#85 :: Artichokes

While we were walking around the Westside Market, we came across some artichokes for $1.50 each. Since we're trying new things and I've never cooked an artichoke before, I grabbed a couple to try them out. I cooked them tonight and wasn't that impressed. Yeah, they tasted pretty good...but it seemed like an awful lot of work for a little bit of goodness. They did, however, smell wonderful! I guess I expected them to smell bad, like asparagus, but they smelled almost floral.



I found several ways to cook them...broiling, boiling and steaming. Since I don't have a basket for steaming, I chose to boil them. I had to create a contraption to hold them upside down so they would stay put in the pot and cook correctly. After a few tries, I came up with this....a strainer and a lid.



I think I'll stick to the bag of frozen artichoke hearts. But at least now I can say I know how to cook an artichoke!



Recipe/Instructions from Good Eats on Food Network

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 stars (taste)
2 out of 4 stars (prep)

#45 :: Eggs Florentine Sandwich

Jamie came up with this great idea. We're all about using up our leftovers, and hopefully using them in a different way than we ate them the first time. Jamie's idea was to use our leftover Gorgonzola Spinach Artichoke Dip on a ham, cheese and fried egg breakfast sandwich to create a Florentine sandwich. Excellent idea, it was yummy!

Ingredients

• 4 slices of crusty french bread
  
• 2 Tbsp. butter
  
• 2 eggs
  
• Sliced deli ham (we used honey ham)
• Sliced deli cheese (we used cheddar)
• Leftover Gorgonzola Spinach Artichoke Dip
• Salt & pepper to taste
  
  

Directions

Over medium high heat, melt the butter in the pan (or on the griddle). Lay 2 pieces of bread in the pan to brown. Top one slice with your spinach dip, ham and cheese. At the same time, fry 2 eggs. Place the fried egg on top of the cheese, to help the melting. After the egg is placed, flip the 2nd piece of bread over and place it on top of the sandwich (browned side up). Flip the entire sandwich and cook for another 5 minutes until cheese is melted and gooey.


Makes 2 sandwiches

Recipe from: Jamie

Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5

#3 :: Gorgonzola Spinach Artichoke Dip

This dish, also, almost didn't happen. Grocery shopping on New Year's Eve was a nightmare, every store was packed. I should know, I went to three of them. I think I waited 10 minutes at Giant Eagle for a shopping cart, because they were all in use. I told myself if the third store didn't have a box of frozen artichoke hearts that I wasn't going to make this dish. Luckily, Heinen's came through for me and had my last ingredient!

Ingredients

• 2 (10-ounce) boxes chopped frozen spinach
• 1 box frozen artichoke hearts
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup milk
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch ground nutmeg, or to taste
• 1 cup Gorgonzola crumbles
• 1 1/2 cups shredded (a little larger than grated, available in tubs) Asiago or Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Thick sesame bread sticks, celery hearts, or tortilla chips for dipping

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Defrost spinach 10 minutes on defrost setting in microwave then drain well by wringing out in dish towel. Defrost artichokes as well, 6 minutes on defrost in microwave then wring out and finely chop.

Heat a sauce pot with butter over medium to medium-high heat. Add garlic to melted butter and stir 1 to 2 minutes, then sprinkle in flour and combine 1 minute more. Whisk in stock and milk and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Thicken 2 minutes then remove from heat and melt in Gorgonzola. Stir in spinach and artichokes and half the shredded cheese then transfer to a small casserole and top with remaining cheese. Brown and bubble in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Serve with bread sticks, celery hearts and pita crisps for dipping.

Makes about 3 1/2 cups.

Recipe from 30 Minute Meals on Food Network.

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars