We have a wonderful Used Book Store in town.  It’s in an old home, so imagine each section in it’s own little room, most complete with quiet reading areas.  On the day I discovered this Roasted Garlic Bread Soup recipe, Shelby and I went in opposite directions.  If I recall she was looking for books on the Dalai Lama and I was in cookbook heaven.

I was flipping through an old cookbook, one printed back before every recipe came with full sized color pictures.  There were a few pages with the corners turned down, which is why I stayed with it.  One of those pages had a recipe for Roasted Garlic Bread Soup.  I’m certain I did a double take.  Roasted garlic bread soup.  I read that right.

Here’s How to Oven Roast Garlic.

I recall the simple recipe called for heads of roasted garlic, a loaf of crusty bread, chicken broth, cream, shallot, thyme, salt & pepper.  Without a picture, I wasn’t exactly sure what the finished result would look like.

I chose to top our soup with sautéed mushrooms and shaved parmesan cheese.  The finished result was a garlic lovers dream.  I’ve categorized this recipe under Appetizers as well as Soups.  While we loved the richness, we thought it was a bit heavy to eat a large bowl full.  Much better in cup sized servings, where every silken bite is savored.

Print

Roasted Garlic Bread Soup

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 6 -8

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 loaf of crusty bread we used Tuscan Roasted Garlic Bread, about 5-6 cups cubed
• 2 heads of garlic
• 2 Tbl. olive oil divided
• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms sliced
• 2 Tbl. butter
• 1 shallot minced
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup cream
• salt & pepper to taste
• parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Roast heads of garlic (see How To link in post).
• Large cube bread and spread on baking sheet. Toast in oven for 10-15 minutes, until slightly crispy. Reserve 1 cup of toasted cubes for serving.
• While garlic roasts, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat, sauté mushrooms until browned nicely on both sides. Do not overcrowd pan. Work in batches if necessary. Reserve.
• In a soup pot, sauté shallot in 1 Tbl. olive oil until tender, add in thyme sprigs, chicken broth; bring to a simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Reduce to low; remove thyme, stir in cream, roasted garlic and toasted bread (less reserved one cup).
• Fold to combine, then puree lightly. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
• To serve, sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese, sautéed mushrooms & reserved toasted bread cubes.

The post Roasted Garlic Bread Soup appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

What’s not to love about sitting down at your favorite Italian restaurant when out comes warm crusty bread and a dish of herby Bread Dipping Oil.  I could almost make a meal out of it.  Almost.

It’s Friday.  So with my crusty bread dunked in this fabulous Bread Dipping Oil, I shall have a perfectly chilled cocktail, catch up with my family, and slide gracefully into the weekend.

This recipe makes a half cup of the dried herb seasoning blend.  To serve Bread Dipping Oil, sprinkle a tablespoon of seasonings on a shallow bowl or plate, then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Serve with warm crusty bread and be happy.  I scored a gorgeous Tuscan Roasted Garlic Loaf.  This artisan bread was studded with whole garlic cloves.  Meow!

Print

Bread Dipping Oil

Enjoy your favorite restaurant quality Bread Dipping Oil at home.

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the seasonings…

• 1 Tbl. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 Tbl. freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 Tbl. sea salt
• 1 Tbl. dried oregano
• 1 Tbl. dried rosemary
• 1 Tbl. dried basil
• 1 Tbl. dried parsley
• 1 Tbl. minced garlic

To serve…

• good quality extra virgin olive oil
• balsamic vinegar
• crusty bread

Instructions

For the seasonings…

• Combine and store in a sealed jar.

To serve…

• Sprinkle a tablespoon of seasoning mix onto a shallow bowl or plate. Drizzle with 1/4 – 1/2 cup olive oil and 1 – 2 Tbl. balsamic vinegar.
• Dip crusty bread in dipping oil and enjoy.

The post Bread Dipping Oil appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Why not turn this favorite chicken recipe into a grilled cheese?  If I can put Spaghetti & Meatballs into a grilled cheese, Monterey Chicken seemed like a natural.  Grilled chicken breast with smoky hickory bbq sauce, crispy bacon, lots of cheese, sliced tomato and diced jalapeno & scallion….sounds amazing right?

Pile that high on some crusty bread, pan grill it in butter, and call me one happy camper.  Actually, split this with a friend…and make that two happy campers.

Print

Monterey Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 2 4-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 4 strips bacon
• 2-3 Tbl. hickory bbq sauce or favorite
• 2 ounces Monterey Jack/cheddar cheese shredded
• 1 Roma tomato sliced
• 1 jalapeno fine diced
• 1 scallion thinly sliced
• 4 slices sourdough bread
• butter for grilling

Instructions

• Cook bacon slices in a skillet until crispy. Remove to drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 1 tsp. bacon drippings.
• Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness. Pan grill until golden brown on each side and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side or until chicken registers 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer. Remove from pan.
• Butter bread slices and add to skillet. Top each slice with shredded cheese and grill until golden brown on the bottom and the cheese has melted. Place chicken breasts on two slices of bread.
• Top each grilled chicken breasts with a schmear of bbq sauce, two slices of crispy bacon, sliced tomato, diced jalapeno & scallion and a second cheesy bread slice.

The post Monterey Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Jen’s Mushroom & Thyme Truffled Grilled Cheese Sandwich with baby reds, onion, sharp cheddar, watercress, freshly cracked black pepper on Tuscan garlic bread.  Jen, being my niece.  A food enthusiast.  Creative soul.  Inspiration.

I sent out a text alert to my favorite foodies.  Okay kids, I need some grilled cheese recipe inspiration.  I knew I could count on them.  My phone lit up with inspiration.

Well there you have it.  My work here is done….

Other than to serve it up.  We wanted mushrooms to be the star, and where there are mushrooms there should also be thyme.  Sliced baby red potatoes and thinly sliced onion assumed their role as ‘another veggie’.  Tossed in olive oil and oven roasted until almost crispy.  I had to slap hands away from these….who needs potato chips?!!

I gave good consideration to what kind of bread would compliment the well selected ingredients of our Mushroom & Thyme Truffled Grilled Cheese Sandwich.  Tuscan Garlic Bread nearly jumped out of the bakery case.  When I sliced it and found whole garlic cloves I promise I heard the sound of harps playing in the distance.

We brushed that gorgeous bread with butter and truffle oil before pan grilling and loading our sandwich.  Can’t you just see the flavor in this sandwich.

As it turns out, the harps I thought I heard in the distance were actually a surround-sound concert in my living room.  David Gilmour from Royal Albert Hall singing “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” with his back up singers David Crosby and Graham Nash.  ox

Here is my recipe inspiration team.

Print

Mushroom & Thyme Truffled Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Libby & Jen with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 4 baby portebello mushrooms sliced
• 4 baby red potatoes sliced
• 4 thin onion slices
• 4 fresh lemony thyme sprigs
• freshly cracked black pepper & salt
• 2 Tbl. olive oil
• 3 ounces extra sharp cheddar shredded
• 4 slices Tuscan Garlic Bread or favorite crusty bread
• 1 Tbl. butter
• 1 Tbl. truffle oil
• 1 cup fresh watercress leaves

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss mushrooms, potatoes, onion, and thyme in olive oil, salt & pepper. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, turn mushrooms and potatoes and bake another 5 minutes or until golden and slightly crispy.
• Heat skillet over medium heat. Brush bread slices with butter and truffle oil. Place in pan and top with shredded cheddar, roasted veggies, and more cheddar. Pan grill until golden brown. Top with fresh watercress and freshly cracked black pepper.
• Excellent served with a side of tomato veggie soup.

The post Mushroom & Thyme Truffled Grilled Cheese Sandwich appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Strawberry, Basil & Brie Grilled Cheese Sandwich {with Strawberry Jalapeno Skillet Jam}

Strawberry season is upon us and there are so many wonderful and creative recipes popping up.  With my mission to share a unique grilled cheese sandwich every day during National Grilled Cheese Month….I’ve been busy.  And happy.  This yummy sandwich will make your family smile whether you serve it for breakfast, lunch or dessert. 

Start with some nice grainy bread and a generous layer of our NEW Strawberry Jalapeno Skillet Jam.

Add some fresh tender basil leaves, sliced strawberries, and a layer of ooey gooey brie.  Pan grill in butter.  Enjoy!

The post Strawberry, Basil & Brie Grilled Cheese Sandwich {with Strawberry Jalapeno Skillet Jam} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Presenting Romesco Sauce.  Think roasted red pepper pesto.  It’s nutty, with big bold flavors and is so versatile.  This sauce can be served on pasta, as a dip for fresh veggies, or as a spread on sandwiches.  But where we see Romesco really shine is when it’s paired with seafood.

Romesco Sauce originated along the coast of the Mediterranean sea in the Catalonia region of Spain.  As with many dishes that have evolved over hundreds of years, there are countless versions of this classic recipe.  Most however include almonds, garlic, red peppers, tomatoes, smoked paprika, crusty bread, red wine vinegar and olive oil.  And most of these ingredients are roasted or toasted before coming together as a sauce.  Now tell me….what’s not to love?!

Romesco Sauce is thick and dense with vibrant roasted flavors.  If Romesco is new to you I highly recommend giving it a try.  We baked a beautiful piece of halibut in the sauce and served it over pasta.  Flavor wow! Here is the recipe link for Halibut in Roasted Romesco Sauce with Pasta.

Recipe Note:  To fire roast a red pepper…..

Char it well on all sides over an open flame or under a broiler, turning frequently with tongs.  It will take up to 10 minutes to get well blackened.

Place pepper in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. This will create steam which will loosen the skins.  Once the pepper has cooled, cut it in half removing the seeds and charred skin.  Rinse to remove any remaining seeds or little bits of black charred skin.

Print

Romesco Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 small head of garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil divided
• 1 red bell pepper or 1 8-ounce jar of roasted red peppers drained
• 1 lb. of tomatoes skins and seeds removed or 1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes.
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 2 cups crusty bread cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 Tbl. sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbl. smoked paprika
• 1 Tbl. flat leaf parsley
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350° degrees.
• Slice top off the head of garlic and remove papery skins. Drizzle with 1 Tbl. olive oil. Wrap in foil and roast in oven for 30 minutes. Once done, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of the head.
• Meanwhile, if not using canned, fire roast the red pepper (see instructions in recipe post) and par-boil the tomatoes to remove the skins and seeds. Set aside.
• Toast the slivered almonds in the oven for 7-10 minutes or until just beginning to brown. Set aside.
• Heat remaining olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, sauté the bread cubes lightly browning all all side.
• Add the roast garlic cloves, fire roasted red pepper, tomatoes, toasted almonds, toasted bread, vinegar, salt, smoked paprika, parsley and red pepper flakes to a blender or food processor. Puree until fairly smooth.
• To finish the sauce, add to a shallow rimmed baking pan and bake for 15 minutes. This will allow the sauce to thicken slightly and caramelize around the edges.
• Yields 1 1/2 cups of sauce. To store, allow to cool and refrigerate in an air tight container for up to 7 days.

The post Romesco Sauce appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Homemade Croutons are just minutes away if you have bread in the house.  Any kind of bread works.  But.  Using roasted garlic crusty bakery bread, sliced thick…will make them stand out in a crowd.  Go ahead, show off.

We most often will cut the thick slices into cubes, toss them in seasoned butter or olive oil, then bake them.  However, if you’ve got the grill fired up for nice thick steaks or juicy chicken breasts, why not grill your bread for croutons too.  No one needs a hot oven running during grilling season.

Print

Homemade Croutons

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 4 slices crusty bread 1-inch thick
• 3 Tbl. melted butter or olive oil
• 1 tsp. Mrs. Dash Garlic Herb Seasoning
• or your favorite blend
• pinch of salt
• freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

For full size croutons, cooked on the grill…

• Heat grill to medium-high.
• Slice bread into 1-inch thick slices. Combine melted butter with seasoning. Brush bread slices with seasoned butter. Grill bread slices for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove from grill and cool slightly.

For cubed croutons, baked in the oven…

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil.
• Slice bread into 1-inch thick slices, then further cut into 1″ cubes: set aside. Combine melted butter with seasoning. Toss bread cubes with seasoned butter. Spread cubes in a single layer on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned; turning and cooking an additional 5-7 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool slightly.

The post Homemade Croutons appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

When I make French Onion Soup I know my family feels loved.  That makes me happy.  A big pot of buttery caramelized onions, fresh herbs & garlic, nice rich beef stock, topped with an over-sized crouton smothered with cheese.  It’s LOVE I tell you.

To begin, make a giant pot of caramelized onions, as many as you can fit in your big dutch oven.  I know the recipe calls for 4 large onions, but if you have more in the pantry and they’ll fit in the pot, slice them up.  They will cook down quite a bit and you can always put them on your grilled cheese sandwiches tomorrow. 

I made the caramelized onions the night before and then turned them into these little pots of LOVE for lunch.  I warmed the onions then added minced garlic, fresh thyme, a bay leaf, salt & pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and red wine.  The red wine gets cooked off until it has evaporated, leaving the onions with a rich full bodied flavor.  A dusting of flour gets cooked in before adding beef stock with a final simmer.  This soup is fantastic at this point. 

However, I’m a sucker for cheese.  And a cheese topped over-sized crouton really makes me happy.  So I cut some nice thick slices of day old pumpernickel bread (which will now be my staple French Onion Soup topper) and toasted it slightly.  Filled my favorite collection of crocks with the soup, nestled a piece of toasted bread on each, then a thick slice of melty cheese like Havarti or Gruyere, and under the broiler they went.  French Onion Soup {with Pumpernickel Croutons}.  It’s LOVE I tell you.

Print

French Onion Soup

Course Soup

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 3 Tbl. butter
• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 4 large onions sliced for caramelizing
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly cracked pepper
• 1 cup red wine can sub white wine or omit
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tbl. flour
• 1 quart beef stock
• 4 thick slices crusty bread
• 4 thick slices Havarti or Gruyere Cheese

Instructions

• In a large dutch oven over medium-low heat, add butter, olive oil, and sliced onions. Stir to coat onions in butter then allow to cook untouched for 10 minutes, until caramelizing begins. Stir well, then allow to cook for an additional 5 minutes untouched. Stir, cook another 5 minutes, onions should be turning a nice golden brown. Continue cooking, stirring every 3-4 minutes until the desired color is achieved.
• Add in minced garlic, bay leaf, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for an additional minute, then add in wine and Worcestershire sauce. Allow to simmer gently until the wine has absorbed. Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs, discard.
• Dust onion mixture with flour and cook slowly for 5-7 minutes. Then add beef broth and simmer 10 minutes.
• Preheat oven to broil. Butter and toast crusty bread slices. Ladle soup into crocks, place toasted bread on top of each crock and top with a slice of cheese. Broil until lightly browned and bubbly.

The post French Onion Soup {with Pumpernickel Croutons} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.