Blackberry Basil Fontina Grilled Cheese

Mmm berry good. 

I'm a big fan of grilled cheese. Last New Year's Eve my friend lovingly made everyone post-party grilled cheeses, and I jacked them all and ran upstairs with them. But that's a story for another time... These grilled cheese paninis are something special. They feel summery and decadent, because it's not every day you add sweetness to a savory cheesy sandwich. This fourth of july weekend it just felt right to enjoy one of these blackberry-stuffed beauties in the backyard under the shade of an umbrella. 

Shopping List: 

1 basket of blackberries

fontina cheese

1 bunch of basil

sourdough bread

butter to dot the bread

kosher salt

Simple as that. Note my sassy "Where's my chauffeur" nail polish. 

The best bread to use for paninis is sourdough. There's no good alternative. It gets crispy and crunchy much better than wheat bread, and surprisingly, sourdough is sugar free--something I can get on board with! Lightly butter the outsides of the bread slices so they will brown and sizzle in the panini press (or in the pan.) 

Shred the fontina onto the bottom slice. Cover it in blackberries--the more the merrier! Slice the basil leaves and scatter them evenly on the bread. Add MORE fontina cheese until your heart's content. Sprinkle a pinch of salt in to cut the sweetness of the berries. Close the sandwich and lower the press. 

Let the sandwich stay in the panini press for a good long while so the cheese is melted and the flavors come together all gooey and delicious. 

Kinda sultry, right?

Note my mother's darling 4th of July centerpieces. 

The cheesier the better...

Don't bother me. I'm eating.

Another idea is to use blueberries and thinly sliced strawberries for a more patriotic grilled cheese. Also, next time I think I'll make a lemon butter to add some tartness. But this variety is good, too. Promise! 

Happy 4th of July weekend. Keep the celebration rolling, friends! 

English Breakfast Bircher Muesli

Bircher muesli is hands-down my favorite British food. 

(Disclaimer: This isn't the finished product, just the prettiest picture I have.) 

It even trumps Mcvitie's dark chocolate digestive biscuits, which is saying A LOT. Since my semester in London came to an end, I have been CRAVING bircher muesli. It's a common breakfast and afternoon snack in the UK, packed with fruit, oats, nuts and yogurt. Basically, it's heaven in a bowl. The fun part is that bircher muesli is as versatile as you are creative. My version includes toasted coconut, blueberries, apple and sliced almonds but you can add in whatever you like. I've had it with pistachios, nectarines, pear and pomegranate seeds. It should be a mash-up of all your favorites! I highly recommend bircher muesli to fans of acai bowls and oatmeal ("porridge" to the Brits). But it's different! It's special! And you're gonna love it. 

Shopping List: 
1 cup of oats
3/4 cup of low-fat vanilla yogurt
3/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup of coconut (not pictured)
2 handfuls of blueberries
2 handfuls of sliced almonds
1 fuji apple
drizzle of honey 
(diet coke not included in recipe-- hehe) 

This recipe serves 2-3, if you're into sharing...

Start by soaking the oats in the almond milk, so they moisten and expand. I mixed in a drizzle of honey. Set in the fridge for one hour. 

Typical Bircher muesli has finely shredded apple. BUT, my mom doesn't have a fancy apple shredder, so I cut  the apple into slices using her fancy apple slicer. Then I cut off the skin and sliced the apple into thin slivers. Squeeze lemon on top to prevent browning. 

After 1 hour, bring out the oat, milk, honey concoction. Add the yogurt. 

 Now add the fruit, nuts and toasted coconut. Add another drizzle of honey if you're feeling a bit naughty. 

Mix it all up and let it sit in the fridge for a few hours.

Enjoy, Cheerio!

Egg-In-The-Choke

 Eggs. They aren't just for breakfast! 

I have a full blown obsession with eggs, so I'm thrilled that they have graduated from the breakfast table. Is it just me or are eggs everywhere these days? No complaints here! I baked these little beauties into artichokes stuffed with bread crumbs, parmesan, lemon and thyme for a fancy week-night appetizer. The result was crispy, yolky deliciousness. 

Shopping List:

2 artichokes

4 eggs

1 lemon

1/2 cup parmesan

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

fresh thyme

kosher salt

fresh pepper

olive oil

Buy the biggest artichokes you can find so you can carve out a nice home for the egg. Start by chopping the stems so they're about an inch long. Shave off the outside layer. 

Cut the artichoke in half lengthwise. Go ahead and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

You want to remove the "choke," aka the furry beast in the center. Cut around the purple and white fur and leaves. Most of it will pop out. If you need to, use a spoon to scoop out the rest. 

Next, create an ice bath for your artichoke shells so they won't brown. Squeeze half of a lemon into a large bowl of ice water. Put your four artichoke shells face down in the bath. 

Combine the shaved parmesan and bread crumbs in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and the leaves of 2 sprigs of thyme. Squeeze the other half of the lemon into the dry mixture so it comes together. 

Dry the artichoke halves and line them up in a large baking dish. Sprinkle the parmesan bread crumb mixture inside the artichokes. Set a lemon slice and a few springs of thyme on each. 

Drizzle the artichokes with olive oil. Cover the dish in aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. The aluminum must be secure so the artichokes can steam and get juicy!

Now for the main event! After the artichoke shells have cooled for a few minutes, crack the eggs in. Make sure the artichokes are level so the egg stays inside and doesn't topple into the dish. Add more of the parmesan bread crumb mixture if you like or sprinkle more salt and pepper on top. Bake the eggs for 15 minutes at 375 degrees. The egg whites should set, but still jiggle a bit when you pick up the artichoke. 

Dinner is served! I also made a pear, bell pepper, grilled chicken salad topped with feta, spiced pecans and Trader Joe's pear vinaigrette. But the egg-in-the-choke definitely steals the show. 

Happy dining!