Monte Christo Brunch Pinwheels

A ‘Monte Christo’ brings back a lot of yummy memories.  Memories that often stem from the Blue Bayou restaurant inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at the famed, Disneyland!!

A Monte Cristo is a fried ham and cheese sandwich, a variation of the French croque-monsieur. In the 1930s–1960s, American cookbooks had recipes for this sandwich under such names as “French Sandwich”, “Toasted Ham Sandwich”, and “French Toasted Cheese Sandwich”. Swiss cheese is typically used.

Now, since we live in Texas and easily cannot get to one of my favorite haunts, I decided to make them at home for brunch.  Given I said the key word, “brunch”, I thought to make them into a finger food, if you will.  Fun for adults, yet easy for kiddos!  Here you get the same flavors, yet the ease of no frying involved and EVERYONE loves a dunking sauce!!

With the simpleness of preparation and lack of cleanup, I promise these will NOT disappoint!

The Starting Lineup

• 1 (12oz) can refrigerated crescent rolls dough
• 4 thin slices of deli ham
• 4 thin slices of deli turkey
• 8 slices of Swiss cheese
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• Raspberry preserves, warmed
• Powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and spray with nonstick.  Unroll the dough into 4 rectangles (2 triangular halves/slightly spreading out and making dough larger), and pressing together the perforations.

To each rectangle, spread a thin layer of the Dijon, followed by 2 slices of cheese (tear to fit), and 1 slice each of the turkey and ham.  Roll up, length-wise, into log form and using a serrated knife, cut into 4-5 slices.

Place each slice flat, onto the prepared baking sheet and brush the beaten egg over all the pinwheels.

Bake, for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.  Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle with the warmed raspberry preserves, sprinkle the powdered sugar overtop and serve with the remaining preserves for dipping!  Enjoy!

Michelada Pops

After a fun-filled weekend, we love to wake up with a “hair of the dog” sort of beverage.  Often, those are either a Mimosa or Bloody Mary, the Midwest inspired Red Beer or a south of the border, Michelada.  Now, like many first-world-problems, we sure do not  want our drink getting warm, so how do we keep it cool???…..

A Michelada (Spanish pronunciation: [mitʃeˈlaða]) is a Mexican cerveza preparada made with beer, lime juice, and assorted sauces, spices, and peppers.[1] It is served in a chilled, salt-rimmed glass.[2] There are numerous variations of this beverage throughout Mexico and Latin America.

We simply turn the flavors into a popsicle!  Yep!  Depending on your cocktail of choice, mix all of your non-alcoholic ingredients into your mold and freeze overnight.  Once you awake and need that oh so special beverage, you simply add your frozen delight to your seasoned beer and it keeps it ice cold and never dilutes the flavor, only enhances!

*If popsicle molds are not readily available, feel free to use an ice cube tray and add a few frozen cubes to each glass of lager.

**Another easy variation, is making popsicles/icecubes with freshly squeezed orange juice and adding to a wheat beer (i.e. Hefeweizen)

https://www.wayfair.com/kitchen-tabletop/pdp/fox-run-brands-frozen-ice-pop-maker-fru1290.html

The Starting Lineup

• 2 1/2 cups Clamato juice
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• A few dashes of hot sauce (i.e. Tabasco)
• 2 tsp Tajin seasoning spice (a chile-lime-salt blend)
• 2 tsp horseradish
• “popsicle molds or ice cube trays)

Serve:

• 6-8 bottles of light Mexican beer
• Limes wedges
• Tajin seasoning
• Frosted pint glasses

In a large, glass measuring bowl with a spout, whisk all 7 ingredients together until combined (NOT the “serve” ingredients).

Carefully pour into popsicle molds and place in the freezer for 8 hours, or overnight.

To serve, squeeze a lime wedge around the rim of each frosted pint glasses and dip into Tajin seasoning.  Pour the beer 3/4th of the way into each pint and drop the popsicle, stick side up, into each glass.  Serve immediately.

*Again, if popsicle molds aren’t available, feel free to use an ice cube tray and add a few to each glass of lager.  Another variation, is fresh frozen orange juice with a wheat beer (i.e. Hefeweizen)

Honey Garlic Baked Cauliflower

When I get a hankering for some Asian flavors, this is one of my favorite go-to’s!  What I also love about this dish, is the different ways one can prepare it.  There are times that I just like it clean and simple with “naked” roasted cauliflower and a drizzle of sauce.  Other times, I will coat it with a super crunchy panko crust and toss it completely covered in sauce, then top it off with orange zest and sesame seeds.  Lot and lots of options here friends!

So when you may be in a time crunch, midweek, but still want something fun to put on the table for dinner, THIS is great!  It is healthy, sweet, savory, spicy and can be tweaked oh so easily to fit your family’s palate.  I’m sure after trying this recipe, it’ll be a back pocket staple!

The Starting Lineup

• 1 head of cauliflower, cut into bite size florets
• 2 cups Panko bread crumbs, plain
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Sauce (can be doubled for larger cauliflower heads or to fully coat vs drizzled)

• 6 Tbsp honey
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 6 Tbsp water + 2 tsp cornstarch (whisked into a slurry)
• 1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce or Tamari
• 1/2 Tbsp sriracha or chili-garlic sauce (<–if you like more heat, like myself)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.  Pour the Panko breadcrumbs onto the sheet in a flat layer and spray with a bit of cooking spray.  Bake for about 5 minutes until a golden brown.

Dip the cauliflower into the beaten egg and shake off any excess.  Place, one by one, onto the slightly browned Panko and gently roll and press all of the breadcrumbs onto the cauliflower.

Place back in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the cauliflower is cooked and exterior is a dark, golden brown.

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While the cauliflower is cooking, you can prepare the sauce.  In a small bowl, combine the water and cornstarch, set aside.  In a small saucepan, combine all of the remaining ingredients and bring to a gentle simmer for a few seconds.  Next, whisk in the cornstarch slurry to the saucepan and keep on a simmer/whisk for a couple minutes, until it starts to thicken.  Remove from the heat and the sauce will thicken even more.

Drizzle (or coat) over your baked cauliflower bites and top with the thinly cut scallions.  Serve over rice and don’t forget those chopsticks!!

*Can be made without the panko for low-carb or gluten free/ GF Panko can be substituted as well.

**A fun addition of orange zest and sesame seeds are always tasty too.  If you really like the orange flavor, add a bit of the zest and squeeze of juice to the sauce.