The first is a recipe I made in hopes of creating cold weather...think dancing to have rain. Unfortunately this did not work and its been like 80 degrees, no bueno. Our food on the other hand was bueno, a twist on the traditional grilled cheese and tomato soup.
Avocado Grilled Cheese and Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup
Avocado Grilled Cheese
*Not going to insult you by typing out an actual recipe here. Butter the bottom piece and put it butter side down on the skillet. Place slices of mozarella, on top place a layer of pepperoni followed by a layer of avocado and the top piece of buttered bread. Cook just like a typical grilled cheese.
Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup
*Such a great soup and it made SO much! We had to freeze some of the extra.
Ingredients
2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced carrots
1 cup finely diced onions
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 T fresh oregano
1 T dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil
4 cups chicken broth
½ bay leaf
½ cup flour
1 cup Parmesan cheese
½ cup butter
2 cups half and half, warmed
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1. Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, oregano, basil, and bay leaf to a large slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft.
3. About 30 minutes before serving prepare a roux. Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour. Stir constantly with a whisk for 5-7 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup. Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth. Add all back into the slow cooker. Stir and add the Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper. Add additional basil and oregano if needed (the slow cooker does a number on spices and they get bland over time, so don't be afraid to always season to taste at the end).
4. Cover and cook on LOW for another 30 minutes or so until ready to serve.
Today after church I remembered that I had some brie left over from a recipe last week and then found a granny smith apple, so I found this recipe
Oven-Toasted Brie, Ham and Apple Sandwich
*serves 4 (I just made it for me, so I obviously used only 1/4 of the ingredients)
Ingredients
1 large baguette (about 1 lb.), cut into 4 pieces (I just made one sandwich and didn't have a baguette, so I used regular bread)
7 oz. brie, most of the rind trimmed off and thinly sliced (trim and slice the brie while it's cold)
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1-1/2 medium Granny Smith apples, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges (about 1-1/2 cups)
3/4 lb. ham steak, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 Tbs. whole-grain Dijon mustard
1 Tbs. honey
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
Directions
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F. Split the baguette pieces lengthwise, open them up like a book, and top one side with the brie. Set on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil, and bake until the cheese melts and the bread lightly browns, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large (12-inch) heavy-duty skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples and cook, tossing every minute or so, until they start to soften and brown in places, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ham and cook, gently tossing, until it warms. Remove from the heat and gently toss with the mustard, honey, and thyme until the ham and apples are evenly coated. Using tongs, distribute the ham mixture into the warm pieces of baguette, secure with 2 toothpicks, cut in half, and serve. Yum!
We did go to a bday party of a friend of Cody's last night. We played BINGO and then rode go-carts. Did I mention it was his 29th birthday? Who said getting older was no fun..it was so fun!
PS I did not win. Every time that I play BINGO, I am absolutely convinced that I am going to win and then someone yells BINGO and dashes my hopes and dreams. Well that might be a little dramatic...
Have a blessed week!
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