Mozarella Grilled Cheese by An Edible Symphony

Yummy!

Mozzarella Grilled Cheese

Ingredients
8 slices rye bread
4 quarter-inch slices of fresh mozzarella
3 plum tomatoes, cut into thick slices
1 cup fresh basil pesto, recipe follows (or use the store-bought stuff)
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil

Basil pesto:
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/2 cup Parmesan or Romano
2 garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Method: 

1. Toast pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Combine pesto ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well combined but still rough-textured.

2. If you have a panini press, turn it on to warm up; otherwise, set a skillet over medium heat.

3. Assemble sandwich by smearing insides of bread slices with pesto. Arrange a layer of sliced tomato and season with a few turns of fresh pepper. Layer the mozzarella slices over the top and then place another piece of bread on top to make the sandwich.

4. Drizzle olive oil over skillet's surface and place sandwiches on the hot skillet or panini press. If using a skillet, place another heavy skillet over the top to form a "press". Turn after 2 to 3 minutes and replace weight. The sandwich is ready when golden brown and mozzarella has melted around the edges.

Grilled Vegetable and Goat Cheese Sandwich by Ezra Pound Cake

This sandwich looks amazing!! Will have to try it one weekend for lunch!

Makes 6 to 8 sandwiches, depending on the size of the ciabatta

• 1 LARGE GLOBE EGGPLANT, ENDS TRIMMED, CUT INTO 1/3″-THICK ROUNDS
• SALT
• 4 BELL PEPPERS OF ASSORTED COLORS
• 1/2 CUP OLIVE OIL
• 2 MEDIUM RED ONIONS
• 1 LARGE ZUCCHINI, CUT ON THE DIAGONAL INTO 1/3″-THICK SLICES
• 1 LARGE YELLOW SQUASH, CUT ON THE DIAGONAL INTO 1/3″-THICK SLICES
• KOSHER SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
• 6 OUNCES SOFT, MILD GOAT CHEESE, AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
• 1 1/2 TEASPOONS MINCED GARLIC
• 2 TABLESPOONS EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
• 3 TABLESPOONS MINCED FRESH BASIL
• 1 LOAF CIABATTA, CUT INTO 1/2″-THICK SLICES
• BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE (RECIPE FOLLOWS)

1. Preheat a grill to medium-high.
2. Place the eggplant slices on a wire rack, and sprinkle them lightly with salt on both sides. Set aside until the eggplant begins to “sweat,” about 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, brush all sides of the peppers with some of the olive oil. Grill the peppers, turning them occasionally, until they are blistered and lightly charred on all sides. Place them in a bowl, cover it tightly with a lid (or plastic wrap), and set it aside to steam while you grill the remaining vegetables.
4. Cut the onions into 1/2″-thick rounds, and then insert toothpicks horizontally through the slices to hold them together on the grill. Pat the eggplant slices dry with paper towels. Brush both sides eggplant, zucchini, squash and red onion slices with the remaining olive oil and place them on a large baking sheet or platter. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Grill the vegetables, in batches if necessary, until they are lightly charred on the edges and nicely marked on both sides, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the grilled vegetables to a platter and set aside.
5. Slide the skins off the peppers, and discard the cores and seeds. The peppers should separate into wide strips. Add them to the platter with the other vegetables.
6. In a small bowl, combine the goat cheese, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil and basil. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Lightly toast the ciabatta slices, either on the grill or in the toaster.
8. Assemble a sandwich by drizzling some of the vinaigrette over one side of a slice of ciabatta and generously spreading some of the goat cheese mixture over one side of a second slice. Arrange an assortment of grilled vegetables over the vinaigrette-coated slice. Top the vegetables with the second slice of bread, goat cheese side down, and press gently to form the first sandwich. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.

Stuffed Mushrooms by Suburbs Mama

Tyler LOVES mushrooms so these would be great to make for him!

Stuffed Mushrooms

24 large mushrooms

2 shallots

4 cloves garlic cloves

1/4 cup white wine

8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

salt and pepper

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1/4 cup flat leaf parsley chopped

-Wash mushrooms and remove stems (save stems), pat dry

-Mince the stems, garlic and shallots

-Saute the mushroom and shallot mixture in a large saute pan over medium high heat with 1 Tablespoon olive oil.

-Cook until the shallots are transparent and the mushroom begin to caramelize, about 5 to 7 minutes.

-Add the white wine and let the wine cook out.

-Set aside and let cool slightly.

-In a bowl, add the cream cheese, parsley (save a bit for garnish), and thyme.

-Add the mushroom mixture to the cream cheese and mix until combined.

- Season with salt and pepper.

-Put the mushroom caps on a baking sheet lined with tin foil.

-Fill the mushroom with the filling and sprinkle the top with the breadcrumbs

-Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes.

-When the mushrooms are done, they will start to leak water and be hot all the way through.

-Garnish with the remaining parsley.

Fall Apple Dip by Simply Designing

This looks really good! I love Fall ideas for snacks!

Apple Dip

You will need:

• 1 pkg (8 oz) Cream Cheese softened
• 1 T peanut butter
• 1/2 t pumpkin pie spice
• 1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow fluff or creme
• Apple wedges (I used an assortment of apples)

How To:

 In a bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter and pie spice until blended.

Fold in marshmallow fluff
Serve with apple wedges

Makes approximately 2 cups

My favorite kind of dinner

Tyler and I love to have "snacks" for dinner on nights that we aren't feeling super hungry. My family always used to do these snacks for us growing up, so I couldn't resist!

My new favorite snack...

This really isn't something I cook... but... Tyler and I have started trying to cut out some of the junk food this month.. so as a snack, instead of junk... I eat nuts and cottage cheese.. sounds gross, but its so good and has a lot of protein to keep you full until dinner!!

Let's hope we can keep up the good eating habits!! :)