Midday Quickie

Like most Americans, I have a problem with delay of gratification. I was so excited about our cooking blog and so eager to try a new recipe to share that I actually got up this morning and searched for an exciting new lunch recipe! I knew I would not be around to cook this evening since we are celebrating the wedding of a dear friend and I could not, COULD NOT, wait until tomorrow.

After searching a few of my favorite internet recipe websites I found what I thought to be an exciting lunch combination: Ham and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich with Mango Chutney from www.myrecipes.com and Arugula and Pear Salad with Dijon Sherry Vinaigrette from www.foodnetwork.com. The best part about both of these recipes is that all of the ingredients can be purchased in a single trip to Trader Joes! (However, I recommend not going there at noon on a Saturday like I did.)

The sandwich was delicious. Do not overcook the eggs. This is best when they are still slightly runny to really bind the sandwich together. I will definitely make the sandwich again and cannot wait to try experimenting with different flavored jams and chutneys. As far as the salad goes, it was a nice energy booster with the dark greens (I substituted the fresh spinach I had on hand for the arugula) and great to make this time of year because those Bosc pears are really in season. The vinaigrette itself was mediocre. I sprinkled a little crumbled goat cheese over the top as well for an added treat.

Ham and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich with Mango Chutney

Ingredients

Cooking spray
8 (1/2-ounce) slices soy ham (such as Lightlife) or Canadian bacon
4 large eggs
4 whole-grain English muffins, split and toasted
8 teaspoons mango chutney
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese

Preparation

Preheat broiler.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add ham; cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Remove from pan; keep warm. Reduce heat to medium; recoat pan with cooking spray. Break eggs into hot pan; cook 1 minute on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

Place muffin halves, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Spread 2 teaspoons chutney over bottom half of each muffin; top with 2 ham slices, 1 egg, and 1 tablespoon cheese. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese over top half of each muffin. Broil 1 1/2 minutes or until bubbly. Place top halves of muffins over the bottom halves.

Yield

4 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 334(30% from fat); FAT 11g (sat 4.8g,mono 3.7g,poly 1.5g); PROTEIN 24.8g; CHOLESTEROL 228mg; CALCIUM 380mg; SODIUM 865mg; FIBER 4.7g; IRON 3.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34.7g

Robin Vitetta-Miller , Cooking Light, JULY 2003

Arugula and Pear Salad with Dijon Sherry Vinaigrette Recipe courtesy Dave Lieberman Show: Good Deal with Dave Lieberman Episode: Pantry Challenge

1 medium bunch arugula, washed and stemmed 1 Bosc pear 1/4 cup sherry vinegar 2 heaping teaspoons whole grain Dijon mustard 1/3 cup olive oil 1 shallot, minced Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 3/4 cup walnuts halves, toasted Add the arugula leaves to a medium bowl. Core and slice the pear into 1/8-inch thick slices and add to arugula. In another small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, olive oil, and shallot. Season with salt and pepper. Toss the arugula and pears with the dressing. Divide the salad between the plates and top with the toasted walnuts. Serve immediately.