Banana Whoopie Pies for Valentine's Day

I know it's a bit late in the game to be making a sweet for your sweet, but these little heart shaped sweets are too good and too easy not to share.

Their adorable heart-shape is thanks to Wilton's Heart-Shaped Whoopie Pie Pan, but they work just as well if you pipe little mounds of batter onto a parchment lines baking-sheet.  Though I think these are a bit  cuter.

Grilled Cheese Month: Grilled Buffalo Mozzarella & Prosciutto

As grilled cheese month marches on this entry is not my most creative, they are flavors I love, or maybe it's better to say worship.  Given the Italian spin of the this sammie and the Italian title of the blog and the fact that I post at lest one Italian recipe most months, I'm going to guess that's no big surprise.   I knew that this sandwich would make me very happy and make for an amazing lunch.  But this went so much further than that. If someone were to ask me what my ultimate sandwich is, this one would be it.  From the melty buffalo mozzarella to the slow roasted tomatoes and salty prosciutto, it's heaven on bread.  I'd happily eat this sucker once a week for the rest of my life.

As you'll see in the title and recipe I'm calling for buffalo mozzarella in this recipe.  I promise it's worth it.  If you just aren't sold on spending the extra dough or don't have easy access, you can use fior di latte (cow's milk mozzarella) which is widely available at most grocery stores.   I took the extra step to make a batch of slow roasted tomatoes, which I LOVE to just eat on bread or put in salads.  They keep for a good week in the fridge and require very little active cooking time and pack an intense flavor punch to anything you use them in.  They finish this sandwich and are part of what puts it into perfection for me.  But again, if you can't be bothered I'm sure a fresh tomato would be adequate.

Grilled Cheese Month: Grilled Ham, Cheddar & Tomato

The grilled cheese is not a fancy sandwich.  It's actually quite rustic, bread grilled in a pan with butter and some cheese.  And yet it's so fabulous that with the resurgence of comfort food in the last few years it's because quite popular.  You can get just about anything on a grilled cheese these days.  And while I love some of the crazy combinations that are out there, sometimes you just need to stick with a classic.  The ultimate classic is white bread and kraft slices, that's what I grew up on, but as an adult my classic is slightly more refined but far from fancy.  I love grilled ham & cheese with tomato.  I mean I guess I could take or leave the tomato, but I'm a firm believer that tomato makes everything better.

When I was at the grocery store yesterday I was so excited to finally find some great looking beefsteak tomatoes, that were greenhouse grown here in Canada.  Unless I need a specific veg for a specific dish that I don't want or feel I can substitute, I always try to buy vegetables that are grown in Canada.  The winters can feel pretty long living only on my stores of home canned plum tomatoes, so to see these lovely ripe tomatoes from Canada made my day.  Are they as nice as the sun kissed ones we get at the end of the summer? No, but they were damn good and made my sandwich all the better.

A Boozy Shamrock Shake!

With St. Patrick's Day fast approaching all this red-blooded American (transplanted to Canada) girl can think about is something, as a foodie, she is just a bit embarrassed to admit.  I bet you can't even guess.  It's too mortifying.  Alright, alright I'll tell you.  The Shamrock Shake.  Yes from McDonald's no less.  Since I'm being honest about my guilty pleasures here I might as well tell you that I have a minor obsession with the quarter pounder with cheese too.  A Shamrock Shake paired with a  quarter pounder, well that sounds like just a little bit of heaven to me.   If you're going to judge, I suggest you stop reading now.  Because though I know this type of food is so not good for you and haven't had any of it yet in 2011, I will never deny my love of the taste of it.

Moving on, since St. Paddy's day is very often associated with a grown-up beverage or 2 or even 10 depending on the person, I figured why not do a twist on this minty green shake to make it a bit more...ahem...grown-up friendly, aka boozy.  Yes you could get one at your local McD's add some booze, but this is a bit more fun and could make a fun pre or post treat for your festivities tomorrow. Or it's a great way to end a night of drinking beer and eating corned beef and cabbage at home, if you don't feel like braving the insane bar crowds.  Either way, I say go for it.

Whiskey Laced Peach Slab Pie for Pi Day

Happy 3.14 or Pi Day as it's more commonly known.  I'm a huge fan of pie so any day where the baking and eating of pie is encouraged is ok by me.  While thinking about a pie for Pi Day I knew I wanted to use the peaches I had frozen at the end of last summer but I also wanted to figure out a way to tie the upcoming St. Patrick's Day into it.   St. Patty's Day to me is all about beer and whiskey.  I wasn't really feeling the idea of beer and peaches, though if anyone has a recipe that proves me wrong on that one I'd love to see it.  But peaches & whiskey?  Why not?

Meatless Monday: Domestic Divas Wild Rice Risotto with Cranberries and Walnuts

I feel so lucky to have the Domestic Diva herself back with a very special Meatless Monday holiday recipe.  It was the Diva who inspired me to take part in Meatless Mondays, and I can't think of a better guest post that this delicious sounding risotto.  What could be better on your holiday table?

From the Diva
I'm thrilled to be back for another guest post on Piccante Dolce! Even better, this special guest post is also a Meatless Monday recipe. How's that for service?

I created this recipe for Wild Rice Risotto with Cranberries and Walnuts especially for the holidays. The wild rice, sauteed with ginger and shallots, doused with white wine, and then slowly cooked in vegetable stock captures that rich, spicy, comforting vibe of this special time. The dish is finished with chopped parsley, toasted walnuts, and dried cranberries.

While this rice makes a great stuffing (try using it instead of traditional bread stuffing -- it's a gluten-free alternative) or a perfect side dish, it's also wonderful as a stand alone Meatless Monday main course. The whole grains and walnuts give it both fiber and protein. Oh, and did I mention that it's healthy, too? That's right! It's a winning recipe all around.

A Foodie Christmas Wish List

Christmas is upon us!  We put up our tree on Sunday night, that's put it in the stand in the living room to let it defrost and let the branches fall and by Monday night I couldn't wait to get it decorated!  I think it's because we woke up Monday morning to the ever so perfect dusting of snow on the ground with light flurries. And they continued on and off all day giving the street that perfect Winter Wonderland feel.  Everyone knows I miss LA, but not at Christmas time.  Christmas time means snow and cold and snuggling up under a blanket with mulled wine or hot chocolate while watching movies.   Yes, at Christmas I don't miss LA.

With that little bit of snow, it now feels like Christmas, perfectly like Christmas.  I'm starting to plan for our annual Christmas party and putting together my own personal wish list for Santa.  In doing that it only seemed right to share some of the things I am asking the big guy for and a few things I've gotten over the past year that I think you should be asking for.  Here we go in no particular order.

1.  Tortilla press - as I wrote in yesterday's post I make my own tortillas sometimes.  While a press isn't necessary, I think it would cut the time it takes to make tortillas in half.  Williams-Sonoma has one that's pretty reasonable.

2.  Sous Vide Supreme and Vacuum Sealer - The fabulous Domestic Diva, who I'll be guest posting with later in the week, has one of these and I'm ever so jealous.  Mainly because I want it to make eggs, I'd like to experiment with all kinds of things, but seriously those eggs look insane!

Recipe Remix: Apple Pie

I love apples and just about any dessert that involves apples, luckily the boy does too and happily deals with my constantly experimenting with apple desserts.   I posted my apple pie recipe over 2 years ago but since I did a pie crust tutorial a few weeks ago and with Thanksgiving coming, it seemed the right time to revisit the recipe to see if I could make it better.  I couldn't be happier that I did because just a bit of tweaking on my part and a bit of inspiration from my sister-in-law really improved upon it and has turned it into my go to apple pie.  

One of the most important thing when discussing the holidays and pies, is what you like on top your slice of pie.  Obviously we are specifically talking about apple pie here.  There are a few schools of thought on this controversial topic.  There are the traditionalists who swear by ice cream.  In Northern New England apple pie is often topped with cheddar cheese.  There are some people who even like it with whipped cream, blasphemy in my opinion.  Being someone who will eat cheese all day, everyday and also growing up in New England, I think the perfect topping is a nice slice of aged Vermont white cheddar.  The boy is adamantly an ice cream kind of guy and despite this difference of opinion, we are able to make it work by agreeing not to force our views on each other when it comes to the all-important topic of apple pie accoutrements.  All this being said, and begrudgingly putting my love of cheese aside, I think the cinnamon sugar topping on this pie would make for a good pairing with a scoop of cinnamon ice cream or even fresh ginger ice cream.  What's your favorite topping for a slice of apple pie, does it cause disagreements amongst loved ones in your house?

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

I love ice cream. This was fostered by my father eating a bowl of ice cream after dinner whenever he was home. When we earned dessert after becoming a member of the "Clean Plate Club" it was usually a bowl of ice cream. Heavenly Hash and Coffee were my first favorite flavors which gave way to a whole slew of Ben & Jerry's flavors as I got older with New York Super Fudge Chunk being my ultimate. You may notice a trend here, a chocolate trend. Chocolate with nuts and all kinds of add-ins. While I still love me some New York Super Fudge Chunk since I've moved to Toronto I've found a new love. A love that is familiar to any ice cream fanatic in Toronto and especially in the East End. Ed's Real Scoop. While all of Ed's flavors are pretty great, I mean you can't go wrong with home made ice cream, nothing compares to their Pumpkin Ice Cream. Available only in the fall it's amazingly delicious, perfectly creamy and balanced with just the right amount of spice. I love it. I'd eat it every day if it wasn't completely irresponsible.

This past summer, the boy and I would go to Ed's about once a week. Lucky for me he can appreciate my ice cream obsession even if he only alternates between Strawberry or Callebaut Milk Chocolate. Convincing him to get ice cream was easy in the balmy days of summer, but as the chilly night air of fall is currently upon us, he thinks I'm nuts to want to go for ice cream. I'm convinced this is because he hasn't tried the Pumpkin. I begrudgingly offer him a bit every time I get it, and yet he always declines. I think he's nuts, but then again I'm the queen of tasting everything.

Review: Laughing Moon Chocolates

October 28 is National Chocolate Day in the US.  It's pretty timely with one of the biggest holiday for chocolate just 3 days later.  Since I've been participating in Unprocessed October I've tried to stay away from the Halloween candy the boy purchased as it is about as far from unprocessed as you can get.  I did make an exception though for some of the delicious chocolates from Laughing Moon Chocolates. Back in August when the boy and I went to an Outstanding in the Field dinner at Pete's Greens in Craftsbury, VT we were fortunate to be sitting at a table with Leigh Williams of Laughing Moon Chocolate, an adorable artisinal chocolate shop in the heart of ski country, Stowe, VT.  We weren't able to visit the shop as we were only in town for the dinner (though we drove by early in the morning on our way out of town and I did peek in the window), but Leigh sent me some goodies to try*. 

I love chocolate, so that was my primary reason for wanting to try Laughin Moon's, but I was really struck by listening to Leigh talk about how she strives to use ingredients that can be locally sourced.  Obviously cacao doesn't grow in Vermont, but everything from the butter and milk  to the oreos she dips in fudge, which she contracted a local baker to make, is sourced locally.  Leigh goes above and beyond to support her community and buy local.  Her passion is for handmade chocolates which also makes them so special.  I mean how gorgeous are their signature chocolate bars?!

I was sent four Signature chocolate bars and a 1/2 pound box of Assorted Handmade Chocolates.  I opened the assorted box first on the off chance that there were some of the amazing sounding Bayley Hazen Blue truffles in it or maybe one of the boozy truffles.   If you don't know what Bayley Hazen Blue is, go to the Jasper Hill Farm website and see if you can buy it nearby.  If not, go to your local cheesemonger and tell them they have to bring it for you.  It is an amazingly special blue cheese, so special that they have to make it 7 days a week to keep up with demand!  But this post isn't about Jasper Hill, it's about Laughing Moon.  In Leigh's quest to use local ingredients she came up with a handmade chocolate truffle using the Bayley Hazen Blue.  I love chocolate and I love blue cheese and really how special and amazing does pairing them together sound?  But alas, there was no Bayley Hazen Truffle.  I'll just have to order some for myself.  The Assorted box is full of all kinds of delicious chocolates but my favorite was a deliciously perfect piece of toffee with milk chocolate.

Unprocessed: Whole Grain Crusted Pumpkin Pie

I've never been a huge fan of pumpkin pie, but the spices used and the smell of it baking just automatically make it feel like fall and early winter.  That might be because as an American I am used to Thanksgiving coming at the end of November, thus the early winter memories.  Well up here in the Great White North Thanksgiving falls right at the beginning of October.  Though the boy and I were flying solo for Thanksgiving I offered to cook a proper dinner.  My preference for pie would have been apple, but he asked for pumpkin and since I still think of it as his Thanksgiving, I went with what he wanted.  We'll see if he defers to my preference when American Thanksgiving comes around.

Now the thing about pumpkin pie is I've never actually made one.  Not only was I trying this pie for the first time, I had to figure out how to make it unprocessed and I really wanted to get it on the first try.  On top of all of that I've never had the best luck with custard pies, I'm not sure if it's a patience thing or what, but I've often failed at getting them to set up properly.  Basically I had alot of things working against me on this one.  It would have been easiest to just find a recipe and follow it, but of course I couldn't do that.  I did a ton a research and ended up putting together what is one of the best pumpkin pies I've ever had.

Unprocessed: Baked Cranberries

For Thanksgiving I was presented with the challenge of making the entire meal unprocessed to fit with my Unprocessed October Challenge.  The boy is not a big fan of cranberries but loved the Baked Cranberries I made last year.  So I set about trying to recreate them in some way without using white sugar.  What resulted was more sauce-like and quite a bit more tart that the former version, but I couldn't stop eating it.  My perfect Thanksgiving plate is a few slices of turkey topped with some cranberries and drizzled with gravy.  While a sweet cranberry works well, the bright, tart flavor of this sauce with just a hint of sweetness actually made this combination ideal.

Sage Roasted Turkey

Here is my final Thanksgiving Day Feast recipe. I apologize in advance for no photo but I made this meal for a group of hungry people who had just spent a November day in and out of a cold lake in Central Ontario bringing the dock in for the winter. Needless to say when this meal was done not one person had the patience to wait to be served a hot meal and after all the work they did I didn't think they should. As you read the recipe you'll see why it was hard to even snap a quick pic of the bird or shall I say a pretty quick pic of the bird. Even though there isn't photographic evidence of this deliciously tasty bird. I urge you to try it, whether it's with a turkey or a chicken. It's the only way to cook them as far as I am concerned.

Sage Roasted Turkey

serves 8 with leftovers

1 12 lb turkey
1 stick of unsalted butter
1 tsp sea salt
12 fresh sage leaves
1 lemon - washed and quartered
1 small onion quartered
6 or more fresh rosemary sprigs
6 or more fresh sage sprigs
1 head of garlic

1. Make sure your turkey is fully defrosted and at room temperature before roasting. Remove giblets and neck. Rinse and pat dry inner cavity and skin.
2. Preheat oven to 325F. Place butter, sage leaves and sea salt into a food processor and pulse until sage leaves are chopped and combined with butter. Set aside.
3. Sprinkle sea salt and fresh cracked pepper inside the turkey's cavity. Stuff the turkey with lemon quarters, onion quarters, whole head of garlic and sprigs of herbs.
4. Rub the sage butter all over the turkey's skin. Truss up the legs and wings. For instructions on how to truss a turkey click here.
5. Place the turkey, breast down in a roasting pan and place in the heated oven. Roast for 15-20 minutes per pound basting every 30 minutes with the pan juices. As the roasting time winds down, test the thigh with and instant read thermometer. It is ready when the temperature is 170F and the juices run clear.
6. When done remove roasting pan from the oven and remove the turkey to a carving board letting rest under a tent of foil, breast side down for 15 minutes before carving. Turn the turkey over to carve and enjoy with your favorite gravy or jus and sides.

Roasting the bird with the breast side down, allows all of the deliciously rich thigh juices to run into the breast keeping it moist and tender. Resting it breast side down just continues the process. While it doesn't make for the most photogenic bird, the flavor speaks for itself. As I have never carved a bird at the dinner table, and I doubt most people don't unless they live in some Norma Rockwell alternate universe, I'd say forgo the gorgeously browned breast for flavor and tenderness. Instead of a traditional gravy I made a jus with the pan drippings and some red wine.

I have one great leftover recipe that I'll post on Friday, so in between all the Black Friday craziness, if you are looking for something a bit different to do with your turkey leftovers check it out.

Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!

Cornbread & Sausage Dressing

When it comes to Thanksgiving I feel like there are two camps, those who make stuffing that they stuff the bird with and those that make dressing which is served along side the bird. I grew up in a dressing home. As I began roasting my own chicken and turkey, I held to making dressing rather than stuffing as the bird roasts much faster not being stuffed. We generally have a more traditional dressing at Thanksgiving and in the spirit of trying something different I decided to make a cornbread sausage dressing.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Banana Mash

This dish came about as a result of my desire to do a potato side that was different from standard mashed potatoes, and while I LOVE candied yams they are not the most healthy option. Since I am ramping up on the whole getting into shape thing for my wedding next year, I am always looking for satisfying dishes that are a bit healthier. Sweet potatoes are generally better for you than plain old white, if you don't douse them in tons of sugar and syrups. I decided to roast up some sweet potatoes and banana, mix it all with maple syrup and voila, a healthier answer to candied yams and mashed potatoes and gravy.

Grilled Cheese Goodness #4

Well here it is folks, my last grilled cheese of the month, this one is much like the Smoked Gouda and BBQ Chicken in that it was made from leftovers. Specifically leftover Rosemary Rubbed NY Strip with Chianti butter, stay tuned for the post to appear this week in my guest posting over at Domestic Divas. This is a super rich sammie that was inspired by the toasted roast beef subs we always had growing up. Mom with get nice pink roast beef and soft sub rolls, spread some mayo on the rolls, load up with roast beef and top with shredded mozzarella, stick it under the broiler to get the cheese all melty and devour it. I loved those sandwiches and when I has some delicious left over steak I had to try a new version of my old favorite.

Steak Grilled Cheese

Leftover steak (recipe to come for my rosemary rubbed steak)
Mozzarella cheese slices
Provolone cheese slices
Ciabatta loaf
Hellman's Olive Oil Mayo
Butter (I used Chianti butter, recipe to come with the rosemary steak)

1. Heat up panini grill according to directions, or place a fry pan over medium low heat. Slice ciabatta loaf to 1/2" thick slices. Butter one side of each slice of bread.
2. Layer sandwich in panini grill or on fry pan. Place one slice of bread butter side down, spread mayo (as much as you like), layer 1 slice of mozzarella and 1 slice of provolone (more if you want it extra cheesy), 1 layer of steak, 1 more slice of mozzarella and provolone, top with second slice of bread, butter side up.
3. Either close panini press and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until bread is toasty and cheese is melty. If using a fry pan cook on medium low until butter melts, carefully flip and repeat on other side. Cover fry pan and let sandwich slow cook until on side is golden brown and cheese begins to melt, flip cover and repeat on other side.
4. Let rest for a few minutes. Slice and enjoy.

I just received my panini press/indoor grill for Xmas, actually my brother did and realized he had no room in his shoebox of an apartment to keep it so I managed to score it. I was initially again hauling it out to use for one sandwich but it honestly makes, making a grilled cheese so much easier and faster I think it's all I'm going to use from now on. It can also apparently be used to grill meat and veggies, something I'll be trying out more next winter.

But I'm digressing, this sammie was delish and I think the perfect last post on this grilled cheese month. It would definitely work with any kind of steak, but I think there was a lot of added flavor with the rosemary rub and Chianti butter, make sure to stay tuned for the recipe on Domestic Divas. Enjoy!

Grilled Cheese Goodness #3

I'm a bit behind on my promise of a grilled cheese per week this month, working nights will do that to you. I think I made up for it with this amazingly delicious treat. I love cheese with fruit and anything sweet as is demonstrated in my first sammie of the month with the Apricot Mustard. But I especially like apples with cheese and figured what could be better in a grilled cheese than a Granny Smith. We had some Rosenberg blue cheese leftover from delicious burgers the boy made a few weeks ago and I decided to pair that with a homemade green apple chutney and since the blue cheese is so strong I toned it down with some Emanthaler cheese. All in all it was a perfectly tasty and rich sandwich.

Grilled Cheese with Green Apple Chutney
makes 2 Sandwiches

4 slices of whole wheat bread
1/2 wedge of Rosenberg Blue Cheese - cut into thin slices or crumbled
2-4 slices of Emanthaler cheese or any type of Swiss
Apple Chutney (see recipe below)

1. Preheat your panini press according to the directions for making sandwiches. Layer blue cheese and 1/2 to a whole slice of Emanthaler on 2 slices of bread. Go easy with the blue cheese as it's strong and will get very melty and spread, just be sure the slices has a nice thin layer of cheese. Top with 1/2 of the apple chutney. Top chutney with another thin layer of cheeses and remaining slices of bread.
2. Place one sandwich at a time onto the press (unless it can handle two at a time). Close press and toast for 5-7 minutes, until toasty grill marks appear. Remove from press let sit for 3 minutes, cut and serve.

Green Apple Chutney

1 medium Granny Smith apple - peeled and cut into 1/2" dice
2 slices red onion - diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp dry white wine
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp sugar

1. In a small saucepan heat olive oil over medium heat. Add apples into heated pan and saute over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add in onion and saute for another 5 minutes.
2. Add in cinnamon stick, ginger, sugar lemon juice and wine. Stir to combine. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes until apples get tender and juices reduce down. The apples should be soft but still hold their shape, you don't want it to be like applesauce.
3. Remove from heat and serve or use in a fabulous grilled cheese.



I chose to use my panini press to make this sandwich because I knew I wouldn't need to butter the bread to get it all toasty and delicious. I love blue cheese and was excited to use it this way, but recognize that's it's extremely rich and didn't think the sandwich needed the additional richness from the butter. The panini press was a good call and the bread was perfectly toasty and the sandwich was perfect even without the butter. That being said if you don't have a panini press this can of course be made traditionally in a pan with buttered bread like this one. If you are in the market for a panini press check out the Breville one I have in my Amazon store, while I haven't tried it yet it can also be used to grill meats and veggies. Either way you make this sandwich will work and while it takes a bit more time than some of my others, it's still extremely easy and well worth the extra time to make the homemade chutney. Enjoy!

Grilled Cheese Goodness #2

This weeks ooey gooey grilled cheese came about based on some left overs we had, namely the Maple Whiskey Pulled Chicken. The boy was away for work last week and had to listen to me plan out different grilled cheese creations. After torturing him like that I knew once he was home, I had to make him something delicious and wanted to try something I hadn't before. Reusing leftovers was also key. I know most people hate leftovers but turning one meal into two or even three is a great way to save money and really forces you to be creative. While this use of the pulled chicken is that different from how I originally served it it's a twist that was tasty and satisfying especially if you give yourself a couple day break between.

Smoked Gouda Grilled Cheese
serves 2

4 slices Prairie Grain Raisin Bread - this is something my local grocery store bakery makes, but you can easily use any kind of honey oat bread and get the same flavors
4 1/8" thick slices of Smoked Gouda - if your deli doesn't slice it cut enough to cover each piece of bread in a thin layer
1/2 cup of Maple Whiskey Pulled Chicken
3 Tbsp butter

1. Warm up pulled chicken either in the microwave for a minute or so out in a saute pan over medium heat. Reheat until warmed all the way through.
2. Butter one side of two slices of bread. Place a small fry pan over low heat. Place one slice of bread buttered side down in warmed pan, layer 1 slice (or layer) of cheese on the bread. Top with half of the heated chicken, one more slice of smoked Gouda and the remaining slice of bread, buttered side up.
3. Cover pan and let sandwich cook on low until butter is melted. Carefully flip and cover pan and repeat on the other side. Flip again, cover and keep on low until bread is golden brown and toasty. This will take up to 5 minutes or so. Flip and repeat on the other side. Remove finished sandwich to a cutting board.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 with the remaining ingredients. Let each sandwich rest a minute or two before cutting.


The Smoked Gouda wasn't as melty as I had hoped, but cooking the sandwich low and slow and keeping it covered got the cheese to melt. The creaminess of the cheese really complemented the chicken and the prairie bread. The chicken is the in-your-face star of this sandwich, but the cheese is what really makes it special, the mellow smokiness completes it. Enjoy!

Grilled Cheese Goodness #1

Here we are with my first official Grilled Cheese Month post. This may be my favorite food holiday all year, so excuse me if I go a bit overboard with the posts! This first sandwich I threw together with stuff we just had on hand in the house. It's simple and basic but oh-so-delicious! The star of this sammie is a delicious semi-soft cheese out of Quebec called Oka. Its name comes from the town in Quebec where it was originally made in 1893. It's got a very pungent aroma and is soft creamy on the tongue with a slight nutty flavor. I first tried it when I was at the Toronto Wine & Cheese Show and fell in love. It's a very versatile cheese that I can't wait to use in Mac & Cheese, on pizza and who knows who knows what else! Post any ideas in the comments.

Oka & Apricot Grilled Cheese
makes 2 sandwiches

4 slices of multi-grain bread sandwich bread
3 Tbsp of room temperature butter - for easy spreading
Oka Cheese - don't have exact measurement, enough for a nice layer on the bread
Apricot Mustard (recipe below)

1. Heat a skillet over medium low heat. Spread a generous layer of Apricot Mustard on two slices of bread. Top mustard with a layer of Oka Cheese, slices should be 1/8"-1/4" thick it melts really well so you don't need a ton, just a single layer. Top with remaining slices of bread.
2. Butter top of sandwich. Carefully place in skillet, buttered side down. Butter other side of sandwich.
3. Cover skillet and cook sandwich on low just until the butter on the skillet side is completely melted. Carefully flip and repeat on other side. Flip again and bring the burner up to medium heat. Cook until ones side becomes golden brown and toasty, flip and repeat on other side.
4. Take out of skillet, let sit for 3 minutes (this step isn't necessary and really hard to do if you are hungry! but helps in the sandwich being a little less oozy than in the picture), cut in half and serve.


Apricot Mustard

Mix 1 part Dijon mustard with 1 1/2 parts apricot jam. Mix until well combined. Taste and add more jam as needed.


This sandwich was simple and oh-so-delicious! Oka is a great cheese for grilled cheese because it melts beautifully, with no oil separation. Basically most semi-soft cheese will work well in grilled cheese, but the flavor of this cheese is just amazing and the nuttiness pairs perfectly with the sweet tang of the Apricot mustard. I used a jam that had apricot chunks in it which made it all the better.

The boy is out of town for work so you don't have the benefit of his take on this one, although I made him a plain Oka grilled cheese over the weekend, which he loved. And the Apricot Mustard is similar to the dipping sauce I made with the onions rings, which he also liked. I have a feeling I'll be making this one again for him, have to go buy some more Oka.
Every cheese monger around here carries Oka, but I'm not sure how easy it is to find in the States. Not to worry though, the Springbank Cheese Co ships Oka and many other cheeses to the U.S. Enjoy!

April is Grilled Cheese Month!

Nope this is not an April Fool's Day joke. The entire month of April is devoted to the best sandwich on the planet, in my honest opinion. So in honor of this holiday I will be posting at least one tasty grilled cheese per week. The picture here is a reposting of the Grilled Cheese I made to go with my super duper Tomato Soup. This delicious morsel was made with extra sharp white cheddar, Asiago & Gruyere cheese, you can find the recipe here.

If you are in the LA area be sure head on over to Clementine Cafe in Century City for their fabulous grilled cheeses. Check out the menu here, click on the postcard on the bottom of the homepage to download a pdf of the entire month's selection. I'll be in town next weekend and hope to stop in to try the Grilled Cheese Al Carbon and the Little Armenia. Some of the other sammies that I wish I could be there to try are the Pecorino Sardo with oven-roasted tomatoes, olives and thyme on panini bread or the Camembert with mustard greens and mushrooms on country bread or the Queso Mahon & Chorizo with quince paste and romesco, which sounds so delish and different I may have to try to make it myself! Enjoy!