Asian Chicken Sizzling Salad

From Kraft



Ingredients:
1 small boneless skinless chicken breast half (4 oz.)
1/2 tsp. oil
1/6 Kraft Sizzling Salads Asian Chicken Dinner Kit
3 cups tightly packed baby spinach leaves
1/4 cup drained canned mandarin oranges
1/4 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup fresh bean sprouts
1/4 cup halved snow peas
1 green onion, sliced
1 Tbsp. sliced almonds

Directions:
Cook chicken in hot oil in skillet on medium-high heat 4 to 5 min. on each side or until done (165ºF).

Add 2 Tbsp. Cooking Sauce; cook on low heat 1 min., turning chicken after 30 sec.

Combine remaining ingredients. Add 2 Tbsp. Dressing; mix lightly. Serve with chicken.

Comments:
I skipped the spinach and the dressing since I'm not a fan of sesame oil, but I really liked the cooking sauce. Adam liked the whole thing. We picked this Sizzling Salad kit up for FREE because it was on sale and had a coupon that doubled. Can't beat that. We also got the Caesar kit and look forward to trying that one.

Spinach Mushroom Pasta

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
8 ounces whole-wheat pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pound sliced mushrooms
6 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup milk
8 cups lightly packed spinach
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Boil 2 qts. water in a large pot and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.

2. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan, add garlic and mushrooms, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add cream cheese and milk and heat until boiling, stirring often. Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then pour over pasta. Sprinkle with chives and serve with parmesan on the side.

Comments:
I liked this one but it was another case of lactose overload in the aftermath. Something about creamy sauces just doesn't jive with my digestive system. I've really been trying to give mushrooms a chance and it seems like if they're cooked I can deal with them.

Gyro Meatloaf

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 pounds ground lamb or ground beef
1 cup refrigerated tzatziki sauce

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Crumble lamb over mixture and mix well. Shape into a loaf and place in a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until no pink remains and a thermometer reads 160°. Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with tzatziki sauce.

Comments:
This was really good. I used beef and skipped the tzatziki, but the meatloaf had really good flavors. I'm a sucker for spinach hidden inside of something else and the oregano just makes the whole house smell wonderful.

Gorgonzola, Spinach & Cheddar Chicken

From Living Well, Health & Fitness Column, The Associated Press 2010



Ingredients:
1 1/2 T. olive oil, divided
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed
1 t. Italian seasoning
1 oz. shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1 oz. crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 c. seasoned breadcrumbs
2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
2 T. chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper
2 large egg whites

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. In a medium skillet over medium-high, heat 1 T. of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté until translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the spinach and Italian seasoning, cook until all liquid has evaporated. Mix in both cheeses. Set aside.

3. Lay each chicken breast flat on a cutting board. Make a horizontal slit along one side to create a pocket in the meat. Do not cut all the way through. Place a quarter of the cheese mixture in the pocket, then press the meat together over it. Do with all 4 breasts.

4. Mix breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper. In another bowl, lightly beat the egg whites. Dip chicken in the egg whites, and then roll in the bread crumbs.

5. In a skillet, heat remaining 1/2 T. of oil. Add chicken. Cook until brown on one side. Turn breast over and place skillet in oven. Bake until no longer pink in the center (20 min.)

Comments:
Pretty easy, although these tiny chicken breasts we get make it hard to get much stuffing in them. 4oz portion size - pfft! Anywho, aside from the spillage outage issue, very yummy.

Chicken Florentine Meatballs

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
2 eggs, beaten
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 pound ground chicken

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Crumble chicken over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1-1/2-in. balls.

Place meatballs on a rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until no longer pink.

Comments:
I skipped the sauce and squash part of the recipe and just stuck with the meatballs. They were really good. I hesitate to use ground chicken because it always seems to be so mushy, but the breadcrumbs in this recipe really helped to hold everything together.

Grilled Salmon with Chorizo and Fingerlings

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
Cooking spray
1/4 cup minced shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
3/4 pound fingerling potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 ounces Spanish chorizo sausage, diced
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
2 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves
1 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:
1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

2. Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shallots and garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add 1/4 cup chicken broth. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 3 minutes or until shallots are tender. Stir in remaining 1 1/4 cups broth, potatoes, and chorizo; bring to a simmer. Simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender; stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add spinach to pan; cover. Remove from heat; stir to combine. Keep warm.

3. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and paprika evenly over fillets. Lightly coat fillets with cooking spray; arrange fillets in a single layer, skin side up, on grill rack. Grill 2 minutes. Rotate fillets a quarter turn on the same side; grill 3 minutes or until well marked. Turn fillets over; grill 5 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.

4. Place 1 fillet in each of 4 shallow bowls; ladle 3/4 cup potato mixture over fish. Drizzle 3/4 teaspoon oil over each serving.

Comments:
I (of course) didn't have any of the salmon, but the potato/chorizo/spinach part of the dish was wonderful. The broth thickens into a great sauce and the chorizo gives it just the right amount of spicy undertone. Adam said the salmon was good too.

Penne with Bacon, Butternut Squash, and Spinach

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1 pound penne rigate pasta
6 slices bacon
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
3 cups baby spinach
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta for 7 minutes (the pasta will only be partially cooked). Drain, reserving 2 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water.

2. Meanwhile, in an extra-large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then crumble the bacon once it is cool enough to handle. Discard all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the pan.

3. Add the olive oil and squash to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 7 minutes. Add the pasta and 2 cups of the reserved pasta cooking water. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until the pasta and squash are cooked, about 5 minutes, adding additional pasta cooking water if needed.

4. Remove from the heat and stir in the spinach, garlic and parsley. Season generously with salt and pepper; sprinkle with the cheese and crumbled bacon.

Comments:
I halved everything in this recipe except for the squash so it ended up almost unbearably squash-y. Adam's comment? It would be good without the squash. *sigh* I take responsibility for that one. I don't know why it didn't occur to me to only use half the squash... Duh.

Spinach Salad with Feta and Mandarin Oranges

From The Biggest Loser Family Cookbook, but I got it as part of the Wellness emails they send out at work.



Ingredients:
14 c loosely packed spinach leaves, stems removed
10.5 oz can unsweetened mandarin oranges in juice, drained
1.5 oz finely crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
1/2 c red onion slivers
6 Tbs light balsamic vinaigrette
1 lb grilled chicken strips

Directions:
In a large salad bowl, combine the spinach, oranges, feta, and onion. Pour the vinaigrette over the mixture and toss. Divide into 4 serving dishes and top with chicken.

Comments:
14 cups just looks wrong, but that's what it says. I used about half of a large bag of baby spinach and it made enough for two people. I also skipped the dressing, mostly because I discovered the bottle I had in the fridge had expired. In January. Whoops. I don't think it really even needed dressing anyway - the juice from the oranges keeps everything moist and full of flavor.

As everyone knows, I can't stand oranges, but mandarin oranges are ok for some reason. I can't explain it...

Turkey Strudel

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
7 tablespoons butter
2 onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 pounds ground dark-meat turkey
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted and finely chopped
8 ounces baby spinach
Salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten
9 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, cardamom and cinnamon and cook, stirring, until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey and cook, breaking up the meat, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the pine nuts.

2. Return the skillet to high heat. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Drain, squeezing out the excess liquid. Chop the spinach and add to the turkey mixture; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the egg.

3. In a microwave, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, lay out a sheet of phyllo and brush with some melted butter. Place another sheet on top and brush with more butter. Repeat with the remaining phyllo and butter.

4. Mound the turkey mixture lengthwise into the center of the phyllo. Fold the short ends over the filling and brush with butter. Fold a long end over the filling, then roll up to enclose. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Halve the roll crosswise, then cut each half diagonally.

Comments:
I used puff pastry instead of phyllo as usual and it turned out fine. I also left out the butter completely, cooking the onions in olive oil and the turkey in its own fat. Overall, good flavor. Not spectacular.

Spanish Tortilla

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 medium potatoes, cooked and diced
10oz box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup egg substitute
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 ground nutmeg

Directions:
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Saute the onions until golden, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic; cook, stirring, 1 minute longer. Stir in the potatoes, spinach, egg substitute, parsley, salt, pepper, thyme, and nutmeg. Reduce the heat and cook, covered, until set and browned on bottom, about 10-15 minutes.
Loosen the edges with a knife and invert onto a warm platter, or serve directly from the skillet.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 2

Comments:
Simple, basic, tasty. Plus it's meatless and has potatoes. That's always good in my book. I actually used real garlic this time too since I needed it for something else later this week anyway. Wow, that stuff is strong - makes the whole house smell like an Italian restaurant. We'll see how it treats Adam's digestive system. :)

Greek Pizza

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
2 tsp canola oil
1 onion, chopped
1 10oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
1/3 cup reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 pound pizza dough at room temperature

Directions:
1. Arrange one rack on the bottom rung of the oven. Preheat oven to 450.

2. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 6 minutes. If the onion seems to dry, add 1/4 cup water and cook, stirring frequently, until the water has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook, stirring frequently, until the flavors are blended, about 3 minutes. Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the ricotta, feta, dill, scallions, and pepper until well blended.

3. Sprinkle a work surface lightly with flour. Turn the dough onto the surface. Cut the dough into 2 pieces. Knead each piece lightly, then with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll each into a 12-inch circle. Transfer one circle of dough to a nonstick pizza pan or baking sheet and gently pull the dough back to a 12-inch circle.

4. Spoon the spinach mixture on the dough, spreading the mixture to 1 inch from the edge. Brush the edge with water. Place the second circle of dough on top and crimp the edges to seal. Cut 4 slashes ontop. Bake on the bottom rack of the oven until the filling is hot and the crust is golden, about 25 minutes.

Serves 6. POINTS Value per serving: 5

Comments:
I won't be making this one again. I made a few mistakes in the execution (note to self: never, ever buy Roundy's brand pizza dough again) and it seemed to not agree with Adam's digestive system.

Sizzling Salmon and Spinach Salad with Soy Vinaigrette

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
DRESSING:
3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon chile paste with garlic or 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

SALAD:
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil, divided
4 cups thinly sliced shiitake or button mushroom caps (about 8 ounces)
1 cup (1-inch) sliced green onions
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)
8 cups baby spinach
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1 cup red bell pepper strips

Directions:
Preheat broiler.

To prepare dressing, combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl, and stir well with a whisk.

To prepare salad, heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and 1 cup onions; sauté 8 minutes. Stir in corn; remove from heat.

Place the fish on a foil-lined baking sheet; brush evenly with 1 teaspoon oil. Broil 8 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Place 2 cups spinach on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1/4 cup bean sprouts, 1/4 cup red bell pepper, 1/2 cup mushroom mixture, and 1 fillet. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons dressing over each salad.

Comments:
There is A LOT going on in this one. All kinds of veggies, fish, a dressing. It comes together pretty easily, but I still had to have Adam check the fish. I never know when it's done. He liked all the different flavors that come together. I, of course, didn't eat this. I had this lentil soup instead (also meatless, not fishy.) I always make a big batch and freeze it. Yum.

Grilled Ham, Muenster, and Spinach Sandwiches

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
8 (3/4-ounce) slices crusty Chicago-style Italian bread (about 1/2 inch thick), toasted
8 ounces thinly sliced lower-sodium deli ham (such as Boar's Head)
4 (1-ounce) slices reduced-sodium Muenster cheese (such as Alpine Lace)
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1/4 cup mild chowchow (such as Braswell's)
Cooking spray

Directions:
1. Layer each of 4 bread slices with 2 ounces ham, 1 slice Muenster cheese, 1/2 cup baby spinach, 1 tablespoon chowchow, and 1 bread slice.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat sandwiches with cooking spray; add to pan. Cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned and cheese melts. Cut sandwiches in half, if desired. Serve immediately.

Comments:
Obviously omitted the chowchow. Gross... Used whole wheat bread and a panini press. There were pretty good. The spinach was a little challenging to get onto the sandwich but it wilted nicely when heated.

Pasta with Prosciutto and Spinach

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 (9-ounce) package fresh cheese tortellini (such as DiGiorno)
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 teaspoon olive oil
6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 (6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach
1/4 cup (1 ounce) preshredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. Transfer pasta to a large bowl.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add nuts to pan; cook 1 1/2 minutes or until toasted, stirring occasionally. Add nuts to bowl.

3. Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add spinach to pan; cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts, stirring constantly. Add spinach mixture, cheese, and remaining ingredients to bowl; toss well.

Comments:
Another recipe where the number of servings is questionable. It's supposed to make four, but we got maybe 3. And I measured every last ingredient and used a one-cup measuring cup for plating. Argh. This was pretty good. Much better use for prosciutto, although I did alter the recipe a little bit and threw the prosciutto into the pan with the spinach to heat through.

Salmon Delight Burgers

From Everyday With Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
Salt
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 pound salmon fillet, skinned
3 large eggs, 2 hard-boiled and sliced
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 brioche rolls, split and toasted
1 bunch baby spinach (about 2 cups)

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt and mint; season with salt. In a medium bowl, add the cucumber and sprinkle with salt; let stand for 15 minutes, then transfer to paper towels to drain.

2. Meanwhile, slice the salmon lengthwise into ¼-inch-wide strips, cut in half crosswise, then cut into ¼-inch pieces. In a medium bowl, beat the raw egg with ½ teaspoon salt. Stir in the salmon.

3. In a large, nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the salmon mixture in 4 mounds; gently press to form 4 patties. Cook, turning once, for 6 minutes.

4. Place a salmon patty on each roll bottom; top with 2 tablespoons yogurt-mint sauce, some cucumber, sliced hard-boiled egg, spinach and a roll top.

Comments:
I left out the yogurt-mint sauce since Adam didn't want it. I also tried to halve this since I wasn't going to eat it, but I ended up with a lot less salmon meat than I thought I would after I skinned it so the burger itself ended up very eggy. I even drained a lot of the egg off through my fingers as I put the meat in the pan to cook, but it still ended up kind of sad-looking. Oh well. He ate it. Even though I screwed up the hard-boiled egg thing again. It's kind of pathetic that I can't get an egg to a decent hard-boiled state. I suppose if I liked them I'd have more of an incentive to figure it out...

Omelet Croissants

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1 green onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1/2 teaspoon butter
2 croissants, split
4-1/2 teaspoons ranch salad dressing
4 slices Canadian bacon
4 slices Muenster cheese
1/2 cup fresh arugula
4 thin slices tomato

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, water and bouillon; set aside.

In a small nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the onion, red pepper and lemon-pepper in butter until tender.

Add egg mixture. As eggs set, push cooked edges toward the center, letting uncooked portion flow underneath. When eggs are completely set, fold omelet in half and cut into two wedges.

Spread croissants with salad dressing. On croissant bottoms, layer the bacon, omelet, cheese, arugula and tomato. Replace croissant tops.
Cook on a panini maker or indoor grill for 2-4 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Comments:
The picture above is Adam's - no tomato. Here's mine - with tomato, no spinach:



Yeah, I subbed spinach for the arugula since that's what I had here and we (well, ok, Adam) like it better. Also swapped Canadian for regular bacon and ranch dressing for mayo. I can't make an omelet to save my life. Once again I ended up scrambled eggs. There must be a secret I don't know...

Anyway, overall, good recipe. Adam was confused as to why you'd use croissants and then smoosh them in a panini press. He has a point, but the flaky texture is still present, although in a smooshed capacity.

Spicy Turkey (or Chicken) Jack Flats

From Everyday With Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1 pound store-bought pizza dough
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 onions, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 cups shredded Butter-Basted Turkey meat
One 5-ounce bag baby spinach
Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions:
1. Position a rack in the lower half of the oven, place an inverted large baking sheet on the rack and preheat to 500°. Divide the pizza dough into 6 pieces and roll into balls; transfer to a lightly floured surface and cover with a towel.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 12 minutes.

3. Stretch the dough balls into 7-inch rounds. Brush each round with 1 teaspoon olive oil; place on 3 sheets of parchment paper.

Comments:
I altered the recipe a little bit. (What? I never do that...) I used chicken because, well, that's what I have. This was from the November issue and I guess you're supposed to use leftover turkey. I do have a turkey downstairs in the freezer, but since we didn't host the meal here, I had no leftovers. Also, I skipped the pizza dough fuss and just bought flatbread at the store. Much easier if you ask me. So, other than that I stuck to the plan. These were tasty - not too spicy.

No Crust (Spinach) Artichoke Quiche Squares

From Recipezaar.com



Ingredients:
1/3 cup dry sherry or apple juice
2 tablespoons chopped red onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 (10 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
3 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
1/4 teaspoon marjoram or basil
1 pinch cayenne pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. In medium non stick skillet over medium heat, heat sherry or apple juice, add onion and garlic. Cook until soft, but not brown,stirring frequently for about 3 minutes. Spoon mixture into medium bowl, and add all the other ingredients,and mix well. Pour batter into a lightly oiled 8 inch square baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until set and lightly browned. To serve, cut into squares. Can be served hot or cold.

Comments:
I made this as an appetizer for Thanksgiving down at my Dad and Cheryl's house. I added some spinach for color and flavor. I don't know if it was that there were so many other things to choose from or if it totally sucked, but hardly any of it was gone when we left. I have most of it in the fridge. We'll see if it gets eaten.

The corner I tested tasted fine... I'd definitely say try and serve it warm though. Also, it took my oven more like 45 minutes to get the quiche set and browned.

Provolone 'n' Turkey Sandwiches

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
4 slices rye bread
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 slices provolone cheese (1/2 ounce each)
10 spinach leaves
4 ounces sliced deli peppered turkey
4 roasted sweet red pepper strips
4 teaspoons butter

Directions:
Spread two bread slices with mustard. Layer with cheese, spinach, turkey and red pepper. Top with remaining bread. Spread outsides of sandwiches with butter. In a large skillet over medium heat, toast sandwiches for 3 minutes on each side or until cheese is melted.

Comments:
I used whole wheat bread again. Perhaps I left it on a little too long. It still tasted ok so I'm not too worried about that. :) Left off the red pepper since we don't like them much.

Another simple sandwich option. Good for those nights I work late and come home to both hungry cats and a hungry husband.

Bistro Breakfast Panini

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
6 bacon strips
1 teaspoon butter
4 eggs, beaten
4 slices sourdough bread (3/4 inch thick)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 ounces Brie or Camembert cheese, thinly sliced
8 thin slices apple
1/2 cup fresh baby spinach
2 tablespoons butter, softened

Directions:
In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain.

Meanwhile, heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add eggs; cook and stir until set.

Place eggs on two slices of bread; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Layer with cheese, apple, bacon, spinach and remaining bread. Butter outsides of sandwiches. Cook on a panini maker or indoor grill for 3-4 minutes or until bread is browned and cheese is melted.

Comments:
These were delicious! I omitted the spinach, but other than that I stuck to the plan. I used Granny Smith apples and these cute mini brie wedges:



Wee Brie! Adorable!

I still can't get them to brown on the press. I even cranked it all the way up this time. I'm not sure what that's about. But they tasted just fine. At least they weren't soggy like the turkey sandwiches always turn out to be.