Category Archives: Vegetarian

Peanut Butter, Chocolate and Banana Panini

These grilled sandwiches contain peanut butter, chocolate chips and chopped banana between slices of rich egg bread.

8 slices egg bread, about 1/4-1/2″ thick
2 tablespoons (unsalted) butter, melted
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 or 2 ripe, firm bananas, peeled and diced
2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Preheat a panini iron according to manufacturers directions. Brush one side of 4 of the bread slices with some of the melted butter. Place bread slices, buttered side down, on a smooth dry surface. Spread 1/4 of the peanut butter on each slice of bread. Sprinkle 1/4 of the chocolate chips over peanut butter on each bread slice. Press chips gently to adhere. Sprinkle 1/4 of the banana pieces over chocolate chips on each bread slice. Cover each with a plain bread slice. Brush each bread slice with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Place sandwiches in heated panini iron and grill, according to directions, until lightly browned and crisp. Remove the panini to a cutting board and slice each sandwich diagonally in half. (If you do not have a panini iron, these sandwiches may be made using a griddle or a cast iron or other heavy skillet, turning panini halfway through cooking. Be sure to press the sandwiches with a metal spatula to flatten them as they cook.)

Number of Servings: 4 (8 panini halves) Notes: Kids love this as a dessert or snack. Grown-ups love them, too. Takes only a few minutes from start to finish.

Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich

2 jalapeno peppers, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
2 slices sour dough bread
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup jack and cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon tortilla chips, crumbled

Place the peppers on a baking sheet with the cut side facing down.  Place the baking sheet on the top shelf in the oven and broil until the outer layer of the skin has blackened, about 8-14 minutes.  Place the peppers in a zip-lock bag or other sealable container, seal and let them cool until you can handle them, about 20 minutes.  Remove the skins from the peppers. The skins should easily “pinch” off.  Assemble sandwich and grill until golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Spinach Souffle Stuffed Mushrooms

1 -10 oz. package cottage cheese, small curd
3 eggs
1 cup cheese, shredded
1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed well
1 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
24 mushroom caps

Mix cottage cheese, eggs and cheese in food processor until smooth.  Mix in spinach.  Place in baking dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Mix baked souffle with next 4 ingredients.  Fill each mushroom cap with spinach mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

12  Servings

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 -10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach
1 -8 oz. package cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 -12 oz. jar marinated artichoke bottoms or hearts
1 -7 oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Thaw spinach as package directs, squeeze out any excess liquid.  Set aside.

In a food processor, combine cream cheese, sour cream and undrained artichoke hearts.  Pulse until blended.  Add drained peppers and Parmesan cheese; pulse until fairly smooth.
Transfer mixture to a 1 1/2 quart baking dish.  Stir in drained thawed spinach.

Microwave at high power for 7 minutes, until heated through and bubbly around edges.  Stir and serve with crackers.

14  Servings

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Yield: 14 servings

Ingredients

1 -10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach

1 -8 oz. package cream cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1 -12 oz. jar marinated artichoke bottoms or hearts

1 -7 oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Thaw spinach as package directs, squeeze out any excess liquid. Set aside.

In a food processor, combine cream cheese, sour cream and undrained artichoke hearts.

Pulse until blended.

Add drained peppers and Parmesan cheese; pulse until fairly smooth.

Transfer mixture to a 1 1/2 quart baking dish.

Stir in drained thawed spinach.

Microwave at high power for 7 minutes, until heated through and bubbly around edges.

Stir and serve with crackers.

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