisp. Throw a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top and that, to me, epitomizes summer.

Peach Crisp

6 small-medium peaches, sliced
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/3 cup butter, softened
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Heat oven to 375. Spread peaches evenly in 8x8 pan. In medium bowl combine remaining ingredients until well mixed. Sprinkle over peaches. Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve over ice cream.

The great thing about this recipe is there is almost no such thing as too many peaches. For a great fall or winter treat, or if peaches are too darned expensive, granny smith apples are a great substitute.

And last, but not least, the strawberry. Living in the strawberry capital of the world has spoiled me with fresh, local, sweet strawberries nearly year round. Right now you can buy three overflowing pints at the San Luis Obispo farmer's market for $4. It is a little ludicrous. Aaron eats them on his cereal in the morning, but I just eat them straight out of the container on the way home. I like it when you can still taste the day's sunshine on them. I don't really have a recipe for strawberries because they are basically perfect for eating all by themselves. I do enjoy them in a nice crepe with some bitter chocolate sauce, mmmm.

I would be interested in hearing some strawberry and other summer fruit recipes. We might as well eat them as much as possible in as many ways as possible before summer ends!

A Small Rant & Leafy Greens

I don't like to call my change in lifestyle a "diet".  I prefer to think that I'm making lifelong changes that will not only make me healthier, but my family as well.  I can't remember the last time I went to fast food, although I do know it was Taco Bell.  I used to jokingly ask Aaron why we ever went out because it seems more often than not I can make whatever it is we are eating better, and most likely, healthier.  It was less a statement bragging about my abilities but more of a commentary on the lack of quality and variety of dining establishments.  Not only that but it seems like these days you pay a huge price for a huge plate of food with a huge calorie count.  I would much rather eat a small plate of amazing food that is made with quality ingredients.

I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to transition that little rant into my topic, but what I wanted to talk about in this post was greens.  Green, leafy vegetables that I had never discovered before.  I talked about swiss chard in a previous post, but another one I've discovered is kale.  Ryan went through a couple weeks where I had to hide stuff in his kale in order to get him to eat other things.  I made a faux take on an Irish dish where you combine mashed potatoes and kale and I swear that boy picked out the kale and left the potatoes.  He likes it roasted, steamed or just microwaved.  I've notices a lot of the leafy greens taste similar, but kale has a nice mellow taste to it.
Beet greens are another leafy vegetable that is not very common on the American table.  I have been watching a lot of Alton Brown's Good Eats and he did an entire show on beets.  So I thought I'd give them a try.  While Ryan ate more beets than Aaron and I combined, I made a really delicious Au Gratin with the beet greens that I consider a "keeper".  I later used the same recipe with spinach and it was just as good.

Alton Brown's Beet Green Au Gratin

My "Any Green" Au Gratin (mine is slightly more WW friendly)

1 Tbsp Light butter
8 oz sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb beet greens, spinach, kale, swiss chard, or some combination of any or all.
kosher salt and pepper
1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
10 ritz crackers, crumbled

Follow the same steps as Alton's recipe.  Mine is lighter and only about 160 calories per serving (this recipe is 4 servings).  It's a great way to hide greens for picky eaters, or just a nice change of pace.  It microwaves well so feel free to double the recipe.  I think this will make a really nice addition for any holiday dinner as well.

So to review, this week try a new leafy green vegetable that you haven't tried before.  They're all in season and they are all delicious.  Let me know what creation you make with your delicious leafy greens!




 

The Perfect Pork Chop (plus Macaroni & Cheese)

  Ahh the pork chop.  I reference once again my mom who pretty much taught me everything I know up to this point about cooking.  She somehow bakes pork chops perfectly.  Dipped in egg and then covered in her perfectly seasoned breadcrumbs, they always come out juicy and delicious, or at least that's how I remember it.

  Well, I've tried baking.  I'm so worried about undercooking, that I cook my pork chops to death.  Most people would rather repair their shoes with them than eat them for dinner, but my darling husband never complains.

  But I have found a secret.  The grill.  Oh yes, that wonderful outdoor cooking machine that means no dishes can also make the perfect pork chop.  I don't think my picture fully shows the perfect sear I got on each side.  Nor does it show the succulent juiciness of the meat inside.  This pork chop, shown above, actually got a "Oh my god, that's good" from my otherwise reserved husband.  Yes, its really that good.

  The other secret to my recent grilling success is a little box of spice mix called Pappy's.  It works on all meat.  If you can grill it, it works.  My next experiment with this magic dust is my grilled squash tonight.

  My delicious pork chop is accompanied by a new experience for us, swiss chard.  A lot like spinach, its a leafy green with a slightly bitter flavor.  I used Bobby Flay's Wilted Swiss Chard with Raisins recipe and added some toasted almonds on top for a little crunch.  The sweetness of the raisins really balanced the swiss chard and it has become one of my favorite greens.

  Our other side is my lower calorie version of my mom's Macaroni & Cheese.  It's not "low" calorie, just lower than normal.  When I joined Weight Watchers there was a few things I knew I'd never be able to give up.  I had to find a plan that let me eat certain things and still lose weight.  My mom's Mac & Cheese is one of those things.

Mom's Macaroni & Cheese (with a lower calorie makeover)

2 c uncooked whole wheat pasta

1/4 c. butter

1 small onion (about 1/4 cup)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup flour

1 c. non-fat or skim milk

1 c. fat free half and half

8 oz. sharp cheddar 2% milk

1 c whole wheat bread crumbs

Cook pasta and set aside.

Melt butter in a saucepan and add onions, salt, and pepper and cook until onions are tender.  Add flour and whisk.  Cook on medium-low until bubbly.  

Remove from heat and add milk and half & half.  Return to medium heat and stir continuously until boiling.  Continue stirring and boil for 1 min.  Should be thick and creamy.  Remove from heat and add cheese one handful at a time.

Add macaroni and sauce to a casserole dish and cover with breadcrumbs.  Make sure you get all the way to the edges!  Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 min.  Let it cool for 5-10 min to set.

I tried using "light butter" but there was so much water in it that the proportions ended up wrong and my sauce was not quite the right consistency.  We always dice the onions really small because we didn't like getting big chunks.  Also, don't add too many onions or you won't get a nice smooth sauce.  The fat free half & half helps to make a creamier casserole even though you're using that skim milk.

Like I said, not "low" calorie, but "lower" calorie.  We used to eat this as a main dish, but now I like it as a side with a leaner piece of meat.

So to sum up, don't be afraid of that grill!  Yeah, you might have to eat a few charred pieces of meat (that's what sales are for!) or sometimes throw them back on when they aren't quite cooked, but once you get the hang of the grill, Yum!

SloCo Pasty Company

Do you know what a pasty is?  I'm not talking about the stick-on kind you find in places where the girls jiggle.  I'm talking about little pastries that you can find in Cornwall, or here on the Central Coast.

past·y/ˈpastē/

Noun:

A folded pastry case filled with seasoned meat and vegetables.

This does not begin to describe the little pouches of deliciousness that you get at the Pasty Company. Located in downtown San Luis Obispo, the Pasty Company overlooks the historic San Luis Obispo Mission and if you're not looking for it, you might miss it.

Aaron and I go to the San Luis Obispo Farmer's Market just about every Thursday.  Not only does it have  dozens of booths of fresh, local produce, many of the local restaurants come out and set up stalls with their culinary offerings.  I happened to see the Pasty Company and decided to try it out.

I've had a few of their pasties now including the traditional pasty called the Oggy.  With steak, potatoes, rutabaga, onions and a hint of rosemary, it is what you would typically get in a Cornish Pasty in Cornwall.  According to Wikipedia

The traditional Cornish pasty, which has Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status in Europe,^[2] is filled with beef, sliced or diced potato, swede (also known as a yellow turnip or rutabaga) and onion, seasoned with salt and pepper, and is baked. Today, the pasty is the food most associated with Cornwall regarded as its national dish, and accounts for 6% of the Cornish food economy. Pasties with many different fillings are made; some shops specialise in selling all sorts of pasties.

 The great thing about the SloCo Pasty Company is that they offer pasties with a california twist.  They offer a Tri-tip pasty which is something you would only find here on the Central Coast.  (Tri-tip, by the way, is a whole article unto itself)  The Aporkrodite with porkloin, feta cheese, gorgonzola cheese, cream cheese, bacon and chives is a creamy delicious concoction that really is love at first bite.  Their vegetarian options are also delicious and a nice lower calorie options.  What really makes these pasties delicious, to me, are the sauces they are served with.  Most of them come with either the red wine sauce that is sumptuous and rich or the gorgonzola cream sauce that is creamy and tangy.  Both sauces compliment their respective pasties perfectly.

Even little Ryan likes the pasties.  Their dessert menu features a Peanut Butter, Jelly, and Banana pasty that is just perfect for little fingers, after it cools of course.  The dessert one usually feeds him for two meals and heats up nicely in the toaster oven.  I've stolen a couple bites and the PBJ&B dessert pasty quite delicious.

As if the pasty isn't enough, they serve a fresh broccoli slaw on the side with dried cranberries, sliced almonds, and a light, peanut dressing.  Order a nice Magner's irish cider on the side and it is truly a perfect meal.

SloCo Pasty Company
1032 Chorro Street
San Luis Obispo, CA