My Mother-in-Law tells my children that she’s 35.  Once when my children asked how old I would be on my birthday and I told them, they said “Oh, you’ll be older than Granna!”  Ummm, I don’t think so!  I had to set them straight right away.

Having your turn come around to choose a recipe for everyone to make for the Barefoot Bloggers group is kind of like having a birthday.  Having to choose from all those delicious-sounding Ina Garten recipes is like having to choose just one gift to ask for!  After seeing this Caesar Club Sandwich, however, I really didn’t have to look much further.  This recipe is full of all of my favorite things – roasted chicken, homemade caesar dressing, sun-dried tomatoes, pancetta, parmesan cheese, and arugula – piled high on crispy ciabatta bread.  It sounded just perfect for the beginning of Spring.

And it was perfect.  All the layers of flavor melded together to make one fabulous sandwich (anchovy paste and all).  I even ate some of the leftovers the next day from the fridge, and they were still tasty.  Perfect for a picnic or party, I know I will be making this again and again.

Caesar Club Sandwich

from Barefoot Contessa at Home

Ingredients

• 2 split (1 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
• Good olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta
• 1 large garlic clove, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons anchovy paste
• 1 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup good mayonnaise
• 1 large ciabatta bread
• 2 ounces baby arugula, washed and spun dry
• 12 sun-dried tomatoes, in oil
• 2 to 3 ounces Parmesan, shaved

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan skin side up. Rub the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until cooked through. Cool slightly, discard the skin and bones, and slice the meat thickly. Set aside.

Meanwhile, place the pancetta on another sheet pan in a single layer. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, until crisp. Set aside to drain on paper towels.

Place the garlic and parsley in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until minced. Add the anchovy paste, mustard, lemon juice, and mayonnaise and process again to make a smooth dressing. (Refrigerate the Caesar dressing if not using it immediately.)

Slice the ciabatta in half horizontally and separate the top from the bottom. Toast the bread in the oven, cut side up, for 5 to 7 minutes; cool slightly. Spread the cut sides of each piece with the Caesar dressing. Place half the arugula on the bottom piece of bread and then layer in order: the sun-dried tomatoes, shaved Parmesan, crispy pancetta, and sliced chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and finish with another layer of arugula. Place the top slice of ciabatta on top and cut in thirds crosswise. Serve at room temperature.

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I have to admit that even though I am an avid home cook and baker, I still carry a soft spot in my heart for fast food.  Of course I couldn’t eat it every day, but I do occasionally indulge my soft spot with a Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Sandwich, a Whopper Jr. with cheese, or my very favorite – McDonald’s french fries.

And how could you look at that picture and not think of McDonald’s (love their hash browns, too).  Luckily, this version of an Egg McMuffin is easy to make at home and tastes even better, especially after making my own English Muffins.

Here’s the real trick, though:  Egg Fry Rings from Williams-Sonoma.  In order to get that thick round of fried egg just the perfect size for an English Muffin, these are the answer.  Here’s what you do:  Spray the insides of the rings and a non-stick skillet with cooking spray (VERY important).  Place the ring in the skillet and crack an egg into it (you can also add a tiny pat of butter before putting in the egg if you like).  Cook to your liking on one side, then remove the ring by sliding a knife around the edges and flip the egg.  Then just toss a piece of Canadian bacon in the pan while your egg finishes cooking to brown it on each side.  Toast the English Muffin if you care to, and then fill with the meat, egg, and your  favorite cheese and voila, you’ve got an awesome homemade English Muffin Egg Sandwich.

Just a little chill in the air and I start pulling out the ‘big pots’.  And they stay filled with everything from chili to stew to beans to greens.  Being able to throw it all in and let it go gives a lot of satisfaction when fall finally arrives.

Cheddar Corn Chowder from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook will fill up a big pot for sure and couldn’t be simpler.  Bacon, potatoes, corn and cheddar cheese combine to make a hearty lunch or dinner.  The original recipe found here makes a giant batch, but can easily be halved, or the leftovers can be put away in the freezer.   The Barefoot Bloggers who made this previously noted that the soup comes out a little thin, so I did reduce the amount of chicken stock by about a third to give it more body, and it turned out very good.

Thanks to Jill of My Next Life for her choice of a great summer-to-fall recipe, and for giving me an excuse to bring out the big pot.