veggie rolls with spicy mayo

Tonight I made my first veggie rolls! I had everything prepped before my boyfriend came home with the most important ingredient of all, rice paper rounds. Man, were those hard to find! I had already been to three different grocery stores earlier today, so I was quite relieved when he showed up with them tonight. I’ll have to remember to thank his mother for pointing him in the right direction!

The recipe on the Food Network website calls for 1/2 cup of mayo and 1/2 cup of Sriracha. If you’re familiar with this Thai-style hot sauce, you know that putting 1/2 cup of it is going to set off some alarms! I ended up going with a little less than a 1/4 cup. I recommend adding the hot sauce a tablespoon at a time to achieve your desired level of spiciness. This was definitely a nice twist to the traditional spring rolls I’m use to.

Vegetable Rolls with Chili Mayonnaise from Giada at Home

Ingredients

For the Chili Mayonnaise

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Sriracha (season to taste!)*
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce*
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar

For the Vegetable Rolls

1 red bell pepper, seeded, cored and cut into thin slices
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded, cored and cut into thin slices
1 large carrot, shredded
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
6 rice paper rounds*
6 butter lettuce leaves, ribs removed
1 1/2 cups cooked cellophane noodles or bean threads, cooled*

*Can be found in Asian markets, or in the Asian section of some grocery stores

Directions

For the Chili Mayonnaise: In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, chili sauce, lemon juice, fish sauce, garlic, and brown sugar.

For the Vegetable Rolls: In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, carrot, mint, and basil. Add the Chili Mayonnaise and toss well.

Lay a damp kitchen or paper towel on a work surface. Soak a rice paper round in warm water for 20 to 30 seconds until softened. Place the rice paper on the damp towel. Lay a lettuce leaf in the middle of the rice paper and spoon some of the vegetable mixture on top. Place 1/4 cup of the cellophane noodles on top of the vegetable mixture. Roll the rice paper around the filling and seal the ends with a little water. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Store the finished vegetable rolls in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours wrapped in damp paper towels.

panera panera

I spent most of the day out and about in Fort Worth looking for a new apartment to move into with my boyfriend. After the third one, we decided to take a much needed lunch break at what is quickly becoming one of my new favorite places to eat, Panera Bread. I see the place every time I go to Super Target, which by the way is ALL THE TIME, but had never gone in there until this past Sunday. Being the big bread fiend that I am, I’m surprised it took me this long to try the place out!

The first thing you notice when you walk into Panera Bread is how beautifully laid out everything is. If the decor doesn’t catch your attention, the complimentary baked goodies certainly will! They offer free Wi-Fi service, so you’ll usually find a couple of people quietly working on their laptops. It has a very chilled out atmosphere.

I went in there already knowing what I wanted. (I have a habit of checking menus online before I go to a place.) I got their “u-pick-2” special – Mediterranean Veggie sandwich and a Fuji apple salad. That sandwich did not disappoint one bit! It came with zesty piquant peppers, feta cheese, cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions and cilantro hummus on Tomato Basil bread. It was incredible! The salad had mixed field greens, romaine lettuce, vine-ripened tomatoes, red onions, pecans, Gorgonzola, apple chips & white balsamic apple vinaigrette. It also comes with citrus-herb chicken slices, but I asked if they could hold the chicken. Those apple chips were sweet with a perfect crunch. I don’t think I even have to say how good the pecans and Gorgonzola cheese were…

My boyfriend opted for the Chicken Caesar sandwich on their Artisan three cheese bread with baked lays and a pickle spear. I think his only complaint was that it could have had a little more dressing on it. We washed it all down with their Iced Green Tea. It’s infused with passion fruit and papaya. My boyfriend, who is not a fan of tea at all, really enjoyed it as well. It was sweet and refreshing.

We left feeling quite satisfied with the food and service. It was money well spent, for sure. This definitely won’t be our last time at Panera Bread! I already know what I’m going to try next… ^_^

What is your favorite food item from Panera Bread?