Soup Day Panini

Fall's soup season in Michigan folks.

This sandwich's perfect to serve along soup, for a quick lunch or anytime.

I used pumpernickel swirl bread, but you 

8 slices each: bread
4 - 8 slices each: colby jack cheese, hard salami

2 - 3 T. mustard
non stick cooking spray 

To assemble sandwiches: Layer salami, cheese on 4 slices of the bread.

Take remaining bread, smear mustard with a clean knife on one side of bread.

Place mustard side of bread down on salami and cheese. 

To heat: Heat grill pan or skillet over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium and spray non stick cooking spray into skillet.

Place 1 - 2 sandwiches into skillet. 

Cook on 1 side for 3 - 5 min or until brown.

 Flip over and cook on other side for 3-5 min or until brown. 

Repeat cooking process with remaining sandwiches.

Serves 4. 

Mini Pear Pies

This is perfect for fall, game day or anytime.

You can use fresh pears, but you can also use frozen or canned pears if needed.

1 pkg. pre made pie crust

Non stick cooking spray

1 - 2 pears cut up

1 T. each: cornstarch, cold butter cut up into chunks

1/8 -1/4 c. each: sugar, flour (enough to flour work board and rolling pin)

Lemon juice

1/8 - 1/4 tsp. each: ground cinnamon, salt

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Spray 1 muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. 

Remove package of pie crust from refrigerator. 

Let it set out a few minutes to warm up.

This will make it easier to roll out.

Flour work board, rolling pin with some of the flour. 

Remove pie crusts from package. 

Use rolling pin to roll out pie crust to desired thickness. 

Use a wide mouth glass to cut 6 - 8 circles from crust. 

Place crust circles into muffin cups. Repeat process with other pie crust.  

. 

Rinse, halve, remove core, cut oear into bite size pieces. 

If needed, prepare other pear.

If using frozen or canned pears, cut into bite-size pieces.

In a bowl combine: pears, salt, cinnamon, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice. 

Mix well to coat.

Place 1 tsp. approx. of pear mixture into each muffin cup. 

Top each muffin cup with the cold butter.

 Place muffins tin into oven and bake 20 - 30 minutes or until pies are golden brown. 

Keep an eye on them so that they don't burn. Remove from oven and let cool.

Serves 4 - 6

Summer Harvest Soup

This is perfect for fall or anytime

I've used zucchini and summer squash.

1 each: zucchini, summer squash

1 onion, peeled, rinsed, cut into pieces

1 - 2 cloves garlic peeled, rinsed, crushed

1/4 tsp. each: salt, pepper

non stick cooking spray

2 - 3 T. each: unsalted butter, olive oil

4 - 6 c. low sodium chicken broth

1/2 c. sour cream

Preheat oven to 375’ F. 

Spray cooking sheet with non stick spray.

Rinse, cut ends from, cut in half lengthwise, chop zucchini, summer squash.

Peel, rinse, chop onion.

Peel, crush garlic.

Arrange vegetables on cooking sheet.

Place vegetables in oven to cook for 20 min.

Remove vegetables from oven carefully.

Heat oven to medium high heat. 

Lower heat to medium, add oil and butter. 

Add vegetables, salt, pepper, cook for 10 min., stirring occasionally. 

Add broth to vegetables, cover pot with lid.

Reduce heat and cook for 15 - 20 min. more.

Turn off stove, remove soup from heat.

Add sour cream to soup and use an immersion blender to blend until soup is blended.

Serves 4 - 6.

Nectarine Salad

I'm not a big fan of peaches, but love nectarines.

I was cleaning the veggie, fruit drawers in the refrigerator today and found that I needed to use some nectarines soon.

I also wound up roasting some vegetables and  testing a soup recipe for an upcoming post.

This is perfect for the end of summer or anytime.

2 - 3 c. romaine lettuce

1 - 2  each: nectarines chopped, tangerines

1/4 - 1/2 c. onions chopped

2 oz. feta cheese

1/4 tsp. black pepper

Rinse, pat dry lettuce in a clean kitchen towel, set aside.

Peel, rinse, chop onion, set aside.

Peel tangerines, set aside.

Rinse, cut in half, pit, chop nectarines, set aside.

Remove feta cheese from refrigerator, chop.

To serve:

Arrange lettuce on 4 clean plates. Arrange nectarines, tangerines, onion over lettuce.

Sprinkle feta cheese over salad.

Sprinkle some black pepper over salad.

Serves 4.

Recipe To Stop Hunger

September's Hunger Action Month.

When most of us get hungry, all we have to do is go to the kitchen to eat.

Many of us can get groceries, go to a restaurant, order takeout. .

There are some who are unfortunate around the world, they don't have that luxury.

1 in 6 Americans are facing food insecurities.

Whether hunger’s taking place on the next block, the neighboring city or next door, it affects everyone. 

On the side of this site, are some links to organizations that are working to eradicate hunger. 

By getting involved you are making a difference.

You can also find a local food bank or charity and donate there too.

Thank you for paying it forward.

Buffalo Popcorn

This is perfect for tailgating, game day, movie night or any time.

You can adjust the amount of hot sauce used. 

1 pkg. microwave popcorn

1/4 c. butter

1/4 tsp. each: salt, pepper

1/4 - 1 tsp. hot sauce

Place bag of microwave popcorn in microwave and microwave popcorn according to package instructions.

While popcorn's popping, combine butter, hot sauce, salt, pepper in a microwave safe bowl.

When popcorn's done, remove popcorn from microwave and put bowl with butter in microwave. 

Microwave butter for 10 - 25 sec. or until melted. Let bowl set microwave for a few seconds to cool down.

Be very careful removing bowl from microwave.

Pour popcorn into a clean bowl.

Pour butter over popcorn. 

Serves 4.

Easy Peach Mini Pies

Happy National Peach Pie all!

This is perfect for late summer or anytime.

You can use fresh peaches, but you can also use frozen or canned peaches.

1 pkg. pre made pie crust

Non stick cooking spray

1 - 2 peaches, cut up

1/8 - 1/4 c. sugar, flour

1 - 2 T. each: cornstarch, cold butter cut up into chunks

Lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Spray 1 muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. 

Remove package of pie crust from refrigerator. 

Let it set out a few minutes to warm up.

This will make it easier to roll out.

Flour work board, rolling pin with some of the flour. 

Remove pie crusts from package. 

Use rolling pin to roll out pie crust to desired thickness. 

Use a wide mouth glass to cut 6 circles from crust. 

Place crust circles into 6 muffin cups. Repeat process with other pie crust.  

. 

Rinse, halve, remove pit from, cut peaches into bite size pieces. If needed, prepare other peach.

If using frozen or canned peaches, cut into bite-size pieces.

In a bowl combine: peaches, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice. 

Mix well to coat.

Place 1 tsp. approx. of peach mixture into each muffin cup. 

Top each muffin cup with the cold butter.

Place muffins tin into oven and bake 20 - 30 minutes or until pies are golden brown. 

Keep an eye on them so that they don't burn. 

Remove from oven and let cool.

Serves 4.