Hobo Egg Grilled Cheese

Naturally I ponder about my favorite foods multiple times throughout the day so it is no surprise that I also fantasize about ways to make them even better. To make the ultimate version of all your favorite foods, now that is the dream.

When I stumbled upon this ingenious idea to elevate my family’s beloved hobo egg I almost couldn’t breathe from the excitement. A. Hobo. Egg. Grilled. Cheese? Must. Make. One. Now.

And of course my list of recipes to try is so long I didn’t get to it until many months later, years even, but I’m so happy I finally did. Combining the best of breakfast and lunch this is a spot-on lazy Sunday brunch meal.

Cheese and eggs have been a classic combination since the stone age when a caveman accidentally knocked a bowl of cheese curds onto his sizzling dinosaur egg omelette, or so I imagine, so before even taking a bite you know this sandwich is about to blow your mind.

And it does, again and again with every bite until you find yourself standing over the stovetop already making a second one. I hope you enjoy as much as I did, and don’t forget the bacon!

Hobo Egg Grilled Cheese

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 slices bread
2 slices cheese, preferably cheddar, American, or any cheese that melts well
1-2 slices cooked bacon
1 egg
Salt and pepper

Directions

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Meanwhile prepare your grilled cheese by covering one of the slices of bread with the cheese and bacon then sandwiching the other slice of bread on top. When placing the bacon on the sandwich try to keep it around the corners of the bread so it doesn’t get cut out when you later cut out the circle from the middle.
When the butter is melted and the pan is hot carefully place the grilled cheese in the skillet. Place a pan lid or tent a piece of foil over-top the sandwich in the skillet to help the cheese melt.
When the cheese has started to melt and the bread is very lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes, carefully flip the grilled cheese. Cook until the other side of the bread is very lightly browned, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from the pan.
Using the rim of a glass or a 2” cookie cutter cut a circle out of the center of the grilled cheese. Enjoy as a pre-meal appetizer. Press down on the sandwich to flatten it slightly.
Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the skillet over medium heat and return the sandwich to the pan. Carefully crack an egg in the hole of the sandwich. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes then carefully flip over. Cook until the egg is no longer jiggling, but still feels soft to the touch, about 3-4 minutes. You want to make sure the whites are cooked through, but the yolk is still runny. Remove from the pan, cut in half and serve dipping the sandwich halves into the runny yolk.

Lauren Breakfast, Main Dishes, Recipes, Sandwiches & Burgers, Vegetarian 0 Comments

05.15.14

Turkey and Manchego Panini with Sun-dried Tomato Mayo

Sometimes I find myself craving a sandwich. There’s something so satisfying about a fresh deli sandwich loaded with meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and of course mayonnaise. Recently, to conquer my craving I decided to take it one step further and make a panini. While still a sandwich, a panini takes it to a whole new level with a crunchy exterior and gooey melted cheese. The panini is the queen diva of sandwiches and this one certainly stands up with the best of them.

There are many stars of this panini and one is the Manchego cheese. Manchego is a firm Spanish cheese that tastes similar to monterey jack with an added nutty flavor. It complements the roast turkey, salty crunchy bacon and the delicious sun-dried tomato mayo. I don’t have a fancy panini contraption and it was still a cinch to make. All you need is a grill pan and another heavy pan to press the sandwich. If you don’t have a grill pan a regular frying pan will do the trick as well. Now please excuse me while I make another one and continue conquering my craving, which is now for this panini.

Yield: 1 sandwich

Ingredients

2 slices bread
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato mayonnaise
2 ounces deli turkey breast, about 2-3 slices
1 thin slice Manchego cheese
2 strips cooked bacon
¼ cup fresh spinach leaves

Directions

Heat a grill pan or skillet to medium heat and lightly coat with olive oil cooking spray, or heat 2 teaspoons olive oil.
Make your sandwich by spreading 1 tablespoon of sun-dried tomato on each slice of bread. Add the turkey slices, Manchego cheese, bacon and spinach then close your sandwich. Place your sandwich on the grill pan or skillet and place a heavy pan on top of the sandwich to weigh it down.
Cook the panini 3-4 minutes per side or until the bread is crispy and the cheese is melted.

Lauren Main Dishes, Recipes, Sandwiches & Burgers 4 Comments

01.14.14

Mushroom Overload Cheddar Burgers

A couple of my cousins are fellow food lovers and we always inevitably land on the topic of food. Partly because we are usually gathering for some sort of meal and partly because endless discussions about food is a consequence (or bonus!) of being in my company. Somehow of all the various directions our food conversations could go we always make our way to the topic of fast food.

Now I eat fast food very rarely. And my cousins and I all have great food around our city of Boston that we enjoy frequently. But there is something so universal and instantly crave-inducing about a crispy McNugget, salty skinny fries and creamy soft serve ice cream in a cake cone. It probably has something to do with what’s in the food at these places, but shh! Let’s not ruin it!

The most crave-worthy of all is a juicy, cheesy burger. The last time I was with my cousins they asked when I was going to post a burger so here it is. A mushroom overload cheddar burger. Now originally I was waiting to post this during the warmer months when it would seem more seasonally appropriate. But I couldn’t wait. I had to post it right this second. What else were you going to eat with those zucchini fries?

Mushroom lovers will swoon over these patties loaded with porcini mushrooms and mushroom stock. And if that’s not enough, which is probably the case because there are never enough mushrooms, the burger is topped with a seasoned mushroom and shallot sauté that pairs perfectly with the richness of the sharp cheddar. These burgers will do more than satisfy your burger craving- they will create a whole new craving to have these again and again!

Mushroom Overload Cheddar Burgers

Yield: 4 burgers

Ingredients

½ cup water
½ ounce chopped dried porcini mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces cremini mushrooms, chopped
½ shallot, minced
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
1⅓ pounds ground beef
¼ cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
4 slices sharp cheddar cheese
4 burger buns
Salt and pepper

Directions

Microwave the water until hot. Add the dried mushrooms and let rehydrate.
In a large sauté pan heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and minced shallot then season with salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are tender and golden, about 10 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Stir in the Italian seasoning and remove from the heat.
In a large mixing bowl combine the ground beef, chopped onion, minced garlic, rehydrated dried mushrooms and a couple tablespoons of the soaking liquid. Do not overwork the meat, mix until just combined. Divide the beef mixture into four equal portions and form each portion into a 1 inch thick burger patty. Season each side of the burgers with salt and pepper.
Cook the burgers on a grill or grill pan until desired doneness. During the last couple minutes of cooking place 1 slice of cheese on each burger. If using a grill pan tent foil over the pan to help the cheese melt.
Serve the burgers on the buns topping with a large spoonful of the mushroom mixture.

Recipe adapted from Bobby Flay’s Burgers, Fries & Shakes.

Lauren Main Dishes, Recipes, Sandwiches & Burgers 0 Comments