Ultimate BLT Grilled Cheese with Pesto Mayo

I will just start by saying that there is no way these pictures can possibly do the deliciousness of this sandwich justice.

What I do hope to convey is the amazing combination of flavors and textures all wrapped up between two slices of toast.

Started by making a pesto mayo with 1 cup of mayonnaise and 1 tbsp of pesto.

This is a great way to make use of the time while the bacon is cooking.

The one cup of pesto made last week went a long way,

complimenting at least 3 meals before it was gone.

Then I gathered up all of the freshest, most delicious ingredients to layer together! 

With the two buttered sides of the (gluten free) bread together first…

Slather on a nice thick layer of pesto mayo.

First up, the most important parts of the

Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato. 

Then, some extra veggies for flavor and texture…

Onion and green pepper.

Finally, a slice of muenster and onto a hot pan

until perfectly toasted. 

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

Pesto Mayo:

1 cup of mayonnaise

1 tbsp of pesto

Ultimate BLT Grilled Cheese:

Butter - at room temp for easy spreading

Bread - one loaf made about 6 sandwiches

Bacon - 12 oz

Lettuce - one head of romaine, utilizing the green, leafy part

Tomato - one large beefsteak 

Onion - thinly sliced

Green pepper - thinly sliced

Muenster cheese - 8 oz sliced

Directions:

Whip up Pesto mayo while bacon is cooking. 

Butter one side of each slice of bread and put them together. 

Start with a layer of pesto mayo. 

Layer on veggies (in any particular order), I went lettuce, tomato, bacon, onion and pepper before the cheese. 

Remove the bottom slice of bread, gently lay the sandwich on the preheated surface, top with 2nd slice of bread.  

Toast for 2-3 minutes/side over medium heat.  

Serve it up with a side of the pesto mayo and your family will be asking for these every week! 

Bruschetta Chicken

Hiya!

I don't know about you, but I think that reality and routine are starting to set back in as we approach our first full week AS (After Summer).

And, the fabulous cooler weather this weekend is certainly helping ease the transition.

My tomatoes are finally in full ripening mode, so I wanted to share with you a great recipe to incorporate them into a colorful, flavorful delicious meal, Bruschetta Chicken.

It is easy as…1. Marinate 2. Grill 3. Top

The marinade started with 4 chopped tomatoes, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp balsamic vinegar. 

Then, about 10 leaves of fresh basil were chopped up

and everything was given a quick stir. 

Now that was an easy marinade! 

About 2# of thawed chicken tenders were placed in a ziploc bag, in a bowl.

Then, the marinade was pour right over top. 

In this picture, my Cucumber Avocado Caprese Salad was working double duty. 

The leftovers from the night before served as my marinade.  

The bag was zipped up, the chicken and marinade were massaged together a bit 

and then they hung out in the fridge for a few hours.

Just before dinner, the tenders were grilled up.

Be sure to keep an eye on the temp, as the tomato marinade makes them look a little pink.  

After their final flip, the tenders were topped with another* batch of the tomato marinade.  

* Be sure to use fresh tomatoes for topping…

you certainly don't want any uncooked chicken juice as part of your dinner.

Trust me on that!

Melt a half slice of provolone right on top. 

Finally, finish with the remaining tomatoes right on top and serve!

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

6-8 tomatoes

2 tsp salt

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

15-20 basil leaves

2# of thawed chicken tenders

1 package of sliced provolone

Directions:

Make marinade by adding salt, balsamic vinegar and basil to chopped tomatoes. 

Add half of the marinade to the thawed chicken and refrigerate for a few hours. 

Save the other half of the marinade for topping the chicken later. 

Grill chicken until cooked, top with tomatoes and provolone. 

Swiss Sweet Potato and Ham Bake

With kudos to my husband, I have a very tasty dinner recipe to share with you….Swiss Sweet Potato and Ham Bake

Whenever I need some help with meal ideas to get me out of a rut of serving my beloved chicken, Jerry is fabulous at throwing out all sorts of great suggestions for me to work with. Some times they are a bit off the wall (see succotash), but I am always grateful nonetheless.

Last week he suggested ham and sweet potato pie...wasn't quite sure what to think of that, but I'm always up for anything, at least once, and certainly want to take his suggestions to heart, to keep them coming.

Thankfully, this dish turned out better than either of us would have guessed.

I likened it to the scalloped potatoes that my mom used to make, but healthier with sweet potatoes…smokey, creamy, cheesy and sweet!  Pretty good combination, if I do say so myself!

Can't complain, while the kids didn't go back for seconds, like Jerry and I, they did eat what was served without much fuss.

Perhaps it was because we were eating it during our family football draft, regardless, made something a little different and was enjoyed by all.

Just started with three sweet potatoes, pierced with a fork before microwaving for 10 minutes to cook.  

While the sweet potatoes were cooking, 1/2 stick butter was melted in a sauce pan and half of an onion, chopped, was added to soften a bit.  

For seasoning, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp crushed basil, 1/2 tsp ground mustard and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper were added to the pan.  

In order to keep this recipe gluten free, 1/3 cup soy flour was used instead of wheat flour 

as a thickening agent.  

One and one quarter cups skim milk were added and the sauce was simmered a bit over medium heat until desired consistency. 

Finally, two cups of cubed ham and one cup of shredded swiss 

were added to complete the ham and cheese sauce.  

Mmmmm!

Once the sweet potatoes were cooled, they were cubed as well. 

If you don't like the skin, you can surely remove it.

I'm kinda a big fan…

lots of vitamins there!

And, honestly, once you add all that smokey, creamy cheesiness, I never even noticed the skin. 

Two cups of the ham and cheese sauce were spooned in over the first sweet potato. 

Another sweet potato was added. 

Then, the rest of the sauce. 

And, finally the last potato.

The dish was covered and baked at 325 F for about 20 minutes. 

Sprinkled with the last 1/2 cup of swiss cheese and some additional basil, 

if you like, for visual appeal.  

Scoop, serve and enjoy! 

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

3 sweet potatoes

1/2 stick butter

1/2 onion - chopped

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp crushed basil

1/2 tsp ground mustard

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1/3 cup soy flour

1 1/4 cups skim milk

2 cups of cubed ham 

1 1/2 cup of shredded swiss (divided)

Directions:

Pierce sweet potatoes and microwave for 10 minutes. Upon cooling, cut into cubes. 

Melt butter in sauce pan, add onions to soften. 

Season with salt, basil, mustard and pepper. 

Add soy flour and milk, simmer for a couple minutes. 

Add ham and 1 cup of swiss cheese. 

Add 1 cubed sweet potato to bottom of quart baking dish. 

Cover with 2 cups of ham and cheese sauce. 

Add another cubed sweet potato. 

Cover with remaining ham and cheese sauce.

Add last sweet potato. 

Cover and bake at 325F for 20 minutes. 

Top with 1/2 cup shredded cheese and additional basil (optional)

Pesto Chicken

Welcome September, back to school, routines and all good things that come along with it.

I don't know about you, but I'm ready to reclaim my oven and slow cooker for warm, hearty and comforting meals.

Don't get me wrong, I love all of the grilling this summer....zucchini, wings, pizza, shrimp, burgers and more, but this mama loves me some soup and all of the wonderful smells associated with simmering and baking all day!

But, before we get to full-on cozy meals, I want to share with you a recipe for delicious and versatile Pesto Sauce, served here with chicken and zucchini noodles, but has since been used in pasta sauces and mayo for BLTs.

The options are endless!  

I'm so thankful for the bountiful basil growing on my deck and in my garden.  I love it for cooking, garnishing and moments of stopping-to-smell-the-basil.  Mmmmm!

After removing the stems, which can often be bitter, 

I loaded up my mini-chopper 

(not to be confused with a mini-cooper)

with fresh basil leaves, minced garlic and pine nuts.

Drizzle in about 1/3 cup of olive oil. 

Since I have to work in phases, this was the product of phase one,

before the remaining ingredients were added. 

Round out the ingredients with 3 cups of basil, 

1 tbsp garlic (could certainly use less), 

1/3 cup olive oil, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 cup pine nuts, in total. 

Blend it all up

to make about 1 cup of pesto…

which goes a long way! 

While all of this blending and chopping is going on, some chicken is browning in a sautee pan.

Just topped the chicken with the fresh, flavorful sauce and served over 

zucchini noodles for a 

fabulous, summertime dinner!

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

3 cups basil

1 tbsp minced garlic (use less if preferred)

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 tsp salt

Parmesan - optional

Directions:

Blend all ingredients and serve atop pasta or chicken, in tomato sauce or mayo. 

So versatile, so delicious!  

Grilled Stuffed Zucchini

Labor Day weekend?  Already?  I know, right, can hardly believe it.

Luckily, just because the proverbial summer months are nearly behind us, doesn't mean grilling season is!

And, there hasn't been a zucchini recipe lately, so I didn't want to leave you hanging any longer.

These Grilled Stuffed Zucchini were at least as good as leftovers, so don't be afraid to make extra!

Started by browning a family pack of 2.25 # of ground beef...

Is it just me or has ground beef gotten a bit pricely lately? 

I always remind myself that you often get what you pay for...so I ante up!

Upon draining, where I often use a paper towel to help soak up some of the extra grease, 

season with 1-2 tsp of Italian seasoning. 

Back in the pan, add a 24 oz jar of pasta sauce.

As always, don't be afraid to use up any extras in the fridge.

They can go right in too!

While the filling is simmering a bit, the zucchini can be prepared by slicing in half

and coring out the seeds with a spoon, making room for the filling.

Three zucchini were required to use up all of the filling.  

Stuff those zucchini and throw them on the grill. 

Since these were made, I have read that the zucchini could be pre-grilled 

to eliminate some of the abundant moisture in these squash.  

Next time, I might just do that.

After about 20 minutes for these large zucchini, (less for smaller zucchini)

they were sprinkled with shredded mozzarella as the finishing touch. 

Now, don't delay, make these today! 

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

2.25 # of ground beef

1-2 tsp of Italian seasoning

24 oz jar of pasta sauce

3 zucchini 

1 cup shredded mozzarella

Parmesan - optional

Directions:

Brown meat, drain and sprinkle with seasoning. 

Add sauce and simmer while coring out the zucchini. 

Fill zucchini and grill over medium high heat for 20 minutes or until zucchini get soft. 

Top with shredded mozzarella, grill until melted.