Turkey, Pancetta and Parmesan Meatloaf Subs

Turkey, Pancetta and Parmesan Meatloaf Subs
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
1 3 oz package diced pancetta
2 eggs, beaten
1 large shallot, minced (about 1/3 cup)
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup shredded parmesan
1/3 cup chopped, drained artichokes from a jar of marinated artichoke hearts (be sure to discard any 'tough' bits)
2 heaping teaspoons roughly chopped capers (kind packed in brine/liquid, drained)
1 heaping tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (preferably parsley and basil)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
lemon zest from a small lemon
black pepper
good pinch red pepper flakes
good grating fresh nutmeg
1 (1.25 lb) package ground turkey, preferably 93% lean

6-8 best quality hoagie, sub or sandwich rolls, or French bread
Butter
Salt and Pepper
Several slices (8-10) Provolone cheese
Mayo, mustard, or other condiments, as desired

Directions:
Place the pancetta on a medium cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil lightly sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake the pancetta at 400 for 13-15 minutes until golden and just lightly crisp. Set aside to cool and lower the heat to 375.

Meanwhile in a large bowl, gently beat the two eggs. Stir in the breadcrumbs, parmesan, chopped artichokes, capers, fresh herbs, oregano, salt, lemon zest, black and red pepper flakes and nutmeg until well combined. Add in the cooled pancetta (use a slotted spoon so you get some of the fat but not all of it . No need to pat dry first with paper towels as some of that fat is good flavor) and ground turkey and combine until just mixed together. Do not overwork!

Transfer the meatloaf mixture into a sprayed loaf pan.

Bake at 375 for 45-50 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

While the meatloaf cools, slice your sandwich rolls and spread lightly with butter on each half. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Place in the oven cut side up and toast for 6 minutes. Add the Provolone cheese to the 'top halves' (go for double slices if thin, folding in half if necessary) and bake another 2-3 minutes until melted.

Slice the meatloaf into 1/2 inch thick slices and serve in the rolls with any condiments preferred.

Roasted Veg Sammy

This is one of my favorite things to eat on earth. I basically grill up whatever vegetables I have in my fridge and throw 'em together in a big ole French bread bear hug. On a good day I have zuchinni, red bell pepper, eggplant and/or Portabella in my fridge. I slice them up, season with olive oil, salt and pepper and grill until tender and slightly charred. I then pile 'em all together onto toasted french bread slathered with goat cheese and add a final hit of salt, pepper and olive oil. Top it off with flat leaf parsley and/or basil and close the lid. Boomtown!

Italian Pepperoncini Beef for Lots and Lots of Sandwiches.

This is one of those recipes that is so simple your first instinct is to just skip it altogether or try and give it some jazz hands. But you'd be crazy to do either. It's perfect just the way it is.

It makes a TON so it's ideal for laid back parties (my favorite kind) or for when you want something you can make a lot of meals out of during the week when you're really busy.

A few years ago we had house guests staying with us and they went through the whole batch in one day while Kris and I were at work. Needless to say I don't recommend eating it all in one sitting unless you want to volunteer for a meat sweats study, but this will keep in the fridge for up to five days to make sandwiches out of. Go for the best quality sourdough rolls you can get your hands on and don't forget to toast them. Sourdough + Italian Beef + Melted Provolone = Mama Mia!

Italian Beef, For Sandwiches
* From Charlotte Wixom.
* You can adjust the heat if serving to kids. I.E. only use half the jar of pepperoncini and juice and add 1/2 cup of water or beer to the crock pot make up for the moisture.

Ingredients/Tools:
1 (3-4 lb) beef roast (sirloin, shoulder or rump)
2 (1 oz each) packages dry Italian dressing mix (Good Seasons brand)
1 (16 oz) jar pepperoncini peppers, whole or sliced
Slow Cooker
Provolone slices, for sandwiches
Sourdough rolls or buns, toasted, for sandwiches

Directions:
Rinse the beef off with cold water and pat dry. Add the beef to your crock pot then sprinkle the packets of seasoning over and pour the jar of peppers - with the juice - all over and around the meat.

Put the top on and cook on low for about 10 hours or until the meat shreds easily with a fork. (You could also start this in the morning for the first two hours on high, then put on low for the remainder of the day if making for a party that night.) Once the meat pulls apart easily, let it cool for 20 minutes before shredding with two forks. If using whole pepperoncini, remove the stems and slice them up a little if desired.

Serve the meat on toasted sourdough rolls with slices of provolone cheese.

Let cool before storing leftovers. Leftovers should keep for up to 5 days in the fridge well sealed.

Beef and Portabello Double Cheeseburgers with Grilled Green Onions, Sharp Cheddar and Espresso BBQ Sauce

I don't know how many times I've gone out to eat somewhere fancy, perused the menu full of foodie fantasies, and wound up ordering the burger. If I'm being honest, a good burger is probably my favorite thing to eat on earth. Not lady like. But true.

I can't help it - I get it from both parents. While my husband inherited a double dose of sweet teeth (I'm convinced his blood is 90% sugar at this point) I might as well be part vampire. In fact, one of my fondest childhood memories with my now long-divorced parents is hunting down and enjoying a good burger at some little Texas hole in the wall. Be it country diners or truck stops or even a Whataburger when that's all that was available.

But that's not the real reason. I mean what other food is as satisfying, versatile, and fun? I'll admit that sometimes I get so carried away with all the possibilities (bacon, grilled onions, pimiento cheese, lamb burgers, pork burgers, pesto burgers - someone stop me...) that I forget the sheer nirvana that is the unadorned, simple-as-Simon burger. American Cheese. Meat. Bun. Heaven. But as fantastic as the plain ones are, they're not really worth a blog post are they?

This burger, however, is worth sharing. It requires a roll of paper towels and a pint of beer to get it down. The first patty is beef, liberally seasoned on the outside with salt, pepper, and onion powder while the second is a meaty roasted portabello. Sharp cheddar is melted over the beef and the whole thing is topped with grilled green onions. But the party doesn't start until it's all been doused in a sweet yet smokey espresso BBQ sauce (I'm lying - it's equally good without it or even with a more savory style BBQ sauce.) But as much as I love this particular combo, I'd be hard pressed to call it my absolute favorite burger. I mean how does a mother choose a favorite when she has several dozen children? She doesn't, that's how.

So instead why don't you tell me - what's your favorite burger - homemade or otherwise?

Beef and Portabello Double Cheeseburgers with Grilled Green Onions, Sharp Cheddar and Espresso BBQ Sauce
* Makes 3 burgers.
* Make the BBQ Sauce ahead of time and keep in the fridge, heating up over the stove just before serving the burgers.

Ingredients/Instructions:
* 1 lb grass fed ground sirloin, preferably 80-85% lean but not leaner than 90%
* Liberal amounts of kosher salt and pepper and onion powder, for seasoning
* Whole Wheat or Soft White Hamburger Buns
Form the meat into 3 patties, trying not to overwork the meat. Season both sides liberally with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Heat a grill or grill pan over medium/high heat and cook the burgers about 4 minutes then flip over. Let cook another 2 minutes then top with the desire amount of cheese and cook another 3-4 minutes until cooked to your liking and the cheese has melted. Remove from the heat, put on a bun and top with each with a roasted portabello, green onions, and bbq sauce if desired - recipes follow.

* 3 portabello mushrooms, stems removed and 6 stalks of green onions, white ends trimmed off, rinsed and dried
Add the above veggies to a greased, rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper and roast at 375 for 18 minutes, until the mushrooms have sunken and the onions have begun to wilt and caramelize a little (alternatively you can grill them until they've begun to brown and caramelize - about 3 minutes per side.)

* Plenty of Cheddar Cheese Slices
* BBQ Sauce (recipe follows) or your favorite homemade or store bought

Espresso Barbecue Sauce:
* From Michael Chiarello
* I like to let the sauce cool, then blend it in the blender for a smoother consistency (and to hide the garlic from my husband;) but you don't need to do this
* Recipe can be halved - it makes tons!

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons mashed and minced garlic
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 cups ketchup
2 cups honey
Grey salt
2 demitasse cups espresso (or about 1/2 cup of strong coffee or instant espresso)
Fresh ground black pepper

Instructions:
Mash garlic with the side of a knife and then mince finely to release oils.

Add olive oil to a preheated saute pan. Add the garlic and saute until it gets light brown, about 1 minute. Add cider vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, and honey and stir well. Add a pinch of grey salt, then whisk in the coffee. Add freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.

Let cool and store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Yield: about 5 to 6 cups

Piggy Back Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Sharp Cheddar Frico

Happy Valentine's Day! I realize this isn't exactly a date night main entree, but as you can see I'm a week behind in my posting to cooking ratio. No matter - this recipe is my Valentine's present to YOU. Have you ever made pulled pork sandwiches? I hadn't and for the Super Bowl, I searched high and low for the perfect recipe with a particular version in mind I'd had years ago made by a friend in her crock pot. When pushed for what she put in it, she said "a can of Coke and an onion." Hmm...some people sure are protective of their recipes. I didn't doubt that those two things were in there, but she was leaving out the rest of the goods. I filed the idea of pulled pork via crock pot and Coke away until last Sunday when the obsession for the perfect recipe returned in full force.

As usual, I didn't use any recipe I found, but went rogue like a gypsy mixing potions. Lots of recipes call for brown sugar in addition to soda or juice or other sweet liquid but it struck me as a fun challenge to think of other things to contribute sweetness and flavor (I don't get out much.)

One thing came to me right away - pickle relish. My grandmother used it in her tuna fish and I had fond memories of its sweet but sharp bite amongst savory ingredients, so in it went. Even if you're not a fan, I don't think it will put you off as it's not an in your face guest at the party but rather a sit-quietly-in-the-corner-scoping-out-the-ladies type.

The thing to remember about long slow cooking - be it via crock pot or stove top simmering (ragu/short ribs/etc.) is even though it's a wonderful way to slowly develop incredible flavor, you have to remember to give it a good slap in the face after all that relaxing to wake up the flavors. I know this seems counter intuitive but trust me on this one.

This is why I hold off my final arsenal of flavors until the very end. Molasses, tomato paste, and more relish and spices, cracked black pepper being the most important. I mean with all that sweetness going on, someone's got to be the grown up and look responsible. This is also where the pig on pig action comes into play. You know I'm a texture freak, which is why I love putting crisp cooked bacon slices on top of the sandwiches instead of adding snipped bacon in with the tenderloin at the beginning. But if you don't like the idea of bacon on top of pulled pork, you can cut the crisped bacon into 1/2 inch pieces instead, tossing them in with the shredded meat at the last minute before serving if you like. And if you're already breaking the rules, I advise tipping in any bacon grease from the pan and stirring it in. It may sound wrong, but it's so right, like two old friends reuniting after a long time apart.

The cheddar fricos were an unfortunate accidental discovery on my part. I was literally about to scold my husband on his inability to eat anything without cheese on top of it, mid bite of pulled pork sandwich, when I noticed a little slightly burnt spot of cheese on my pan of stuffed jalapenos. You can guess what happened next. And please do - I'm too embarrassed to say it out loud. Anyway, if you want to dive head on into gluttony as I have, make the cheddar fricos to go on top.

PS - we saw Wolfman yesterday. If you haven't seen it yet, don't bother. Just have a martini and put in the Jack Nicholsen/Michelle Pfeiffer movie Wolf from the nineties. It will seem like 'Best Picture' in comparison if not at least entertain you which is more than I can say for the sadly misguided Wolfman:(

Piggy Back Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Sharp Cheddar Frico
* This recipe should make at least 16-18 sandwiches.
* The pulled pork would also be excellent on nachos.
* Cheese Frico is not pictured because it was a last minute discovery.

Ingredients:
2 pounds of pork tenderloin (you can just get 2 one pound tenders)
1/2 cup Dr Pepper
2 tablespoons pickle relish
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons chopped shallot
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 heaping tablespoons molasses
2 heaping tablespoons double concentrated tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon sweet pickled relish

8+ slices bacon, baked in a 350 oven for 15 minutes until crisp (if you're serving the all of the pulled pork, double the bacon called for so that you'll have extra slices for topping just in case. BUT if you're adding the bacon into the pulled pork versus putting it on top, you only need about 5 cooked snipped pieces and their grease. Anymore might dominate the other flavors.)
16-18 Hamburger buns
Cheddar Frico, recipe below

Instructions:
Place the tenderloins in a cold crock pot. Meanwhile, mix up the first set of ingredients - the Dr. Pepper through the teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl. Pour it into the crock pot over the tenderloins, and lift and mix them around to make sure they're all touched by its magic. Put the lid on and put the crock pot on the 'high' setting for 1 hour.

After one hour, lower the crock pot to the 'low' setting and cook for 6 hours, flipping the tenderloins over at some point, preferably midway through. After six hours, use a fork to check and see if the meat shreds easily when scraped with a fork. If it does, turn off the crock pot and let cool for a few minutes, then transfer the meat to a medium lidded pot and shred mercilessly, using two forks. (If it's not shred-able yet, keep cooking another 30 minutes to an hour until it is.)

Once shredded thoroughly, stir in the last set of ingredients - the molasses through the relish, blending well, and put over low heat on the stove. Simmer with the lid on or partially on, for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. (During this time you can prepare the bacon and cheese frico to go on top.) Do a final taste for seasonings, adjusting any salt/pepper if necessary to taste.

Serve on the softest buns you can find, preferably those melt in your mouth potato rolls, stirring the meat well beforehand to evenly distribute the juices. Top with crispy bacon then frico, and serve.

Cheddar Fricos
* This isn't so much a recipe as a guide. All frico are is mounds of cheese baked or fried until they form flattened little crisps. I like to bake mine for ease, but it helps to have parchment paper or a silpat to keep them from sticking.
* 3 cups of cheese should yield 12 fricos, but this isn't a science - the size are up to you so you may need to adjust the amount of cheese called for if you're serving it on all the pork sandwiches.

Ingredients:
3 cups of shredded sharp cheddar
a silpat or parchment paper
a baking sheet

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400. Place the shredded cheese in little mounds (anywhere from a heaping tablespoon to whatever you like, just be aware of adjusting cooking time if you make them bigger) on a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Make sure you space the little mounds at least an inch apart as they spread out like a cookie when baking.

Bake for 5-7 minutes, just until melted and flattened out and the edges become golden brown. Remove and let cool for 2 minutes before transferring with a spatula to your sandwiches. If you want them even crispier, transfer to a baking rack to cool.

Something to consider for the Super Bowl...

Or when it's 20 degrees which seems to be every night in New York this winter.

Let me start by saying I have no problem with the classic, good 'ol American grilled cheese. But this version ever so humbly blows the socks off the original. It's actually a little embarrassing.

And while I served these with a salad for dinner, I do think they'd be perfect Super Bowl finger food cut into little triangles. You can even fry up a big batch of the sandwiches then keep them warm in a low oven until you're ready to cut and serve them. They'll just sit in the oven happy as taxidermy, all gooey on the inside and crispy on the outside until kick off.

Gooey Goat and Mozzarella Grilled Cheese with Bacon
* This filling will make 3 sandwiches, or 12 'triangles' when cut cross wise from corner to corner as an app.
* If omitting the bacon, I'd use salted butter for more flavor, but then again I'm a salt addict.

Ingredients:
6 slices of sourdough bread
Butter, to spread

2.5 oz goat cheese, room temp
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (not fresh mozzarella, your regular bagged variety)
1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
1/8 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
6-8 drops Tabasco (hot sauce)
1/4 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard (the all American ballpark kind)
Fresh cracked pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter plus a dash of olive oil

6-8 slices of bacon, baked on a cookie sheet in a 400 degree oven for 15-18 minutes until crisp then patted dry and cut in half

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 325.

Mix the goat cheese, mozzarella, mayo, salt, Tabasco, mustard, and pepper together in a small bowl, using a fork to help things along. Set aside. Meanwhile, spread 3 of the sourdough slices with butter on one side. Spread the cheese filling onto the remaining 3 slices, making sure the filling is evenly distributed across and not going over the edge. Add the bacon over the cheese spread, as much or as little as you want.

Now you can put the sandwiches together by placing the buttered slices, butter side-down on top of the cheese and bacon. Press the sandwiches gently but firmly together, pushing your palms down on them to help them stick.

Heat the 3 tablespoons butter and dash of oil in a large, rimmed, nonstick skillet. There should be enough butter, once melted and swirled around by tilting the pan, to coat the entire bottom with a thin layer. If not, add more butter until it does.

Once hot but not to the point of browning on you, add the sandwiches, spreading out evenly in the pan. These will cook quickly, so don't leave them. After about a minute, use a spatula to lift one, checking to see if your crust has become golden yet. If so, flip carefully but immediately to the other side, gently pushing the sandwiches around in the pan to soak up any leftover butter (by now some of it will have browned, adding that wonderful nutty flavor.) Cook just another 30 seconds or so until golden, then transfer to a baking rack fitted over a baking sheet and transferring to the oven to continue heating through and melting the cheese, about 8 minutes. If not serving right away, lower the heat to 200.

Remove, cut, and serve.

Fancy Joes

Ah, Sloppy Joes...

When I was growing up, my mom made dinner every night despite the fact that she worked full time and had four kids. Even more miraculous was the fact that dinner was always fresh and healthy fare - lots of vegetables and chicken and light pastas glistening with olive oil. I was a lucky girl.

That said, that didn't stop me from LOVING going to friends houses for dinner. Their family meals were a thing of wonderment to me - delivered pizza, bags of greasy (but delicious) burgers and fries, and 'homemade' meals with the aid of Hamburger Helper, Rice A Roni, and of course, canned Sloppy Joe mix. Kid heaven. The funny thing was, those kids loved coming to my house for dinner, where my mom's home cooking filled them up in a way that takeout never could.

Anyway, of all of those retro box mix/canned suppers, Sloppy Joes were my favorite. I still occasionally crave them. However I could never bring myself to buy that damned can of sugary brown goop. It just felt soul less to dump it into a pan of ground beef and call it a day. Even if it did taste as good as I'd remembered, I wouldn't feel good about eating it.

So I decided to create a fresher, homemade version that would satisfy my nostalgia without making me do a walk of shame afterwards. I have no idea what's actually in Sloppy Joe mix and I purposely didn't look it up before attempting my own recipe. Instead I used flavors my childhood memory told me were in them as well as ones my adult palate wanted. I replaced most of the meat with ground turkey with a little ground sirloin to ensure richness. I threw in finely minced piquillo peppers to add some depth, along with bay leaf, ancho chili powder and allspice. Finally, I used Madeira, molasses and just a touch of brown sugar to round it all out. The result isn't the sauce laden Sloppy Joes you remember as a kid, it's better.

I call them Fancy Joes because I'm a dork.

Apparently, the power of 'Joes' is still going strong today. When Kris and I went to Florence Meat Market this morning to buy the ground sirloin, we found ourselves in line behind a father and his young son. The dad happened to overhear me say I was making them and immediately grabbed his son. "Tyler," he said, nodding to us. "They're having Sloppy Joes tonight! You probably want to eat at their house for dinner." The little boy, who had been slumped over the counter like a crumpled napkin, bored out of his mind, shot upright and peeled his eyelids back at us like we were Mickey and Minnie Mouse live and in person.

He clearly did want to go to our house for dinner. He would've gone with us right then and there, even though it was only eleven in the morning. His eager little face stayed on us as we waited for the beef, paid, and headed back out of the store, giving him a wave goodbye before shutting the door behind us.

Fancy Joes
Serves 6.

Ingredients:
6 Egg Challah Rolls

1 tablespoon butter
3 small shallots, finely minced
salt and pepper
2 piquillo peppers, finely minced (from a can)
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ancho chili powder
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 lb ground turkey (preferably with 7% fat)
1/2 pound ground sirloin or ground round
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup Madeira wine
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon molasses
1 tablespoon ketchup

Directions:
Heat the butter in a large rimmed nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots, seasoning with salt and pepper, and saute for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the piquillo peppers, stir in and saute 2 more minutes. Move the shallots and peppers to one side, making a 'hot spot' for the allspice and chili powder. Add the spices giving them each space to 'toast' for 1 minute, undisturbed, before incorporating into the vegetables. Stir in the tomato paste.

Add the turkey and ground beef, along with a touch more salt and pepper, and cook for 5-7 minutes, until mostly browned. Add the Madeira and bay leaf, and raise the heat if necessary to bring to a light simmer, until the Madeira has reduced by half (do not bring to a full on boil - you will dry out the meat too much.) Lower the heat again slightly, and stir in the brown sugar and molasses. At this point the meat should be fully cooked and you just want to let the sugars meld into the mixture for 2-3 more minutes until fully dissolved. Turn off the heat and stir in the ketchup.

Serve on Challah buns, toasted or untoasted.

Chicken Mozzarella Sandwiches with Ridiculously Rich Marinara

I know when I have something special on my hands when I drool a little just thinking about blogging about it.

It all started on Sunday when I suddenly craved a fat, chicken parmesan sandwich dripping with hearty red sauce - the kind of sandwich you need at least a dozen napkins at the ready and a frosty Italian beer to wash it down with. The only problem was I have a bizarre prejudice against sandwiches with breaded meats in them. Call me crazy, but breaded meat inside more bread just seems like overkill. If you take the time to make a lovely, crunchily textured chicken parm, why hide it in a sandwich?

I decided right then my chicken wouldn't be breaded, but instead be browned in a skillet, then left to simmer in a warm, tomatoey sauce. The right side of my brain kicked in, and the result was a homemade ragu that makes me tear up a little just thinking about it. Let's just say it starts with 3 thin strips of bacon snipped into a hot pan. See what I mean?

And even though I'd never made this sauce before, there was something incredibly familiar about it. Two days later when I heated up the leftovers in the microwave, it was even better than it was the night of its conception - smokey and sweet and tangy from those incredible San Marzano tomatoes. That's when it hit me - I'd gone and made some sort of Italian/BBQ sauce hybrid! Leave it to a Texan, I guess. So, while this started out as a sandwich post, the sauce quickly took center stage. I actually want to be buried with a jar of it, tied with a pink ribbon and a porcelain spoon.

Actually, there's nothing earth-shattering about adding bacon to a ragu. Italians add pancetta to their sauces all the time. I now think the key to my sauce's addictive, lip smacking flavor is the fact that I added a cup of red wine to it, then boiled it and boiled it until there was almost nothing left but a few reduced teaspoons-full, swimming alongside the sauteed chopped onions (now stained a deep shade of purple...fellow red wine lovers know the color.) So, while you're used to reducing 'by half' or 'by a third' when it comes to cooking with wine - trust me on this recipe and keep on keeping on until the wine's almost gone. It will pay off in dividends, providing a richness that can't be achieved any other way.

Chicken Mozzarella Sandwiches with Ridiculously Rich Marinara
Serves 2


Ingredients:

3 thin slices bacon
2 chicken breasts, dredged in flour, salt and pepper.

2 fat garlic cloves, chopped
1 large onion, diced
bay leaf
1 pinch each - dried sage, oregano, thyme
pinch sugar

3/4 cup red wine

1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 (28 oz) can whole, peeled tomatoes, WITHOUT JUICE
1 (14 oz) can whole, peeled tomatoes WITH JUICE
pinch sugar

2 fat, cushy sandwich rolls (whole wheat French has a nice complimentary sweetness)
4 hefty slices fresh mozzarella cheese, or provolone, or aged mozzarella


Add a tablespoon olive oil to a large, rimmed skillet ( if you're adding mozzerella later - ideally you want a handle-less pan , a la a Le Crueset.) Using kitchen shears, snip in the bacon (about half inch chunks) and cook over medium heat until cooked but not crisp - 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer with slotted spoon to a plate.

Add a couple more tablespoons olive oil to the pan (enough to coat) and add the chicken breasts, cooking 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer to plate with the bacon and set aside. Add the onions, garlic, dried herbs and bay leaf to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper and cook until onions soften and become translucent. Add pinch of sugar, stir in to incorporate, and cook for one more minute.

Add the wine to the pan, and raise heat if necessary to bring to a boil. Allow to come to a full, raging boil for a few minutes, then lower heat slightly so that it's still bubbling away but not as violently. Keep over a low boil, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes or as long as it takes to reduce to just a few small spoonfuls worth (as mentioned, you'll basically be left with a bunch of purple onions in a tiny bit of liquid.)

Add the tomato paste, tomatoes (with and without juice), and another pinch of sugar. Stir in to incorporate, then season with a little more salt and pepper. Again - raise the heat if necessary to bring to a boil, and boil away stirring occasionally until you've got a sauce on your hands. You will know you've got a sauce when you're no longer staring at the watery mess in the pan wondering how on God's earth it will ever become a sauce. Suddenly it will thicken and leave a wake behind your stirring spoon - somewhere around the ten to fifteen minute mark. Once this happens, add the bacon back into the sauce as well as the chicken and any juices from the plate. Stir in and let meld over low heat another 20 minutes or so (if sauce is evaporating/reducing too much - just put a top on it)

At this point, top the chicken with thick, meaty slices of fresh mozzarella and put the entire skillet in a preheated, 375 degree oven for 15 minutes, until cheese is melted. (IF MAKING SANDWICHES, ADD 2 SOFT WHOLE WHEAT ROLLS OR MINI FRENCH BREAD LOAVES DURING THE LAST FIVE MINUTES ON A SEPARATE TRAY TO HEAT THROUGH. THEN SLICE IN HALF AND STUFF WITH CHEESE COVERED CHICKEN AND SPOON OVER EXTRA SAUCE.)

Grilled Cheese and Pea Mozarella Soup - The Cure for what Ails You

There are few things I love more than this pea soup. It's easy, it's healthy, and it's just the sort of thing I want to eat after a long day, sitting with a bowl on the couch with remote in hand. In fact, it would be the PERFECT soup, if it weren't for the unique (to be polite) scent of peas which prevents me from taking leftovers to work. I don't want to be known as the girl who eats the soup that smells like feet. I'm sorry peas, but it's true.

If you've tried pea soup before and are less than thrilled at trying it again, be brave and try again. I didn't even know I liked peas before I made this for the first time, as the only other pea soups I'd had were made heavy and thick and overly salty by either bacon or ham, raping the little veggies of their natural sweetness. It should also be noted that leftovers of this soup can be made even better when you add leftover rice (particularly if you've cooked it with parsley and/or lemon zest.) In fact, that's the other thing about peas - they get along well with everybody, which is why you see them on so many English menus as an accompaniment with everything from fried haddock to lamb, possibly as some sort of karmic retribution for their smell.

Speaking of English, this is Nigella Lawson's recipe, with just the slightest adjustments on my part. Oh and if you're Kris, you don't understand the point of having soup without a sandwich, and the one below is made for dipping in the kelly green, mozzerella flecked swamp.

Pea Soup

4 shallots, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 green onions (can sub fresh basil, parsley, mint or whatever herb you have on hand)
3 cups low sodium chicken stock
2 (10 oz) packages frozen peas
1 large ball fresh mozzarella, broken into small pieces

Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add olive oil, allowing to warm though, then the shallots. Season with salt and pepper and saute for 5-6 minutes until softened. Add green onions and chicken stock, cover and bring to boil. When boiling, add the peas and lower the heat, allowing to cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and allow to cool for twenty minutes before blending. Discard the green onions and transfer the peas and shallots using a slotted spoon to a blender. Add half of the chicken stock, and carefully blend (CAREFUL WHEN BLENDING HOT LIQUID - PULL OUT THE PLASTIC CENTER FROM THE TOP TO ALLOW STEAM TO ESCAPE AND COVER LOOSELY WITH A KITCHEN TOWEL OR ELSE YOU'LL WIND UP WITH PEAS SOUP ON YOUR CEILING. TRUST ME - I'VE DONE IT.) Add as much of the leftover stock as you'd like to reach the constistancy you're happy with, then add in half of the mozzarella pieces blending in to incorporate. When happy, put back in the large pot and cook over low heat, until warmed through. Serve with extra mozzarella pieces sprinkled on top.


Mozzarella Grilled Cheese (This sandwich is baked, actually, making it less fussy than other grilled cheeses.)

French Baguette
1 ball fresh mozzarella, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
olive oil
salt and pepper
Basil pesto (either purchased or home made)


Preheat oven to 350. Slice your baguette into the size sandwiches you desire, then halve them. Place the halves on an aluminum lined baking sheet sprayed with Pam. Layer your mozzarella slices on the bottom halves, then drizzle the slices as well as the underside of the tops with a light amount of olive oil (use a light hand - you don't want to make the bread heavy or soggy.) Sprinkle all with sea salt and pepper and place in the oven, baking for about 15 minutes or until cheese has begun to melt off the sides and bread is toasted.

Spread the underside of the tops with pesto, assemble the sandwiches, and serve with extra peso on the side.