Prosciutto is an Italian dry-cured, thin-sliced ham. I can buy it in packages in the deli section of my local Safeway, so if you live anywhere near a well-stocked supermarket, you should be able to find it. Though I’ve heard you can eat prosciutto right out of the package, I don’t, and probably wouldn’t without knowing it’d been cured long enough. For the sandwiches, I cook it up just like bacon, so it’s nice and crispy and salty. Prosciutto is lighter than bacon though, which makes these sandwiches great for hot weather.

Ingredients:

croissants
prosciutto
tomatoes
avocados
lettuce, any variety will work; I like mesclun or spinach
optional: crumbled goat cheese

Guidelines:

Tear the prosciutto into slices and fry it like you would bacon.

Cut the croissants in half length-wise.

Slice the tomato(es). Slice the avocado(s).

Arrange all ingredients in croissant and eat.

(Like you needed these guidelines…)

You shouldn’t be afraid to make patties out of turkey burger. I know they can turn out dry and crumbly, but if you add back some healthy fat, such as olive oil, they hold together just fine. An egg will help, too, but I don’t always use one. In this recipe, I use a combination of olive oil, spices, and diced roasted red peppers in my patties. A bit of chevre spread on toasted English muffins, roasted red pepper strips, and baby greens complete the meal. Simple, healthy, and (kind of) elegant.

Ingredients:

1 lb. turkey burger
4 English muffins
1 jar roasted red peppers
chevre
baby greens
olive oil
garlic powder
basil
marjoram
salt
black pepper
egg (optional)

Guidelines:

Light your grill.

With your hands, combine a couple tablespoons olive oil, a couple shakes of garlic powder, basil, and marjoram, a pinch of salt, a couple grinds of black pepper, several tablespoons of diced roasted red peppers, and the turkey burger. (And the egg, if you choose to use.)

Divide the mixture into four equal portions. Place on preheated grill and cook until done. (To be honest, I let my husband handle this part, so I don’t know the exact amount of time it takes, but, depending on the thickness of the burgers, I’d estimate it averages about 12-15 minutes total.)

Slice the remaining roasted red peppers and heat them in a pan over low heat.

Split the English muffins and toast them. Spread a light layer of chevre on each side.

Place the burger on one half of the English muffin. Top burger with roasted red pepper strips and baby greens. Place the other half of the English muffin on top and enjoy!

I had big plans for how to prepare the eggplant. I was going to coat the slices in egg, dredge them in flour, and bread crumbs, and bake them (which I how I make my Eggplant Parmesan), but Monday night rolled around, and I’d worked a long day and dealt with too many annoying issues, and I just didn’t want the complication or goopy fingers. So, I took the easy way out and baked the eggplant slices sans bread crumb mixture. I’m glad I did. I think it would have been too much with the sandwich concept. Maybe when I’m looking for an exceptionally hearty meal, I’ll try it that way. Until then, I’ll stick with this recipe, which is mighty tasty and low-key.

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant
1 ball of fresh mozzarella
Parmesan cheese
fresh basil
marinara sauce
a loaf of thick, crusty bread
fresh ground black pepper (optional)

Guidelines:

Slice the eggplant into ½” thick slices. Working in layers, place the eggplant slices in a colander and sprinkle each layer with salt. Place a heavy bowl on top of the slices and let the eggplant sweat for 30 minutes. The salt helps break down the cell walls and remove the bitter flavor.

Heat your oven to 400 degrees.

Coat a large baking sheet with a light layer of oil. Place your eggplant slices in a single layer on the baking sheet. Using a paper towel, pat the slices dry. This will also help remove excess salt. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the slices reach the texture you like. I like mine melty, but if you prefer yours firmer, take them out early. Flip the slices halfway through baking.

While the eggplant is baking, heat your marinara sauce. You can, of course, make your own, but I tend to use Trader Joe’s Organic Marinara for nights when I’m too tired to bother.

Slice your bread and lightly toast it.

Slice your fresh mozzarella.

Grate your Parmesan cheese.

Mince a handful of fresh basil.

To assemble the sandwiches, place however many slices of bread you desire on an OVEN-PROOF plate. Top with eggplant, a heap of grated Parmesan cheese, plenty of sauce, and a slice of mozzarella. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the mozzarella has melted to your satisfaction. Remove from oven, let cool briefly, top with fresh basil and fresh ground black pepper (optional).

Serve. Warn your dinner companions of a hot plate!

I started playing around with what I had in my fridge, and I came up with slaw. Shredded red cabbage, ribbons of spinach, fresh jalapenos, green onions, cilantro, chopped red peppers for that splash of color, and diced red onion, all dressed with a sprinkling of lime juice. Yeah! The slaw is crisp and vibrant, and coupled with the fajita seasoned meat and hearty pita bread, it filled me right up. The best part is, you can make the slaw and cook the meat beforehand, and tote it with you wherever your summer adventures take you.

Ingredients:

1 or so pounds of skinless, boneless chicken, cut into strips
*fajita seasoning (see note below)
1 package pita or flatbread

Slaw:

1 to 1 ½ cups shredded red cabbage
1 to 1 ½ cups fresh spinach, cut into ribbons
½ -1 jalapeno, diced (adjust for heat)
2 green onions, sliced
handful of cilantro, chopped
½ -1 red pepper, diced
2-3 tbsp. chopped red pepper
2 tbsp. lime juice

*A note of fajita seasoning: You can purchase the mix in a package, or, if you prefer to make your own, try this, which is what I use: Mix 1 tbsp. cornstarch, 2-3 tsp. chili powder (adjust for heat), 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. paprika (try it with smoked, if you have it), 1 tsp. sugar, 1 tsp. onion flakes, ½ tsp. garlic, ¼ tsp. cayenne, 2 tbsp. cumin, and 1 chicken boullion cube. You may not need all of it. I used about half for this recipe, and saved the rest. Mix the desired amount in enough water to dissolve the powder. Mix into meat.

Guidelines:

Brown your meat. Once the meat is nearly cooked through, add the fajita seasoning mixed with water, and continue to cook, stirring often, until done.

For the slaw, combine all of the slaw ingredients in a large bowl. Let sit for at least half an hour to let the flavors meld.

If using flatbread, versus stuffing a pita pocket, you may need to gently warm the bread so it doesn’t split upon folding.

This veggie Italian sandwich is perfect for a quick, delicious meal anytime, but especially after a workout or a hot day in the sun. The sea salt on the roll, combined with the tapenade, provide a nice briny tang which will quickly replenish your sodium loss. The field greens are refreshing, and the fresh mozzarella is chewy and delicate in flavor. The roasted red peppers give the sandwich a warm, hearty taste. And if you buy the tapenade and the roasted red peppers instead of making them, you’ll be eating this sandwich in no time.

Note: Tapenade is a mixture made principally with olives, garlic, and vinegar.

Ingredients:

sourdough or French bread sandwich rolls
balsamic vinegar based salad dressing
olive oil
sea salt
rosemary
fresh mozzarella
roasted red peppers
mixed baby field greens
tapenade

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the sandwich roll in half. Brush the top of the sandwich roll with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and rosemary.

Slice the fresh mozzarella and lay several slices on the bottom of the roll. Lay strips of roasted red pepper on top of the mozzarella.

Place both halves of the sandwich roll on a small cookie sheet and place in the oven. Bake until the cheese is melted and the top of the roll is toasty.

Remove from oven. Let cool briefly. While cooling, toss the field greens with a balsamic vinegar based salad dressing. Place a handful or two of the dressed greens on top of the mozzarella and roasted red peppers. Top the greens with several spoonfuls of tapenade. Put the top on and eat up!

And WOW did those Hot Browns ever look tasty! My husband was drooling at the TV. It was 8:30 PM and he decided he had to have one. NOW. We don’t have any turkey, I said. No bacon, either. We have to go to the store then, he said. I was telling him how crazy he was when Ace of Cakes came on, and then I was craving cake, so I said: Fine. We’ll go get the stuff, but you have to make it, and I get cake. Five minutes later he was asleep in the living room chair. I had to settle for Frosted Mini Wheats for dessert.

The next morning I woke craving cake AND Hot Browns. Swell. So I decided to surprise my husband and make them both. I made, and ate, hot fudge chocolate cake, at two in the afternoon, and made the Hot Browns for dinner. Except I still didn’t have anything to make true Hot Browns, and they seemed a bit too rich for my style anyway, so I decided to make a skinny version with whatever I could scrounge out of the fridge and freezer. The results were mighty tasty, and I can see endless variations of this dish. So, pardon me, Kentucky, for butchering your recipe. I always cringe when people do that… but here we go… clear your dishwasher, and be ready to multi-task!