Cheeseburger Sliders

 It's been awhile! I haven't been trying too many new things lately. Now that my family is getting older and I only have two kids at home, I'm not making as many big dinners, and most of what I make is quick and easy. But when I find a recipe that I keep going back to, I have to add it to the blog just to make it easier for myself to find again. This is one of those recipes. 

Cheeseburger Sliders
adapted from Natasha'sKitchen.com

1 lb. lean ground beef
1/4 TBSP olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 large yellow onion, finely diced
2 TBSPs mayo
6 oz medium cheddar, shredded (can also use slices)
1 pkg of 12 Hawaiian rolls
1 TBSP unsalted butter, melted, plus more to grease baking sheet
1 tsp sesame seeds

Pickle slices

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Butter the bottom of a rimmed baking sheet.

2. In a large skillet over medium/high heat add olive oil. Add diced onion then ground beef and break up with a spatula. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook over medium/high heat until beef is browned, then remove from heat. Tilt skillet to spoon off and discard excess fat. Stir in mayo.

3. Cut buns in half. Place bottom half of rolls on buttered baking sheet. Spread ground beef mixture evenly over the rolls. Cover the ground beef with 6 oz of shredded cheddar.

4. Place the top of buns, cut-side down, over the burgers. Brush tops with melted butter and immediately sprinkle tops with sesame seeds. Bake at 350˚F for 12-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and tops are golden brown. Serve with pickle slices.

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

I saw this recipe on Instagram and it looked delicious, so I added it to my menu plan last week. It did not disappoint. I made a couple changes to how I cooked it, which I noted at the bottom. I'm already looking forward to eating this again!

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

ohsweetbasil.com

3 pound tri tip steak

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 15 oz can beef broth

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp garlic powder

Hoagie Rolls

Cheese slices

1. Remove and discard the fat from the roast. Place the trimmed roast in a crockpot on low.

2. In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, beef broth, bay leaf, pepper, rosemary, thyme, and garlic powder. Pour mixture over the roast. Cover, and cook on low heat for 8 hours.

3. Take the meat out and shred it, then let it cook 1-2 hours more, or until meat is very tender.

4. Remove meat from broth, reserving the broth.

5. Distribute the meat on hoagies and top with cheese. Place under a broiler until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted. Use reserved broth for dipping.

Notes: I used water and beef bouillon instead of broth. I cooked the roast on high for 5 hours, shredded, then cooked on low for 2 more and it was great. After removing the meat from the slow cooker, I chopped it up a little so that it wouldn't be stringy. I used gouda cheese slices in the picture. It made enough for 10 sandwiches with a little left over. I tried some leftover meat in a tortilla with queso fresco, salsa, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and lime and it was really good!

Coronation Chicken

I've visited England twice and both times I've had coronation chicken. The first time I tried it was 2 years ago in a tea sandwich at the Orangery Restaurant in Kensington Gardens. Just a couple of months ago I had it at a cafe down the street from Rochester Castle and Cathedral. It was served on a baguette. Then 2 days later, I had it again at coaching inn/pub called The Hen and Chicken in Alton. Gavin ordered it as well because he had tried my sandwich and liked it. His was served on a jacket potato (aka baked potato) and my was again on a baguette. I love chicken salad, but this isn't normal chicken salad. For one, it's practically royal. The original recipe was created for Queen Elizabeth's coronation banquet in 1953. The other thing I love about it is the flavor! It's a curried chicken salad with fruit! I looked up a few recipes and decided to make some of my own. I need to say a few things about ingredients. The recipe I based this one off of called for bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts which I have discovered are practically impossible to find, at least in my regular grocery stores. I used boneless, skinless, instead and it worked great. I substituted burgundy cooking wine for red wine, but you could also just use chicken broth. Mango chutney might be hard to find. It'll be in the jam/jelly section. I found mine at Walmart and the recipe used about half the jar. I put the rest in a ziplock bag and froze it for next time. The mango chutney adds a lot of flavor, so don't skip it. Tomato puree is in the canned tomatoes section. My store only had Hunt's brand. I also froze the leftovers of that for next time. I really wanted to add crème fraîche to my coronation chicken. BUT it's hard to find and if you do it's gross stuff in a jar (just like the clotted cream) and is not the same and it's expensive. You can make your own, but that takes pasteurized whipping cream, NOT ultra-pasteurized which is also not carried at the regular grocery store, so I improvised! I bought Mexican Crema because I live in San Antonio and THAT is something that IS carried at my stores and is not expensive. Mexican Crema is Mexican table cream and is comparable to crème fraîche (google it!) but runnier. So I added it last to make my coronation chicken just as creamy as I wanted it to be. 

Coronation Chicken
adapted from a nytimes recipe
3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 TBSP olive oil
Salt
Pepper
2 TBSPs unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, diced
½ cup burgundy cooking wine or chicken broth
6 TBSPs mango chutney
¼ cup tomato purée
3 TBSPs curry powder
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 dried bay leaf
1 cup mayonnaise
3 ounces dried apricots, finely chopped (about 15 apricots)
1/2 cup golden raisins (aka sultanas)
1/2 to 1 cup of crème fraîche (OR Mexican crema OR more mayo)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rub chicken on all sides with olive oil, season generously with salt and pepper and arrange on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until cooked through, about 45 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Let chicken cool slightly chop meat into bite-size pieces or shred. Set aside.
2. While chicken is baking, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cooking wine, mango chutney, tomato purée, curry powder, lemon juice and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering, stirring occasionally and adjusting heat as necessary, until sauce is thick, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf. Transfer sauce to a large bowl and let cool to room temperature
3.Once sauce has cooled, add the mayonnaise and stir to combine. Add the cooled chicken, apricots, and the golden raisins, and stir to coat them in the sauce. Stir in 1/2 to 1 cup of crème fraîche (OR Mexican crema OR more mayo) to create desired creaminess. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve on bread for sandwiches or on baked potatoes.

Poppy Seed Dressing

This is such a yummy and easy dressing! I make it to use on these Hawaiian Ham and Cheese Sliders (also from Our Best Bites). THEN I use the leftovers on salad, maybe with with strawberries and candied pecans or mandarin oranges. I have even made it with my immersion blender, which I love, because clean up is a breeze. 

Poppy Seed Dressing
ourbestbites.com
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 tsp salt
A few turns of freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp mustard
1 green onion ends removed (roots and where the green part starts to get floppy)
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 tsp poppy seeds

In a blender, combine vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, and mustard. While the blender is running, add the green onion. Continue running the blender and add the oil in a steady stream and is fully incorporated into the dressing. Pour the dressing into a serving or storage container and whisk in poppy seeds. Serve over leafy greens.

OR throw everything into a bowl (minus poppyseeds). Blend with immersion blender until smooth. Stir in poppyseeds.

Hawaiian Ham and Cheese Sliders

I've tried a few different versions of these sliders and this is my favorite one. I especially like it with the Our Best Bites Poppyseed Dressing spread over the rolls, but you can use any kind that you like. The original recipe calls for 1/2 cup of the dressing to be spread evenly over both sides of the rolls, but I find that the bottom of my rolls ends up too soggy if I spread a 1/4 cup of dressing over them. I prefer to use a little less and only spread a little on the bottom and the rest of it on the top. We eat these up fast, so it might be a good idea to make 2 pans. ;)

Hawaiian Ham and Cheese Sliders
adapted from ourbestbites.com
1 dozen Hawaiian Rolls
1/3 cup Our Best Bites Poppyseed Dressing (or any poppyseed dressing)
6 slices Swiss or provolone cheese, cut into quarters
18 thin slices honey or brown sugar ham
2 TBSPs butter
1/2 tsp poppy seeds
1 tsp dehydrated onion
1 tsp Creole or other mild coarse-ground mustard


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9x13" baking dish with aluminum foil. Set aside.
2. Slice the rolls in half. Don't separate them.
3. Spread a small amount of dressing on the bottom rolls, just to barely cover them (we don't want them to be soggy). Spread the remainder of the dressing on the top half.
4. Place a cheese quarter on each roll
5. Place 1 1/2 slices of ham on each roll.
6. Place another cheese quarter on top of ham on each roll.
7. Carefully turn top half of rolls over onto the bottom half and place the entire thing into the prepared baking dish.
8. In a small bowl, melt the butter and whisk in the poppyseeds, dehydrated onion, and mustard. Spread it evenly over the tops of the rolls.
9. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 2-3 minutes before serving.

BBQ Smoked Sausage French Bread

When I look at these pictures I think, PARTY FOOD! This would be a great super bowl party snack. It has all the major food groups, bread, cheese, meat, and BBQ sauce! ;) The recipe only uses half of the loaf of French bread, but you can definitely double it to feed a crowd. It would also be amazing to substitute chicken, and even throw some bacon in there, which I will try soon. I used beef smoked sausage and cheddar cheese, but you can use your favorites of either one. And no reason why you can't make this for dinner!

Barbecue Smoked Sausage French Bread
1 loaf French bread, sliced in half lengthwise (you only need 1 half)
1 TBSP butter
1 small onion, sliced
12oz  package of smoked sausages, chopped
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
3/4 cup shredded cheese

1. Place french bread half on a baking sheet. Toast under broiler just until it starts to brown. Remove from broiler.
2. Melt butter in skillet over med-high heat. Add onion slices and cook stirring occasionally until onions are soft.
3. Add chopped sausages and continue stirring occasionally, for about five minutes, until cooked through.
4. Add barbecue sauce and cook for a few minutes until mixture is heated through.
5. When sausage mixture is hot, scoop it onto the french bread and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle with cheese.
6. Place back under broiler to melt cheese. Keep your eye on it so it doesn't burn.
7. Slice into strips and serve.

I couldn't say no when he asked to be in the picture. Haha

Caprese Chicken Panini

I bought a beautiful basil plant from Trader Joe's! It sat on my porch for a month until I finally decided I had better make use of  it! We had these sandwiches for lunch and they were amazing! I made them in a sandwich press, but you can cook them on the stove top too.

Caprese Chicken Panini
Bread (I sliced up a loaf of french bread)
Fresh mozarella slices
Deli lunch meat chicken
Tomato slices
Basil leaves
Balsamic vinegar
Mayo
Butter, if desired

Spread a slice of bread with mayo. Layer chicken, tomato slices, basil leaves, mozarella. Drizzle mozarella with a little balsamic vinegar. Top the sandwich with another slice of bread. Butter the outer sides of the bread, if desired, and cook them in a sandwich press or a skillet on the stove top until golden.

Here's the cheese I used. It had a $1.00 off coupon attached. ;)

Fajita Grilled Cheese Sandwiches - Meal Idea

After you make these Chicken Fajitas, you should use the leftovers to have another meal of Fajita Grilled Cheese Sandwiches! They are better than you think! You don't really need a recipe for it, but I'll give you one anyway. :)

Fajita Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Bread

Butter or margarine for grilling 

Shredded cheese

Leftover chicken fajita meat with peppers and onions

Avocado, mashed

Heat a skillet or frying pan to medium heat. Butter one side of each slice of bread. Layer on cheese, fajita mixture, then avocado. Grill until golden. Serve with salsa and sour cream. Eat.

Turkey Cranberry Sandwich

Hope everyone had some yummy food yesterday! I know I did! If you are looking for something to do with your leftover turkey, this is for you. 

Turkey Cranberry Sandwich

Sourdough bread
Leftover turkey (can also use turkey lunch meat)
Sliced Cheese (I used cheddar in my pic)
Mayo
Leftover cranberry relish
Lettuce or spinach
Tomato
Butter or margarine for grilling

Layer the turkey, cheese, and a little mayo on the bread. Spread some butter or margarine on the outside of the bread. Grill in a pan on the stove top or in a panini press. After it's golden and the cheese is melted, open it up, spread on the cranberries, and top with lettuce and tomato.

Apple Butter Grilled Cheese

Yep, I spread apple butter on my grilled cheese sandwich, and it was good. I was looking for a sandwich idea for dinner, and found a couple different GC with apple butter and we gave it a try. It's very sweet, but the arugula balances it out. I found that my children don't have quite a refined enough palate for arugula (defined as a spicy and bold green), so if you're not up for that, you could use baby spinach. :) I used deli turkey, cheddar, and sliced Granny Smith apples (the tartness is also good contrast). It's quite a different tasting sandwich, but I really loved it.

Apple Butter Grilled Cheese
 ¼ cup arugula
Dash of apple cider vinegar
2 slices bread
Apple butter
Thinly sliced Granny Smith apple
Sliced deli turkey lunchmeat
Sliced cheddar cheese
1 TBSP butter or margarine for grilling

1. Preheat skillet or panini press to medium heat. (I used my George Forman Grill)
2. In a small bowl, toss arugula with a dash of apple cider vinegar.
3. Spread apple butter on one side of each piece of bread. Top an apple butter side of bread with arugula, apple slices, followed by cheese, then turkey. Place the other piece of bread on top, apple butter side down and press. Spread butter on outside of bread slices.
4. Cook in the pan for 2 minutes on each side, or until browned and cheese is melted.

Makes 1 sandwich

Calzone

I don't use ricotta in nearly enough recipes, but there's plenty in this one. :) I'm all about easy, so I make my dough in my bread machine on the dough cycle. The filling is lots of cheese and whatever toppings you like. We use ham and pineapple, pepperoni, olives, spinach, chicken, tomatoes, things we normally like on pizza. Dip in marinara or spaghetti sauce. Add a little crushed red pepper if you are brave.

Calzone
adapted from allrecipes.com
1 1/4 cups water
1 1/2 TBSPs white sugar
1 TBSP powdered milk
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsps instant yeast or bread machine yeast

1 15oz. container ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp salt
Pizza toppings
Melted butter
Marinara sauce for dipping

1. To Make Dough: Place water, sugar, powdered milk, flour, salt, and yeast in the pan of the bread machine, in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select Dough cycle.
2. After cycle is completed, remove dough from pan, divide into 4 equal parts, roll into balls, and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, egg, and salt. Mix well. Add desired toppings and stir until combined (I use around 1 1/2 cups total of toppings).
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each dough ball into a 10 inch circle. Transfer each dough round onto lightly greased cookie sheets (I fit 2 per cookie sheet)
5. Spoon cheese mixture onto half of each dough round. Pull other half of dough up and over the filling. Seal edges with fork, or pinch closed. Cut small slits on top of calzone and brush with melted butter.
6. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. If using two pans, rotate halfway through baking. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.
Makes 4 large calzones.

Pepperoncini Beef

This is a recipe from ourbestbites.com that I use to make sandwiches for one dinner and taquitos on another night. Two for one! You cook the beef in the crock pot with a jar of pepperoncinis which gives it a very different and slightly spicy flavor.

Pepperoncini Beef
adapted from ourbestbites.com
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 TBSPs of olive or cooking oil
3 lb. beef roast, trimmed of excess fat
4-5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 16-oz. jar sliced pepperoncinis, undrained

1. Heat oil in a pot or high-sided skillet over high heat. While the oil is heating, combine the salt and pepper and rub it into the meat. Add more if necessary.
2. When the oil is hot, sear the roast on all sides so the outsides of it is browned and a little crispy.
3. Transfer the roast to a slow cooker and add the minced garlic and the entire jar of pepperoncinis.
4. If possible, cook on high until the liquid comes to a boil and then turn it to low and cook until the roast shreds easily with a fork, for a total cooking time of about 6-8 hours. If not possible, cook on low for 8-10 hours or until the beef is fork tender.
5. Drain and shred. Keep the peppers!

Sandwiches
Crusty sandwich rolls
Sliced provolone cheese

Slice the rolls and spread lightly with mayonnaise and then top with the shredded beef. Add a slice of provolone cheese and then place under the broiler for 1-3 minutes or until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Taquitos
Tortillas (corn or flour)
Crumbled Queso Fresco (or shredded pepper jack or monterey jack)
Cooking spray
Salt

Sprinkle 1-2 TBSPs shredded beef on each tortilla and about 1 TBSP of cheese. Roll up and place seam side down on greased baking sheet. Spray tops of tortillas with cooking spray and lightly sprinkle with salt. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until tortilla is crispy and edges are lightly browned. Serve with salsa, sour cream, or guacamole

Ham and Pineapple Spread

I needed something to take to a lunch get together this week, and couldn't think of any ideas. I ended up trying something new and it turned out wonderful! I spread it on baguette slices and topped it with a little chopped spring greens from a salad mix. You could also use it as a cracker dip. I got my ham from the deli. I just asked for 4 ounces sliced a little thick so I could chop it up (it was about 3 slices). If you don't like onions you can use less, or leave them out. This would be a great way to use up some leftover Easter ham too.

Ham and Pineapple Spread
adapted from food.com
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup (4 ounces) ham, chopped
8 ounces crushed pineapple, drained

1. Mix softened cream cheese and sour cream well.
2. Add parmesan, onion, and ham. Drain pineapple well, and add to mixture (I use a mesh strainer and dump the can in so I can then push all the juice out with the back of a spoon).
3.  Refrigerate for 2 hours for flavors to meld.

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

I love an easy slow cooker dish! Using a good bottled BBQ sauce is the trick to making this taste amazing. I like to use Stubbs or Sweet Baby Ray's Sweet ’n Spicy. I think that a spicy, not sweet,  BBQ sauce works best in this recipe because the addition of brown sugar adds the sweetness. I also like to top my BBQ sandwiches with my cole slaw found here.

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
adapted from allrecipes.com
6 frozen skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 can of chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (12 ounce) bottle BBQ sauce
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 TBSPs Worcestershire sauce

1. Place chicken in a slow cooker. Pour chicken broth over the chicken, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Cook on low 6-8 hours.
3. Remove chicken from slow cooker, and drain the remaining liquid. Shred chicken and place back in slow cooker.
4. In a bowl, mix the BBQ sauce, Italian salad dressing, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over the chicken and stir to combine.
5. Cover, and cook on low 1 more hour.
Serve on buns or rolls and top with extra sauce, pickles, and or cole slaw.

South-of-the-Border Sandwiches

In the summer I like to have lighter dinners that don't keep the oven on for too long. These yummy sandwiches make a great summer meal. Feel free to leave off the avocado on a few slices if your husband is picky.

South-of-the-Border Sandwiches
adapted from Lion House
8-10 slices of French bread
½ cup olives, chopped
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp salt
½ cup mayo
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
¾ to 1 pound cooked turkey, thinly sliced
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
2 ripe avocados, sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded colby jack cheese

1. In a bowl, combine olives, chili powder, cumin and salt; set aside 2 tablespoons of this mixture. Add the mayo, sour cream, and green onions to the remaining olive mixture.
2. Place bread on an ungreased baking sheet and spread 1 tablespoon of the mayo mixture on each slice. Top with slices of turkey and tomatoes. Spread with another tablespoon of the mayo mixture. Top with sliced avocados and cheese. Sprinkle with the reserved 2 tablespoons of olive mixture.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until heated through. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Meal Idea - BLT

I wasn't able to post anything last week because I was visiting my parents, so it's 2 for 1 day. Sometimes I have a couple slices of bacon leftover in the package, and instead of throwing them out I make a BLT. I use lightly toasted bread, mayo, and of course bacon, lettuce, and tomato. I had a special tomato from my parent's garden for this particular sandwich. These are yummy for lunch or dinner.

Meal Idea - Open Faced Tuna Melt

Sometimes I don't feel like making dinner. I'm sure that doesn't happen to anyone else, right? :) On one of those nights, I do something easy like this...English muffins, tuna (I mix mine with a little mayo and sweet pickle relish), and cheese. Put it under the broiler until the cheese melts, then top it off with some chopped olive.

Meal Idea - Breakfast Sandwich

Here's a quick and easy idea for breakfast, or any meal really. All you need is toasted English muffins, scrambled eggs, a few slices of ham or canadian bacon, and some cheese, and you've got yourself a homemade Egg McMuffin. I like to put a little mayo on mine too.

Meal Idea - Patty Melt

A patty melt is a hamburger patty with onions and cheese on toasted bread. My husband loves them. You can make one in just a few simple steps. 

1. Cook a hamburger patty.
2. Saute some onion slices until they are nice and brown.
3. Assemble the sandwich: bread, hamburger, slice of cheese, onions, bread.
4. Butter the bread and cook in frying pan until golden and cheese is melted.

If you want a sauce on the sandwich some options are: thousand island dressing, a mayo and ketchup mixture, or BBQ sauce (my husband's item of choice).

French Dip Subs

 I found this recipe on the internet and tried it because it's quick and easy. It tasted great and we all loved it. The cream cheese on the bottom is a little funny, but you could always leave it off. I used a packet of Pioneer Au Jus mix that made 2 cups, and it was plenty.

 D.J. and Katelyn's French Dip Subs
favfamilyrecipes.com
4 hoagie rolls
1 pkg. au jus gravy mix
1 lb. deli Italian roast beef (ask your deli to do thin slices)
Cream cheese
8 slices provolone cheese

Prepare au jus gravy mix according to directions in a medium-sized saucepan. Place Italian Roast Beef in gravy mix and simmer for about 10-20 minutes. While beef is simmering in the sauce prepare hoagie rolls by spreading cream cheese on the bottom bun of each hoagie and 2 slices of provolone on each top bun. Place tops and bottoms of hoagies face-up in broiler for a minute or two until the provolone cheese has melted. Remove from broiler. Using tongs, pull out some of the beef from the au jus and place it on the bottom bun. Cover with top bun and serve with remaining au jus gravy for dipping.