Toasted Roasted Veggie and Brie Sandwich
This toasted roasted veggie and brie sandwich will make you forget all about the meat! Not only will you eat your veggies, but you’ll beg for more! This hearty, meat free sandwich is loaded with roasted vegetables and creamy brie cheese! Brie Cheese I’m not going to lie, you could melt brie cheese on your shoe and it would be delicious! It has a creamy, buttery texture that melts beautifully! Don’t make the mistake of cutting off the outer edge. There is a ton of flavor in the rind. Roasting the Veggies Slice some zucchini and some sweet potatoes lengthwise so that they will stack nicely on the bread, and your vegetables won’t fall off your sandwich. Toss them in oil and season them with salt and pepper. Lay the zucchini and sweet potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. While the veggies are roasting, sautee your onions in some oil until they are tender. THE SECRET TO A CRISPY SANDWICH Typically, a toasted sandwich is made by spreading butter on the outside of the bread and cooking it until the butter browns and the bread becomes toasted. However, the secret to the perfectly crispy sandwich is to use mayonnaise on the outside of the bread, and to melt some butter in the pan before toasting the sandwich. The combination of mayonnaise, butter, and sour dough bread is heavenly! Toasted mayonnaise creates the perfect crunchy texture that you can almost taste when you hear it being bitten in to. Artzy Foodie Tip: For the perfect crunch on any toasted sandwich, spread the outside of the bread with mayonnaise instead of butter, and melt some butter in your pan before toasting the sandwich. Building your Sandwich I like the mild, sour flavor of sour dough bread, and it holds up well to the moisture from the vegetables. Artzy Foodie Tip: Because sour dough bread toasts up nicely on the outside while retaining a good chew on the inside, it is a great choice of bread for any toasted sandwich. Spread the outside of the bread with mayonnaise and spread the inside with dijon mustard. Layer the brie cheese, some arugula, some roasted zucchini slices, some tender onions, and some roasted sweet potato slices. Melt some butter in your skillet. I like to use cast iron for this sandwich. Then, toast on both sides until golden brown. Now that’s how to eat your veggies! If you like this meatless sandwich, you might also like, meatless Mushroom and Goat Cheese Pasta. If you like this recipe, subscribe to Artzy Foodie to get all the latest tasty goodness straight to your inbox! And, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates! A hearty toasted sandwich loaded with roasted vegetables and creamy brie cheese!
Firecracker Shrimp
These firecracker shrimp are the perfect appetizer for any occasion! These crispy shrimp tossed in a creamy, sweet and spicy sauce can be on your table in 20 minutes! These firecracker shrimp are addictive! What could be better than breaded and fried shrimp, coated in a creamy sauce that is sweet and spicy, all piled on top of a huge bowl of greens! Choosing the shrimp When it comes to shrimp, there are several choices you will need to make wild caught or farm raised fresh or frozen shells on or shells removed deveined or not deveined size also known as count Wild or Farm Raised The consensus is that wild caught shrimp is the better choice. Depending on the farmer, there could be antibiotics, contaminants, and even pesticides in farm raised shrimp. Fresh or Frozen Most shrimp is frozen prior to arriving at your supermarket meaning that the “fresh” shrimp in the cooler has most likely been frozen and thawed. Generally speaking, frozen shrimp will be just as fresh once you thaw it. shelled and deveined or not You can buy shrimp with the shells removed that are already deveined or you can buy them with the shells on and devein them yourself. It’s not too difficult to remove the feet and shells and devein the shrimp. Just pull the little feet off with your fingers, using some kitchen shears cut down the back and remove the shell, then using a small knife cut down the back and remove the vein. I recently stumbled across a shrimp deveining tool for less than $10. In just one quick movement, it removes the the feet, the shell, and the vein. A short video demonstration can be found here. Shrimp Count Lastly, there are different sizes of shrimp or different shrimp counts. The count simply refers to the number of shrimp it takes to make a pound. A fairly standard shrimp count is 21-25, which is what I used for this recipe. The smaller the count, the larger the shrimp and the larger the count, the smaller the shrimp. The sauce To make the sauce, mix together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp sweet chili sauce, 1/4 cup sriracha sauce, and 1/4 tsp salt and set aside. How to Make the shrimp In a dutch oven, heat enough oil to cover the shrimp, to 350 degrees. Coat the peeled and deveined shrimp in cornstarch. Add a few shrimp at a time to the oil and fry 2-3 minutes, until browned. Artzy Foodie Tip: When frying, do not overcrowd the pan. The oil temperature will drop and your food will absorb the oil and become soggy. Toss the fried shrimp in the sauce and serve over a bed of greens. Garnish with chopped green onions. If you’re wanting a quick and easy appetizer that is absolutely delicious, these firecracker shrimp are just what you’re looking for! You might also like: Oven Roasted Shrimp Subscribe to Artzy Foodie to get all the latest tasty goodness straight to your inbox! And, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates! Crispy, fried shrimp tossed in a creamy, sweet and spicy sauce served over a bed of greens! This addictive appetizer can be prepared in just 20 minutes!