Always looking for sunshine, figuratively and lite Always looking for sunshine, figuratively and literally. Sometimes we don’t have to look very far and it finds us. ☀️
It didn’t take much to get me to @mikespastasand It didn’t take much to get me to @mikespastasandwichshoppe when a friend texted me a screenshot of their cheese butter. Up until last week I had never even heard of cheese butter but just two days later, I’m driving an hour round trip to get some. 😂 I was never one to succumb to peer pressure (I didn’t have my first drink until I was 21!), but when it comes to food finds, I am very easily intrigued. After all, that’s how I’ve discovered some of my favorite bites over the years … lardo from @butlerandtheboard, a spicy Italian sausage, and my love of chicharron. If you haven’t visited Mike’s in Nutley, it’s worth a visit. While there, I also got a small tray of meatballs (a bargain at $10!) and a delicious mortadella sandwich that is worth a round trip. ✨
The long, dreary and grey months of the Winter nee The long, dreary and grey months of the Winter need a little bit of color, so here you go. 😍 Love this chest of drawers. Discovered it buried in a local shop and bought it specifically for the green color (one of my favorites). Vintage Coke crate was a $10 score from a garage sale place on Facebook some ten years ago. And the assorted markers in Roy G Biv order (natch) that aren’t used anymore because my kids have sadly left that phase. 🙃
Weekend Photos in Review, old school still photo s Weekend Photos in Review, old school still photo style, hope you had a good one! ✨
A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if I wanted her to bring me back anything. Would you believe me if I told you I asked for salt? I love picking up different varieties, whether we’re traveling or I’m just visiting a new shop. Maddie grabbed me a super cute one from her trip to Paris last year, and the Magic Unicorn Salt I get locally is another favorite. What’s yours?
One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a serious case of FOMO on the daily, gets hiccups more than anyone we know and has perpetual bed head. She’s quite the unique roommate but may be exactly what our home needed. 💛
I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw th I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw that @njdotcom had picked six bagel shops at the “best in the state,” and one was reasonably local, all the sudden I needed one. I was never one to fall prey to peer pressure, but I’m very definitely a marketer’s dream. 😂 Alfa Bagels is on Route 10 in Randolph and has a good assortment of bagels, including all the usual suspects, but with a few others like rainbow, Asiago and French Toast throw in for good measure. Their bagels always seem to have a nice chew, which I appreciate and I love their sesame one. My go-to order lately is a double toasted flagel with lox spread and tomato. Their lox spread is a little ho hum, but the bagel is delish. Check them out next time you’ve got a craving (or get motivated by a local news story 😝). What’s your bagel order?
✌🏻 ✌🏻
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Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Christmas Celebrations Redux

December 28, 2006 · Narrative

Last night, we got the chance to celebrate a belated Christmas with The Neighbors. Even though the kids still had to exchange their own presents, I think it’s safe to say that they’re over the whole opening presents thing. For now, anyway. I’m sure it will pass.

I wanted to keep the menu simple since I spent most of the day out, tracking down elusive items for Nicholas (a story for tomorrow). I turned to one of the new cookbooks I got for Christmas, Rachael Ray’s 2, 4, 6, 8: Great Meals for Couples or Crowds. Two recipes caught my eye Garlicky, Cheesy Bread Chunks Topped with Steaks and Italian Club Finger Sandwiches, and I ended up making them both.

The bread from the steak sandwiches was simply divine, full of crusty, cheesy, garlicky goodness; the recipe’s name does not lie. Her recipe didn’t suggest slicing the steak before putting it on the bread, but I did, and think it worked better that way. We decided the one thing to put it over the top would be a little light gravy spooned on the top of the finished sandwich, or melted cheese. We’ll definitely be making this one again though, probably using one or both of those additions.

The Italian BLT Club Sandwich was quite tasty too. A simple snack to throw together, the arugula gives the sandwich a nice, peppery bite, and who doesn’t love prosciutto?

The Neighbor Husband got into the act too, tackling a Rachael Ray recipe of his very own, from her Guy Food Cookbook. It’s a cute little size cookbook that is perfect for popping into your purse or tote while traipsing off to the grocery store. ‘Course now that I’ve called it “cute,” he probably won’t be touching it again any time soon. He’s going to have to chime in here with the exact title of the recipe, but it was delicious steamers with Mexican beer, chopped red onions, garlic, jalapenos and tomatoes. Tasty, with a bit of a kick, and perfect with some warm crusty French bread for mopping up the warm juices with.

Until tomorrow…

A year ago today… the start of ARF/5-A-Day Tuesday, which, incidentally will return next Tuesday, so I hope you’re all gearing up for it.

Italian Club Finger Sandwiches
Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
6 slices thin-cut white bread
1 cup soft, spreadable herb cheese
8 slices Prosciutto di Parma
12 leaves fresh arugula or basil
2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
Salt
2 radishes, thinly sliced
Toothpicks

Spread 4 slices of bread with soft herb cheese. Top each cheese-covered slice with 2 slices of prosciutto, 3 leaves of arugula or basil, and 4 thinly sliced tomatoes seasoned with a pinch of salt. Place a completed layer atop another, making 2 stacks—each 2 layers high. Set the final bread slices in place, making 2 triple-decker sandwiches.

Thinly slice and salt the radishes. Pierce a couple of thin slices of radish on each toothpick and place 4 toothpicks in each sandwich. Cut each sandwich into 4 equal parts, cutting the sandwich across evenly on each side.

Garlicky, Cheesy Bread Chunks Topped with Steaks
Recipe Courtesy of Rachael Ray
Serves 4

4 beef tenderloin steaks, 1-1/2 inches thick
leaves from 4 fresh thyme sprigs, chopped
salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
5 tablespoons very soft butter
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
generous handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
generous handful of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
4 2-inch thick slices Italian sesame-semolina bread, cut on an angle

Season the steaks with the thyme, salt and pepper. Place a large skillet over high heat with the EVOO, once around the pan. When the oil is hot, using a pair of tongs and a folded paper towel, spread the oil lightly over the surface of the pan. Place the steaks in the hot pan and sear the meat, cooking it for 2 minutes on each side. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the steaks for 3-4 minutes longer on each side. Remove the steaks to a plate, cover them loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for about 5 minutes.

While the steaks cook, combine the soft butter, garlic, parsley, basil, Parmigiano and some pepper in a bowl. Spread the butter mixture evenly on all the cut sides of the bread slices. Once the steaks are out of the skillet and resting, return the skillet to the stovetop over medium heat. Add the slices of bread and cook until the first side is golden, 2-3 minutes. Flip and toast the second buttered side. Serve the steaks on top of the cheesy, garlicky bread chunks.

Sweetnicks’ Notes: Slice steaks before topping on bread. Top with melted cheese or gravy next time.

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Posted In: Narrative

Comments

  1. joey says

    December 28, 2006 at 8:37 am

    That steak sandwich sounds like a winner! :) Hope you are having a happy holidays! :)

    Reply

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Always looking for sunshine, figuratively and lite Always looking for sunshine, figuratively and literally. Sometimes we don’t have to look very far and it finds us. ☀️
It didn’t take much to get me to @mikespastasand It didn’t take much to get me to @mikespastasandwichshoppe when a friend texted me a screenshot of their cheese butter. Up until last week I had never even heard of cheese butter but just two days later, I’m driving an hour round trip to get some. 😂 I was never one to succumb to peer pressure (I didn’t have my first drink until I was 21!), but when it comes to food finds, I am very easily intrigued. After all, that’s how I’ve discovered some of my favorite bites over the years … lardo from @butlerandtheboard, a spicy Italian sausage, and my love of chicharron. If you haven’t visited Mike’s in Nutley, it’s worth a visit. While there, I also got a small tray of meatballs (a bargain at $10!) and a delicious mortadella sandwich that is worth a round trip. ✨
The long, dreary and grey months of the Winter nee The long, dreary and grey months of the Winter need a little bit of color, so here you go. 😍 Love this chest of drawers. Discovered it buried in a local shop and bought it specifically for the green color (one of my favorites). Vintage Coke crate was a $10 score from a garage sale place on Facebook some ten years ago. And the assorted markers in Roy G Biv order (natch) that aren’t used anymore because my kids have sadly left that phase. 🙃
Weekend Photos in Review, old school still photo s Weekend Photos in Review, old school still photo style, hope you had a good one! ✨

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Always looking for sunshine, figuratively and lite Always looking for sunshine, figuratively and literally. Sometimes we don’t have to look very far and it finds us. ☀️
It didn’t take much to get me to @mikespastasand It didn’t take much to get me to @mikespastasandwichshoppe when a friend texted me a screenshot of their cheese butter. Up until last week I had never even heard of cheese butter but just two days later, I’m driving an hour round trip to get some. 😂 I was never one to succumb to peer pressure (I didn’t have my first drink until I was 21!), but when it comes to food finds, I am very easily intrigued. After all, that’s how I’ve discovered some of my favorite bites over the years … lardo from @butlerandtheboard, a spicy Italian sausage, and my love of chicharron. If you haven’t visited Mike’s in Nutley, it’s worth a visit. While there, I also got a small tray of meatballs (a bargain at $10!) and a delicious mortadella sandwich that is worth a round trip. ✨
The long, dreary and grey months of the Winter nee The long, dreary and grey months of the Winter need a little bit of color, so here you go. 😍 Love this chest of drawers. Discovered it buried in a local shop and bought it specifically for the green color (one of my favorites). Vintage Coke crate was a $10 score from a garage sale place on Facebook some ten years ago. And the assorted markers in Roy G Biv order (natch) that aren’t used anymore because my kids have sadly left that phase. 🙃
Weekend Photos in Review, old school still photo s Weekend Photos in Review, old school still photo style, hope you had a good one! ✨
A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if I wanted her to bring me back anything. Would you believe me if I told you I asked for salt? I love picking up different varieties, whether we’re traveling or I’m just visiting a new shop. Maddie grabbed me a super cute one from her trip to Paris last year, and the Magic Unicorn Salt I get locally is another favorite. What’s yours?
One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a serious case of FOMO on the daily, gets hiccups more than anyone we know and has perpetual bed head. She’s quite the unique roommate but may be exactly what our home needed. 💛
I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw th I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw that @njdotcom had picked six bagel shops at the “best in the state,” and one was reasonably local, all the sudden I needed one. I was never one to fall prey to peer pressure, but I’m very definitely a marketer’s dream. 😂 Alfa Bagels is on Route 10 in Randolph and has a good assortment of bagels, including all the usual suspects, but with a few others like rainbow, Asiago and French Toast throw in for good measure. Their bagels always seem to have a nice chew, which I appreciate and I love their sesame one. My go-to order lately is a double toasted flagel with lox spread and tomato. Their lox spread is a little ho hum, but the bagel is delish. Check them out next time you’ve got a craving (or get motivated by a local news story 😝). What’s your bagel order?
✌🏻 ✌🏻

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