Welsh Tomato Rarebit

This tasty cheese dish is perfect for a snack, or makes a great light dinner or lunch. Just add a green salad on the side, and maybe put some ham or bacon as a topper to the toast you serve it on. It's great for the chilly days and nights of fall, and it's a snap to make. This is a bit of a variation because I've added the tomato, but I like it better that way. You can leave it out if you want.


Welsh Rarebit

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup diced tomatoes (canned or fresh)
1/4 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 tsp red pepper
2 eggs
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste



Melt the butter in a heavy Saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth, then continue to cook and stir until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Gradually stir in milk and simmer until thick, stirring the whole time. Remove from heat.

Stir the tomatoes into the sauce. Whisk together the mustard, pepper, worcestershire sauce, and eggs; stir into tomato mixture. Set the saucepan over very low heat or a double boiler.

Stir in the cheese, and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese has melted.

Serve over whole grain toast.

Pulled Pork with Mustard BBQ sauce

Cook a pork shoulder or pork roast in slow cooker on Low or smoker until internal temperature reaches 190 (or it falls off the bone). Let rest and cool for approx 1/2 hour, then pull apart and cook with mustard sauce to taste on low for another 30 minutes.

Serve on toasted buns with coleslaw, either on the side or on the bun. Excellent.
Mustard Sauce


* 1 cup prepared yellow or any other type mustard
* 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
* 1/3 cup brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon cayenne

Mix all ingredients together and simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes. Cool and store in refrigerator until pork is done.

White Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad

This is a great salad to make for lunch, and it's particularly good this time of year because of the abundance of cherry tomatoes. They're sweet and tasty, and go perfectly with the light rosemary and parsley dressing. If you don't have cherry tomatoes, use very ripe tomatoes cut into small pieces, making sure to add the tomato juice to the mixture. It makes it better.

White Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad

1 large can of white beans, Great Northern or canelli beans, drained and rinsed or 2 cups white beans
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 sprig of fresh rosemary or 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1 - 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup of lemon juice


Put the garlic and rosemary in olive oil in a small saucepan. Heat on medium until it begins to sizzle. Remove the pan from the heat and let sit for 20 minutes, allowing the rosemary and garlic to infuse in the oil.

Remove rosemary sprig (if using fresh) from the oil, discard. Remove the garlic from the oil, reserving the oil. Add the garlic, Worcestershire, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and lemon juice to a food processor or in a small bowl. Pulse until smooth if using processor. If mixing by hand, mash with fork and mix until smooth as possible.

In a serving bowl, add the garlic mixture to the beans until they are well coated. Let sit for a few minutes so that all the flavors combine. Mix in the reserved olive oil, tomatoes, and parsley.

Serves 6 to 8.

Ham and Gruyere Panini

A panini is a sandwich made on a grill. I have a regular panini grill, but it can be any kind of grill. Panini is also a brand of grill made specifically for grilling these sandwiches.

This sandwich can be made with any kind of cheese. Gruyere is a rich and smooth type of Swiss cheese that is delicious with ham. I make these on the panini grill listed below, and they're great. Be creative; you can mix and match ingredients for these sandwiches, but I love the ham and cheese. I prefer prosciutto, but deli ham works just as well.

Ham and Gruyere Panini

• 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
• 8 slices Ciabatta bread, sourdough bread, or any whole grain bread
  
• 4 (1/4" thick) slices deli smoked ham
• 4 slices Gruyere or any other type of cheese
• 1/2 cup roasted red pepper strips, drained
• 1/2 cup spinach leaves
• fresh tomato slices
  
• 2 Tbsp. butter or olive oil
• Sprinkle of dried or fresh basil
  

In small bowl combine mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese and mix well. Spread on one side of each piece of bread. Assemble sandwiches with the coated bread, Gruyere cheese, ham, the red pepper strips, tomato, and spinach.

Butter the outside of the sandwiches, or brush with olive oil. I like it with the olive oil, and then I like to sprinkle it with a little dried or fresh chopped basil right before I grill it. Mmm.

Grill sandwiches on indoor grill or panini grill or griddle until toasted and crisp. Serves 4

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