Caprese Eggplant Grilled Cheese

White Sauce

There is nothing more comforting than a grilled cheese sandwich. I recently ate at a local restaurant which served a mozzarella grilled cheese sandwich—to say the least I was very disappointed with the results. I decided that the concept was good so I went home and created my own version of their sandwich which came out great. This is an Ideal sandwich for that special lunch or an informal dinner. Just think of a grilled cheese sandwich stuffed with mozzarella, eggplant, roasted tomato, and a homemade white pesto sauce.

Makes 4 Sandwiches

1 Baked Eggplant Recipe

8 slices Pepperidge Farms Hearty White Bread*

1 -2 Lg Ripe Tomatos (sliced ¼ inch thick)

Salt

8 oz. Fresh Mozzarella (sliced into 8 slices)

3 TBS Butter (room temperature)

White Sauce *

¼ C Greek Yogurt

1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

½ tsp Basil Pesto

Pinch of Salt

Prepare the Baked Eggplant according to my recipe on this blog.

In a small bowl whisk together the yogurt and the olive oil until smooth and thick. Whisk in the pesto until smooth.

Place the slices of tomato on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with a little salt. You should have eight slices of tomato. Place the tomatoes under the broiler for 5 minutes.

Slice the mozzarella into 8 even slices.

Assembly

Place 2 slices of baked eggplant, tomato and mozzarella on the bottom slice of bread. Spread a teaspoon of white sauce on the other slice of bread, and place it sauce side down on the sandwich. Cover the top of the bread with 1 teaspoon of butter.

Heat a griddle or large frying pan over medium high heat. Place the sandwich, buttered side down, on the hot griddle and spread 1 teaspoon of butter on the other side of the sandwich. Cook until both sides are a golden brown color. Serve hot and watch the mozzarella ooze from the sandwich.

* PRONTO SUBSTITUTE

White Bread – Only use white bread with this sandwich but always use the best quality bread you can find. A fresh baked loaf that is hand sliced thick is best but I also use Pepperidge Farm Country White.

White Sauce – This sauce is a healthy alternative to mayonnaise that adds zest to this sandwich. You can also add ½ tsp pesto to ¼ C of mayonnaise.

White Sauce

I’m a big fan of yogurt and I wanted a sandwich topping that has a savory flavor as an alternative to mayonnaise. By whipping together yogurt, olive oil and pesto I created the savory alternative I was looking for that enhances the flavors of a sandwich.

To print a copy of this recipe go to Caprese Eggplant Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

Baked Eggplant

Growing up, one of my favorite dishes was eggplant parmesan. However when my mother and I decided to join weight watchers she was determined to find a healthier alternative to the fried eggplant that is traditionally used. By baking the eggplant she was able to remove a ton of oil from the dish and it actually tasted better. The breadcrumbs soaked up the tomato sauce and the dish had a more balanced taste. Then we decided to try the baked eggplant right out of the oven—now it’s one of my families favorite vegetables.  I like it plain right out of the oven or drizzled with a little lemon juice. It’s also a basic building block for many dishes including eggplant parmesan or caprese eggplant grilled cheese.

Servings: 6

1 large Eggplant

1-2 large Eggs or 1/2 C Eggbeaters

1 tsp Olive Oil

1 C Progresso Italian Flavored Bread Crumbs

½ C grated Italian Cheese

1 tsp dried Parsley

½ tsp Garlic Powder

Olive Oil Cooking Spray

Peel the eggplant and then cut it into ¼ inch slices.  Do not cut the slices any thicker or they will be bitter.  In the first bowl beat the eggs with 1 tsp of water and 1 tsp of Olive Oil. In a second large bowl mix the bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, and garlic powder.

Preheat the oven to 350° and grease a large cookie sheet with olive oil cooking spray.
 

Dip each slice of eggplant first in the egg then in the breadcrumbs until coated on both sides.  Place the slices on a greased cookie sheet.  Spray the eggplant slices with cooking spray to help them brown and crisp.  Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the eggplant is cooked (golden brown and fork tender).

To print a copy of this recipe go to Baked Eggplant.

Parmesan Crusted Steak

Makes 1 serving*

Over the weekend I enjoyed a parmesan crusted steak at a local restaurant and I had to duplicate the recipe when I got home. This is an easy way to turn a backyard barbecue into and Italian feast by simply topping the steak with parmesan cheese. Just imagine a juicy steak crusted over with a layer of salty parmesan cheese.

Ingredients

Kosher Salt

8-10 oz Sirloin or Rib Eye Steak

2 TBS Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese*

¼ tsp Dried Parsley

Lightly sprinkle kosher salt over the top of the steaks and let them rest in the refrigerator uncovered for 1 hour.

Heat your grill to high heat.

Mix the grated parmesan and the dried parsley in a bowl.

Place the steaks on the grill until they have good grill marks (~ 2.5 – 3 minutes). Flip the steak and cover each steak with 2 tablespoons of the cheese and parsley mixture. Cook the steak for another 2.5-3 minutes or until it reaches the level of doneness you desire. I always use an instant-read meat thermometer to test for doneness.

Beef:
Rare	120° - 125°
Medium-Rare	130° - 135°
Medium	140° - 145°
Medium-Well	150° - 155°
Well Done	160° and above

* Pronto Substitutes

Serving – Just multiply this recipe by the number of steaks you are serving.

Parmesan – If you want a stronger cheese flavor use 1 TBS of grated parmesan and 1 TBS of grated Romano cheese

To print a copy of this recipe go to Parmesan Crusted Steak.

Restaurant Review: Rock-Ola Café Asheboro, NC

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1131 East Dixie Drive

Asheboro, NC 27203-8813
(336) 626-4001
http://www.rock-olacafe.com

Yesterday, while returning from the mummy exhibit in Charlotte, we decided to stop for dinner at the Rock-Ola Café in Asheboro. While my expectations were not very high when we stopped I was thrilled with the excellent level of service and the quality of food I enjoyed. The wait staff was exceptional, anticipating or needs, while giving us prompt and friendly service. I have not experienced this level of services in a very long time.

The food was also very good. I ordered a parmesan crusted 10 oz. sirloin steak. The steak was tender and cooked to perfection and the parmesan topping really took it over the top. You can be sure that I’m going to try to recreate this dish at home. My wife’s fajita salad was a treat for the eyes and well as for the mouth.

Irish Soda Bread

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17 and you don’t have to be Irish to enjoy this holiday. My mind immediately turns to corned beef and Irish soda bread. The Irish soda bread we eat today has little resemblance to the soda bread of the 1800s that actually used soda ash as a leavening agent. The quick bread that we identify with today as “Irish Soda Bread” differs in that it uses soft wheat and bicarbonate soda as a leavening agent. What developed was today’s sweet quick bread loaded with raisins and caraway seeds. A neighbor’s nanny, who had just emigrated from Ireland, reluctantly shared her mother’s recipe with my mother and we have made it on St. Patty’s day every year since. It’s the perfect accompaniment to corned beef and cabbage, balancing the saltiness of the corned beef with the sweetness of the bread. All that’s needed to complete this meal is a good stout.

Servings: 1 8" round of bread

1.5 C All Purpose Flour

½ tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Baking Powder

¼ tsp Table Salt

½ C Sugar

1 ½ TBS Caraway Seeds

1 C Raisins

¾ C Buttermilk (room temp)

½ TBS Melted Butter

1 Large Eggs

Preheat your oven to 350°F.  Grease and flour an 8” cake pan. 

Sift the flour into a large bowl then add the remaining dry ingredients (baking soda through caraway seeds) until thoroughly mixed.  Add the raisins to the dry mixture.  In a separate bowl, mix the room temperature buttermilk and the melted butter together, and then beat in the eggs.  Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients at a time to the buttermilk mixture and mix until incorporated.  Do not over mix. 

Pour the mixture into the cake pan and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the top is a dark golden brown. Insert a toothpick in the center to test for doneness.  The toothpick should come out dry. The bread must have a dark brown crust or it will not be cooked through. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.  Remove from the pan and complete cooling it on a wire rack.  Serve at room temperature.

To print a copy of this recipe go to Irish Soda Bread.