The 'College-Try' Tuna Melt

                   The 'College-Try' Tuna Melt                          

I am sure you have hear the phrase, 'give it a good old college try.'  I'm not really sure what it means exactly or where it came from.  But I know the sandwhich I made for lunch today definently applied!  It also happens to be one of my first 'replicate me' recipes for dorm students.

I am sure you remember, Dorm life = restricted cooking access!  You are limited items such as hot plates, the trusty george forman, and your mini-fridge.  Well the 'college try' tuna melt only requires your George Forman and will leave you reeling from the tantalizing sensation of asian meditteranean fusion dancing around in your mouth!

For this two melts you will need: 

1 Tbs Mayo

2 Can Tuna

2 tbs chopped fresh Basil & Cilantro  (or dried herbs use 1 tsp)

1 tsp grated ginger (Or dried powder ginger...use 1/4 tsp)

2 Tsp honey mustard
2 drops Sesame Oil

1 Avocado

4 Tbs shredded cheese

4 Slices of Bread (Whatever you prefer, I used soft Wheat)

2 Tbs Butter

1/4 tsp crushed garlic

To Begin:

                Create an herbal butter spread

In a small dish combine two tablespoons of butter with one tablspoon of fresh chopped cilantro and basil and 1/4 teaspoon of crushed or finely chopped fresh garlic.  Mix the ingredients vigorously until the butter is smoothly blended with the herbs and garlic. 

              Season the Bread

Once your herbal butter is ready spread a thin layer on both sides of the sandwhich bread, both inside and out.  You can be more generous with the spread on the inside of the sanwhich, but be gentle with it on the outside because it will burn rather than brown if the layer is too thick.

To Mix the Filling:

    In a cereal sized bowl add two cans of well drained tuna, with the Mayo, ginger, sesame oil, honey mustard, one tablespoon of the freshly chopped herbs, and mix vigorously again. Prefferably with a fork so the tuna breaks up and encompasses the entire mixture.

                                                                   Assemble & Grill:           

     Once your tuna is mixed and your bread is seasoned you can assemble the sandwhich for grilling.  I suggest a layer of the tuna filling followed by two tablespoons of shredded cheese then 3-4 thin slices of avocado and then the top. 

   Place it on the grill, close it, and press down for 7-10 seconds.  Then release the pressure and allow it to grill for one to two minutes until the cheese is apparently melted and the outside of the panini is lightly browned.

Eat Fresh...Subway doesn't have anything on this sanwhich!

Sunday Roasted Chicken

Sunday Afternoon is a time for rest and preparing for the week ahead.  For me, this means some recreation which includes cooking!  Thankfully my favorite pasttimes also help me prepare for a week of delicious meals.  One of my favorite things to do on a Sunday afternoon when the spirit moves me is roast a large portion of meat that I can use all throughout the week.  You have already seen my Pot Roast, just a few posts down, but today, I am bringing you my simple Roasted Chicken. 

A few notes of preparation for a week of delicious chicken items:

    DON'T THROW AWAY THE GIBLETS!  That little bag of chickin insides that nobody seems to want these days is full of delicious flavor starters.  Don't look down on your grandmother's old fashioned ways...they were good ways!  Put those insides and any extras you might choose to trim into a ziploc and pop it in the freezer for later!  (My next blog will surely be my timeless chicken soup from scratch...using these items!)

Here is what you need to get started! Preheat your oven to 400 Degrees Farenheit

Ingredients


1 (3 1/2 pound) whole chicken

Salt and pepper

1 bunch basil

5 cloves garlic   (pop them whole skin on in the microwave for 10 seconds and the skin pops right off!)

Kitchen twine

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or Olive Oil

2 Key Limes  (or your favorite citrus fruit)

Preparation

Place your chicken in a roasting pan or casserole dish. Pat it dry with a paper towel.  The dryer your bird, the crispier the skin.  Slather it in olive oil, salt and pepper.  Stuff the inside with a healthy handful of fresh basil leaves.  Then tuck 5-7 garlic cloves into all the hidden places you can find.  Under the wings and the legs, in the cavity, under the skin, and anywhere you can manage to sneak them.  Lastly, squeeze the juice of your favorite citrus fruit over the top of the bird, giving it a little acid wash and a hint of flavor. 

Roasting

I like the look of a trussed bird.  Some say it cooks unevenly and isn't the best way to go, but I preferr it.  However, if you don't have trussing string, don't use a pair of shoelaces, just go without, it won't hurt a thing.

Tie the legs togeher in the back and cut a small slit in the front of each thigh then tuck the wings in tight while you wrap a piece of twine around the breast of the bird, top to bottom securing the wings in place tucked up close to the breast and into the thigh.

Finally, leave your lime leftovers in the pan for a delightful aroma in your home as it roasts.  Place your dressed up bird in the center of the roasting pan, in the center of the oven, and I suggest you turn the oven down to 375 and roast it 20 minutes per pound.  About an hour.  Always use your meat thermometer and check to be sure your bird is fully cooked. 

When your bird is cooked, you can have it for sunday dinner, or do as I always would shredd it up and have lots of leftover dishes through the week.  Chicken tacos, chicken salad, chicken and rice...etc.  But whatever you do...DONT TOSS OUT THOSE BONES!

Toss them in a freezer bag and put 'em in the freezer because sometime this week I will teach you how to make a masterpiece out of them!  Every part of the bird is useful!