Spinach Apple And Cheese Panini Sandwiches With Caramelized On Food

BISTRO APPLE PANINI

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain. In a small bowl, toss apple with ginger ale and lemon juice; set aside., Place jelly in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave on high for 20-30 seconds or until softened. Stir in tarragon., Spread jelly mixture over 6 bread slices. Top with cheese, apple and bacon. Spread mustard over remaining bread; place over bacon. Spread outsides of sandwiches with butter., Cook on a panini maker or indoor grill for 3-4 minutes or until bread is browned and cheese is melted.

SPINACH MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 teaspoon butter.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat while macaroni is cooking. Add flour and whisk until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in a little milk and continue whisking. Pour in remaining milk and add frozen spinach. Cook, whisking constantly, until spinach softens and sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
• Remove sauce from heat and stir in 2 cups Cheddar cheese; whisk until melted. Season sauce with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
• Drain macaroni and spread evenly in the prepared baking dish. Cover with cheese sauce. Mix well. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup Cheddar cheese on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted, about 30 minutes. Turn on the oven's broiler and broil until a golden crust forms on top, about 3 minutes.

SPINACH, APPLE, AND CHEESE PANINI SANDWICHES WITH CARAMELIZED ON

Steps:

• Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add oil and onions. Stir occasionally. After about 5 minutes, onions will start to caramelize, and you will need to stir constantly for about 5 more minutes. Onions should be evenly browned, not burnt. Remove from heat and set aside.
• To assemble sandwiches, spread about 2 tablespoons of onions on each of 4 pieces of bread. Top each slice with about 4 spinach leaves, 1 slice of cheese, and 3 pieces of apple. Top with other slices of bread.
• Heat grill. After assembling sandwiches, grill for about 2 1/2 minutes, then flip and grill for another 2 1/2 minutes. Serve with extra apple slices.

SPINACH AND BLUE CHEESE SALAD WITH SLICED APPLES AND SPICED CARAMELIZED PECANS

Steps:

• Cut the apple into quarters, remove the stem and the seeds, and cut into very thin slices. Sprinkle lemon juice over the slices and set aside.
• When ready to serve, in a salad bowl, combine the apple, spinach, radicchio, and blue cheese. Season lightly with salt and pepper and toss with the dressing. Adjust seasoning, to taste.
• To serve, divide the salad among 4 plates and sprinkle the pecans around each salad.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the shallots and the mustard. Whisk in the vinegars, and then the olive and vegetable oils. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate until needed.
• Yield: 1 1/4 cups
• Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, "Adventures in the Kitchen", Random House, 1991
• In a deep-fryer or a deep pot, heat the oil to 350 degrees F. (A deep-frying thermometer can be clipped to the side of the pan so that you can tell when the proper temperature has been reached).
• Meanwhile, in a large saucepan bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add the pecans and boil for 2 minutes. Drain in a large strainer, shaking off all excess water. Sprinkle the salt and cayenne pepper over the nuts and then coat with the confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, allowing the sugar to melt into the pecans. Toss the nuts by shaking the strainer, adding a little more sugar each time, until all the sugar is used and all the nuts are coated. Do not use hands or a spoon to toss. The nuts should have a glaze of sugar.
• Carefully add the nuts to the heated oil, keeping the oil at 350 degrees F. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon to a baking tray to cool.
• Yield: 2 cups
• Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, "Pizza, Pasta & More!," Random House, 2000

CARAMELIZED ONION, APPLE AND GOAT CHEESE MELTS

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add the onions and salt and cook, tossing frequently, until the onions turn creamy and golden, 15 to 18 minutes.
• Add thyme and red-pepper flakes and stir for another 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant. Transfer the onions to a small bowl and stir in the goat cheese and olives.
• Place 4 slices of bread on the counter and divide the onion mixture among them, spreading to the edges. Top with the apple or pear slices, then the remaining bread, pressing down gently to adhere.
• Wipe the same skillet down with a paper towel, then add 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil (or more as needed to coat the bottom of the pan) and heat over medium. Working in batches, if needed, add the sandwiches and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side, pressing them gently to compress them as they cook, until the bread is toasted and deeply golden brown. If working in batches, add more olive oil as needed and cook remaining sandwiches. Slice and serve.

SPINACH MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium. Add onion and cook until translucent, 6 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is pale golden and has a slightly nutty aroma, about 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, add 2 cups milk. Add remaining 2 cups milk, raise heat to medium-high, and whisk until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Cook, whisking constantly, until sauce comes to a boil, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, 13 to 15 minutes.
• Add spinach and cook, stirring constantly, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add cheese and stir until melted, about 2 minutes. Add cooked macaroni and stir to combine. Serve immediately.