Ham and Muenster Cheese Panini with Thyme

I watched Crazy Stupid Love for about the eighteenth time last night and my mouth went dry during this scene.

How can a man look so incredibly sexy eating a slice of pizza?  I don't know if it's the pizza or that suit, but I can say with absolute certainty that I would jump that man.  Correction:  I would eat that slice of pizza and then jump that man.

On a completely unrelated note, I made a sandwich.  This isn't just any sandwich, though.  Oh no, this is a sandwich so devastatingly delicious that I have made it no less than five times since these pictures were taken last week.  It's just the perfect combination of the sweet ham, salty cheese and tangy dijon mustard.  Add in the thyme and all of its grilled perfection, and I'm a goner.  This one's a keeper.  Much like Ryan Gosling in that suit.

See what I did there, yeah?  Brought it all full circle ;)    

Ham and Muenster Cheese Panini with Thyme

Ingredients:


1 loaf ciabatta bread
1 package Virginia honey ham
Muenster cheese, 4 oz (sliced)
1 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tsp dried thyme 
1 tsp butter


Directions:


Slice the ciabatta into four equal pieces.  Halve each of the four pieces and smear mustard on both halves.  Sprinkle on the thyme and then layer the ham and cheese.  Heat a griddle pan on medium heat and melt the butter.  Cook 4-5 minutes per side, until the cheese is melted.

Snore-a-sorous

I learned a valuable lesson this weekend. Distance makes the heart grow fonder and the mind forget really annoying things. Saturday morning I was scheduled to take the LSAT at a university about an hour from my apartment. My parents offered to get me a hotel room and stay with me the night before, which seemed like the perfect idea. I would have some company that morning. Dad would pay for my coffee. Perfect!

Perfect, huh?

And then it was time to go to sleep.

Spending more than half of my year away at school, I had forgotten one little thing about my parents. They snore. A lot. I swear that their snoring is almost like an art form. They literally snore in time with each other.

First Mom.

Then Dad.

Mom again.

Dad for the crescendo.

If it didn't keep me up half the night I would have been impressed.

I appreciate the lung capacity, but pipe down!

Miraculously, even with the snoring symphony keeping me up, I was marginally bright eyed and bushy tailed in the morning.

Bright eyed and bushy tailedddd!!!!

I think it was partially because I knew I was on my way to never having to look at another LSAT question. I also knew that night I would be back in my apartment without the snore-a-sorouses.

Love you, Mom and Dad!

This week I haven't had a lot of time to cook as I have been stuck under the weight of my eighteen hundred LSAT books. Sandwiches were my best friend. Here were two of my favorites!

Ham and Cheese with Caramelized Onion

Ham

Havarti Cheese

Dijon mustard

Caramelized Onion

Whole Wheat Bread

Goddess Sandwich

Baguette

Marinated Tofu

Broccoli Slaw

Goddess Dressing

Any of you know some snore-a-sorouses?

Caramelized Onion and Chickpea Wrap

The past week can be described with one word. Insane. I'm moving into my very first apartment soon (!!!) and my days have been filled with trips to Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, and the host of cleaning supplies in our basement. Hey--why buy 'em when you can shop in your own basement!

While it's been a bit stressful, I'm starting to get really excited. I've never had a place that is completely mine. After living in a dorm room with three other girls, I'm looking forward to the perks of just being on my own.

No sharing the TV.

No fighting for space in a cubicle of a kitchen.

Singing as loudly as I want in the shower.

(Although I did this at the dorm too...)

Using the entire sitting room as a drying area for my Royal Icing Cookies.

(Also did this at the dorm---it's a wonder they liked me)

With all of the pandemonium with moving into the apartment, we really haven't had time to cook here. After several days of powdered soup, I caved and broke out the pots and pans. This came together in about fifteen minutes and surprised even me in how delicious it was. Definitely something I will be whipping up again. Perhaps in the new apartment ;)

Caramelized Onion and Chickpea Wrap

Ingredients:

1 onion, sliced

1/2 cup chickpeas

1 wheat wrap

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter (or Earth Balance)

1 tsp brown sugar

Directions:

Place a saute pan over medium heat. Once it is properly heated, add the oil and butter. When the butter is melted, add the onion. Cook until the onion has reduced. At the end, add the brown sugar and stir.

Pour the chickpeas into the pan an toss with the onions to heat. Next, place the onion-chickpea mixture in the wrap, folding up the bottom and then turning the sides in. Fold the top flap over and then cut at middle.

In Love

I am in love.

With this sandwich.

Our wedding is in late July. Expect an invitation.

Fakin' Bacon Wrap

Ingredients:

Morningstar Veggie Bacon

Butter pickles

Banana Peppers

Avocado

Multigrain Wrap

Salami Roll-Up with Fontina Cheese

A lot of my recipes come from just throwing stuff together. I usually get back to my apartment right after class, my stomach protesting too loudly for me to actually leaf through a cookbook. My favorite thing to make for lunch (besides Annie's Organic Indian Samosas, so good) are sandwiches.

I love creating sandwiches. They're quick, easy, and usually make a dent in all the random leftovers I have lurking in the refrigerator. This one is not too exotic, but it's still tasty! Salami is paired with smooth fontina cheese. Whole grain mustard is a must here. The extra bite works beautifully with the cheese.

Salami Roll-Up with Fontina Cheese

Ingredients:

Salami

Fontina Cheese

Wrap (I used Ezekiel)

Spinach

Whole Grain Mustard