Tuesday, April 24, 2012

French Onion Soup, French Dip Grilled Cheese!

Tonight I made the concoction Rob and I dreamed up last week. IT WAS AMAZING!!! We love french onion soup and we love roast beef sandwiches; so this marriage of the two was divine. The longest part of the cooking process was caramelizing the onions. This may be time consuming, but necessary for the taste of french onion soup. This isn't a throw it together grilled cheese. This is a grilled cheese for those nights you want thing grown up yet comforting like a hug from your mom.

Ingredients
  • 3 softball sized onions
  • 1 tbsp of canola oil
  • 1/2 tsp of thyme
  • 1/8 tsp of salt
  • 1/4 cup sherry
  • a splash of beef broth
  • 1/4lb Swiss, Gruyere or whatever cheese you like
  • 1/2lb roast beef
  • butter
  • artisan bread or any hearty crusty bread
Thinly slice the onions and caramelize in oil for 30 minutes, then add the thyme and salt until very brown and soft. At this point add the sherry to deglaze the pan, cook off the alcohol then add a splash of the beef broth. Set aside until cool. Once the onions are cool process into a spread with either a food processor or milling with a knife. (Doing this step now avoids crying like a baby from cutting raw onions :)













Smear the onion mixture on the inside of both slices of bread. Then assemble the sandwich. I like cheese, meat, cheese, but that's my preference. I feel it helps keep the meat in place, butter the outside of the bread and grill like a regular grilled cheese.

I warmed up the remaining beef stock for us to dip our sandwiches in just like a French Dip. 






I like to put my heartier grilled cheeses in the oven on 200F to warm the sandwich thoroughly so it's gooey and delicious for about 15 minutes. This works out well in our house, dinner is ready to serve as Rob walks in the door. 


As you can see, Maddie loved the concoction.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Meal plan 4/23

It's feels like its been quite a long time since I've written a post. I haven't really been in the mood. Our family had a rough week last week. We decided to put our dog, Sam down. He was my dog for 15 years. He was having lots of issues for months and was in pain. It was an awful decision, but I feel at peace knowing he isn't suffering anymore. 
He was such a good sport!

This week for dinner:

Monday- chicken saltimbocca with sautéed spinach
Tuesday- French onion, French dip, grilled cheese with a salad
This is an idea Rob and I had. I'll let you know how it goes and a recipe to boot...
Wednesday - pasta with spinach in a roasted pepper pesto
Thursday- roasted chicken thighs, broccoli, and rice
Friday- mushroom barley risotto
Saturday breakfast- sausage strata
Saturday dinner- leftovers
Sunday- Alfredo pasta with tomatoes and chicken

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Menu Plan 4/2

I really can't believe it's April and Easter for that matter. I feel like it was just September and Maddie was going into her four year old preschool program; now I'm closer to her entering kindergarten than I feel comfortable with. Really?!?! I just gave birth to her. I think it's time for another baby. I'm slightly jealous of the women around me who are pregnant. I'm not sure if that means I really want another baby or I just want the one I have to stay young.

I have has lots to do this week, appointments with doctors who will hopefully give me clearance to Zumba, class parties, and prepping for Easter dinner and my mother in laws birthday. It should be a fun filled week, which will go too quickly. Next time I realize how much time has passed and the quickness of said time, it will be Labor Day.
 
 
Mon Apr 2 
Salmon, asparagus, rice
Tue Apr 3 
Stuffed shells and salad
Wed Apr 4 
Pork in a mushroom sauce and noodles, broccoli
Thu Apr 5 
Shrimp tacos with citrus slaw and black bean salad
Fri Apr 6 
man pleasing chicken, rice, and broccoli
Sat Apr 7 
Pork roll, egg and cheese sandwiches
 
leftovers This recurring event is part of a series.
Sun Apr 8 
Ham, asparagus, mashed potatoes, deviled eggs,, birthday cake

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Menu Plan 3/26

Last weeks' weather has me aching for the warmer months when burgers and pasta salad is a weekly occurrence. We did switch some things up to BBQ with some friends, which was WONDERFUL! The kids played and roasted marshmallows. 
Today's weather is awful, rainy, gray, and cold. Maybe I should just make some soup and cuddle with Rob until my sunshine returns.


This week we have tons going on, let me rephrase, I have tons to do. Can't wait until Saturday when I plan on sitting on the couch watching Vampire Diaries and drinking coffee
Mon Mar 26
Tue Mar 27
Wed Mar 28
Roast Beef Sandwiches, broccoli and salad
Thu Mar 29
Brick chicken, steamed green beans
Fri Mar 30
Chili
Sat Mar 31
leftovers This recurring event is part of a series.
Sun Apr 1
Linguine with shrimp and spinach pesto

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Meal Plan 3/19

 
 
Last week we tried the pumpkin sauce pasta and it was delicious. It was like a pumpkin Alfredo. The turkey enchiladas were also scrumptious. Our favorite new recipe was the Korean dak bokkeum. It was very spicy, but were going in for another Korean meal bibimbap. This also calls for gochujang, which is quite spicy so I'll be adding less to this weeks meal.



 
 
 
Mon Mar 19 
Tue Mar 20 
Wed Mar 21 
Thu Mar 22 
Fri Mar 23 
Sat Mar 24 
French toast
 
leftovers This recurring event is part of a series.
Sun Mar 25 
man pleasing chicken, rice, and broccoli

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Meal Plan 3/12

This week I am trying to clear out my freezer. I have some leftover canned pumpkin from some baking in the late fall I want to get rid of so I'll make a pumpkin sauce. Giada Delaurentiis has an amazing recipe for butternut squash sauce that Rob and I love so I'm hoping that the pumpkin sauce is similar, especially since Rob isn't a fan of pumpkin. 
The crock-pot meal is new recipe to our house. I'm eager to try all of Gina's Skinny Recipes, so I'm thinking I'll try one a week. Even if this isn't a Gina original, it looks good. This pork recipe if I like it, will be a good option for a summer solstice party I'm planning on having in June. 

Mon Mar 12

Dak bokkeum with chicken and spinach
Tue Mar 13

Wed Mar 14

turkey burgers, fries, and califlower
Thu Mar 15

Fri Mar 16

Sat Mar 17

eggs, bacon


leftovers This recurring event is part of a series.
Sun Mar 18

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Menu Plan 3/5


Last week's emotional week of comfort food help nourish my body and soul, the retail therapy didn't hurt either. This I'm back to the normal plan. The Salmon Cobb burgers are a favorite of mine. I also like to make guacamole to slather all over the bun. YUM! 
 
The vegetable stuffed cannelloni is a new recipe. The base recipe is good, but I think I'll be making a bunch of changes starting with the noodle. Shells are on sale this week and are easier to stuff so I'll be using them. I also won't be using heavy cream or sherry. I will make a regular bechamel sauce instead to top off the shells.

 

Mon Mar 5 
Salmon Cobb burgers, asparagus, salad
Tue Mar 6 
Clams and linquine
Wed Mar 7 
Turkey breast, stuffing, green beans
Thu Mar 8 
Beefaroni
Fri Mar 9 
Sat Mar 10 
Pancakes
 
leftovers This recurring event is part of a series.for dinner
Sun Mar 11 vegetable-stuffed-cannelloni