Ina's California BLT: Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado & Tomato, Revisited

The first time I made this sandwich (read below) it was on homemade Cheddar bread. The bread was good. The sandwich- outstanding. I've never posted that Cheddar bread recipe, but earlier this week I made Cheddar-Asiago Potato Bread and I knew it was meant to be. Because this sandwich lacks cheese (almost a crime in my world), the cheesy bits in the bread add the finishing touch. So I suggest you make the two together. A lot of work for a sandwich, but you'll thank me!

The evening we were having these for dinner I texted Dustin on his way home: "We're having the sandwich with the Cheese bread!" He knew exactly which sandwich I meant, and he was ecstatic! I've never met a boy who didn't go crazy for bacon, or anyone who didn't love this meal.

3/19/09: If there were a sandwich hall of fame, this California BLT would be it's first inductee. It is to die for! But let me start at the beginning, because this sandwich has a history. Last summer Dustin and I spent 2 months living in semi-rural Connecticut. (We were in a tiny town northeast of Hartford called Vernon.) Dustin was working excruciatingly long hours 6 days a week, and I was left (as usual) with too much time on my hands. To fight the boredom (I wish I'd been introduced to blogging back then) I took almost daily trips to the town library. It was tiny, but they did have a rather extensive collection of cookbooks. So I checked out armfuls of cookbooks and cooking magazines and spent hours spilling over them. I would mark and later photocopy recipes that caught my eye. (I'm now realizing this might be illegal- you know copyright issues and all? Please, don't sue me.) I copied so many recipes that I still have a binder full of them that I haven't had the chance to try yet. But if one recipe stands out in my mind from that summer it this sandwich.

It comes from one of Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa)'s cookbooks (not sure which). This was also the summer of Ina. I had seen her on Food Network before (while living in Utah) but had never felt particularly inspired by her food. That all changed once I was living in New England. As it appears on her show, Ina lives in the Hamptons, which are not all that far from where we spent our short summer. Living in the CT countryside, all of a sudden her recipes came alive. I understood the flavors and mood and inspirations for her dishes. I began frequenting farmers markets and roadside stands to find all the locals' best and ripest produce. And, relating to this sandwich specifically, I discovered beefsteak tomatoes. There is nothing comparable to a perfectly ripe yet firm and luscious beefsteak tomato. Sliced thick with a dash of salt and pepper it could be a meal of it's own.

I had found Ina and I had fallen in love with beefsteaks, and it call came together with this recipe. This "California" BLT (I'd rather call it my CT BLT) dresses up a traditional bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich with the addition of avocado. It's so good I've sworn to never eat a BLT without avocado again. I've often made it with cheddar loaf bread, the recipe for which I'll undoubtedly be posting in the near future. Dustin LOVES it and so do I. When making this masterpiece, don't skimp on your slicing. It very specifically calls for thick bread, thick bacon, thick avocado, and thick tomato (even your lettuce needs to be crispy and substantial)! Thank you Ina, for a summer of fond memories and this recipe, which is absolutely unparalleled!

INGREDIENTS

4 slices thick and hearty whole wheat bread OR Cheddar-Asiago Potato Bread

4 slices bacon

1/4 cup real mayonnaise

4 tender lettuce leaves, washed and dried (Romaine or Bibb)

1 ripe Hass avocado

fresh lemon juice

1 large ripe tomato, thickly sliced (Beefsteak are best)
red onion, sliced (optional)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook bacon in oven or on stove top until crisp. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

2. Place 4 slices of bread on a sheet pan and toast them in a 400 F oven for 5 minutes. Turn them over and toast for 1 more minute, until all the bread is evenly browned.

3. Spread each slice of bread with a thin layer of mayonnaise. Cover half with a layer of lettuce. Then place two slices of bacon on top of the lettuce.

5. Peel the avocados and slice them 1/2 inch thick. Toss the avocado slices with lemon juice. Arrange on top of the bacon.

6. Add a layer of tomato slices and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with the remaining slices of bread (mayo side down) and serve.

Makes 2 sandwiches.

(Adapted from Food Network)

Cheddar-Asiago Potato Bread

My list of favorite cheeses is getting rather long. I mean how many favorites can a girl have? It's like asking me to pick my favorite band (it depends on my mood) or my favorite pair of shoes (it depends on the occasion)- you can't ask me to choose just one. I won't do it. Asiago definitely makes the cheese list. Ever since my best friend Aubrey and I discovered Asiago cheese bagels at Panera during high school, I've been smitten. I haven't cooked/baked with Asiago much yet, but that should change!

This potato loaf bread is laced with ribbons of sharp Cheddar and piquant Asiago (and specked with black pepper). It's absolutely divine right out of the oven. When the bread is warm the melted cheeses form gooey pockets of pleasure. Since this makes two loaves, you'll surely have leftovers. Rewarm the bread in the microwave or toaster for a similar effect. In the meantime it will keep well in the freezer.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb. baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 1/4 cup warm potato cooking water
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
1 cup all-purpose flour
4-4 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (4 oz.) extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 cup (3 oz.) Asiago cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS
1. Plate potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes, reserving 1 1/4 cups of the cooking water. Set water aside to cool to 110 F. Mash potatoes with a potato masher until smooth.

2. Combine warm cooking water and yeast in a large bowl. Let stand 5 minutes until foamy. Stir in the mashed potato and all-purpose flour. Gradually stir in the whole wheat flour, salt, and pepper to form a stiff dough.

3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes), adding enough remaining flour to prevent dough from sticking to hands. Gently knead in cheddar and Asiago.

4. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise in a warm place 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down, cover, and let rest 5 minutes. Divide dough in half. Form dough into two loaves. Place in loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 1 hour or until doubled in size.

5. Preheat oven to 375 F. Bakes loaves in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes (my loaf took 35 minutes and the rolls 15-18 minutes) or until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pans to cool on a wire rack.

Makes 2 loaves (I made 1 loaf and 8 sandwich rolls.)

(Adapted from Cooking Light)

Cider Cheese Fondue

No, I don't have a photo. My fondue pot is chrome and not that photogenic. Truth is, I was too busy dipping fruit and dunking veggies to spare a moment to take a picture. This is rare recipe in that it doesn't contain wine. I think the apple cider does a splendid job of adding a subtle sweetness to contrast the sharp Cheddar and softer Swiss. Sprinkle in some garlic powder and cracked black pepper to liven it up further. I filed this recipe under "Appetizers", but honestly, I consider it a meal. There's no way I'm stopping after a few dips. Just give in to the hot brewing pot of cheese and fill up! Someone suggested using Muenster instead of Swiss and since it's one of my favorite cheeses, I vow to try that combination in the future!

INGREDIENTS
4 cups sharp white Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups Swiss cheese (such as Gruyere), shredded
1 1/2 cups apple cider
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. garlic powder (to taste)
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Dipping Suggestions:
bread, cubed
crackers
pears, sliced
apples, sliced
broccoli
cauliflower
chicken, shrimp, or beef skewers

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large saucepan, bring cider to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in the cheeses and flour. Cook and stir for 3-4 minutes or until cheese is melted. Season to taste with garlic powder and pepper. Transfer to a small ceramic fondue pot or slow cooker; keep warm. Serve with bread, crackers, fruit, vegetables, and/or meat for dipping.

Serves 8.

(Adapted from All Recipes)

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Whipped Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

HAPPY 300th RECIPE! Today I'm celebrating, because I'm 300 recipes old! Can you imagine how many hours of recipe searching, menu planning, grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning, photographing, writing, posting, and photo editing have gone into this project? It's unreal. But I loved (almost) every second of it. There have been those tough moments when posts get accidentally deleted, groceries go bad, dishes turn out disgusting, photos are blurry, or I just get tired. But most of the time cooking makes me feel alive. I get to experience every aspect of my meal- from conception to production to display and it makes eating more meaningful.

Some of you ask, "How do you keep up with this during school?" When I started my nursing adventure back in May, I didn't think I'd be able to. But somehow the time finds itself. School is a big deal (my future patients would like to think I take it seriously, and I do) but it's not my whole life; I like to think I've found a balance. A girl (and her husband) have got to eat- I might as well make it enjoyable!

So now I'll share with you the recipe that I have chosen for this special occasion (OK, I admit, it was up next)... Pumpkin Cupcakes! Perfect for this Fall season. This cupcake recipe came highly recommended from other food bloggers and it didn't disappoint! I picked out a whipped brown sugar and cream cheese frosting to pair it with. You could go with a more traditional cream cheese frosting as well. I liked the frosting's airy texture with the soft sweet cupcake. I added mini chocolate chips to half the batch (up to you). These pumpkin cupcakes are dreamy, light and delicate. The type of thing I'll eat in heaven (no one's stopping me from eating when I'm dead)!

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup firmly packed dark-brown sugar (please, use dark for the added flavor)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 cups cake flour (cake flour ensures a light and airy cupcake)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper (weird, yes, but don't chicken out!)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. pure vanilla
1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin
mini chocolate chips (optional)

Whipped Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese
3/4 cup brown sugar (use dark for a deeper color and flavor)
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a cupcake pan with liners or spray with cooking spray.

2. Beat butter and sugars on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and pepper into a medium bowl.

3. Add the eggs 1 at a time, continuing to beat and scraping down the sides after each addition. Alternate adding the flour and milk mixtures, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat in the pumpkin until smooth. Stir in mini chocolate chips (optional). Divide the batter among the cupcake liners (fill them 3/4 of the way full). Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 18-20. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

4. To make the frosting, soften the cream cheese with your hands while it is still in the foil wrapper (you are trying to soften it while keeping it cold). Cream together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until the sugar dissolves, about 2-3 minutes. Slowly add the cream, whisking on low to incorporate, and scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go. Once all the cream is incorporated, whip on high until the frosting thickens and resembles whipped cream. Frost cupcakes. Frosting can be stored in the refrigerator.

Makes 18-24 cupcakes and more than enough frosting.

(Cupcakes adapted from Smitten Kitchen, Frosting from Sophistimom)

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing

I wrote a lengthy description of this recipe yesterday. I put a lot of time and thought into it. And then my screen froze before it saved and it was gone. This has happened once or twice before and it's devastating. (Think: you just finish writing a paper for school to have your computer melt down on you. It's the same, except on a smaller scale. Although it doesn't feel small to me- I've lost my time and creativity.) So I started sulking and stubbornly refused to write anything since. But my OCD conscience won't let me post another recipe without first finishing this one. So I'm back. This post won't be nearly as good as the first one was.

I made these cupcakes for a Halloween Treat- along with Pumpkin ones that are awaiting publication. The chocolate cupcakes are soft, moist, rich, and luxurious. The creamy peanut butter icing is packed with peanut flavor. If you love peanut butter (me!) and chocolate (who doesn't?) then you'll adore this combination cupcake! These cupcakes are one of the easiest desserts I've ever made. It's essentially a one bowl recipe. No special instructions or complicated combining of ingredients. Dump 'em together and you're good to go. This will be my go-to chocolate cupcake recipe from now on! And don't hesitate to try them with different types of frosting- you can't go wrong!

INGREDIENTS
Chocolate Cupcakes:
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (I used half dark)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup canola oil or melted butter
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips (optional- I omitted)

Peanut Butter Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 Tbsp. butter, room temperature
3/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/3+ cup heavy cream (I add more until I reached the creamy consistency I liked)

crushed peanuts, to sprinkle on top (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Place liners in muffin tins.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together cocoa, flour, white sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt until thoroughly mixed.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, water, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Whisk into flour mixture until all of the ingredients are mixed in and no streaks of flour remain. Add in optional mini chocolate chips, if using.

4. Fill muffin cups evenly with the prepared batter. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, or with only a few crumbs.

5. Remove cupcakes from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

6. To make the frosting, cream together sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with crushed peanuts (optional).

Makes 24 cupcakes.

(Cupcakes from Baking Bites and Icing from Food Network)

Caramel Apple Pecan Cheesecake

If you've never made a cheesecake, this is a good starting place. This recipe is much less complicated than other cheesecake recipes I've come across. It has few ingredients and the baking process has been simplified. Other cheesecakes require delicate care in their preparation- to include a bain marie (water bath) and long cooling process in the oven. Those steps are aimed at preventing the top from cracking. Well, good news! This cheesecake can crack away, because you're never going to see it! It's covered in a layer of petite diced apples, drizzled with caramel sauce, and sprinkled with pecans. Sounds amazing, right?! And all those goodies will cover up any imperfections underneath.

Sound too good to be true? I was skeptical. I had read so many horror stories about homemade cheesecakes that I fully did not expect this one to turn out. I imagined all the worst: the center wouldn't set, the apples would turn dry or to mush, the cake would be inedible. But it was perfect. The apples softened under the heat, the center was luxurious and soft, the graham cracker-pecan crust didn't stick to the bottom, and the caramel put it over the top.

Dustin, who is usually not a fan of half of the ingredients involved, ate 1/4 of the cake at once! It was my favorite Halloween treat. Too bad it disappeared so fast. If you're a fan of the towering tall cheesecakes you find at restaurants, you could increase the amount of filling. It's a simple ratio: with every 8 oz. of cream cheese you'll add 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, and 1/4 tsp. vanilla. The crust and topping can stay the same, since you are only increasing its height. It will take longer to bake though. I used my homemade recipe for caramel sauce found here.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 16 squares)
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. pecans, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling:
3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Topping:
2 1/2 cups peeled apples, diced (I used a mix of Granny Smith and Honey Crisp-sweet and tart)
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Caramel Sauce
pecans, chopped

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. In a small bowl, combine the crackers, sugar, pecans and cinnamon; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom of a lightly greased 9-in. springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and place pan on a wire rack (leave oven on).

3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in vanilla. Pour over crust. Toss apples with lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon; spoon over filling. Sprinkle with desired amount of pecans. Return pan to baking sheet.

4. Bake in preheated oven at 350 F for 55-60 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Drizzle with 1/4 cup caramel topping. Cool for 1 hour. Cover and place in the refrigerator to chill overnight.

5. Remove sides of pan. Just before serving, drizzle with warmed caramel sauce. Store in refrigerator.

Makes 1 9-inch round cheesecake.

(Adapted from Taste of Home)

Tomato, Cucumber, and Feta Salad

This is a simplified Greek salad. You could even remove the feta for a more basic, even healthier side. But I love feta-I'd have a hard time without it! When I made this, I threw together the ingredients without exactly measuring. So I'm not sure if I used the full amount of vinaigrette or not. I don't think you'll need all of it. I've found that most recipes call for too much dressing. I usually start with about half, taste, and then decide where to go from there. A salad that's drowning in dressing kinda defeats the the purpose entirely. I served this with Marinated Greek Chicken Skewers and warm Fresh Whole Wheat Pitas. It was a memorable meal.

INGREDIENTS
pint of grape or cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, and diced
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1/2 cup feta, crumbled
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
1/2 tsp. sea salt (to taste)

DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium bowl, combine cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, feta, and oregano.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.

3. Drizzle dressing over salad (you might not need the full amount of the dressing- just use enough to coat). Toss salad to coat evenly with dressing. Taste and adjust seasonings. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves 4.

(Adapted from Local Kitchen)

Marinated Greek Chicken Skewers

Some days I'm overflowing with words to write about these recipes. I'll be in the middle of emptying the dishwasher, a jog at the gym, or stabbing someone with a needle, and ideas start flowing. My mind starts talking blogspeak. If you are a frequent blogger you might understand. You train of thought starts writing itself as a post.

And then there are days, days when I have all the time in the world to spend on my laptop being creative and clever, and I can't think of a single word to say. Like today. My mind feels empty and no matter how deep I dig, I'm not finding anything. So I write about nothing, in hopes that something will materialize on the page. So I give you permission to stop reading right here (I probably should have warned you sooner), and ignore the rest of my ramble.

Still there? You must be incredibly bored. But since you still appear interested I suppose I'll say something about this recipe. It is, after all, a blog about cooking. It's not that this recipe isn't inspiring. It is. It's fantastic. Grilled chicken skewers marinated in garlic, olive oil, and oregano. Simple. Fast. Succulent. I loved, loved, loved it! I just don't know what else to say besides, try it out. I bet you have most of these ingredients already on hand. Dip the sizzling skewers in tzatziki or hummus, stuff 'em in a pita, or spread 'em over a bed of spinach or Greek salad. This is a wonderfully uncomplicated and delicious dish.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1-2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 red onion, quartered
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces

DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium bowl, coat chicken in 2 Tbsp. olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Marinate 30 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 Tbsp. olive oil and lemon juice. Set aside.

2. Preheat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium-high heat. Discard marinade and thread skewers (if using wooden, make sure to soak them in water for 20 minutes first to prevent burning) alternating chicken and vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill, turning and basting occasionally with the olive oil-lemon mixture, until the chicken is just cooked through. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

(Adapted from Epicurious)