Ciabatta Sandwich

Okay, I think it’s high time I got a new recipe out… and I have just the one! Perfect for spring and summer, this flavorful Ciabatta sandwich will be a hit with any age and gender. We sampled a similar version at our friends’ place in Ohio and I couldn’t wait to come home and try it!

Ciabatta Sandwich

1 large Ciabatta loaf*
Butter
Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
Deli black forest ham, sliced thin
Deli smoked turkey breast, sliced thin
Thin sliced Cheddar cheese
Lettuce leaves
Thin sliced tomatoes
Thin sliced cucumbers
Renee's Mediterranean Greek dressing (or vinaigrette of your choice)

Slice open the loaf horizontally, spread with butter and lightly toast under broiler. Spread lightly with Mayo, then layer meat and veggies in order given. Salt and pepper if desired, then drizzle lightly with dressing. Cut into individual sizes and serve slightly warm. So yummy and gourmet!

*Note: Our local grocery store carries a bread called Mediterranean Bread which is delicious as well. The possibilities are as endless as available types of bread!

marinade

To me, summer is all about picnics and barbecues and salads and experimenting with the grill. Of course, I'm always thinking about food, so this comes as no surprise... others think of swimming, hiking, etc. and I think of the food... Anyway, I have found the answer for a multipurpose ingredient that I always have in stock. It's a great dressing, but also an incredible marinade... and they come in the yummiest flavors: Roasted Red Pepper (great as steak marinade), Spring Herb Italian, Sweet Onion Vinaigrette (both super awesome on chicken breasts)... and those are only the kinds I've tried. They have every flavor imaginable, and they are rich, flavorful and oh, so gourmet. And I'm longing to check out these sauces...

Excuse me while I wipe my chin...

fresh

I've read with envy these blogs, women telling how they drove 2 miles down the road for fresh organic produce, and wished I had a place nearby. But I realized one day that I actually am blessed with being close to several Hutterite colonies, so today I stopped by one. I was actually in a search for green beans - I like to blanch and freeze them whole - but this particular colony had just done up all their beans the day before. Somehow I ended up with this huge produce box full of potatoes, onions, carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower and fresh honey. When I asked the sweet older woman what I owed, she replied "$20". What?! I would spend at least double that in the grocery store and it sure ain't this fresh! For supper dh grilled precooked ribs in BBQ sauce (from Walmart!), I made these potatoes, and we had a whole pile of fresh veggies to munch on. I think it's hardest on me this year not to have a garden, we're living in our new house but not much else is finished on the yard. Hopefully next year I can have a little green patch! What do you look forward to the most about fresh summer eating? 

gourmet pork chops

Back when I was on one of my low-carb diets, I would google all kinds of recipes... some were total failures and some became family favorites. This is one recipe that finally stuck - it's very low-fat and full of flavor. Dh has always loaded his meat with BBQ sauce at the table, but this one he actually doesn't, so that says a little! 

Gourmet Pork Chops

Pork chops
Olive oil
Any or all of the following: rosemary, thyme, marjoram, savory, oregano, basil
Garlic powder or minced garlic cloves 
Salt and pepper or Lawry's seasoning salt

Make a thick paste with the oil and seasonings; rub into pork chops and grill. Enjoy!

summer berries and cream

This is what summer is all about...

1. Slice fresh strawberries into a bowl. 

2. Dump in lots of sugar and cream. 

3. Close your eyes and inhale.

Bet you thought it would be more gourmet, more complicated than that, huh?!

summery sweet tea

For all you sweet tea lovers out there, have I got a recipe for you! This comes from my good friend and it's tangy, sweet and tastes like summer.

Summery Sweet Tea

6-7 tea bags (I use 4 regular and 3 Earl Grey)
6 cups water
3/4 - 1 cup sugar
1 lemon, sliced
1 lime, sliced
1 orange, sliced
Ice

Combine tea bags with water and microwave on high for 6-8 minutes. Remove tea bags and add sugar; mix well. Put fruit slices in a gallon pitcher 1/3 full with ice and pour tea syrup over. Let sit 30 minutes and fill pitcher with water. Serve over ice. Makes 1 gallon.

lemon dill salmon

I tried this recipe for our supper tonight and it was really good. Even dh, who despises garlic, cheerfully ate more than one helping. The boys asked for more as well, so mark this one down as a kid-friendly (and hubby-friendly) food to try! Great with wild rice and a summery vegetable salad, e.g. Greek.

Grilled Salmon with Lemon & Dill

4 salmon steaks or fillets

Marinade:
juice of 1 large lemon or 2 small lemons
1 tsp. lemon zest
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. dried dill
1 clove garlic, minced

Place salmon in a shallow non-reactive dish. Combine marinade ingredients; pour over salmon. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Grill salmon directly over medium coals, basting with marinade, for about 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily. Serves 4.

Note: instead of lemon zest, I sliced a lemon into paper thin slices and placed them all over the fillet. Beautiful and delicious!

pork chops and rice

Tonight we used the grill again... I marinated pork chops for 24 hours in Diana Teriyaki Marinade and dh grilled them to tender perfection! But to me, the crowning glory of the meal was the side of Primavera Rice & Cheese. I've gotten into the habit of keeping these on hand, and if you'll notice they have the recipe right on their website for the side dish that had me licking my plate clean. I'll include the recipe here as well:

Primavera Rice & Cheese

170 g Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild Rice w/ Mushrooms
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced red pepper
1/2 cup diced zucchini
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3/4 cup Mozzarella cheese

Prepare rice according to package directions. Just before rice is almost done, saute vegetables in oil. Stir into cooked rice along with Mozzarella. Cover and let stand for 2 minutes to melt cheese before serving.

grilling vegetables

I put a roast in the slow cooker for supper, just dumped a little water and a package of onion soup mix on top, then turned it on High for 4 hours. Then we experimented a bit with the rest of the meal...

Rosemary Baby Potatoes

Boil 5 minutes, then coat with a mixture of:
Olive oil
Rosemary
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder (I would use fresh cloves but dh doesn't really dig the strong *authentic* garlic smell/flavor...)

Grill for 20 minutes over medium heat

Grilled Asparagus

Coat with melted butter, salt & pepper
Grill over medium heat about 10 minutes

Both turned out excellent! We will be doing this a lot more, and the best part is, dh loves to run the grill, so I have a lot less to do!