Grilled Cheeses

A grilled cheese sandwich has always been the epitome of comfort food to me. When my mom would babysit Riley when he was little, she would always make him one, on special Artisan bread that Dad picked up at a local bakery that was just perfect for grilling. And of course there would always be Campbell's Tomato Soup to dip it in. Inevitably it would be so yummy that he would request the same thing for dinner that night, and most of the time I would oblige. Once someone brings up "grilled cheeses", it's hard to pass up the opportunity to eat one.

You could use any kind of bread and any kind of cheese for a grilled cheese sandwich, but it's best to have a bread that will turn crunchy when it's toasted just right, and cheese that will be gooey and messy when melted.

The Kid has this figured out, as witnessed by this four layer monstrosity he created recently. We had just watched the movie "Chef" for the first time, and he has been inspired in the kitchen ever since. If you haven't seen it yet, you will want to make sure that you have the fixin's on hand to make a grilled cheese sandwich about halfway through the movie. If not, you will be craving one until you can get to the store for bread and cheese. Trust me.

Years ago we discovered the wonder that is Penzey's "Sandwich Sprinkle". Their headquarters is in Wisconsin, but they have retail outlets in many other states in the U.S.  I buy all of my spices and extracts a few times a year from the Penzey's website. I add a dash of Sandwich Sprinkle to both sides of the buttered bread before grilling it and it's FANtastic.

                                                    

Grilled Cheeses                                                                                               Printable Version

Two slices of bread, 1/2" thick

Butter

Two or more slices of cheese (American, Colby-Jack, Provolone, or a combination)

Penzey's Sandwich sprinkle (optional)

Butter one slice of the bread, getting all the way to the edges. Shake on some Sandwich Sprinkle, if using. Place the bread butter side down in a medium skillet, then turn it on to medium heat. Place the cheese slices on the bread, and top with the second slice of bread. Butter this piece, then shake on additional sandwich sprinkle. Let the sandwich cook slowly, so as not to burn it. Peek under the sandwich occasionally to see when the bread has browned to your liking. Flip the sandwich over and brown the other side. When finished, flip the sandwich onto a plate "hot side" up to prevent it from getting soggy, cut it in half, and serve with ketchup or tomato soup for dipping.

Venison

Our family hunts; birds, deer, elk, moose...Dad has passed on his knowledge and techniques through two generations, so far. Growing up we always had venison in the freezer, and processing and packaging it is a family affair.

We cut up our own deer, and bring part of it to a local meat locker to have it mixed with beef for ground meat. The rest is cut up into tenderloins, pounding steaks, and stew meat.

Thanks to a City bow hunt that Dad participated in this fall, we have already been able to eat some fresh venison steaks and burgers, but there is still room in the freezer for more!  Deer sticks and summer sausage are my favorites, so I'm hoping the next deer we get will be dedicated to them.

The kid finally learned the wrapping process, and was in charge of tape.  

Dad made this handy dandy paper cutter many years ago, and was in charge of ripping off just the right size sheets of freezer paper.

Mmmm...tenderloins.  These will be made into Swiss Steak with Mushrooms very soon.

We started hunting with Dad last year, and though we didn't see a thing, learning patience and enjoying some bologna sandwiches and Pringles in the deer stand was sure fun.  This year we will hopefully get to enjoy the full hunting experience, from shooting to eating.

Sausage and Kale Soup

We are so lucky in my town to have the privilege of being able to shop at two local Farmer's Markets that provide us fresh flowers, produce, and so much more.  We also have a gentleman that comes from about an hour away who is Mennonite, and he has his own stand on the other side of town once a week.  My family and I have visited his farm, and the way this family lives is truly amazing.  I know how hard gardening can be, the dirt and sweat and toil of the land, but they have it all figured out.  I respect them immensely for their dedication to their land, and for sharing it with those of us who make sure to visit them on Saturday mornings once the yearly harvest begins.

When you walk up to their stand, almost everything will have been freshly picked that morning; cobs of corn will be literally squeaking, potatoes will be freshly dug and washed of dirt, and the aroma of fresh basil will follow you at every turn.  Since I have a huge garden of my own, I often supplement my fridge with different varieties of veggies that I didn't plant, or buy tomatoes or beans in bulk for canning, and rhubarb to freeze for crisps.  But the best part is that they have fresh, organic meat.  The best of his offering is his specially seasoned breakfast sausage.  I buy at least three packages to keep on hand every time I'm there.

We usually brown some up for breakfast in an egg dish, mix it in with gravy to pour over warm buttermilk biscuits, crumble it onto homemade pizza, and add it to the sauce for our lasagna.  But this day, I used it to make "Sausage and Kale Soup". I have such an abundance of kale that just making "chips" won't suffice, so it will instead be added into this creamy soup and served with a loaf of hot, crusty bread.

This recipe received raves from the kid, which was good, because I'll do anything to get him to eat veggies. It makes a bunch, so we scooted some down the hill to Grandma and Grandpa so they could enjoy it as much as we did.

SAUSAGE AND KALE SOUP          Printable Version

1 pound seasoned breakfast sausage
6 slices bacon, diced
Olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, zested
32 oz. carton of beef broth
6 red potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. ground Ancho chili pepper (or more if you like things spicy)
3 cups kale, washed, dried, and chopped into bite-size pieces
2 cups half and half
1 c. fresh Parmesan cheese, shredded and divided

In a large soup pot, crumble in the breakfast sausage, add the bacon, and brown over medium-high heat until cooked through. Pour the meat into a bowl, leaving any drippings in the bottom of the pot.  If your meat is lean, you may need to add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan.  If so, add the olive oil, then add the onion and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the meat back into the pot.  Pour in the beef broth, add the potatoes, salt, pepper, dried oregano, and ground Ancho chili pepper.   Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the temperature to low.  Cover the pot and simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through.  Add in the kale, half and half, and 3/4 cup of the fresh Parmesan cheese, reserving the rest to top the soup when served.  Heat for about 5 minutes on medium heat until warm.  Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese.

Midwestern Caprese Salad

Fresh mozzarella has become more available in our grocery stores over the years, as have fresh herbs, such as basil.  You can usually find a good tomato somewhere around town as well.  But for the times when all those things aren't in abundance, I have come up with a tasty alternative to the traditional Italian Caprese Salad.

I like to make use of local food ingredients and things I buy during my travels.  One of my favorite things in the world is cheese curds, and years ago the only way to get them fresh was to make a trip over to Wisconsin, which isn't ever a bad idea.  My sister and I have had some awfully fun road trips in that direction, and every time we have come home with cheese curds.  Okay, not every time, sometimes they just don't make it all the way home.  They are a true Midwestern delight, though some people may shy away because of their name or simply because they may not look very tasty.  Oh, but they are so good. Especially when they are deep fried and served at The Minnesota State Fair.  Mmmm..

The Original Nelson Cheese Factory is our cheese store of choice, but they now have a location called Nelson Cheese and Deli in St. Paul where they deliver the little beauties in order to expand their market, and to save some of us from the drive.  And we are truly grateful.

With the first crop of tomatoes I had this year I decided to do a little spin on a family favorite hors d'oeuvre.  I am calling it "Midwestern Caprese Salad", and until I can get to Campania to enjoy the real thing, this will certainly do. First you need some tomatoes. 

I planted an assortment, and today I used yellow and red cherry tomatoes.  Cut them up,

then move on to the basil.  I started the growing season with a small pot of basil, and thinking that just wouldn't do for all the recipes I had planned to make this summer I planted an entire row in my garden.  Twelve batches of pesto later, it just keeps coming back.

Chiffonade the basil, or chop it more finely if you like.  Don't know what I mean by chiffonade?  Simply stack your fresh basil leaves, roll them up, then slice from one end to the other into strips.

Then it's on to the star of the show.  This is what your cheese curds will look like when you get them at Nelson's.

If you have to buy some at your local grocery store they will certainly do, they just won't have that telltale squeak when you bite into them, and for me that's half the fun.

Chop them up into bite size pieces and add them to the tomatoes. 

Add some salt, 

and some pepper,

and then a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil. 

Mix it all together and dig in, or serve it alongside a fun little sandwich like I did.

Egg salad is my number one favorite sandwich, always has been, always will be.  We all know there are a million different adaptations of it out there, but I will share my own.

Cut up your hard boiled eggs, add a little fresh parsley if you have it, some salt and pepper, a bit of mayonnaise and a squirt of mustard.  Taste it and add more of each ingredient as you see fit.

Then for the kicker.

At the time I made this I had some fresh carrots from our local Mennonite farm, but the next time I make it (probably this weekend) I will have carrots from my own garden to use.  Wherever yours are from, get them shredded and add some to the mix.  They add a hint of sweetness and essential vitamins as well. 

I piled my egg salad on a fresh piece of Naan bread, purchased on the same trip to St. Paul at Trader Joe's.  They just built a new store near my sister's house, and she has been in grocery shopping Heaven ever since.  If you see one, go there.  It's an amazing place.

Whatever you place your Midwestern Caprese Salad next to, don't forget a nice cold beverage to wash it down.  If we were eating the traditional Caprese there would be a good glass of vino next to my plate, but today an orange cream soda will do the trick.