Monte Cristo Sandwiches

The other day I went to lunch with a friend and ordered the Monte Cristo sandwich - a ham, turkey, and cheese sandwich fried in egg. Uh, yes please!

But I'm going to be honest with you. The delicious description was only part of the reason I chose to order that. Might I even say, my secondary reason.

The Monte Cristo sandwich immediately reminded me of this....

Which, of course, reminded me of this...

 

Swoon..... if that sandwich was anywhere as delicious...

Where was I?  Oh yes, the sandwich. Silly me. How easily I get distracted with Jim Caviezel is right there for my eyes to see.

This is a "healthier" alternative, and I use that term loosely, because while it's not the most calorie-conscious recipe, it's certainly not the batter-soaked, deep-fried version you sometimes find!

First, using a serrated knife, cut off the crust of the bread. This will help when you need to seal the sandwiches. It also makes it easier to eat.

It's a layered sandwich that includes swiss or other similar cheese, turkey, and ham. I used Virginia ham. I wouldn't use smoked ham, you want something kind of sweet.

After you've piled the sandwich together, wrap the sandwich up tightly in plastic wrap and put in the fridge for half hour. This will keep the sandwich tight and stop the egg mixture from seeping into the sandwich.

Dip each side in the egg mixture and fry, sort of like French toast.

Top with a shower of powdered sugar and serve with fruit preserves on the side.

Monte Cristo Sandwich

by Girls in Aprons

Makes 4 full sandwiches

12 slices white bread, crusts removed

Dijon mustard

1/2 lb thinly sliced oven roasted turkey

1/2 lb thinly sliced Virginia or Black Forest ham

4 slices Swiss or Gruyere cheese

3 eggs

1 Tbsp water

Butter, for greasing the pan

Powdered sugar, for garnish

Strawberry, raspberry, or blackberry preserves, for dipping

Lay the bread down in four columns, three row deep. Spread Dijon mustard on the top row and add a slice of swiss cheese. Split the turkey evenly among the four bread slices in the second row. Split the ham evenly among the four bread slices in the third row. Stack the bread slices together to create a double decker-style sandwich. Wrap each sandwich tightly in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for half hour.

Meanwhile, mix the eggs and 1 Tbsp water together in a shallow bowl. Heat a pan over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp butter. Remove the sandwiches from the fridge and remove the plastic wrap. Dip each side of the sandwich into the egg batter, just as you would French toast, and add to the heated pan. Flip after two minutes, or when lightly golden brown, and fry the other side. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.

Dust each sandwich with powdered sugar and serve with fruit preserves for dipping. Serve warm.



Quiche Your Way

When I say that this is a recipe for quiche your way, I really mean it. I have a traditional quiche plus ideas for different fillers: vegetables, cheese, etc. Plus, a crustless quiche and a tip for giving it a bit of heat!

I married into a European family. Long story short, my in-laws grew up in North Africa, moved to Nice, France in their teens, met, got married, and moved to the United States in the '60s. They still have super thick accents. I should know, the first time I met them my then-boyfriend (now husband, obviously) left me with them for the longest ten minutes of my life. I couldn't understand a word they were saying! I understand them now, and I love them to death.

I also love my mother-in-law's cooking to death. She's the kind of cook that can throw some ingredients together and make an amazing meal. Unfortunately, she doesn't write down what she does, and I've failed to replicate about 90% of her recipes. When she does write down her recipes, they're a bit Rachael-Ray-like, such as "Toss in the peas" or "Add some butter".

I have, though, mastered the quiche. It's actually quite simple, and the best part is that as long as you know the base recipe (the eggs and milk) you can add whatever you want to make it your own. There are a few quiches that are standard: Quiche Lorraine is basically a quiche with cheese, usually swiss or cheddar, although you can use whatever you want. Quiche Florentine is quiche with spinach and cheese. I use fresh spinach but you can also use frozen spinach that has been thawed and squeezed dry.

In this quiche, I'm following an idea similar to Paula Deen's Spinach Bacon Quiche. I'm using milk instead of heavy cream (or half and half) and turkey bacon. Even my bacon-loving husband doesn't mind the turkey bacon, as long as it's in a recipe. He doesn't care for it by itself.

Turkey bacon gives off such little grease! I usually put a little oil in the bottom of the pan, otherwise the bacon just burns on the bottom instead of crisping up.

Roll out your dough. I know it's store bought, it seems like a silly little step, but store bought is still slightly thick, and I like to make sure it's all even. You then fold the crust into half and then into quarters, making it easier to transfer. You then....

...place the crust in your pie dish and unfold. Use your fingers to make sure the crust is shaped around the pan, including the edges and the bottom.

Layer your fillers, such as spinach, bacon, cheese, asparagus, etc. I'm not a fan of asparagus, but I hear it's great in quiche. Try different meats (ham?), cheeses, and vegetables. Make it yours!

Pour the egg/milk mixture over the fillers.

I love the crispy edges. If you want your quiche less crispy and more uniformly cooked (is uniformly a word?), wrap foil around the edges about halfway through cooking. This will keep the edges from getting too dark.

I've always struggled to find something to serve with quiche because it already had cheese, meat, and spinach, but if you omitted the spinach then you could serve it with a light salad. I usually offer fruit and croissants.

Spinach, Bacon, & Swiss Quiche

Girls in Aprons, recipe by Josette Lafranca and Paula Deen

7 large eggs

1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup heavy cream

Pinch salt

1 lb bacon or turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled

8 oz shredded Swiss cheese

2 cups spinach leaves, julienned

9" pie crust (I use Pillsbury)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk the eggs, milk, cream, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.

Place the pie crust in your 9" pie plate. Layer the spinach, cheese, and bacon, about 3 layers each ingredient. Pour the egg mixture over the fillers.

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until eggs are set.

Individual Quiche = Quick, Healthy Breakfast

You can also bake in greased muffin tins. The quiche heats up great for quick breakfasts. Cook for about 20 minutes or until eggs are set. Let cool then remove from pan. Keep refrigerated until ready to eat. Heat for about 15 seconds in the microwave.

Crustless Quiche

Use 10 eggs, 1/2 cup heavy cream, and half cup milk. Bake in a greased 9x13 at 400 degrees for about 30-35 minutes.

Filler Options - just make sure you chop your fillers up to make bite-size pieces

Vegetables: Sauteed onions, mushrooms, leeks, broccoli, spinach, bell pepper, asparagus

Cheese: Really, anything. Try to go for something with more flavor (as in no mozzerella). Try a strong cheese you wouldn't normally eat, such as Gruyere or gorgonzola.

Meat: Bacon, turkey bacon, sausage crumbles, ham

Want some heat? The best way to add some heat to your quiche is a few drops of tabasco sauce. I wouldn't suggest red pepper flakes or jalepenos because the heat won't spread evenly, and chances are, the one person who doesn't want to bite into a jalenpeno will be the one who actually bites into it :)

Deviled Eggs- Classic and Fancy

Let's face it, deviled eggs have been stereotyped. When you hear the words "deviled eggs" I'm sure you think about picnics and barbecues and sunny weather. While that's true, deviled eggs are a great potluck side dish any time of the year. They are super easy to make and can be doctored up to fit any dinner, or party, or dinner party.

Start off with your hard boiled eggs, and cut them in half length-wise. Put your yolks into the food processor...

And put your white "cups" onto a platter. You can put something underneath (like a towel or napkin) to keep them from sliding around, or you can get one of those fancy platters that are meant to hold deviled eggs.

Throw in your mayo, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper with your egg yolks and let the food processor do its job, until the mixture is nice and smooth. If you don't have a food processor, you can smash the yolks with a fork in a bowl, then stir in the remaining ingredients. It is perfectly fine to do it this way, I just like it in the processor because the texture is smooth and velvety.

After you've tested your seasonings, put the mixture into a pastry bag (or gallon-size freezer bag with the tip cut off like we did) fitted with a large star tip (again, totally fine if you don't use one, I just like the look of the star tip). Pipe into your egg white cups.

Sprinkle with paprika and you're set!

Deviled Eggs

by Carissa @ Girls in Aprons

12 eggs, hard boiled (see tip at the bottom)
1/2 cup mayonnaise (light is fine)
2 tsp mustard (I always squeeze in a little more!)
2 tsp white vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Paprika

Halve eggs lenghwise (obviously without the shells on!) and remove the yolks. In a food processor, add the yolks mayo, mustard and vinegar (or mash together in a bowl). Combine well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stuff egg whites with yolk mixture (I put mine in a gallon size Ziploc and cut the tip off so I can just squeeze the mixture easily into the egg whites). Garnish with paprika.

**TIP** HOW TO BOIL AN EGG

To help avoid getting the green/grey ring around your egg whites, use this tip for boiling your eggs. Place your eggs in a pot and cover them with water an inch above your eggs. Bring to a boil, cover with a lid and turn off the heat. Let sit for 15 minutes. Remove from water and let cool completely before you peel. Warm eggs do not peel easily!

(VARIATIONS}

Skip the paprika and use these fun ways to spruce up your deviled eggs!

*Add chopped pickles or relish to your yolk mixture

*Top with one (or two!) baby shrimp

*Top with crispy crumbled bacon and chives or green onions

*Top with chopped tomatoes (or sundried tomatoes) and fresh basil

*Top with finely chopped pepper (red or green) and cilantro

Spinach Cheddar Souffle

So I know I'm only in the early 30s, but I've already started a bucket list. Most of the items on the list are a bit...um...unrealistic? Crazy? Like bungie jumping and touring Budapest and riding an elephant, but hey, a girl can dream, right?

Anyway, some of my bucket list items include a sub-list of things I want to try cooking or baking, such as homemade gnocchi and successfully make a souffle. What? A souffle? Check that off my list!

Souffles really do have a bad reputation. Everyone is afraid to try one because of the myth that they are difficult to make. However, I promise promise that you can do it! I've made this souffle twice with total success and there are only a few simple rules to follow. But the trick is, you have to follow the rules. I suggest reading the recipe once through just to make sure you are familiar with it.

This recipe, though, isn't filling. Especially if you live in a house of boys that expect meat at every meal. So when I made this souffle I served a large fruit salad and rolls on the side. This would also be great as a breakfast (if you're an early riser which I'm not) or for brunch.

I got this recipe from Ina Garten aka Barefoot Contessa, and if you don't know who that is, we need to talk. She's the queen of the kitchen, at least in my opinion, alongside Queen Giada :)

Your ingredients - now you can dust of your jar of cream of tartar that we all have and no idea what to do with it. Even though the recipe calls for only 1/8 tsp, I wouldn't advise skipping it altogether. Trust me, you need it. Something about helping stiffen the egg whites or something, I'm not sure. But I know you need it.

Making your roux. I love roux, don't ask me why. Something so satisfying about putting butter and flour together and making this great little bubbly paste. I beat my husband in Scrabble once (literally once, he's usually a genius at the game) using the word "roux" because he didn't believe it was a word. He's obviously not much of a cook.

After the roux has cooked for 2 minutes, add the spices - nutmeg, pepper, and salt. I omitted the cayenne pepper because, honestly, we just moved and I couldn't find it. And I can't find my whisk, either, so I'm using the little one that came with my daughter's play kitchen set.

You want to defrost your spinach and get all the excess moisture out if it. Some people wrap it in an old kitchen towel and squeeze, but I love my kitchen towels too much to stain them green, so I put mine in a mesh colander and use a wooden spoon to push the water out.

Whisk in the scalded milk slowly to the roux. You know your milk is scalded when you see uniform shaped bubbles around the edges of the pot. Add the egg yolks, cheeses, and spinach to the roux/milk mixture.

Here's a helpful tip - if you need your eggs at room temperature but didn't set them out ahead of time, just put the eggs in a bowl of hot (not boiling) water for about 5 minutes.

Now you want to start beating your egg whites to firm, glossy peaks. Add the cream of tartar and whisk away. You can use egg beaters or the whisk attachment of your Kitchenaid. I suppose you could just use a whisk but you'd need arms of steel.

The first picture is of soft peaks. When you hold the whisk up, the peak falls slightly. Keep mixing, but only just barely. You're almost there. The second picture is of firm peaks. Now you're done.

After folding in the egg whites, pour into a prepared 6- to 8-cup souffle dish. I love that this dish is buttered and then sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, the edges of the souffle are my favorite part because they're all buttery and cheesy!

Do you see the circle that has been made in the batter? Ina suggests this is to help it rise, don't ask me for an explanation, just do it. You won't be sorry :)

The finished piece. It's golden brown and delicious, right? And the inside is cheesy and airy and amazing. Even my little ones ate it up!

See the inside? Divine!

Spinach Cheddar Souffle

courtesy Ina Garten

3 Tbsp unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for sprinkling

3 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1 cup scalded milk

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Pinch cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper

4 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature

1/2 cup grated aged Cheddar cheese, lightly packed

1 package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry

5 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature

1/8 tsp cream of tartar

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter the inside of a 6- to 8-cup souffle dish and sprinkle evenly with Parmesan.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. With a wooden spoon, stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the hot milk, nutmeg, cayenne, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, for one minute, until smooth and thick.
• Off the heat, while still hot, whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time. Stir in the Cheddar, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, and spinach and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
• Put the egg whites, cream of tartar, and a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, on medium speed for 1 minute, and finally on high speed until they form firm, glossy peaks.
• Whisk one-quarter of the egg whites into the cheese sauce to help lighten and then fold in the rest. Pour into the souffle dish, then smooth the top. Draw a large circle on top with the spatula to help the souffle rise evenly, and place in the middle of the oven. Turn the temperature down to 375 degrees F. Bake for 30-35 minutes (don't peek!) until puffed and brown. Make sure all family members and/or guests are surrounding the oven to see the finished souffle. Accept any and all compliments. Serve immediately.