Turkey Spinach Panini with a Citrus Aioli

Summertime calls for quick yet hearty food.  Sandwiches for a weekend lunch are my go to meal.

Do you love all the combinations that you can make with a sandwich as much as I do?   I hope so cause today's sandwich is a real winner!

I love hot sandwiches.  It might be the gooey cheese melting over the hot meat...or it might be the toasty bread.  This one has it all plus a wonderful citrus aioli.  Aioli is a fancy word for a mayonnaise and garlic spread.  This spread really makes this sandwich, so don't skip it!!!  It will rock your world.
Honest.

The light citrus in the spread is such a good compliment to the delicate turkey and tangy Swiss cheese.  Together this is a combination made in heaven!  You can change it up the way you like it as well by swapping out the spinach for lettuce or arugula, or choose your favorite bread.  I used a nice country sliced bread which toasted nicely.  

Anyway you build it will turn out a masterpiece.  Remember, don't skip the citrus aioli!

Enjoy!



Turkey Spinach Panini with a Citrus Aioli

2 T mayonnaise 
1/4 tsp lime zest 
1/4 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp lemon juice 
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
8 slices country bread 
1/2 lb sliced roasted turkey 
1 cup baby spinach
4 slices Swiss cheese
Cooking spray

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.  For the Aioli: Combine ingredients from mayonnaise through garlic in a small bowl.  Spread evenly over 4 bread slices. Top evenly with turkey, spinach, cheese, and the remaining 4 bread slices.

Coat grill pan with cooking spray. Arrange 2 sandwiches in pan. Place a cast-iron or heavy skillet on top of sandwiches; press gently to flatten. Cook 2 minutes on each side.  Repeat procedure with remaining 2 sandwiches.  Slice in half and serve immediately.  

'Bakery Style' Orange Blueberry Muffins

Last week MGG and I took a day trip up to Santa Barbara.  I just love it there.

We spent the day doing a little shopping, walking along the beach, stopped at the Biltmore Hotel for a drink, and of course sampled some tasty food.

On the way we always stop for a nice breakfast at one of our favorites places in Summerland.  The food is always spot on. This time we opted to a continental breakfast that came with a basket of bakery items.  I spotted a large 'bakery' style muffin and I knew I would be in heaven.  Bursting with blueberries and a hint of citrus.   Yep, I was right....Heaven!

I'm a blueberry lover you see.  I've made many blueberry items in the past here and here.  So this past weekend I got out my mixing bowls and made my own version of 'Bakery Style' Orange Blueberry Muffins.  Bakery style, means that are a little larger than life!  Juicy, ripe, hot, blueberries, bursting in your mouth.  The background has a hint of orange.  The perfect contrast to the tang of the blueberries. Not much is better than this!

Great to serve on a weekend summer morning, or make for brunch, or a ladies tea. Be sure to pick up some fresh blueberries.  They are in season and so sweet this year.  If you don't have any, frozen will do just as well, but be sure to thaw them so they don't bleed all over your batter and turn it blue!

Try them soon, and tell me how you liked them.   Enjoy!



'Bakery Style' Orange Blueberry Muffins 

serves 12

2 cups fresh blueberries 
1/4 cup all-purpose flour 
2 cups all purpose flour 
4 teaspoons baking powder 
1 teaspoon salt 
1 1/2 cups white sugar 
1/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs 
1 teaspoon orange extract 
2 teaspoons orange zest
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.   Spray muffins tins with cooking spray.

In a small bowl add your blueberries and sprinkle 1/4 cup flour over blueberries, toss to coat.

In a large bowl, add your flour, baking powder and salt and sugar. Whisk together. To a medium bowl, add your oil, eggs, orange extract, orange zest and milk.  Whisk to blend. Add to the flour mixture stirring just to combine. Fold in berries. Fill muffin cups almost to the top with batter.

Bake for 20 - 22 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.  

Strawberry Shortcake Scones

I have a real thing for berries.

I do.  I swear.  Every year when berry season hits in Southern California I go hog wild.  Buying berries every week from the farmer's markets until I'm blue in the face....almost literally!  I buy them all, blackberries, raspberries (red and white), strawberries, blueberries...you name it.  I just LOVE them!

So with all these berries around I have to find new ways to use them.  Which often means searching for new twists on standards like scones.  I love a good scone, don't you? Since they are a little more involved than a quick throw together meal I usually save this type of item for my weekend breakfasts.  Perfect for sitting on the patio eating them with a nice cup of hot tea.  

So I've found myself with an excess of strawberries a while back and we've been eating them in desserts such as parfaits and strawberry shortcakes.  Our strawberries have been to DIE FOR this year.  So sweet they don't need any sugar!  

So I hit the Internet and came across the best recipe for a strawberry shortcake style scone.  Wow!  I knew that this would be right up my alley.  What makes these different from regular scones is the addition of ricotta cheese and whipping cream to the mixture.  These ingredients elevate your scones to a different level and make them so tender and moist.

Hands down, this is an excellent recipe for scones.  The strawberries are the highlight but the tender but moist biscuits make it heaven on a plate.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Shortcake Scones 

slightly adapted from BHG.com

Yield: 12 scones

1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
2 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1/4 cup whipping cream
Whipping cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.   In a small bowl, toss together strawberries and 1 tablespoon flour. In a large bowl combine the 2 1/2 cups flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in center of the flour mixture; set aside. 

In a medium bowl combine the egg, ricotta, and 1/4 cup whipping cream. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Add strawberries. Using a fork, stir just until moistened. 

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough by folding and gently pressing it for 10 to 12 strokes or until dough is nearly smooth. Pat dough into a 10x4-inch rectangle. Cut in half lengthwise and in sixths crosswise to make 12 rectangles. 

Place rectangles 2 inches apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Brush with additional whipping cream.  Bake about 16 minutes or until golden brown. Remove scones from baking sheet. Serve warm.