Patty Melts

Classic Patty Melt

Patty melts are classic diner fare and my very favorite, to boot. The best I've had is at the Royal Diner in Washington, N.J. In fact, here's my review:

Straight out of 1940 with very few changes made, this diner is old-school awesome with terrific food. I just visited today and had the patty melt. I have a culinary diploma and write about food and this was the BEST patty melt I've ever had. The fries were fresh and crispy and the taste was clean (no old oil lying around at the Royal Diner!) I'd travel back from Bethlehem, Pa any day to get another.

My daughter had the California burger and was just as impressed. The staff was courteous and kind without any fake "fluff" going on. When I asked when the diner was built my server knew right away. If you're in or near Washington, NJ, the Royal Diner is worth checking out.

Classic patty melts are so simple to make and so yummy, you'll never have leftovers. Serve with chips or hand-cut fries, pickles and a cold root beer for a diner style meal at home.

Classic Patty Melt

Patty Melt

Hands-On Time: 30 minutes
Ready In: 35 minutes
Yield: 4 sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 large onion, sliced thinly
2 Tablespoons cooking oil
1 1/12 pounds ground beef
1 teaspoon Kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 slices rye bread
8 slices American or Swiss cheese
butter for spreading

Directions:

1. Mix ground beef with salt and pepper and form into 4 patties slightly larger than the bread you will be using. Set aside.
2. Cook onion in oil until well caramelized, about 10-15 minutes. Set aside.
3. In a large frying pan, cook burgers until desired doneness is achieved - usually 6-8 minutes per side. Remove from pan.
4. Stack patty melts together, bread, one slice of cheese, burger, another slice of cheese and 1/4 caramelized onions followed by another slice of bread.
5. Butter both sides of each sandwich and cook in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until cheese is melted and sandwiches are golden brown.

Spicy Pulled Pork and Jalapeño Mayo

Spicy Pulled Pork and Jalapeño Mayo

This is a recipe I've been working on for months. Yes, months. I made it once and then found that no matter what I did I couldn't seem to duplicate it. I was frustrated. I think I've made pulled pork 6 times in the last two months trying to get this right.

Let's step back a moment. The first time I did this it came from the slow-cooker version of Italian Beef that's been floating around for a long time. Italian dressing mix packets and a good beef roast slow cooked for hours and then made into sandwiches. I thought - what's good for the beef is good for the pork, and I was right.

However, the first time I made it was with a 3 pound pork butt and a couple jalapeños. It was spicy. Boy, oh boy was it spicy! It was so good I decided to do it again but on a larger scale with a full 10  pound pork shoulder. Why not?

Once it was done it shredded beautifully and it was good, but not the same. Not spicy, not as flavorful. OK, I needed to step up the dressing packets and peppers. Or maybe try something different. I tried more packets, more peppers, extra garlic, extra black pepper. No, no, no and no.

So, I went back to the drawing board. A smaller roast, a slightly different method ... and BINGO.

Here's the recipe, and pay attention to the method so you don't skip out! Also, the may was a stroke of genius. These are dainty and proper sandwiches just because the barbecue sauce is missing - no, these are messy and divine.

Perfectly Roasted ... isn't that a beautiful crust?

Spicy Pulled Pork and Jalapeño Mayo
Printable Recipe

5 pound pork shoulder
4 medium jalapeños diced
3 packets Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing and Recipe Mix - divided
2 cups water

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Rinse pork and dry well. Place in a large roasting pan, fat side up.
3. Rub 2 packets of dressing mix all over pork.
4. Add jalapeños around roast and pour water into bottom of pan - do not pour over pork.
5. Roast for 5 hours or until fat forms a crisp crust and pork is easily shredded. Strain pan drippings well and set aside.
6. Cool until able to handle and remove excess fat and shred well.
7. Sprinkle last packet of dressing mix over pork and mix well.
8. Pour pan drippings over shredded pork and mix well.
9. Mound onto rolls and top with Jalapeño Mayo.

Jalapeño Mayo

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon minced jalapeño
1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

Combine all and let stand for 10 minutes before using for shredded pork sandwiches.

30 Days of Grilled Cheese with Land O' Lakes: Italian Beef Grilled Cheese

Italian Beef Grilled Cheese

Land O Lakes^® 4 Cheese Italian Blend is the best combination of the most flavorful Italian cheeses—Asiago,

Parmesan and Romano—blended with the creamy goodness of Land O Lakes^® Deli American Cheese. Add this delicious cheese to everything from favorite dishes to lunchbox sandwiches or burgers hot off the grill. The creamy, decadent taste truly makes each dish an everyday masterpiece. The Land O’Lakes Test Kitchens have developed recipes and tips that highlight the wide range of uses for this cheese. Find recipes, photos and tips on the Taste of Italy product inspiration page at http://www.landolakes.com/4CheeseItalianBlend.

Did you know April is National Grilled Cheese Month? And who doesn't love grilled cheese? To celebrate this, Kitchen Play and Land O' Lakes have teamed up for "30 Days of Grilled Cheese" ... Yum. There is currently a gallery at Kitchen Play that lists the 30 bloggers and their grilled cheese creations - one post for each day. What a delicious month! Click the image below to see the other recipes.

My personal favorite grilled cheese is a nutty Swiss paired with deli ham on rye. Simple, but so tasty. For this event, though I decided to do a riff on the famous Chicago Italian Beef sandwich. I sandwiched deli sliced Italian beef between slices of Land O' Lakes 4 Cheese Italian Blend deli cheese and topped it with a classic giardiniera on garlic buttered Italian bread. It was near perfection.

My oldest daughter and I shopped for the ingredients for this delicious grilled cheese and once we got everything home and tasted the cheese we were too excited to have these. The 4 Cheese Italian Blend is my new favorite cheese. It's tangy, sharp and creamy all in one and was the perfect complement to the strong flavors of the Italian beef, giardiniera and garlic bread.

I'll share the recipe below, but I have to share the most important part of this event with you:

From April 1 through May 1, Land O’Lakes will donate $1 to Feeding America every time someone pins or repins a Land O’Lakes recipe on Pinterest. That’s eight meals for a hungry family when you pin a recipe—and eight more every time anyone else repins it. Giving goes viral. Find your favorite Grilled Cheese recipe to pin on landolakes.com. 

You all know I love that last part, so please follow the link and PIN your favorites to help feed others!

Now, if you've ever had a real Chicago Italian Beef sandwich you know there's no cheese involved and there should be a good amount of au jus, but as a grilled cheese I felt the jus could stay home and the beef and cheese would pair well with the giardiniera and I was right. Give this one a try!

Italian Beef Grilled Cheese
Printable Recipe
Hands-On Time: 10 minutes
Ready In: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

4 cloves garlic - roasted in oven until soft (instructions here)
6 Tablespoons salted butter - room temperature
8 large slices rustic Italian bread
16 slices Land O' Lakes 4 Cheese Italian Blend
1/2 pound deli sliced Italian Beef
1 cup prepared giardiniera - chopped

1. Squeeze roasted garlic from skins and blend well with butter until spreadable.
2. Spread one side of each slice of bread with garlic butter.
3. Lay bread on a grill pan or other heavy bottomed pan over medium-high heat.
4. Add one slice of cheese to each slice of bread in pan.
5. Layer on beef, giardiniera and other slice of cheese. Top with remaining slices of bread.
6. Cook until bottom side is golden brown and carefully flip to other side.
7. Cook until other side is golden brown and cheese is melted. Be careful not to let your grilled cheese burn!



Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Land O’Lakes as part of the Kitchen Play Sidecar series. As always, all opinions given are my own.

Pull-Apart Oven Sandwich

Who doesn't love ham and cheese? It's even better when it's heated. This has much of the same flavors as the Baked Ham and Cheese Sandwiches I've made before, but with a different presentation for a little more "wow" factor at the table.

Here's the deal with these; any meat or cheese works and you can use just mustard or honey mustard on the insides and you don't really need any on the outside of the loaf. Any way you slice it, it's delicious.

 Start with a loaf of Italian bread.

 Cut 13 times to make 6 sandwiches (12 slices of bread) and two ends. Don't cut all the way through to the bottom of the bread. It's a must to let the bread stand for 30 minutes once cut if you'll be spreading the insides with the margarine mixture.

 Put bread onto tin foil. Spread margarine mixture on the inside edges of each sandwich. Don't spread on what will be the outsides of each sandwich or you'll have a mess!

 This is the spread in the center of 6 sandwiches - each labeled so you can see easier how to cut. Use 2/3 of the spread for this part.

 Put ham and cheese in between slices of bread spread with margarine mixture. This makes 6 sandwiches with two ends left to the bread.

 Cover the outside of the sandwich with the remaining 1/3 of spread.

 Wrapped and ready for the oven. Bake for 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

 The finished sandwich.

 Individual sandwiches.

Pull-Apart Oven Sandwich
Printable Recipe

1 loaf Italian bread - unsliced
1/2 cup margarine spread (like Country Crock) or softened butter
2 Tablespoons brown mustard
1 Tablespoon honey
1/2 pound sliced ham
6 slices Provolone cheese

1. Make 13 even slices into bread, but do not cut all the way through to the bottom. This should make 14 slices of bread - 12 even and 2 larger ends. (See photo) Let bread stand for half an hour to dry out the slices slightly.
2. Mix margarine, honey and mustard together until well blended. Spread into the center of bread slices, leaving spaces between sandwiches. Spread on the insides only, where you will place the ham and cheese.
3. Put ham and cheese in between slices that were spread with margarine mixture.
4. Wrap entire loaf in tin foil and put into 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before unwrapping and serving.

Baked Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

There's nothing like a versatile recipe to make my day. Add to that affordable and quick and you have a real winner for me. With so many picky eaters in this household, it's difficult to make something that everyone will like. This sandwich can be made with any meat or cheese and come out just as good so experiment a little like we do. Switch out the ham for turkey or the provolone for Swiss or cheddar. There really is no end to the combinations with this recipe.

The original recipe (this is actually quite old) most often calls for a sweeter roll like Hawaiian, but the miniature Portuguese rolls I used were perfect as well. I still think the glaze could be a little sweeter, but everyone else here was fine with them as-is.
Baked Ham and Cheese Sandwiches
Makes one 9x13 pan
Printable Recipe

1 stick butter or margarine (to heck with cholesterol, we all know butter is better)
3 Tablespoons honey mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
12 - 16 small rolls such as King's Hawaiian
3/4 pound thinly sliced ham
1/2 pound sliced provolone

1. Melt butter and stir in honey mustard and Worcestershire sauce.
2. Brush the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan with glaze.
3. Split rolls in half horizontally and layer the bottom of the pan with the bottom halves of rolls.
4. Brush the cut sides of the rolls with glaze and layer ham and cheese on each roll.
5. Place top halves of rolls on the sandwiches and brush with remaining glaze.
6. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Gourmet Cheeseburger Amuse Bouche

An amuse bouche is typically a one-bite wonder prepared by a chef to showcase his or her talents. Not listed on the menu, it's a little extra something that is not listed on the menu served before the meal to help whet the appetite. These did just that; my kids asked for far more than I had made.

These use Etorki sheeps' milk cheese, one of the delicious pressed French cheeses offered by Ile de France. The flavor is very reminiscent of a sharp white New York cheddar, but a bit milder and very creamy, not dry as sharp cheddar's tend to be. I thought the flavor was deeper than most French cheeses, which tend to be milder overall, and we really like this one.

Gourmet Cheeseburger Amuse Bouche
Makes 24
Printable Recipe

6 slices bread
1 pound ground beef (80/20 is best for burgers)
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
1 garlic clove - minced
24 roasted red pepper strips
1/4 pound Etorki sheep's milk cheese
fresh basil chiffonade

Toast bread, remove crusts and cut each slice into 4 squares.
Combine ground beef, Worcestershire, pepper, garlic and salt and mix well. Shape beef into 24 small patties and broil or pan fry until done - this takes only a few minutes to do. Drain on paper toweling.
Place a patty on each toast square and top with red pepper and cheese. Microwave or broil for a few seconds, just until cheese melts. Top with basil chiffonade and serve.

Summer Cooking 101 Part IV, Sandwiches

There is no meal more life-saving and versatile on a hot day than a sandwich. The fillings options and bread types available are innumerable and there isn't anyone I know who doesn't have a favorite.

Many times we will load the blender or food processor with meats and cheeses that we like and blend away creating a sandwich spread that can be held in the refrigerator and used by almost anyone to make a quick bite. We try to think outside the box a little and make non-traditional sandwiches like cream cheese and pb with a fruit. We even do this with hot dogs adding things like salsa and shredded cheese.

Other times we make Dagwood-esque towers or simple roll-ups from flat breads.

Here are a few ideas to get you started. This list could go on to infinity and if you have a very favorite sandwich, let me know!


Breads can include:

• pitas
  
• whole wheat
  
• white
  
• rye
  
• pumpernickel
  
• rolls (French, Portuguese, hoagie, Kaiser etc)
  
• bagels
  
• tortillas
  
• rice cakes
  
• focaccia bread
  
• ciabatta bread
  

Meats or Fillings can include:

• lunchmeats (too many to list! Turkey, chicken, beef, ham, salami etc.)
  
• leftover meatloaf
  
• grilled chicken
  
• cream cheese
  
• egg salad
  
• tuna salad
  
• veggies
  
• hard cheeses
  
• spreads
  
• hummus
• tofu
  
• bacon
  
• peanut butter
  
• jams, jellies and preserves
  

Veggies and fruits can include:

• lettuces (bibb, romaine, spinach etc.)
  
• tomatoes (try plum tomatoes on a sandwich)
  
• radishes
  
• onions
  
• avocado
  
• sprouts
  
• zucchini
  
• cucumber
  
• fresh herbs
  
• bananas
  
• apples
  
• strawberries
  
• pears (as in grilled pear and Gouda-yum!)
  
• pineapple
  

Condiments can include:

• olives
  
• pickles
  
• peppers (green, red, sweet, hot etc.)
  
• salad dressings (Ranch, Italian, Thousand Island, Bleu Cheese etc.)
  
• cole slaw
  
• mustards like grainy, honey or Dijon
  
• ketchup
  
• mayo
  
• salsa
  

**********

Hawaiian Ham Spread

1 1/2 cups cooked ground ham (food processor or blender works well)
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, well drained
1 t brown sugar
1/8 t ground cloves
2 1/2 T mayonnaise

Combine first 5 ingredients and stir well.


Smoked Salmon Spread

8 oz cream cheese-softened
3 T heavy cream
5 oz smoked salmon-minced
1 T minced fresh chives or green onions
Fresh lemon juice
ground cayenne pepper
ground black pepper

Combine cream cheese and heavy cream in a bowl and whip with an electric
mixer or a wire whip until light and fluffy. Stir in the smoked salmon,
chives and add lemon juice, cayenne and black pepper to taste. Serve on
bagels, other breads or as a dip for raw veges. Serve at room
temperature.


Olive Sandwich Spread

2 pkg. (3 oz. each) cream cheese-softened
1/2 c mayonnaise
1/2 c chopped green olives
1/2 c chopped pecans-or other nut or even sunflower seeds
1 T olive juice

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Spread on
crackers or bread. Yield: 1 1/2 cups.


Grilled Honey-Mustard Chicken Sandwiches
4 Servings

1/4 c Dijon mustard
2 tb Honey
1 ts Dried oregano leaves
1/4 ts Garlic powder
1/4 ts Ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 ts Water
4 ea Boneless, skinless chicken-breast halves (appx 1 lb)
4 ea Whole-grain sandwich buns,
8 ea Thin slices tomato
Leaf lettuce

Mix mustard, honey, oregano, garlic powder, red pepper and water, brush
on chicken.

Cover and grill chicken 4 to 6 inches from medium coals 15 to 20
minutes, brushing with mustard mixture and turning occasionally,
until juice is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are
cut.

Discard any remaining mustard mixture.
Serve chicken on buns with tomato and lettuce.

Source: Betty Crockers New Chicken Recipes


Anne's Sweet and Savory Tuna Sandwiches

6 Kaiser rolls
2-6 1/2 oz cans tuna
6 slices cheese any type
to taste:
chopped black olives
sliced sweet and sour peppers
Spanish olives with pimiento
sliced tomato
Italian dressing

Split rolls and hollow out to within 1/2" of edges.
Drain tuna and flake. Place one slice of cheese on
bottom half of each roll. Top with tuna, olives,
peppers, tomato and drizzle with dressing. Place tops on
and wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for
1 hr but not more than 12 (rolls will get soggy).
Unwrap and let stand at room temperature for 1/2 hour
before serving.

Makes 6 sandwiches


Cobb Salad Sandwich

1 piece flat peasant bread or one large flour tortilla
grilled, sliced chicken breast
2 slices bacon cooked crisp
1/2 tomato-diced
1/2 avocado-thinly sliced
romaine lettuce-chopped
iceberg lettuce-chopped
4 thin slices red onion
2 T bleu cheese dressing

Layer ingredients in the middle of bread or tortilla.
Roll tightly and slice on bias. Makes one large
sandwich.


And, last but not least, if you can stomach it:

Dagwood Bumstead Sandwich
1 servings

3 lg Onions
1 Head lettuce
4 Tomatoes, sliced
1 Lobster tail
1 Eagle talon
1 Fish (pref.2-days old)
1 Pot spaghetti
- Cold and gooey
1 lb Bacon (cooked?)
1 Meatloaf
1 Ham
1 Fried egg (over easy)
1 String of sausages
1 Mayonnaise, gallon
1 Jar of pickle relish
1 Tin of sardine in oil
1 Bottle of ketchup
1 Bottle Sweet mustard
1 Hot mustard
1 Loaf Bread
Assorted cheese
Assorted vegetables
Assorted olives

Arrange the ingredients between two slices of bread.
Serves one.
From: King Features Syndicate

Summer Cooking 101 Part I

Muffuletta

Nope, not Summer Cooking for Dummies, but close.

Now that things are heating up, many people are trying to figure out how to make meals without too much heat or fuss.

First thing's first - figure out what methods of cooking you have available and whether or not you are comfortable with them. One thing you definitely don't want to do is turn on the oven! Even if you have A/C the heat from the oven takes longer to dissipate in the summer since the humidity is generally higher. Also, anything that involves boiling water is something you want to do before sunrise or after sunset. If there is anything that I definitely need the oven or stovetop for (ie; certain cakes, pastas, rice) I try to get it done as early in the day as possible when it's generally cooler and more likely that the kitchen will cool off by mealtime.

I would try to stick with these appliances: refrigerator/freezer, crockpot, microwave, sandwich maker, waffle iron, blender, food processor, tabletop or stovetop grill, outdoor grill and electric frying pan. (I don't even own all of these myself, so you can make do with less.)

OK, now that you have your basic appliances chosen, what do you cook with them?
Here's where I come in! I have too many crockpot recipes and many for the microwave. I will post microwave recipes for sure, but they will be fewer since individual microwaves vary in heating times making it harder to pin down the method for many recipes. They are great to have and you can make a perfect cake with them as I discovered when we were without cooking gas for about a month once. (My microwave made a 9x9 cake in 10 minutes at 50% power, for instance. I did need to play around the first couple times but once I had it down we had cake fairly often.)

My favorite recipes are the ones that don't involve any cooking and those are most likely the ones I will share first.

My personal favorites for hotter days:

No-Cook or almost-no-cook:

• Fruit and Cheese with crackers or bread
• Tortilla Roll-Ups and wraps
• Cut up veggies and dip (cucumber, carrot, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, grape tomatoes, zucchini, etc.)
• Muffuletta
• Subs
• Cucumber Salad
• Pasta Salads
• Sandwich spreads
• Smoothies and milkshakes
• Dips
• Popsicles

Microwave:

• Quesadillas
• Rice dishes
• Chicken patty sandwiches
• Quick pizzas
• Veggie melts

Grill:

• Bulgogi (aka-Korean BBQ beef)
• Hot dogs
• Hamburgers
• Lime Ranch Chicken
• BBQ Chicken
• Grill roasted potatoes
• Grill roasted corn
• Chicken and veggie packets

Crockpot:

• Crockpot Chicken Stew
• Chicken with Noodles
• Sausage and Rice dinner
• Chicken and Rice
• Triple Chocolate Mess Dessert
• Chili

Here is a sample to get you going. Keep "tuning in" during the Summer for lots more!

Ham and Cheese Ranch Roll-Ups
Printable Recipes

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese-softened
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese-room temperature
1 cup mayonnaise
1 envelope Ranch Dip Mix
3/4 pound shaved deli ham-chopped if necessary
3/4 cup green onion, thinly sliced
12 (9 inch) flour tortillas

In medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, cheddar, mayonnaise, and
dip mix until well combined. Stir in ham and onion, Spread each
tortilla thinly with ham mixture, leaving a scant 1/2 inch edge on
one side. Roll up toward side with 1/2 inch edge and wrap tightly in
plastic wrap; chill thoroughly, 3 to 4 hours or up to 2 days. Slice
rolls into 1/2 inch slices for appetizers or serve whole for full servings; discard ends if desired and arrange spirals on serving dish. Cover tightly and chill until ready to
serve, up to 24 hours.
Serves approximately 16 - 20 as an appetizer or 12 as a main dish.


5 Layer Mediterranean Dip
Printable Recipe

2 c hummus (recipe below)
1/2 c chopped tomato
1/4 c chopped cucumber
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Feta cheese-crumbled
2 T sliced pitted ripe olives

Spread hummus on bottom of 9-inch pie plate.
Layer with remaining ingredients. Serve with pita chips or wedges.


Hummus
Makes 2 cups
Printable Recipe

2 cups cooked and drained garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1/2 cup tahini - sesame paste
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
juice of 1 lemon

Toss everything into a blender and pulse until smooth. For this one I added in a cup of diced red pepper. You can add in other veggies, etc. just make sure to balance out the liquid so the hummus isn't too thin.


Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Makes 36 bars
Printable Recipe

2 c powdered sugar
2 c graham cracker crumbs
1 c smooth peanut butter
1/2 c +2 T butter or margarine-melted
12 oz Milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips-melted

Mix the powdered sugar, cracker crumbs, peanut butter and butter in a
medium size bowl until blended.
Scrape into an ungreased 13x9 baking pan and press into an even layer.
spread the melted chocolate over the top. Refrigerate at least 2
hours until the chocolate is firm. Let stand at room temperature, 15
to 20 minutes before cutting with a sharp knife into bars.




White Sangria Punch (Non-alcoholic)
12- 3/4 cup servings
Printable Recipe

4 c white grape juice
1 c pink grapefruit juice
1T lime juice
1 club soda bottle- 750 ml- chilled
Pink grapefruit slices

In large pitcher, combine grape, grapefruit and lime
juices; refrigerate. Just before serving, add soda water
and grapefruit slices.



Next up:

Summer Cooking 101 Part II, Big Ideas for Little Tummies

Veggies in the Valley

For many people the beginning of Spring heralds the start of another year of fresh vegetables. Admit it, nothing says Spring like a crunchy pea pod or succulent stalk of asparagus.

The Lehigh Valley has it's fair share of the vegetable
trade; from vegan desserts, to farmer's markets, to
independent farms bursting forth with their freshly
picked crops, to it's very own vegetarian society aka
Lehigh Valley Vegetarians.

I spoke with Mr. Frenkel on the phone and he was more
than happy to send me more resources than I would be able to list here.
If you are in the Lehigh Valley or surrounding areas,
send him an email, tell him Anne sent you, and he'll
gladly add you to the mailing list.

Lehigh Valley Vegetarians
2509 Stones Throw Rd.
Bethlehem, PA 18015
Phone: 610-709-8984
Contact: Len Frenkel
e-mail: frenkel@rcn.com


Here are some listings I was able to find~linked where there is a website or other info.


Farmer's Markets

Bethlehem Farmer's Market

Campus Square at Lehigh University, South Side Bethlehem

Thursdays 12 - 4

Summer only

Plaza Grower's Market
PPL Plaza, 9th & Hamilton
Wednesdays, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., rain or shine
June through October
info@plazagrowersmarket.com

Allentown Fairgrounds Farmer's Market
17th & Chew Sts.
Allentown, PA 18104
(610) 432-8425

Easton Farmers' Market
1 S. Third St., 4th Floor
Easton, PA 18042
(610) 250-6758
eastonfarmersmarket@rcn.com
Emmaus Farmers Market
235 Main St.
Emmaus, PA 18049
(610) 965-6279
emmausmainst@enter.net


Health Food Stores


Garden Gate Natural Foods
17 South 9th Street
Allentown, PA.
610-433-8891

Queen's Nutritional Products
1450 Pennsylvania Avenue
Allentown, PA
610-691-6644

Sign of the Bear
514 North Street Cloud Street
Allentown, PA
610-429-8575

Nature's Way
143 Northhampton Street
Easton, PA
610-253-0940

The Old Copella Store
2064 Bushhill Center Road
Bath, PA 18014
Phone: 610-759-7573

Shaffer's Health Center
1825 Chew St.
Fairgrounds Market
Allentown, PA 18104
610-439-1013
484-695-9496

Frey's Better Foods
1575 Main Street
Hellertown, PA 18055
Phone: 610-838-6989

Taste Of Nature
241 S Broadway
Wind Gap PA 18091
(610) 863-4616

Healthy Alternatives
7150 Hamilton Blvd.
PO BOX 466
Trexlertown, PA 18087
610-366-9866

B-Natural Health Foods
2 North Robinson Avenue
Pen Argyl, PA 18072
(610)863-3388

Area Produce and Dairy Farms

Gottschell Farm
5318 Limeport Pike
Coopersburg, PA 18036
Steve and Nicole Shelly
Steve: (267) 671-5340
Nicole: (267) 496-6303
nicole@gottschellfarm.com

Strawberry Acres
1767 Clearview Rd.
Coplay, PA 18037
(610) 262-1890 or (610) 261-2323
upikfruit@aol.com

14 Acre Farm
169 E. Whitebear Dr.
Summit Hill, PA 18250
Kevin Ruch & Albert Sabatini

Pheasant Hill Farm
Don DeVault
3502 Main Road East
Emmaus, PA 18049
610-965-6871
pheasant_hill@emmausmarket.com

Klein Farms Dairy and Creamery
410 Klein Road; Easton, PA 18040
(610)252-0961
kleinline1@aol.com

Cihylik Farms
Box 546, Cove Road
Treichlers, PA 18086
610-261-1261
Nicholas Cihylik

Lettuce Alone Farm
1846 Independent Rd.
Breinigsville, PA 18031
610-285-2779
Chuck Armitage

Rolling Hills Farm
PO Box 250
Saylorsburg, PA 18353
610-498-2431
fpollock@enter.net
Frank Pollock and Heidi Secord

Stagecoach Orchard Apiary
PO Box 381
Lehighton, PA 18235
610-377-1875
Peter Sliwka

Suyundalla Farms
1848 Clearview Road
Coplay, PA 18037
610-261-9098
skorinko@fast.net
Kenneth and Heather Skorinko

Tara Pome Farm
6825 Woodlawn Drive
Zionsville, PA 18092
610-965-4833
Greg and Joanne Widney
and their children
Jake and Joya

Wills Valley Farm
379 Dunkels Church Rd.
Kutztown, PA 19530
610-683-5540
bock@enter.net
Timothy and Ann Bock

Newhard Farms
3250 Mauch Chunk Rd
Coplay, PA 18037
610-799-3303
Fax: 610-262-6602
info@thecornshed.com


Classes
The Nourishing Well
610-649-5797
Marilyn Moser-Waxman
**********

What would a post be without recipes? Here are three to whet your appetite for a little healthier eating.Vegetarian Paella
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup white rice
Few strands saffron or ½ tsp turmeric
2 cups water
2 small green peppers, finely sliced
4 oz fresh peas
4 oz fresh green beans

Heat oil in a large skillet; saute onion and garlic for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes;
cook 2-3 minutes. Add rice, salt to taste, and saffron. Mix well; add water.
Cook over low heat about 14 minutes, until rice is tender. After cooking about
10 minutes, add peppers, peas, and beans. Let stand a few minutes before
serving.
~~~~~~~~~~

Cajun Veggie Burgers
Makes 8 Burgers
Printable Recipe

2 cups cooked red beans
1 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 medium green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. With a spoon or your
hands, mix all the ingredients together until well
blended, and form into burgers. Arrange the burgers on
an oiled baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes on each
side until browned.
~~~~~~~~~~

Anne's Lentil Salad
Printable Recipe

1 cup dried lentils
1 cup diced carrot
1 cup diced red onion
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
water - as needed
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbls. lemon juice - preferably fresh
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

In a saucepan combine lentils, carrots, onion, garlic,
bay leaf, and thyme. Add enough water to cover by 1
inch. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered
for 15 to 20 minutes or until lentils are tender but not
mushy. Drain lentils and vegetables and remove bay leaf.
Add olive oil, lemon juice, celery, parsley, salt, and
pepper. Toss to mix and serve at room temperature.

Tea Anyone?

I can just imagine myself sitting down at the head of the table and pouring out the tea," said Anne, shutting her eyes ecstatically. "And asking Diana if she takes sugar! I know she doesn't but of course I'll ask her just as if I didn't know. ~Anne of Green Gables~
L.M. Montgomery

Several years ago I was part of the "Women's Christmas Tea" committee at my church. I was put in charge of - surprise - the food. I had a certain amount of money we could spend and knew there were 80 ladies coming to a Victorian themed tea.

I set off looking for recipes that fit well into that era and came up with the most traditional tea recipes. Tea day came and everything went very well except that my scones weren't working. A girl from the church went to a local bakery and between what I made (the ones that turned out all right) and what she was able to purchase, we had enough.

After setting up the buffet-service table I waited there to help others serve themselves if need be and then ran off to refill things before they returned for (hopefully) seconds. After I got back I stayed rooted to my spot behind the table, saying an occasional hello to friends or answering questions about the fare. Suddenly I looked up and saw, with only slight terror, that the Pastor's mother-in-law was on her way to the buffet. Now, normally this wouldn't cause concern for anyone except for the fact that this woman was from England. Now I ask, what country knows more about afternoon tea?

There she was, toddling and tiny and very old and making her way directly towards me. I was quaking in my shiny black oxfords. She looked up at me and asked, in her lilting English accent "Did you make all this food?" as she made a sweeping gesture down the table. I said, "Well, all but____, and ____." (the few things that others had supplied). Then, she looked at me with the sweetest little-old-lady smile and I suspect at that moment that the axe is slowly falling, but instead she says, "I couldn't have hoped for a better English High Tea."

I breathed a thank you and went weak at the knees as the whole room swayed and she toddled back to her table. I don't think I have ever been paid a better compliment on anything I've made.

Even when the event showed up in the local gossip column I was still not as thrilled as I had been at that moment.

These are some of the cards I made to sit by the dishes we served:

Here are the recipes that I decided on for the tea:

Mini Quiche Lorraine

Makes 3 Dozen
Printable Recipe

Filling:

2 eggs

3/4c. sour cream

1 1/2 c. shredded Swiss cheese

Pastry:

2c. flour

1/2t. salt

2/3c. shortening or butter

1/4c. ice water

Prepare pastry:

Combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening or butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add water by tablespoon until dough clings together. Form into a ball.

Roll dough thinly and cut into 36 two-inch rounds. Fit into bottoms and partway up sides of muffin cups.

Prepare filling:

Combine egg and sour cream and mix until smooth.

Place a teaspoon of cheese in each pastry lined cup. Top with 2 or more teaspoons of the egg mixture.

Place in oven on center rack and bake 375 degrees F. for 20 to 25 minutes or until filling puffs and lightly browns.

Let cool and serve at room temperature.

Chicken Salad Sandwich Filling

Makes about 2 cups
Printable Recipe

2 whole chicken breasts (4 breasts) cooked

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Place all in a food process and pulse until combined and smooth but not paste. The salad should still have some consistency to it.

Spread on your choice of breads (no crust) and cut into shapes.

Serve at once or cover tightly and serve within 1 hour to avoid bread becoming soggy.

Raspberry Butter

Makes 1 cup

Printable Recipe

1/2 cup raspberry preserves (no seeds)

2 Tablespoons honey

1 cup softened butter

Mix all well and chill.

Mound in a pretty dish and let sit at room temperature until soft enough to spread.

Scones

Makes 75 small scones
Printable Recipe

8 c. flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 Tablespoon baking powder

4 sticks butter, softened, cut into tiny cubes

7 Tablespoons sugar

10 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup milk

1 egg white, beaten

Preheat oven to 425F

Sift together flour,salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Drop butter cubes over the flour mixture. Blend gently with fingers until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle with sugar and add beaten eggs. Mix gently with hands until well combined. Add enough milk to make pie-dough consistency. Do not overwork. Pat out on a floured table to form a large 1 inch thick square. Cut into small triangles (bases about 2 inches) Bake for 18 minutes or until golden. For browner scones, coat top with beaten egg white.

Mock Devonshire Cream

Makes 1 cup
Printable Recipe

1/2  cup heavy cream

2 Tablespoons confectioner's sugar

1/2  cup sour cream

Whip cream until soft peaks form-add sugar and fold in sour cream.

Make sure this is not the consistency of whipped cream, but instead a very thick molasses type consistency slightly whipped but less so than traditional whipped cream.

Lemon Curd

Makes about 4 cups
Printable Recipe

2 cups sugar

12 egg yolks, slightly beaten

1 cup lemon juice

2 sticks butter

2 Tablespoons grated lemon zest

In medium saucepan, blend sugar and egg yolks. Add lemon juice gradually. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture coats the back of a spoon. DO NOT BOIL. Remove from heat. Cool slightly. Stir in butter and lemon peel. Cool completely and serve in tart shells or with scones.

Vittles to Move By

Moving is not a fun thing to do. Moving is especially not a fun thing to do if it's your umpteenth time in 16 years. Packing boxes, cleaning things, tossing things, it seems interminable.

One thing necessary for those weeks (or days sometimes if planning has gone by the wayside) is quick meals. Nobody has time for Gnocchi Marinara, and it seems to leak straight through paper plates *sigh*. Not to mention, most of our moves have been during Summer so the ease of preparation and consumption of any food comes into play all the more significantly.

Tonight for instance, we are having take-out Sicilian pizza. What's easier to prepare, I ask? :o) Tomorrow though I'll be making these great sandwiches that are a variation on something I saw somewhere-sorry to be so non-specific. Not the healthiest but, I can give you pointers on what would make them healthier.

BBQ Bacon Turkey Rolls
Printable Recipe

Layer on a large sandwich roll (the kids like sesame sandwich rolls or potato rolls) the following:

smoked turkey
bbq sauce (your favorite brand or even homemade if you are so inclined)
sliced cheddar cheese
crisply cooked bacon slices (I usually cut long slices in half and use 2 to 3 halves per sandwich)
tomato
lettuce
cucumber
pepper rings
whatever veggies strike your fancy

Use as much or as little of each ingredient as you wish-these are just so good with the bbq and turkey combo-and not usually something people thing to pair together in a cold sandwich. I serve these with chips and pickles.

To make this healthier, use whole grain bread or rolls, skip the cheese and bacon (or use turkey bacon) and pile on sprouts and greens galore! Sun Chips multigrain chips are a great alternative to regular potato chips or just set out cut up veggies like carrots, celery, cauliflower, broccoli, etc. This version is actually the one I opt for while the rest of my family eats the first choice.

Totable Dinner

This evening we are going to have dinner with our new "landlords" at the home we will rent from them. They are missionaries to Uganda and will be gone for 4 years! I decided to take something easy and so I will be taking our favorite Muffuletta (3 variatons!), chips, classic potato salad, mini-no-bake cheesecakes, and lemonade.

I'll also be taking paper everything so there are no dishes for anyone!

Muffuletta ala Anne
Printable Recipe

1 large round loaf of bread (traditionally Italian)
1/2 lb hard salami-sliced
1/2 lb sliced ham
1/2 lb smoked turkey
1/2 lb sliced cheese
1/2 c chopped black olives
1/2 c chopped spanish olives with pimiento
2 plum tomatoes sliced
1/2 c Italian dressing

Cut loaf in half horizontally. Remove inside of bread leaving a 1" ring at edge. Layer meat and cheese alternately, I usually make 2 layers. Top with sliced tomato, chopped olives, and drizzle with dressing. Replace top of bread and wrap tightly in plastic. Refrigerate for several hours and remove from plastic. Cut into 6 wedges.

Serves 6

Classic Potato Salad
Printable Recipe

1 c mayo
2 T vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
4 c potatoes (5 to 6 medium) cooked, peeled, and cubed
1 c sliced celery
1/2 c chopped onion
2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

Combine mayo, vinegar, salt, sugar and pepper.
Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and chill several hours.
Makes 5 cups.