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.