Spinach, Mushroom and Cheese Bread; For Lack of a Better Name!
Posted by Shelly Perry (10/02/2011 @ 8:50 pm)

It’s not really bread.
It’s dough from my favorite pizza place spread with veggies and cheese and egg.

I happened to have these items in the fridge.

I sauteed the spinach and mushrooms with some crushed garlic and olive oil.

While the bread is raising let the sautee mixture cool and whisk together two eggs; reserve 2 TBSPN to brush on the loaf after you roll it.

Spread the mixture evenly being sure to go all the way to the ends.

Roll the loaf and cover with the egg wash.
Some of the mixture may seep out, try to contain it.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until deep goden brown.

I tried to get photos of the finished product but this was devoured in minutes.
It is great for kids lunches, a travel meal or anytime you want a filling, satisfying treat; hot or cold.
Warm this up sliced in the oven like toast and the edges get crispy. Just delicious!
Posted in: Food on a Budget, Green Living, Healthy, Indulgences, Ingredients, Recipes
Tags: bread and vegetable meals, cheese bread, easy meal, food kids love, lunch idea, spinach bread, spinach cheese bread, travel meals, vegetarian appetizer, vegetarian meal, vegetarian recipe, veggie loaf
Artisan Goat Cheese and Lavender Honey with Fresh Baked Flatbread at Tavern On Rush in Chicago!
Posted by Shelly Perry (10/22/2010 @ 12:03 am)

The Tavern on Rush in Chicago’s Gold Coast is where Chef John Gatsos creates this simple but outstanding flatbread and cheese appetizer.
TAVERN FLATBREAD: Chef’s daily selection of artisan cheese served with freshly baked flatbread and a side of lavender honey.

Lavender honey with seasoned goat cheese is perfect.

Warm and fluffy, doughy and lightly seasoned with fresh parsley, this flatbread melts in your mouth.

A picture is worth a thousand words and on this gorgeous sunny day one photo just wasn’t enough!

Indulge my prediliction for photos of beautiful food!











Posted in: Chefs and Restaurants, Indulgences
Tags: appetizers, artisan cheeses, Chef John Gatsos, Chicago, Chicago Chef, Chicago restaurants, flatbread, goat cheese, Tavern on Rush Chicago, vegetarian appetizer
Crispy Red Skin Potatoes with Tahini Sauce
Posted by Shelly Perry (02/23/2010 @ 8:18 pm)

Having a recipe that you can make quickly and get right everytime is a great skill to master.
Red skin potatoes are a great side dish for so many dishes and these are great alone; as a treat.
I have made these for appetizers and as a snack to go with cocktails.
These are like a dressed-up version of potato skins minus the huge calorie count!
They take about 30 minutes from washing the potatoes to serving them. So you can whip them up in a jiff if need be.

Tahini Sauce
Tahini sauce is made from tahini – a sesame seed paste. Tahini sauce is thinner and used in pita sandwiches, marinades, and dips. Tahini sauce is very easy to make. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and it will keep for about two weeks.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
3 gloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon parsley, finely chopped (optional)
Preparation:
In a food processor or mortar and pestle, combine garlic and tahini. Add kosher salt.
Remove from food processor and add olive oil and lemon juice. If too thick, add a teaspoon of warm water until desired consistency.

I washed and quatered about 12 medium sized organic red skin potatoes
Saute in about 1/4 cup of olive oil
I added about 10 shakes of red pepper flakes and 4-5 pinches of dried rosemary
I let this cook until the potatoes became browned
I then removed them from the frying pan and wrapped them in aluminum foil and placed them on a cookie sheet in a 450 degree oven for about 15 minutes.
Salt to taste
Top them off with the tahini sauce and serve.

Enjoy!

Posted in: Food on a Budget, Indulgences, Ingredients, Recipes
Tags: appetizers, crushed red pepper, garlic, lemon, olive oil, red skin potatoes, rosemary, snacks, tahini, tahini sauce, vegan, vegan appetizer, vegan snack, vegetarian, vegetarian appetizer, vegetarian snack