Lobster Rolls

Several years ago we traveled to the East Coast to observe the Fall colors.  We timed it right, the week the leaves were changing from faded colors to every color imaginable ranging from pale yellow, orange, and to flaming crimson.  Beautiful!  It was a feast for the eyes as we meandered from Connecticut, through Massachusetts and on to Bar Harbor, Maine and back.

Near Bar harbor, Maine

One of our first stops happened to be Newport, Rhode Island where a Lobster fest was being held!  How did we manage that?  Finding a parking spot was something else since people from miles around had the same idea.  But, that didn't deter us.  We had lobster on the brain and wanted some in our belly!  I 'd never tasted a lobster roll, and upon first glance it just appeared to be some lobster meat mixed with mayo and celery on a hot dog bun.  What?   But somehow, something that plain and simple  melted in my mouth and I could see why it was all the rage along the eastern seaboard.

Around the Holidays seafood seems to be more plentiful in these parts and the price is right.  Lobsters were going for $5.00 each at the local market, so we grabbed two.  Actually, they were so tiny that two would not even satisfy one person.  This was the perfect opportunity to experiment.  Lobster roll coming up.  This is my version of Lobster rolls made in the high desert!

Lobster Rolls

2 (4-5 oz.) lobster tails, boiled, cooled, peeled and chopped

Place lobster meat into a bowl and add:

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 Tbsp chopped celery

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp chopped parsley

1 Tbsp chopped onion (optional)

salt and pepper

Mix well and set aside.  Melt about 2 Tbsp butter in the microwave.  Brush 2 hot dog buns (I used whole grain) with the butter and spread on the lobster blend.  Serve and delight your taste buds!  So simple, too!

Make It Italian - Salmon Arugula "Pizza"

Is it bizarre that I should have such intense cravings for food like salmon or tuna?  I'm not sure...could it be a deficiency in vitamin K or D?  Or is it just my adoration for low carb substitutes that mimic a pizza?

If you're a fan (I know there must be one person out there!) of bagels with cream cheese and salmon, you will surely be satisfied eating just one or part of one.  This combination is far from "normal" on a pizza, but somehow it works!  Try it!

Ingredients:

Plain naan (Indian flat bread)

fat free cream spreadable cream cheese

handfuls of spinach or arugula, chopped

pre-cooked sliced onions with minced garlic (optional)

smoked salmon (1/2 - 1 oz for each serving)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place naan on baking sheet and heat for about 3-4 minutes.  Spread each naan with about 1 oz of cream cheese, then some onions and garlic.  Top with spinach or arugula and dot with small pieces of salmon.  Done and dinner is served!

This would make a great appetizer for those fish loving friends!  Just cut into strips and serve with a glass of white wine.

Roasted Veggie Sandwich

Whenever I roast vegetables I always make more than needed so I'll have leftovers.  Odd? Maybe...but for me, it's an easy lunch to heat and eat.  Sometimes I'll scramble an egg with them, stuff a tortilla as a wrap or make an open faced sandwich.

The vegetables I roasted the day before were not cooked in oil but in broth for added flavor.  Cook on high heat in the oven (400 degrees) for about 25 minutes.  Every once in a while stir and sprinkle with some broth.  You can add any herb or spice you like.  Of course, mine is herbs de Provence, sometimes paprika and garlic powder, or thyme and rosemary.

The dollop on top of this "creation" is non-fat yogurt cheese.  All you do is put about 1 1/2 cups of  plain yogurt into a colander or straining device that has either cheesecloth or a paper coffee filter with a bowl to catch the liquid underneath.  Put the whole thing in the refrigerator (covered) for a day or overnight.  All the liquid will pass through and you'll be left with yogurt cheese you can make dips with, etc.  It tastes a bit like sour cream.  Not bad!

Ingredients:

(serves 1)

1 piece of good whole grain bread

1-2 Tbsp of hummus (I used roasted red pepper)

enough roasted veggies to cover the bread (I used potato, fennel, carrot and onion)

a handful of spinach/arugula mix

a drizzle of fat free vinaigrette

dollop of yogurt cheese

Heat the veggies, spread hummus on the bread followed by the rest of the ingredients.  Nice presentation..even nicer to eat!

Pinto Bean Hummus

During the last couple of weeks I've made a commitment to eat other sources of protein instead of meat.  That means...beans, beans and more beans!  Fortunately I have an arsenal of recipes that I've drawn from over the years and a few I've made up along the way.

I made a large batch of pinto beans one day, ate some plain, sprinkled  a few on salads, yet found myself  still yearning for more spice and zing.  After a bit of experimentation I slathered this pinto bean hummus onto a toasted bagel thin, topped it with a layer of spinach arugula combo and melted reduced fat mozzarella.  I know it sounds a bit strange, but don't knock it unless you've tried it.

Pinto beans are a complete source of protein and loaded with fiber.  Their origin dates back to the ancient Andes people.  The way I look at this is that if the beans have been around that long, my body knows how to digest them, right?  Re-fried pinto beans defeat the purpose and don't qualify as "healthy".

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups pinto beans, precooked or canned

1 tsp sriracha hot sauce

2 Tbsp non-fat plain yogurt

1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

dash of garlic powder

2 Tbsp chopped onions

salt, if needed

Mix all the ingredients in a food processor pulsing until well blended.  Use on sandwiches or as a dip for chips or veggies.

Lobster Avocado Pannini

If anyone spent any amount of time in Lake Tahoe in the late 70's and they loved seafood, they would remember the "Fish Market"  restaurant.   They were know for their lobster and crap melt sandwiches.  The BEST!  It probably seated, at best, 15-20 people, most of the seating in a semicircle belly up to the bar area.  This was prime seating because you could watch the ingredients layered into this beautiful pannini like sandwich.

For years, I thought of this place whenever I saw a lobster sandwich on the menu.  No one has come close, not even me.  But I keep trying!  Here's one of my experiments.  Very tasty, but something is still missing.  If anyone has the recipe for this Lake Tahoe classic, please let me know!

Serves 2
Ingredients:

1 lobster tail, boiled or broiled with meat removed from the shell and cut into chunks.  To make it more decadent, saute in butter first.

4 slices of sourdough or crusty French bread

4 slices of cheese (your choice)

1 avocado, sliced

 a bit of mayonnaise

a bit of butter, or spreadable margarine

This is fairly simple to assemble, like making a grilled cheese, only it's the "Cadillac" of grilled sandwiches.  A bit of mayo spread on the inside with a cheese slice, lobster, salt and pepper to taste.  Place the avocado  on top with the other cheese slice and close.  Butter one side and lay the buttered side down into a grill or smooth griddle surface.  While grilling, butter the top side and turn over when browned to cook the other side.  Yum!  This was good but I'm still "in quest" for that perfect lobster pannini!

Mediterranean Pitas

Pitas are the perfect way to serve a sandwich.  The "built in" pockets allow for some interesting combinations.  I'll be using these more in the future as well as maybe making them from scratch.  For the following combo I made minted lamb patties first and garnished with a bit of balsamic, goat cheese and avocado.  The choices are endless.  Olives would have gone nicely in these as well. 

For the lamb patties:

1 lb ground lamb

1 clove minced garlic

2 Tbsp chopped onion

1 Tbsp egg substitute (or use 1 egg white)

1 handful chopped mint

1 handful chopped basil

Mix the above well and make patties.  Cook on a grill or in a skillet until done.  Have on hand the garnishes you prefer.  I broke apart the lamb patties to stuff them into the "pockets" better.  For mine, I assembled the pitas with chopped lettuce, goat cheese, avocado, and  thinly sliced cucumbers that were marinated in balsamic dressing.  Roasted red pepper hummus would have been good inside; maybe next time! 

If you don't like lamb, try them with ground chicken or turkey!  Be creative in the kitchen...

Easy Grilled Eggplant

I think eggplant has been given a bad rap for being the most underused vegetable.  Maybe it's because most people don't know what to do with the bulbous purple veggie.  But, surprisingly enough, it's one of my favorites.  It's best known for its use in French ratatouille and Italian eggplant parmigiana.  I had my first encounter at my Aunt's home.  She married into an Italian family and one of the relatives had brought over a huge casserole of eggplant parmigiana.  I was probably around 7 or 8, but, I swear, I could have devoured the whole thing!

I continued my love affair with eggplant and married into my own large Italian family.  My mother-in-law would fry slices in egg and flour, dip in sauce, and attempt to save it for dinner.  Alot would get eaten before anyone sat down for the meal.  If there was ever any leftover, you'd find it between bread, eaten as a sandwich.  Yum!

After years of cooking it that way, I've also experimented by roasting, cubing for pasta and soups, baking, frying and now grilling.  To salt or not to salt.  To soak or not to soak, first.  Eggplants can be slightly bitter, so I salted the slices first, let them sit for an hour, rinsed well and marinated before grilling.  So good!  This process not only helps with bitterness, but it will absorb less oil, which is a more healthful thing!

Marinade in a large container.  Lay the slices out (used one large eggplant) and in a 2 cup measuring cup add about 1 cup of olive oil, a handful of chopped basil, 1 Tbsp of minced garlic, a squeeze of fresh lemon or a Tbsp of vinegar, and a dash of red pepper flakes.  Pour over the eggplant and let sit in refrigerator for at least an hour or two.  During that time arrange the slices (move around so that marinade is distributed evenly).  I drained the liquid out and re -poured it a few times, too.

On a medium heat grill, lay out the eggplant turning once after a few minutes.  I then placed a large piece of foil down onto the grill, arranged the eggplant on top, folded up the edges and used the rest of the marinade on top.  Close the grill and continue to cook until done.  I added fresh buffalo mozzarella at the last minute, but this is optional.  Great as a meal or with a meal and excellent as a sandwich!

A Simple "Slimming Sandwich"

It seems I'm beginning to sharpen my sandwich skills in anticipation for a kitchen remodeling project.  Yes., We're finally updating our kitchen.  New granite surfaces, new gas cook top, (I'll need to learn to cook  all over again.)  So many ideas are flooding my mind.  I already have a great "work triangle" but there's always room for improvement!

At any rate, it's a process I'm looking forward to.  Even the chaos which will surely arise with a kitchen remodel will not bother me because I'm focused on the end results.  A beautiful, functional cook's kitchen.  Maybe I'll even hold cooking classes..anyone interested?   I'll keep you posted.  The demolishing has not yet begun, but this sandwich may very likely be on the "remodel menu"!

2 bagel thins (Love those!)

2 slices provolone cheese

1/2 cucumber sliced thin

1/2 avocado, sliced

basil leaves

Mayo, brown spicy mustard or your favorite spread (try hummus)

1/2 roasted red pepper, sliced

lettuce or spinach topping (optional)

salt and pepper (if you wish)

I lightly toasted the bagel thin and slathered mayo on hubby's and combination mayo/mustard on mine. Sometimes, I'll use roasted garlic hummus as a sandwich spread!  Good stuff!   Arrange the rest of the ingredients and dinner is ready.  A no-stove, no-oven allowed recipe.   Here's hoping the remodel goes as simple as this sandwich preparation!  Enjoy!

Pannini Power

Is it the power of suggestion or a case of the lazies? Just by glancing at the picture of the display case filled with panninis to the right, I've decided upon dinner! Funny how you get your inspiration to cook a meal. And, today was filled with some dreaded doctor appointments. The good news is, I'm going to live. I won't be dwelling on any bad news. I'll just continue to forge ahead!

So, I'll be content with being a little lazy tonight and make roasted red pepper, mortadella and provolone panninis. Italian comfort food!

Recipe in book