Tag Archives: tomatoes

Loaded Veggie Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

This is the grilled cheese sandwich that you never knew you needed. Is it a bit over the top? Yes. But sometimes life calls for over the top delicious grilled cheese sandwiches. And when that happens – make this. 

Freshly made guacamole, sauteed onions, mushrooms and spinach, freshly sliced tomato and melted cheese come together to create this deliciousness.

And, like most things on this site, this is very customizable. Don’t like mushrooms? Leave them off. Want to add some meat? Go ahead! Want to go lighter on the cheese? That’s okay, just add one piece instead of two. I don’t suggest that, but I do agree, not every day is a two-piece of cheese sandwich kind of day. Some days are, but not every day.

Every layer of this sandwich is special and it all comes together so perfectly. The flavorful guacamole, the fresh, juicy tomatoes, the melty cheese, the onions, cooked with a splash of wine, the spinach and the caramelized balsamic mushrooms all come together to make one unforgettable sandwich. Dig in!

all


Loaded Veggie Grilled Cheese Sandwich

This is what I used for one sandwich. Double, triple, etc. as needed.

Ingredients

  • 2 slices your favorite bread
  • 1/2 of an avocado
  • Salt and pepper
  • Juice from 1/2 of a lime
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 large handful fresh spinach
  • 1 large portabello mushroom
  • Olive oil
  • Small splash white wine
  • Small splash balsamic vinegar
  • Butter

Instructions

  1. For the guacamole, scoop out the flesh of the avocado and add it to a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and add the lime juice. Mash together with a fork or potato masher until just slightly chunky. Set aside.

  2. Add about 1 tablespoon olive oil to a pan over medium high heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook for several minutes, or until the onion begins to brown. Once slightly browned, add a splash of white wine to the pan and let it cook off. Once the wine has cooked away, place the onions in a small bowl and set aside.

  3. To the same pan over medium heat, add a large handful of spinach. Cook until wilted. Remove from pan and set aside.

  4. Wipe the mushroom clean with a paper towel. Remove the stem and brown scaly insides. Slice the mushroom into long strips. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan over medium high heat. Add the mushroom strips and stir around to coat the mushrooms in oil. Let cook for several minutes, until the mushroom begins to get soft. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar to the pan, stir, and let cook several more minutes, until the vinegar has cooked away. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside.

  5. To make the sandwich, butter one side of each piece of bread. Place one piece of bread in the same pan over medium heat. Top with the guacamole, tomato slices, one slice of cheese, onions, spinach, mushrooms and then another slice of cheese. Let cook until the bread is crispy and browned. Add the other piece of bread on top, buttered side up. Using a large spatula, quickly but carefully flip the sandwich. Let cook until the other slice of bread is crispy. Smash down a bit to combine everything together, slice and eat.

 

Mushroom + Onion Pizza with Simple Tomato Sauce

Tell me, who doesn’t love pizza?

onion

When we can, we have bonfire get-togethers at my mom and dads house. We have my friends, my brothers friends, family, family friends, anyone who can come.

shrooms

They are always so much fun. There are always several games of bocce ball, can jam, and a new favorite, ping pong. There are plenty of good drinks to go around as well as good food. For a while, we would do what we call “gourmet mountain pies.” We would make mountain pie combos like veggies with feta, fresh raspberries with sweet cream, and apricot with walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese. Yes, they are as good as they sound.

both

Lately though, we’ve been going the easy route and ordering a bunch of pizza. The normal favorites are buffalo chicken, Philly cheesesteak and pepperoni, but lately, my brother and his friends have been obsessing over mushroom and onion pizza. I tried it, and really love the combo too!

sauce

It’s not often that I crave red sauce on pizza. I love it, I really do, and I would gladly eat red sauce pizza at any time. But it seems that when I’m making pizza I put maybe just some olive oil and garlic as the sauce, or some pesto.

sauce1

But, I’ve been thinking, and I really wanted to create a super simple red sauce that I could easily make anytime the red sauce craving hits.

pizza3

This sauce is so simple and also customizable. I put 1 tablespoon of sugar in it to add just a touch of sweetness, but I know that a lot of people in my family like sweet red sauce so I would say just add more sugar! Add things, don’t add things, exactly to your taste. The process is easy and simple but make the flavor just for you.

pizza

I know I’ve talked a bit about not having a food processor, but I now have one (thanks mom!). That is what makes this sauce so easy. I don’t think that my particular blender would have worked for this because it doesn’t have high enough power, but if you don’t have a food processor, and feel that your blender would work, you could try that.

pizza1

Also, I highly suggest the mushroom + onion combo. And I highly suggest cooking your veggies for this pizza in wine. O yes. It is so great. But, for all the non-mushroom lovers, still try the sauce, and still cook your toppings of choice in wine. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. 🙂

pizza2

Ingredients
This is enough for one pizza
1 prepared pizza crust (I used a pre-made one from market)
1 large onion
2 cups mushrooms
Olive oil
White wine
1 – 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese for topping, if desired
For the sauce:
3 large tomatoes
6 oz. tomato paste
2 large garlic cloves
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon dried basil

For the sauce, add the tomatoes, tomato paste and garlic to a food processor. Process on high, until the sauce is smooth, with only very small chunks.

Add the sauce to a pot over medium heat on the stove. Add the brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt, oregano and basil and stir and bring to a simmer. Let the sauce cook, over low heat, while you prepare the rest of the pizza.

Preheat the oven to 400*.

Chop the mushrooms and slice the onion. Add about 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil to a pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and let cook about five minutes, until softened and slightly browned. Add the mushrooms, stir a cook for several more minutes. With the heat still on medium-high, add a good splash of white wine to the veggies. It should simmer and evaporate pretty quickly with the high heat. Add another splash, if desired, and again let it cook away.

Spoon the sauce on the prepared pizza crust. I used about 4 ladle-fulls of sauce, but use as much as you prefer. Top the sauce with cheese. I used about 1-1/4 cup of mozzarella but use as much as you please and your favorite type. Top the pizza with the veggies. I then sprinkled a small amount of grated Parmesan on top of the veggies.

Bake the pizza in the oven for 10-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and crust is done. My crust was baked and ready to go when I topped it, but got soggy from the sauce so needed 20 minutes to bake. Use your judgement on cooking time depending on your crust.

Enjoy!

Tortellini Salad

This summer has definitely been about cooking food with the least amount of cook time as possible.

tort

This cold tortellini salad is just another dish I’ve made in this hot weather that is simple, requires very little “cook” time and is delicious!

toms

pesto1

I don’t know why but I’ve been dreaming about having a picnic lately. I just want to pack up a summery meal, a soft blanket and perhaps a bottle of wine and sit outside in the grass and have a picnic. I’ve been thinking about it A LOT.

beans

So, yesterday, Greg and I were going to see the Philadelphia Orchestra at an outdoor, free concert. I know, it was so cool. I was going to train into the city to meet him, since he was already there, and we would have dinner and then head over to the concert.

spoons

Instead of going out to dinner, why don’t I pack us a picnic dinner, I thought. It was the perfect opportunity. I had already made this tortellini salad, and I still had some leftover bean tapenade. I’d throw in two apples and some trail mix and it would be perfect. There are so many places where we could have a nice picnic in the city!

bowl

So I headed in, with the food and a blanket, so excited for our picnic. But, there was one problem. It was raining. And it was windy and the sky was completely gray. I don’t know why, but I was still holding out hope that the sun would be shining just in time for our picnic.

bowl2

I got to the city and met up with Greg, and no, the sun did not come out. An outdoor picnic did not happen, so we improvised. A picnic dinner in the science building it was. 🙂

bowl3

So, after that story, let me tell you about this dish.

bowl4

fork

It is so good. It is a perfect picnic dish. Or a get-together dish. Or a dish for a big summer feast. It’s light and full of flavor from that pesto. I used this kale + mint + cashew pesto, but of course use any pesto you please. The beans add softness and the tomatoes add a crunch. Simple, delicious flavors.

bowls

Whether you are enjoying a relaxing outdoor picnic or inside on a rainy day, I hope that you enjoy this dish! 🙂

bowl1

Ingredients
1 bag frozen tortellini
1/2 cup pesto
1 can white beans
1 heaping cup cherry tomatoes

Cook the tortellini according to package directions. Mine were to be boiled for 2-3 minutes. Once the tortellini is done cooking, drain and rinse with cold water.

While the tortellini cools, cut the tomatoes in half. Open and rinse the beans.

In a large bowl, mix together the tortellini, pesto, white beans and tomatoes. Using two large spoons, toss everything together well, until everything is coated in pesto.

Serve chilled and enjoy!

Notes:
-Rinsing the tortellini with cold water after cooking it will remove any starch that will make the tortellini stick together in this dish.

Roasted Tomato Sauce with Kale and Fish

I’ve got an idea for you.

ingredients

Do you remember the roasted tomato sauce I made a few days ago?

I have a super quick dinner idea using it that is unbelievably delicious.

Final Rav1

Roasted tomato sauce, fish, lemon and kale served over ravioli.

A few simple ingredients can create unforgettable food, and that is exactly what this did.

Final Rav

Method

(Makes two servings)

9 oz. ravioli (I used mushroom)

Olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

3 small white fish fillets (I used flounder)

1/2 lemon

1/2 T. crushed red pepper flakes

3/4 c. roasted tomato sauce

2 c. chopped kale

Salt and pepper

Freshly grated asiago cheese

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, cook ravioli according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat about 2 T. olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Once warm, add minced garlic and stir around to flavor the oil. Add fish and cook until just done. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon over the fish and add crushed red pepper flakes. Then pour tomato sauce into the pan and gently stir, slightly breaking up the fish. Add kale and continue to cook until tender.

Serve sauce over ravioli and season with salt, pepper and freshly grated cheese.

Enjoy!

Roasted Tomatoes – Two Ways

I’ve got comfort food coming your way today.

Basil

Over the weekend, I headed home to spend some time with my family and cook with my mom. Believe it or not, we roasted 10 lbs. of tomatoes with a broken oven. We each had a separate plan for our tomatoes. Me – tomato sauce, her – tomato soup.

Onion

Both turned out wonderfully.

Toms

Doesn’t eating soup from a mug make it taste even better?? Not that it needed to — great job mom!

Soup

With this sauce on hand, pasta will be happening very soon.

sauce

Method

For the soup and for the sauce:

Start with:

2.5 lbs. assorted tomatoes

Olive oil

A head of garlic

2 sweet onions

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400*. Cut tomatoes into large chunks and place on a baking sheet. Place two whole cloves of garlic on the baking sheet. Slice onions and place on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 20 minutes, or until tomatoes are soft.

*You will need to do this in multiple rounds, or on more than one baking sheet at once, for all 2.5 lbs. of tomatoes. Place two garlic cloves and some onion on each baking sheet you do.

Next:

For tomato soup

1 quart stock (vegetable or chicken)

1 T. butter

1/2 c. chopped basil

1/2 c. heavy cream

Salt and pepper

Grated asiago cheese

Place roasted tomato, garlic and onion mixture into a large pot. Add stock and butter and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add chopped basil. Turn down heat and, using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Add heavy cream and stir. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with grated asiago cheese.

For tomato sauce

15 basil leaves

Place roasted tomato, garlic and onion mixture into a food processor. Add basil leaves. Process until smooth, or desired consistency is reached.

Enjoy!