A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS June 7, 2006 Susan Noble Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent

The Beatles do a song about getting by with a little help from their friends. If I could sing, I'd sing along with them. All of the recipes in this column are from friends.

The first recipe comes from my Elizabethtown friend, Elizabeth Ann. She came over a couple of weekends back, and we had a yard sale together. Along with her junk (excuse me -- her items), she brought this great sandwich for our Friday night supper.

This sandwich is not your ordinary hand-held culinary experience. It's made with a long baguette of French bread making it a very attractive change from the typical sandwich. Spinach substitutes for lettuce and flavored cream cheese replaces the mayo. The next time you need a fancy sandwich for a picnic or supper on the deck, give this one a try.

Though the original recipe wasn't too bad in terms of fat and calories, Elizabeth Ann used a trick from a television chef to remove more calories. With very clean fingers, she removed some of the bread from the insides of the top and bottom bread pieces.

While calorie control was Elizabeth Ann's goal, the television chef had a different reason for removing the bread -- size control. Sometimes sandwiches get so fat they can barely be maneuvered into the typical human mouth. Removing some of the bread allows space for the filling while keeping sandwich size under control.

Whichever your approach, just don't let less bread be an excuse for more filling. Also, try this technique with fast-food breakfast biscuits to help control calories and/or size depending on your interest.

The grilled chicken recipe comes from an Extension agent friend who cooked up a batch for 400 people at a chicken cooking contest. I have not actually sampled the recipe to know for sure that she's a good cook, but she certainly is a brave cook.

The soup recipe is from Bunny Williams, the internationally famous interior designer. I must confess that I don't actually know Bunny. I've been reading her new book about her love affair with her house, and I've come to feel like I know her . . . and like her.

Hot soup may not sound like a summer dish, but notice the soup includes zucchini. When your garden overflows with this prolific veggie, try the soup. You won't feel like you're being punished for having an overabundance.

I did adapt Bunny's recipe according to what I had on hand in the freezer. However, unlike Elizabeth Ann, I made no attempt to reduce the fat. For the first time since last November when my doctor fussed at me for extremely high triglycerides, I went whole hog - literally. I used real sausage and lots of it.

If you are inclined to reduce the fat (and I will next time), use only three links of Italian sausage instead of four; the soup was so full of sausage I don't think this change will hurt. Or you could use turkey Italian sausage.

Don't skip the Parmesan cheese to reduce the fat. Parmesan is such a strongly flavored cheese that a little goes a long way. And don't use the pre-grated stuff in the can or bag. For the most flavor, get yourself a chunk of Parmesan and shred it over the soup just before serving. I like to use the coarse side of a box grater for this.

Now find some friends and enjoy.

Blend together cream cheese, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, and pepper. Split baguette in half horizontally. With fingers, remove some of the bread from the inside of each half to create a well or depression. Spread cut sides of both baguette pieces with cream cheese mixture. On bottom baguette piece, layer turkey, Swiss cheese, roasted peppers, and spinach. Cover with other baguette piece. Slice crosswise into 4 pieces for main-dish servings. Serve immediately or wrap in plastic wrap and chill till serving time, up to 6 hours. If transporting this sandwich, do so in a cooler with ice packs.

To roast bell peppers -- cut peppers in half; remove stems, seeds, and membranes. Place peppers, cut side down, on baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes or till pepper skins are bubbly and browned. Remove peppers from oven and place in clean brown paper bag. Fold bag closed and let stand 10-30 minutes or till peppers are cool. Remove skins.

Combine all ingredients except chicken to make marinade; divide marinade in half. Dip chicken pieces in half the marinade; discard this marinade. Grill dipped pieces, basting often with other half of marinade, using a clean spoon or brush each time.

Yields 6 servings.

Remove sausage meat from casings. Heat oil in heavy bottomed soup pan or dutch oven. Add sausage in a single layer and brown well over medium heat. Add tomatoes, water, and seasonings, mashing tomatoes to break them up. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Add zucchini to soup and cook till tender, about 5-10 minutes. Serve in large soup bowls with Parmesan shredded on top.

Yields 4 servings.

The use of brand names in this column does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service of the products or services named or criticism of similar ones not mentioned.

E-mail address: Susan_Noble@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 06/12/06