recipes

Grilled Eggplant & Date Sandwich

~ Paris

For the past few weeks {six, to be exact}, I’ve been spending more time in the kitchen making meals from scratch and with plenty of fresh produce. But before that, I had spent far too much time heating frozen meals, eating dessert daily, and ordering takeout on those days when I was craving something more wholesome than a tv dinner. Needless to say, I had been eating poorly, and my body could feel the results. So, with my change of pace {um, or should I say diet?}, I decided to make the cleaner choice again the other afternoon. Since one of my favorite dishes to make for lunch is a classic sandwich {like my Green Apple & Brie Sandwich with Lavender Infused Honey or White Truffle Oil Parmesan & Portobello Sandwich}, I decided to make one. I grilled fresh eggplant with double cream brie, spinach, and a medjool date. The juxtaposition of the creamy cheese, flavorful spinach, hearty eggplant, and the sweet dates created a phenomenal flavor, encouraging me to make a second sandwich for lunch, and replicate the exact same meal again for dinner.

Ingredients
{Makes 1 Sandwich}
1 Slice Eggplant
6-8 Spinach Leaves
Double Cream Brie
1 Medjool Date, finely chopped
2 Slices Bread

Recipe
1. Toast the two slices of bread.

2. Spread the creamy part of the brie cheese, avoiding the rind, on both slices of bread. Next, add spinach to one slice of bread, and the chopped dates to the second slice.

3. Grill the eggplant slice over a skillet with an oil spray until it’s golden brown on both sides.

4. Add the grilled eggplant to the spinach topped bread. Then, add the other slice of bread on top and slice in half, letting the brie melt due to the warmth of the grilled eggplant.

5. Enjoy!

x Paris

Entertaining: Afternoon Tea & Palmier Cookies

~ Paris

My favorite part about studying abroad in London was definitely visiting the various tea houses for afternoon tea. There’s just something so classic about spending an overcast, rainy day with a hot cup of tea and cookies {preferably of the French variety, such as a macaron, Palmier, or a madeleine, though those are technically a cake}. After discovering that I could make Palmier cookies with only two ingredients required {sugar and puff pastry}, I knew that I would have to try my hand at making some. I paired it with a strawberry & chocolate flavored tea for an indulgent afternoon pick-me-up. The sweet, caramelized cookies, paired with the refreshing hot tea, was the perfect combination on a stormy afternoon, and felt like such a grown up way of having an adult approved tea party.

Ingredients:
1 sheet all-butter puff pastry
1/4 cup sugar {or to taste}
Recipe:
1. Sprinkle the granulated sugar through each layer of the puff pastry. Editor’s Note: A quarter cup of sugar went a long way for me, but I know many people may want a sweeter, more caramelized cookie. Please add more sugar as needed for your personal preference.
2. Allow the sugared puff pastry to chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
3. Add some sugar around the tray to dip both sides of the cookie. Editor’s Note: Be careful as too much sugar can cause the cookie to get a bit over-caramelized/ burnt.

4. Slice the puff pastry and then shape them by hand into the classic heart shape.
5. Leave plenty of room for the cookies to expand as the bake or they will expand and stick to each other.
6. Bake for ~7-8 minutes at 425 degrees. This may vary depending on your oven, so keep an eye on the cookies as they are being made.
7. Enjoy!

x Paris