This is not a pretty picture. But it is a delicious sandwich. I consider myself a connoisseur of melt sandwiches. In college, my friends and I ended up at Steak n' Shake for nearly every conceivable occasion. Birthdays, finals, Monday nights--we were there. And each time, I ordered a melt and a shake. I have, my friends, eaten a lot of melt sandwiches.

When I saw this recipe, I was intrigued. When I ate this sandwich, I was extraordinarily pleased. This is a really, really delicious sandwich. It really holds its own against the classic Reuben. It's easy to piece together, and it's a great way to use leftovers after St. Patrick's Day (if you have any).

Corned Beef Melt
(Adapted from Dax)

4 slices hearty rye bread
2 T. unsalted butter
1 T. Dijon mustard
2 slices Provolone
6 slices corned beef

Heat your griddle or panini press to high. Build your sandwiches from the bottom up. Brush one side of your bread with butter. Place buttered side down on panini press. Spread other side of bread with a very (very) think layer of Dijon mustard. Layer bread with corned beef. Place cheese on top. Brush other slice of bread with Dijon mustard. Top sandwich with remaining slice of bread, and brush that slice with butter.

Repeat with other ingredients.

Press down on panini press to introduce your ingredients to one another. Cook no more than 5 minutes, or until cheese is nice and melty.

Enjoy.

I made this for dinner over the weekend, and each time I make it I cringe when I am reminded how easy it is to throw together. Why, then, don't I make it more often? No answer to that one.

I really like this. It's simple, delicious, and remarkably easy to throw together for a fast lunch or easy weeknight meal. It's also relatively allergen-free, and what ingredients might cause an allergic reaction are easily  substituted. This also lends itself well to vegetarians since you can substitute the meat for another protein.

I'll definitely be making this for dinner more often. Forgive me, beef bowl! Your simplicity and deliciousness are not to be ignored.

30 Minute Oriental Beef Bowl
(Adapted from 29 Minutes to Dinner)

1 lb. skirt steak
3 green onion stalks, tops and bottoms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 T. soy sauce
1 T. sesame oil
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 c. jasmine rice
2 carrots
1 T. vegetable oil
1 15 oz. can bean sprouts (or 2 c. fresh)
1 4 oz. can bamboo shoots

Slice steak into thin strips, cutting against the grain. Place into a large bowl. Add green onions, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, pepper, ginger, and sugar. Stir well to combine. Let this mixture marinate while you prep your other ingredients.

Cook rice according to package directions.

Meanwhile, peel carrots. Discard the skins, and continue to peel the carrots in long ribbons. Set aside.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook 2-3 minutes until browned. Add bean sprouts and bamboo shoots to skillet, stir mixture, and cook beef an additional 3-4 minutes, until completely browned. Remove from heat.

To serve, plate rice and top with carrots & beef mixture. Serve warm.

Notes:

• Again, this is beyond simple to throw together. Skip the rice and it's a one-pot meal. 
• Skirt steak is a really good cut of meat to use here because it's cheap and cooks quickly. I am loving skirt steak more and more these days.
• The marinade is sweet and spicy, but not overpowering. It's got a nice subtle spice to it, and the ginger adds a nice bit of kick.
• A teriyaki sauce can be subbed for soy sauce if you don't have any, just reduce the amount of ginger you add.
• I like the carrots here because you don't have to cook them, and because they're sliced thin you aren't dealing with under cooked veggies or a whole lot of starch. They add a nice crunch and pop of color, too.
• Regular old minute rice is fine too. I prefer the jasmine rice because it's nice and fragrant, so it adds a little sumthin'-sumthin'.

In the summertime, I love to try out new recipes. It's so much easier to play in the kitchen when we're not rushing home from work and throwing a casserole in the oven so we eat dinner sometime before Hannah's bedtime. I saw this on Lauren's blog and, when Graham told me he wouldn't be home for dinner one night, I was sold.

This was pretty easy to throw together, and it really screams "summer" to me. It's fresh and filling without being heavy. And, it's easy for a weeknight or an early dinner. Winning!

Pesto Chicken Thighs with Italian Cream Sauce
(As seen on Picky Palate)

1 lb. boneless, skin-on chicken thighs
1/2 c. prepared pesto
2 cups couscous (I used one instant-ish package from the store)
4  T. EVOO
1/2 c. shredded parmesan cheese
1 c. Philadelphia Cooking Cream: Italian Cheese & Herb

Put chicken and pesto in a large plastic bag. Mix well, coating chicken with pesto. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

When chicken is ready, heat oven to 350 F. Place chicken on a large greased baking sheet. Bake for around 30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile, cook couscous. When it's ready, combine couscous, olive oil, and cheese in a medium saucepan over low heat, heating through, about 5 minutes or so. Cover, and keep on low heat.

Warm Cooking Cream in a small saucepan until it's warm and has reached your desired thinness .

Serve warm with sauce drizzled over couscous and chicken.

Notes:

• I generally shy away from products like the cooking cream and pesto because I like to make my own ingredients, but this one actually wasn't so bad. I probably won't be rushing out to try some of the other varieties, but for nights when we're really busy I'll be keeping this in my arsenal.
• Graham doesn't like couscous, but this would be lovely with linguine or another string pasta.
• I think this would be equally good with chicken legs or breasts, but I love chicken thighs for their cheapness.

I've always had a soft spot in my heart for minestrone. Maybe because as a child it's one of the only soups I would eat, and it's the only way I voluntarily ingested vegetables until I was eleven. Whatever. It's still hearty, filling, and absolutely delicious. When the Snowpocolypse dumped eleventy billion pounds of snow on the city in early February, I knew soup & sandwiches would be the way to go for dinner. I used pantry staples to recreate one of my favorite meals, and I kept it relatively simple because I knew it could be a few days before we were able to venture back out into civilization again.

This is really delicious. Make it today, and feel warm and cozy, inside and out.

Minestrone Soup
(Bastardization of my grandmother's recipe)

2 T. Olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 strips bacon, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes (or one large 28 oz. can)
2 15 oz. cans kidney or Great Northern beans
2 carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 T. dried Italian parsley
2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 zucchini, diced (eggplant would be acceptable as well)
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried oregano
3 c. chicken stock
1 c. water
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 1/2 c. pasta (or 3/4 c. if using larger corkscrews or pasta shapes)

In a large, heavy pot, heat oil over medium heat. Cook bacon and onion until onion is soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute. Add remaining ingredients, minus the pasta, and stir together. Bring to a simmer and cook partially covered for 30 minutes. Check carrots and potatoes for tenderness; continuing cooking and checking in 10 minute increments if necessary.

When vegetables are tender, add pasta and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Serve with sandwiches, bread, or any other soul-satisfying foods.

Notes:

• Any sort of small pasta works really well with this soup. Orzo is a personal favorite, but elbow macaroni or small tubes would be perfect. I used Fiori, but I have a weird attraction to new pasta shapes. I need them in my life.
• This soup will thicken as it simmers, so if you like it a little thinner, cook for 15-20 minutes and then add your pasta.
• You could use whole tomatoes, too. All I had were diced, so in they went!

I love a good risotto. It's one of my favorite dishes whether it's a side or a main course. I also love how at the end of a long day, I can stand at the stove with a glass of wine and stir, and after a few minutes, magic happens. It's glorious, I tell you!

I paired this with the spring soup I made a few days ago. They hold many of the same vegetables, and they worked well together. I'd eat this any day, but enjoying it as a springtime dinner when asparagus & leeks are at their peak freshness was a real treat.

Spring Green Risotto
(Adapted from Ina Garten)

5 c. chicken stock
2 T. olive oil, eyeball it
2 T. unsalted butter
2 shallots, minced
2 leeks (white and green parts), chopped
1 1/2 c. Arborio rice
1 c. dry white wine (I like Savignon Blanc)
1 lb. asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces & tough ends discarded
10 oz. frozen peas
1 T. grated lemon zest
Salt & pepper, to taste
2 T. lemon juice
1/3 c. mascarpone cheese
Parmesan, grated, for serving
3 T. fresh or dried chives

In a medium saucepan, heat stock until simmering. Reduce heat to medium-low.

In a large saute pan, heat olive oil and butter over medium-low. Add shallots and leeks to pan, sauteing until tender (about 5 minutes). Add rice to pan, and stirring constantly, coat rice with oil (cook about 1 minute). Add wine to pan and stir constantly until wine has been mostly absorbed. Add chicken stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring frequently until liquid has been mostly absorbed. Continue until all stock has been added to the pan.

When last ladle of stock has been absorbed, add asparagus to the pan, stirring frequently until crisp-tender. Stir in peas & lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper, and taste for seasonings. When risotto is finished, stir in lemon juice, mascarpone, parmesan, if using, and chives. Stir until cheeses are melted and the risotto has reached a nice creaminess.

Notes:

• Cream cheese is a fine substitute if you can't find mascarpone or it's too expensive. I was going to skip it and use cream cheese, but I lucked out and found a coupon.
• Golden Gate is a cheap brand of wine that's good for cookin' and fine for drinkin'. Every time I find it at Jewel it's on sale for around $4.
• If you can't find shallots, you can sub in half an onion just fine. I like the gentleness of the shallots because the leeks are pretty powerful on their own, but onion & risotto work together quite well.
• This was too lemony for Graham, so if you're afraid of lemon skip the juice. The lemon zest will add a nice hint of lemon.
• Cleaning leeks is ridiculous. They grow in sand, so you need to remove all the grit before you can eat them.

I love seasonal food. Especially after a long Chicago winter, there's nothing quite like spring veggies to wake up your soul. Unfortunately in Chicago, sometimes spring arrives and teases us for a few days, then disappears for a few weeks until temperatures make it absolutely impossible for spring to stay away. I made this last week when it was nice & sunny but approximately 40 degrees outside. Why not enjoy the flavors of the season despite the chilly temps?

Springtime Soup
(Angie original)

4 T. butter
1 large leeks, cleaned & chopped
1 white onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
8 oz. white mushrooms, sliced
3 new potatoes (I used white), diced
2 large carrots, sliced into rounds
1 bunch fresh asparagus, chopped into half-inch pieces & tough ends discarded
4 c. water
4 c. chicken broth
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 pinch Dill
2/3 c. barley
9 oz. baby spinach
1 c. cream
1/4 c. white wine or sherry
Parmesan cheese, optional.

In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add leeks, onion, & garlic; saute until tender. Add mushrooms & saute until tender and buttery. Add potatoes, carrots, & asparagus, and saute 2 minutes.

Pour in water & broth, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add Dill & barley, and stir well. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20-30 minutes. Stir in spinach until wilted. Stir in cream & wine, and heat 5-10 minutes more, stirring often.  Grate Parmesan cheese over the top & serve with warm, crusty bread.

Notes:

• I served this with a risotto for a Friday dinner. This was perfect for Lent because it's meatless, but it's also lovely because it incorporates so many spring vegetables. 
• Next time I'll add 2 cups cream, because I loved the creaminess of this soup and I really wanted more.
• Soup is really hard to photograph, FYI. There's no real way to make it look pretty.

• Elly adds red pepper flakes, but I chose to omit them to make it more palatable for Graham.
• I served this over jasmine rice, but I think lo mein would be a delicious side as well.

• You can serve this with mashed potatoes or tuck the potatoes into the pot with the other vegetables.
• Cabbage is a great vegetable and holds up nicely during the cooking process. If you do it right, the cabbage should maintain a little crunch and not be totally limp and lifeless.
• Chicken thighs and legs would also work here. Two large breasts is more than enough for the two of us, but a whole cut up fryer would be great.
• You can use white wine in place of the cider, but the cider is nice and crisp and adds a little something more. You can also use chicken broth or stock or water with some bullion cubes in place of the cider, but....why?

Aaaaaaaaaaand, we're back! I apologize for the exceptionally long hiatus, but my third trimester was super tiring, and after spending all day on my feet at work, spending more time on my feet preparing dinner made me nauseus, so most of our meals were things that could be prepared quickly. And, since a baby usually follows the third trimester, the last few weeks have been.....busy. :-) Thankfully, I finally found my kitchen mojo and I've been working hard at preparing meals for the two of us (those of us with teeth) that are healthy and filling.

For Christmas, my in-laws gave me the bible, a.k.a. The Joy of Cooking. It's been on my wishlist for-ev-ah, so I was really excited to crack it open and try out a few of the eleventy bajillion recipes. Since the weather in Chicago has been frigid lately (Last week, we had a high of 9 degrees. Nine! De! Grees!) I decided to make soup to help keep us warm.

This was a really nice, warm, and filling supper. I strayed a little from the recipe as it was written because, well, we was HONGRY! Breastfeeding is sucking up all my calories, man. I gots to keep my strengths up.

Potato-Leek Soup
(Adapted from Joy of Cooking)

1 1/2 T. butter
3 medium leeks, chopped (white parts only)
2 baking potatoes, peeled and diced finely
3 c. chicken stock, plus more if needed
3 T. thyme, dried or fresh
Salt & pepper, to taste

Melt butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add leeks and cook until tender, stirring occassionally, 10-15 minutes. Stir in potatoes & chicken stock. Seaspm with thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer covered until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a blender/food processor or using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. Add salt & pepper to taste if necessary. Thin with additional stock if necessary.

Notes:

• I didn't puree the soup this time because we were hungry. However, pureeing leads to a thicker texture and heartier presentation. If you want it a little finer after pureeing, push it through a strainer.
• The addition of the herbs really punches up the flavor. I definitely recommend not skipping them.
• Vegetable stock and chicken broth are acceptable substitutes in place of chicken stock. You can even use water flavored with bullion cubes.

I'd been wanting to make a savory tart for quite a while. I love fruit and dessert tarts, but I was anxious to try my hand at a savory tart like this one. Once I saw the ingredients--tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil--I knew it would be a hit. How could it not be?

I really liked this. I loved that the crust stayed buttery and crisp throughout, and it also gave me a great excuse to use more tomatoes and basil from my garden! The fresh ingredients really make this meal, so I encourage you to use the fresh stuff before you grab that bottle of dried basil. It made all the difference!

• I'm a huge fan of using my fresh herbs anytime I can, but I'm usually not a food snob when it comes to fresh vs. dried herbs. However, the fresh basil really makes a difference here, so use it if you can.
• I used a 12 inch tart pan and wished I had made a little extra dough. Next time I'll make a double batch, just in case. However, the 12 inch tart was plenty for two of us.
• Keep in mind that your tart shell will shrink with baking. Consider this a helpful FYI.
• Using fresh mozzarella really helps make this dish, too. The shredded stuff in the bag is great, and I use it all the time, but it's loaded with preservatives and extra junk. The fresh cheese is easy to slice and just tastes better. For a meal that uses fresh herbs and fresh tomatoes, using fresh cheese makes it that much better.
• The crust was my favorite part. It was thin and crispy throughout, and the addition of fresh basil and garlic was really great. It made us feel like we were eating something special.