Le Top Chef Series: Spinach, Feta and Tomato Omelet

Omelets are quick and easy and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Have leftovers you want to use up? Throw in last nights taco ingredients and you’ve got a Mexican Omelet.  Using seasonal ingredients can make any omelet delicious!

For this recipe, if you don’t like spinach, arugula can be a great option since it has a nice smoky flavor.

Makes 2 servings.
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 6 eggs
• 2/3 cup thawed frozen chopped spinach (with all the water firmly squeezed out)
• 12 quartered grape or cherry tomatoes
• 3 ounces crumbled feta cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Melt the butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. In a small bowl beat the eggs well. Pour the eggs into the pan and cook for 1 minute. Move the eggs around so that the uncooked portion reaches the bottom of the pan, lifting the cooked portion if needed. Reduce the heat to medium. Sprinkle the spinach, tomatoes, and feta cheese over the eggs. Season to taste with the black pepper. Cook until the omelet is golden brown on the bottom, the eggs are set, and the cheese melts, placing a lid over the pan to melt the cheese if necessary. Fold the omelet in half and slide onto a plate. Serve hot.

source: http://www.perfectentertaining.com, recipe by Wen Zientek-Sico

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Le Top Chef Series: Herb Cheese Stuffed Garlic Burger

Adding you favorite herb-flavored cream cheese from your local market or bagel shop makes this burger a breeze to make and oh so tasty. Use a specialty bun for that gourmet touch. The only essential thing when stuffing a burger with cheese is to make sure that the edges are sealed well, to keep the cheese from leaking out during cooking.

Makes 6 servings
Total Time: 20 min.

 INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pounds ground beef chuck, 85% lean
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons herbed garlic cream   cheese, such as Boursin
• Oil for coating grill grate
• 6 hamburger buns, split

DIRECTIONS:
Using your hands, mix the beef, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl until well blended; do not overmix. Using a light touch, form into 12 patties no more than 1/2 inch thick.

Put a portion (about 1 1/2 teaspoons) of cheese in the center of each of 6 patties; top with the remaining patties and press together, taking care to seal the edges well.

Refrigerate the burgers until the grill is ready. Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. Put the burgers on the grill, cover, and cook for 9 minutes, flipping after 5 minutes, for medium-done (150 degrees F, slightly pink). Add a minute per side for well-done (160 degrees F).

To toast the buns, put them cut sides down directly over the fire for the last minute of cooking. If serving the burgers directly from the grill, serve on the buns. If the burgers will sit, even for a few minutes, keep the buns and burgers separate until just before eating.

source: ivillage.com

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Le Top Chef Series: Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches

Looking for a healthy summer dessert? You’ve found it.  This is  a great way to use up the last of that pint of sorbet or frozen yogurt. For a less healthy approach (and even yummier) use your favorite ice cream instead. Kids will love them!!!

Makes 1 serving

ACTIVE TIME: 5 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes
EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

INGREDIENTS:
4 small vanilla-snap cookies
2 tablespoons fruit sorbet or frozen yogurt

DIRECTIONS:
Top 2 cookies with 1 tablespoon sorbet (or frozen yogurt). Top with 2 more cookies. Freeze sandwiches for at least 30 minutes to firm up.

source: EatingWell Magazine

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le•top Chef Series: Chicken Caesar Panini

Here is a quick and delicious meal….

Makes: 5 servings

Prep: 10 minutes excluding the chicken prep
Cook: 4 minutes

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan, divided
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 pound shredded cooked chicken
3 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1 16-ounce loaf unsliced country-style or focaccia bread

http://www.parents.com

DIRECTIONS

1. In blender, combine lemon juice, garlic, 3 tablespoons Parmesan, the Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and pepper until blended. With motor running, slowly pour in oil until well combined.
 
2. In a large bowl, combine chicken and lettuce. Stir in 2 tablespoons dressing, mixing to coat well. Split bread in half horizontally. Scoop out inside of bread, leaving crust shell. Brush bread shells with remaining dressing, then sprinkle on the remaining Parmesan cheese. Place the chicken mixture on one shell of bread; top with other shell to create sandwich. Firmly press sandwich to seal.

3. Heat a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Spray top and bottom of sandwich with vegetable cooking spray. Place in pan, then put a cast-iron pan on top and push down (you can use any heavy pan, or cook the sandwich in a panini maker). Cook 2 minutes. Remove heavy pan and carefully flip sandwich over. Cover again with heavy pan, and cook 2 minutes longer. Cut into 5 slices.

source: http://www.parents.com

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