The Jarlsberg Grilled Cheese!

The Jarlsberg Grilled Cheese

    On a recent venture to our farmer's market, I made a huge score on a fantastic cheese. Maple smoked Jarlsberg is my new favorite cheese! It's savory and semi-sweet and seems to pair well with fruits and breads. 

    Back in my Starbucks days, when we would do coffee tastings, we would often pair cheeses and fruits with coffees. When I tasted this cheese at the market, I was instantly transported back to a coffee tasting where I paired Gouda and apples. It was like a light bulb. "I have to make a grilled cheese with this cheese and apples!"

     Below is my take on a salty and sweet tasty treat! I hope you guys enjoy this recipe. My husband's only complaint about this sandwich was that it was not bigger! Ha ha. 

Ingredients:

2 German Hard Rolls (or your preference of bread)

Six pieces of bacon

1/4 lb Maple smoked Jarlsberg Cheese

1 Fuji Apple

2 tbsp. Mayonnaise (or Miracle-Whip)

1/4 tsp. onion powder

Butter for toasting bread (I use "I can't believe it's not butter!")

On a cutting board, peel and slice your Fuji apple into thin slices. Set aside. Slice your Jarlsberg Cheese into thin slices and set aside. 

      In a medium pan, cook bacon on medium-high heat. I'm a constant burner of bacon. So, my rule of thumb now when cooking bacon is to go down the line, consistently flipping them over until they look about the right crispness. Move cooked bacon to a plate that is covered in paper towels. This will catch the excess grease. Set bacon aside for now.

    In a separate small bowl, mix two tablespoons of mayonnaise with 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder. 

       Butter both sides of the German Hard Rolls and put them facing down in a medium pan on medium-high heat. On the inside of the rolls, smooth your mayonnaise-onion mix. I do this on both pieces of the roll so that the flavor is spread evenly through the sandwich. 

     Add sliced Jarlsberg to both pieces of the roll. On one side of the roll, add apple slices. On the other side of the roll, add your desired amount of bacon. Let the separated rolls cook open face for about 2-3 minutes so cheese begins to melt.

     Put the two sides of the roll together, being careful not to drop the apple or bacon pieces. When both pieces are together, push sandwich down gently with your spatula. Cook on each side for about 2 minutes or until the bread is as toasted as you like it. 

     Remove from heat and cut down the center. Get ready to enjoy the perfect salty-sweet grilled cheese! 

   Callum took one bite of the sandwich. Haha...here he is enjoying a piece of Jarlsberg! 

Broccoli-Shallot Fettucini

   This past weekend, I raced my first 10K ever. One of the big things the running magazines talk about is carbo-loading. I wish that meant that in order for you to run well, you have to eat any and every carb in sight. However, that's not the case. Experts advise you to consume healthy, balanced carbohydrate meals in order to keep you energy stores high. 
      So I began thinking. There had to be some meal that would be delicious and beneficial. Below is one of the recipes I came up with. 


Broccoli- Shallot Fettuccine


Ingredients:
1 Full Head of Broccoli (rinsed,trimmed, and cut)
4 Shallots (sliced)
3 Garlic Cloves (sliced)
1 LB. Whole Grain Fettuccine
1 tsp. Penzey's Tuscan Sunset Spice
1 tsp. salt (divided)
1 tbsp. butter (I like to use "I can't believe it's not butter")
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tbsp. Garlic-infused olive oil (regular olive oil works fine too!)


Directions:
     In a large quart pan, bring cold water and a pinch of salt to a boil. The salt will keep the noodles from sticking together. 
      While water is coming to a boil, rinse and cut broccoli. Slice shallots and garlic. Heat olive oil in medium pan on medium-high heat. Add broccoli florets first since they will take longer to cook. About 4 minutes later, add shallots and garlic. While vegetables are sautéing, add Tuscan Sunset spice and 1/2 tsp of salt and mix so every vegetable is coated. Sauté vegetables until soft but still firm, about 8-10 minutes total depending on pans and stove-top heat. Once sautéed,  move to different burner but leave in pan. 

      By this time, your water should be at a boil. Add fettuccine and cook as directed on the package. Drain water and return pasta to the boiling pan. Add the butter and grated Parmesan and a pinch of salt. Mix together with tongs until all noodles are coated. 
    Plate the pasta and add the broccoli-shallot mixture to the top. Enjoy! 

Please excuse the quality of the plated pictures. I just realized that food does not photograph well against a red background. But I promise, this recipe is delicious!

"This, That, and, Oh Yeah, That Too!"

       When I got married, it was not only the first time that I had lived in my own place, but also the first time I had to buy groceries all by my lonesome. My mother had always bought our groceries. And it is not like she lives next door so that I can just run over and steal something from her pantry. She lives in California and now my family resides in Ohio. Needless to say, this was one of those times I had to learn by trial and error. 
        There were many times over the course of our first year of marriage that I "forgot" something at the grocery store. My poor husband was often sent back to the store to pick up what I needed while I got busy in the kitchen. After many visits to the grocery store, and I fear his growing contempt for my forgetfulness (though he was always gracious about going), I learned there were essentials in my kitchen that I always needed to have on hand. 
         I wish when I got married that they had some kind of starter list, like "You Will Need This, That, and,  Oh Yeah, That Too." That would have been very helpful and saved me a lot of grief. Now, this is not to say that I never forget an ingredient when I go to the store now. However, those visits are few and far between compared to before. I've comprised a list of ingredients and equipment that I always keep on hand. Hopefully some will find this useful. 


Fridge:
Milk
Large Eggs
Unsalted Butter (2 pkgs on hand at all times)
Mexican Shredded Cheese
Mozzarella Shredded Cheese
Grated Parmesan  
Ketchup
Sour Cream
Philadelphia Cream Cheese (Yes, the brand matters in this case)
Mayonaise


Meats:
Ground Beef (always 80/20 or 90/10 ratio)
Turkey Bacon
Chicken Breasts
SN: I find that going to Costco or a wholesale place for meat works well for our family. Since there are two boys that eat meat and one momma that doesn't, I find that prepackaged chicken breasts (2 breasts to one package) are resourceful for us. This way, we don't cook too much meat and waste what we don't use. 


Canned Products:
Contadina Tomato Paste (2 cans on hand at all times)
Organic Diced Tomatoes
Tomato Sauce (so you can make your own spaghetti sauce)
Kidney Beans
Pinto Beans
Campbell's Cream of Mushroom (2 cans on hand)
"           "   Cream of Onion
"           "   Cream of Chicken (2 cans on hand)
Large Whole Black Olives
Vegetable Broth
Chicken Stock (I prefer brands that do not use MSG)
Oatmeal
Italian Bread Crumbs
Red Hot Sauce


Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice:
Dry Mustard
Bay Leaves (must have if making homemade sauce)
Crushed Red Pepper
Cinnamon
Italian Spices
 - Tuscan Sunset from Penzey's is an incredible blend of Italian spices with no salt added!
Oregano
Marjoram
Thyme
Cumin
Cream of Tartar
Allspice
Chili Powder
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Salt
Sea Salt
Pepper
Nutmeg
Paprika
Rosemary
Pure Vanilla
White Sugar
Light Brown Sugar
Confectioner's Sugar (better known as powdered sugar)
Biscuit Mix
All-Purpose, Unbleached flour
Balsamic Vinegar
White Vinegar
Vegetable Oil
Olive Oil
Garlic-infused Olive Oil
Quick-Rise Yeast
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Chocolate Chips (I use Enjoy Life brand of chocolate chips, extremely expensive but peanut-free!)
SN: I really recommend, if budget allows, that you buy quality spices. I didn't always think it made a difference, but after trying Penzey's spices, I am a changed woman! Mccormick is also a great brand. 



  Starches, Starches, and more Starches:
Brown Rice
Wild Rice
White Rice
Fettuccine
Angel Hair Pasta
Spaghetti
Lasagna Noodles (I prefer that flat noodles with no sides)
Manicotti Noodles
Rotelle-Wheels
Farfalle
Elbows
Penne
Rigatoni
SN: Pasta is great to have on hand because it's easy to make, it's so diverse, and it's cheap. I like to try different shapes of noodles for different recipes. Also, if you can find it, wheat pastas (provided you aren't allergic to wheat) are a great alternative to semolina pastas. They have more nutrients and are therefore more filling. 


Produce:
Apples
White Onion
Spanish Onion
Red Onion
Garlic Cloves
Broccoli ( I use a lot so I keep a lot on hand)
Green Peppers
Cucumber
Romaine Leaves
Tomatoes
- Roma
- On the vine
- Grape or cherry tomatoes
Lemon
Mushrooms
Bananas
SN: Most of what I keep on hand in terms of produce depends on what is in season. During the summer I keep lots of berries on hand because they're in season and cheaper!


Equipment:
Stove-top pans
Kitchen-Aid Mixer (worth the money!!)
Blender
Tongs(2 sets)
Measuring Cups (3 sets if you cook a lot!)
Measuring Spoons (I also keep 3 sets of these)
Spatulas (2 or more)
Ladle
Slotted spoon
Serving Spoons (2-3 depending on if you plan on entertaining)
Kitchen Knife set (wish I could afford Wusthof knives, but my set works fine)
Peeler
Grater
Colander
Liquid Measuring Cup
Mixing ceramic or metal bowls (metal bowls if you're looking for durability)
Tray
Tupperware
Loaf Pan
9x13 Baking Pan ( I like Pyrex glass, but every chef is different)
Square Baking Pan (8x8 or 9x9)
Muffin Pan
Cookie Sheet( I keep several at my house)
Cutting boards (usually one for meat, another for produce)
Crock-Pot
Meat Cleaver
Rolling Pin
Sifter


Hopefully this list will help someone get started, or, at the very least, let you know what my kitchen looks like! :) 

  

Let's Get Acquainted!

              Greetings all! My name is Carli. My guess is most of you that will visit my blog are already acquainted with me. For those that are not, here's a little glimpse into my life and my kitchen! 
               I had always been in the kitchen with my mom, who always included me in what she was doing. Whether it was making sugar cookies for the neighbors at Christmas or helping prepare Thanksgiving, she was always encouraging my sister and me to help in the kitchen. Mostly, I remember her telling me not to "ruin [her] good pans!" Haha. But, it's because of my mom that I can cook today and feed my family. 
                Believe it or not, I was not much of a baker or chef up until a couple of years ago. A couple months before I married my husband, I panicked because I realized I barely knew how to cook anything. He was surely going to starve to death! Of course I knew how to make the ole standby, Mac'n'Cheese from a box, and I did know how to boil water. However, it became very apparent rather quickly that I needed to gain some skills in the kitchen. 
                 Over the first couple of years of our marriage, I learned something simple. You follow a recipe, you yield the product you want. This made it very easy for me to try new recipes and to come up with a few of my own. Now, there are still sometimes I have to call my mom for advice. For the most part though, I learn by trial and error. 
               Two and a half years ago, I had my first son, Callum Gray. January 2010, he had his first Anaphylactic reaction to Peanut Butter. Every label of every product (even soap and cleaning supplies) has to be checked before it can come into the house. This threw a curve ball into our life and into the way I viewed food. No longer did I view food as something that fueled our systems, but as things that could threaten the life we hold so dear. Processed foods were out. Fast food was out. It became evident I would need to carefully prepare Callum's food. That became a journey in itself. 
              It's been nearly a year and a half since Callum had his first reaction. By careful inspection and tedious shopping, he has remained without a second Anaphylactic reaction. And, if I can help it, I hope he never has another one. All my husband and I can do is our very best. I've learned some things are beyond our control whether we like it or not. I will do whatever is within my power to keep him safe. That's partially what this blog is about; finding solutions and working through fear. 
              Needless to say, you will not find Peanuts in any of the recipes I will share. While Callum is not allergic to tree nuts, I will rarely use tree nuts in any of my recipes save the occasional Thanksgiving recipe. 
               Another thing you might want to know about my is that I am a vegetarian and have been for almost four years. I do cook meat for my son and my husband. I'm sure this might offend some vegetarians, but I don't believe that my morals need to be pushed on others. Some of my recipes will be with meat and others I have reworked so that they are vegetarian friendly. 
              Besides that, you need only know that I am a dedicated mother, a loving wife, and having fun learning about cooking as I go. Thanks for joining me on my journey!