Mozzarella Garden Club
- 2 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 ounces black olives, sliced
- 4 large slices fresh mozzarella
- 1 small Roma tomato, sliced
- 1 small handful baby arugula
- 1/3 red pepper, sliced lengthwise into strips
- ¼ red onion, sliced into thin strips
- 2 medium Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
- 4 medium slices focaccia bread
- 2 ounces cooked or canned artichoke hearts, sliced
- Olive oil, to taste
- Pinch of sea salt
- Balsamic vinegar, to taste
Drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil into a large skillet and heat over medium heat for about 30 seconds. Add sliced vegetables, tomato sauce and balsamic vinegar. Cook over medium heat until lightly cooked. Drizzle with more olive oil as needed.
Layer the fillings on two slices of focaccia bread in the following order: vegetables, arugula, tomatoes and cheese. Top with the other half of the bread.
Options: Wrap sandwiches in aluminum foil and bake at 300 F for about 15 minutes, or wrap in foil and grill for a few minutes per side until bread is warm and cheese is melted.
Waffle Berry Scramble Sub
- 2 large homemade waffles, broken into halves, or 4 small toaster waffles
- 5 eggs
- 6 fresh strawberries, sliced
- Maple syrup, to taste
- 2 teaspoons butter
Scramble the eggs and cook over medium heat in an oiled frying pan until cooked through, but still moist and fluffy. Stir constantly to keep from sticking.
Layer butter, eggs, strawberries and a drizzle of maple syrup between two waffles. Serve hot or wrap in foil and take to go.
Breakfast Croissant Deluxe
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- Sea salt, to taste
- 3 ounces smoked lox
- 2 croissants, sliced in half
- 2 small spoonfuls pesto
- 2 slices provolone or Swiss cheese
- 4 cups water
Spread pesto on all croissant slices. Place a slice of cheese on two croissant halves.
Bring 4 cups of water and rice vinegar to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Gently crack open each egg. Add to the water by slowly letting the whole yolk and egg white slip in. Be careful not to drop them in. When adding eggs, the water should be lightly simmering or just barely bubbling, but not boiling. The vinegar helps the egg whites remain intact.
Use a large slotted spoon to scrape excess whites from the surface of the water. Gently turn the eggs so the yolks cook evenly. Remove from heat periodically for a few seconds by lifting up the pan. This prevents excess egg whites from bubbling over. Do not leave unattended.
Cook for a few minutes or until yolks are slightly firm. Gently scoop each egg out of the water, being careful not to break the yolk. Use a slotted spoon to drain excess water. Place each egg on top of the cheese. Top with lox and serve.
Tea-Time Delights
- 2 heaping tablespoons herb-flavored cream cheese
- 2 small red radishes, sliced thin
- ¼ cucumber, sliced thin
- 2 ounces Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced in half
- 4 slices white bread
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
Spread the cream cheese evenly over one side of all bread slices, making sure to avoid the very edge near the crust. Evenly layer the cucumber, radishes and olives on top of two cream cheese-covered bread slices. Place the other half of bread on top, cream cheese side down.
Carefully and evenly slice off the crust using a serrated bread knife. Slice each sandwich into quarters, creating mini sandwiches about 2-inches wide. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a dash of salt.
Rum-Toasted Almond Butter Apple Bomb
- 4 slices gourmet French bread
- ¼ cup rum
- ½ of one Gala, Pink Lady or Fuji apple, sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 to 4 tablespoons creamy almond butter Honey
In a glass container, submerge apple slices in the rum to marinate. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
After apples have marinated, add a teaspoon of butter to a large frying pan over medium heat and melt. Add the apples and rum. Cook for about a minute, until apples are slightly soft but not mushy. Remove from heat and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Generously butter each side of the bread slices. Spread almond butter on two slices of bread and top with apples. Top each with a slice of bread.
Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the sandwiches and cook until browned, then flip and cook the other sides. Once both sides are toasted, remove from heat and serve immediately. As an added layer of decadence, lightly drizzle honey on top.
Open-Faced Pizza Hoagie
- 6 ounces smoked or cooked prosciutto
- 6 ounces grated provolone or mozzarella cheese
- 4 ounces black olives, sliced
- 3 sprigs fresh basil, chopped
- 4 ounces artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 2 ounces red onion, diced
- 2 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 hoagie buns or rolls, sliced almost in half
Heat oven to 300 F. Lay hoagie rolls open face up on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. Spread or drizzle the tomato sauce on each. Add the prosciutto and all veggies, generously layering on each half. Top with the grated cheese.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bread is browned. Remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh basil. Serve hot.