Do you think the French really eat croque monsieur sandwiches?  Are they frolicking to cute little cafes ordering these…or the lady version, croque madame?  I remember being in a French restaurant some time ago with a friend and she ordered a croque madame and it immediately peaked my interest.  What is this sandwich?  What’s the story behind it?  Why is there an egg?  Blah, blah, blah.  The most amazing part about this sandwich is the delicious bèchamel sauce on top.  Yum.  I recently got inspired to make my own little version of a croque monsieur and I think it turned out pretty tasty, if I must say so myself.  

prosciutto!

I used this Martha Stewart recipe as a guide for my croque monsieur and it didn’t disappoint.  There were two changes that I made to the recipe: used prosciutto and smoked gouda instead of gruyere.  So good. As you can see, I served a very simple salad with blood oranges and a homemade vinaigrette.

Very easy recipe – I love making vinaigrettes at home but I don’t do it enough.  Boo.  

Lemon Balsamic Vinaigrette
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp kosher salt
black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

Mix first 5 ingredients together.  Gradually whisk in the olive oil.  Done and done.