Amy's Southwestern Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Thanks to Nate Pollack for the photo

Sharing original recipes here on the blog led to writing a cookbook and doing recipe development for corporate clients. But this is the first time (that I know of) that I've ever had an item on a menu. It's my Southwestern Grilled Cheese Sandwich and it's available at The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen. I don't know how long it will stay on the menu, but for this week, 20% of the proceeds of the sandwich go to support one of my favorite non-profits in San Francisco, La Cocina. 

So what's in the sandwich? 

• Artisan Bakers sourdough
• Chipotle butter
• Tillamook Jack
• Tillamook Sharp Cheddar
• Fresh Jalapeños and Hatch chilis (from New Mexico)
• Roasted tomatoes
• Sweet white corn
• Black beans seasoned with garlic, cumin and bay leaves

Do give it a try and let me know what you think! 

American Grilled Cheese Kitchen

1 South Park

San Francisco

415.243.0107

Open 7 days a week: 

Mon-Fri 8am- 3 pm

Sat-Sun 10am - 4 pm

My thanks to Tillamook for sponsoring the contest using their cheese.

Avocado and Salmon Crostini with Vanilla Salt

I feel as though I have disappointed these crostini.  They look all gussied up and festive with their creamy green spread, vibrant red and purple radish slices and that pink salmon.  They totally thought they were going to some swanky coctail party, to be nibbled on between sips of wine and cheerful cocktail chatter.  But instead we made these on a Sunday afternoon, greedily keeping them all to ourselves and in an atmosphere of pure comfort.  They were disappointed.  But not us.  

Ingredients
1 baguette, sliced
olive oil
vanilla salt*
freshly ground black pepper

1 ripe avocado, pitted
3 tablespoons grapefruit juice
1/2 teaspoon grapefruit zest
1/4 teaspoon vanilla salt
dash black pepper

handful of radishes, sliced thinly
6 ounces smoked salmon
1/4 cup chopped chives

*Vanilla Salt:
1 vanilla bean, split in half
1 cup kosher salt

Instructions
For the vanilla salt: Place salt and vanilla bean in airtight container for at least a week.

Heat oven to 375.  Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet (I used a Silpat to line mine).  Pour olive oil in a bowl, and brush the oil on each slice.  Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper on each.  Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden-brown.

Mash the avocado, grapefruit juice, grapefruit zest, salt, and pepper together in a bowl.  Spread on each toasted baguette slice.  Then top with one or two slices of radish, smoked salmon, then a sprinkling of chives.

Kale, Walnut, Plum Salad with Plum-Walnut Dressing

So I thought I was going to be all smug and self righteous this summer and not post a salad.  Since salads weren't really floating my boat these past few weeks...  For some reason, I apparently thought this made me rebellious.  I am unable to account for how I got this notion.   I picked up some kale at the farmers market recently, and thought to myself, I'm going to make some fresh pasta and then toss it with the kale and some other things.  That sounds yummy!  Then it got hot.  And stayed hot.  Like, oh my god, I wish I had an air conditioner hot.  We live near the ocean; we're not supposed to get hot like this!  Come back ocean breeze!  My tolerance for heat must have plummeted since moving here...  But anyway, I realized that rolling out some homemade pasta would be like a mild form of midieval torture, which cooking really shouldn't be.  So I made a salad to use up the kale, and surprisingly (or not surprisingly), I really liked it!

Ingredients
For the salad:
1 bunch curly kale, stem removed and chopped
2 pieces of bacon
1 scallion, chopped
1 plum, pitted and sliced
bit of shaved Parmesan cheese
bit of shaved carrots
handful of toasted walnuts

For the dressing:
1/4 cup toasted walnuts
2 plums, peeled and pitted
1/4 cup canola
1 tablespoon walnut oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Instructions
For the salad: Fry up bacon slices on a griddle over medium heat.  Once both sides have crisped, remove from griddle and place on a paper towel. Place kale, scallions, plums, Parmesan cheese, carrots, and walnuts in a medium-sized bowl.  Chop the bacon pieces, and those into the bowl as well.  Toss everything together.

For the dressing: Place everything in a food processor and pulse a few times until it all comes together.  Then drizzle over the salad and mix together.

Make a Perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Would you like to know the secrets to great grilled cheese sandwiches? Heidi Gibson, the Commander-in-Cheese of The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen is a serious grilled cheese champ. She has won more grilled cheese sandwich contests than anyone. Last night I learned from Gibson how to make breakfast and brunch versions of grilled cheese sandwiches and picked up some amazing tips. I also got the news that The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen just won a $250,000 grant that will help them to open their second location in the Cafe Gratitude space on Harrison Street. No joke. Gibson, manager and co-owner Nate Pollack and all their customers are truly grateful.

So let's get started! 

What's best to slather on your bread? 

On the outside Gibson goes with butter, she recommends European style and she likes salted, not unsalted butter so that the sandwich has a bit of "salty crunch" when you bite into it. 

What kind of bread should you use? 

Almost any kind! With the exception of potato bread which does not lend itself well to grilled cheese sandwiches. Bread with holes can be used, but find a cheese that will melt though, giving you crusty "plugs." Some types of bread to consider--levain, sourdough and artisan whole wheat. 

What about seasoning your ingredients? 

Here Gibson breaks with tradition and says, if you have salty ingredients like bacon or ham, don't season each ingredient as you go. Cheese also adds salt, and salted butter will add flavor to your bread. 

What seasonal ingredients are good to use? 

The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen has offered up sandwiches with brussels sprouts, preserved Meyer lemons, asparagus and even butternut squash. While the sandwiches were delicious, they did not become best sellers with customers looking for more familiar fare. 

What about fruit?

Sure! Gibson particularly likes peaches and strawberries. 

What's the best technique for grilling a sandwich?

It's not using a panini press, which creates a pressed sandwich something different from a traditional grilled cheese according to Gibson. Her technique is to use a hot convection oven. Place your sandwich on a sheet pan or a hot cast iron pan, and cook each side separately before assembling. This technique allows for more fillings and height to a grilled cheese sandwich. 

What pairs best with grilled cheese sandwiches?

Beer! Gibson likes porter with an aged gouda and bacon sandwich and a hoppy IPA with spicier sandwiches. 

More top tips: 

Control your moisture. You want to prevent the bread from getting soggy, so if you are using a wetter ingredient like tomatoes or a wetter cheese like fresh mozzarella, layer in between drier ingredients between the bread.

Always put the smaller side of the bread on the outside, so you have more surface area inside. 

Avoid triple cream cheeses and brie which are too delicate for most grilling techniques or use in the middle rather than next to the bread. 

More is not better, be sparing with fillings. The balance of bread and cheese and other fillings is key.

In other grilled cheese news, my sandwich won the impromptu contest sponsored by Tillamook cheese and will be offered at The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen soon with 20% of the profits going to the charity of my choice, La Cocina.  It's the Southwestern and features Tillamook Monterey Jack and Sharp Cheddar, fresh jalapeños, corn, tomato and black beans on sourdough. 

My sandwich won't be on the menu tomorrow, but there will be a Happy Hour at The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen featuring Tillamook Cheese. This is a fun opportunity since the shop is normally not open in the evening (with the exception of Giants game nights). 

Wednesday, August 22 from 5–8 pm

·         $3 Tillamook Grilled Cheese - ‘Tillamook Classic Grilled Cheese’ (regularly $6) made with award-winning Tillamook Sharp Cheddar and Monterey Jack

·         Drink specials - Local craft beers ($5, Pitchers $19), California wine ($8), Sangria ($4, Pitchers $15)

·         Toppings (at an additional charge) - Fresh jalapenos, applewood-smoked bacon, seasoned roasted tomatoes, cured ham, housemade pickles, smoked turkey

American Grilled Cheese Kitchen

1 South Park

San Francisco

415.243.0107

Open 7 days a week:

Mon-Fri 8am-3pm

Sat & Sun 10am-4pm

*Extended hours during events/ball-games at AT&T park

Chocolate Strawberry Cake Cookies with Orange Zest

I am so completely open to the power of suggestion when it comes to food.  I either read, see, or hear about food, and then suddenly, I want it that instant.  At the end of 'One Hungry Monster', the little boy takes out an apple muffin, and I think to myself, why yes, yes, an apple muffin, that does sound perfect!  When we watch a Seinfeld DVD, we generally end up wanting Chinese takeout. Even if we're stuffed.  There is always room for Chinese food...  Then there is the book, 'If You Give a Mouse a Cookie', that Max loves.  Of course, by the end of it, I'm always thinking, wow, yes, a cookie, that is most definitely what I need in my life right now!  Why won't someone give me a cookie?  So, after reading that book one too many times the other day, I finally said, cookies need to be made.  

What kind of cookies?  Well... we all know what I have been addicted to lately.  Stawberries!  I promise from now on to rein in the strawberryness.  Or at least I will try.  It really doesn't help that the Saturday farmers market right down the street sells big boxes of strawberries for like six dollars.  So it is just right there begging to be bought and used up.  I blame them for my addiction.

Ingredients 
1 1/8 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
scant 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
1 pint strawberries, chopped
1 tablespoon flour

Instructions 
Heat oven to 350.  Whisk 1 1/8 cup flour, baking soda, salt, and orange zest, and set aside.  Beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a mixer until they are well combined.  Then add in the egg and vanilla, and beat until well combined.  In a small bowl, toss the chopped strawberries with a tablespoon of flour.  Then using a wooden stir, stir in the chocolate chips and strawberries into the dough.  Use a tablespoon to scoop the dough onto greased baking sheets.  Makes about 24 cookies.  Bake 8-10 minutes, until the edges have turned golden brown.

Adapted from The Joy of Cooking "Chocolate Chip Cookie" recipe

Brown Cow Cream on Top Greek yogurt review & Giveaway

When is yogurt more than just a culinary staple used in cooking and with cereal and in smoothies? When it's Brown Cow's new Cream on Top Greek yogurt. Brown Cow has been my husband's favorite brand for a long time. It's the cream on top that makes it so decadent. It's not organic, but it's American Humane Certified which means you an be assured that the cows are treated humanely and are never given artificial growth hormones (rBST or rBGH). 

Like all of the Brown Cow yogurt I've tried, it's particularly mild and creamy. Some Greek yogurts can be very tangy, this will not make your mouth pucker. It's also very rich at 240 calories for an 8 ounce serving of plain and about 200 calories or so for the 6 ounce flavored varieties. Personally, this is not what I would necessarily use everyday, but rather as a dessert or as a dessert topping. It's very thick and by no means low fat. But it is yummy! 

Brown Cow Cream Top Greek yogurt is available in 6 ounce cups in blueberry, honey, maple and vanilla. I liked all the flavors, but blueberry was my least favorite because it contains no actual fruit, just a little blueberry juice. The honey and maple flavors were very fresh tasting, and lightly sweetened. I think the maple variety was the first I've ever tried that didn't have any artificial flavoring. Nice. 

Your chance to try this yogurt is tomorrow, August 18, 2012. From what I've been told, there will be free sampling events at every Whole Foods Market in the country. Try a sample of Cream Top Greek for free and get a $1 off coupon! 

Thanks to Brown Cow 4 lucky winners will get a week’s worth of Brown Cow Cream Top Greek yogurt (seven coupons for free 6oz cups). 

To win:

 1. Leave a comment on this post and tell me your favorite way to enjoy Greek yogurt. 

 2. The contest will end at 10 pm PST on Sunday, August 19th, 2012. 

 3. A winner will be chosen at random and will be announced on Tuesday, August 21st, 2012.

 4. Giveaway is open to US residents or anyone with a US mailing address.

 5. One comment per person, please, and you must include your email address to win (in the registration is fine, you don't need to leave it in the body of the comment).

The winners are Taryn, BTH, Trish and Janet! Thanks for participating.

Disclosure: I received samples of Brown Cow Greek Cream top yogurt and Brown Cow is providing the prize coupons. 

San Francisco Street Food Festival

I hope you have blocked off a good chunk of the next few days to attend some of the fantastic events being put on by La Cocina, namely the San Francisco Street Food Festival. This tremendous event just gets better and better every year. This year there will be a Night Market at Alemany Farmer's Market taking place on Friday evening, plus the festival all day Saturday and on Sunday and Monday, the Food and Entrepreneurship Conference. I'll be volunteering at the festival all afternoon and will get there early so I don't miss a minute!

At a preview event I got to see some of the bright shiny faces of the vendors who will be at the festival this year and taste some of their dishes.

Here are some of my favorites:

Kika of Kika's Treats is serving her Brazilian cheese bread, which is like a chewy version of a gougere. Served warm they are gooey with a little crunch. 

Eji's Ethiopian served a spicy lentil misir wat that seriously woke up my tastebuds. I think she'll be serving something else at the Festival but I'm sure it will be good. 

The lomitas sandwiches from Sabores del Sur were absolutely delicious. Like the best pork sandwich ever with a hint of creamy avocado and spicy aji chiles.

Azalina of Azalina's is at it again with another crazy Malaysian curry bomb. Seriously, these things are the bomb. This time around she added fresh raspberries to shredded chicken on oniony flatbread. Don't miss it.

The girls from To Hyang served a very tasty version of spicy rice noodle cakes

If you haven't had Donna's Love & Hummus, you are in for a treat. Her organic hummus is subtly flavored but ridiculously creamy. Try the roasted lemon and thyme flavor, my favorite.

Constanza of Maite Catering served the best arepas I have ever eaten, hand's down. Crisp on the outside, tender and packed with luscious fillings.

The Main Event! The San Francisco Street Food Festival takes place this Saturday, August 18th, 11am to 7pm
 on Folsom St., between 20th St. & 26th St.
 Admission is free but to make the most of your time and money, purchase a passport before you go. Nothing is more than $8 and many small bites will cost less than $3. Bring extra cash because you'll want to buy a t shirt, right?

The Night Market is a special fundraiser for La Cocina an incubator that helps low-income food entrepreneurs to formalize and grow their businesses. At the event there will be food available from many La Cocina supported businesses, but also nibbles from Fifth Floor, Jaridinere, Locanda and Ken Ken Ramen. Get a sneak peek at the vendors and their dishes.

The conference is mostly sold out, but a few sessions are still available. I'll be on a panel speaking about food writing on Monday, please do say hello if you attend.