Egg Sandwich with Brie and Prosciutto

I had some Brie and prosciutto leftover from New Year's Eve dinner and only one thing on my mind - creating a spinoff of my new favorite breakfast sandwich, the Egg Sandwich with Goat Cheese, Scallions, and Prosciutto.

I didn't change much from Bridget's original creation, just swapped the goat cheese for the Brie. I had to leave out the scallions because we didn't have any. I usually have at least one lurking in my produce drawer but alas, not this time. Definitely add it, though. That slight onion-y flavor would be perfect.

I didn't do a side-by-side comparison but I think I might like the Brie version slightly better than the goat cheese version. I love Brie. I also really liked the sourdough bread, slightly toasted, in place of the huge rolls I used last time. I enjoyed these two mornings in a row and wished I had more prosciutto so I could make them again.

Egg Sandwich with Brie and Prosciutto
Inspired by The Way the Cookie Crumbles

4 eggs
4 scallions, white and green parts, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 ounces Brie, softened
4 slices sourdough bread, cut in half and lightly toasted
4 ounces sliced prosciutto

In a medium bowl whisk the eggs, minced scallion, salt, and milk until a few large bubbles form.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the egg mixture and lower the heat to medium-low. After about a minute, gently stir the eggs. After about another minute they should be starting to set; use a large spatula to flip sections of egg so the other side can set as well. Turn off the heat but don�t move the pan. Residual heat from the pan will finish cooking the eggs without drying the out while you build the sandwiches.

Spread each half of each slice of bread with some of the Brie. The heat from the bread will help melt the cheese slightly. Layer on 1/4 of the eggs, then 1/4 of the sliced prosciutto. Top with another slice of bread and serve immediately.

Baguette with Prosciutto, Gorgonzola and Fig Jam

Right before the holidays a friend posted on Facebook about a recipe for Baguette with Prosciutto, Gorgonzola and Fig Jam. It sounded divine and I immediately planned my New Year's Eve menu around it.

I only made about a quarter of the baguette because it was just SP and I eating these (Baby Girl licked all the fig jam off her slice - she turned her nose up at the gorgonzola and tried the prosciutto but claimed she didn't like it). The recipe below is my best guess at how much of everything you'll need for a full baguette.

I used gorgonzola (and only a little bit at that) but the flavor was still a bit too pungent for me. So�a recommended layering the fig jam and cheese together to help cut the flavor a bit so that's how I wrote the recipe below. I also think Brie would be excellent. Good thing I have 3/4 of a jar of jam left. Have you tried fig jam? I hadn't before making this and it was great!

Baguette with Prosciutto, Gorgonzola and Fig Jam
Recipe from So�a

1 French baguette
1 small jar fig jam
8oz blue cheese
12-16oz prosciutto, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (or preheat the broiler).

Slice the baguette into 1/2"-thick slices, on a slight bias. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and toast briefly, until just starting to brown. Remove from the oven.

Top each slice with a small amount of fig jam. Add some blue cheese then a slice of prosciutto.

Return to the oven (or broiler) and heat until the cheese melts and the prosciutto starts to crisp.

Serve immediately.

Amy's Virtual Baby Shower: Stuffed Shells with Beef and Cheese

Amy over at Amy's Kitchen Creations is having a baby! In fact, her little girl is due any day now. Carrie from Carrie's Sweet Life thought it would be nice to host a virtual baby shower where the theme was simple meals for new moms, with an emphasis on meals that can be made ahead and frozen.

As I was helping SP unpack the groceries the other week I found a box of jumbo pasta shells. I had asked him to buy shells for the Panera mac and cheese I was making but I hadn't specified the size of the shells so he bought the jumbo. I realized I had never made stuffed shells before, so this seemed like a good time to fix that. I had printed out Maeghan's recipe for Stuffed Shells with Beef and Cheese awhile back and couldn't wait to make it.

I didn't know this recipe made so many shells (I admit to not reading all of Maeghan's post), so I was thrilled when I realized I could get two meals out of one afternoon of cooking. I filled all the shells, placed half in the baking dish for that night's dinner and half on a baking sheet to freeze. This is a perfect dish to make for new parents - you can give them a half order to eat now and a frozen, fully-assembled dish for another time.

These were positively delicious. I loved the beef mixed with the cheese, although I was surprised there wasn't any egg in the filling. SP thought the filling was a bit dry because of that but I didn't agree, especially when the shells were smothered in his amazing Sunday Sauce.

I thought stuffed shells would be too much work but this was a really simple recipe to make. The filling takes no time at all to put together. I think shredding the mozzarella cheese took more time than filling the shells. Thanks for a great recipe, Maeghan! And congratulations Amy and Matt!

To see what everyone else made to celebrate Amy and Matt, click here.

Stuffed Shells with Beef and Cheese
As seen on The Way to His Heart

4 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 lb ground beef
Salt and pepper to taste
1 package of Jumbo Pasta Shells
1 15oz container ricotta cheese
16oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups marinara sauce
2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil, onion, and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until meat browns. Remove and let cool.

Brush 1 teaspoon of olive oil over large baking sheet. Cook shells, 4 to 6 minutes, still firm to the bite. Transfer to oiled baking sheet.

Combine ricotta, half the mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and parsley. Add garlic, salt, and pepper to taste and mix. Stir cooled meat into cheese mixture.

Brush remaining 2 teaspoons of oil on a 9x13 glass baking dish. Spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Fill shells with the cheese and beef mixture. Arrange half the stuffed pasta in a single layer in the prepared dish and spoon remaining sauce over. Place the other half on a separate baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and freeze. Once frozen, place shells in a freezer bag for future use.

Sprinkle remaining mozzarella, then remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese over pasta. Dot dish with butter slices.

Bake uncovered until sauce bubbles on side of dish, 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Buttery Pan Sauce

Pork tenderloin is one of those meats I only remember I like when I have 3 of them in my freezer waiting to be used. I'm always one the lookout for new ways to prepare it. I came across Amy's Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Buttery Pan Sauce and decided to make it with one of my recent recipe swaps (Balsamic Parmesan Asparagus).

I'm a big fan of marinating pork tenderloin overnight so it has plenty of time to soak up all the yummy flavors. This had great flavor and the pan sauce was perfect.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Buttery Pan Sauce
As seen on Very Culinary, adapted from Chef Mommy

1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 teaspoons dry mustard
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound pork tenderloin

Pan Sauce:
Pan scrapings from pork tenderloin
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons of pork marinade (reserved)
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar

Combine all marinade ingredients and reserve 3 tablespoons in a small container. Place the pork tenderloin and marinade in a Ziplock bag and let marinate for at least 3-4 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a hot skillet over medium-high heat, sear each side of tenderloin for 2-3 minutes. Place tenderloin in a small baking dish or roasting pan, coated with cooking spray, and cook in the oven for approximately 30 minutes or until the meat has reached 160 degrees. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

In the meantime, place the skillet back on the stove over medium heat. Add the chicken broth and scrape up all the browned pieces from the bottom of the pan. Give the reserved marinade a quick stir and add it to the pan; let it boil down for 2 minutes. Add the butter and brown sugar; remove from heat stirring until butter has melted and sugar has dissolved. Cut the tenderloin into medium slices and pour the sauce on top.

Mexican Pizzas

I can't tell you the last time I ate at Taco Bell (or Taco Hell as the guys I used to work with called the place), but I vividly remember loving their Mexican pizza the one time I tried it. Angie recently posted a make-at-home version of the Mexican Pizzas and I couldn't wait to try them. I've been on such a crazy Mexican kick lately that I find myself adding something Mexican-inspired to every weekly menu.

These didn't disappoint. As always, I prepped everything during the day so all I had to do was assemble and bake. I made my own refried beans - I can never go back to the glop from a can now that I know how easy it is to make them at home - and ended up using smaller tortillas, which worked well because these are quite filling and delicious.

Mexican Pizzas
As seen on My Chicago Kitchen, adapted from Trader Joe's

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 recipe refried beans
8 taco size flour tortillas
1 cup chunky salsa, any heat level
2 cups Mexican cheese blend
2-3 green onions, sliced
2 Roma tomatoes, cored and diced
1/4 cup black olives, pitted and sliced

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef. Add onion and saute beef and onion together. Add garlic and saute 2 minutes Season with chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper, and drain off fat. Set aside.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place tortillas on baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. When ready, top 4 tortillas with refried beans, followed by a layer of the beef mixture. Top with remaining four tortillas. Bake for 5-10 minutes.

Spread salsa over the tortillas. Top with cheese, green onions, tomatoes, and olives. Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, until cheese is melted and begins to bubble. Serve with your favorite toppings.

My Favorites from 2012

In the 6+ years I've been blogging I've never done a yearly recap/roundup post. I always think it's a good idea but I don't plan ahead and all of a sudden I find myself in early January looking at everyone else's roundup posts and thinking, "why didn't I do that?" Well this year I decided to hell with the fact that, once again, I forgot to plan ahead. So what if it's January, I'm doing a 2012 roundup post anyway.

Without further ado, here are my favorites from 2012. I tried to pick one recipe from each month and only ended up with three ties, which is pretty impressive since my original list had 23 recipes.

January 2012 - Orange and Rosemary Pork Tenderloin
This pork tenderloin was a surprise hit. The secret is the sauce, which doubles as the marinade. Lots of bright, vibrant flavors that are completely addictive.



February 2012 - Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Since we don't have a good Chinese restaurant near our house I've started making many of my favorite dishes at home. This was spot-on.



March 2012 - Bacon, Egg and Asparagus Salad
This salad was so good it became my spring and summer staple for lunch. I must have made it once or twice a week for months. Thank goodness they sell pine nuts in bulk at the wholesale club or I'd be broke.



April 2012 - Panera Mac and Cheese
I didn't really like Panera until I tried this make-at-home version of their delectable mac and cheese. I was hooked, tried the real thing, and now I'm a convert. I love the ease of this recipe.



May 2012 - Homemade Refried Beans
Try this recipe and I promise you'll never buy a can of refried beans again. Super simple and utterly delicious.



June 2012 Part 1 - Black Bean Patties with Corn Relish and Avocado Cream
I rediscovered my love of beans when I made a commitment to cook healthier meals for my family. These black bean patties go perfectly with the corn relish and avocado cream. Also sneaking in a plug for these fantastic black bean burgers. I make a big batch every few weeks and keep them in the freezer for quick lunches or dinners.



June 2012 Part 2 - Hawaiian Chicken Sandwiches
I can't say enough good things about this recipe. It went around my cooking board over the summer and I fell in love. It's so easy to make yet tastes outstanding. I think I made these once a week for a month. So, so good.



July 2012 Part 1 - Antipasti Pasta Salad
Whenever I make this recipe I can't get enough of it. And neither can my guests. SP and I fight over leftovers. And the best part is it's mostly chopping - all you have to do is cook the pasta.



July 2012 Part 2 - Artichoke and Salami Sandwiches
I discovered this sandwich one day when I had no idea what to make for lunch and needed to use up some ingredients in my fridge. It's since become one of my favorite go-to lunches.



August 2012 Part 1 - Chicken Souvlaki
Another sleeper hit. For a recipe with so few ingredients I was shocked by how delicious it is. I don't cook with dill often enough but this recipe changed that.



August 2012 Part 2 - Antipasto Salad
This recipe is exactly like the antipasto salad my mother-in-law used to get from a local pizza place for parties. Delicious and easy to make at home.



September 2012 - Philly Cheesesteaks
Living outside of Philly, I've eaten quite a few cheesesteaks in my life. Being able to make them at home is a beautiful thing.



October 2012 - Roast Beef and Cheddar Panini
The secret is in the sauce when it comes to these sandwiches. You can't go wrong with caramelized onions, roast beef and cheddar cheese. Yum!

November 2012 - Sweet Ham and Swiss Sliders
Another awesome sandwich recipe that's perfect for parties. These are addictive so make sure you have plenty on hand.

December 2012 - Chicken Tostadas with Avocado Salsa
Another simple meal that tastes like a million bucks. I always thought making a tostada would be difficult but these are so easy and delicious.

I'm already excited for 2013. Looking back through the last 12 months of recipes was a lot of fun. Here's to another wonderful year of cooking!

Sweet and Spicy Dipping Sauce

I'd asked SP to buy frozen egg rolls to serve alongside the Crispy Tofu with Garlic and Broccoli, but that night I forgot to serve them. Oops. Luckily I was making Spicy Garlic and Ginger Chicken with Green Beans the following week. I like dipping my egg roll into duck sauce but I can't justify buying a big jar of it and we haven't ordered takeout Chinese in forever so I didn't have any leftover packets hanging around. A quick Google search led me to this Sweet and Spicy Dipping Sauce on AllRecipes.

What a great sauce and so simple to make. It went perfectly with the shrimp and veggie egg rolls, which were surprisingly delicious (gotta love Wegmans).

Sweet and Spicy Dipping Sauce
As seen on AllRecipes.com
Servings: 2

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (Sriracha)

Stir the vinegar and sugar together in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely, 7 to 10 minutes; add the salt, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir the chili garlic sauce into the mixture. Allow to cool before serving.