the good ol' soup & sandwich

So for those of you who enjoy the winter months not because of the colder weather but because of the warm food that comes with it- this post is for you! One of my favorite meals to make in the winter is soup and grilled cheese, which typically consists of something campbell's with the regular bread and cheese. However, last night I felt inspired and wanted to try something new. I got online and found a reciepe for sweet potato and rosemary soup and ham and apple panini's.

Not bad right? ;)

So here's how it went:

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 large or 6 small shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds (about 2 to 3) sweet potatoes, peeled, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 (6-inch long) stems fresh rosemary
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

Directions

In an 8-quart stockpot, melt the butter and oil together over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, rosemary and chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the sweet potatoes are very tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove the rosemary stems. Using an immersion blender (or regular blender), blend the mixture until smooth and thick. Whisk in the mascarpone cheese until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep the soup warm over low heat until ready to serve.

I couldn't have asked for this to turn out better. I followed the recipe exactly except I forgot to pink up some mascarpone cheese so I used about 2Tbs cream cheese and 2Tbs sour cream. I actually even added a little sour cream after I began eating. If you like sweet potatos, you'll like this soup.

Now on to the sandwich!

I'd never tried apple with a savory dish, but this recipe sounded promising:

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 8 (1/2-inch) thick slices country-style white bread
• 1/2 cup whole-grain mustard
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Gruyere
• 8 slices (8-ounces) Black Forest ham

• Special equipment: a panini press

Directions

In a 12-inch skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the apple slices and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are slightly soft, about 4 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes.

Preheat a panini press. Spread each bread slice with 1 tablespoon mustard. Arrange 1/4 cup of cheese on each of 4 bread slices and top with 2 slices of ham. Divide the apple mixture evenly on top of the ham. Add the remaining cheese and cover with the remaining 4 bread slices. Grill in the panini press until the cheese has melted and the tops are golden and crispy, about 5 to 6 minutes.

I did a few things different as I was going through the steps. The only thing I did with the apples that the recipe called for was peeling and slicing, I didn't saute them. I wanted the crisp crunch of the tart apple, and I'm glad I left it that way. And actually, I don't even have a panini press, so I just wrapped a brick in foil and left it on the sandwich as it cooked.

I was floored by the way the sandwich turned out also! The apple was a great compliment to the cheese which, as a side note for those who are a little broke (like me): gruyere is a fancy name for expensive. Swiss cheese will do just fine :)

Not bad huh?

For a great cold winter's dinner, give your old soup and grilled cheese a makeover ;) Enjoy!

Chels

sweet treats for the 14th

It's our favorite time of year again! (Well, for those of us who like Valentine's Day that is.)

I've always liked Valentine's Day. Not because of the presents and flowers that so many recieve, but because it's such a good way to show people you love them....with food! Whether it's fudge or candies, cakes or cupcakes, there's always something perfect for your special someone :)

By now I hope everyone can tell I like food. Anything food/baking/cooking/dessert related, I love it. And see, I'm convinced I'm the world's luckiest girl who's been blessed with the sweetest boyfriend anyone could ask for. Really, he's a great guy. The only complaint I've ever had about him in the 10 years I've known him is he doesn't like sweets.

-pause for reaction-

...I know, weird right? He just doesn't eat them. He's never had chocolate. Doesn't know what m&m's taste like...I once begged him to eat a piece of carmel popcorn and he just about choked to death.

What's especially upsetting to me though, is that I bake to show my love. For all of the birthdays of my friends and family theres always a cake or a plate of cookies or brownies. But not for my boyfriend.

Nonetheless, I still bake for Valentine's Day (as well as every other holiday). This year I made a giant donut! (I got the cake pan for Christmas and I'd been dying to try it out. I just used a boxed cake mix and canned frosting that I melted over the finished cake. Topped it with some heart sprinkles and called it a day!) For those of you who are at a loss of what to make your honey (or whoever will eat it) here's somethings I've done over the past few years: (I wish I had pictures!)

• Grab some Valentines's Day cookie cutters and buy a storebought sugar cookie dough. Punch out some cookies and decorate with a colored powdered sugar frosting. Can't go wrong!
• Bake a standard boxed cake mix, either in two 9-inch pans, or a large sheet pan and cut out heart shaped cakes. Frost and decorate. Makes for personalized treats!
• For my fellow cupcake lovers, bake up your favorite kind of cake, using Valentine's Day liners or course. Pick your frosting- just because it's canned doesn't mean it's bad!- and melt in the mircowave for 30 seconds. Dip the cooled cakes in the melted frosting for some fast icing. Melt milk chocolate chips and pour into a large ziptop bag. Line a flat surface with waxed paper and pipe chocolate hearts to top the cupcakes with. Let set, and top your cupcakes with love!

I found a great site for more ideas- everything baking related!

Bakerella has great baking ideas, but especially special things for Valentine's Day.

Hope everyone has a great Valentine's Day! Best of luck on your baking adventures!

Chelsea :)

remix that dish

These days every body's trying to eat a little healthier. But what a lot of people do, is maybe order the salad instead of the steak. Or if they're cooking like me, they'll opt for the chicken breasts or salmon over the pork roast. What many people might not realize (which the food network has tried to do a few times with several different shows) is that you can turn old, fatten, but oh so comforting favorites into new, updated, healthy dishes!

For example...

My Grandma came to stay with us this past week, whom we haven't seen in forever. Like most typical Southern Grandmothers, she loves to cook (where I get it from) and loves the traditional fixins' of Southern cookin'. However, due to the majority of my family being slightly overweight, and the continuous watching of my Dad's cholesterol, we had to stop her when she started to make her delicious, however fat laden Breakfast Casserole.

Typically, Grandma takes:
6 pieces of buttered white bread,
pours over eggs and milk
sprinkles sauted onion, peppers,  and sausage
and tops with lots of cheddar cheese

From there the whole thing goes into a 350 over til golden brown. Oh and let me tell you, if you're into breakfast dishes, it's just as good as it sounds.

After much consideration and the constant begging and pleading from my brothers that the Casserole still be made, my Grandma and I came up with an alternative of the same dish:

6 slices of whole grain bread,
spread it with just enough I-can't-believe-it's-not-butter Spread,
poured over egg substitute and soy milk 
kept the onions and peppers because we could,
sprinkled some soy sausage patties
and soy cheese over it all

And from there it was business as usual.

We were a little hesitant to taste it because of all the substitutes, but man, were we pleasantly surprised. The Breakfast Casserole Remix was a success!

Now, for those of you who are hesitant to use soy products or substitutes of anything, here's a word from the wise: think about it, enjoy the foods you love, with half the fat, calories, carbs and sodium, and all the benefits of added grain and protein, and be able to eat MORE than what you would in a typical plating for one serving of the old stuff!

I know I might not be able to convince everyone, I was a slow convert too. But not only can food remixes taste just as good, but you feel better after having ate them too :)

oh cupcakes

Well, for those of you who know me, you know I have a minor obsession with cupcakes. I actually recently urchased a cupcake necklace, cupcake earrings, and cupcake panties but that's neither here nor there. It's not even really the eating of the tasty little treats, its the: what can I do with them? I'll admit, to which Martha Stewart would flip her lid over, I'll use boxed cake mixes and canned frosting. Depending on my mood, I'm not so much into the making of the cake as I am the decorating.

 I love to decorate cupcakes.

I really regret that I haven't taken more pictures of the ones I've decorated, but I'm trying to remember to do so whenever I make them. I'm not even sure what it is about a perfectly decorate cupcake, but you have to admit, it's real hard not to like cupcakes.

Last year for my birthday, my boyfriend got me the Martha Stewart Cupcake book. Until then, I really didn't like cookbooks. I thought they were boring and just took up space on a shelf. However, this cupcake book (in my opinion), is second best to only The Bible. It has everything- and oh man, I mean everything- you could ever need to know about making cupcakes.

For those who are curious, or want some seriously good cake and frosting recipes, as well as ideas of how to use, display, present, and store cupcakes, I can't recommend this book enough.

I would check it out if I were you. Unless you have it. Then we would probably get along really well.