Most of the time, when cooking up something Italian that doesn’t already include a serving of pasta, this is my “go to” recipe. It is so simple and so tasty. This simple dish can be served as the Primo Piatto (pasta course) in a multi-course Italian Themed Supper. Better still, add some sautéed shrimp or pan-seared Scallops for a rockin’ seafood pasta. It is that versatile. At its most basic form, this pasta is great along side some Italian classics such as Chicken Marsala.
Author: Rosemarie's Kitchen
I'm a wife, mother, grandmother and avid home cook.I believe in eating healthy whenever possible, while still managing to indulge in life's pleasures.
Beautiful Grilled Vegetable Skewers
One of the things that I love about social media (Facebook in particular) is that when my friends or family come across a recipe that they think might interest me, they take the time to “tag” me in their find and poof – it’s on my Facebook news feed for me to explore later. I really appreciate it when they take the time to think of me and to share with me. I don’t always have the time to go seeking out new, yummy recipes. My sisters are especially great at finding things that tickle my taste buds. (Love you guys!)
Chicken Provencal
A little research revealed the follow about this lovely dish: Chicken Provencal hails from South France – in the Provence region. The basic characteristics of Provencal cuisine are herbs, olives and slow cooking. Naturally, there is much more involved; but those are the basics in a nutshell. One look at the breathtaking charm of the countryside and it’s easy to see why. The use of Thyme, Rosemary, Marjoram and Sage are prevalent in Provencal cooking, as are olives and olive oils. Slow cooking is a must. After all, who would want to be in a hurry here? The countryside invites one to slow down, to savor and live in the beauty of the moment; don’t you think?
Over the Top Gourmet Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich
A while back, before returning to my roots in California, I worked as a property manager for commercial property rental company. One of the properties I managed was a typical food court. Kiddo and I loved the Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwich Shoppe – all they served were grilled cheese sandwiches! While it was a novel idea, it didn’t quite catch on in a city that was overflowing with eateries offering everything from simple sandwiches to Five-Star sensations. The stakes were high, and many dreams of success were dashed. Those that managed to make it succeeded in a big way. Kiddo and I were sad to see the Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwich Shoppe close.
A few years later, I stumbled upon a great grilled cheese recipe over at Poor Girl Eats Well that was similar to those served at the Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwich Shoppe. At the time, Kiddo was really into experimenting and creating his own take on the comfort food we fondly call “grilled cheese”. So he took what he remembered from the past, combined it with the recipe from Poor Girl Eats Well and came up with a grilled cheese sandwich that was to die for delicious. Kiddo loves cheese – Smoked Gouda and Imported Sheep Cheese from Spain are among his favorites. He is our child in so many ways – a pizza loving guy that wanders willingly to the more adventurous side of dining.
The beauty of his creation is that you could serve the sandwich alongside some fries, with a warm cup of Tomato Bisque Soup, or on their own – they are that darn good!
Thin slices of Black Forest Ham add yet another layer to the sandwich. When offered, Hubby and Kiddo go for the ham. Me? I’m an Heirloom Tomato kind of gal. Kiddo added blue cheese to his, while I went for a few slices of White Cheddar Chipotle cheese for mine. You could follow our cheesy lead or you could just use the cooking techniques, like Hubby. His is the sandwich with American Cheese and Ham, simple and basic. When it comes to grilled cheese, it’s to each their own. Pile it on or keep it simple.
The most difficult part about this sandwich will be deciding what cheeses to use. Once you’ve done that, gather them together and be ready to pile it on. While you need not work at lightening speed, you’ll want to layer your ingredients quickly – the sooner the cheese is piled on the more time you’ll have for the cheese to melt while the bread reaches golden perfection.
The recipe that follows is my “go to” basic when I want a grilled cheese sandwich that is beyond ordinary. While the recipe calls for buttered bread, sometimes I’ll brush the bread with a little Truffle Oil for an extra treat. And a splash or two of white wine to the mushrooms is another nice touch. The sky’s the limit – so go for it!
Gourmet Grilled Ham and Cheese Sourdough Sandwich
½ Cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
½ Cup Smoked Gouda Cheese, shredded
1 Cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
2-3 Portobello mushrooms
1 Onion, thinly sliced
8 slices of fresh, ripe tomato (16 or so slices if you’re using tomatoes such as Roma)
8 Thin Slices Black Forest Ham (Optional)
4 ½ tablespoons Butter, divided
8 Slices Sourdough Bread
Salt & pepper to taste
In a bowl, mix together the shredded cheese, set aside until ready to use.
Butter one side of each slice of bread with about ½ tablespoon of butter and set aside.
Rinse the mushrooms well and slice into thin slices. Set aside until ready to use.
In a skillet, melt the remaining ½ tablespoon of butter and add the sliced onions. Sauté over medium heat until they begin to soften and caramelize, turning a light golden color. Add the sliced mushrooms. Season with salt & pepper and sauté for about 2-3 minutes or until mushrooms release their juices. Continue to saute about a minute or so longer, until most of the liquid is gone. Remove from heat and set aside.
Heat a griddle to about medium heat. You’ll want the bread to grill slowly, giving you plenty of time to pile on all the goodies.
Place the slices of sourdough onto the warm griddle butter side down. (If your griddle isn’t large enough to accommodate all 8 slices of bread, this can be done in batches of 4 slices per batch to create 2 sandwiches at a time).
Grill bread slices for about 1 minute, then add the cheese mixture to each slice. If you are including ham, now would be the time to layer ham over the cheese. Cover and allow the steam to melt the cheese for around 1-2 minutes. (A shallow rimmed baking pan about the same size as your griddle works well. Just place up-side-down over the griddle to create a “lid”).
Uncover and add the mushroom and onions to each slice of bread. Add the tomato slices, sprinkle with feta, then put the halves together to create 2 or 4 sandwiches, depending on griddle size. You’ll end up with a sandwich mirrored in layers of cheese, ham, mushrooms, onions and tomatoes with a center of feta cheese.
Continue grilling, turning as necessary with a pair of wide spatulas until both sides of the sandwich are a nice golden brown and everything between them is warm and melted.
Plate the sandwiches, slice in half and serve with plenty of napkins.
Serving up Leftover – No Fuss, No Muss and No Dishes
Not long ago, I shared an easy crock-pot recipe for barbecued pulled pork – Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ-Coca-Cola Pulled Pork. It was yummy good, and there were plenty of leftovers for a second meal. The perfect thing to make with leftover shredded pork is Pulled Pork Sandwiches.
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Petits Fours – Tiny Ovens and a Labor of Love
Petits Fours are one of my favorite cakes – so tiny and yet bursting with luscious sweetness. They dress up any dessert table. They make the perfect bite-size gifts in pretty little boxes all tied up with ribbons and bows. And such an adorable name – Petits Fours. The literal French translation is “tiny ovens”. Hum . . . as it turns out, Petits Fours were traditionally made in a smaller oven next to the main oven, thus the name for these tiny cakes.
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Honey, We’re not in Kansas Anymore – Beefy Chimichangas
Whenever Hubby and I find ourselves in a situation or circumstance that is out of the ordinary, over the top or unusually different, we look at each other with a smile and say “Honey, we’re not in Kansas anymore.” This is in reference to the Wizard of Oz, when Dorothy steps out of her house and into the land of Oz, as the movie changes from black and white to full color.
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Perfect Filet Mignon for Two
I had not planned to share yet another recipe with you today. I’ve shared three great recipes today, a couple of sides and an awesome BLT. But I learned that today is National Filet Mignon Day.
Good Ol’ Fashioned BLT is Comfort Food between Two Slices of Bread
BLTs are about as American as a Hot Dog or a warm slice of Apple Pie. And a good BLT – made with smokey bacon, leafy lettuce and home-grown tomatoes – it doesn’t get much better. Did you know that BLTs are over 100 years old? Although the makings for a BLT have been around since the stone ages (or at least since the Roman era) it wasn’t until sometime around the turn of the century that someone decided to scrap the turkey in a club sandwich and there you go – a Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich was born. Eventually they became known simply as a BLT.
Do you remember when tomatoes smelled like tomatoes? Tomatoes smelled bright. Tomatoes smelled of summer. For as long as I can remember, I loved walking through the family garden, eating tomatoes, with the wonderful juices running down my chin. Up until a few years ago, with the California drought at its worse, we grew our own tomatoes to get that real tomato flavor. Now that we’ve settled in to our new old home, we’ve planted a garden again. We are not wasteful with the water, taking care when irrigating our crops. Home grown tomatoes means I get to enjoy a southern favorite for lunch – Tomato Sandwiches. Oh yeah, we love growing a garden, just like the good old days . . .
Speaking of good old days – have you noticed that what is labeled “thick sliced” bacon these days is what we use to call “bacon” – as in everyday sliced bacon. The stuff they are passing off as bacon is so thin I swear you can hold it up and look right through it. That said, for good old-fashion BLTs, thick sliced bacon is a must. BLTs are supposed to be packed with smokey, yummy bacon – something to sink your teeth into that gets your taste buds dancing and your lips smacking. For BLTs I prefer smoked bacon – hickory or apple wood are my two all-time favorites.
Hubby thinks Iceberg Lettuce is just fine for lettuce. I suppose it is – but I’m not a fan. When it comes to lettuce for sandwiches, give me green leaf lettuce any day. I love the color, the ruffled curls of the leaves – the flavor. I don’t mind Iceberg Lettuce – the exterior leaves are fine, but the more you peel back the layers, the less color there is. Get to the heart of Iceberg lettuce and it’s white. Maybe it’s me, but “white” isn’t a good color for lettuce. Green Leaf lettuce is my go-to choice for just about anything that calls for lettuce. Good in a salad (mixed with other “greens”) – great on sandwiches and perfect shredded for tacos. For the longest time, we bought “his” and “hers” heads of lettuce. Iceberg for him, green leaf for me. The problem was, not only were we spending money on two different heads of lettuce just to make a sandwich, but neither of us used up the lettuce before it began to spoil. (And in my opinion, iceberg seems to “spoil” faster). Eventually, I won out. If there’s lettuce in the house, it’s almost always of the green leaf variety.
BLTs are only as good as the ingredients used to create them. Like life, you get out of it what you are willing to put into it. Just food for thought as we savor the flavor of an American classic . . .
Old Fashion BLT Sandwiches
1 Cup Mayonnaise
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
3-4 Garlic Cloves, minced
Pepper to Taste
2 lbs. Thick-Sliced Smoked Bacon
Slices of Beefsteak Tomato
Green Leaf Lettuce Leaves
Good Quality Slices Bread, toasted if desired
Whip mayonnaise, olive oil and garlic together in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Add pepper to taste. Transfer to a jar and refrigerate until ready to use.
Slice tomatoes, set aside. Break lettuce leaves for sandwiches, rinse in cold water and set aside.
Cut bacon strips in half. Weave 6 pieces of bacon together to create a square (3 slices in one direction, 3 in opposite direction). Repeat to create one bacon weave square for each sandwich.
Cook bacon squares until crisp, about 10-15 minutes, turning and rotating often for even crispness. (If you own a bacon press, this is the perfect time to use it). Place cooked bacon on paper towel lined platter to drain.
Spread mayonnaise mixture onto half of the lightly toasted bread. Top bread with lettuce, tomato and a bacon square. Spread mayonnaise mixture on remaining bread, top sandwich and serve.
BLTs are great with chips, crisp pickle spears or deli-style salads such as macaroni or potato.
And if you are like Kiddo, you’ll be enjoying your BLT with more B . . .
Creamy-Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes
Have you ever had that moment when you realize you’re missing something? That Wow – I coulda had a V-8 moment? I’ve written a great deal about main Entrées and shared a few delicious dessert recipes here in my kitchen But what about the much over-looked side dish casseroles I’ve prepared over the years? Aren’t those worthy of a moment in the spot-light? Casserole side dishes are great for large gatherings or pot luck functions. Anything in a casserole will serve a number of people and travel really well.
Colorful Mexican Pepper Skillet Corn
I love the colorful Mexican-Style corn you find in the canned vegetable section of the grocery store. It’s so pretty. Perfect for serving alongside spicy recipes such as Mexican Pork Chops with Ancho Chile Cornbread Stuffing or New Mexican Grilled Flank Steak. That said, I haven’t actually served the store-bought variety in years.
Arrachera a la Parrilla (Grilled Flank Steak)
Before the dog days of summer have completely slipped away, let’s throw a little something on the grill, shall we? Okay, excuse me while I meander elsewhere – we’ll get to grilling in a minute. What the heck are dog days of summer anyway? To me, it’s a way of conveying the slow, unhurried days of summer. Like a lazy hound dog resting on the porch. Continue reading “Arrachera a la Parrilla (Grilled Flank Steak)”
Baked French Toast with Streusel Topping and Being Brave
Oh how I wish I were brave. For several years now, Kiddo, Hubby and I have spent our vacation time meandering along the Pacific Coast Highway. I fell in love with everything about the Pacific Northwest – the tiny towns, the friendly people, the beauty that surrounds you. Rising early in the morning to the cold, crisp, clean air. Hearing the cries of seagulls circling overhead and the rushing sound of a grey whale’s spray as she breaks to the surface.
If I were truly brave, I’d pack up everything and head up north to open a little bistro serving breakfast and lunch. It would be family style, with guests feeling right at home. I’m just not that brave. More than 60% of restaurants fail within the first year. A staggering 80% will not survive to see five years in business. Why? There are a number of factors – location, start-up costs and the most dreaded of all – yelp. In this day and age of trendy eateries, all it takes in one bad review and you may as well hang a sign on your door with a giant thumbs down symbol. 
Everything has to be perfect BEFORE the doors ever open. There is no room for mistakes. And no forgiveness should something go wrong. The power of the internet and opinion of others can snap a small business like a twig. It’s very scary out there. And yet I wish I were brave. Brave and younger – much, much younger.
Some of you might remember this offering from Calling on Home Cooks for Sunday Brunch Ideas. I was looking for brunch ideas and had offered up some of my favorite brunch recipes for consideration. While the Baked French Toast was not the winner, in my heart it is one of my favorites. Anything that can be assembled the night before and simply popped into the oven the next day is great when feeding a crowd. It allows plenty of time to scramble up a few dozen eggs and fry up a few pounds of bacon. Served along side fresh season fruit, the presentation is great.
Baked French Toast with Streusel Topping
French Toast
1 loaf sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 eggs
1½ cups whole milk
½ cup half and half
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
Spray a 13″x9″ casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray or liberally coat with butter. Set aside.
Cut bread into 1″ cubes. Place cubes in the casserole dish and distribute evenly.
In a large bowl, wish together eggs, milk, half and half, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes. Cubes may begin to float. Gently press bread cubes into the dish to make sure they absorb all the custard mixture.
Cover dish tightly with plastic wrap to seal and refrigerate overnight. Next make the strudel topping.
Streusel Topping
½ cup All-purpose Flour
¼ cup Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
½ stick butter, diced
In a small bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar and cinnamon until well-blended. Cut butter into spiced flour mixture. Break up into small crumbs.
Cover streusel topping tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
To Assemble and Bake
Heat oven to 350 degrees. While the oven warms, remove casserole dish and Streusel topping from the refrigerator. Uncover casserole dish and sprinkle Streusel topping liberally over the top of the French Toast.
Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, checking at 30. Remove French Toast from the oven and allow to rest on the counter to cool slightly, about 5 minutes, before serving.
Serve with warm Maple syrup and cups of fresh fruits.
Taco Baked “Fried” Chicken
Growing up, Fried Chicken – as in real fried chicken – was a stable in our house, especially on Sundays during the summer. Dad cut up the chicken, dredged it in flour and usually fried it in two big, black cast iron skillets filled with melted shortening. I can see him now in my mind’s eye, a kitchen towel draped over one shoulder.
Burnt Offerings – When Things Don’t Go as Planned
So often, we post only our successes – beautiful pictures of perfectly cooked foods. But let’s face it, we’ve all experienced our bombs – mistakes in the kitchen that render food hardly worthy of eating much less blogging about. I think it would be good to see those flops every now and then, as a reminder that everyone makes mistakes. It’s a humbling admission. Yeah, you should have seen my 7-layer Leaning Tower of Cake with a cherry on top!
Continue reading “Burnt Offerings – When Things Don’t Go as Planned”
Welcome to Rosemarie's Kitchen 