“Grilled Nutella Sandwich”

It’s funny what sticks in your head when it comes to food. I was talking to my daughter & business partner, Whitney, a few days ago about our recent trip to Chicago to work on a photo shoot. As well as work time, we also had some time to play. Eating was a big part of our play time. We had some fantastic food, some a bit fancy, some very ethnic, some homemade…but the most memorable of our edibles for both of us was a little grilled Nutella sandwich. It came as a dessert after a perfect light meal of little plates at a restaurant we wandered into on a snowy night called “Quartino”…it is often the little things that linger.

I admit I have been thinking about that buttery grilled Nutella since I ate it that snowy night  over a week ago. Vivid food moments from the past. The warm cheese burgers I ate as a child with a homegrown tomato spread thickly with mayonnaise, the croissant & cafe au lait in Venice at dawn about 25 years ago, freshly caught fish ceviche eaten on a boat in the Caribbean minutes after the fish was caught last year.  Taste recall isn’t so much about the food, but the moments around the food, where I was, who I was with, what I was doing. I am sure you agree?

Not being able to recreate the moment, I was able to recreate that little Nutella treat to perfection this week. A hot steamy cup of milky coffee alongside turned this into very nice moment in the middle of a busy day.

 3 Ingredient list:

Butter room temperature, Crusty Bread,  Nutella

Instructions:

1. Smear one side of each slice of bread with softened butter.

2. Slather a generous portion of Nutella on the non-buttered side of each slice.

3. Place a heavy skillet or griddle over medium high heat. Or use a Panini grill if you have one.

4. Make sandwiches with the Nutella on the inside, buttered side out.

5. Grill sandwiches in hot skillet until golden brown on both sides just like you would a grilled cheese sandwich. If you grill them in a Panini grill they will be flat sandwiches, but either way they are delicious.

6. Cut sandwiches in half or quarters and eat warm.

Stack of little Panini grilled Nutella sandwiches.

Now, how easy is that?

A little food for thought:

One other little thing that is very easy to do would be to donate  just one meal’s worth of your hard-earned money to Planned Parenthood. This is one of the little things we can all do…just one meal’s worth to a good cause. Just go to http://www.plannedparenthood.org to donate. Thank you.

A Little Chicago Image Gallery:

A Little Bit About Nutella:

Today is “World Nutella Day”!

It is a spread made up of roasted hazelnuts, sugar, skim milk & cocoa & has not artificial colors or preservatives according to the label.

Nutella was created by Pietro Ferrero, a pastry maker & founder of the Ferrero company in the Piedmont region of Italy. During the 1940’s there was a cocoa shortage due to World War II rationing and as hazelnuts were plentiful Nutella spread was developed.

Nutella can be stored at room temperature.

It’s all the little things. No?