Meal: Simple Pumpkin Soup and Warm Chicken Arugula Paninis

Simple Pumpkin Soup:
I just can't get enough of pumpkin flavored...well...anything this time of year. When I first saw this recipe I wasn't entirely sure about the whole Chinese five-spice plus maple syrup combo but it totally works. I'd also encourage you to use REAL maple syrup versus the fake stuff. Not only is it more natural but the flavor is incomparable.

Ingredients
1 15-ounce cans pure pumpkin
2 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup skim milk
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted light butter
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
(A blend of ground anise, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and ginger)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp white pepper

2 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, sliced (optional)


Bring first 4 ingredients to simmer in large saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking often. Whisk in syrup, 1 tablespoons butter, and five-spice powder. Simmer soup 10 minutes, whisking often. Season with salt and pepper.

Melt remaining 1 tablespoons butter in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Divide soup among 2 bowls. Sprinkle soup with mushrooms and serve.

(Soup can be made 1 day ahead. Chill until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Bring to simmer before serving.)

Bon Appetit October 2001

Chicken and Arugula Panini:
My family bought an expensive panini maker which works great but when I got a good look at it I thought, my Foreman grill looks about the same. And for the most part, it is. So I didn't fall for the $$$ machinery and just used what I had already, you can too! (If you have one, if not just grill it like a cheese sandwich)

Using a rotisserie chicken can save you time but keep it healthy by removing the skin.

Ingredients
1 cooked chicken breast, shredded (from a store-bought rotisserie chicken)
2 slices red onion
2 slices provolone cheese
1/2 cup arugula
2 tbsp sweet stone ground mustard
4 slices Hawaiian bread (or Italian loaf)
2 tbsp butter

Panini machine, Foreman Grill or skillet


Preheat the panini machine. Lightly butter one side of each slice of bread with 1/2 tbsp butter each. On two of the unbuttered slices of bread layer shredded chicken, red onion, provolone cheese, and arugula. On the other two unbuttered slices of bread spread one tbsp of mustard, then place the bread buttered side up on top of the arugula. Grill sandwiches on the panini (or Foreman Grill) for 5 minutes. If grilling in a skillet, toast on each side for 2-3 minutes.

Meal: Croque-Madame and tossed salad

Croque-Madame:
In our neighborhood is a wonderful french bistro that makes the best Croque-Monsieur, so when I found out about the feminine version of this dish I had to try it. It's such good comfort food. Plus anything 'breakfast-like' for dinner is a plus in my book. I can't take credit for this recipe though - thanks epicuirious.com

Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted light butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups skim milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 ounces coarsely grated Gruyère cheese (~1 1/2 cups)
8 slices firm sandwich bread
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 pound thinly sliced cooked ham (preferably Black Forest)
4 large eggs


Mixed Greens for tossed salad

For the sauce:
Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a 1-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, then whisk in flour and cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Whisk in milk and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Whisk in salt, pepper, nutmeg, and 1/3 cup cheese until cheese is melted. Remove from heat and cover surface directly with a sheet of wax paper.

For the sandwiches:
Spread 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce evenly over each of 4 slices of bread, then sprinkle evenly with remaining cheese (1/4 cup per slice). Spread mustard evenly on remaining 4 bread slices and top with ham, dividing it evenly, then invert onto cheese-topped bread to form sandwiches.

Coat a 12-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over moderately low heat, then cook sandwiches, turning over once, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes total. Remove from heat and transfer sandwiches to lightly greased (cooking spray) 15- by 10-inch shallow baking pan.

Preheat broiler. Top each sandwich with 1/3 cup sauce, spreading evenly. Broil sandwiches 4 to 5 inches from heat until sauce is bubbling and golden in spots, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off broiler and transfer pan to lower third of oven to keep sandwiches warm.

For the eggs:
While the sandwiches are broiling, heat a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over moderate heat, then crack eggs into skillet and season with salt and pepper. Fry eggs, covered*, until whites are just set and yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes. Top each sandwich with a fried egg and serve with a mixed greens salad topped with your favorite dressing.

*Covering eggs allows them to cook through out without flipping them over. This way you get the pretty sunny side up egg look.

Gourmet March 2007