Sick Day Comforts

Late last week, I boasted to my fiancé how it was so impressive I hadn’t yet gotten sick this winter. Throughout high school and college, I could count on a nasty cold, usually turning into a sinus infection and one of those never ending tickling coughs to rear it’s ugly head at least once a winter. It really put a cramp in my training for swimming, but I somehow always managed to work with it. I got sick last year after catching a cold from my fiancé, but this year, I thought I was in the clear. Oh I was wrong.

This past weekend I headed to Scranton to attend the Alumni Swim Meet, where the seniors on the team are celebrated, and parents and alumni attend as well. It’s the last duel meet before their championship weekend, so it’s a nice close to the season. Of course, since it’s Scranton, there was snow falling the entire day, and it was quite chilly. Unlike in my college days, I made sure to dress appropriately for the weather, and headed out for a fun night to celebrate the graduating seniors, all of my alumni friends, and a recent engagement between two alumni swimmers! Unfortunately in Scranton, you are allowed to smoke in bars if you are under a certain percentage of revenue related to food. I woke up Sunday morning with a scratchy, sore throat which I attributed to screaming over the music, and a smoky bar.

Monday rolled around, and my throat still didn’t feel right, but it wasn’t too bad. I motored through the day, and when I woke up on Tuesday I felt like I had been hit with a ton of bricks. Super tired, lethargic, a raging headache, a tickle/scratch cough, and a sore throat. I knew it was game over – I had gotten sick this winter. I struggled through the work day, and resolved myself to the couch for the rest of Tuesday evening. I knew I’d be spending Wednesday at home, laying on the couch watching TV and catching up on homework.

Even though my appetite isn’t itself, I knew I needed to eat something for breakfast. Enter the peanut butter and Nutella grilled sandwich! Until recently, I never thought of grilling some things between two slices of bread. Then I saw Shelby’s Grilled PB&J, and Caitlin’s Grilled Banana sandwich. I thought to myself that peanut butter and Nutella would work well together… and oh it does!

So whether you’re feeling under the weather or just want a treat, make this! It’s so quick and easy. I feel silly writing out the directions to make a grilled sandwich, and it’s so simple I actually had trouble writing it out. So forgive me!

Peanut Butter & Nutella Grilled Sandwich
– Serves 1 –

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp chunky peanut butter
2 Tbsp Nutella or other chocolate hazelnut spread
2 slices sandwich bread (any kind will do)
Cooking Spray
1 Tbsp butter

Directions:
1. Spread peanut butter on one side of a piece of bread
2. Spread Nutella on one side of the other piece of bread
3. Put two pieces of bread together, peanut butter & Nutella facing one another
4. Butter one side of the bread, leave the other side un-buttered
5. Spray skillet, and heat to medium-high heat, place sandwich non-buttered side down first
6. Check every few minutes, and once one side is golden brown, flip, cooking other side until similarly golden brown