Turkey Caprese Panini

Turkey + sun-dried tomato goat cheese spread + red onion + spinach = Turkey Caprese

This panini was inspired by a sandwich at one of my favorite spots in Charlotte, The Common Market.  The Common Market is quirky, eclectic, non-pretentious deli with a large beer and wine selection and a slew of kitschy knick knacks.  They're also dog friendly, and have a awesome outdoor patio.  Excellent for an afternoon with the hubs and the pup.  Love this spot!

I tend to order their turkey caprese over and over again, it's that good.  Over the weekend I was craving it and decided to make my own version.  The secret to this sandwich is the sun-dried tomato and goat cheese spread...  It is definitely why I ordered it the first time, and why I keep going back for it!  Turkey breast, red onion and spinach keep this sandwich fresh and healthy.  When I eat it, I feel good.  You will too.  Give it a shot! :)

Ingredients
serves 1

2 slices hearty whole grain bread
1 oz honey goat cheese
1/2 tbsp sun-dried tomato pesto
4 oz turkey meat
1 tbsp thinly sliced red onion
2 tbsp baby spinach leaves
extra virgin olive oil

Method

Combine goat cheese and sun-dried tomato pesto in a small bowl.  Spread mixture onto one slice of bread.  Pile turkey, red onion and spinach on the same slice, top with other slice of bread.  Spray each side of the sandwich with a little bit of olive oil (or brush on lightly).  Place panini on a panini maker on medium high heat until bread is toasted and cheese begin to melt (about 3 minutes).

Wild Mushroom and Pesto Crostini

This recipe was inspired by a dish my girlfriends and I shared at Lincoln Restaurant in Washington, DC this spring.  Since all of my closest girlfriends no longer all live in the same city, we re-united in our nation's captial to celebrate our dear friend's upcoming nuptials.  We stumbled onto Lincoln Restaurant by chance, and were glad we did.
 

 
Lincoln Restaurant is know for it's playful dedication to Abraham Lincoln in a chic, upscale way.   The theme "Food of the People, by the People, for the People" is complemented with an unusual floor made entirely from pennies, and with gorgeous back lit walls scripted with the famous Emancipation Proclamation. We were thrilled with its seasonal small plate menu and found everything delicious.

Floor of restaurant, made up of 799,997 pennies

Throughout our meal one dish really stuck out and I had to try to re-create it at home -Lincoln's mushroom bruchetta.  The only difference is Lincoln's dish included pea's and ricotta cheese and I was fresh out of both of those ingredients.  Regardless, this mushroom appetizer still turned out great!

This dish is not only delicious, it is easy to prepare, but also makes me incredibly happy thinking back to a really fun girls weekend.  Also great served as an hor' dourve at dinner parties!

Ingredients
serves 4

1/2 of a whole wheat baguette
1 1/2 cups of wild mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1/4 cup of prepared pesto
2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp of garlic, pureed or minced
2 tbsp of freshly grated Parmesan cheese 
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large skillet.  Add garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes until brown over medium-high heat.  Add mushrooms and saute for 8-10 minutes until thoroughly cooked.  Remove from heat and add sauteed mushrooms to a small mixing bowl of prepared pesto.  Toss until mushrooms are evenly coated.  Slice whole wheat baguette in half length-wise and then cut into small 1/2 inch slices.   Toast until golden brown and then top with mushrooms and Parmesan.  Enjoy!

Me and my girls @LincolnWDC

Follow me on Twitter @Cheeseplease531

Perfect Pesto

One of the things I love the most about cooking is not just preparing fresh, healthy and delicious food, it is also the thrill of learning how to cook something new!!  A few years ago I discovered pesto for the first time (shocking, I know, but I used to be the pickiest eater)  and it was love at first sight.  The combination of a long favorite of mine, garlic, combined with a new favorite, basil, in addition to toasty nuts and parmesan cheese equaled heaven to my palette!

While I was shopping at our local farmer's market, I purchased two big bags of fresh basil for a dollar each, much less expensive than the grocery store, and much more leaves than my 'lil basil plant in the backyard.  (None of my potted herbs this summer are holding up well against these recent heat waves, any suggestions to keep my plants alive would be welcomed!)  Regardless, I was so excited about seeing these large bags of basil, I knew I had to try to make my own pesto!  Below is the winning combination that not only appeased my friends but also my husband.

Jess' Perfect Pesto

3 cups of fresh basil
1 cup of Italian parsley*
1/2 cup of pine nuts, toasted till golden
1/4 cup of freshly grated good quality parmesan
3 large garlic cloves (or 3 tbsp of minced garlic)
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil, add up to 3 more tablespoons if desired

I decided to blanch my basil leaves.  Blanching is great to do if you want to freeze some pesto for later, and it also brightens up the color of your pesto.  It is easy to blanch - bring a pot of water to boil, and preparing a bowl of icy water.  Pick a bunch of basil with kitchen tongs and immerse in the hot water for 2-3 seconds.  Then submerge basil in the ice bath.  Blanching basil leaves is apparently controversial, but it really comes down to the condition of your ingredients.  If your basil looks great, is fresh and fragrant, skip this step!

*I found that mixing in some fresh parsley into this recipe not only gave it a great flavor, it also gave the pesto a beautiful color.

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process for about 30 seconds.   I just adore my Cuisinart 9-cup food processor.  Thank you Julie and Steve for the fabulous gift!!

Enjoy!!! Pesto is such a great addition to any of your summer recipes!  Let me know if you have any favorite pesto recipes, I have been on whirlwind of preparing pesto dishes lately!

Remember to follow me on Twitter @CheesePlease531

Caprese Panini

Chicken Pesto Campanelle

Heirloom Tomato & Pesto on a Whole Wheat Baguette