This is a great sandwich! The combination of pungent Dijon, salty prosciutto, sweet apple and creamy brie is delicious! The recipe calls for adding honey to the Dijon but I liked it better without the honey because the apple brings enough sweetness to the sandwich (adding honey to the mustard makes it too sweet, in my opinion). I prefer to slather straight Dijon (and lots of it) on the slices of bread!

For bread, I used Portland French Rustic Wheat Bread. Whatever you choose, definitely go with a hearty bread.

Don’t feel like doing the whole dipping in egg thing? Skip the egg and allspice bath and just grill the sandwich. Delish!

Prosciutto, Apple, and Brie Monte Cristos
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine 

A decadent cross between French toast and ham and cheese sandwiches, these Monte Cristos are also good with pear instead of apple. Serves 4.

2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
2 Tbs. honey
8 3/4-inch-thick slices crusty artisan-style bread (if necessary, cut on an angle to make sandwich-size slices)
6 oz. Brie, thinly sliced
3 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto
1 small, crisp, sweet apple, such as Gala or Fuji, cored and thinly sliced
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1-1/2 oz. (3 Tbs.) unsalted butter
Kosher salt

Combine the mustard and honey in a small bowl. Set the bread slices on a work surface and spread one side of each with the mustard mixture, dividing it evenly. Top 4 of the bread slices with the Brie, prosciutto, apple slices, and then the remaining 4 slices of bread, mustard side down.

Beat the eggs and allspice in a large shallow bowl.

Melt 1-1/2 Tbs. of the butter in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Dip both sides of two of the sandwiches into the eggs. Cook, covered, until the bottom sides are golden, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip and continue cooking, covered, until the other sides are golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining butter and sandwiches. Cut the sandwiches in half, sprinkle with salt, and serve.

Tags: apple, brie, dijon mustard, Fine Cooking Magazine, grilled cheese, Monte Cristo Sandwich, monte cristos, paninis, Portland French, Portland French Rustic Wheat Bread, prosciutto, sandwiches

I’m crazy for condiments. My fridge is filled with assorted mustards, hot sauces, and other sauces…I just love ‘em! Recently, I spotted this recipe for Guinness Mustard and decided it would be the perfect condiment for whatever I decide to make on St. Patrick’s Day. The stone-ground mustard is rich and tangy and is complimented (not overpowered) by the famous Irish stout, Guinness. Serve it with a traditional corned beef dinner, or slather it liberally on ham and turkey sandwiches like I did. Delish!

Guinness Mustard
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine

Makes about 3/4 cup

1/2 cup coarse-grained Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons regular Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons Guinness stout or other stout or porter
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon golden brown sugar

Whisk all ingredients in small bowl to blend. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.

I’m linked to: Foodie Friday, I’m Lovin’ It, Friday Favorites, Delicious Dishes

Tags: boiled dinner, condiment, corned beef, dijon mustard, Guinness, Guinness mustard, Guinness stout, Irish, mustard, New England Boiled Dinner, St. Paddy's Day meal, St. Patrick's Day, stout

With all the summer entertaining going on, this recipe for Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw is a great side dish to add to your cooking arsenal. Not only does it go well with a variety of grilled foods and other sides, it’s nice to see something other than pasta salad or canned baked beans at a potluck. Plus, we all need more veggies!

This slaw is slightly sweet and slightly tangy with a nice punch of heat from the mustards. I didn’t have spicy mustard so I substituted some whole grain creole mustard and a little extra Dijon. I also substituted green onions for the red onions because that’s what I had on hand…plus, it added more color to the dish. If you don’t have malt vinegar, I’m sure apple cider vinegar will do just fine. Enjoy!

Blackberry Farm’s Sweet and Spicy Foothills Coleslaw
-recipe from williams-sonoma.com
Adapted from The Blackberry Farm Cookbook, by Sam Beall (Clarkson Potter, 2009).

For maximum crunch, this zippy variation on classic coleslaw should be made no more than 2 hours before serving. The dish makes a fine companion to fried chicken or burgers. Serves 6.

Ingredients:
3 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 Tbs. malt vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. mustard seed oil or very spicy mustard such as English or German
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
1 cup mayonnaise
3 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
3 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
3/4 cup shredded red onion

In a large bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, brown sugar, malt vinegar, mustard seed oil, the 1 1/2 tsp. salt and the 1/4 tsp. pepper, whisking until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the mayonnaise.

Add the red and green cabbages, the carrots and onion and toss until the vegetables are coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Strain the coleslaw. Taste and season it with more salt or pepper if desired.

Tags: Blackberry Farm, cabbage, carrots, dijon mustard, mayonnaise, onions, Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw, vinegar

As much as I love trying new recipes, there’s a few I make over and over again because they are delicious and reliable. Grilled Citrus Salmon is one of those recipes. It’s simple yet special enough to serve at a dinner party. If you don’t have a grill, no big deal…just bake it in the oven. Enjoy!

p.s. I know it’s not the best photo. We had company over for dinner and I was in a hurry to serve the salmon. As always, the salmon was a hit!

Grilled Citrus Salmon
- recipe from From Portland’s Palate, A Collection of Recipes from the City of Roses
The Junior League of Portland, Oregon

Makes 6 servings.

1 ½ Tbl. freshly-squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbl. olive oil
1 Tbl. butter
1 Tbl. Dijon mustard
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 dashes cayenne pepper
2 dashes salt
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried dill
2 tsp. capers
3 lbs. fresh salmon fillets

In a small saute pan over medium heat, combine lemon juice, olive oil, butter, mustard, garlic, pepper, salt, basil, dill, and capers. While stirring, bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Place salmon fillets skin-side down on a piece of heavy-duty foil with edges folded up, to make a pan. Pour sauce evenly over fish.

Place fish on grill and cover with lid.

Barbecue over medium-hot coals for 10-12 minutes, depending on thickness of fillets. Fish will be flaky and light pink in color when cooked.

Note: As an alternative, wrap fish in foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.

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Tags: capers, dijon mustard, garlic, Grilling/BBQ, lemon, olive oil, salmon

Baked beans never meant much to me until I tried this recipe for Hot and Smoky Baked Beans. I’m not exagerating when I say these are AWESOME baked beans! I’ve tried other recipes but this is the one I always come back to. The beans have great smoky flavor from the bacon, barbecue sauce and chipotle chilies (and liquid smoke if you use it) and they’re not too sweet (like some baked beans). YUMM!!! Husband lights up like a Christmas tree when I tell him I’m making Hot & Smoky Baked Beans. Sometimes he even eats them instead of dessert. True story.

This recipe really does elevate the humble bean to a new place of honor. I like to use a variety of canned beans (kidney, pinto, black, great northern), and usually 1 to 2 chopped chipotle chilies depending on who I’m serving the beans to. Add a little chopped chipotle pepper and taste the mixture before adding more (a small amount of chipotle chilies goes a long way). A good-quality, smoke-flavored barbecue sauce is best in this recipe. I like D.L. Jardine’s Mesquite Barbecue Sauce. The beer adds a layer of flavor to the beans without making them taste beery. I use an Irish stout like Murphy’s or Guinness.  To add more smoky flavor, I usually add 1 tablespoon of liquid smoke. Parsley is a nice garnish but I don’t usually bother with it. Enjoy!!

Hot and Smoky Baked Beans
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine

Serve these hot or at room temperature. Yield: Serves 8 to 10.

6 bacon slices
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/4 cups purchased barbecue sauce
3/4 cup dark beer
1/4 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
4 to 6 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chilies (I use 1-2 chipotle chilies, to taste)
6 15- to 16-ounce cans Great Northern beans, drained

Chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels and drain. Transfer 2 1/2 tablespoons bacon drippings from skillet to large bowl. Finely chop bacon; add to bowl. Add onion and next 7 ingredients to bowl and whisk to blend. Whisk in 4 to 6 teaspoons chipotle chilies, depending on spiciness desired. Stir in beans. Transfer bean mixture to 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Bake uncovered until liquid bubbles and thickens slightly, about 1 hour. Cool 10 minutes.

Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Blog parties I’m linked to:
Idea Sharin’ Wednesday
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Just For The Joy Of It
Recipe Share Party at Harrigan Howdy
Try New Adventures Thursday
Foodie Friday
It’s a Hodgepodge Friday
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Tags: bacon, baked beans, barbecue sauce, chipotle chilies, dark beer, dijon mustard, molasses

I cooked swordfish last night for the first time in ages. I was recently flipping through Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics cookbookwhen I came across her recipe for Indonesian Grilled Swordfish. I had heard good things about her Indonesian Chicken recipe so I decided to give the swordfish version a try. Boy, am I glad I did! The ginger-lemon-soy marinade gives the firm fish a wonderful flavor…the whole family liked it.

I let the swordfish marinate for about 6 hours before I grilled it. I served the fish with steamed rice and grilled yellow summer squash (marinated in a little olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce and rice vinegar). Yumm!

Indonesian Grilled Swordfish
-recipe from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics by Ina Garten

Makes 6 servings.

1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup canola or peanut oil, plus extra for brushing on the grill
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup minced or finely chopped ginger root
2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
6 (8-ounce, 1-inch thick) swordfish steaks
Kosher salt

Combine the soy sauce, canola oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, ginger root, garlic, and mustard in a bowl. Pour half the sauce in a low flat dish that’s just large enough to hold the swordfish in one layer. Place the swordfish on top of the sauce and spread the remaining sauce on top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.

Thirty minutes before you’re ready to serve, build a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill.

When the coals are medium-hot, brush the cooking grate with oil to prevent the fish from sticking. Remove the fish from the marinade, allowing some of the ginger to cling to the fish, and discard the marinade. Sprinkle the fish generously on both sides with salt and place it over the coals. Cook for 5 minutes on each side, just until it’s no longer pink in the middle. Place on a platter, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

Blog parties I’m linked to:
Real Food Wednesday
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On The Grill
Foodie Friday
It’s a Hodgepodge Friday
Finer Things Friday
New Friend Friday
Friday Favorites
Favorite Things Friday
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Tags: Asian, dijon mustard, garlic, ginger root, Grilling/BBQ, Indonesian, lemon, Seafood, soy sauce, swordfish