MealTime Success

There are times when everyone gets home after a long day or a road trip and the snack attack affects everyone equally. Unfortunately in most households there is just one chef to whip up a snack .  This snack is so simple that it will NOT require much of tired chef’s left over energy or time to have it served.

Kind of Food: Meal / Snack
How long: 10 min
Makes:About 4 small toasted sandwiches or 8 toasted halves (triangle)
Pot & pans: Electric sandwich maker

Ingredients:
8 slices of bread
1 cup of fresh mozzarella or any left over cheese (sliced or grated)
5 Tbsp of raisins or other dry fruit like dates (chopped)
Substitute: Non-mushy fruits like pomegranates, seedless grapes (halved), apples/pears (chopped in to small pieces)
1 tsp pepper optional
1 tsp butter (only for stove stop method)

How to cook:
Pre-heat the sandwich maker according to manufacturer instruction. Arrange four bread slices to lie flat on a surface in an assembly line.  Spread the cheese evenly on the four bread slices.  Sprinkle 1 Tbsp raisins/fruit on each slice.  Sprinkle pepper on top of the raisins/fruit. Top each prepared slice of bread with another slice of bread.  Place the sandwiches on the sandwich maker, cover and cook until the cheese melts.  Remove and cut in to halves (triangles).

Stove top: Melt a 1 tsp of butter  on a medium hot griddle or tava and place the prepared sandwiches on it. Place a heavy skillet on top of the sandwiches.   Cook for 1-2 minutes on one side, then flip the sandwiches and cook for a minute on the other side until cheese melts.

Make it Fast, Fun, and Facile! – Sri

Catering to the adult palate
Add finely chopped chillies or sprinkle red pepper flakes to kick it up a notch.
Fine chopped fresh herbs like basil or mint will provide for an interesting combination.

Tips,tricks & alternatives:
Use any combination of fruits and cheeses that your kid will like. Avoid fruits that have a lot of water content.
You can always add a little spice or herbs to cater to your kid’s palate. The choices are endless.
In the time you prepare the sandwiches, keep the family occupied by getting them to set the mood for a picnic with music, juice/milk, paper plates and glasses on  a blanket.  An indoor picnic is a lot of fun on cold days too.  Paper plates will make the picnic more authentic while eliminating clean up .

Serving ideas:
Serve with ketchup or chutney.  Look up easy fun dipping sauces.