Egg Sandwiches with Goat Cheese, Scallions, and Prosciutto

Have you ever looked at a picture of something and been able to imagine the way it would taste before you actually made it? That's how it was for me and these Egg Sandwiches with Goat Cheese, Scallions, and Prosciutto. As soon as Bridget posted the recipe I couldn't stop thinking about them. I even made a bastardized version with cheddar cheese, salami and 10-grain bread in an attempt to satisfy the craving until I could get my hands on the real deal.

They were worth the wait. SP had zero interest in these, which meant more for me. I think my rolls were too big - I need to find something a bit smaller so the ingredients seem more substantial. The first time I made this I used two eggs, which was too much for the sandwich, but one egg wasn't enough in the filling to bread ratio.

The funkiness of the prosciutto and goat cheese, the slight onion flavor of the scallion and the creamy egg work so well together. Thanks for an awesome recipe, Bridget!

Egg Sandwiches with Goat Cheese, Scallions, and Prosciutto
As seen on The Way the Cookie Crumbles

4 ounces goat cheese, softened
4 scallions, white and green parts, minced
4 eggs
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 medium rustic rolls, halved crosswise, lightly toasted
4 ounces sliced prosciutto

In a medium bowl, combined the goat cheese and scallions; set aside. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs, salt, and milk until a few large bubbles form.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the egg mixture and lower the heat to medium-low. After about a minute, gently stir the eggs. After about another minute, they should be starting to set; use a large spatula to flip sections of egg so the other side can set as well. Turn off the heat but don’t move the pan. Residual heat from the pan will finish cooking the eggs without drying the out while you build the sandwiches.

Spread the cut sides of both halves of each roll with the goat cheese mixture. Top the bottom half with a layer of eggs, then sliced prosciutto. Top with the other half of the roll. Serve immediately.

Recipe Swap: Orange and Cinnamon Stuffed Pancakes

For this installment of Blogger's Choice I was given Catherine's blog, A Seasoned Greeting, a blog I haven't had a chance to really look through properly. Because of when this post was due I had some trouble narrowing down what I wanted to make - did I want to do a pasta dish, seafood or something else since I had time to make whatever I wanted?

In the end I went for breakfast, something a little special since the whole family would be home to enjoy it. These Orange and Cinnamon Stuffed Pancakes sounded delicious and I had all the ingredients on hand.

Like Catherine, I used pancake mix for the pancakes but the cream cheese mixture really elevates them to another level. The subtle orange flavor from the Cointreau and the spice from the cinnamon is perfect. I loved how easy this was to put together and while it was a special breakfast for us on Christmas Eve, this will be something I make on those weekday mornings when I don't want eggs.

Orange and Cinnamon Stuffed Pancakes
As seen on A Seasoned Greeting
Makes enough for one serving

1 tablespoon cream cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon Cointreau (or other orange flavored liquor)

In a small bowl combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Stir until smooth. Add in cinnamon and Cointreau, mix until well combined and smooth.

Spread cream cheese mixture on warm pancakes or French toast.

Chicken Tostadas with Avocado Salsa

I'm on a Mexican kick right now. For some reason I can't get enough of the flavors and spices. I've been wanting to try a tostada for awhile now, so when Nichole's recipe for Chicken Tostadas with Avocado Salsa popped up in my Google Reader I immediately bookmarked it and put it on the weekly menu.

These were so simple to make and the flavors and textures were incredible. I'm kicking myself for not trying these sooner. I don't know why I thought they'd be so complicated - it's just a crispy tortilla covered in the things I usually stuff inside.

I prepped everything during the day so all I had to do was assemble and bake to melt the cheese and crisp the tortilla further. I cut mine into 4 sections and ate it like a pizza - yum!

Chicken Tostadas with Avocado Salsa
As seen on The Cookaholic Wife, originally from Cooking Light, August 2012

1 cup tomato, chopped
1 avocado, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
4 fajita-size tortillas
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups shredded chicken
2 cups lettuce, shredded
1/2 cup queso fresco, cheddar or Mexican cheese blend

Combine tomato, avocado, onion and cilantro together in a small bowl. In another small bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, cumin, pepper and salt. Pour over the avocado mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 350.

Add a splash of olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the skillet for 30-45 seconds, or until puffy and lightly browned. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Divide black beans, chicken and queso fresco among tortillas. Transfer tortillas to a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes, or until chicken is warmed through.

Divide the avocado salsa and lettuce among the tortillas and serve immediately.

*This is how I prepare my chicken if I don't have leftover chicken to use: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spread a piece of aluminum foil across a baking sheet, and arrange chicken breasts in a single layer in the center. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and season as you wish. Fold the aluminum foil over the chicken breasts, and enclose them to form a "packet." Bake the chicken (on the baking sheet) 35-45 minutes, or until it is cooked through.

Oyster Sauce Tofu with Bok Choy

Funny story about this recipe.

SP does the grocery shopping. I put baby bok choy on the shopping list, specifying that I needed 4 of them. I checked the crisper drawer a few days later and discovered he'd purchased 4 bunches of baby bok choy, as in almost 2 POUNDS of baby bok choy. Ha! Thankfully it freezes well so we can enjoy it another time.

As soon as this recipe for Oyster Sauce Chicken with Bok Choy popped up in my Google Reader I knew I had to make it. I also knew I wanted to sub tofu for the chicken. It was a great sub - this was truly delicious and the tofu actually soaked up the flavors of the sauce. I think I'm going to change my cooking method from now on.

As it turns out, 4 baby bok choy and 4 shiitake mushrooms weren't nearly enough for our tastes. I used 2 bunches, or approximately 8-10 baby bok choy. The mushrooms all but disintegrated into the dish so I'm increasing the amount needed in the recipe below. The sauce was delicious - I'm glad I doubled the original recipe so there was enough of it. Yum!

I served this over rice noodles with some egg rolls on the side.

Oyster Sauce Tofu with Bok Choy
Modified from Blissfully Delicious

1 block tofu, pressed and drained
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 heaping teaspoon Sriracha
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons Shaohsing rice wine
10 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
10 baby bok choy, white parts cut into 1-inch pieces leaving green parts whole
2 large scallions, thinly sliced

Cut the tofu into bite-size pieces. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add salt and tofu. Cook 5 minutes. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

In a smaller bowl, combine the stock, cornstarch, oyster sauce, soy sauce, Sriracha and black pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Heat a wok or non-stick skillet over high heat and, when the wok starts to smoke, add the oil. Add the tofu and ginger. Let settle for 1 minute, and then stir occasionally for 3 minutes. As the tofu starts to turn brown and crispy, add the rice wine and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and bok choy stalks and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the reserved sauce and bring to a boil, then stir in the bok choy leaves and cook for another minute. Remove from the heat and stir in half the scallions. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with the remaining scallions and serve immediately.

Copycat Red Robin Banzai Burger

We bought a club pack of ground beef recently. I'm always looking for quick, make-ahead dinners for Tuesday nights when I get home late from my exercise class so I thought I'd make burgers. I love experimenting with different toppings and for some reason I wanted to try making a Copycat Red Robin Banzai Burger even though I've never had that particular burger.

Since I've never actually tried a Banzai Burger at Red Robin I can't vouch for how this compares but I can say this was delicious. The teriyaki really soaks into the meat and pineapple slices. I marinated my patties for about 4 hours and that was plenty of time. I loved the combination and will definitely make these again (although now I'm on a burger kick and want to try different varieties).

Copycat Red Robin Banzai Burger
As seen on Joy in Cooking

2 lbs ground round
1 bottle Teriyaki sauce (recommend Kikkoman's Teriyaki Takumi Collection - Original )
Sliced fresh pineapple
Sliced cheddar cheese
Shredded Romaine lettuce
1 tomato, thinly sliced
Burger buns
Mayonnaise

Form the beef into patties. In a shallow baking dish, add some of the teriyaki sauce, place the beef patties on top in a single layer, turning to coat all sides with the sauce. (Be sure to reserve some sauce for the pineapple slices). Cover container and refrigerate 4 hours.

Place pineapple slices in a separate container, add enough teriyaki sauce to coat well, cover and chill.

Preheat grill to medium. Cook hamburgers 3 to 5 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. When you flip the burgers, add the pineapple to the grill and cook until grill marks show, turning once. About 1 minute before the burgers are done, place slices of cheese on top of each patty to melt.

To assemble burgers: Spread mayonnaise on the top and bottom of each bun. Place hamburger patty on bottom bun and top with 1-2 tomato slices, and 1-2 grilled pineapple slices. Cover with about 1/3 cup shredded lettuce and place top bun on sandwich.

Panera Soup

Over the last year I've fallen in love with Panera. It all started when Tara posted the recipe for Panera's Stovetop Mac and Cheese. When I made the recipe I hadn't been to a Panera in quite some time and I'd never tried their mac and cheese. After making the recipe I vowed to visit a Panera ASAP so I could compare the make-at-home version with the real-deal. I quickly became enamored with their Napa Almond Chicken Salad sandwich, with a side of mac and cheese. This past summer we took a family road trip and ended up eating at a different Panera every day for 4 days straight.

When I was selected to try their soup as part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program I was intrigued. Admittedly I'm not much of a soup person, but on that same summer road trip my husband sampled quite a few of their soups and always raved about them. I knew he wouldn't steer me wrong.

Certain soups are available every day (French onion, broccoli cheddar, vegetarian creamy tomato and low-fat all-natural chicken noodle), while some are only available certain days (low-fat vegetarian black bean, baked potato, New England clam chowder, cream of chicken and wild rice and low-fat vegetarian garden vegetable with pesto). The day I picked to review the soup my first two choices - baked potato and New England Clam Chowder - were not available. I guess I'll have to go back another day to sample those. I opted for broccoli cheddar, which is one of my all-time favorite soup combos and one my husband had raved about many times.

I selected the You Pick Two with a cup of the broccoli cheddar soup and half a Napa Almond Chicken Salad sandwich.

I was really impressed with the soup. There were big pieces of broccoli, slivers of carrot and a great cheddar flavor that complimented rather than overwhelmed the flavors. It was delicious and I practically licked the cup clean.

I'd have a hard time giving up the mac and cheese or the chicken salad sandwich so perhaps Panera can do a Pick Three so I could also enjoy a cup of soup. Just a thought.

Disclaimer: As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program I was given a gift card to purchase the soup. All opinions expressed are my own.

Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Brie and Bacon

Pork tenderloin is so cheap at our supermarket that buying it is a no-brainer. A woman on my cooking board recently made this Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Smoked Gouda and Bacon and highly recommended it, so I figured I'd give it a try, swapping the Gouda for Brie since I had half a wheel leftover from Thanksgiving.

Unfortunately I didn't secure the tenderloin tightly enough and most of the cheese leaked out as it melted, which was a huge bummer. The few pieces with cheese were delicious and it did mix with some of the bacon, but I'd been hoping for more cheesy goodness inside the rolled-up pork. Next time (and there will be a next time) I'll need to be more careful. This was delicious even with the missing cheese. You can't go wrong with bacon.

Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Brie and Bacon
As seen on Elly Says Opa!

1 (about 1 lb.) pork tenderloin
1/4 lb. bacon, chopped
3 oz. Brie, rind removed, cut into cubes
Fresh or dried parsley, to taste
Fresh or dried sage, to taste
Salt and pepper
Olive oil (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375.

Cook the chopped bacon in a skillet and remove with a slotted spoon. Reserve bacon fat.

Butterfly pork tenderloin and pound slightly to thin it out. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, sage and parsley. Top with the Brie and the cooked bacon.

Starting at one end, roll the pork tenderloin up end to end (or tri-fold it, like you would a letter). Secure with kitchen twine or toothpicks.

Sprinkle salt and pepper on the rolled up tenderloin and roast it in the oven for 50-60 minutes until the internal temperature is 140 degrees. OR Rub the tenderloin with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Sear it in a hot pan to brown on all sides, and then put it in the oven to finish cooking, 30-40 minutes. OR Sprinkle salt and pepper on the rolled up tenderloin and sear it in the reserved bacon fat to brown on all sides, and then move the skillet to the oven to finish cooking, 30-40 minutes.

After you remove the tenderloin from the oven, put it under a foil tent to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing it.

National Blogging Day of Remembrance

Recipe Swap: Balsamic Parmesan Asparagus

I love asparagus. It's one of my all-time favorite vegetables and I can't get enough of it in early spring when it's in season. The theme for this week's recipe swap was Side Dishes and when I did the swapping and ended up with Katie's Balsamic Parmesan Asparagus I felt like I'd hit the jackpot.

The original recipe says this feeds 8-10 people as a side dish but that must not be for true asparagus lovers like us. My two bunches were a little over 2lbs and the two of us polished it off between dinner and leftovers for lunch the next day. Maybe someday Baby Girl will realize how awesome asparagus tastes and like more than just snapping the ends off and tossing the spears with oil and seasoning.

My spears were so thin I skipped the blanching step altogether, opting to let them roast in the oven. The balsamic drizzle was a delicious finishing touch. Definitely take the recipe's advice and open your windows. Even though it was a brisk night I had the kitchen window and the back slider open for a cross breeze, as well as the ceiling fan on in the living room and the exhaust fan on over the stove. There's nothing like inhaling a big ol' whiff of boiling vinegar - it's not pleasant so don't do it!

Thanks for a delicious recipe, Kate!

Balsamic Parmesan Asparagus
As seen on Kate's Recipe Box, originally from Leite’s Culinaria

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar or a few drops top-notch balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste
2 lbs. asparagus, tough ends snapped off
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 cup (about 4oz.) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat the oven to 350.

If using top-notch balsamic vinegar, skip this step. Otherwise, open a window and turn on the exhaust fan. Put the vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, swirling the pan occasionally, until the vinegar is reduced by half, anywhere from 7 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the saucepan. Remove from the heat.

Bring a pot of water to boil. Add 1 tablespoon of the salt and the asparagus and blanch until barely tender, about 1 minute for spears of average thickness, more for thicker spears. Skip this step if you have pencil-thin spears. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Pat the asparagus dry with paper towels. (You can keep the asparagus at room temperature or refrigerate it for up to several hours.)

Place the asparagus in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Add salt to taste, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil, and toss to coat. Sprinkle the asparagus with the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Bake until the spears are tender and the cheese is browned and almost bubbling (it won’t actually melt), about 5 minutes.

Transfer asparagus to a platter. Drizzle with the reduced balsamic vinegar or a few drops of the really top notch stuff. Serve immediately.

Click the links below to see side dishes made by my fellow swappers.

Spicy Garlic and Ginger Chicken with Green Beans

I've been trying to perfect Chinese-style dishes at home since we don't have a good Chinese restaurant nearby. Christine raved about this recipe for Spicy Garlic and Ginger Chicken with Green Beans so I knew I had to try it.

I used the leftover green beans from Thanksgiving since they were already steamed and needed to be used up anyway. This came together in no time and was delicious, with a nice, mild heat from the Sriracha thanks to the sugar.

Spicy Garlic and Ginger Chicken with Green Beans
As seen on Christine's Kitchen Chronicles

3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable, divided
2 teaspoon chili sauce (recommend Sriracha!)
2 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 4 tsp cold water
1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3-4 cups green beans, steamed
Sesame oil
Sesame seeds

Combine the soy sauce, vinegar sugar, garlic, ginger, 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil, and chili sauce in a bowl. Whisk to combine and then set aside.

In a large non-stick skillet, add remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable and heat until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook until white and nearly cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the steamed green beans to the skillet. Pour in sauce mixture and allow to simmer for 2 minutes. Add the cornstarch slurry. Return to a simmer and cool until thickened (it should coat a spoon).

Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve over rice.

Allergy note - I left out the sesame oil and seeds because of Baby Girl's nut allergy (according to the research I've done it isn't safe).

Pumpkin Pie with Chocolate Ganache

My mom was in charge of Thanksgiving dessert. She always makes pumpkin pie but this year I sent her this recipe for Pumpkin Pie with Chocolate Ganache after seeing it on the Rachael Ray Show. Chocolate makes everything better, right?

We all enjoyed the ganache even if it was a little thick. My mom wasn't sure how much to use since the recipe didn't specify so she used it all. I think a thinner layer would have been better but hey, chocolate is good so we all suffered through.

The ganache will harden a bit in the fridge so when I ate a leftover slice I reheated it slightly in the microwave to melt it a bit. Yum!

Pumpkin Pie with Chocolate Ganache
Recipe from Carla Hall

1 pumpkin pie
1 10-ounce bag good quality bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
Crushed graham crackers

Place chocolate in a glass bowl. Heat up heavy cream to a boil, do not scald. Pour heavy cream over the chocolate and whisk the mixture very slowly creating a shiny emulsion. If the ganache is too thick, add in hot water to thin out to desired consistency.

Top the pumpkin pie with the ganache (may not use all of it). Sprinkle crushed graham crackers around the edge of the pie.

Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast

Just like last year I opted to make a turkey breast instead of a whole turkey. I decided to use Ina's Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast recipe, mainly because I love her perfect roast chicken recipe and because I saw her make this the week before Thanksgiving and loved the sound of marinating the meat the night before.

I'm still trying to decide if I prefer roasting a whole turkey or doing a turkey breast. The breast is certainly easier but I kind of like having a whole bird. Something to think about for next year. This year I added in two turkey legs for SP and my stepdad since they prefer dark meat. I upped the amount of the herb marinade so I'd have enough to go around. You could really taste the flavors in the meat so definitely plan to marinate overnight. Delicious!

Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast
Ina Garten

1 whole bone-in turkey breast, 6 1/2 to 7 pounds
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup dry white wine

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the turkey breast, skin side up, on a rack in a roasting pan.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, herbs, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a paste. Loosen the skin from the meat gently with your fingers and smear half of the paste directly on the meat. Spread the remaining paste evenly on the skin. Marinate overnight in a pan covered with plastic wrap.

When ready to cook, place the turkey breast on a rack in a roasting pan. Pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.

Roast the turkey for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest and meatiest areas of the breast. (I test in several places.) If the skin is over-browning, cover the breast loosely with aluminum foil. When the turkey is done, cover with foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with the pan juices spooned over the turkey.

Make Ahead - The meat needs to marinate overnight so plan to mix together the marinade the day before.

Baked Brie in Mini Phyllo Cups with Strawberry Jam

I love baked brie. There's a restaurant near my house that serves a slice of baked brie topped with raspberry jam, slivered almonds and a brown sugar glaze. I knew I wanted to try making some sort of baked brie for Thanksgiving but I wanted it to be easier to eat.

There are hundreds of recipes out there so this is basically a method, not a recipe. I had to leave out the almonds because of Baby Girl's nut allergy and since I already had strawberry jam open I used that instead of raspberry. I added a pinch of brown sugar to each cup for that added sweetness. These were delicious and so simple to make.

Baked Brie in Mini Phyllo Cups with Strawberry Jam
Makes 24 cups

2 boxes mini phyllo cups
6oz Brie, rind removed, cut into 24 cubes
Fruit jam of your choice
Brown sugar
Sliced almonds (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Remove phyllo cups from their packaging and place on a baking sheet. Add one piece of Brie into each phyllo cup. Top the cheese with some of the jam and sprinkle with brown sugar. Top with sliced almonds, if using.

Bake for 5-8 minutes until the cheese is melted and the cups start to brown. Serve warm.

White Bean Dip with Pita Chips

This year I decided we needed some appetizers to nosh on before Thanksgiving dinner. I made a list of a few different recipes and asked SP to pick three. He was most excited about this White Bean Dip with Pita Chips.

This was a huge hit and couldn't have been simpler to make. You could save even more time by using store-bought pita chips but, really, making your own takes next to no time. I made the dip the night before and brought it to room temperature before serving. I also used whole wheat pitas for the chips to make this a bit healthier.

White Bean Dip with Pita Chips
Giada De Laurentiis

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons
1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 pitas
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, and parsley in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the bean puree to a small bowl.

Cut each pita in half and then into 8 wedges. Arrange the pita wedges on a large baking sheet. Pour the remaining oil over the pitas. Toss and spread out the wedges evenly. Sprinkle with the oregano, salt, and pepper. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until toasted and golden in color.

Serve the pita toasts warm or at room temperature alongside the bean puree.

Make Ahead: Make the dip up to 2 days before and keep refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.