Revamped Veggie Sandwich

I had posted an original vegetable sandwich recipe when I first started this blog and various versions have come about since.  This one is my favorite so far!

Ingredients for 2 sandwiches:

• Ciabatta rolls or a 4inch piece of a loaf, sliced in half
• 2 red peppers, roasted with skins peeled off (roast in oven at 400 degrees, cooked for 15 minutes until the skin bubbles)
• 1 large zucchini, sliced into about half inch rounds
• 1/3 cup feta cheese
• olive oil for drizzling
• juice of half a lemon
• 1 tbsp of finely chopped red onion
• a small bunch of basil leaves, chopped

Directions:

1. Start by adding the feta cheese, lemon juice, onion, and basil to a bowl.  Add about a tsp of olive oil to the mixture and stir to mix.  It will almost form a paste.
2. Next, heat a large skillet to medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil.  Add as many zucchini rounds as you can and flip them after a minute or two.  You want them to be browned but not translucent and mushy (overcooked).  Do this until they are all cooked.  After they are cooked, sprinkle some crushed black pepper over them.  The feta cheese mixture should be salty enough to season the sandwich.
3. To assemble the sandwich, spread the feta cheese mixture on one half of the bread and add the zucchini and red pepper, top the sandwich with the other half and press down for a few seconds so it all stays together. 

Quick Turkey Bolognese Stuffed Peppers

I made these for an easy and healthy packed lunch.

Ingredients for 6 halved peppers:

• 1 lb ground turkey (to make these vegetarian, beans would be a great sub)
• 6 big bell peppers, cleaned and halved longways (I used green but any color would be great)
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 large can of whole tomatoes
• About a 1/2 cup of red wine, I didn't measure I just circled the pot a couple times with the bottle
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 6 slices of provolone cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a soup pot, drizzle with a little olive oil and heat to medium.  Add the turkey and break it up as it cooks with a spatula.  Make sure to leave it alone a bit without stirring to allow it to brown.  Once browned add the onion and garlic and cook for a couple minutes.  
3. Add the basil, oregano, salt and pepper and stir in.
4. Add the red wine and stir the bottom of the pan to bring up anything stuck to the bottom.
5. Now add the tomatoes and reduce the heat to low.  Break up the tomatoes to make a chunky sauce, and simmer for a half hour to 45 minutes.  You want it to be thick and reduced.  If it is watery, it will run out of the peppers.
6. Now assemble in a 9x13 baking dish.  Place the peppers cut side up, spoon in the sauce to fill and top with one slice of provolone cheese.  Bake in the over for 25 minutes, until the cheese is browned. I served them with some garlic cous cous.

Crispy Ham and Shallot Frittata

We obviously like eggs considering this is the third egg post in a row!  They are so versatile and easy for any meal.  In this recipe I used a mixture of cheese that I had on hand, Monterey Jack and Pecorino Romano.  Use whatever cheese you prefer.

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 4 eggs, 2 yolks removed
• 1/4 lb of ham, cubed (I used Whole Food's deli black forest ham but bacon with the fat rendered and discarded would be great too)
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup of shredded cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat a pan to medium with butter and olive oil.  Add the shallot and cook for 5-10 minutes, until they are just browning. Remove and sets aside.
2. Add the ham and cook for 10 minutes, it will be done when the ham appears browned and slightly crispy.
3. In a bowl add the eggs, ham, cheese and shallot, reserve enough cheese to sprinkle on top.  Stir to combine.
4. Add the egg mixture to the pan, slowly swirl until it is cooked on the bottom side and slightly runny on top.  Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is browned.
5. I served this with roasted garlic broccoli.

Spanish Inspired Breakfast

We cannot seem to get enough of spanish/mexican style eggs.  Whether is it is huevos rancheros or egg burritos, we seem to consume them multiple times a week.  This recipe is my own version of something similar we had during our trip to Aruba.  

This recipe is for 2 breakfasts

Ingredients:

• 2 corn tortillas
• Red sauce (recipe below)
• 4 eggs
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Avocado
• Cilantro

Red Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 large link of chorizo sausage (I used what I found at Whole Food's)
• 1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
• About a half cup of chopped onion
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 pinch of red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place the corn tortillas on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, until they are golden brown.
2. Drizzle a little olive oil in a pan and heat it to medium.  Add the chorizo and as it cooks, break it up with a spatula.  
3. After about 5 minutes, add the onion and garlic.  Cook for a couple minutes and add the tomatoes, cumin, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper.
4. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  It should lightly bubble while cooking and be thick after 15 minutes.
5. In another pan, cook the 4 eggs how you desire.  I chose to do over easy, but scrambled would be great too.
6. To assemble, spoon half the red sauce on each tortilla, top with 2 eggs and cheddar cheese, place under the broiler for minute of you want to cheese to melt and brown.  Top with cilantro and enjoy!