Grilled Ham and Chèvre with Raspberries and Arugula

Leftover turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving is what first introduced me to the idea of fruit and meat together in a sandwich. As soon as I discovered that delicious combination, no Thanksgiving was complete without it, but with my kid palate, I didn't give it much more though than that. Then I discovered the glorious Monte Cristo in high school, which just isn't complete without a smear of strawberry jam. Now I especially love apples and pears and on my grilled cheese, apricots with pork, and avocado with practically everything, so it should come as no surprise that I'm embracing all the wonderful local berries of the farmers' market on my sandwiches.

Although I put uncommon (some might say excessive) thought into almost everything I eat, I never ceased to be amazed by how a simple meal, like a sandwich and chips (kale, in the above picture), can really turn a day around when I'm feeling drained. Whether I'm mentally fatigued from stress or physically fatigued from manual labor, sitting down to a good meal can turn it all around, even if it's ready a few minutes later because I need to prep all the accouterments. And it's all the little touches here that make this sandwich special. The smoky ham and tangy goat cheese form the savory core, but the sweet-tart raspberries, peppery arugula, and creamy mayo mixture make them even better by hitting every kind of taste bud in each bite.

Grilled Ham and Chèvre with Raspberries and Arugula

serves 1

1/2 tablespoon light mayo

1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Splash of balsamic vinegar

2 slices whole grain bread

1/4 cup fresh raspberries

A few leaves of arugula (about 1/4 ounce)

2 to 3 ounces sliced smoked ham

1 ounce goat cheese, sliced or crumbled

Cooking spray

1. In a small bowl, combine mayo, mustard, and vinegar and mix thoroughly. Spread on one slice of the bread. Top with the raspberries, lightly smashing them to an almost jam-like consistency.

2. Place the arugula on the second slice of bread and top with the ham and cheese. Place the other slice of bread on top.

3. Preheat a pan over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Place the sandwich in the pan and cook, flipping once halfway through, until bread is golden and ingredients are warmed through. Cut sandwich in half and serve promptly.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Salad

Although they don't rank quite as highly on my list of favorite sandwiches as a reuben or cubano, I'm always happy to dig into a chicken cordon bleu sandwich. With a combination of moist chicken, smoky ham, and rich Swiss cheese under a blanket of honey mustard, what's not to love? And as it turns out, this fantastic combination coexists just as happily on top of salad greens as it does on bread. With some bread crumbs (or croutons) for a bit of crunch, you won't miss the bun and you can feel a little bit better about indulging in a big pile of meat, cheese, and caramelized onions.While grilled chicken is the easiest and healthiest option, I doubt anyone would turn down this salad prepared with breaded and fried chicken. That being said, this is a salad for the meat enthusiast, not the health nut, and a good way to sneak a little nutrition into the diets of your favorite carnivores.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Salad
serves 2

8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/2 tablespoon butter or canola oil
1 small white or yellow onion, thinly sliced
8 ounces mixed salad greens
4 ounces sliced ham steak, cubed
4 ounces shredded or cubed Swiss or cheddar cheese
1/4 cup whole wheat panko (or 1/2 cup whole grain croutons)
Salad dressing, for serving (I suggest honey mustard dressing)

1. Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium heat. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Cook chicken breast until internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F, remove from heat, and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Shred or slice into small pieces.

2. While the chicken is cooking, preheat a pan over medium heat and add the butter or oil. Once the butter is melted and foaming has subsided or oil begins to shimmer, add the thinly sliced onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until the onions get just a bit of color. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking until onions are soft and browned, but not falling apart, about 10 to 15 minutes total.

3. Meanwhile, wash and dry greens and chop, if necessary. Distribute greens evenly between two large plates, topping each with half of the onions, ham, and Swiss cheese. Add the sliced chicken to the top, sprinkle with bread crumbs, drizzle with dressing, and enjoy!

Cuban Burgers

Sadly, the end of summer is rapidly approaching. While there is little difference between the couple weeks before and after Labor Day, the holiday weekend is an important psychological benchmark that symbolizes the transition into fall, my favorite season. As at the end of every summer, no matter how much I did, I look back and wish I would have done more things and gone more places, but looking back at my culinary adventures this summer, I would say my greatest success is my multitude of burger creations. Although I definitely won't stop grilling just because it's past Labor Day, I think it's appropriate to send summer out on high note with another decadent burger recipe and offer up this recipe for the coming holiday weekend.


Cuban sandwiches are one of my favorite sandwiches (the Reuben being the other), and something I have a hard time passing up when I'm out to eat. The traditional Cuban sandwich is a sumptuous combination of roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, mustard, and pickles, pressed together into melty nirvana between two slices of Cuban bread. Although you can't go wrong with the traditional sandwich form, I couldn't resist adapting it into a decadent burger, my favorite creative culinary palette as of late. This flavorful burger makes no apologies for its layers of richness from the ground pork, ham, and cheese, but has just the right amount of acidity and sharpness from the mustard and pickles to cut through to fatty pork goodness. A delicious indulgence like this burger is a great way to send off the summer but also happily served with a cold beer during the football season.

Cuban Burgers
serves 2

8 ounces ground pork
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 slices ham
2 slices Swiss cheese
2 hamburger buns, split and toasted
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
Sliced dill pickles

1. Preheat a grill pan or gas grill over medium to medium-high heat or prepare a charcoal grill (my personal preference). Divide ground pork into two even patties and season each side with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook burgers until internal temperature reach 160 degrees F.

2. While the burgers are cooking, spread half the mustard on one half of each hamburger bun and top with pickles. Once the burgers are cooked through, top each burger with two slices of ham and one slice of Swiss cheese and cook until the the cheese is melted and the ham is warmed through. Transfer to the bottom halves of the hamburger buns, top with the other half, and serve hot.

Prosciutto and White Bean Pizza

This pizza was inspired by Tuscan White Bean Burgers and Chorizo Pizza and is more or less a hybrid of those two recipes, as well as my desire to use up some odds and ends in my fridge and cabinets. Sometimes when my mind wanders I'll have a bolt of inspiration for a new recipe and I'll rush to write down my ideas before I forget what feels like a brilliant idea. Sometimes these turn out to be great recipes and sometimes I look back at the notes I leave for myself and wonder what the hell I was thinking. Luckily, this recipe falls into the former category. These non-traditional pizza toppings would also make a great panini, if you're not in the mood for pizza.

Prosciutto and White Bean Pizzaserves 4

1 onion, peeled
1 head garlic
1 T. plus 1/2 t. olive oil
15 oz. can cannellini beans (or other white beans), drained and rinsed
1/2 to 2 T. water
1/4 t. kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 c. pitted, sliced Kalamata olives
12-inch whole grain pizza crust
1 to 2 oz. sliced ham or prosciutto, cut into small pieces
1 c. shredded fontiago cheese

1. To caramelize the onions, tut the onion in half through the stem and slice into 1/8-inch-thick half-rings. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a pan over medium-low heat and add onion, tossing to coat with oil. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until caramelized, about 30 minutes. If the onions begin to burn, lower the heat. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, roast the garlic. Break the head of garlic into individual cloves and remove the papery skins. Toss the cloves in 1/2 teaspoon of the oil and spread out on a small baking sheet (a toaster oven works well for this). Roast at 300 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring the cloves frequently until the largest clove can easily be pierced with a knife. Cool slightly.

3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (or as directed on pizza crust package). Place 1 c. beans, and garlic in a food processor and process until smooth, adding water as needed to achieve to desired consistency. Add salt to taste. Spread evenly over crust.

4.  Distribute caramelized onions, remaining beans, olives, and ham evenly over bean puree. Top with shredded fontiago cheese. Bake at 425 degrees F for 8 to 12 minutes, or as directed on crust package, until cheese is beginning to brown. Let cool slightly and slice into 8 pieces.

Cheesy Ham and Vegetable Chowder

In one last effort to get rid of Christmas ham, I made a hearty ham and vegetable chowder.

Cheesy Ham and Vegetable Chowder
from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

2 c. water
2 c. chopped potato (2 medium)
1/2 c. chopped carrot (1 medium)
1/2 c. chopped celery (1 stalk)
1/4 c. chopped onion (1 small)
1/2 c. butter or magarine
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 t. black pepper
2 c. milk
2.5 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 15-ounce can cream-style corn
2 c. cubed cooked ham

1. In a large saucepan combine water, potato, carrot, celery, and onion. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Do not drain.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan melt butter. Stir in flour and pepper; add milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.

3. Add cheese to milk mixture. Cook and stir until cheese melts. Add cheese mixture to potato mixture. Stir in corn and ham. Heat through but do not boil. If desired, season with additional pepper.

Farmer's Casserole

In my family, we have a ham every Christmas. My mom's Christmas bonus from work is a coupon for a free ham or turkey, so they brought one down with them when they came to celebrate Christmas with me and my husband. As delicious as that ham was, it was also over 10 pounds, so we are faced with a lot of leftovers despite sending some ham home with my parents. Due to the overabundance of ham in our lives, I now present to you Farmer's Casserole, a simple and delicious way to use up some of your leftover ham. Since it can be prepared ahead, it makes a great dish if you're having people over for brunch, in addition to being a tasty dinner.

Farmer's Casserole
loosely adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

Nonstick cooking spray
3 c. shredded potatoes (frozen hashbrown potatoes or fresh)
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese (or other favorite cheese)
1 c. diced cooked ham
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
1/2 c. chopped onion
4 eggs, beaten
1.5 c. milk
1/4 t. black pepper
1/4 t. salt
Additional shredded cheese for top (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange shredded potatoes evenly in the baking dish. If you are using fresh potatoes, I would recommend squeezing some of the moisture out with a paper towel. Sprinkle with cheese, ham, green pepper, and onion.

2. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, milk, pepper, and salt. Pour egg mixture over layers in dish.

3. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. If desired, sprinkle additional shredded cheese on top for the last 10 minutes of cooking time. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Make-ahead directions: Prepare as above through Step 2. Cover and chill for up to 24 hours. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Sandwiches

Traditional Chicken Cordon Bleu is a boneless, skinless chicken breast is pounded thin and rolled around ham and cheese, then breaded and either fried or baked, very similar to Chicken Kiev. As you can imagine, these are both quite fatty and indulgent dishes. My sandwich version is by no means a health food, but it's not breaded or friend, and doesn't have any butter unless you want to toast the bread. My personal choices for condiments are Light Miracle Whip and some kind of spicy or tangy mustard, but I'm sure there are many other excellent choices out there I haven't tried yet. As far as veggies, I usually add lettuce, but tomatoes, onions, and peppers could also make great additions if you like them. I despise raw tomatoes and won't eat anything with them.

Half of the sandwich pictured was one serving for me. If you have something as a side you'll probably only eat half, unless you're really hungry.

There's no cookbook credit for this recipe, as I came up with it myself, but I'm sure there are many similar recipes out there.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Sandwiches

1 recipe French Bread or other bread or rolls
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 slices deli ham (I used honey ham; you may want to use more if your ham is really thin)
2 slices cheese (I used provolone; Swiss is another favorite)
Mayo or Miracle Whip (I used Light Miracle Whip)
Spicy mustard (I usually use spicy brown mustard, but used Wollersheim Winery wine mustard this time)
Lettuce, or other vegetables if desired

1. Slice the bread to an appropriate size for the chicken breasts you are using. I cut the bread once horizontally and then sliced it length-wise into appropriately sized pieces. Butter and toast the bread under the broiler if desired. Spread bread with your favorite condiments (you could also add these at the very end).

2. Meanwhile, grill the chicken breasts (I used the George Foreman). Alternatively, you could bread and fry them if you want something a little closer to the original dish, but this is obviously less healthy.

3. Place the cooked chicken on a slice of bread. Add two slices of ham and one slice of cheese. Put under the broiler until the ham is warm and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Add lettuce and any other veggies if desired. Top with the other slice of bread and enjoy!