Grilled Mozzarella and Red Pepper Paninis

These paninis are rather sentimental to me.  :)  They always make me think of my mother.  In a past post or two I mentioned the grocery store back home that my mom and I love going to.  Well, here's another post inspired by that grocery store.  Every time I'm home, my mom and I always have to split one of these.

I have to say - I find these rather addicting...!

Grilled Mozzarella and Red Pepper Paninis

4 ciabatta rolls
8-12 basil leaves
2-3 medium tomatoes (thinly sliced)
sliced roasted red pepper (thin strips)
8 oz fresh mozzarella (sliced to about 1/4" rounds)
olive oil, butter, or basil butter
salt & pepper

We have a cast iron panini grill, but a panini press works just as well!  (Honestly - the first time I made these for my awesome old roommate, Lynsey, for her birthday, we didn't have anything will "grill making marks."  I fashioned the largest pan with a smaller pot inside of it so I'd have a "lid" on top to help "press" the panini.  See?  Whatever works!).  Heat the cast iron or panini press.  Add a little butter or olive oil if necessary.

Slice the ciabatta rolls in half.  Spread butter, basil butter, or brush olive oil on the insides of both the top and bottom pieces.

Layer the mozzarella, roasted red pepper, tomato slices, and 2-3 basil leaves in each roll.

Place the paninis on the grill and grill each side for about 3-4 minutes, or until nice grill marks are made and the mozzarella begins to melt.

Remove from grill, let sit for a minute or two, then slice in half and serve.

Roasted Red Peppers

as many peppers as you'd like!
olive oil
salt
garlic (optional)

There are a few methods for doing this...

If you have a gas stove-top, turn burner on high and place the peppers on the flame.  Watch carefully and rotate frequently as to not TOTALLY char your pepper.  If you don't have a gas stove, like we don't, then here's an easy solution!  Turn your oven on to broil.  The method is quite similar.  Make sure your top right is as high as it can go.  Rotate the pepper every 60-90 seconds or so.  You might find that it needs a little more time on each side.

Don't be scarred to have some dark, black marks.  That's all in the roasting process!  :)

Once roasted, place the peppers into a bowl, cover tightly, and allow the peppers to cool.

Carefully remove the roasted skins.  Don't get rid of any of the juices left from the peppers in the bowl!

Slice the peppers and place back into the bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and garlic as desired.

Oven Steak with Basil Butter

I have to say that originally, I hadn't purchased a large quantity of basil for this purpose.  Also, I can't credit the idea to myself, as it really was my mother who came up with the genius idea!  And you know what?!  It WAS genius!  I am now addicted...  I'm not sure I'll be able to see plain butter (in MOST savory contexts) in the same light again.  (Baking?  That's another ballpark!).

So, with some family, this feast commenced!  Documenting this epic event?  Well... my camera?  MIA.  The NICE camera?  Currently with Nicholas in... a foreign country...  All that to say, MUCH thanks to Bri for letting me use her iPhone for this meal and the chocolate cake (next post?).  :)  THANKS, Bri!!!

This steak recipe, or one VERY similar to it, came about in Aspen two summers back with my brother-in-law Stephen and our AWESOME friend, Doug.  Let's just say there wasn't ONE bite left that night and we were all SO stuffed that we couldn't move for a couple hours.

It was about TIME to bring back this recipe!

Oven Steak

1 large steak (about 1.25-2 lbs - also, use a NICE, FATTY cut!  It'll make it SO much more tender)
salt
pepper
Worchestershire Sauce (A MUST!)

Pre-heat your oven to 325.

Heat a "lined" cast iron skillet on medium-high heat.  By lined, I mean it's "grated" and can make sear marks - ours is great for this AND for making paninis!!  (Hmmm... that gives me an idea for this week!).  :)

Salt and pepper, generously, both sides of your steak.  One your skillet has heated, place your steak into the skillet and allow to sear.  Toss in about 1-2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce.  The cast iron will really SIZZLE at this moment and beautifully add a nice brown to the steak.  After 45-60 seconds, check the steak for nice grill marks.  If you have a nice browning and coloring, flip the steak over and repeat.

Once both sides of the steak are nicely seared, grab the skillet with a pot-holder and place in the oven.  Allow to cook for 15-20 minutes.  If you're really conscious and don't like a rare steak, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature.  If you like a rare steak, I would suggest about 12 minutes.  20 minutes gets a nicely done steak with no apparent pink, but isn't charred!  :)

Allow the steak to sit for about 5-10 minutes before cutting into.  If you're really specific about things, cut against the grain.  :)

Top with Basil Butter and drizzle the excess drippings/sauce from the cast iron!!!

Basil Butter

1 cup butter (2 sticks - best if still somewhat chill and not room temp)
5-6 oz fresh basil (EVEN more, if you'd like - no stems - leaves only)
3-5 cloves fresh garlic
salt

In a food processor, or blender, combine butter and garlic (add cloves depending on how strong of a garlic essence you enjoy) and beat/blend until the garlic is chopped and no large chunks remain.  Add basil, seasoning with some salt.  Blend again until the basil is fully incorporated and smooth.  Test to see if more salt is needed and add as necessary.

We enjoyed this on a nice loaf of ciabatta bread as well!  NOT a bad choice, if I say so myself...  :)

Warming up with a bowl of soup!

Have you noticed HOW MANY people are sick right now?!  It's crazy!!!  You turn the corner and another person is coughing... or sneezing... or... blowing their nose.  We won't be too vivid here, but you get the drift.  And we all know that mom prescribes that bowl of chicken noodle soup for the invalids.  Nature's remedy?   Let's face it... probably not.  But there is certainly merit to the comfort that soup brings when we aren't feeling well.  It does something to warm-up the whole body and soul!  (Why else would there be countless books titled, "Chicken Soup for the _____ Soul?").  Soup can cure any sore throat and stomach ache!  (Or maybe that's really a cup of good tea with some soothing honey...).  Fear not, here's a soup that'll help the sick to feel better or one to warm-up with the chilly wind (or even snow...) that's still in the air!  And the best part?  This recipe is super easy and takes almost no time at all!

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
2 15oz cans of tomatoes (either crushed, chunks, puree - whatever texture you're looking for in your soup!)
1 6 oz can tomato paste
4-6 tbs olive oil
2-4 garlic cloves (minced)
3-4 tbs basil "paste" or pesto
salt and pepper
1/2-1 cup heavy cream

Heat pot over medium-high heat.  Add 3 tbs olive oil, 3-4 tbs basil/pesto, garlic, and a little salt and allow to saute until garlic is cooked down (about 3-4 minutes).  Add tomato paste and 1-3 tbs more olive oil and season with a little more salt and some freshly ground pepper for another 2-3 minutes.  Mix and allow to fully incorporate before adding the canned tomatoes.  Mix all of the ingredients together and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes.  Turn down the heat to low or medium-low and slowly add the heavy cream until you reach the creaminess you desire.  You may decide you want even more or less than the 1/2 to 1 cup.  Stir until the cream has fully been incorporated with the tomatoes and no white streaks are evident.  Allow to simmer for about 15 minutes.  Taste test to see if you desire any more salt, pepper, cream, etc.  Allow to simmer for another 15-20 minutes or until ready to serve!

Just like with all soups and chilies, this recipe is always better the second day!  This an easily be made a day or two ahead and reheated to serve.

It's a great starter for a full course meal with guests!  Or just go "plain and simple" and serve with some toasted garlic bread, french bread, or even homemade spanakopita (like pictured here!  Only that recipe will come at a later date...!), or even toss-up a nice green salad and be adventures and grill a ham & cheese or a panini with mozzarella, tomato, and basil or whatever floats your boat!  The options are endless.