Budget meal planning tips & recipes from Melissa d'Arabian

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Recipes from Melissa d'Arabian

Crispy Ham, Tomato and Mozzarella Sandwich

Serves 2

Recipe developed by Melissa d'Arabian for the Grain Foods Foundation

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil plus 1 teaspoon, divided
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
• 4 thin slices ham
• 4 slices sandwich bread
• 4 slices mozzarella cheese
• ½ tomato, thinly sliced
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, basil, smashed garlic clove and salt and pepper with a fork to release flavors and let sit while preparing the rest of the sandwich (at least five minutes)
2. In a small sauté pan, cook the ham in a teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat 2-3 minutes per side, or until beginning to crisp
3. Toast the bread
4. Lay the cheese on one slice of the toast and brush generously with the flavored olive oil, using a pastry brush
5. Add the ham, and top with tomatoes
6. Brush the tomatoes with the olive oil, and top with the second piece of toast
7. Repeat for the second sandwich

BLT Tartlets

Serves 4

Recipe developed by Melissa d'Arabian for the Grain Foods Foundation

Ingredients:

• 8 slices white bread
• 3 tablespoons light cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped and lightly salted
• 4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
• ¾ cup red or green leaf lettuce, chiffonade (roll and cut into ribbon-like strips)
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil for drizzling

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F
2. Remove crusts from bread and, using a large spoon, gently press the slices of bread down flat until thin and almost doughy
3. Brush with olive oil on both sides
4. Place the slices in the muffin tin, pressing them into the muffin shape, to create a tartlet shell
5. Bake for 12-13 minutes, or until golden and crusty
6. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, use a fork to mix the cream cheese, garlic powder, mayonnaise and oregano with salt and pepper until smooth and creamy.
7. Once the bread is golden, remove the shells and place them on a cooling rack to assemble
8. To make the tartlets, place a teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture on the bottom, followed by the bacon, tomatoes and the lettuce
9. Top with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

Fluffy bread crumb crusted
chicken breast cutlets

Serves 4-6

Recipe developed by Melissa d'Arabian for the Grain Foods Foundation

• 3 chicken breast cutlets
• 4 slices sandwich bread, white or wheat or mixed (or large baggie of reserved bread crusts)
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ cup flour
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons water
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Cut cutlets in half
2. Place each slice between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound with meat mallet until chicken is about 1/2-inch thick
3. Pulse the bread in food processor into large breadcrumbs (do not toast bread before processing; stale bread is fine)
4. Add Parmesan cheese, basil, paprika, salt and pepper, and pulse a few more times. Keep crumbs large and fluffy
5. Prepare a breading station:  In a shallow bowl or plate, place the flour along with salt and pepper. In another shallow bowl, beat the egg with 2 T of water, until the egg is no longer stringy (about one minute)
6. Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat, and add vegetable oil and butter
7. Dip the chicken in the flour to dust lightly, then in the egg and finally the crumbs
8. Cook the meat about three minutes each side
9. Once cooked, remove and place on a plate covered with paper towel to blot excess oil
10. Salt and pepper and serve

White Bean Bruschetta

Serves 4

Recipe developed by Melissa d'Arabian for the Grain Foods Foundation

• 1 baguette, sliced thinly along the bias
• ¼ cup olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• ½ white onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ¾ cup canned navy beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tomatoes, cored and cubed
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Kosher salt and pepper
• Olive oil for drizzling

Directions:

1. For the bread, slice the baguette on the diagonal into thin slices (about 12 for a baguette)
2. In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoob of the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the unsalted butter on medium heat
3. Place the bread slices in the pan and cook on medium high heat until sizzling and golden
4. Just before flipping the bread, add an additional tablespoon of olive oil and butter to the pan
5. Flip the bread and cook second side until golden
6. For the topping, cook the onions and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a medium sauté pan until the onions are very soft, about 7 minutes
7. Add the garlic, basil and oregano and cook another minute or two, until fragrant
8. Add the beans and continue cooking for another five minutes on low heat and season with salt and pepper
9. Add the tomatoes and turn off the heat, allowing tomatoes just to take on the warmth of the pan without cooking
10. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar into the pan and gently stir
11. To serve, scoop heaping spoonfuls of the tomato-bean mixture onto the grilled bread, sprinkle with kosher salt, and drizzle with additional olive oil

Weekday Crisper Drawer Penne Pasta

Serves 4

Recipe developed by Melissa d'Arabian for the Grain Foods Foundation

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces dried penne pasta
• 3 tabelspoons olive oil
• 1 slice bacon, cut into matchsticks across the shorter length of the strip
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, grated
• 1 zucchini, grated
• 1 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• ¼ cup grated parmesan
• 2 tablespoons bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a large sauté pan, cook bacon in olive oil until almost crisp, about five minutes
2. Add onion and cook until tender and translucent
3. Add the remaining vegetables and cook until tender, about five minutes
4. Add garlic and cook until fragrant
5. Meanwhile, cook penne according to package directions, salting the water liberally
6. One minute before the pasta cooking time is done, add raw spinach to the pasta water and cook with the pasta for the final minutes
7. Remove ¾ cup of pasta water just before draining and set aside
8. Drain pasta and spinach and toss in pan with vegetables
9. Add pasta water as necessary to coat pasta so it doesn't stick
10. In a small bowl, mix bread crumbs and parmesan, and sprinkle on top of pasta to serve

Related Video:
Melissa d'Arabian makes Chicken Marengo

Chicken Marengo is cooked in a simple tomato sauce that everyone will love. This video recipe is from Ten Dollar Dinners on the Food Network.