RAVE - Schmave

Ok, so the Rave diet is a bit too extereme. Although we are continuing with the vegetarian lifestyle we have decided to add a few things back in to the pantry.

Oil - omg how are you supposed to cook without something to prevent your food from sticking to the pan? We have agreeded to add a bit of olive oil back into the diet.
Yogurt - plain yogurt only, the flavored yogurt has high fructose corn syrup and sugar or sugar substitute. Oh, the Greek yogurt you can get at the store is totally AWESOME!
Pamsean Cheese - Yes I understand, but it's the only cheese we're adding. (and it makes the polenta so much better)

I must say that I was pleseantly surpised today when Rick called me from work and said that

1. He was offered half a chocolate donut today and will power gave in and he accepted, to to have taken 2 bites and toss it out because he thought it was so sweet that it made him sick (wow, 2 weeks without refinded sugars and now it's just too sweet).

2. He told me they were having a fundraiser cookout at his work offering, burgers, hot dogs, brats with chips and a soda for $5 and corn on the cob for $1. He told them he was a vegetarian and asked to replace the burger for a corn, and had baked Lays and a water.

Way to go sweetie!

Grilled Garden Vegetables with Polenta

This was the first time Rick has ever had Polenta and the first time I have ever made it. I used instant Polenta (which I now know is a no-no). Yes I know, some of you are thinking, What? The first time? Well, like some may understand I had said something about making it in the past and Rick said eew. So that's where it ended.

I made the Polenta with vegetable stock and added a few cloves of crushed garlic, salt, pepper,and bay leaves. Then added fresh basil and parmesan after adding the polenta.


Ingredients
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 eggplant, sliced 1/3-inch thick
1 medium zucchini, sliced 1/3-inch thick
1 medium summer squash, sliced 1/3-inch thick
1 large red onion, peeled and sliced 1/3-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, quartered, stemmed and seeded
4 large whole mushrooms, optional
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional
basil leaves, for garnish

Directions
1. Preheat the grill.
2. In a food processor, combine the garlic, mustard and vinegar and puree. With the motor running, add the olive oil and chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper. Brush the vegetables with the garlic vinaigrette.
3. Grill the vegetables on a hot grill for 2 minutes on each side. (To keep the onions together, slide a spatula completely underneath each slice to pick up all the rings and turn carefully to grill the other side.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Spoon the warm polenta onto serving plates and arrange the slices of grilled vegetables and mushrooms on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, garnish with basil leaves and serve.

Garnish this bright coleslaw with toasted sesame seeds or chopped roasted peanuts. Or, for you meat eaters, toss it with shredded roasted chicken and serve it as the main course.

Ingredients

1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar (optional)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
4 cups finely shredded green and red cabbage
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, sugar, garlic, cumin, oregano and mustard just until sugar is dissolved. Add cabbage, carrots, green onions, salt and pepper and toss gently to combine. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

The RAVE Diet -On the Road to Becoming Vegetarian

Rick and I have decided to eat very healthy and will try to go vegetarian. The dietary guide that Rick wants to try and follow is the RAVE diet. This means no animal products, which will be difficult because we do like dairy products such as cheese and yogurt. But after seeing a PBS special called "Eating" and seeing them take a section of an artery and pull out a long strand of the build up that comes from the typical American diet, we were both so horrified that we have decide to try our best to cut our consumption of all animal products. This RAVE diet also directs you to cut oils, processed foods and sugar from your diet. This will be difficult and I think it will be easier to start by cutting down at first.

So, my future posts until further notice should be titled, “On the Road to Becoming Vegetarian”. Wish me luck, especially since Rick doesn’t like mushrooms and they seem to be a major meat replacement.

Fusilli Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and “Hidden” Zucchini

As you eat this unique recipe the juicy, roasted tomatoes break apart into the pasta to make the sauce right on your plate. People at the table might not even notice the extra serving of vegetables you “hid” by grating squash into the pasta, but the flavor will make it a winner

Ingredients
6 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
2 teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup 365 Everyday Value Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
1/4 cup chopped basil
1/2 pound 365 Everyday Value Organic Whole Wheat Fusilli
2 zucchini or yellow squash, grated
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange tomatoes on a large parchment-lined sheet tray, cut-sides up. Drizzle with oil; season with salt and pepper. Scatter 2 tablespoons Parmesan and 2 tablespoons basil evenly over top. Roast until juicy and bubbling, about 20 minutes; set aside. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add fusilli and cook until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add zucchini, lemon juice, remaining 6 tablespoons Parmesan and 2 tablespoons basil. Toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide pasta onto four plates, top with tomatoes and serve.

BBQ Shrimp

So I can occasionally kick-up my cooking too, and if anyone like a spicy dish try this or my Etoufee recipe. Now why they call this dish BBQ I’ll never know since it’s neither cooked on a BBQ or made with a BBQ sauce, but if you ever go to NOLA (New Orleans, Louisiana) this is the dish you’ll get if you order BBQ shrimp.  The best part of this dish is the sauce and bread; the shrimp come second. Use fresh head-on shrimp if you can find them; they lend the dish more flavor. (Just remember to remove the eyes before cooking, as they will turn the sauce black.) - This dish was created by Chef Jason Gronlund, the executive chef for Tabasco.

5 tbsp. butter, divided
1 tbsp. garlic, chopped
12 jumbo shrimp
1/4 cup clam juice
1/4 cup beer
3 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. rosemary
1 pinch oregano
1 pinch black pepper
1/4 Tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 loaf French bread

1. Melt 2 Tbsp. of butter in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Add garlic and shrimp to pan and sauté together until the shrimp starts to turn pink. Add remaining ingredients, except for the 3 tbsp of butter. Keep the shrimp moving around in the pan so they cook evenly.

2. Allow liquid to reduce by half, then add the remaining butter. Keep stirring the sauce so the butter blends into it evenly.

3. Serve immediately with slices of warm, crusty French bread.

Thai Beef Salad

Steak/Marinade

1 lb flank steak

1/3 cup of low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon chili sauce

Salad

6 cups of romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
2 tomatoes, sliced
3 green onions, sliced diagonally
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped



Dressing:
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp soy sauce, low sodium
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp fish sauce, bottled
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 serrano pepper, seeded and minced (you can leave seeds for more spice)



Directions
Preheat grill or broiler.
Prepare marinade by mixing together the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and chili sauce. Place in a plastic container with the flank steak and let marinate for at least one hour.

Dressing: Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar or bowl; mix well. Set aside.

Place steak on a grill rack or broiler pan coated with vegetable oil spray. Cook 3-4 minutes on each side for medium rare or longer until desired degree of doneness. Cover with foil and let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Cut each slice into 2-inch pieces.

Prepare salad mixture (lettuce, tomatoes green onion, cilantro and mint leaves).
Combine salad mixture, steak and dressing in a large bowl, tossing to coat.

Berry Crumble

Looking for a 4th of July dessert the is red, white and blue? Try using raspberries and blueberries.

from blazinghotwok

makes 1 large pie-sized or 6 ramekins

For the filling:

1 ½ lbs (4 to 5 cups) berries 

¾ oz (3 tbs) cornstarch

5 ½ oz (2/3 cup) granulated sugar

2 tbs lemon juice

For the topping:

4 ½ oz (1 cup) all purpose flour

2 3/8 oz (1/3 cup) granulated sugar

2 1/8 oz (1/3 cup packed) brown sugar

pinch of salt

8 oz (1 stick) cold butter, diced

1 5/8 oz (½ cup) quick-cooking or regular rolled oats

1 5/8 oz (1/2 cup) sliced almonds

Begin by making the topping. In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt and butter until you get a coarse mixture. I like to add the oats and pulse a couple of times to break them up a little. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the almonds. Mix in the almonds making clumps (although it will still be pretty loose).

In another large bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cornstarch and mix until all the cornstarch is mixed in with the sugar. Add the fruit and lemon juice and carefully mix, trying not to mash the fruit. Transfer the fruit into a large baking dish (or ramekins) and press the topping on. I like to make sure the fruit is completely covered. Bake in a 350F oven (on a sheet pan to catch the juices) until bubbly and the topping is golden.

Serve warm, with a scoop of ice cream.

Cioppino

Cioppino is a fish stew derived from the various regional fish soups and stews of Italian cuisine. Cioppino is traditionally made from the catch of the day, which in the dish's place of origin is typically a combination of dungeness crab, clams, shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels and white fish with fresh tomatoes in a wine sauce, often served over spaghetti or other long pasta and toasted buttered bread, either sourdough or baguette. This dish was developed in the late 1800s by Italian fishermen who settled in the North Beach section of San Francisco.  Originally it was made on the boats while out at sea and later became a staple as Italian restaurants proliferated in San Francisco. The name comes from ciuppin, a word in the Ligurian dialect of the port city of Genoa, meaning "to chop" or "chopped" which described the process of making the stew by chopping up various leftovers of the days catch.  At least one restaurant in San Francisco, the eponymous Cioppino's, uses the bogus story in which the name derived from the heavily Italian-accented cry of the wharf cooks for the fishermen to "chip in" some of their catch to the collective soup pot.

So, there’s your history lesson for the day. What I love about Cioppino is that you can alter this dish in many ways.  Change it up by using potatoes, chorizo, mussels, clams, shrimp, scallops, squid, crab, halibut, sea bass, or snapper.  Add a little heat with red pepper.  You can do practically anything to personalize this delicious dish.

Ingredients

1 1/2  tablespoons  olive oil

1/2  cup chopped onion

1 1/2  teaspoons bottled minced garlic

1/4  teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded

8 ounces sea scallops

8 ounces peeled and deveined medium shrimp

1/2 cup clam juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

Directions

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and red pepper to pan; sauté for 2 minutes. Add mussels, scallops, and shrimp to pan; sauté for 1 minute. Stir in 1/2 cup clam juice, parsley, and diced tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes or until mussels open, and discard any unopened shells.

Serve with toasted garlic bread.

St. Louis Style Pork Ribs

My first attempt at spare ribs couldn't have been easier. I made let the ribs sit overnight with the rub.  This recipe can be cooked on the grill or in the oven.  I cooked these in the oven for 3 hours. They were easy and very flavorful. 

This is a "Down Home with the Neely's" recipe.  If you haven't seen them on the Food Network then you are missing out.  I made several of their recipes and the continually come out great.

Ingredients

2 slabs pork spare ribs, 3 pounds each

Kansas City Barbeque Sauce, recipe follows

Dry Rub:

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup dry mustard

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Remove the thin white membrane off of the bone-side of the ribs. Mix together the brown sugar, dry mustard, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Massage the rub into the ribs and let sit for 1 hour or up to overnight.

If cooking on the grill, place the ribs meat-side down next to medium-hot coals that are about 225 degrees F. The indirect heat will cook them slower, making them tender. Allow to cook for 1 hour. Turn ribs every half hour and baste with the Kansas City Barbeque Sauce. Cook until the ribs are tender, about 3 to 4 hours.

If cooking indoors, place in a roasting pan with a rack. Slather the ribs with the Kansas City Barbeque Sauce and tent a piece of aluminum foil over them. In a preheated 350 degrees F. oven, place the ribs, basting with the sauce every 30 minutes and removing the foil for the last 30 minutes and cooking until fork tender, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Kansas City Barbeque Sauce:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 (about 2/3 cup)small onion, finely diced

3 cups water

1 cup (2 (6-ounce) cans) tomato paste

1/2 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup molasses

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a small sauce pot on medium-high heat, heat the oil and add the onion, cooking until translucent.

Add the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix together. Add to sauce pan and let simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. Use to baste the pork spare ribs.

Yield: 3 cups

White Sangria

What's better on a hot summer day then sipping on a cool fruity glass of Sangria?

1 (750 ml) bottle dry white wine, like chardonnay

1 (6 ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate

1/2 cup light rum

1/2 cup Triple Sec

1 (15.25 ounce) can pineapple tidbits packed in juices

1 large apple, cut into chunks

Cherries, orange and lime slices or anything you'd like to use as garnish.

2 cups of lemon lime soda

Combine all ingredients in a pitcher, except for the soda, and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours or overnight.  When your first guests start to arrive then you can add the soda.  If you like a less sweet drink, use club soda instead of Sprite.  

Mediterranean Veggie Panini

What else can I do with the zucchini I get from my friends garden, seemed to be a question I had last year.  I can only make so much zucchini bread and my husband is not a big fan of it for a side dish.  Since I was also given a small eggplant I started thinking Mediterranean.  Hmm,  I love hummus... 

Ingredients:

2 zucchini (cut into thin slices)

1 eggplant (cut into thin slices)

* olive oil

oregano, salt and pepper to taste

4 roasted red pepers

1 cup feta (crumbled)

4 tablespoons hummus

8 slices of bread

balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Lightly brush the zucchini and eggplant in olive oil and season with oregano, salt and pepper.

Grill the vegetables until tender and nice and golden brown.

Assemble sandwich including a slash of balsamic vinegar.

Lightly brush the bread in olive oil and grill until golden brown on both sides.

Crawfish Etouffe

Wow, is this good!  Ok now, don't say eeww about Crawfish it tastes like little lobsters.  I buy mine at Whole Foods and it comes in frozen 1 pound packages (well I live in Colorado so it has to get here.).  If you like a little spice and want to kick dinner up a notch, this is an easy recipe that you really can't mess up.  If you don't want it too spicy then add a little less cayenne pepper, but it's perfect.

This recipe comes from a friend of my husband. They have it every year during their fantasy football draft. So ladies, men love it!

Ingredients

6 Tbsp butter

2 cups chopped onion

2 cloves chopped garlic

2 Tbsp chopped bell pepper (red or green)

1/4 cup chopped celery

1 lb crawfish meat 

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

2 Tbsp chopped green onion (green part only)

2 Tbsp chopped parsley

1 packet brown gravy mix

Directions:

In large pan, melt butter over medium heat. Saute onions, pepper, garlic, and celery until onions are translucent.  

Add 1/8 cup of water. 

Cover pan and let simmer until vegetables are cooked (about 15 minutes).

Add crawfish, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper.  Cover pan and cook for 15 minutes.

Add green onions and parsley. Sprinkle a little brown gravy mix to thicken.  Stir and continue cook 5 minutes.

Serve with rice.

Hanshe Bars

My friend Dawn requested that I post this recipe because she just loves them and misplaced the recipe.  These are amazing and they are very rich so you only need a small piece. This is one of my favorite desserts to make because of the rave reviews.  They are sinful! I've made them for several different fund raisers and be careful, if you turn around they'll be gone.  Tip: line the pan with foil before you put the brownie mix in.  Then remove brownies from the pan to cool. I find it's easier to assemble and cut brownies outside of cake pan.  Just make sure you remove the foil!!!

1 box (1 lb 6.5 oz) brownie mix

Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box

1 container (1 lb) vanilla frosting

3/4 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

3 cups crisp rice cereal

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray or shortening. (For easier cutting, line pan with foil, then grease foil on bottom only of pan.)

Make and bake brownies as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan, using water, oil and eggs. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Frost brownies with frosting. Sprinkle with peanuts; refrigerate while making cereal mixture.

Measure cereal into large bowl; set aside. In 1-quart saucepan, melt peanut butter and chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly. Pour over cereal in bowl, stirring until evenly coated. Spread over frosted brownies. Cool completely before cutting, about 1 hour. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Chicken Pesto Panini

This is my very favorite sandwich. The havarti is such a delicious mild cheese that melts so nicely. For a change, replace the tomato slices with roasted red peppers.



Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts sliced horizontally to make 4 portions or 1 (16-ounce) package chicken tenders, rinsed and patted dry
1/2 cup prepared pesto
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 (16-ounce) loaf ciabatta bread, sliced in half horizontally
4 slices pre-sliced havarti cheese
2 tomatoes, sliced
15 fresh basil leaves (optional)

Directions
In a plastic bag, combine chicken tenders and 1/4 cup of pesto, set aside and let sit for 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup pesto and mayonnaise. Spread mixture on both sides of ciabatta; set aside.

Preheat an oiled grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill chicken tenders 5 minutes per side. Remove and let rest for 5 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium and re-oil the grill pan.

Place cheese on both halves of bread. Add arugula, then tomato, then basil leaves, then pesto chicken to bottom piece. Top with top half of bread. Place onto the grill pan and place a heavy pan on top of the sandwich. Grill for 3 minutes per side or until cheese starts to melt.

Cut into 4 portions and serve.

Panettone French Toast

Italy’s Christmas tradition wouldn’t be complete without panettone. The large, Italian sweetbread is an absolute must in the Italian Christmas lunch, being the favoured dessert during festive times. There are essentially two types of panettone - the boxed panettone that you get in the supermarket, and the rich, wholesome panettone that you buy at an Italian pastry shop. The latter is the real deal - real panettone should not be like a dry cake, but a soft, humble sweetbread of large proportions traditionally made with sultanas and other candied fruit.

If you're not a breakfast person, try using panettone in bread pudding.
3/4 cup half & half or milk (I used a combination of the two)
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
8 slices of 3/4 inch thick panettone (or brioche, or challah)
a bit of butter for greasing the pan or griddle

Whisk the half & half/milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt together and pour into a shallow pan.  Lay the bread into the mixture and soak them for a few minutes until just saturated.

Heat a frying pan or griddle over medium-high heat.  Rub some butter and place the slices of french toast onto the surface.  Cook for about 3 mins on the first side (until bottom is browned) and about 90 seconds on the second side.

Five Cheese Cavatappi

1 pound Cavatappi pasta, penne or rigatoni

2 cups heavy cream 

1 cup marinara 

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan (1 1/2 ounces) 

1/2 cup shredded imported Italian fontina (1 1/2 ounces) 

1/2 cup shredded smoked mozzarella (1 1/2 ounces) 

1/2 cup shredded provolone (1 1/2 ounces) 

1/4 pound fresh mozzarella, cubed

4 - 5 sundried tomato halves chopped small

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp Emeril’s Essence (optional to make it spicy)

pinch red pepper flakes

1/2 cup panko or regular breadcrumbs

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
Kosher salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Bring 5 quarts of salted water to a boil in a stockpot.

Combine all the ingredients except the pasta and butter in a large mixing bowl. reserve a 1/2 c of cheese mix minus fresh mozzarella for the top. Mix well.

Drop the penne into the boiling water and parboil for 4 minutes. Drain well in a colander and add to the ingredients in the mixing bowl, tossing to combine.

Divide the pasta mixture among 6 shallow ceramic gratin dishes (1 1/2 to 2-cup capacity) or large baking dish. Sprinkle reserved cheese and panko on top of pasta. Dot with the butter and bake until bubbly and brown on top, 7 to 10 minutes for small gratin 10 - 15 for large baking dish.

Dark Chocolate Candy Cane Pretzels

I always make great little gifts for my neighbors at Christmas. This year I have been looking for something new and stumbled across this recipe from bitchincamero
2 cups salted pretzels (I used mini-pretzels because they hold the chocolate and candy canes better)

8 oz. dark chocolate chips

2 candy canes

1 tbsp. clear, shiny sprinkles

Special equipment: chopsticks

Crush the candy canes by placing them in a plastic bag and beating them with a rolling pin. This is actually really fun — go ahead and get your aggression out. Place the crushed canes in a small bowl and mix with the sprinkles. Set aside.
Set up a double boiler by filling a medium saucepan halfway with water. Bring to a simmering boil at medium-high heat and place a metal bowl over the rim of the sauce pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add your chocolate chips to the bowl and watch them melt.

While the chocolate melts, place a large sheet of parchment or plastic wrap as close to the saucepan as you can. Once your chocolate is fully melted, it’s time to make your pretzels.

One by one, drop the pretzels into the melted chocolate, then use your chopsticks to fish them out. Using chopsticks allows each pretzel to stay completely coated and pretty while you transfer them to the prepared parchment.
As you place each pretzel on the parchment, sprinkle with a pinch of the crushed candy canes. Make sure to place each pretzel far enough away from it’s neighbor so that they won’t be attached when the chocolate cools. Keep going until you’ve covered each pretzel. Let the pretzels set completely in a cool, undisturbed environment. This usually takes 2 - 3 hours.

If you’ve got leftover melted chocolate, pour it over ice cream immediately and enjoy. Or let it cool a bit and let your kids (or husband) lick it out of the bowl.
Makes about 2 cups of pretzels.

Ham, Brie, and Apple French Toast Panini

This is so yummy. It was inspired by the Monte Cristo. If you don't have a sandwich press this works fine with a Forman Grill, griddle or a frying pan
Makes 2 sandwiches

Four 1/2-inch-thick slices brioche

4 teaspoons Dijon mustard

6 thin slices (about 3 ounces) Black Forest ham or other ham

1/2 apple, cored and thinly sliced

3 ounces brie, thinly sliced
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat sandwich press according to manufacturer's instructions. Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl, beat the eggs with the salt and pepper. Dip brioche in eggs to coat each slice.

Carefully place slices on the sandwich press, working in batches if you have to, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until bread is evenly browned. Remove to a work surface.

Spread a teaspoon of mustard on each slice, arrange ham on each of two slices. Divide the apple slices evenly among the two ham-topped slices of French toast, and do the same for the brie. Top with remaining two French toast slices, mustard side down.

Carefully place sandwich or sandwiches in press. Pull the top down, and cook until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the heat of your machine. Carefully remove finished sandwich(es) from press and serve right away.

Coconut Jasmine Rice

1 tbl butter
1 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups jasmine rice, washed and drained well
½ cup good, thick coconut milk (shake can to mix well before opening)
2 cups water
1/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Heat butter a medium sized, heavy saucepan over medium heat. When butter is melted, add brown sugar and salt, stir until dissolved. Turn heat to high, add rice and stir until all grains coated evenly. Add coconut milk and water. Stir occasionally to prevent grains from sticking to bottom. When boiling, immediately cover with tight fitting lid, turn heat to medium-low and simmer undisturbed for 20 minutes. Remove pot from heat but do not open lid. Really, no peeking! Let sit for10 minutes. While rice is cooking, toast coconut flakes on a dry skillet over medium high heat. Stir frequently to avoid burning, remove from pan as soon as coconut is golden brown, about 2 minutes.