Date Night // Roasted Tomato + Cheese Sandwich Recipe

Written with love, by Sarah-Elizabeth Stone

It’s official! Fall has breezed in and delighted every woman between the ages of… well who are we kidding, probably all of us. Latte in hand, we reorganize our closets to bring forward all things knit, cashmere, warm and fuzzy. Out fly the wraps, ponchos and pashminas that go perfectly with your new fall boots. You sigh, satisfied with your new pumpkin spice candles, warm throw and matching table cloth. I call this season, ‘Autumn Nesting’, and it’s not for the faint of heart. Determined to channel the season, some women brave the still overly warm afternoons in Fall attire, simply to be in it. One thing is for sure, there is nothing like a warm, melty sandwich to tap into that autumn goddess.

Ingredients

(based on 4 sandwiches)

·         3-5 tomatoes

·         8 slices of bread

·         16 cheese slices

·         1 tbs of basil

·         1 tbs paprika

·         Salt and pepper

·         1 pack of bacon

Directions

1.       Preheat oven to 350F

2.       Slice up tomatoes, and place on a non-stick (or sprayed) frying pan, sprinkle with basil, paprika and a dash of salt and pepper

3.       Let cook for roughly 5-8 minutes

4.       Over medium-high heat cook bacon and set aside on a paper towel to cool

5.       Butter bread, and put one slice of cheese on each side. Pick one side for the bacon to go on, and put the tomatoes on the opposite side, this way the cheese will melt the sandwich ‘closed’

6.       Put butter on the upward facing slice

7.       On medium heat spray down a frying pan and place the sandwich butter side down onto the frying pan, butter the top side before flipping

8.        Let cook for roughly 2-4 minutes per side, or until the cheese melts

Date Night Recipe // Quesadillas

Written with love, by Paul Stone (husband of Sarah-Elizabeth Stone)

Labour day comes and goes, signalling both the end of summer and the start of everything else. My wife will tell you that Christmas is only (!) 117 days away, and that pumpkin spice everything is happening RIGHT NOW. For many, it’s time to tread back to school and face the bells for eight hours a day. For others, it signals the start of a new month, new job, new commute. Heck, maybe everything stayed the same and you just got a sweet day off. Who knows.

But one thing is for certain, Labour day marks a check-in point. It’s three quarters of the way through the year and everything seems to get busier, whether we intend it or not. As the emails pile up, it’s important to make time for your other half. If you’re busy, they are, too. That’s why it’s important to keep a handful of recipes in your back pocket that are quick, cheap, and super easy to make!

Besides, what’s more fun than finger food?

Quesadilla Ingredients

·         4 cups of spinach

·         1 ½ cups of cheese (shredded)

·         4 large tortillas

·         3 chicken breasts

·         ½ cup of salsa

·         ½ cup of sour cream

·         ½ cup of cooking oil

·         Salt and pepper

Side Salad Ingredients

·         1 avocado

·         1 red pepper

·         1 cucumber

Directions

1.       Begin by preheating your oven to 350F

2.       Chop up chickeninto bite sized pieces and cook in a frying pan, on medium heat until cooked most of the way through

3.       While the chicken is cooking, chop up your spinach and shred the cheese

4.       Mix together, in a large bowl, the spinach, cheese, salsa, sour cream salt and pepper

5.       Spray down a baking tray, and place tortillas so that there about 1’ apart

6.       Layer in the spinach mixture, add in as much of the cooked chicken as you desire, pace a tortilla on top, and flatten (use the back of a spatula for this)

7.       Cook your quesadillas for 5-8 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the cheese has melted

8.       Remove, and cut into quarters (or less if you’d like) and serve with a side salad of diced cucumbers, red peppers and avocado!

Date Night // Cajun Fish Recipe

Written with love, by Sarah-Elizabeth Stone

In the last few weeks of summer I find my free time shrinks, and the weekends crammed full of activities. It seems as though everyone is trying to grasp at those last few warm summer afternoons before the crisp, autumn breeze rolls in. In the busy hustle and bustle that the end of summer brings, date night can get pushed off to the side, or forgotten altogether. Between friends, spouses,  and kids perhaps, life can get insane at times. 

Whether it’s a quick and easy meal like this one (which only takes 30 minutes, by the way) as a starter for a long evening, or perhaps the only escape of the week, it’s important to take time out for just the two of you. Eat, drink, and laugh with one another because those long summer days are coming to a close and the threat of pumpkin spice is in the air.

Cajun Fish Ingredients

·         1 cup of olive oil

·         4-6 pieces of halibut or cod

·         ½ tbs of salt

·         ½ tbs of garlic powder

·         1 tsp of paprika

·         1 tsp of black pepper

·         ½ tbs onion powder

·         1 tbs of oregano

·         ½ tsp of thyme

·         ½ tbs red pepper flakes

Roasted Tomato Salad Ingredients

·         4-6 ripe red tomatoes

·         2-4 cups of spinach leaves

·         1 onion, cut up

·         1 cup of mushrooms

·         1-2 tbs of minced garlic

·         1-2 tbs of basil

·         1tbs of shaved parmesan

·         ½ cup of butter

·         ½ cup of red wine

 

Directions

1.       Set the oven to 250F

2.       Begin by slicing the tomatoes, and lining them on a oven safe tray, drizzle olive oil over top, and sprinkle basil and garlic

3.       Cook in the oven for roughly 30-40 minutes depending on how roasted you want the tomatoes

4.       Next heat up olive oil in a pan, leave on medium heat while you prepare the fish

5.       Mix all the spices together in a bowl

6.       Drizzle some olive oil onto the fish, and dunk into spices until fully covered

7.       Slowly lower fish into the hot oil, let cook 3 minutes a side

8.       In a separate frying pan put your chopped onion and mushrooms with butter and wine

9.       Set out spinach, layer tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and parmesan cheese

10.   Add the fish, and sprinkle salt and pepper over the plate