Entrée

Green Apple & Brie Sandwich with a Drizzle of Lavender Infused Honey

~ Paris
I’ve recently been craving sandwiches made with fruit and cheese. There’s something so fresh about taking a sweet, sometimes slightly tart fruit, combining it with a flavorful cheese and just a light drizzle of floral infused honey, all contained within two slices of buttery, toasted bread. By pairing green apples with a soft, double cream brie and a touch of sweet, lavender infused honey, it created the perfect juxtaposition of sweet, tart, and something rich. Since I basically had the perfect foods for wine – cheese, fruit, bread, and honey – I knew I needed to pair it with a good summer white or champagne. However, since I was craving something a bit sweeter, I settled upon a classic mimosa {three parts champagne, one part orange juice} with non-alcoholic champagne for a work-from-home lunch the other day. It was the perfect combination of something sweet and tart to start our week of properly.

Ingredients:
{Makes One Sandwich}
One Quarter of an Apple {I used a green apple to add a slight tart flavor, but any apple would work}
Brie
Lavender simple syrup {equal parts sugar and water + lavender blossoms}
Honey
Bread
Cooking Spray
Recipe:
1. Slice the quarter of an apple into four or five pieces.
2. Spray cooking spray on the grill and toast two slices of bread until they are golden brown.
3. Add the apple slices onto the bread and the add the brie on top.
4. Once the cheese starts melting a little, turn of the stove add in a drizzle of lavender honey. To make the lavender infused honey, mix together equal parts honey and lavender simple syrup. Garnish the honey with a lavender blossom, if desired. To make a lavender simple syrup by boiling down equal parts sugar and water with lavender blossoms.
5. Garnish the sandwich with a fresh lavender sprig.
6. Enjoy!
Optional: Serve with a mimosa.
x Paris

Truffled Macaroni & Cheese

~ Paris

Macaroni & cheese is one of those comfort foods that I tend to reach for throughout the year. In the winter, I love how soothing it is to inhale a warm bowl of cheesy pasta, while in the summertime I typically pack it up for a picnic on a pretty day. This is also one of my favorite, go-to dishes since it is a quick, easy to make, and absolutely delicious. I haven’t eaten mac & cheese from a box since I was a child because, with just a little effort, you can get something far more decadent, indulgent, and rich. I’m planning on keeping this in rotation for the next few weeks since we can also use a bit more comfort during these unprecedented times.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Recipe:

Pasta

Cheese

Butter

Cream

Here’s how to make it:

1) Boil the pasta.

2) Once it’s been cooked, drain the water and add the cream to the pasta.

3) Leave it on a low flame on and mix in the cheese. You can add any kind of cheese you desire, but I prefer adding a four cheese Italian blend with cheeses such as asiago, mizithra, mozzarella, and parmesan. 

4) Add a little butter to the pasta and let it melt through the entire pot of pasta.

5) Put it in a tray and bake it in the oven for a few minutes to create an extra crispy layer.*

*Optional –  I have served it both baked and unbaked. The baked macaroni gives it the crisp top layer.

**Add butter, cream, and cheese as you wish. Sometimes I add a lot of cheese, or sometimes (like this last weekend) I add just a little cheese and let the flavor of the cream and butter take over instead.

Enjoy!


x Paris