Cauliflower Soup with Tandoori Yogurt: A Creamy But Healthy Spa Soup for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

Recipes from spas and spa cookbooks are some of my favorites. Since they are designed for people who are paying to be pampered, they are usually both tasty and healthy--my favorite combination. This Cauliflower Soup with Tandori Yogurt from Canyon Ranch fits the bill in both of these areas. Cauliflower and other veggies and some spices are caramelized then simmered before being pureed into a thick creamy soup, then the soup is topped with a spiced yogurt for extra flavor. The fact that it uses vegetable puree and non-fat yogurt for the topping, keeps the calorie count remarkably low.

This recipe comes from The Canyon Ranch Healthy Living Club newsletter here.


Cauliflower Soup with Tandoori Yogurt

Canyon Ranch Healthy Living Club Newsletter

(Makes 8 3/4 Cup Servings)

Soup:
1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cups chopped fresh cauliflower
1/2 cup chopped yellow onions
1/3 cup fresh leeks, sliced thin, white part only
1/4 cup peeled and chopped carrots
3 tablespoons chopped celery
1 1/2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper or paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
5 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons champagne vinegar

Tandoori Yogurt:
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or paprika
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
1 teaspoon chopped fresh scallions
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup plain, lowfat yogurt

In a large saucepan, over medium heat, sauté cauliflower, onions, leeks, carrots and celery, Aleppo pepper (or paprika) and garlic in olive oil until caramelized, about 25 minutes. Increase heat to high, add water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Season with salt and vinegar.

Cool slightly and transfer mixture into a blender container. Puree until very smooth. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for Tandoori Yogurt and mix until smooth.

Serve 3/4 cup soup topped with 2 teaspoons Tandoori Yogurt.


Serving Information: Makes 8 (3/4-cup) servings, each containing approximately: 45 calories, 8 gm. carbohydrate, 1 gm. fat, 0 mg. cholesterol, 2 gm. protein, 352 mg. sodium, 2 gm. fiber

Cook's Note: This soup can easily be made vegan by omitting the Tandoori Yogurt. This will also lower the calories and change some of the nutritionals.


Notes/Results: Really delicious--so full of good flavor and really creamy for such a low-calorie soup. Caramelizing all of the vegetables adds a nice depth of flavor so the soup tastes rich. The tangy spiced yogurt is a good pairing with the creamy soup but it is actually quite delicious without it too. Served with grilled naan bread and a simple salad, it was a satisfying and healthy meat-free dinner. I would make this soup again.

It looks like a good-sized group in the Souper Sundays kitchen this week--let's see who is here!

First up, I am delighted to have Debbie from The Friday Friends back with us this week and with a hearty Albondiga (Meatball Soup). Debbie says, "The recipe comes from an old friend of mine, Letty Rodriguez. I assume that she learned from her mom, who learned from her mom in Mexico. It's really good. The only thing that I will do different next time is to brown the meatballs first, before adding them to the soup. I think the carmelization of the meatballs would be a great addition to this recipe, but the seasonings are wonderful."

Lovely Graziana from Erbe in Cucina made a spicy, flavorful White Chicken Chili this week and says, "I wanted to prepare a chili white variant, with chicken and white beans. Of course I added also my white eggplants, tasty and delicate. I know, I should have used a white (or pale yellow) chili too, like the Banana Sweet, but I had harvested some unripe Jalapeno Mitla, and they added a touch of green (and of spiciness) to the chili."



Kait from Pots and Plots was busy this week with two dishes to share. The first is this Pork Burrito Soup about which she says, "Reruns! It’s not often that I come up with something that so perfectly turns into something else. But last night’s pork burrito filling was so tasty and there wasn’t quite enough for two servings of exact reruns. So what else to do? Throw in a bunch of veggies and make a new variation of the Mexican themed soups we so love."

And if that wasn't enough, she also tried her hand at a White Chicken Chili and says, "I've been on a kick of trying new foods. I’ll pick up a new food and figure out what to do with it. This week’s new food was Anaheim chilis, which I learned were a mild chili and usually what those canned, chopped green chilis on the Mexican aisle consist of. I’ve been craving chili, though not the big heavy tomato based variety we love in winter. So I threw together this 2 serving batch in the crock pot."

Heather of girlichef continues her quest for Tortilla Soup, this time changing the color. She says, "Green is good. Right? So why have I been shunning green for red? I swear it wasn't intentional. All my previous tortilla soups have been red...or orange, I suppose...if I'm being literal. But in a moment of sheer genius...a new front-runner was born! It was quick. It was green. It was caliente. It was the thing my dreams are made of."

Lynde from Vinegarlic made an exotic soup; Sayadiya: Damiettan Fish Soup with Blackened Onions and says, "Throughout Egypt, Damietta is known for its intricately carved furniture, its marvelous sweets, and its Sayadiya. Whenever I have made the mistake of calling this an Egyptian dish, I’ve been quickly corrected that it is not merely Egyptian, it is Damiettan! The secret is in the onions. They must be cooked for a very long time, until they are chocolate brown and mostly black but are not burned. “Just keep stirring and they won’t burn,” Mama Samya says whenever I feel the urge to turn off the heat a little too soon. Those last shades of color are critical, and give this soup a flavor like no other."

Foodycat is here this week with a Sweetcorn and Tomato Chowder and says, "I had been hoping that the maiden voyage of the corn zipper would be on some home-grown sweetcorn, but alas it was not to be. The plants sprouted quickly enough, and formed ears like good little plantlets, but then totally failed to form kernels. But all is not lost. Waving the flag for our gardening abilities, this soup does contain homegrown cherry tomatoes and chilli. And it takes less than 10 minutes to make, including going out and picking your tomatoes, which is nice. It is a real taste of late summer and absolutely delicious."

Sayantani from A Homemaker's Diary is back today with a Mushroom Soup with Chili Oil. She says, "...I was bowled over by the rich taste of this soup. It was creamy, it was flavourful and it was lip smackingly delicious. I loved it so much that I kept on preparing this again again and especially during winters when curling on a couch with hot bowl of soup seems almost like nirvana. Hubby equally loves this one and whenever he sees good button mushrooms in the market he brings home at least 2 packets and requests me to make this."

Tigerfish from Tezcape--An Escape to Taste has a salad to share this week, this Japchae (Korean Style Glass Noodles Salad) and says, "I like it when they serve Japchae (dangmyeon cellophane or glass noodles made from sweet potato starch) in Banchan (small dishes served along with main dishes or course) whenever I visit any Korean eateries or restaurants. I tried making it at home (my first attempt) recently and it turned out quite successful. I went the salad-route (instead of a stir-fry like some other recipes call for)."

Janet from The Taste Space has been loving her carbs for her training, and made these healthy Ginger-Poached Soba Noodles with Broccoli and Tofu. Janet says, "Welcoming pasta back into the mix, including this Japanese-inspired noodle dish I found at 101 Cookbooks. It was a simple dish with subtle flavours. I thought the ginger would overpower the dish, but it blended seemlessly with the noodles and broccoli. The mint and basil worked well together with the chili flakes in this Japanese dish. If I was truly carb-loading, I would omit the tofu (72% carbs) but I think tofu adds a certain filling factor, so I kept it in."

Kim from Liv Life has a delicious Quinoa Black Bean Salad that is packed full of nutrients and says, "Quinoa Salad with Black Beans is a versatile recipe that works well with whatever vegetables you may have on hand, making it an easy last minute choice and transitioning seasons. With my treasure chest full of market veggies, the salad tossed together quickly, and easily provided a tasty and healthy side! (FYI... left overs make a perfect next day lunch!)"

A new face to welcome this week is Megha from Live to Eat!!!, joining us from Mumbai, India and bringing along a Sweet Corn, Red Pepper, Gerkin & Green Olive Salad. Megha says, "As the name suggests, the ingredients are not tough to guess. It is simple and easy to make any time and anywhere.The entire combination of veggies is crunchy and refreshing. In India we have a wide range of spicy pickles and pickled gerkins are not in use in many households. The ones that I have used, are flavored with yellow mustard. You can use gerkins without any flavoring too..." Welcome Megha!

We are also welcoming Claire from Chez Cayenne, blogging from Houston Texas and making her first appearance here at Souper Sundays with her Simple Eggplant Sandwich. Claire says, "This eggplant sandwich is perfect when you're serving a soup or salad that is more than a side dish, but not quite a main on its own, so that you need something to round out the meal that's more than just bread. You don't have to keep this simple; you can add all kinds of things to it to take it up a level.The secrets to this are very good bread, fruity olive oil, and this steam-fry technique that results in tender, almost melty eggplant slices." So great to have you here Claire!


A great turn out this week--a little something for everyone! Thanks to all who joined in and a special thanks to our new faces. If you have a soup, salad or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo on the side bar for all of the details.

Have a wonderful week!

Rosemary Lemonade: A Simple Saturday Sipper for Remembrance

It is hard to believe that today marks nine years since 9/11. I had moved to Hawaii just five months before the attacks and when I woke up to the news and the terrible images on the television screen, I have never felt so far away from my loved ones as I did that morning. I remember visiting the Twin Towers once on a college trip to New York City, and the thought of those enormous solid structures crumbling down, and the many lives that were lost that day was overwhelming.

Nine years later it is still overwhelming and so today is a time for remembrance. To that end, today's Simple Saturday Sipper is a Rosemary Lemonade. Since ancient times, Rosemary has stood as a symbol of memory or remembrance, immortalizing those we have lost.

Rosemary Lemonade
by Deb, Kahakai Kitchen
(Makes About 6 Cups)

1 cup water
1/2 cup agave syrup or 1 cup sugar
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (about 8 lemons worth)
3 1/2 cups cold, filtered water
extra lemon slices and rosemary sprigs for garnish

Heat 1 cup of water, agave, rosemary sprigs and vanilla in a small pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Let boil for about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and let steep for 2 hours.

Add the honey, lemon juice and water (plus additional water to taste). Remove the rosemary sprigs and strain the lemonade into a pitcher. Chill thoroughly and serve garnished with fresh rosemary sprigs and lemon slices.


Notes/Results: Flavorful and delicious. The rosemary's "piney" and slightly pungent taste pairs well with bright, tangy lemon, a bit of vanilla and honey soften the taste, and along with the agave, make it lightly sweet. The rosemary is from my herb garden where it is growing strong and proud and this lemonade is another great way to use it. The rosemary syrup would also be delicious in a cocktail. I will make this drink again.

Aloha,

Pan-Fried Halloumi Cheese with Lime and Caper Vinaigrette

This is a quick appetizer or starter (or if you are me--a light dinner), from "Delia's Summer Collection" from Delia Smith. This Pan-Fried Halloumi Cheese with Lime and Caper Vinaigrette is the third recipe I have cooked and enjoyed from this book I that I bought for $1 at this year's library sale--quite a bargain I would say. It's still summer here in Hawaii ;-) and this dish would actually be appropriate all year round, although I will probably break out "Delia's Winter Collection," also purchased for $1, soon.

I love the salty chewiness of halloumi cheese and try to have some in my cheese drawer often. Pairing the halloumi with lime, cilantro and my beloved briny capers in a simple vinaigrette seemed like a great combination of flavor and texture.

Delia says,"This is a great recipe to have up your sleeve for the unexpected vegetarian. Greek halloumi arrives in sealed plastic wrapping and has a reasonably long shelf-life, which means that you can always have a pack tucked away in the refrigerator. If you can get some Greek olive oil for the dressing and eat this outside in the sunshine, the scent and flavours will transport you to the Aegean in moments."

Pan-Fried Halloumi Cheese with Lime and Caper Sauce

"Delia's Summer Collection" by Delia Smith

(Serves 2 as a light lunch or 4 as a starter)

1 halloumi cheese

2 Tbsp well-seasoned flour

2 Tbsp olive oil

For the Dressing:

juice and zest of 1 lime

1 Tbsp white wine vinegar

1 heaped Tbsp capers, drained

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 heaped tsp grain mustard

1 heaped Tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly milled black pepper

To Garnish:

a few sprigs of coriander

First of all unwrap the cheese and pat it dry with kitchen paper. Then, using a sharp knife, slice it into eight slices, including the ends. Now prepare the dressing by simply whisking all the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl.

When you're ready to serve the halloumi, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. When the oil is really hot, press each slice of cheese into seasoned flour to coat it on both sides, then add them to the hot pan as they are done--they take 1 minute on each side to cook, so by the time the last one's in it will almost be time to turn the first one over. They need to be a good golden color on each side.

Serve them straight away on warmed plates with the dressing poured over. This is good served with lightly toasted pitta bread or Greek bread with toasted sesame seeds.


Notes/Results: Delicious, flavorful and very quick and easy to put together, this is a keeper dish. One thing to consider is not getting it too salty--watch the amount of salt you put in the dressing as you have both the capers and salty cheese. Also, for the "well-seasoned" flour called for in the recipe, I seasoned it with black pepper, dried oregano, dried mint and a few red pepper flakes and left out the salt. This ended up being perfect--more would have been too salty. I ate this dish with a side salad and some pita bread. Get it to the table quickly before the halloumi gets cold and rubbery--I just took time to snap a couple of quick pictures before tucking into it.

Enjoy!

Mark Bittman's Pasta with Browned Butter, Sage and Parmesan

This week at I Heart Cooking Clubs our theme is "Damn That's Sexy!" -- finding our own interpretation of sexy food through the recipes of Mark Bittman. I find Bittman's Pasta with Butter, Sage and Parmesan to be a sexy dish. It's composed of a few, simple, quality ingredients--that's sexy. It's pasta--a sexy food, slightly messy and perfect for slurping and twirling, also sexy. Butter is very sexy, especially when browned so that the rich, nuttiness comes out. I find fresh sage to be a sexy herb--rich, woodsy, slightly minty, especially sexy when it's just gathered from the herb garden and crisped up in all that sexy butter. ;-) Fluffy clouds of Parmigiano-Reggiano, zested with a microplane...yeah that's pretty sexy too.

The fact that you can have this delicious dish on the table in basically just the time it takes to boil water and cook the pasta, now Damn, That's Sexy!

Pasta with Browned Butter, Sage and Parmesan

"How to Cook Everything" by Mark Bittman

"A classic when made with brown butter, almost as good with olive oil."

1 lb long pasta like spaghetti or linguine, or other pasta

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese or more to taste

salt

freshly ground black pepper

Cook the pasta until tender but not mushy; drain it, reserving some of the cooking water.

Heat 4 or more tablespoons butter with 20 or 30 fresh sage leaves over medium heat for about 3 minutes; the butter should brown and the sage sizzle. Toss cooked pasta with the butter, sage, and Parmesan, thinning the sauce with pasta cooking liquid if necessary. Add sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Notes/Results: Luscious and sexy! Brown butter and sage is a perfect flavor combination, and the cheese only makes it better. With simple dishes like this, you want to use the best quality ingredients possible. I used my favorite fresh tagliatelle pasta, creamy organic butter, freshly picked sage, and of course the Parmigiano-Reggiano. It all adds up to a big bowl of deliciousness. Serve with a simple salad, a glass or your favorite wine, and something chocolate for dessert for a sexy dinner. I will make this again.

You can see what food the other IHCC participants found sexy this week by going to the post (here) and following the links.

Also since this sexy pasta dish is made with the goodness of real foods, I am linking it to the Two for Tuesdays Blog Hop co-hosted by my friend girlichef and some other terrific bloggers.

And of course since it's yummy pasta, I am also sending it to Ruth's weekly Presto Pasta Nights, hosted this week by Nic from Lemon and Cheese.


Have a wonderful week!

Smooth Zucchini Soup: A Delicious Raw Green Soup for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

It's cold, it's green, ...it even has avocado in it, but this not my fourth avocado soup in a month, it is... Smooth Zucchini Soup! Even though I made a vow of no more cold green avocado soups, I couldn't resist this one even with the avocado in it, liking it's "sister" recipe, the Raw Zucchini Hummus that I made not too long ago.

There is a simple beauty in a raw vegetable soup. You just chop up a few things, toss them in the blender or food processor, blitz it, put it in the fridge to chill and it's done. When you are ready to serve, give it a stir and place it in your favorite cups or bowls.


For just a tiny bit more effort you can use the other avocado half and make some easy Tomato-Avocado-Herb Bruschetta to serve with it and you have a simple, flavorful, vegetarian meal, that is healthy to boot. The zucchini, from the farmers market, was lurking around my fridge, the basil is from my herb garden--as are the herbs in the bruschetta.

VegNews says, "Fast, fresh, and flavorful, this simple soup takes advantage of summer's abundant zucchini and fresh basil."

Smooth Zucchini Soup

by Gena Hemshaw for VegNews, July/August 2010

(Serves 1)

1 zucchini, chopped and ends removed

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 avocado, chopped

3 Tbsp fresh basil

1 cup water

1 Tbsp oil

In a blender, process zucchini, lemon juice, salt, avocado, basil, and water. With the blender going, slowly drizzle in oil, and blend until completely smooth. Serve cool.

For the Tomato-Avocado-Herb Bruschetta: I mixed the avocado and tomatoes with an assortment of chopped fresh herbs from my garden; cilantro, oregano, parsley, basil and green onion, and tossed it with a couple of squeezes of fresh lime juice, a drizzle of olive oil and some sea salt and freshly ground pepper. For the base I used a garlic baguette from the market, toasted with a little olive oil.


Notes/Results: Smooth, cool and delicious. I used about double the lemon juice and extra basil than the recipe called for so it had a lot of flavor. The texture was not quite as thick as the avocado soups I have been making, but it is still very satisfying which I like. The recipe says it serves one, but the soup is rich enough to serve as too small bowls with the bruschetta (delicious and perfect with the soup) or a sandwich. A very tasty, no-effort soup that I will make again.

Now let's see who is here in the Souper Sunday kitchen this Labor Day weekend:

Tigerfish from Tezcape--An Escape to Food has a sunny Clam and Corn Soup from her published cookbook, "The Everything Rice Cooker Cookbook." She says, "This word: seafoodiness. Weird word but best describes clams - taste of the sea. Salty. Clams typically turn out savory in a dish so by adding sweet corn kernels, the balance of flavors leveled up."

It is nice to have Chaya from Chaya's Comfy Cook Blog back with us this week and with a creamy Smoked Salmon and Baked Potato Soup. Chaya says, "Today, for lunch, suddenly, I had an urge for potato soup and for smoked salmon, not necessarily together. It is easy enough to throw a a quick and easy potato soup together, by pure instinct. Then, pure instinct spoke again and I ended up putting the salmon, in the soup. A great combination."

We are lucky to have Ahkeela from Torviewtoronto back with us this week and with a pressure cooker Beef Barley Soup that she says is "quick, delicious, healthy and filling." You can't ask for more than that! This soup is full of good for you ingredients and fast to make in the pressure cooker.

A new face to welcome is Bhagyashri from Taste Buds, blogging from London and making her first appearance at Souper Sundays with a Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup. She says, "Red peppers have a special place in my fridge, the rule is there should always be at least one red pepper in the fridge to be used whenever the need arrives. And it is needed every 2 days usually. The best use is of course in this soup which is so simple to make that it leaves you doubtful about the way it will turn out. But it is super delicious and a great change from the regular Tomato Soup while giving you the same satisfaction." Welcome Bhagyashri!

I am happy that Anca from Bistro Gerard is here again this week with a hearty Seafood and Corn Chowder. She says, "As with so many other wonderful dishes, chowder is open to a lot of interpretation and experimenting in many kitchens, with versions ranging from those relying on just a few ingredients, to those that are quite complex. Ours is a very rustic version, with a lovely chunky texture from the mixed vegetables and seafood, whose delicate flavour is accentuated by a dash of cream, while a generous sprinkling of fresh herbs adds a wonderfully vibrant and uplifting final note."

My lovely friend Pam from Sidewalk Shoes makes the most of her weekly rotisserie chicken with a Chicken Salad with Green Beans, Potatoes and Peppers and says, "I just now realized that this is my third Real Simple recipe this week. I can’t help it, when I find something that works for me, I say with it; I’m boring that way! I don’t know how I found this, either searching for green beans or shredded, cooked chicken, both of which I needed to use up. Again, I feel like a broken record, but this was wonderful, quick, flavorful and easy."

Kim from Liv Life has a colorful White Bean Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette to share this week and says, "Finding a recipe that is tasty, quick and healthy is always a treasure, something to be held on to and shared. White Bean Salad fits that bill. Garden fresh ingredients tossed with a can of Cannellini Beans and a lemony vinaigrette give you a side salad in a matter of minutes, perfect for that night when time is running short. The ingredients are easily interchanged based on what you have on hand making preparation a piece of cake."

Another newbie this week is Lana from Bibberche, joining us from Southern California and with her Extra Snazzy BLT Sandwich. Lana says, "We bought the onion rolls at Albertson’s. I whipped up a cup of mayonnaise in no time while the bacon sizzled in the pan. We crisped up the rolls in the oven for five minutes and presented the casual dinner on the “lazy susan” in the middle of the table. The AC was humming quietly in the background and nobody complained of being too hot or too cold. We love living in California and this dinner was a casual celebration of the state and the bounty it provides. Fresh tomatoes and avocados don’t need a lot of frills to satisfy." Welcome Lana!

I didn't want Lana's BLT to get lonely, so I thought I would add my Gruyère Apple Grilled Cheese with Bacon to the sandwich category this week. A Mark Bittman recipe and a tasty combination of nutty, earthy cheese, smokey bacon, crisp tart apples and toasted sourdough bread. This one is an indulgent keeper that I will have to force myself not too make too often. ;-)

Another round of delicious dishes this week--thanks to all who joined in and welcome to our new faces. If you have a soup, salad or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo on the side bar for all of the details on how to participate.

Happy Labor Day Weekend! Max says to relax and enjoy yourself. He suggests finding a grassy spot to lie in and wait for some unsuspecting geckos to wander along. (While still remaining poised and regal for photos of course!)

Honeydew-Mint Agua Fresca: A Gorgeous Green and Refreshing Simple Saturday Sipper

The OnoPops ice pops I have become addicted to lately and buy at the farmers market most every week come in a huge variety of exotic flavors that I am working my way through, but I find myself always going back to the Honeydew-Mint. Made with the melon and fresh mint, it is a refreshing blend of flavors and the inspiration for this week's Simple Saturday Sipper. I thought the combination would also make an excellent Honeydew-Mint Agua Fresca (fresh water), and the perfect drink to enjoy in the humidity.

Besides being refreshing, this is a healthy drink, with just a few ingredients--in fact, I managed to make it with all local ingredients. The honeydew and limes are locally grown and from the farmers market, and the mint is from my lanai container herb garden. I even used a pinch of local Hawaiian sea salt to bring out the flavors.

Honeydew-Mint Agua Fresca

by Deb, Kahakai Kitchen

(Makes about 8 cups)

1 honeydew melon, halved, seeded, peel removed and chopped (about 7 cups)

1 small handful of fresh mint
juice of 3 limes (about 1/3 cup)

3 cups water

1 pinch sea salt
ice

Put the melon and mint into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Pour puree through a mesh sieve over a large pitcher, pressing on the solids with the back of a spoon to get the juice out, and then discard the solids. Add the lime juice, water and a pinch of salt to the melon-mint mixture. Chill for an hour or two in the fridge and serve cold over plenty of ice. Enjoy!

I love the little flecks of mint in the drink---so pretty!

Notes/Results: Really delicious! The melon, mint and lime all blend nicely together with no one ingredient overpowering the others. You could sweeten it if you wanted to, but I found the melon to be just sweet enough that I didn't need any additional sweetener. I saved about half of the mixture and poured it into my ice pop molds for my own paletas or popsicles. You could also blend it with ice and a bit of vodka for a refreshing frozen cocktail. I will make this again.

Happy Saturday!

Gruyère Apple Grilled Cheese with Bacon: A Crunchy, Creamy and Indulgent Sandwich

It's "Crunchy vs. Creamy" this week at I Heart Cooking Clubs. I am a fan of both textures depending on my mood and when you just can't make up your mind, something like Mark Bittman's Gruyère Apple Grilled Cheese is perfect. It is a little weighted toward the crunchy side with the toasted sourdough bread, the apples and the crispy bacon (which I added based on Bittman's recommendation), but the melted cheese gives it that creamy factor too. It is indulgent comfort food and a quick and easy lunch or dinner.

Bittman says "Add a couple bacon slices for smokiness (and of course, meatiness!)."


Gruyère Apple Grilled Cheese with Bacon

"Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express"

Butter slices of good-quality sourdough bread. Layer Gruyère cheese and thinly sliced tart apples and top with another slice of the buttered bread. Cook the sandwiches in a few tablespoons of melted butter--you can use a press or an ordinary skillet with a bit of weight on top of the sandwich--turning once, until the cheese has melted and the bread is golden brown on both sides, about eight minutes total.

Notes/Results: Pretty darn perfect--an excellent combination of crisp, tart green apple, slightly earthy, nutty caved-aged Gruyère, sweet creamy butter, tangy, chewy sourdough bread and the smoky bacon. (I usually bake my nitrate-free bacon in the oven at 400 degrees F. for about 12-15 minutes and end with a couple minutes under the broiler to make it nice and crisp.) Not having a fancy schmancy panini pan, I used my grill pan and a heavy pot lid to weight it down and give it its lovely grill marks. ;-) This is not a low-fat sandwich but with good quality, pure ingredients it is so delicious that it is worthy of indulging in occasionally. I will make this sandwich again.

You can see how the other IHCC participants indulged in their crunchy and creamy sides by going to the IHCC site (here) and following the links. You can also check out the poll to vote in our new chef to start in October--I am going to hate to say good-bye to Mark Bittman. ;-( Of course I cooked his recipes before IHCC and I know I will continue to cook them long after and we have 4 great female chefs to choose from for our next round so it's all good.

Aloha,