Grilled Cheese with Ham, Apples and Spinach

Add some awesome eats to your June menu. Sure a classic grilled cheese is great, but think a bit outside the box at look at some new ways to customize your sandwich. 

Grilled Cheese with Ham, Apples, and Spinach

Ingredients:

• Whole wheat bread or cinnamon raisin bread
• Deli ham
• Thinly sliced green apples
• Cheddar or White Cheddar cheese 
• Butter
• Honey mustard or Kraft Garlic Aioli  

Directions:

• Butter one side of each piece of bread. Place one buttered piece side down on skillet or panini press. 
• Add honey mustard or Garlic Aioli, a slice of ham, cheese, sliced apples, few spinach leaves. Top with the other piece of bread, buttered side up.  
• Cook until brown for about 2 minutes on one side and flip over. If using a panini press light will indicate when done.   

Other Customized Ideas include:

Caprese Grilled Cheese with Mozzarella  

Grilled Cheese with Spinach, Artichoke and Pepperjack Cheese

Avocado and White Cheddar Grilled Cheese

S'more Fun

 

If you recall last year for my birthday my son sent me this s'more box. He knows me well.

I loaded it up with necessary supplies

and headed off to my neighbor's house for a

Since I wasn't quite ready with a campfire tonight I thought I'd kick off the unofficial start of summer with these yummy, gooey, chocolatey, S'more Bars. So delicious and real close to the s'more most of us love. FYI I am aware there is a segment of people out there who don't embrace s'more treats as much as I do.  

These bars are best served warm but can be reheated a piece at a time in the microwave at 16 seconds. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup softened butter 
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 - 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (use s food processor) 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 5 Hershey Milk Chocolate Bars, unwrapped 
• 3 cups miniature marshmallows

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8-inch square baking pan.
• Beat butter and sugar until well blended in a large bowl. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Sift flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Press half of the dough in the prepared pan. 

Baking Tip: Flour your hands and spread out dough in the pan. 

• Bake 13 minutes.
• Place chocolate bars over baked layer, may have to beak a few pieces of chocolate to fill in spaces.

• Top with marshmallows; scatter bits of remaining dough over marshmallows, forming a top layer.

• Bake 15 minutes or just until lightly browned. Turn oven to broil but keep rack in the middle position. Cook 1 minute more until marshmallows puff up. Watch carefully or will burn. 

• Cool 5 minutes and serve warm. 

Looking for more s'more ideas?  

Mini S'more pies

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2020/08/mini-smore-pies.html

S'more Cookies

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2019/04/spring-offerrings.html

S'mores on a Stick 
https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2015/08/summer-campfire-treats.html

S'more Ideas to Explore

Switch out Hershey Candy Bar to a Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Carmel Square

Try these Giant-Size Roasters Marshmallows 

Replace the candy bar with drizzles of chocolate and caramel syrup over the marshmallows.

My daughter was on another lake tonight and posted this spectacular sunset unedited photo. I just had to share-so beautiful. 

Memorial Weekend Cooking

 Today is John F. Kennedy's Birthday

The first observance of Memorial Day was held on May 30, 1868, to honor soldiers killed in Civil War. Today Memorial Day is celebrated the last Monday in May to honor all Americans who have given their lives during wartime. The event became a federal holiday in 1971.
There are many ways large and small to pay tribute on this day to those who lost their lives and those missing in action by displaying a flag, writing a letter or contacting a family who has a missing service member or who has lost a loved one, attending a Memorial Day service/ceremony or parade in your area and visiting a gravesite. Be sure to check your newspapers for other events being held in your area.

Planning a get-together for the holiday? FIRE UP THE GRILL

Balsamic Rosemary Glazed Salmon 

Cook's notes: Glaze is enough for 2 salmon fillets. Make ahead and refrigerate 1-2 hours to thicken. To serve pair the salmon with a side of Parmesan Couscous and warmed sugar snap peas.  

Cooking Tips: Place the salmon skin side down on the grill. There is no need to flip. To avoid the "sticking panic" cook salmon skin side down and don't flip. Grill approximately 8 minutes per inch of thickness.

Another alternative is to grill salmon on a sheet of foil. 

Balsamic Rosemary Glaze
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup dark balsamic vinegar-use a good quality
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

Directions:

• In a medium saucepan combine balsamic vinegar, white wine, honey, Dijon mustard, chopped rosemary, and garlic.
• Heat mixture over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat simmer over medium-low heat until sauce has thickened some and reduced to 1/3 cup, about 13-15 minutes.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool and refrigerate until needed.
• Allow salmon to rest for 10 minutes at room temperature. Rinse and pat dry with a paper towel.
• Baste salmon several times during baking or grilling time. Allow for grilling about 6-8 minutes a side, depends on the thickness.
• Drizzle each fillet with glaze before serving. Some other BBQ sides

Appetizers

Raspberry Chipolte Bean Dip

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2017/05/memorial-weekend-cooking.html

7 layer Taco Salad

Fruit and Cheese Tray

Desserts

Lemon Berry Shortcake

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2017/05/creative-food-ideas.html

Cherry Float Cupcakes

http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2017/06/cherry-coke-float-cupcakes.html

Other sides 

Bourbon Baked Beans

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2018/07/bourbon-baked-beans.html

7 Layer Salads with a makeover

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2014/09/in-news-and-7-layer-salads-get-makeover.html

Pepperoni Cheese Snack Rolls

Early Evening Tranquil Waters 

Make your heart like a lake with a calm still surface and a great depth of kindness.

Lao Tzu

Pepperoni Cheese Roll-Ups

Cook's Notes: A fast appetizer or serve as a side with soup. Each bite has gooey melted cheese and a real pizza flavor. Use a jarred pizza sauce for dipping. Yum!Yum! 

Recipe adapted from tasteofhome.com and makes 8 appetizers.

Ingredients:

• 1 tube (8 oz.) refrigerated crescent rolls (I used Crescent Buttery Flaky rolls but regular rolls work too) 
• Pepperoni slices
• String cheese Colby Jack, each piece quartered 
• Bagel seasoning or 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning mixed with garlic salt

• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Egg wash (beaten egg) 
• Pizza sauce

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
• On a sheet of wax paper unroll dough into 8 triangles. Do one triangle at a time by placing a piece of cheese on the short end and then add 6-8 pepperoni slices on the rest of the dough. 
• Roll up starting with the short side, pinch side seams to seal.
• Brush each roll with egg wash and sprinkle with bagel seasoning or Italian seasoning mixed with garlic salt. Grate Parmesan cheese over the top. 
• Bake 11 minutes. Serve rolls warm with pizza sauce.  
  

Rhubarb-One of Spring's First

 

A Heavenly Spring Pairing 

Rhubarb's tart flavor goes perfectly with the sweetness of strawberries. When cooked together, strawberry and rhubarb meet in the middle, somewhere between soft and sturdy, for a texture that works wonderfully in everything from pies to crisps to crumbles to sauces and many more tasty treats.

Rhubarb and Strawberry Chutney

Rhubarb Strawberry Muffins 

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2015/05/a-heavenly-spring-pairing.html

Rhubarb Strawberry Sauce 

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2019/05/strawberry-rhubarb-sauce.html

Rhubarb Strawberry Galette

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2020/06/strawberry-rhubarb-puff-pastry-galette.html

Rhubarb Strawberry Pie 

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2020/05/strawberry-rhubarb-pie.html

Broccoli Cranberry Salad with Greek Yogurt Dressing

Ladies of the Lake
by Sue Ready

I’ve invited them for tea
hoping for a response
to dine with me
this warm spring day.

Perhaps they can’t choose
what elegant gown to wear
or which slippers suit their attire best.
It’s been said the yellow is the first to arrive
followed by pink beauty
who often steals the show.

The calendar has been set
though Spring can be
a season’s trickster
holding all the ladies back.

Who will arrive first
can be anyone’s guess.

Perhaps the Ladyslipper
adorned in shades of yellow
or the Moccasin Flower
veiled in delicate pink

Broccoli Cranberry Salad with Greek Yogurt Dressing and a few added twists. It's a lightened-up version of your favorite side dish! Made with fresh broccoli florets, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, bacon, and a tangy Greek yogurt dressing, Add the crunch of Asian noodles and this make-ahead salad is sure to be a crowd-pleaser for your holiday weekend. Blueberry Banana Oat Muffins were the perfect accompaniment for this spring salad lunch. Recipe previously posted.

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2021/05/bluebery-banana-oat-muffin.html

 

The recipe serves 4-6 and can easily be doubled. Allow 2 hours for salad to be chilled. 

La Choy Asian Style Crunchy Noodles are a delicious blend of wheat and rice flour that’s quick-cooked to a crispy golden brown, so they're always light and crunchy. Perfect for soups and salads or even alone as a light snack. They can be substituted for croutons in recipes.  
Broccoli Cranberry Salad with Greek Yogurt Dressing
Ingredients: 

• 6 cups broccoli florets cut into bite-sized pieces
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ¼ cup diced red onion
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds
• 3/4 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
• Asian-Style Crunchy Noodles-1 cup

Greek Yogurt Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup mayo
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Directions: 

• Whisk together dressing.
• Mix all salad ingredients except noodles.
• Add as much dressing as needed to moisten the salad but not soak it. 
• Refrigerate for 2 hours. Add in noodles right before serving. 

Blueberry Banana Oat Muffin

And enjoy a healthier Blueberry Banana Oat Muffin.  

Cook's Notes: Whip up a healthier muffin with this recipe. Ripe bananas, applesauce, whole wheat flour, and oats combined with your favorite extract, spice, and fruit make for a nutritious muffin at 139 calories. 

The recipe was adapted from allrecipes.com and makes 12 muffins.

Here are some options using the basic muffin ingredients, changing up the spice, extract, and the type of fruit used.

Apple Spice Muffins (use vanilla extract, apple pie spice or cinnamon, and diced apples) 

Blueberry Lemon (use lemon or almond extract, lemon zest, ground ginger or cinnamon, and blueberries) 

Peach Cinnamon (use almond extract, ground cinnamon, and diced peaches) 

Cooking Tip: I find almond extract to be more potent than vanilla, so I might suggest reducing the amount to 1/2 teaspoon. The brown sugar amount could be reduced to 1/2 cup. 

 

Base Muffin Recipe 

• 1 cup mashed bananas
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
•  1 large egg lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon extract (I used almond extract) 
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
•  2 teaspoons baking powder
•  1/2 teaspoon salt
•  1-1/2 teaspoons spice (I used Saigon Cinnamon) 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup fruits (I used blueberries that were washed and dried on a paper towel) 

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with paper cupcake wrappers.
• Stir together bananas, brown sugar, applesauce, egg, and desired extract.
• In another bowl sift together flour, baking powder, salt, desired spice, and baking soda. 
• Add flour mixture and oats, with banana mixture. Gently stir just until combined. Do not overmix. Fold in desired fruit.
• Fill each muffin tin about 3/4 full.
• Bake 16 minutes. Remove muffins from tray and cool on a wire rack.