Panera Bread's Mac & Cheese

Ingredients:

1 16 oz. package of rigati pasta (or other small pasta shells)
1/4 Cup butter
1/2 Cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 Cups 2% reduced fat milk (or cream)
6 slices white American cheese, chopped
1 Cup (8 oz.) shredded extra-sharp white Vermont cheddar
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. hot sauce

Procedures:

Cook pasta according to directions on box or bag.

Melt the butter over low heat, and stir in flour. Cook for one minute. Gradually stir in milk or cream, whichever you choose to use. Cook over medium heat, stirring until mixture thickens and bubbles. Remove from heat.

Add cheeses, mustard, salt, and hot sauce, stirring until cheese melts and sauce is smooth. Stir in cooked pasta and cook over medium heat for 1 minute (or until thoroughly heated). Serve warm.

Serves: 4 person

Source: Recipe4Living

Panera Asian Sesame Chicken Salad

Salad:
2 wonton wrappers
2 Tbs. almonds, sliced
4 Cups romaine lettuce
1 Tbs. fresh cilantro, chopped
3 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts, grilled and sliced

Dressing:
1/2 Cup rice vinegar
4 Tbs. sugar
2 Tbs.canola oil
1/2 Tbs. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sesame seeds
Black pepper

Procedures:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Cut the wontons into 1/4 inch strips.

Heat the canola oil to 365°F in a heavy skillet.

Fry the wonton strips.

Toast the almonds in the oven for 5 minutes.

Toss then toast for 5 minutes more. Remove from oven and let cool.

To assemble the salad, in a large bowl, toss the romaine lettuce, cilantro, wonton strips, chicken and dressing.

Top with the sesame seeds and almonds.

For the dressing: In a small sauce pan, heat the vinegar and sugar until the sugar dissolves, stirring often. Let it cool completely. Mix the oils together. Whisking constantly, pour in the oil mix to make an emulsion.  Add salt, pepper and sesame seeds.

Serves 4 person

Source: Recipe4Living

Panera Turkey Artichoke Panini

Ingredients:
1 loaf pesto focaccia bread
8 oz. freshly sliced turkey
4 oz. spinach artichoke spread
2 oz. asiago cheese
1 small red onion, diced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1-2 tomatoes, sliced ( 6-8 slices)
1 pinch salt and pepper

Procedures:
Preheat panini grill to medium temperature.

In a medium sauce pan, sauté diced red onion in olive oil until transparent. Add balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

Slice the loaf of pesto focaccia into two semi-circles, and halve each semi-circle.

Layer the turkey onto the bottom halves of the focaccia bread, and spread spinach artichoke mix over turkey. Layer sautéed onions, asiago/parmesan blend and tomato slices. Close face of panini with the top halves of focaccia bread.

Add panini to preheated grill and press lightly. Grill 5 minutes on medium or until the cheese begins to melt and there are grill marks on the focaccia bread.

Serves: 2 person

Source: Recipe4Living

Panera Bread's Cool Avocado Soup

Ingredients:
2 avocados, pitted and peeled
1/2 English cucumber, peeled and chopped
4 scallions, green parts only, coarsely chopped
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
Juice of 1 lime
1/3 cup packed cilantro or parsley leaves and thin stems
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 slices Tomato Basil Bread, toasted and cut into wedges
Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Procedures:
Puree everything but the bread in a blender until very smooth, 2 to 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides once or twice. Cover tightly with the blender lid and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 6 hours.

Puree again just before serving, adding a little cold water if necessary to thin the soup. Serve with the Tomato Basil toast and garnish with cilantro.

Serves: 4 persons

Source: Panera Bread

Panera Bread Spinach and Prosciutto White

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 bag (6 ounces) torn mature spinach leaves
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 rounds Panera Bread Asiago Cheese Focaccia
1 1/2 ounces sliced prosciutto, chopped into bite-size pieces

Procedures:
Preheat oven to 500ºF. Heat oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add spinach, tossing and cooking until it wilts, 4 to 5 minutes. Season
with a pinch of pepper.

Combine ricotta, mozzarella, oregano, and pepper in a bowl. Spread over focaccia to the edges, patting into an even layer. Top with spinach mixture, spreading it around as evenly as possible. Scatter
prosciutto over the top.

Bake directly on an oven rack with no baking sheet until cheese softens and crust browns and crisps, 10 to 12 minutes. Cut each pizza into six wedges.

Serves 6

Panera Bread Grilled Steak Salad with Giant Croutons

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds 1" thick beef tenderloin steaks
1 Panera Sourdough baguette
extra-virgin olive oil
blue cheese sprinkles (optional)
1 10oz bag baby spinach leaves
1 head red leaf lettuce
1 16oz can mandarin oranges
1 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 4 ounces)
3/4 cup sliced almonds (about 3 ounces)
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced into rings
Your favorite Poppy-seed salad dressing

Procedures:
For the grilled steak, rub both sides of each steak lightly with vegetable oil, and then season with salt and pepper. Grill steaks on one side, turn and finish grilling to desired doneness. (About 5 minutes on each side for medium rare.) Transfer steaks to platter to stand until cool, about 15 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled. Just before serving, slice each steak diagonally into thin pieces.

If you prefer, coat the bottom of a large, heavy skillet with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and place over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the steaks and cook on both
sides to desired doneness. (About 5 minutes on each side for medium rare.) Prepare the steaks for serving as above.

For the giant croutons, cut bread into slices 3/4" to 1" thick. Place the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake slowly in a 300° F oven until they are lightly browned and crisp (approximately 25-30 minutes). For extra flavor, lightly brush each slice with olive oil after they have baked for 15 minutes. If you wish, sprinkle blue cheese crumbles over the slices for the last
minute or so of baking, just until the cheese softens.

For the salad, mix all the salad ingredients in a large salad bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat. Divide salad equally and arrange on six plates. Top with slices of grilled beef. Add a giant crouton to
the side of each plate and serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings

Panera Bread Roasted Red Pepper Gremolata Spread

Ingredients:
Zesty spreads add just the right touch to your sandwich buffet.
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, minced
2 teaspoons capers, drained
1 medium clove garlic, peeled and mashed
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
14 ounces roasted red peppers, drained and patted dry


Procedures:
Combine all of the ingredients -- except the peppers -- in a food processor and process until very finely chopped. Add peppers and pulse until they are coarsely chopped, scraping bowl often. Adjust seasoning to taste, and serve at room temperature.

Makes 2 cups

Panera Bread Pudding with Apples, Pecans and Raisins

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 loaf Cinnamon Raisin White Bread torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup pecan halves
Zest and juice of 1 large orange
1/4 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon vanilla extract or rum
8 small baking apples (about 2 pounds) such as Fuji, Gala or Granny
Smith, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 cup apple, quince, or blackberry jam or jelly

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
3. Add the bread and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until well coated.
4. Add the sugar, pecans, orange zest and juice, cider, and vanilla extract.
5. Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes until a sauce begins to form.
6. In a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, layer the bread mixture with the apples and dot the top with the jam or jelly.
7. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly.

Serves 4

Panera Bread Five Onion Soup with Scallion and Gruyere Croutons

Ingredients:
3 large yellow onions, halved and sliced (pole to pole)
3 red onions, halved and sliced
6 shallots, halved and sliced
3 leeks (white parts only), halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise
3 cups scallions (greens reserved for croutons), sliced
1 large garlic clove, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 750ml bottle red wine
1 small bunch thyme (12 sprigs) cut into 4" lengths
6 quarts beef stock, homemade or low-sodium canned
1 baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch coins
1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated

Procedures:
In a 12-quart stockpot, saute the onions, shallots, leeks, scallion whites, garlic and a heavy pinch of salt in 2 tablespoons oil until the onions begin to caramelize. Deglaze with red wine. Add the thyme and stock to the pot. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for at least 1 hour. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

While the soup is simmering, preheat the oven to broil. Toss the bread coins with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and place flat on a sheet pan. Toss the scallion greens with the Gruyere, and top each coin with the mixture. Bake on a rack in the middle of the oven for 3 minutes and then transfer to the broiler to lightly
brown the tops. The cheese should be bubbly. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with croutons.

Serves 6-8

Panera Bread's French Bread Margherita Pizza

Ingredients:
1 Loaf of French Bread, cut in half lengthwise
1 1/2 cups canned tomato sauce (or 1/2 cup of your own favorite tomato sauce)
1/2 cup fresh basil chiffonade, lightly packed (chiffonade = cut into thin strips)
2 large roma tomatoes, sliced
16 oz. mozzarella cheese, sliced
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Procedure:
Preheat, the oven to 475 degrees F.

Lightly toast the bread for about 5 minutes. Spoon the tomato sauce over the bread. Top with the basil, then tomato slices, then the cheese.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes to brown the tops.