{off the hook} burger

Yes, that’s an egg on a hamburger and you are going to love it. It’s a tribute to a burger concocted at the Birchwood Cafe. They rarely have said burger on the menu so sometimes a girl just has to make her own.

It’s helpful if you stick a knife through to hold it all together and add the proper panache.

If you’re a veggie, go ahead and do it on a bean burger {or whatever}. Sorry vegans, I know you’re trying to save the world and everything, but you can’t have any. See that gorgeous, local, cage-free egg? There’s no substitute.Like I said, sorry.

This is a great reason to stop excluding animals from your diet and just go local, sustainable, organic {blah blah blah}. I mean, do you really think that plastic-packaged soy thingy that was shipped thousands of miles is more eco-friendly than some happy cow from a field 50 miles away? More importantly, is it nearly as good and does it satisfy every cell in your body with animal energy? No.

Don’t get me wrong — I adore vegetables and often choose them over meat. Yet here I sit, giving thanks to the cows and chickens with every delicious once of my being. Give it a try!

pb & basil sammy

pb & basil sandwich makes its debut

Yeah, you could call this sammy the trashy younger cousin of pesto (the always dashing and classy attraction of many a meal). But if you start with good ingredients — namely a fresh baguette and flavorful basil — you’ll see this sweet sammy has some depth beneath its childish charisma. Who knows, it could become a favorite of 5 and 50-year-olds alike.

What you need:

  • fresh roll or baguette
  • peanut butter
  • fresh basil
  • garlic
  • vinegar or harissa (optional)

What to do:

Cut bread in half. Crush and chop garlic and rub on insides of bread. Slather peanut butter on the bottom half. Lay basil on top. If you want to add some sass to your sammy, pour balsamic vinegar or spread harissa on the top half of the bread before closing the sandwich. Enjoy!

 

Basil & Tofu Grilled Cheese

basil tofu grilled cheeze

This sammy isn’t too complicated, but it’s pretty dang amazing in all its pesto glory. If tofu ain’t yo’ thang, leave it out — this basily beast will still knock your socks off.

Things you need:

  • bread (your choice, seen here on pumpernickel)tofu basil cheese
  • fresh basil (5-10 leaves per sandwich)
  • cheese: havarti, provolone or mozzarella will all work well
  • garlic, chopped fine
  • tofu. We used the pre-baked stuff, but if you’re feeling ambitious you could press, marinate and cook your own. Tomato would also make a great substitute.
  • 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

What to do:

  • Rub the garlic on the to-be-insides of the bread.tofu basil cheese stacked for a sandwich
  • Stack with basil, cheese, tofu/tomato and place bread on top.
  • Brush butter or olive oil on outsides of bread
  • Grill in a pan on medium-high heat for a few minutes on each side. You want the cheese to melt, the outsides to brown and crisp slightly, and the center to get nice and warm.
  • Enjoy! This sammy plays well with others. Pictured above with curried sesame penne salad and yam fries.

PB & What?

Yeah, we’re grown-ups .. but do we have to give up all the pleasures of childhood? Try this spicy pb & j and you won’t miss being a kid.

pb & J woos harissa

pb & J puts the moves on harissa.

Remember Shel Silverstein’s young king with the self-destructive appetite for peanut butter? Smart man. The sticky stuff has been a lifelong passion for many, especially paired with its faithful sidekick, jelly.

Sometimes, though, the idea of a pb & j is, well, yawn-inspiring. Call me jaded, call me a grouch. I want my sandwich to bring a little thrill.

Enter Tunisian chili-pepper spread, harissa. The stuff packs a well-rounded kick just begging to be paired with jelly’s sweet touch and a nut butter’s smooth body. Between two slices of fresh artisanal bread, this is a threesome you’ll want to get to know.