Tuesday, March 15, 2011

St. Patrick's Day Sammies



If you aren't a big fan of corned beef and cabbage to serve on St. Patrick's Day here is an easy recipe for grilled green cheese. I love to watch food television while working out at the gym. I run to eat. I try to workout for an hour while watching Giada and then Ina on the Food Network. Makes the time on the treadmill fly by. One afternoon I saw this easy recipe from the ever bubbly Giada. Samma at Spice and Sass has the funniest post about this celebrity chef. Makes me laugh every time I make stuffed shells and refer back to that post.


You can find the recipe here but I changed it up a bit. You do not need a stick of butter for heavens sake. How does that woman stay thin? Gracious. I took sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack and freshly shredded Parmesan from Eddie's as my combo. I saved half of the cheddar and jack mixture for quesadillas later in the week. E. says we need to lay off the cheese but I'm most certainly addicted to cheese. Read this. No wonder and maybe E. has a point that my addiction could be serious. 


Anyway, blend the two blocks together in the Cuise.


Use a half a stick of butter. Jeesh Giada, are you trying to kill us with opiates and cholesterol?




Add a big handful of baby spinach a little bit of olive oil and about a half a cup of Parmesan. Blend away. Isn't it pretty?


I baked the Pancetta in the oven as she suggested. I think a smoky bacon would have had more flavor.


I love getting a French loaf at Eddie's and ask them to slice it for me. Freshly sliced bread is simply the most wonderful little luxury.


Spread the cheese mixture on one side, add tomatoes and the Pancetta.


My tomatoes were so ripe they were messy on this sandwich. Second round was sans maters and I dug it the most.  We grilled them on the panini press without butter on the bread and voila, green grilled cheeses. I saved the remaining cheese mixture as a spread for crackers in my small 3 oz mason jars. It could actually be a great little hostess gift for St. Patrick's Day.

Thank you Giada, for your big breasted personality that motivates me to work my tail off at the gym. Samma, you are hilarious and I feel like I know you reading your blog. Wishing all of my friends in Ireland the happiest of St. Patrick's Day week. I wish I could jump the pond for a quick pint. SLAINTE!



4 comments:

melissa said...

YUM! Who doesn't love grilled cheese? I like the idea of adding spinach for St. Patty's Day. That totally cancels out the half stick of butter and cheese, right?

Anonymous said...

My mouth is watering! Pancetta makes everything better...
Too bad, my gym has terrible channels, always so I end up listening to the same music on my iPod; The Killers are my favorite to run by!

Nelle Somerville said...

Melissa, that's what I'm thinking!
Libby, I must need another brand of Pancetta. Mine was so blah. Do you have a suggestion?

pve design said...

In my next life, I am hiring you to cook for me.. and run for me whilst watching the food network too.
pve