Friday, April 25, 2014

Tuna Pan Bagnat



 A favorite in southern France, pan bagnat (pan ban-YAH) means "bathed bread.

For the vinaigrette:
1 small shallot, minced
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
3 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Ingredients :
1 round of country white  bread
Extra-virgin olive oil
6 leaves red-leaf lettuce, washed and dried
8 oz Brie cheese, in 1/4" flat slices
1/2 cup whole pitted Kalamata olives
1 large fresh tomato, cored, thinly sliced
1 sm. can  tuna packed  in olive oil ( do not  drain )




To make the vinaigrette, mix the shallot and vinegar in a small bowl, and gradually whisk . Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cut the bread horizontally into even top and bottom layers. Turn the top over, then drizzle olive oil all over the cut sides of both layers, using 2 or 3 Tbs of oil on each.
Make layers of all the filling ingredients. First, completely cover the sandwich bottom with 5 or 6 lettuce leaves, then arrange the slices of Brie on top. Scatter the  olives and cover with the tomato slices in a single layer.
Spoon about half the vinaigrette over the tomatoes, then flake the tuna  with a fork  and distribute evenly. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette and the oil from the tuna can all over the filling. Finally, replace the top layer of the bread to close the sandwich.
Wrap the sandwich well with several layers of plastic wrap and place on a cookie sheet or pizza pan or tray. Lay another tray on top of the sandwich and center some heavy items to press and flatten the loaf.

Place the weighted sandwich in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours or overnight. Before serving, remove the weight, unwrap the compressed sandwich, and let it come to room temperature.  Cut into 8 serving-size wedges  and  serve.




Thursday, April 24, 2014

Greek Vegetarian Sandwich

     This sandwich is so flavorful, you will never miss the  meat!

Ingredients:
French Bread
1/2  of a  English cucumber thinly  sliced
1/2 of   med. sized Red onion  thinly sliced
3  Roma Tomatoes thinly sliced
Kalamata Pitted Olives
Mild Bananna Peppers
Feta cheese crumbles
Olive Oil
Cavender`s Greek All  Purpose Seasoning
Salt and  Pepper
                                               Cavender`s Greek All Purpose Seasoning

Directions:
Cut the French  loaf horizontally, creating a top and a bottom half, place in the oven  at 350* to light   toast abt. 10 min..

    On the bottom half of the  bread place the thinly  sliced cucumbers  to cover the  bread, drizzle with Olive  oil and  sprinkle  with  Cavender`s Greek All Purpose Seasoning.
  Next place the  sliced Tomatoes on the cucumbers and lightly salt and pepper, add the Bananna Peppers, then  the Red Onion  slices, and  now the  Kalamata Olives, you can place the olives in the onion slices to help hold them on the  sandwich as you are making it and add your Feta cheese crumbles, finally  sprinkle a  bit little more of the Greek Seasoning and  drizzle a  little more Olive  oil, put the top on the sandwich and  slightly  press it  down and cut  into  thirds and serve.


* Note
Cavender`s Greek All Purpose Greek Seasoning can be found at most groceries.  If not it can  be ordered from their website.   Cavender`s in  made in the Ozark  Mountains in  NW Arkansas

Cavender`s All Purpose Greek Seasoning

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Kitchen Organization


You ever have  one of those  base cabinets in your kitchen that is real deep and  you  have to get on your hands  and  knees and almost crawl in  to find the  right pan?  That was me, I dislike this cabinet very much and  it  did not work for me.   Im sure my husband got  tired of hearing me  complain about it. 

Anyway, I have this hallway between my  kitchen and dining room with a very high  ceiling that  I just  kept  looking and thinking  what a waste of  space, so I went on the hunt for ideas.  I saw these very nice looking shelves at Ikea posted on Pinterest, so I saved them to show my husband, he also liked the look and he knows  when I am on a mission to watch out . So to Ikea  we went.  Ikea has so much to  chose from as  far  kitchen shelving and organizational  items, the possibilities are endless.

I chose the  IKEA's Grundtal shelving system, very simple to  install.  I  only spent $65.00  for the 2 shelves and hooks and it looks awesome and I am so pleased and very happy with my choice.   Now I have a couple more problem areas that I believe Ikea  can help with, so I will be back soon.           Ikea                                

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Turkish Spiced Cod


Ingredients:
2 pounds  Cod fish fillets
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 red  bell pepper diced
2 teaspoons Turkish seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
 Remove any pin bones from the fillets and pat them dry. Salt the fish fillets well and set them aside. Heat the olive oil, 1 teaspoon  Turkish  seasoning and diced peppers in a saute pan and set it over medium heat for 2 minutes . After 2 minutes place the fish fillets on top of the peppers and  cook undisturbed for 90 seconds.
When you see the bottom of the fish fillets turn opaque, tilt the pan and using a large spoon baste the tops of the fish with the hot oil and  season with  1 more  teaspoon of Turkish  seasoning and spoon some of the peppers on top of the fish. Constantly  baste top  of the fish with  oil until the top of the fillets begin to flake, about 3 minutes.
 Cover pad with the  lid and cook for  90 seconds. Turn off the heat
Put a fish fillet on everyone's plate.  Spoon out some peppers and sauce to pour  over the fish and serve.

* I got my  Turkish seasoning  from http://www.penzeys.com/