Roast Chicken and Spinach Panini

Not that long ago Psychgrad and "R" were having visitors for a few days.  I was asked what an appropriate gift would be for them.  Who knows??  But ... rather than ask them which is probably what I should have done in the first place, I said "get them a panini press, I'm sure they'd love it".  This was not a "my bad" situation but rather one of those moments that I probably should have thought about whether or not they had the space to store another appliance.  What I thought about was how simple and yummy it would be to create new flavours rather easily and open up a new sandwich world.

Well, I wasn't wrong!  "R" seems to have taken to panini making rather passionately and tells me that he's already made  Prosciutto and Pesto , Pear and Brie , Toasted Whole Grain Apple and Cheddar , and  Roast Chicken and Spinach

To me, the beauty is really in the flavour - choosing great combinations, putting them on wonderful bread and letting the magic create.  Ultimately, don't they all pretty much look alike?  I can't usually tell an Italian panini from a Cuban sandwich in appearance, but taste, well, that's a whole other story.

"R"'s Roast Chicken and Spinach Panini  looks absolutely "to die for".  I'm really not sorry I suggested this gift since I am planning a trip in the not to distant future and would be more than happy to have "R" demo several different sandwiches for my eating pleasure.

I want this right now!!!

Portobello Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich

Happy New Year!   We have so many recipes to post!  It's just about carving out the time to do it.    Lately R has been on my case.  Turns out, he really relies on the blog for storing his recipes, but isn't willing to actually write the post himself.

A couple of years ago, R decided that his special sandwiches had to go.  Between the sodium levels in processed meat and the very fact that he was consuming meat daily, he felt that it just wasn't healthy and stopped, cold turkey.  Instead, he actively searches out new recipes, pretty much exclusively vegetarian, and often not at all appealing to me.  That's fine.  If I don't like it, he puts it into portion-sized containers and takes it for lunches.

Here' s a recipe that R found that is something we've had for dinner a couple of times.  Disclaimer : I've never had a real Philly cheese steak, so I didn't go into this with specific expectations about how it should taste.

Portobello "Philly Cheese Steak" Sandwich

INGREDIENTS

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 4 large portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed (see Tip), sliced
• 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano, or 2 teaspoons dried
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 3 ounces thinly sliced reduced-fat provolone cheese
• 4 whole-wheat buns, split and toasted

PREPARATION

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft and beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, oregano and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are wilted and soft, about 7 minutes.
2. Reduce heat to low; sprinkle the vegetables with flour and stir to coat. Stir in broth and soy sauce; bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, lay cheese slices on top of the vegetables, cover and let stand until melted, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Divide the mixture into 4 portions with a spatula, leaving the melted cheese layer on top. Scoop a portion onto each toasted bun and serve immediately.

TIPS & NOTES

• The dark gills found on the underside of a portobello are edible, but if you like you can scrape them off with a spoon.

Pulled Pork

When it comes to the pork department, other than bacon, I haven't experimented much with different cuts of meat. I've admitted it before and I'll say it again, I seem to have this FOP (fear of pork). I've always been curious about pulled pork. Yes dear readers, I've never made it before now. I had to go to a couple of grocery stores before I could find Canadian Pork; I'm strange that way. I believe grocery stores make a choice about what to buy; why not local??? I'd pay more for a local product and will leave a store that doesn't carry it. Support your local farmers!!!
OK enough ranting for one day.

I found a Bonnie Stern recipe and I really haven't met one of her recipes that I didn't like. I appreciate her sense of healthy eating and always works to take recipes and makes them more calorie friendly.

Paste:
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp each paprika, pepper and cumin
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 lb boneless pork shoulder (pork butt roast)



Cooking liquid:
- 2 cups apple juice
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 6 whole cloves garlic
- 2 onions, thickly sliced

Maple barbecue sauce:

- 2 cups favourite barbecue sauce
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp each Worcestershire sauce and apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1. Combine brown sugar, salt, paprika, pepper, cumin, mustard and garlic. Rub into roast. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.




2. Combine apple juice, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Place garlic and onions in the bottom of a Dutch oven and set roast on top. Add liquid. Cover roast with a piece of parchment paper and then cover pan tightly. Cook in a preheated 325F/160C oven for 3 to 4 hours or longer, until pork is so tender it falls apart when pierced with a fork.

3. Meanwhile, in a saucepan whisk barbecue sauce with maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and mustard. Bring to a boil. Cook gently 5 minutes. Reserve.
4. When roast is ready, remove from pan. Slice thickly and chop. Combine with half the barbecue sauce, adding some of the strained cooking juices if meat is too dry.


Reheat meat just before serving in a 325F oven for about 30 minutes.
5. Make sandwiches on the soft buns with meat, extra barbecue sauce, coleslaw, chipotle mayo and guacamole (if using).



Makes 12 sandwiches

Verdict: Absolutely delicious and the maple bar b que sauce is just wonderful. I wouldn't hesitate to make this again.

Arepas

I'm always curious about cultural foods from around the world. Any chance I have, I ask for quick lessons on what's popular in peoples' countries of origin. Our newest addition to the family - "A" is from Venezuela. "A" often talks about the history of Venezuela and the influences that have shaped Venezuelan cuisine. It's just so refreshing to have another foodie in the family. A's friend Karenis was visiting from Caracus and even though I don't speak Spanish and she doesn't speak English, we found a common language in food. (with the help of a little interpretation) We decided that she would teach me how to make a Venezuelan street food called Arepas or corncakes.

Arepas were originally made by the indigenous inhabitants of Venezuela and Colombia. These small corncakes are sold in Venezuelan restaurants called areperías and are stuffed with all manner of fillings like a sandwich. In Colombia, arepas are made a little smaller and are spread with butter or topped with cheese.

Translating a recipe was near impossible so I found one HERE This recipe makes 5-10 arepas

Ingredients

•Pre-cooked cornmeal (see notes) -- 2 cups
•Salt -- 1/2 teaspoon
•Boiling water -- 3 cups
•Oil -- 3 tablespoons

Method

1.Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a large bowl, mix together the cornmeal and salt.



Pour in 2 1/2 cups of the boiling water and mix with a wooden spoon to form a mass. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and set aside to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.





2.Using wetted hands, form balls of dough out of about 1/4 cup of dough and press to form a cake about 3 inches wide and 3/4 inch thick. If the dough cracks at the edges, mix in a little more water and then form the cakes.


3.Heat the oil in a sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the patties, a few at a time, to form a light brown crust on one side, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip and brown on the other side.





4.When all the patties have been browned, transfer them to a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they sound lightly hollow when tapped. Serve immediately.






Variations
•Filled Arepas: Split the arepas in half when finished and scoop out a little of the soft dough filling. Stuff with your chosen filling.
•Arepa de Pabellón: shredded, seasoned meat and black beans.
•Reina Pepeada: chopped chicken, avocado, and mayonnaise mashed together.
•Arepa de Dominó: black beans and crumbled white cheese.
•Arepa de Perico: scrambled eggs with tomatoes, peppers and onions.
•Columbian Arepas: make smaller and thicker and don't bake. Top with butter and melted cheese.
•Other possible fillings: grated white or cheddar cheese; guasacaca, ham and cheese, hard-boiled quails eggs.
•The sautéing step is sometimes skipped and the arepas are simply baked. In the countryside arepas are often cooked on the grill.
•Small arepas can be made and served as appetizers with garnishes on top instead of inside. Or they can be eaten as small biscuits.
•Sometimes a little sugar is mixed in with the dough to form sweet arepas (arepas dulces).

Notes
•The cornmeal used to make arepas is a special, precooked type that usually goes by the name masarepa, or masa precocida. It can often be found in Latino markets. The more commonly found masa harina is not the correct type to use for this recipe.









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Eating Well While Camping

Did I mention that Giz is an anxious mother?

Evidence #1: I thought Giz wouldn't have any nervousness about our upcoming trip to Australia and New Zealand (leaving mid-April - SO EXCITED). We finally booked our tickets and I sent the itinerary to Giz. Her response: "...it sounds pretty intense to me. Wouldn't you rather spend the night in LA and then continue on after a good sleep?

Am I crazy or does that make no sense at all? Why would I want to be well-rested in preparation for a 14 hour flight? You'd think it would be the opposite. My current plan is to take some night time cold medicine and sleep for as much of it as possible. Any other recommendations are welcome!

Evidence #2 of Giz's being an anxious mother - here's a recent telephone conversation:

PG : We're going on an overnight xc ski trip this weekend.

Giz: Oh yeah? Where will you stay?

PG: In a yurt, like usual.

Giz: Won't it be cold?

PG: No, it's fine. It's actually really warm in the yurt with the wood oven.

Giz: Are you going to take food?

PG: No. I'd figure we'd just rough it.

Giz: WHAT!?! No. You need to take food.

PG: I'm sure there will be wild animals out there. We can just hunt for our food.

Giz: Are you serious? I really think you should take some food with you.

PG: Seriously mom? Do you think I'm going to go on an overnight trip without food? Have we even met?

Giz: Well... I just wanted to make sure.

Rest assured mom. No one went hungry.


It started with picking up a sandwich from DiRienzo's, a xc ski tradition.


I know I've talked about DiRienzo's on here before. It's an Ottawa institution. You go into this corner store that looks pretty run down on the outside. Quite often the line wraps around the aisle of the store. But, the staff working behind the counter are so fast, you'd think they were moving in fast forward. As you work your way closer to the front counter, you pick up a bun (not my favourite aspect to have to select a bun from a bin that hundreds of people root through). You then select a sandwich number, based on the option posted (I always get #6 -- proscuitto, turkey and havarti cheese). The meat is sliced fresh and you tell the staff your preferred toppings (e.g., lettuce, tomato, mayo, mustard, pickled eggplant). All of that for $4 (prices increased from $3.50 this year, but it's still well worth it).



After making our way to Gatineau Park, we set off for the yurt (our home for the evening).


This year, we decided to switch it up from the usual hot dogs and salad and make chicken fajitas.

Having everything cut up ahead of time makes this a really quick, convenient and tasty meal to make on a wood stove. Sorry, not a great picture, but it was dark out by the time we ate.

Breakfast was also delicious -- home made hasbrowns and omlettes stuffed with sausage and veggies.



By splitting up the meals between 6 of us, it was really easy to ski in carrying a good variety of food that was more interesting than the usual camping fare.

You can read about a previous ski trip here.

Banana Oat Muffins

R claims that he's not a foodie. In fact, he tries to convince me that he's just as happy with kraft dinner as a gourmet supper. I think it's all just a big front to avoid doing the dishes or encourage the use of fewer dishes (note to self: never buy a house without a dishwasher ever again).

What non-foodie goes to La Bottega or Nicastro's on a weekly basis to buy ingredients for his lunch? He meticulously crafts these sandwiches as part of his night time ritual. First, slice the bread in half (either rosemary buns or small baguettes...I think they're called saroli).


Then, a layer of genoa salami...next capocollo. The meat is topped with havarti cheese with caraway seeds. All of this is topped by pickled eggplant and mustard.

Here is R's sandwich mid-way through:


Sounds pretty extravagant? Personally, I think he's trying to recreate Dirienzo's sandwiches. For those you who aren't from the Ottawa area, Dirienzo's is the name of an Italian corner store that serves amazing sandwiches (think lineups outside of the door at lunch time) for a very reasonable price. Here are some pictures from Dirienzo's:





It doesn't stop there. What "I'm not a foodie" lunch is complete without its very own homemade baked good? Yes. That's right. We have a stash of home baked good for R to choose from for lunch. When the supply of muffins (frozen after being baked) gets low, R scours the internet for recipes.


Last time the freezer stash was low, we had a bunch of carrots to use up after my friend the rabbit found a way to eat through the fencing around my garden (next year, metal fencing).


So, he went with Martha Stewart's Carrot Cupcakes (minus the icing). Sorry -- no pictures of the finished product. They were good, though I'd cut back on the sugar next time.


This time, we have an abundance of overripe bananas (I regularly throw overripe bananas straight into the freezer -- good tip to avoid fruit flies). R spent a good 30 minutes comparing recipes for banana, oatmeal and raisin muffins, and decided to go with this one.

Banana Oat Muffins


1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mashed bananas
Directions

Combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt.
In a large bowl, beat the egg lightly. Stir in the milk, oil, and vanilla. Add the mashed banana, and combine thoroughly. Stir the flour mixture into the banana mixture until just combined. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper bake cups, and divide the batter among them.

Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 18 to 20 minutes.

Verdict: Easy to make, but just okay in the flavour department.

New York, New York!

R and I got back late Monday night from New York. I'm not sure if the miles of walking balanced the not so healthy eating. But, we had a great time.

We had a decent range of the quick meal options New York has to offer... I have to say New Yorkers knows how to make a good sandwich.

The amount of protein is a bit much...but it's a vacation, right?

The next day we went to Katz's Deli, made famous by this scene in When Harry Met Sally:



The place looks exactly the same as it looks in the movie.


R had a reuben:

I had a corned beef sandwich.


They come with pickles. As you may recall, I'm very particular about my pickles. The full sours were excellent. The other (brighter green) ones were, what I would call "a cucumber pretending (but failing) to be a pickle".


The day after, we spent time in Central Park and picnicked with some New York Bagels.



We also got a black and white cookie. R couldn't resist after learning about the cookie from Seinfeld:




I also stopped into Magnolia Bakery, which isn't nearly as serene as you might think it would be. I resisted on buying a cupcake, but wanted to take a few pictures.





Aside from a few meals, those are the food highlights. Here are some shots of the city...
















We also managed to get tickets for Letterman. It was Monday's show with Bill Cosby. Before the show, we got some sandwiches at Hello Deli, which is featured on the Letterman show from time to time. The place is a dump and the guy working behind the counter kept wiping down his meat slicer with the same rag he used to clean around the sink. But, the sandwich was decent. Rupert seems like a nice enough guy -- always letting people taking a picture of him.


Overall, a great trip. But now it's back to wedding planning.