Someone’s been eating my porridge!

Posted on April 3, 2011 by Andrea

You don’t hear much about Mother Goose anymore.  She’s been replaced by the Goodnight Moons and the Chicka Chicka Boom Booms.  When I was a child, I couldn’t get enough of the Mother Goose rhymes and old fairy tales my grandmother would recite to me as I sat on the floor in front of her while she brushed my hair.  Among my favorites were Wee Willie Winkie, Simple Simon, and Jack and the Beanstalk.  I can still hear her voice reading from the old book she pulled off her shelf whenever I would spend the weekend with her and my grandpa.  I found myself passing these down to my daughters, mostly at bedtime, alternating the rhymes between bedtime songs like Bye Baby Bunting, Pony Girl, and You are my Sunshine.  My girls were always amazed at how many of these I had memorized and could recite at whim.  My love for children’s folklore and literature endures and I find myself longing for my grandmother’s book as I write this.  I don’t know if she still has it, but I’ll definitely have to ask her about it the next time I call.

As I write this, it’s a cold, windy, rainy day here in Colorado and nothing sounds better than a warm bowl of sweet porridge.  My version of this is traditional Greek Rice Pudding.  Rice puddings are found in nearly every area of the world and can vary greatly within a single country, but the common threads are the rice, milk and sweetener.  Fairy tales and folklore have their common themes as well:  the weak defeating the strong, looking past physical appearances to discover inner beauty, and my personal favorite, the rags to riches story.

Rice pudding is one of my favorite desserts and rarely do I find it on a dessert menu in a restaurant.  My grandmother and mother used to make rice pudding when I was young and always put raisins in it.  I like it this way but traditionally the Greek versions I’ve seen don’t include them.  Rice pudding can be served warm, at room temperature, or cold.  I prefer mine at room temperature as with most Greek desserts.  Like a warm, sweet porridge, rice pudding is satisfying and rich and the freshly ground cinnamon on top adds a beautiful contrast in color.

This was my first attempt at making this delicious dessert.  I have long been intimidated by the patience required for the right consistency, constant stirring and the fear that the rice wouldn’t be tender.  Much to my surprise, it turned out perfectly the first time and wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be.  Like most things, all you need to try something new is a little courage, something Little Miss Muffet didn’t have.

Rice Pudding (Rizogalo)

Greek Rice Pudding (Rizogalo)
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. butter
1 quart milk
pinch of salt
1/3 cup rice (short grain)
3 inch strip of lemon rind
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten well
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Freshly ground cinnamon for serving
Instructions:
In a large saucepan over medium high heat, melt the butter. Add the milk and pinch of salt and bring to a boil.  Add the rice and lemon rind and boil for approximately 25 minutes stirring frequently to prevent rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. You want the rice to be tender but not mushy.  When the rice is cooked, remove the lemon rind and stir in the sugar.  Add about a cup of the warm milk mixture to the beaten eggs to temper them and prevent them from curdling.  Reduce the heat to low and add the egg – milk mixture into the pot, stirring constantly and continue to cook until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the vanilla extract and cool.  To serve, dust with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon. You can enjoy this recipe at room temperature or chilled.

Posted in Dessert, Greek, Sweets, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Sunday, Sunday.

Posted on April 2, 2011 by Andrea

Sunday, the day that falls between Saturday and Monday.  I have a Jekyll-Hyde relationship with this day of the week.  Many spend Sunday mornings in church but for me Sunday mornings are for sleeping in, snuggling up on the couch with a big cup of coffee, and wearing my jammies ’til noon.  Big breakfasts with bacon and syrup are two more of the many things that make me look forward to Sunday mornings.  But around 4:00pm, Mr. Hyde appears, dreading the start of another long, busy week.

Big Sunday dinners were never part of my family growing up, unless it just happened to be a holiday.  Instead, I jumped in the back of my mom’s red van for a Sunday Drive with her and my stepdad, Walt.  My mom called it a “Sunday Ride”, even though she’d be the one driving.  We’d spend hours riding, sometimes all afternoon, not getting back until almost dark.  There was never a plan.  We would just hop in and go, listening to George Strait and Hank Williams, Jr. as we took in the corn fields and roadside farm stands of Southeastern Michigan and Northern Ohio.  Every so often, we’d stop at an antique shop for Walt to rummage through.  He had an eye for the good stuff.  This was probably the only time in my life that I ever did anything that would be considered spontaneous, although I don’t think I had a choice in the matter. 

Many of my friends would have big Sunday dinners with extended family and I don’t remember ever missing out on such an event since I was off having an adventure.  Although if I had to pinpoint one thing I was missing without a big Sunday dinner, it would have to be the mashed potatoes and gravy.  When I envision a Sunday dinner with family, there’s always a huge pile of mashed potatoes smothered with gravy on my plate.  This has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid and as far as I’m concerned, a necessity for a weekend comfort meal with family.  In my dictionary, gravy is a word that is synonymous with comfort.

This recipe is definitely one of my comfort meals and I make it often.  It’s a Rachael Ray, semi-30 minute meal that I came across several years ago.  It took a few times for me to get it down to 30 minutes but I can whip it up from memory now.  Turkey and Wild Mushroom Meat Loaf Patties with Pan Gravy is a long name for a recipe but all three components are necessary in describing this meal.  The ground turkey makes it a little more healthy, the wild mushrooms add the depth of flavor to the dish, and the gravy, well….the gravy just makes it all better.  I’ve paired this recipe with a skillet asparagus with lemon because it’s the beginning of asparagus season and also one of my favorite vegetables.  Complementing the wild mushrooms, it’s both simple and delicious.

It’s been a long time since I’ve jumped in the car for a “Sunday Ride” and given the current gas prices, I’m not sure if it’ll happen anytime soon.  Until then, I’ll make “Sunday Dinner.”

Turkey and Wild Mushroom Meat Loaf Patties with Pan Gravy

Turkey and Wild Mushroom Meat Loaf Patties with Pan Gravy
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (2 turns of the pan for the mushrooms, 1 turn for the patties)
8 cremini mushrooms, (baby portobellos), chopped
8 shiitake mushrooms, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 1/3 pounds ground turkey, the average weight of 1 package
3 or 4 sprigs fresh sage, leaves chopped, about 2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
Instructions:
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add oil, 2 turns of the pan. Add chopped mushrooms and shallots and season with salt and pepper. Saute mushrooms 5 or 6 minutes until dark and tender. Remove from heat. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl and return pan to stove top to preheat to cook patties.
Add turkey to the mushroom mixture. Make a well in the center of the meat. Add sage, Worcestershire sauce, bread crumbs and beaten egg and season with salt and pepper. Mix turkey meat loaf together.  Divide meat loaf mixture into 4 equal parts by scoring the meat before you form patties. Form 4 equal oval patties 1 inch thick. Add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan, and arrange patties in the skillet. Cook 6 minutes on each side and transfer to a serving plate or individual dinner plates. Return pan to heat and add butter. When butter melts, whisk in flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in stock and season gravy with poultry seasoning, salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer gravy until it reaches desired thickness, and pour over patties, reserving a little to pass at the table.

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray’s 3o-Minute Meals.

Quick Skillet Asparagus
Ingredients:
4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb medium asparagus spears, trimmed
1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
Instructions:
Heat a large cast-iron skillet or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add asparagus to pan;  cook 5 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender and browned, stirring frequently.  Transfer to a serving platter.  Add rind, juice, and salt, tossing to coat.

Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine, April 2010

Posted in Dinner, Savory | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Striving toward simplicity with a One Pot Meal.

Posted on March 20, 2011 by Andrea

I’m often asked to share quick and easy recipes, because who has the time to spend in the kitchen anymore?  Everyone moves at such a fast pace nowadays but there’s still the pressure and expectation to provide your family with a home cooked meal at the end of a long day.  It was hard enough for me to have dinner on the table by 6pm when I was a homemaker with only one child under the age of 5.  Add a full time job, community volunteer commitments, homework help, and American Idol to the schedule and it becomes nearly impossible.  Most weeknights I find myself up until 11:30pm just to be able to grab some “me” and “us” time without obligation.  Then I wake up the next morning exhausted only to be facing another long day with more of the same.  I’m sure this sounds familiar to you.

Six months ago, I created a personal mission statement as part of a self-discovery group that I was facilitating for college students.  I had asked each of the participants to create one for themselves so I thought that it was only fair to create one myself.  Part of mine reads, “to strive toward simplicity”.  Simplicity:  the state, quality, or an instance of being simple, freedom from complexity.  Simple should be easy, right?  Raise your hand if you are someone who overcommits yourself!  Why do we do this?  We trim the fat and then just pile it back on.  Our “to do” lists just keep getting longer and longer.

What would you do if you didn’t have so many commitments?  I’ve reflected on this recently just as I ask my clients to do so often.  This is what I’ve come up with…I would brew a big pot of my favorite coffee, take my laptop to a big comfy chair near a window and write.  When I got tired of writing, I’d bake.  There are a few more things on this list but these two are at the top.  Since I’ve written my personal mission statement, I have actually added to my plate instead of moving things off to simplify.  This is one shift that’s been difficult for me to make.  For some reason I’m programmed to say, “Yes, I can” instead of “No, I can’t” as if I have something to prove.  It feels so much better to think I can do it all and I tend to keep going until things begin to fall off unintentionally and I realize that I’m doing nothing well.  If I keep trying, I’ll get there one day.

Dilled Chicken Fricassée

Dilled Chicken Fricassée

While you still have too much on your plate, this recipe can help you out.  It’s a delicious one pot meal made with chicken, new potatoes, dill, and asparagus bringing so much flavor and depth to a week night family dinner.  Ready in under an hour (there really are no 30 minute meals, Rachael Ray), Dilled Chicken Fricassée comes from one of my favorite cookbooks, The Woman’s Day Cookbook, and page 55 has proof that this is one of my most frequented recipes.  Fricassée is a catch-all term used to describe a stewed dish typically made with poultry, but other types of white meat can be substituted. It is cut into pieces and then stewed in gravy, which is then thickened with butter and cream or milk. It often includes vegetables as well. Greek fricassée is often made with pork and usually contains either wild green herbs and the gravy is thickened with beaten eggs just before serving.  The recipe calls for bone-in chicken breasts but I use boneless breasts which cuts the cooking time a little.  The combination of fresh dill, lemon and asparagus is really what makes this dish so tasty.  My daughter, Julia, and I both love asparagus so I usually add two bunches instead of just one.  We pay for it later but I hear this is common and normal based on research. 

Dilled Chicken Fricassée 2

Dilled Chicken Fricassée

Give this one a try if you’re looking for a new chicken idea or just want to fool your family into thinking you left work early just to give them a home cooked meal.  You’ll only have one pan to wash which means more time for the things you love…like American Idol. Go Paul McDonald!

Dilled Chicken Fricassée
Ingredients:
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
4 bone-in chicken breasts halves (about 2 lbs), skin removed **
2 c. chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
8 small new potatoes (scrubbed)
12 ounces fresh asparagus, ends trimmed
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
Instructions:
1.) In a medium-sized bowl, mix the flour, salt, and paprika.  Coat the chicken with the flour, shaking off the escess.  Reserve the flour mixture.
2.) In a large, deep nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken, meaty side down, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes on each side, or until well browned.  Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon.
3.) Pour the broth into the flour mixture remaining in the bowl and whisk until smooth.
4.) Drain the fat from the skillet and wipe it clean with paper towels.  Add the chicken broth mixture and 2 tablespoons of the dill.  Stir to mix.  Add the chicken, meaty side up, and the potatoes.  Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to low.  Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. 
5.) Lay the asparagus over the top.  Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes more, or until the chicken and vegetables are tender.
6.) Remove the pan from the heat.  Stir in the lemon juice and the remaining 2 tablespoons of dill.
Per serving:  327 cal, 39g pro, 26g car, 7g fat, 86mg chol, 1,156mg sod

Posted in Chicken, Dinner, Savory | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Kiss me I’m GREEK!

Posted on March 13, 2011 by Andrea

If you’ve ever been a little girl, you’ve written your name a hundred different ways, taking on various last names belonging to cute boys as your own.  For instance, in third grade I was Mrs. Andrea Kieft taking on the last name of Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome, Randy Kieft.  In the fifth grade I was Mrs. Andrea Hall, taking the name of my older brother’s best friend and one of my first childhood crushes.  There are countless others who shall remain nameless to save myself from complete embarrassment but I’m sure there are piles of crumpled pieces of notebook paper in a landfil somewhere containing evidence of these fairytale marriages of mine.

In May of 1997, I legally became Mrs. Andrea Kelly, marrying Brian Kelly, boasting a genetic makeup of 7/8 Irish.  Not wanting to lose the only Greek descriptor in my name, I dropped my middle name and moved my maiden name to the middle, becoming Andrea Karapas Kelly.  It soon became apparent to me how rarely people use their middle names and how important mine had become.

For 8 years of my life, I was Greek disguised as Irish.  Prior to becoming a Kelly, I had never thought too much about St. Patrick’s Day other than making sure that I wore green so I wouldn’t be pinched.  As a Kelly, meaning the bright-headed ones and the second most common Irish surname, you can’t get away with just wearing something green.  You must wear Kiss Me I’m Irish buttons and hats with shamrocks on them, drink green beer, and attend the St. Patrick’s Day parade EVERY YEAR!  It turns out that the Irish are just as proud of their heritage as the Greeks.

For 8 years, nobody asked me if I was Greek when I introduced myself and this is the one simple thing that I missed most during that time.  It’s amazing how much of your identity is wrapped up in your name.  The Irish thing didn’t really work out for me and it didn’t take long for me to file the paperwork after my divorce to request my maiden name back, however you couldn’t pay me a million dollars to trade those years because they resulted in the cutest, smartest little Irish/Greek girl named Sydney Paige Kelly.

Traditional Greek Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

This spotlight dish represents the part of my life when I was Andrea Kelly but still every bit a Karapas at heart.  Stuffed cabbage rolls, or Lahanodolmathes, are a traditional Greek favorite enjoyed during the winter months.  There are several variations to this recipe but this one is close to the one I grew up with.  My mom made this dish a lot when I was young and claims that it was a favoite of my father’s.  A meat filling consisting of both ground lamb and beef, rice, garlic, and parsley is wrapped in cabbage leaves, an Irish staple, and then covered with tomato sauce and baked in the oven.  This recipe can be served both as a main course or a side dish.  It’s hearty and feels like home, a real comfort food.

Traditional Greek Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Juliet says, “What’s in a name? that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”  I’m not sure if this is entirely true but it sounds good in theory.  I’m going on marriage number two and can say with certainty that I won’t be taking his name.  This Juliet will remain a Karapas forever, though I’m working to convince my Romeo that he should become a Karapas too once we take the plunge next year.  He’s not having it!

Traditional Greek Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Andrea’s Traditional Greek Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
(Lahanodolmathes)

 Ingredients:
½ lb ground lamb
½ lb ground beef
¾ cup medium grain rice, rinsed and uncooked
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ c. flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 Tbs. tomato paste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large head cabbage
1 – 28oz can crushed tomatoes
½ stick butter, sliced into pats
1 ¼ c. water 

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, combine raw meats, uncooked rice, garlic, parsley, tomato paste and salt and pepper.  Mix well.  Set aside.

Drop whole head of cabbage into pot of salted boiling water.  As leaves begin to separate from the head, remove with tongs and run under cold water to stop the cooking process.  Lay on plate covered with paper towels to drain and cool.  Repeat until you have approximately 15 leaves.  Remove remaining head of cabbage from boiling water and place in colander.  Let cold water run over to cool.  Chop remaining cabbage and set aside. 

Fill each individual cabbage leaf with approximately 2 Tbs. of meat filling.  The larger leaves will need about 3 Tbs. of filling.  Begin at bottom core of leaf, turn both sides in and roll up.  Place in baking dish with the seam side down.  Pour crushed tomatoes over cabbage rolls and top with remaining chopped cabbage.    Pour approximately  1 ¼ c. water around edges of baking dish to create moisture and steam for rice to cook through.  Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour at 375°.

Posted in Dinner, Entertaining, Greek, Savory | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

’cause I’ve got to have faith

Posted on March 2, 2011 by Andrea

Lady Luck has been on my side lately with a winning streak of radio prizes including numerous movie tickets complete with swag, entries to local events, and the most glorious prize of all…2 tickets to see John Mayer, complete with VIP backstage passes.  I spent 2 hours on the internet googling “what to say to John Mayer” just in case I would be lucky enough to have a conversation with him.  All I ended up with was a hand shake, a sexy smile and his arm around me for a picture.  I guess you could say that I should feel lucky I got even that much from such a big deal of a guy but I went home and told everyone that he kissed me.

I grew up thinking that I was “that” girl.  The one singled out in the crowd with a single glance.  The one pulled up on stage the way Bruce Springstein did with Courtney Cox in the Dancing in the Dark video.  This is the kind of delerium that leads a young, crazed girl to purchase the perfect white, strapless dress just in case she runs into a gorgeous pop star.  That’s the dress that I wanted to be wearing when I ran into George Michael on the beach in Greece when I was 14 during the summer of 1987.  Born Georgios Panayiotou, George Michael and I have at least one thing in common; both our fathers were of Greek decent.  To me, this meant that there was a slight chance I would run into him on the beach, in the moonlight.  That white dress would stop him dead in his beautiful tracks the moment he laid eyes on me.  This is what I dreamed of so many nights as I stared at his poster on my bedroom wall. 

I wore that white dress on the beach in Greece but I never did run into George Michael.  Instead, I met a boy named, Μίκης, which is short for Michael in Greek, but that was the closest I came to getting lucky with George.  Lady Luck gave me a second chance for meeting George on August 29th and 30th of 1988.  The Faith World Tour was coming to The Palace of Auburn Hills in Detriot for two consecutive nights and one of the local radio stations was giving away tickets to a few very lucky callers.  I spent 2 whole days on the phone, hitting redial over and over, as I sent every ounce of positive energy through the phone.  There couldn’t possibly be anyone else in the world that loved George as much as I did.

Those two days came and went, but not without the million tears I shed at the fact that there was another girl (or boy) in the front row during those two shows that caught his eye.  I’ve never wished for luck to come my way more than I did in those two days and it was one of the few times in my life that I ever felt desperate.  I would have done just about anything to get my hands on those tickets.  Luck is crazy like that.  At first it can feel like positive energy or hopefulness but can quickly turn into dark desperation.

Over the years, George has been through his own ups and downs.  I’ve silently supported him through it all, always cheering him on when he emerges with a new album or goes back on tour.  There will never be another crush quite like that one for me.

Pork Souvlaki: Photograph by Andrea Karapas

These recipes are a tribute to my love for George Michael.  They are three of my Greek culinary favorites.  Souvlaki is lamb, pork or chicken on a skewer grilled with greek flavors like olive oil, lemon and oregano.  I usually make souvlaki with pork and have made every effort to make it exactly like my brother-in-law, Panagiotis.  Mine has never quite turned out as good as his but it is still a favorite among my family when I make it. 

Greek Village Salad: Photograph by Andrea Karapas

The salad is a traditional Greek Village Salad and is prepared with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, Kalamata olives, and feta cheese.  This salad traditionally does not have lettuce in it and it’s truly how a Greek salad should always be made.  A Greek dinner is never complete without Tzatziki.  Tzatziki is a Greek yogurt sauce served with Souvlaki or Gyros (you don’t pronounce the “G”, people) made with Greek yogurt, of course, along with cucumber, garlic, dill and lemon.  Some use mint but I absolutely hate mint so it never makes it into mine. 

In two days I leave for Las Vegas!  This is my first visit to Sin City and I’m taking Lady Luck with me, or Tyche as she’s referred to in Ancient Greek mythology.  Tyche, Greek Godess of Fortune and Luck, will be by my side as I try my hand at the live Texas Hold ‘Em tables and slots.  I wouldn’t be surprised if I came home with a million dollars or if I heard a “hey, beautiful” while I was fully engaged in a winning hand of pocket rockets only to turn around and see George himself smiling at me…even without that stupid white dress on.

A Tribute to Greek Cuisine: Photograph by Andrea Karapas

 

Pork Souvlaki
Ingredients
1-3 lbs pork shoulder, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
3-5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Instructions
In a large zipper bag, combine pork, oil, lemon juice, garlic and oregano.  Season with salt and pepper.  Toss in bag to combine.  Refrigerate at least 1 hr or up to 8 hrs.
Heat grill to med-high.  Thread pork cubes onto 8 metal skewers.  Grill until brown on all sides and cooked through, about 12 minutes.  Serve Souvlaki with Tzatziki sauce.

Tzatziki Sauce
Ingredients
10-12 oz Plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cucumber, peeled and grated with the water squeezed out
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dried dill (1 tsp. fresh)
1 Tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
Combine all ingredients together and serve with Souvlaki or warm pita bread. 

Traditional Greek Village Salad (Xoriatiki)
Ingredients
4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and cut into large chunks
2 English cucumbers, halved and sliced thickly
1/2 med red onion
8 oz Feta cheese, cubed or crumbled
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, whole
2 Tbs white wine vinegar or fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Fresh oregano, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Combine all ingredients together and serve at room temperature.

Posted in Dinner, Greek, Salads, Savory | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Guilty Pleasures

Posted on February 24, 2011 by Andrea

Guilty Pleasures
A Guest Blog Review for Feasting Fort Collins – Washington’s Sports Bar and Grill

We all indulge in guilty pleasures from time to time.  Mine happen to be of the trashy variety and occur more on a semi-regular basis.  I wouldn’t exactly consider myself “trashy” but will admit to engaging in some so-called trashy behaviors that may include, but are not limited to glitter, fortune telling, and perezhilton.com.  Among my Top 10 List of Guilty Pleasures is Reality TV.  I’m a regular viewer of Big Brother, America’s Next Top Model, and on occasion get easily sucked into episodes of Bad Girls Club, Jersey Shore, and any version of The Kardashians.  Most of you probably sing in your car and wouldn’t consider this a guilty pleasure.  But if you were to witness the songs that I land on when flipping through the stations, you’d most definitely label me a trashy music whore.  Yep, I’m a Ke$ha fan!  At the very top of my Guilty Pleasure List is cheeseburgers, French fries and milkshakes.  That’s right, I do indeed consider these three things as one item on my list.  One is not complete without the other two and given the choice between a cheeseburger meal deal and a 5 star restaurant, I will almost always choose the combo experience.  It’s just more satisfying to my soul.

Washington’s Sports Bar & Grill, more casually referred to as The Wash Bar, is located in Old Town Fort Collins on LaPort Avenue.  The Wash Bar has been in business since 1978 and has been a long-standing hot spot for college students.  As I stood on the front porch waiting for my lunch partner,  listening to Creep by Radiohead, I felt like a weirdo going to The Wash Bar on my lunch hour in dress clothes.  I would have felt a little more like I belonged there had I been in tight jeans, heels, glitter, and a low-cut shirt, my traditionally “trashy” bar outfit.  Spin the clock ahead about 12 hrs and I would have fit right in.

The ordering experience felt natural to me as I’m quite accustomed to ordering through a window.  Since there was nobody behind us waiting to order lunch at 11:30am on a Tuesday, we didn’t feel pressured.  I went to the appetizers first with an abiding belief that a restaurant is only as good as their appetizer menu.  My eyes quickly fell on one of my favorites, battered and fried mushrooms and zucchini appropriately titled Zuchs and Shrooms for $7.25.  They thoroughly bumped it up to “trashy” status by adding a side of Ranch dressing.  Scooting over to the next sign, I scanned the World Famous Burgers for anything with bacon.  A cheeseburger without bacon is like Laverne without Shirley.  It just doesn’t work.  I added the Howlin’ Coyote Bacon Burger complete with BBQ sauce and a side of French fries for $8.25 to my order.  With my heart set on a milkshake, I was  slightly disappointed having to settle for a Root Beer Float.  I was tempted to ask for a discount on the $3.50 when I was given my glass of vanilla ice cream and told to walk it over to the bartender for the root beer.

The Wash Bar – Fort Collins, CO

As we waited for the kitchen to make our order, my lunch partner and I took in the atmosphere of odds and ends that might be more suitably found in a backyard shed or garage.  To our surprise we weren’t the only patrons grabbing lunch at The Wash Bar on a  Tuesday afternoon, but the crowd was slim and we were glad to be able to hear our conversation and the selection of decent music as we enjoyed our dessert first. 

 

Root Beer Float

The Root Beer Float was fantastic!  Made with creamy vanilla ice cream and MUG root beer, this chilling refreshment was the highlight of my experience.  I concede to being a Root Beer Float snob and Cold Stone Creamery can attest to it based on the impromptu training I provided them as a customer several years ago to the embarrassment of my family.  The ice cream must be very hard and the root beer very cold in order for the “freeze” to happen in the glass.  This is what makes or breaks a float by my standards and I’m happy to report that this one passed the test.

 

 

Zuchs and Shrooms

I loved the Shrooms but wasn’t impressed with the Zuchs.  The batter coating the zucchini slices was slightly soggy so I didn’t eat more than a couple of them.  The mushrooms were really tasty and definitely a winner.  Next time I’ll ask to modify the order and double up on the Shrooms, hold the Zuchs.

 

 

Howlin' Coyote BBQ Burger with French Fries

Unfortunately, The Howlin’ Coyote BBQ Burger was a little undercooked for my taste.  I requested medium-well and got very pink all the way through which resulted in me only eating half of it.  Topped with lettuce, pickle, onion, American cheese, bacon and BBQ sauce, I must say that this burger would have tasted amazing had it been cooked as ordered.  The least favorite part of my meal were the French fries which became more disappointing with each bite.  The fries were of the curly variety, which have never been a favorite cut of mine.  They were very bland and strangely tasted dried out. 

Although we didn’t officially have a server, the bartender was very attentive; checking on us three different times to make sure everything was alright.  I sure hope she received at least a portion of the $4.00 tip I left on my receipt at the kitchen window.  There was one piece of this experience that didn’t quite fit with the rest…the bill.  I spent $24 on lunch at a bar and it didn’t even come with glitter, a tarot card reading, or an opportunity to dirty dance to a Ke$ha song.

Rating:  

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Free Makeover: feather boa not included.

Posted on February 20, 2011 by Andrea

Long before Trading Spaces, What Not To Wear, and Extreme Makeover, existed a place where the average girl could walk in and pay $29.95 to get a professional makeover, complete with a gold sequined jacket and a photographer that makes her feel like a model, telling her that the light hits her hair so perfectly as if it’s on fire.  She’d walk out with an 8×10 for her boyfriend, 2 5x7s, one for her mom and grandma, and a sheet of oversized wallets to hand out to her closest girlfriends.  Yes, I’m talking about Glamour Shots!

The Glamour Shot experience was a memorable one for me and hopefully the two handfuls of boys I framed that photograph for.  I was so proud of that photo, probably because it was the closest I ever came to becoming a model.  It was a secret dream I set my heart on the moment my grandmother told me that because I was tall and had long legs I could be a model (see Not your ordinary girl or grilled cheese sandwich).  I love my grandmother more than I could ever express in any blog post and the encouragement and love she passed on to me when I was a young girl was immense.  But to those grandmothers out there reading this post, please do not tell your granddaughters that they could be models.  It’s a pipe dream.

I think makeovers are overrated.  They’re a short-lived, alternate reality allowing us to pretend, for a short period of time, to have what we desire.  It’s temporary, like trying to perfect our weaknesses.  It’s our strengths we should focus on, giving attention to those aspects that are already a gift.  As I grow older, I come to know more and more that I’m more beautiful when I’m expressing my most genuine self, from the inside and out.  I’m not a gold sequined jacket.  I’m a pair of jeans and a hoodie.  I’m not a dinner salad and  lemon water.  I’m a cheeseburger and a milkshake.  We all pretend to be someone we’re not sometimes.  The world has expectations much too harsh not to, but I can honestly say that the people I love and respect most in this world are the ones who are genuine.  And so I try to live my life this way, true to myself and true to others.

As I was writing this post, my daughter asked me, “So what does this have to do with banana bread?”  Well, there’s always a connection, even if it’s slight.  In every issue of Cooking Light magazine they feature a Recipe Makeover section that takes a favorite reader recipe, cuts the calories and trims the fat to reveal a more healthful version.  Although I’m a huge fan of this magazine and have been a subscriber for many years, I’ve always desired the original recipe, which they never print, believing wholeheartedly that it would taste much better.  This Banana Bread recipe is a makeover from my usual Bisquick version.  I’ve been making Bisquick Banana Bread for as long as I can remember and always get enthusiastic recognition.  Despite the light butter, light sour cream, and egg whites that this recipe calls for in place of the full fat and whole eggs, this version is extremely moist, very flavorful and delicious.  This was the second time I’ve baked this light version and I have to honestly confess that I didn’t do it for the reduced calories and fat because I threw in a cup and a half of chopped pecans for good measure.

So I’ll leave it up to you, choose the orginal or the makeover.  I’ve included both recipes.  Whichever you choose, be true to yourself and remember that those who truly love you always see past the gold sequined jacket and glossy finish.

Mom's Banana Bread: Photograph by Julia K Photopraphy

Mom’s Banana Bread
(Light Version)
Ingredients
1  cup  sugar
1/4  cup  light butter, softened
1 2/3  cups  mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/4  cup  skim milk
1/4  cup  low-fat sour cream
2  large egg whites
2  cups  all-purpose flour
1  teaspoon  baking soda
1/2  teaspoon  salt
Cooking spray
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.  Combine sugar and butter in a bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Add banana, milk, sour cream, and egg whites; beat well, and set aside.  Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; stir well. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture, beating until blended.  Spoon batter into 4 (5 x 2 1/2-inch) miniature loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Let cool completely on wire racks.  Note: To make one 9-inch loaf, spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; bake at 350º for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Yield: 1 loaf, 20 servings (serving size: 1 slice).
Nutritional Information
Calories:  147 (14% from fat), Fat:  2.2g (sat 1.4g,mono 0.2g,poly 0.1g), Protein:  2.5g, Carbohydrate:  30.2g, Fiber:  1.1g, Cholesterol:  7mg, Iron:  0.8mg, Sodium:  180mg, Calcium:  13mg
Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 1996

Bisquick Banana Bread
(Regular Version)
Ingredients
1 1/3 cup mashed bananas
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 2/3 cups Bisquick Baking Mix
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease loaf pan.  Mix bananas, sugar, milk, oil, eggs and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer.  Stir in baking mix and nuts.  Bake 45-55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean from the center.

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Good Intentions.

Posted on February 13, 2011 by Andrea

Grandma's Sugar Cookies: Photograph by Andrea Karapas

Every mother remembers her child’s 1st birthday.  There’s usually a lot of anticipation and planning around such a special moment regardless of the fact that it will become a lost memory for the child shortly after that first bite of cake.  This past week was the 10th anniversary of my daughter, Sydney’s 1st birthday.  It’s a day that I will always remember because I made her cry.

When Sydney was born, I had the opportunity to be the perfect mother.  I didn’t have to work because my husband at the time had a well-paying job that allowed me to focus on the duties of homemaking.  I wasn’t afforded this opportunity with my older daughter so took advantage of this kind of lifestyle.  I had time to read books about all the “right” ways to raise a child.  What to Expect the First Year was my Bible and every ounce of baby food that went into Sydney’s mouth was made from scratch with a steamer and food processor in my kitchen.  We went to playgroup every Tuesday morning at 11am and every day was structured with walks, play time and naps.

I planned the perfect 1st birthday party for Syd.  We invited all the families from our playgroup and I prepared a table full of delicious food perfect for entertaining.  With Syd’s birthday being so close to Valentine’s Day on February 9th, I baked a batch of frosted sugar cookies and decorated them as Sweethearts Conversation Hearts.  These cookies were dessert for all my guests since I had baked Sydney her very own cake, just for her. 

As a devoted mother who did not want her child exposed to the evil pleasures of sugar at such an early age, I baked her a Sugar-Free Carrot Cake with Sugar-Free Cream Cheese Frosting.  The recipe came right out of the Bible I was so closely following which made me certain that I was doing the right thing for my daughter.  So sure that she was going to love it because I put my heart into it and made it from scratch, I couldn’t have been more proud of myself.

It came time for the highlight of the party, the part where the child gets buckled into his or her highchair and gets to make a huge mess of themselves and the kitchen floor while devouring their first piece of cake.  Everyone had gathered in the front living room where I had moved Syd’s highchair since my kitchen could not hold the amount of people I had invited to witness the event.  With cameras poised, I walked out of my kitchen carrying the most perfect cake lit with one candle, singing the Happy Birthday Song as everyone joined in with me.  Sydney’s eyes widened as I placed it on her highchair tray and helped her blow out her candle without a wish in my heart because everything was going as planned.  As I rushed to get my own camera ready to capture this memory, Syd dug her fingers into her delicious cake and brought a handful of goodness to her mouth.  It took less than 5 seconds for her realize that her birthday cake was the most disgusting thing she had ever tasted and she began to cry.  In an instant, my heart broke and an embarrassing redness filled my face.  I had just ruined my daughter’s first birthday.

The frosted sugar cookies pictured in this post saved me from a complete breakdown.  After removing that cake from her sight and wiping her tears, I brought her one of the Valentine cookies I had baked for my guests.  Luckily, it quickly put a smile back on her face.  I’ve been baking these cookies in place of a cake for her birthday ever since.  These sugar cookies are baked from my Grandma Wegner’s recipe at least 3 times every year, on Syd’s birthday, Halloween and Christmas.  I’ve won a Sugar Cookie Throwdown with these cookies and have been hired to bake them for a community event.  In 2002, I made the decision to seal the recipe and no longer give it out to others.  A select few have it and should consider themselves extremely lucky. After feeling a bit strange about posting to my food blog without giving you a recipe, I’ve decided to post the cake recipe from my daughter’s 1st birthday.  I will assure you that this cake was not as disgusting as Sydney’s response indicated.  After everyone went home at the end of the party, I tasted it just to make sure and it didn’t make me cry.

Baby’s First Birthday Cake(Carrot Cake)
(Makes 1 double-layer 9-inch square cake)
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups thinly sliced carrots
2 1/2 cups apple juice concentrate (you may use slightly less)
1 1/2 cups raisins
Vegetable Spray/Shortening
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 whole eggs
4 egg whites
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 Tbsp low sodium baking powder
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
Prep: Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two 9 inch square cake pans with waxed paper and spray the paper with vegetable spray/shortening.
Combine the carrots with 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the juice concentrate in a medium size saucepan.
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, until carrots are tender, 15 to 20 mins. Puree in a blender of food processor until smooth.  Add the raisins and process until finely chopped. Let mixture cool.  Combine the flour, wheat germ, baking powder, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Add 1 1/4 cups juice concentrate, the oil, eggs, egg whites, and vanilla; beat just until well mixed. Fold in the carrot puree and applesauce. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans.  Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 mins. Cool briefly in the pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely. When cool, frost with Cream Cheese Frosting below or sprinkle a wee bit of powdered sugar if desired. 

Sugar-Free Cream Cheese Frosting 
(Frosts one 2-layer cake)
Ingredients
½ cup apple juice concentrate
1 pound light cream cheese
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup finely chopped raisins
1 ½ tsp unflavored gelatin
Instructions
Set aside 2 tablespoons of the juice concentrate.  Process the remaining juice concentrate, the cream cheese, vanilla, and raisins in a blender or food processor until smooth. Transfer to a mixing bowl.  Stir the gelatin into the 2 tablespoons juice concentrate in a small saucepan; let stand 1 minute to soften. Heat to boiling and stir to dissolve gelatin.
Beat the gelatin mixture into the cream cheese mixture until well blended. Refrigerate just until the frosting begins to set, about 30-60 minutes. Frost the cake

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Get out of my kitchen!

Posted on February 6, 2011 by Andrea

There are people who love to cook with their kids.  I am definitely not one of them.  Whoever thought it was a good idea to invite children into the kitchen for fun was most certainly not a control freak like me.  There are countless cook books on the market giving you ideas on how to have fun in the kitchen with your children along with kid-friendly recipes.  In my experience, both of my children just happen to love cooking without any help from me, except for maybe the “love for cooking” gene I’ve passed down to them. I’m fine with leaving it at that.   I’ve had plenty of opportunities to reflect on this topic over the years, 21 years to be exact.  Ever since they’ve been little girls, both Julia and Sydney have wanted to be in the kitchen with me.  It’s hard to say no so I’ll usually find something easy for them to do that doesn’t involve anything sharp or messy.  Stirring is always an easy task to keep a little one busy but before long, they want something a little more interesting than moving a spatula around in a bowl.  As they got older, my daughters wanted to crack eggs, chop vegetables, flip pancakes, and frost cookies.  I’ve probably come up with every excuse to get them out of my kitchen, but there have been times when I just couldn’t bear to break their sweet little hearts and have assigned them small tasks.  It always leads to the same result…me shooing them out to find something else to keep them busy so I can be in my kitchen alone.  Both girls would probably name this as one of my shortcomings and I don’t blame them.  But I prefer to be in my kitchen alone, wearing an apron, providing my own commentary.

I’ve been in the kitchen since about 9 years old.  My mom was gracious and patient enough to invite me in to observe and assist.  It wasn’t long though before I was navigating my own way, preparing meals and entertaining friends.  Before the Food Network, we had Julia Child and The Frugal Gourmet to inspire us, and it was these famous chefs that I channeled as I pretended to have my own cooking show, teaching my tv audience how to bring recipes to life.  I know that I’m not the only one who has done this as a child and I will make a confident guess that there are more than a handful of grown-ups other than myself that haven’t quite grown out of this kind of imaginary play yet based on the 2,865 other fans that have liked the Facebook Fan page for Pretending to have your own cooking show when you are cooking alone.

Potato and Zucchini Hash

Last weekend as I was prepping for this delicious brunch recipe, I reached high up into the cupboard that houses my occasionally used gadgets.  As I pulled my mandolin slicer down from the top shelf, I heard her little feet creeping up behind me with those dreaded 4 little words, “can I help you?”  Knowing how nervous I am about using this extra sharp tool, imagining a trip to the ER everytime I pass a vegetable across the blade, I was even more reluctant to say yes to her this time even though she’ll be turning 11 this week.  I clenched my teeth and said to my youngest daughter, Syd, “you can do one potato.”  Within 3 passes of that potato across the blade, I was working to convince her that anything would be more fun than this.  Thanks to the Wii, I was able to complete this dish on my own quite enjoyably.

Both of these recipes are new ones for me.  They’re perfect for a weekend brunch and are pretty enough for entertaining.  I modified the Potato and Zucchini Hash recipe slightly to add a little more color with red bell pepper.  I also added bacon to the dish which shouldn’t be a surprise if you’ve read To Love, Honor and Cherish.  Everything is better with bacon!  Upon a suggestion from my daughter, Julia, this was the first time I have ever cooked bacon in the oven and it has now become my preferred method (Sorry, Grandma).  By placing a cooling rack on top of a jelly roll pan, the fat is able to drip off the bacon leaving it perfectly cooked, not too chewy and not too crisp.  I rarely make muffins from scratch but these are definitely a winner and will remain in my recipe file for my next brunch menu.  I urge you to shoo the kids out of the kitchen; pull out a game or pop in a movie to keep them busy and try these delicious recipes for a quick and easy brunch on the weekend.

Sour Cream Muffins with Poppy Seed Streusel: Photograph by Andrea Karapas

Potato and Zucchini Hash
Ingredients
2 medium russet potatoes (1 1/2 pounds total), peeled, quartered lengthwise, and thinly sliced crosswise
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
4 eggs, sunny side up
Instructions
Rinse potatoes well under cold running water, then drain and thoroughly pat dry. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until potatoes are almost cooked through and golden, about 15 minutes.
Add zucchini, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring, until zucchini is soft and potatoes are cooked through, 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; divide among four plates. To serve, top with eggs.
**Recipe from May 2010 issue of Everyday Food magazine.

Sour Cream Muffins with Poppy Seed Streusel
Ingredients
Streusel:
3  tablespoons  sugar
2  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
1  tablespoon  butter, melted
1  teaspoon  poppy seeds
Muffins:
2  cups  all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces)
3/4  cup  sugar
2  teaspoons  baking powder
1  teaspoon  baking soda
1/2  teaspoon  salt
3/4  cup  fat-free buttermilk
1/4  cup  butter, melted
1  tablespoon  grated orange rind
1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
1  large egg, lightly beaten
1  (8-ounce) container reduced-fat sour cream
Cooking spray
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°.
To prepare streusel, combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
To prepare muffins, lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture. Combine buttermilk and remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a small bowl; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into 15 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle streusel evenly over batter. Bake at 375° for 18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove muffins from pans immediately; place on a wire rack.
**Recipe from November 2005 issue of Cooking Light magazine.

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Not your ordinary girl or grilled cheese sandwich.

Posted on January 31, 2011 by Andrea

I’ve always thought I was special.  Not just the “Jesus loves you” kind of special but the “destined for fame” kind of special.  I think it may have started when my grandmother told me I could be a model because I was tall and had long legs.  Little did she know that my Greek genes would catch up with me, blessing me with “thunder thighs” and boobs much too big to be a model.  Although this dream ended as quickly as it began, I knew I would be discovered someday for something.  The only thing I knew for sure was that I wasn’t ordinary.  As Mena Suvari’s character, Angela, says in my favorite film, American Beauty, “I don’t think there’s anything worse than being ordinary.”  I can actually think of a few things that are worse than being ordinary but I did identify with this particular quote each of the 27 times I’ve heard it.

There are some who may consider me arrogant or even narcissistic, especially if you’ve looked through my middle school photo album or had the opportunity to be photographed with me.  I’m the one in the picture who is posing like a model.  I realized much later in life that people just didn’t have the courage to tell me I looked ridiculous. What they didn’t know was that when no one was looking, I was starring in my own movie.  The world was my stage and everyone was watching.  Our family room was my own private production studio for shooting videos for my favorite songs that I would play on our console stereo, complete with FM Radio, turn table and 8-track tape player.  As the music played, I danced, and someone somewhere had a camera pointed on me shouting, “Keep going, this is amazing!”

The streets between the Clinton Theater and my house on Burton Street were the filming location of the latest Bond movie as I ran those 4 blocks home in the dark with my hands folded together tightly in the shape of a gun.  I was prepared to shoot anyone who jumped out from behind the hedge-lined house on the corner of Litchfield and Burton.  The camera was on me and they would only get one take because I don’t think I have ever run that fast in my life since.

Well, as you can see, I’m not famous…yet.  The closest I’ve gotten to any kind of fame is being a feature story in a 1997 University of Michigan football program.  I’m still trying.  Until I’m discovered, I’ll keep pretending and thinking about who would be the best actress to play me in a movie about my life.  As of now, Drew Barrymore would be chosen for the role. 

This grilled cheese sandwich is as far from ordinary as I am.  I discovered this “fancy” grilled cheese on Rachel Ray’s, 30 Minute Meals and it was an instant hit with my fans.  There are several characteristics that separate this grilled cheese from the ordinary, meaning of no special quality or interest; commonplace.  The first is the kind of bread used to hold the gooey cheese in.  No ordinary sandwich bread here.  Instead, use a crusty Italian bread, sliced thick.  Instead of conventional butter or margarine, the outside of each bread slice is brushed with an extraordinarily and perfectly melted combination of extra-virgin olive oil, butter and fresh garlic.  But the cheese, oh the cheese, is the star of this grilled cheese sandwich.  With an amazing blend of shredded Provolone, Mozzarella, Romano, and Asiago, this one earns a star on my Walk of Fame of sandwiches for sure.  I promise that you’ll get rave reviews with this one, even from your toughest critics.  As you’re enjoying the 83rd Annual Academy Awards this year on February 27th, be sure to take a closer look at the amazingly talented actors gracing The Red Carpet.  You may just see yourself in one of them as you never did before.

Grilled 4 Cheese Sandwich: Photograph by Andrea Karapas

Grilled 4 Cheese Sandwiches
Ingredients
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbs butter
1 clove garlic, cracked away from the skin
8 slices crusty, Italian bread
1 cup shredded Provolone
1 cup shredded Mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan or Romano
1 cup shredded Asiago
Instructions
In a small sauce pan over medium low heat, combine oil, butter and garlic.  Cook garlic in butter and oil gently for 2 or 3 minutes. Remove garlic butter mixture from heat.
Place a large nonstick skillet on the stove over medium high heat. Using a pastry brush, brush 1 side of 4 slices of bread with garlic oil and place buttered side down in skillet.  Top each slice with equal amounts of the 4 cheeses, distributing them equaly over the 4 slices.  Top each sandwich with another slice of bread brushed with garlic butter, buttered side up.  Flip the grilled cheese sandwiches a few times until cheeses are melted and gooey and bread is toasty and golden.  Cut grilled 4 cheese sandwiches from corner to corner and serve.

Posted in Bread, Dinner, Italian, Lunch, Savory, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments