Roast Beef Finger Sandwiches with Herb Cream
Don't let the simple look of these little sandwiches fool you, they pack a powerful punch!
About two years ago, when my little food blog was but an infant and I wasn't sure if I was going to catch the food blogging bug or not, I posted this appetizer recipe. I had gotten the idea from a Cooking Light magazine, and they were so good that for the past two years I've never completely gotten them out of my head.
I did things a bit different this time and turned these into finger sandwiches instead of toasts, which is how they originally appear in the recipe. For toppings I used roast beef, Gorgonzola cheese, salami and a mixture arugula and spinach. But what really makes these babies pop is the sauce you use to coat both pieces of bread. It's a very simple mixture of sour cream, mayo, Worcestershire, garlic and herbs, but the taste is so unique and unforgettable, and absolutely perfect for a whole variety of different toppings. I'm already planning on making myself a nice little panini with the stuff tomorrow! These little sandwiches are perfect for parties, baby or bridal showers, or just those quiet moments when your kids are napping. Hope you enjoy!
Finger Sandwiches with Herb Cream
Adapted from Cooking Light
Ingredients
1 loaf soft white or sour dough bread
1 package deli thin sliced roast beef (or preferred meat), cut to fit size of sandwich
1 package salami, cut to fit sandwich
1/2 cup Gorgonzola
handful of spinach and arugula
Herb Cream:
2/3 cup fat-free sour cream
2 TB minced fresh chives
2 TB low-fat mayo
1 1/2 TB chopped fresh thyme (I used dried and it was fine)
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove minced
Directions
Stack bread on top of each other, about four high. Slice in half, and then trim off all crust. To assemble sandwiches, spread herb cream on each slice of bread. Add all ingredients to one slice of bread, and top with the second. Press gently on sandwich and secure with toothpick if desired. The bread will dry out quickly, so keep covered as much as possible until serving.
CEiMB: Kind-a, Sort-a...Not really...
I am crazy for spring rolls. I love how fresh and healthy they are, but with a ton of flavor. So when my turn to host Craving Ellie in My Belly came up, I immediately went for the Soft Asian Summer Rolls with Sweet and Tangy Dipping Sauce. I went to the grocery store(s), only to find that rice paper rounds are no where to be found...anywhere! Arrrrgh! I thought about a variety of substitutes, including the nori wraps used for sushi, but I just couldn't see myself using that for something as delicate as a spring roll.
Finally it hit me that the closest thing to rice paper would be a soft butter lettuce leaf. They're velvety and mild in flavor, plus you get the extra benefit of nutrients and vitamins. This was the moment that Spring Rolls became Lettuce Wraps.
Instead of assembling all of the wraps like you would a spring rolls, I simply laid out all of the ingredients for people to pick and choose what they wanted. I had shredded carrot, cilantro, salted peanuts, cucumbers, rice noodles tossed in sesame oil, chopped chicken and shrimp. I also made the Sweet and Savory sauce in the spring roll recipe, as well as giving the option for a peanut sauce and a sweet chili sauce. I used all three in each of my wraps!
The result? A lunch that I will have again and again! It's quick, easy to assemble, and I feel healthier when I eat it! Later that night since I hadn't quite had enough, I filled a bowl with the rice noodles, piled on a bunch of ingredients with the sauces and went to town. Oh! I love this stuff!
My apologies to CEiMB for not making the Spring Rolls that I in fact chose, but I really did try! Hopefully the lettuce wraps will make a good substitute!
CEiMB: Five Layer Mexican Bean Dip
I am in love with any type of party food, mostly because it usually means there is a party attached to it! This week's CEiMB recipe was perfect because last night I had a little scrapbooking gathering with some girls in our card club. By the end of the night, it was GONE, which almost never happens, I was thrilled! There is no way you're going to eat this and know that it's lowfat. It's so full of flavor and heat that you'll feel like you're indulging. This is actually the second layered bean dip I've posted and I think I like Ellie's more then my own!
A little tip with chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, since usually you open an entire can to use just one. To avoid having to throw the rest away, freeze the peppers, individually in small baggies, and thaw right before use. A great tip if you're like me and you lose sleep over wasted food!
Five Layer Mexican Bean Dip
By Ellie Krieger
Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon minced chipotle pepper in adobo
4 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups corn kernels (10-ounce box frozen corn)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
2 ripe avocados
4 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion
1 tablespoon finely diced jalapeno pepper, optional
3/4 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar
Directions
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until they soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
Put half of the onion mixture into a food processor with the black beans, chipotle pepper, 2 tablespoons of the lime juice, cumin, water and salt. Puree until smooth. Set aside.
Add the corn to the skillet with the remaining onion mixture and cook for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro leaves.
In a small bowl mash the avocado with the remaining lime juice. In a medium bowl toss together the tomatoes, scallion and jalapeno, if using. Season tomato mixture with salt and pepper, to taste.
Spread the black bean dip into the bottom of an 8 by 8 glass baking or serving dish. Top with the corn mixture, spreading it out to form a single layer over the beans, repeat with the avocado, then the tomatoes. Top with cheese. Serve with baked chips.
Serves: 12, a serving size is 1/2 cup
Per Serving:Calories 140; Total Fat 8 g; (Sat Fat 2 g, Mono Fat 3 g, Poly Fat 0.7 g) ; Protein 5g; Carb 16 g; Fiber 5g; Cholesterol 6mg; Sodium 245 mg
Points per Serving:3!
You still have until 10pm tonight to enter here in my giveaway for a Silpat, don't miss out!!
A New Year!
Well, I know it's already the fourth, but what the heck...
It's good to be back! How was everyone's holiday? I did my best to check up on ya'll from time to time, but I have to admit, I missed our regular interactions. We are back from our vacation, still getting unpacked, but excited about the new year. I feel so good about 2010 and I have a lot of goals, but first things first...
Check out my blog! My super talented, web designin' brother voluntarily made me a new header and background. What a Christmas present! I love what he's done with it, and yes, I look exactly like the girl in my header (snort, cough). If you're interested in having your blog redone by Kendall, email him at kendall@bengalworks.com for pricing and packages.
And now onto my goals. I don't know about you, but I love making new year resolutions. I do it every year, and I make a lot. I never accomplish all of them, but I do accomplish some, and it feels so good. Some of the goals I have in the kitchen are:
1. Eat healthier. I'm not going to say lose weight. I would like to lose weight, but it's not about weight right now as much as it is about health. I need to eat healthier and exercise to avoid diseases that run strong in my family. I need to be healthier for my joints, muscles and skin. I want to have energy for my family and obligations. I also want to keep my husband and kids healthy, and being the primary cook in the home warrants me that responsibility. AND, if I happen to lose weight on that particular journey, then that would be a fantastic bonus!
2. Join at least two clubs this year. I've already joined the HBin5, which I am so excited about (my sweet man got me the book for Christmas). Does anyone have any recommendations for another club that you've enjoyed? I think this would be a fun way to push myself and meet new people.
3. Make homemade ravioli, potstickers and beef wellington. I've been intrigued with all three of these things and I'm dying to try them myself.
4. Create more original recipes. Most of the things I post are simply recipes that I have found to be very good. I think it would be so fun to start experimenting and writing up my own dishes.
So there you have it, now that it's all out there, I'll be more likely to do it! It will take a week or so to post the mouthwatering foods that are responsible for my unwanted holiday pounds, but after that hopefully there will be some goal accomplishing!
And on to the food. Since this has already been a long post, I'll just show you what our Christmas Eve meal was comprised of. We decided this year we would just set out a huge spread of appetizers to fill up on. This is such a fun idea because everyone gets so full, but also gets to try a huge variety of fun party food.
My mom made these awesome pears, covered in a Gorgonzola mixture and dipped in pecans. Heaven!
We also had a fantastic shrimp cocktail and veggie tray, two of my holiday "must-haves."
And I was SO excited because I finally got to make a cheese platter. I've been wanting to try one of these for a long time. Unfortunately when I went to Costco, the cheese selection was a little slim, but it was still fun. I followed Ina's rule, which is to have one hard cheese, one blue cheese, and one soft cheese. For the soft cheese, I used a triple cream Brie. For the blue, I used a cheese called Cambozo, which was a very soft and subtle blue cheese. It was delicious on apples. And for the hard cheese, I used a cheese called Comte. It had the flavor of Swiss or Gruyere, and it was pretty good, but I probably would have preferred something a bit tangier like Pecorino Romano. And for good measure I threw in some Baby Bellas, which is a soft and mild cheese, great for kids. It was so fun and came out rather pretty if I may say so myself.
Throw in a bunch of cookies, candy, chicken fingers, hot bean dip, and spring rolls, and here you have the final spread. Mmmmmm, can it be Christmas again!
And last, but not least, I'd like to thank Debbie, at Dining with Debbie for this cute award! I am just getting to know Debbie, but I already really enjoy her for her fun posts, personality and delicious food.
Thanks Debbie! I'm going to think of who to pass this on to!
Phew, well, there you have it! I wish you all health, peace and prosperity this year of 2010 and may your tables always be full of good food!
It's good to be back! How was everyone's holiday? I did my best to check up on ya'll from time to time, but I have to admit, I missed our regular interactions. We are back from our vacation, still getting unpacked, but excited about the new year. I feel so good about 2010 and I have a lot of goals, but first things first...
Check out my blog! My super talented, web designin' brother voluntarily made me a new header and background. What a Christmas present! I love what he's done with it, and yes, I look exactly like the girl in my header (snort, cough). If you're interested in having your blog redone by Kendall, email him at kendall@bengalworks.com for pricing and packages.
And now onto my goals. I don't know about you, but I love making new year resolutions. I do it every year, and I make a lot. I never accomplish all of them, but I do accomplish some, and it feels so good. Some of the goals I have in the kitchen are:
1. Eat healthier. I'm not going to say lose weight. I would like to lose weight, but it's not about weight right now as much as it is about health. I need to eat healthier and exercise to avoid diseases that run strong in my family. I need to be healthier for my joints, muscles and skin. I want to have energy for my family and obligations. I also want to keep my husband and kids healthy, and being the primary cook in the home warrants me that responsibility. AND, if I happen to lose weight on that particular journey, then that would be a fantastic bonus!
2. Join at least two clubs this year. I've already joined the HBin5, which I am so excited about (my sweet man got me the book for Christmas). Does anyone have any recommendations for another club that you've enjoyed? I think this would be a fun way to push myself and meet new people.
3. Make homemade ravioli, potstickers and beef wellington. I've been intrigued with all three of these things and I'm dying to try them myself.
4. Create more original recipes. Most of the things I post are simply recipes that I have found to be very good. I think it would be so fun to start experimenting and writing up my own dishes.
So there you have it, now that it's all out there, I'll be more likely to do it! It will take a week or so to post the mouthwatering foods that are responsible for my unwanted holiday pounds, but after that hopefully there will be some goal accomplishing!
And on to the food. Since this has already been a long post, I'll just show you what our Christmas Eve meal was comprised of. We decided this year we would just set out a huge spread of appetizers to fill up on. This is such a fun idea because everyone gets so full, but also gets to try a huge variety of fun party food.
My mom made these awesome pears, covered in a Gorgonzola mixture and dipped in pecans. Heaven!
We also had a fantastic shrimp cocktail and veggie tray, two of my holiday "must-haves."
And I was SO excited because I finally got to make a cheese platter. I've been wanting to try one of these for a long time. Unfortunately when I went to Costco, the cheese selection was a little slim, but it was still fun. I followed Ina's rule, which is to have one hard cheese, one blue cheese, and one soft cheese. For the soft cheese, I used a triple cream Brie. For the blue, I used a cheese called Cambozo, which was a very soft and subtle blue cheese. It was delicious on apples. And for the hard cheese, I used a cheese called Comte. It had the flavor of Swiss or Gruyere, and it was pretty good, but I probably would have preferred something a bit tangier like Pecorino Romano. And for good measure I threw in some Baby Bellas, which is a soft and mild cheese, great for kids. It was so fun and came out rather pretty if I may say so myself.
Throw in a bunch of cookies, candy, chicken fingers, hot bean dip, and spring rolls, and here you have the final spread. Mmmmmm, can it be Christmas again!
And last, but not least, I'd like to thank Debbie, at Dining with Debbie for this cute award! I am just getting to know Debbie, but I already really enjoy her for her fun posts, personality and delicious food.
Thanks Debbie! I'm going to think of who to pass this on to!
Phew, well, there you have it! I wish you all health, peace and prosperity this year of 2010 and may your tables always be full of good food!
Gingerbread House Party and Happy Holidays!
Seeing as this is in fact a Blog About Food, I figured it would be only appropriate to post my gingerbread house party. This is the second one I've done in a row, and I'm really hoping it becomes an annual thing, it's so much fun, especially since the entire thing is involving food!
About a month before the party I make the gingerbread houses, which are the same houses my mom has been making for us our entire lives. They are small and simple, but made out of real gingerbread and are so cute. I freeze them, and then the day before the party, I assemble them with hot glue. It's probably not the most traditional way to assemble them, but it's non-toxic, peels right off, and ensures the fewest broken down houses. I also provided the frosting and piping bags, and then everyone brings a different candy to decorate with.
And here you have the fabulous people that came! You'll notice there are no kids, I think adults should be able to have some good, old fashioned Christmas fun too, don't you! I love these girls. Lots of laughing, eating, and staying up way too late, so fun!
And on to the food.
In the crockpot are Li'l Smokies, dressed in a very complicated sauce of ketchup and mustard. Sounds a bit too simple, but trust me, it's fantastic, and everyone is surprised when they find out that's all it is. There was also a veggie tray with a side of ranch dip (gotta keep the veggies around during the holidays!)
Alissa, from Spunky Girl Eats, brought her fabulous stuffed mushrooms, which disappeared SO quickly. Oh my gosh these were good!
I made Melanie, from My Kitchen Cafe's fantastic cheesecake cookies, bejeweled in a strawberry and blueberry pie filling, how pretty are these, great cookies Melanie!
And of course I had to make cakeballs. I made dark chocolate and mint chocolate cake balls, both made with chocolate cake and chocolate frosting. The mint cakeballs are coated in a mint-chocolate shell using the Wilton candy chips. They were good, but not quite minty enough for me, next time I'm going to put some chopped Andes mints right into the cakeballs.
We had other people bring fantastic treats too, but unfortunately I didn't get pictures of it all. Suffice it to say, there was plenty of food to go around!
I'm so happy with the way things turned out, and I'm already looking forward to doing it again next year. Thank you so much girls for making it a fun night!
And now we're getting ready to board a plane tomorrow to Idaho to spend two blissful weeks with my favorite people in the world. Because of that, I'm probably going to be signing off for the year 2009, it's been a great year hasn't it! So a toast!
My family does an eggnog toast every Christmas Eve, but inevitably they get really silly and by the end of the toast we're all in stitches. Since eggnog is so rich, I can't drink a lot of it, but my friend suggested thinning it out with a bit of Sprite or 7up. It might sound a bit crazy, but it's really delicious and cuts the thickness without losing a lot of flavor. I also love that it's bubbly! So here's to a wonderful holiday and a promising new year! Thank you everyone for all of your support and willingness to read throughout the months, it has made food blogging so very enjoyable. I'll see you all in 2010!
Cheers!
Cheese and Pesto Puff Pastries
I know these might not be much to look at, but trust me when i say that this might be the most delicious appetizer you ever make, if not the richest! These puff pastries are stuffed with a sharp provolone cheese sauce, a tangy pesto, crunchy bacon bits, and bright tomato to even it all out. The first time I made these, I didn't add tomato because I didn't think I could make it fit with all the other ingredients, well, I would try hard to make it fit because they are the perfect ingredient to round out the richness of the other ingredients. This is such a delicious party food, and they'll disappear in no time!
I am going to post the original recipe, but here are my notes. I really only need half of the cheese sauce that you are instructed to make, I will definitely half it next time. Also, I wouldn't bother letting this sit in your fridge before cooking. In fact, I think it made them a bit soggy and greasy. The second time I made them, they came out so puffy and crispy, much better. Enjoy!
Cheese and Pesto Puff Pastries
By Favorite Brand Name Appetizers
Ingredients
1 package puff pastry dough, thawed
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
6 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup flour
2 1/4 cups heavy cream
8 ounces sharp provolone cheese, shredded
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper
fresh plum tomatoes, diced
basil pesto (the refrigerated stuff in the grocery store is the best)
Cooked bacon (4-5 slices) crumbled
Directions
1. Roll puff pastry dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut dough into 3-inch circles. Mix egg and water in small bowl. Brush surface of each circle lightly with egg mixture. Set aside.
2. Melt butter in heavy saucepan. Whisk flour, then cream. Continue stirring until mixture thickens and becomes smooth. Remove from heat. Add Provolone, Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. Place 2 teaspoons of mixture onto each pastry circle and top each with several pieces of tomato. Add 1/4 teaspoon pesto and a few pieces crumbled bacon to each circle. Cover pastry with another circle of dough and using your fingers, press the edges together to seal. Place pastries on lightly greased baking sheets. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours, or overnight (nah).
3. Preheat oven to 375F. Bake pastries about 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.
Does this look familiar to anyone? If you are a visitor of Biz's blog, Biggest Diabetic Loser, you know that she's always got such fantastic pictures and food. I always look forward to seeing what she's up to. Well, a few weeks ago, she posted this gorgeous picture after going on a walk during a foggy day. I had commented that I wanted to blow that picture up and hang it on my wall. A day or two later, she sent me the file and I was able to do just that. Isn't it gorgeous! I love my bloggy friends. Thanks Biz, we love it!
Baked Caprese Salad on Ciabatta
I think one of the biggest reasons I keep food blogging is because of how much I enjoy getting to know my food bloggy friends. Even though we only know each other through the world wide web, I still feel as though I have made great friends who share the same love for food.
However, I also have the pleasure of know two of my food bloggy friends in person, Sara from Sara in the Kitchen, and Alissa from Spunky Girl Eats, and it's been so fun having friends that are perfectly content discussing food for hours on end (because I know I can!). So we finally decided that it was time we come together and enjoy good food and good company for a food blogger's lunch.
I contributed the appetizer and salad, which I will feature tomorrow. I kept the appetizer very simple, but oh so delicious by making a baked caprese salad on ciabatta. I don't think I could possibly ever get enough of the tomato, mozzarella and basil combination, it's without a doubt the best threesome out there (Donna, that's for you!)
This is such a cheesy and flavorful appetizer, and converts very easily into a panini if you'd prefer it as a meal instead. It requires few ingredients and takes about ten minutes to throw together. Just be sure to use FRESH mozzarella. It melts so much better and has such a good flavor, cheesetastic!
Baked Caprese Salad on Ciabatta
Ingredients
1 ciabatta baguette, sliced
1 small block fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced thinly
4-5 Roma or campari tomatoes, sliced
6-7 fresh basil leaves, sliced into ribbons
olive oil
salt and pepper
Directions
Place ciabatta slices on baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and bake at 400 for 3-5 minutes, or until browned and toasted. Top with 1-2 tomato slices each, sprinkle salt and pepper. Then top with 1 slice of mozzarella. Sprinkle salt and pepper again and bake at 400 for 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted and just starting to bubble. Just before serving, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle fresh basil. Serve warm.
Be sure to check out Sara and Alissa's blogs for additional fantastic recipes!
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