Guacamole Grilled Cheese

September 30, 2014 By Devon Leave a Comment

Can you tell I’ve been craving some cooler weather lately? I’m all about fall comfort foods these days.

I have to say though, when I walked out the door this morning it was actually cool out. I mean, it was probably in the 80s, but it felt brisk and I’m more than OK with that.

Not that it’s going to stay that way. The cooler temps stuck around after a big storm on Saturday. I was leaving the house when the wind started whipping around and knocking down branches but I told myself, ‘I bet there are people who aren’t going out right now because they don’t want to drive in the rain.” Then I laughed to myself for too long because I’m from Iowa and driving through some rain is nothing.

This wasn’t “some rain.” This was the rain. All the rain. It came down so hard the whole time I was driving, which, OK, not a big deal, but this is Arizona. And in Arizona, it doesn’t rain too much, therefore somehow no one ever thought to put some sort of drainage system in place anywhere. You can see where this is going. The roads started flooding, the washes filled up and rivers were flowing down entire lanes of streets. Poor little Ferne (she’s a 1999 Honda Civic manual named after her previous owner) drove through some washes I probably shouldn’t have been messing with, but I was stuck, and didn’t know what else to do! It’s not my fault — I’m so sorry, Ferne!

Through white knuckles on a steering wheel, I’m glad to say, we survived. It stopped raining while I was inside and poured again while I brought my groceries from the store to the car and then again from the car to the apartment because life is just like that sometimes, you know? Or maybe that’s just because, as Ryan would say, my “life is just like a sitcom, babe!” Real life Truman Show. But I found a five dollar bill while I carried said groceries in, and I promise that actually happened. I’ll get a picture of it up on Instagram just to prove it.

After getting rain-soaked for the third time that day, I needed some warm fall comfort food to chow on during my fifth (or sixth?) viewing of Hocus Pocus for the season. Tomato soup and grilled cheese is one of my all time favorite combinations but I decided to Southwestify it with some Mexican flair inspired by these Street Taco Hamburgers. A big scoop of creamy guacamole is sandwiched between two slices of toasty bread covered in melty cheese makes a Guacamole Grilled Cheese that’s perfect for dipping in your favorite tomato soup with fresh cilantro tossed in.

Guacamole Grilled Cheese

Serves: 1

Ingredients

2 slices of sourdough bread (I used Canyon Bakehouse Gluten Free Mountain White)
1 tablespoon butter
2 slices of Monterrey jack
¼ cup guacamole

Instructions

Spread the butter over one side of each slice of bread.
Put the buttered side of the bread down on a pan or griddle heated at medium and place the slices of cheese on top.
Once the cheese has melted and the bread is lightly browned, remove from heat, add guacamole to one of the slices of bread and top it off with the other slice of bread.
Enjoy on it's own or serve with your favorite tomato soup with 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro mixed in and an optional squeeze of lime.

Brown Butter Noodles

September 24, 2014 By Devon Leave a Comment

Still freaking out about Fall over here. This week I have made four loaves of pumpkin bread, bought (and ate) Reese’s Pumpkins, watched Hocus Pocus and took out all the Halloween and Fall decorations. I’m still having a little bit of trouble adjusting to Fall being a hot weather season now that I live in Phoenix. Today I wasted an hour of precious blog writing time looking at fun leggings, tunics and boots. A girl can dream, right?

But in true Devon style, I’m not letting the hot weather get in the way of my favorite fall eating habits. Spending my whole life in four season climates until a year ago, I know that when the weather cools down, food warms out. The comfort food comes out the same week comfort (i.e. stretchy) pants do, and I think everyone is OK with that. These Brown Butter Noodles are the perfect fall comfort food. It’s a fun adult twist on a childhood favorite dish — noodles with butter (I can’t be the only kid who ordered this at every restaurant) — that is completely customizable to include your favorite vegetables.

I love this dish plain. It tastes just like that go-to meal from my childhood, but the brown butter adds a rich, caramel flavor and the spices and cheese add interest, texture and a great aroma. It’s quick and simple for a side dish or a main meal when you add in sliced chicken that has been quickly sauteed and/or lots of colorful vegetables cooked in the brown butter. I like to use asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms or a mix of a few or all of them!

Brown Butter Noodles

Author: If You Give a Girl a Degree

Serves: 2

Ingredients

2 cups cooked pasta
4 tablespoons butter
1–2 cups chopped veggies of choice (optional)
2 sauteed chicken breasts, sliced (optional)
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
Salt

Instructions

In a small saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Allow the butter to cook until brown specs begin to appear.
(If omitting veggies and chicken skip to step 3). Add the veggies (I like adding sun-dried tomatoes, asparagus, mushrooms and/or spinach), stirring/tossing constantly to ensure the butter doesn't burn. You want it to be brown, but not burnt.
Once the vegetables are tender toss the veggies, slices of chicken and butter in with the pasta. If you aren't adding veggies or chicken, toss with the butter immediately after browning.
Plate each serving then top with oregano, basil, salt and Parmesan and serve.

What’s one of your favorite fall comfort foods you remember eating as a child?

Weekday Breakfast Smoothies

September 23, 2014 By Devon Leave a Comment

Happy first day of Fall! I know this is so white girl of me, but I love fall. I love pumpkin flavored foods, tall boots, big sweaters, crunchy, colorful leaves and open windows letting in a cool breeze. But now that I live in Phoenix that isn’t quite the case. In honor of the change in seasons I did turn down the air a notch so I can cuddle in a blanket on the couch and “warm” the house up by baking pumpkin bread in the oven. But whether I like it or not, its still 90–100 here every day.

One thing that isn’t different about Phoenix in the Fall is a busier schedule. Kids go back to school, clubs, groups and meetings all come back. Summer hours at the office end and everyone is ready to get back to full schedules, which, if you’re like me means going to bed a little bit later and waking up just in time for work. And when I say just in time, I’m talking about waking up with just 15 minutes until I need to be on my way to work. My coworkers think I’m the grumpiest morning person, but it’s mostly just because by they time I get to the office, I haven’t even been awake for an hour. I know, I’m awful.

That’s why these Weekday Breakfast Smoothies are my daily go-to. I get a full serving of fruit, protein, fiber and on most days, veggies! Plus, these smoothies are refined sugar free, but still entirely delicious. You just throw three to four ingredients in a blender, combine, pour and out the door you go! A breakfast I can easily (and safely) eat on the way to work? Yes please. These lightly sweet, fruity smoothies are creamy and a little bit nutty with the addition of chia seeds for added fiber and protein. Now I’m thinking a better recipe name would be “Dream Breakfast in a Cup.” Accurate.

Weekday Breakfast Smoothies

Author: If You Give a Girl a Degree

Serves: 1 smoothie

Ingredients

½ cup juice of choice (I used 100% unfiltered apple)
1 8-ounce cup of plain Greek yogurt
¾ cup frozen fruit (I use a strawberry, peach and banana combo)
1 cup spinach (optional)
1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)

Instructions

Place the juice, yogurt, spinach (if using) and fruit in a blender in that order.
Blend on high, stopping to stir occasionally, until smooth.
Pour smoothie into a cup (preferably a to-go tumbler for car breakfast) and stir in the chia seeds (if using).