As many of you might know my obsession with cooking has taken a turn and has become an actual business. Sometime around September of 2010 we took "My Passionate Kisses" and turned it into "Passionate Kisses Cakes and Catering."
Who knew that a couple of cupcakes sporting some alcohol in the frosting (go figure, me and booze, who would have made that connection...lol) could turn into taking a Wilton cake decorating class could turn into becoming a Wilton Method Instructor could turn into baking and catering and sharing my yummy experiments with people who want to pay for my talents? Certainly not me! But it is so exciting. The journey is hard, but doesn't feel like work. In fact, for the first time in my life I am working very hard and getting very tired all the while feeling like I'm cheating the system by LOVING what I do. Weird isn't it?!?! I am truly blessed.
While I intend to start cooking and sharing some fun recipes again, I wanted to share one that I've been making since spring and just love! I got my original idea from a sandwich that I had for lunch for the first time about 5 years ago. It was made by the lovely people at Wegman's in Bethlehem, PA and has been my favorite sandwich ever since. It is also the perfect time of year to start making this.
The cool thing about this sandwich is that it can vary depending on the vegetables that are available at the moment. While I've never tried it with root vegetables like carrots (not that I would, to me carrots should be raw and never cooked), potatoes and parsnips etc. I'm sure if those are your favorites they could work well too.
My favorite mix of veggies for this are yellow squash, zucchini, onions, eggplant, roasted peppers and mushrooms. You can make a pan of these on Sunday afternoon and then have them for the whole week to use in all sorts of delicious things. But right now...we are heading into sandwich land. :O) So let's go!
Here's what you need:
1 loaf of your favorite crunchy crusted bread, sliced in 1/2" slices
(check out your local farmer's markets, artisan breads are rocking the country right now) or check out this book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking by Jeff Hertzberg , Zoe Francois for some amazing do it yourself options.
Vegetables: eggplant, onions, zucchini, yellow squash, red peppers, mushrooms (your favorites)
1 or 2 packages of Zesty Italian powdered salad dressing
3 tblsps. olive oil (depends on how much veg you have), divided
1 tblsp. Mayonnaise
1 tsp. basil pesto (I always have a jar on hand)
1-2 cloves garlic, cleaned
Preheat oven to 350°.
Cut vegetables in 1/2 inch slices, mushrooms in half if small. Portobello mushroom slices would be amazing, but I usually use baby bellas. Place vegetables into a baking dish, drizzle with about 2 tblsps. of olive oil, sprinkle with seasoning and toss, making sure that all the vegetables are coated nicely.
Place uncovered into the oven and bake approximately 40 minutes or until fork tender. Please check after 20 minutes to make sure you aren't making veggie mush, its just not the same, trust me.
When vegetables are done, allow them to cool, drain and then store in a well sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week. (the drippings could make a great base for soup, pop them in the freezer till you need them)
To make my favorite sandwich:
Place two slices of bread on a cookie sheet and drizzle with a tsp. of olive oil (good olive oil is best in this application, I'm using a bottle that my amazing friend Stephanie brought me from Italy, I use it sparingly because I want it to last forever...lol).
Put the bread slices into the oven and bake for about 8 minutes or until bread is lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and rub garlic cloves over bread slices.
Reheat enough vegetables to fit on your sandwich either in the oven while your bread toasts or for about 40 seconds in a heat proof dish in the microwave. You just want to warm them, not re-cook them.
While bread is baking, mix mayo and pesto in a small bowl and set aside.
Sandwich assembly:
Place one slice of bread on your favorite pretty plate (yes pretty plate, be good to yourself), slather that yummy pesto mayo on the bread, top with all those amazing veggies and close it up with the other piece of bread. Eat it whole or cut diagonally (yes diagonally, all good sandwiches are cut on the diagonal, just ask my mom if you don't believe me!) and enjoy. This could be a great light evening meal served with a dessert of grilled peaches and a glass of your favorite Riesling or hard cider.
Alternative options:- Make it an open face sandwich and and serve as an appetizer
- Top it with a poached egg, the yolk of the egg oozes and makes the most delicious sauce ever...
- Boil up a pound of your favorite linguine and toss it all together, add some Parmesan cheese, serve the garlic toast on the side and voila, dinner for 4...
- For those of us that like to eat meat with our meals, you could replace the toasted bread with a nice New York Strip or even a Porterhouse if your feeling wealthy ;O).
Until the next great recipe comes along, Cin Cin,
dina
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