But seriously, burgers are probably the only red meat that I actually enjoy eating. Growing up, I hated even the sight of red meat. One time I even went so far as to hide a well chewed piece of steak in a house plant. Although I’ve grown to enjoy burgers and an occasional cheesesteak, veggie burgers and meat alternatives are usually what I go for. Portabellas are a nice substitute for meat because they have a nice “meaty” texture. Give it a whirl.

Recipe: Portabella Mushroom Burger

Ingredients

• 2 portabella mushroom caps
• 2 whole wheat hamburger buns
• 2 slices of mozzarella cheese
• 2 slices of tomato
• 1/2 cup fresh baby spinach leaves
• few thin slices of onion
• 1/2 avocado sliced
• mustard, ketchup, mayo, relish, red onion, pickles, caramelized onions, or any other condiments that you desire
• Baked French fries (as a side) baked sweet potato fries would be a great side too!

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Rinse the mushroom caps and pat dry with a paper towel.
3. Place the mushroom caps on a cookie sheet that has been lined with foil.
4. Sprinkle the tops of the mushrooms with sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a drizzle of olive oil.
5. Place the pan into the oven and cook the mushroom caps for 10-15 minutes or until mushrooms have a “rubbery” texture.
6. On a separate cookie sheet lined with foil, place each hamburger bun. On the bottom half of the hamburger bun, place the slice of cheese and put into the oven for 5 minutes or until cheese has melted.
7. Remove mushroom caps from oven and pat dry with a clean paper towel.
8. Place mushroom caps on hamburger buns and top with condiments. Serve with fries, chips, veggies, fruit salad, or another side.
9. Enjoy!

I used a drizzle of olive oil (mostly for flavor), but it really is not necessary because the mushrooms stay moist and release plenty of water once they get cooking.

These little guys can get pretty slippery (as you can see from the photo above). I had to use a toothpick to hold the condiments on the bun.

Where do you get your burgers from?

This is the best grilled cheese sandwich that you will ever eat…

I feel confident saying that because when it comes to making grilled cheese, Kevin is an expert. This is a man who knows bread and cheese. One of the first meals that Kevin made for me was this grilled cheese sandwich. I fell in love after one bite.

One of my favorite things about this sandwich is the bread. We use garlic focaccia bread, but any fresh bread would work well. Grilled cheese is a simple sandwich so having quality ingredients is important. Using fresh and flavorful cheese is also essential. Once the cheese is melted, the bread gets perfectly crispy around the sides and edges and stays spongy inside.

And…what would a grilled cheese sandwich be without a bowl of tomato soup? I wish that I could say that I made this soup, but I did not. Today, I used a can of Muir Glen tomato soup. I was pressed for time so I decided to break out a can. It was fabulous. You could easily make your own tomato soup and I’m sure it would be even more satisfying.

Ingredients

• 1 small loaf of garlic focaccia bread (about 8 slices one inch thick)
• ¼ pound of sliced mozzarella cheese
• ¼ pound of sliced provolone cheese
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• Tomato soup

Directions

1. Butter each slice of bread (on one side)
2. Place two slices of bread down on a hot skillet
3. Add the cheese on top (about 3 slices per sandwich)
4. Add another slice of bread on top
5. Cook each side until golden brown and cheese is completely melted

This post can also be found here.

What is your favorite grilled cheese memory?

I used to live in Boston. One of my favorite areas of the city is called the “North End”…

For those of you who are not familiar with the North End, it is like Little Italy in NYC. Notice that I used the word “like”. Personally, I would never utter the words “Little Italy” while in the North End. I’ve heard they make cement shoes for people like that. Italians who live in the North End of Boston like to distinguish themselves from other generic “little Italys” of the world.  Honestly, I can’t blame them. The North End is such a unique and charming place.

I would like to share a few of her many charms…

• Garlic perfuming the narrow alleyways
• Accordions playing outside dimly lit restaurants
• Fire escapes drooping from the sides of brick buildings
• Italian phrases bouncing back and forth between neighbors sharing an adjacent clothesline
• Feeling the urge to not just tolerate, but rather, welcome sassy feedback from servers

Every time I go back to Boston to visit, I try to stop in the North End. I don’t think that I have ever had a bad meal there. I have never ordered a portabella mushroom sandwich in the North End but just thinking about it is making me salivate. The next time I go, I think I’ll order one.

Today I was thinking about Boston and mushrooms, so I decided to combine the two into this sandwich. I chose not to grill the bread but it would be equally tasty with grilled Italian bread or made into a panini.

Ingredients

• 4 portabella mushrooms
• 4 tablespoons of olive oil
• 4 slices of Swiss cheese
• 1 roma/plum tomato (thinly sliced)
• ½ avocado (thinly sliced)
• Italian bread (or bread of choice)

Directions

1. Rub both sides of the portabella mushrooms with olive oil
2. Sprinkle both sides of the mushroom with salt, pepper, and garlic powder
3. Cook the mushroom in a frying pan with 2 tablespoons of additional oil (about 3 minutes each side)
4. Place the cooked mushroom on a paper towel to remove some excess water and oil
5. Place the mushroom and the remaining ingredients onto the Italian bread. Makes 4 sandwiches. The one pictured has two mushroom caps and could easily be split between two people. Mangia!

Where’s the best Italian meal you have ever eaten?

There is something about an egg salad sangwich that makes me want to play bingo…

My Nan and Gramp, who lived in South Florida, played a lot of bingo. When my brother and I would visit them during the winter, they would take us to play bingo with them. Bingo is no joke in South Florida. If you have never played bingo at a retirement center with a room full of senior citizens, I would recommend trying it at least once in your life. It is really something to marvel at. These people mean business. There’s no time for polite conversation, “Oh, hi Mrs. Wilkens. How are you enjoying the beautiful weather?” No. Learn from my mistakes. Keep your trap shut or you will be sneered at and shunned. Whatever you do, don’t win… especially if the prize is cash! One time I won $12 and was called a “whippersnapper”. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, “whippersnapper” is basically a swear word in retirement communities.

Anyway, back to the sangwich. My Gramp, who had a strong New England accent, used to say “sangwich” instead of sandwich. Sangwiches are better than sandwiches. It’s a fact. My brother and I ate egg salad sangwiches after a grueling night of bingo. It’s a simple sangwich but there is something about the combination of ingredients that recharged us and built our morale. If you do play bingo, I suggest taking along some egg salad. You might need it.

Ingredients

• 6 eggs (hardboiled, cooled and chopped)
• 1 small onion (diced)
• 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise (I like real mayo but you can use a lower fat version if you prefer)
• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• ½ avocado (thinly sliced)
• 1 vine ripened tomato (sliced)
• 1 cup sprouts
• A few thin slices of red onion
• Whole wheat bread (or bread of choice …100% whole wheat is generally a healthier option)

Directions

1. Hardboil the eggs (cook eggs for 5 minutes in boiling water and then allow eggs to sit for 10 additional minutes in the hot water before removing from the shell)
2. Once the eggs have cooled (about 10-15 minutes) chop them with an egg slicer or a knife and place in a large bowl
3. Dice the onion and add to the eggs
4. Add the mayo and salt and pepper
5. Stir mixture with spoon
6. Layer a scoop of egg salad on the bread, followed by tomato, sprouts, and red onion
7. Serve with a side of sliced carrots or another raw veggie. Makes 4 sandwiches
8. Play bingo

Have you ever been called a “whippersnapper”?

This morning, I asked my dad if he would like to eat a roast beef sandwich for lunch…

His response was an immediate “yes”. In addition to his “yes”, he used “colorful” language to describe his fondness of roast beef. I will spare you that language. Let’s just say that my dad is a rough guy. He is super loving and generous and would literally give you the shirt off of his back, but for anyone who does not know him, his husky New England attitude could easily be perceived as abrasive. I’d like to paint a picture of my dad so that you can better understand where I am coming from.

This is a man who…

• Speaks loudly, is proud to be Italian, and loves a good meal
• Is constantly building or fixing things
• Cooks all food on the highest temperature setting
• Rinses his hands in gasoline after a day of working with gears and grease
• Fearlessly consumes leftovers well beyond two weeks of their expiration
• Recycles every last inch of tin foil used in our house
• Once defrosted a hose nozzle in the microwave only to fill our house with a thick cloud of green smoke

If you do not know anyone like this, I sincerely hope that you meet someone like my dad in the future. There is only one word to describe my dad – outrageous. There is never a dull moment with this man.

We ate the roast beef for lunch. I have never really loved roast beef but I enjoyed this version. The combination of the Muenster cheese with the crisp apple and the tartness of the Dijon mustard was surprisingly delicious. My dad enjoyed the roast beef as well. In fact, there are more expletives to describe his reaction, but I will spare you from those as well. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• ¼ pound roast beef (thinly sliced)
• ¼ pound Muenster cheese (thinly sliced)
• 1 apple (thinly sliced) you can use your favorite type of apple. I used McIntosh apples.
• Dijon mustard (1 tsp per sandwich)
• Mayonnaise (1 tsp per sandwich)
• Romaine lettuce (8 leaves)
• Marble rye bread (or bread of choice)

Directions

1. Layer all of the above mentioned ingredients on the marble rye bread.
2. Serve with a side of grapes. Makes 4 sandwiches. (3 of which my dad could eat for lunch)