Roxy’s Grilled Cheese

What started out as an esteemed food truck in 2011, now has several “brick and mortar” locations around the greater Boston area, including in Allston, just a few minutes from the Green B line.  Roxy’s does not just slap together American cheese between two slices of Wonder Bread, but takes it to the extreme, with delicious add ins, such as avocado, fig spread, and caramelized onions.

Walking in, you are greeted with solid wooden tables and metal chairs, creating a tough guy feel, but the amazing sandwiches will surely make your heart melt.  I ordered the Allston which had herbed goat cheese, fig jam, caramelized onions, and arugula.  Biting into the sandwich instantly sent the cheese oozing outwards and fig jam started running down my fingers. FYI make sure you have many napkins within reach before digging in! The tangy goat cheese was a perfect compliment to the very sweet fig jam that almost tasted like a glaze. The bread was buttered and perfectly toasted, providing a nice texture element to the otherwise soft interior.  My lovely companion ordered a side of hand cut truffle fries which were very addictive, as she let me share.  Roxy’s also offers poutine, which is french fries topped with gravy and cheese curds, and I have to try that next time!  Roxy’s is located next door to two of my other favorite hang outs… Whole Hearted Provisions and FoMu.

Another Roasted Butternut Squash Spinach Salad

If you haven’t picked up on Sarah’s and my infatuation with butternut squash, that would be quite a remarkable feat.  Unlike my father, I love the sweetness of a squash, slowly baked in the oven so it caramelizes, and topped with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  I could literally eat bowls upon bowls.  This salad was a spur of the moment dish just using whatever I had in the cupboards/ fridge.  Feel free to curb the ingredients to fit to your own pantry.

Roasted Butternut Squash Spinach Salad (serves one)

1 cup Roasted Butternut Squash (instructions here) cut into cubes before baking

2 cups spinach, coarsely chopped

1 oz feta cheese

5 kalamata olives, pitted

1/4 cup walnuts

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Place the spinach in a bowl.  Top with squash, olives, walnuts, and crumbled cheese.  Drizzle olive oil and balsamic on top.  Mix until combined.

Chicken Florentine

This meal is amazing.  Full of fantastic flavor, it is a meal fit for a king.  I love the sweetness of the balsamic, paired with the creamy goat cheese, and the tanginess of the sundried tomatoes.  If you want to add a funkier element, switch out the goat cheese for blue cheese!  I used a recipe from Ellie Krieger (picture below), but added a balsamic vinegar sauce (second picture down).

Chicken Florentine

One 10-ounce package fresh spinach

4 medium sun-dried tomatoes

4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

¼ cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves

4 ounces soft goat cheese (chèvre)

salt

freshly ground black pepper

4  skinless boneless chicken cutlets (make sure they are thin, you can pound them if needed)

1 tablespoon olive oil (probably will need to add more)

¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth

3/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 400F

Chop the sun-dried tomatoes, grate the cheese, chop the spinach, crumble the goat cheese, and chop the basil.  Pile each ingredient by itself on a cutting board.

Sprinkle on each ingredient to the top half of each chicken breast, roll up, and secure with either rope or toothpicks. Sprinkle the chicken rolls with the salt and pepper to taste.

Heat the oil in a large skillet with a cover over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken until golden, 5 minutes per side.

Place the chicken on a cooking pan and pour the broth on top.  Bake until the chicken is cooked all the way through which took me around 15-20 minutes.

In the large skillet you cooked the chicken in, add the balsamic vinegar and a little more olive oil if needed.  Heat on high for a couple of minutes until the sauce thickens.  Drizzle over the chicken when you are plating.  Next time I think I will add a couple of chopped walnuts on top for a crunch factor.  Dig in!

Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Sandwich

Last week, I had a slice of roasted red pepper goat cheese quiche, and could not stop thinking about the delicious combination of flavors.  So, I decided to replicate the dish at home, but in sandwich form.  The sweetness of the red peppers counteracts the tang from the goat cheese and creates a fresh well-balanced meal!

Roasted Red Peppers (serving size is whatever you want)

Red Peppers

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place peppers on a sheet tray and bake until the outside is charred.  It took me around 1.5 hours.  Take the peppers out of the oven and let them cool for about 5 minutes.

Take off the stem of the peppers.  Peel away the charred skin, so only the soft flesh of the pepper is left.  Core out the seeds and cut the peppers into thin strips.  Place the peppers in a dish and drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.  Now, I always cover the peppers and let them sit a while before I use them.  Just to give them a chance to soak up their flavors and become really tasty.

Don’t those look gorgeous?!  Alrighty folks, now on to the sandwich.

Roasted Red Pepper Goat Cheese Sandwich

Roasted Red Peppers

Goat Cheese

French Bread

Olive Oil

Fresh Spinach

Toast the french bread until golden on the edges.  Drizzle olive oil onto both sides.  Spread goat cheese onto one of the sides of bread.  Then top with peppers.  On the other side place fresh spinach.  Combine the two halves and dig in!