Three Meat Grilled Cheese

The picture explains it all. This was one of those meals that resulted from hunger and random ingredients in the fridge which resulted in all of us eating half of it before remembering to take a picture. One word: yum.

Three Meat Grilled Cheese

8 slices bread
1 pound boneless chicken breast, grilled and cut into strips
1/2 pound deli ham
8 slices bacon
8 slices swiss cheese
1/2 cup fig jam

Preheat a skillet on medium heat. Lay out 4 slices bread. Place chicken strips, 1 slice ham, 2 slices bacon and 2 slices cheese. Spread a generous layer of fig jam on the extra slice of bread. Grill about 4 minutes per side. Serve with oven fries or other side of your choice.

Brie and Fig Jam Panini

You may remember my go-to apetizer from my Italian Dinner Party entry. It is based off my favorite panini I love to make, a twist of Whole Foods' Barton Springs sandwich. My roommates and I absolutely go crazy for these. They're so filling all you need is a light salad as a side. And hey, who needs a panini grill when you've got a grill pan and a cast iron skillet?

Brie and Fig Jam Panini
3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in strips
Salt and pepper to taste
4 ciabatta rolls
1/4 cup fig jam
8 strips of Brie cheese
4 ounces arugula
1 lemon

Heat a cast iron skillet on medium high heat. Season chicken strips with salt and pepper and add to skillet. Cook until done. Remove from heat.

In the meantime, preheat a grill pan on medium heat. While heating, slice ciabatta rolls in half and spread fig jam on each half. Add 2 slices brie and 2 strips chicken. Place sandwiches on grill pan and place still-warm cast iron skillet on top to press. Flip after 3-4 minutes and cook another 3 minutes, until brie starts to melt.

While sandwiches are toasting, combine arugula, lemon juice and salt and pepper in a small bowl. When sandwiches are done, add mixture to sandwich. Enjoy!

Italian Dinner Party

I know lots of people like to save big meals and dinner parties for special occasions, but I'll find any excuse to cook for friends. Last night was the new episode of Project Runway, so I had to invite the girls over to enjoy a hearty Italian meal while we bashed the designers, and so they could see my new house!

Since we wouldn't be eating dinner until somewhat late, I decided to prepare my go-to appetizer, Baguettes with fig jam and brie cheese. This is inspired by my favorite panini at Whole Foods which features fig jam, brie cheese, turkey deli meat and a spring mix. My appetizer is so easy to prepare- just cut the bread, slather on about a tablespoon of fig jam, and then add a slice of brie cheese. Toast in the broiler for about 2-3 minutes until the cheese starts to melt and serve hot!

The main course, Herbed Chicken Parmesan, comes from the Cooking Light Italian cookbook, which I tried once this spring and absolutely loved. The two different cheeses add dimension, and I love the idea of adding balsalmic vinegar to pasta sauce to jass it up. I also sauteed 4 or 5 garlic cloves to add to the sauce.


Ingredients

1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 pound chicken breast tenders
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups bottled fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce (I used Central Market brand Basil and herb)
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) shredded provolone cheese
*Note, I doubled this recipe as I was serving 8 people, not 4

Preparation

Preheat broiler.

Combine 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, basil, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a shallow dish. Place egg white in a shallow dish. Dip each chicken tender in egg white; dredge in the breadcrumb mixture. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Set aside.

Combine 1/8 teaspoon salt, pasta sauce, vinegar, and pepper in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; vent. Microwave sauce mixture at HIGH 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Pour the sauce over chicken in pan. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining Parmesan and provolone cheese. Wrap handle of pan with foil, and broil 2 minutes or until the cheese melts.

I know it's cliche, but I served this with a big pot of spaghetti with plenty of the extra balsalmic pasta sauce to go around. To add some greenery, I created a fun new Italian salad to go with it:


Balsalmic Italian Salad
8 oz. romaine lettuce
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into disks on the diagonal
1/4 cup sliced red onion
1/2 cup grapes, cut in half
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 lemon, zested then juiced
3 tablespoons balsalmic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Combine in a large bowl and toss to combine dressing. Note that the amount of vinegar and olive oil can vary depending on your tastes. I love using the citrus to brighten the flavors and add some zest!










The final product, served of course with champagne in honor of Project Runway. What a great first dinner party!

What's your go-to appetizer for simple, but impressive, entertainment?