Best Bacon Jam ever!

 I first got introduced to Bacon Jam at a cute little cafe in Dayton, Washington. I ordered a smoked turkey panini that had bacon jam on it and was hooked! I found this recipe while searching for a good one on line and it's amazing! I made panini's on focaccia bread with smoked turkey, provolone cheese, thin sliced tomatoes, lettuce and the bread was spread with a garlic aioli, and of course this bacon jam--see the picture at the bottom.  You gotta try it! The next day I made grilled hamburgers and we put this on those too! So delicious! This reminds me of a good baked bean taste... only without the beans. Enjoy!

Best Bacon Jam

original recipe found here

Makes: 2 cups

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. thick cut bacon

• 2 extra large sweet onions, quartered and thickly sliced

• ½ cup brown sugar

• ⅓ cup strong brewed coffee

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Cut the bacon into half inch slices and add to a large frying pan. Don't worry if the bacon pieces stick together, they will come apart as they cook. Cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently until the bacon is cooked but still quite chewy. A few crispy bit are ok.

Using a slotted spoon remove the bacon from the pan and set aside. Pour out all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings and reserve for another use.

Add the onions to the pan and cook for about 8-10 minutes then reduce the heat to low. Add sugar and stir. Continue to cook until the onions have caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add the coffee, ½ cup of water and the reserved bacon and increase the heat to medium. Continue to cook, stirring about every five minutes, until the onions are thick and jam-like, about 30 minutes.

 Remove from heat and stir through the balsamic. Taste for seasoning and salt if necessary.

Use immediately or refrigerate for up to a week. Bring back to room temperature before serving. There will be little spots of white fat when you take it out of the fridge. As the jam comes to room temperature, these will disappear.

LOVE this stuff!

Thanksgiving leftovers...

If you are looking for things to do with Thanksgiving leftovers, here is a couple of ideas. Besides the yummy leftover sandwiches, and just warming everything up and eating Thanks giving all over again, I like to make Turkey Jambalaya, or Turkey pot pie (see recipe for Chicken pot pie) just substitute turkey for the chicken and add any leftover vegetables you have, and mashed potatoes are good added to the broth to thicken it and make it a little more creamy.
This year, I made Shepherd's Pie, I used my leftover mashed potatoes of course, but I added my leftover green bean casserole to the meat mixture! It was delicious! Then for lunch yesterday we made these Pannini sandwiches for lunch!! so delicious! You have to give them a try! YUMMO! (we loved them so much, I had eaten mine before I took a picture, so I had to 'borrow' one from the internet)

Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Pesto Pannini's
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 loaf of French bread, cut into 3-4 equal pieces (or I used a Square loaf of  California Sourdough bread, love it for Pannini's)
1/2 cup pesto, homemade or store-bought
Sun dried Tomatoes, sliced in Olive Oil (Optional)
4-8 ounces mozzarella, sliced
2 cups chopped leftover Thanksgiving turkey
2 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and sliced

Instructions
Heat olive oil in a grill pan over medium-high heat. Slightly toast bread in toaster if you are using the Sourdough bread, you don't have to, but I think it helps it be less soggy.
Spread 2 tablespoons pesto over 1 side of of the bread and top with  a few sun dried tomatoes. Next add mozzarella, turkey, sliced roma tomatoes, avocado and top half of bread. Repeat with remaining slices of bread.
Add sandwich to pan and grill until the bread is golden and the cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes
per side. I don't have a pannini press, so I grill in a regular skillet and place a heavy cast iron skillet on the top so you get that squished pannni sandwich. So Yummo!

Homemade Pita Bread

I love Pita bread.... you can have almost anything stuffed in them! My favorite thing  to put in them is chicken salad or  turkey and cheese for a light sandwich at lunch! I ran across this recipe on the Internet (maybe on Pinterest) but I tweaked it a bit by adding half white-whole wheat flour (I love that stuff). That way they're a little more healthy for you. These are easy to make and fun! They puff like magic in the oven and then after they cool a bit and you cut them in half there is a pocket --Magic! I was impressed that this recipe was so easy and turned out! I had one or two pita's that didn't have a 'complete' pocket so I just sliced it open the rest of the way with a sharp knife! Enjoy!

Homemade Pita Bread
 1 Tablespoon yeast (I like to use the rapid rise yeast)
1-1/4 cups luke warm water (not too hot or it will kill your yeast-should feel just warm on your wrist)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups White-whole wheat flour
1-1/2 cups all- purpose flour (might need just a bit more)

Place the warm water in a mixing bowl, add the yeast and sprinkle the sugar over the top. (Did you know the yeast likes the sugar and will bubble more with it in the bowl?) Let the yeast and water rest for 5 minutes or until the yeast becomes bubbly and foamy on the top.
Next add the 1-1/2 cups white whole wheat flour and the salt. Mix with a dough hook until this forms a batter. Add 1 cup of the all purpose flour and continue to mix and add a little more flour if needed until you have a rough, shaggy mass of dough. Knead for 8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic, adding more flour as needed if it gets too sticky.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 pieces for large pitas for sandwiches or smaller for snack sizes. You can make all kinds of different sizes to suit different snacks or meals. Form the dough into balls, then flatten with a rolling pin into 1/4 inch thick discs. Try to keep an even thickness as this is what helps the pita to 'puff'.
Let rest on the floured surface for about 40 minutes until slightly puffed.

While your pitas are resting, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet by lightly spraying with a non-stick baking spray or line with parchment paper.
When the pitas have rested, carefully flip the rounds of dough upside down on the baking sheet with a large spatula. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until light golden brown. After about 8 minutes I turned mine over in the oven. (Be sure to watch the magic happen in the first five minutes--that's when they puff! )
Let cool and cut in half if you like or keep them whole depending on how you plan to use them. I cut mine in half.

These store for up to 2 days in a Zip-loc bag or 3 weeks in the freezer.
I like to warm the pitas up in the toaster for a minute before filling. Enjoy!! (I filled mine with chicken salad-- recipe for that will follow)

Patty Melts

As you know, my favorite thing to do on Saturday mornings is be lazy and watch the food network. The Pioneer Woman made Patty Melts and they looked soooo good I just had to give them a try. I may be behind the times, but I've never had a Patty melt before. I've seen them on restaurant menus, but have never tried them. I have been missing out Big time! I made these Saturday night for dinner and they were delicious!! I pretty much followed the recipe as the Pioneer woman did it, but I used different bread since my hubby doesn't like rye bread. You could use any kind of bread that you like, and any kind of cheese that you like. The onions make the Patty melt I think, but we did have ketchup and mustard on the side for dipping. I think they would be fun to make for St. "Patties" day too, since that is coming up. I made mine with 'Smashed Potatoes" on the side as it was a nice twist on a grilled cheese or a hamburger and french-fries.
Patty Melts
adapted from  Ree Drummond, The Pioneer woman
4-5 servings.
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons butter plus more for spreading on the bread
1 large onion, halved and sliced (I used a Vidalia onion)
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
5 dashes Worcestershire sauce (or more)
Salt and pepper
8 slices, thin sliced Rye bread (or Sourdough, English toasting, wheat, or any kind of bread you like)
8 slices Swiss cheese (Pepper jack would be good too or Provolone)

Directions:
In a medium skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat. Throw in the sliced onions and cook slowly until the onions are golden brown and soft, 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a medium bowl, mix together the ground beef, Worcestershire and some salt and pepper. Form into 4  or 5 patties.(I like to shape mine the same shape as my bread so I had rectangle patties)
In a  separate skillet over medium heat, cook the patties on both sides until totally done in the middle, about 8 to 10 minutes (4 or 5 mintues per side).
Heat a clean griddle to medium heat (Or use another large skillet) To assemble and cook the patty melts, butter one side of bread, then place butter side down on the pre-heated griddle, then add a slice of cheese, hamburger patty, a spoonful of the cooked onions, another slice of cheese and another slice of bread. Butter the top of this last slice of bread. When it's golden brown on the bottom carefully flip the sandwich over, and let cook on this side until it's golden brown and the cheese is melted. Remove from griddle, slice in half and serve immediately!
If desired serve with Ketchup or mustard for dipping.... the onions really add to the flavor too.

Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Panini Croutons

Autumn time just makes me feel like soup. It's been colder out and freezing at night, so when I got my new Food Network magazine and saw this recipe I had to give it a shot. Who doesn't like soup and grilled cheese sandwiches on a chilly evening?? This gave it a little twist other than your usual soup and sandwiches which was fun I thought. I tweaked the recipe a bit to make it my own by substituting a few things for what I had on hand, and I added a few more spices to the soup. We LOVED this recipe. Enjoy!
Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Panini Croutons
Prep Time:10 min
Cook Time:40 min
Serves: 4 to 6 servings.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup yellow onions, chopped (1 large onion)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
4 cups chicken stock
2(28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon granulated sugar (helps with the acidity of the tomatoes)
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt and black pepper
1/2 cup orzo
1/2 pint heavy cream

Grilled Cheese Croutons (see below)

Directions

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes, sugar, Italian seasoning, turmeric, cumin, curry powder, crushed red pepper , 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper (may add more to suit your taste). Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, fill a medium pot with water, add 2 teaspoons salt and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and cook for 7 minutes. (It will finish cooking in the soup.) Drain the orzo and add it to the soup after that first 15 minute simmer is done. Stir in the cream, return the soup to a simmer and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring frequently. Add more salt and pepper if needed.

                         Serve hot in individual bowls with Grilled Cheese Croutons scattered on top.

Grilled Cheese Panini Croutons
4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices country white bread (I like to use California Sourdough bread)
2 tablespoons butter
Your favorite Cheese, sliced (I used half Pepper Jack and half Medium cheddar)

Heat a panini grill. Or if you don't have one, this is what I do. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. While the skillet is heating; place 2 slices of bread on a cutting board and place the cheese slices over the bread (I like to alternate between the 2 kinds). Place the remaining two slices of bread on top of the cheese. Butter the top sides of your bread. Then place butter side down in your hot skillet.

Butter the top sides after the bottom is golden brown. Flip your sandwiches and place another heavy skillet over the top, (this presses them like a panini grill)

Grill until the bottom is golden brown and the cheese is melty.
Or if you have a panini grill, grill the sandwiches on the panini grill for about 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Place on a cutting board, allow to rest for 1 minute and cut into 1-inch cubes.
Sprinkle on your soup and enjoy! YUMMO!

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Wraps

One thing that my husband got me addicted to since I married him is Hot Wings, or Buffalo Wings... or maybe I should just say Hot Sauce in general... I put the stuff on pizza, eggs... alot of things and that's something I thought I would never do. This recipe was on my Betty Crocker Calendar (yes, I get things like that in the mail that I forget I have signed up for) and since I LOVE hot sauce and ranch dressing together this recipe screamed "Try me!" the moment I saw it. I didn't tweak it too much other than I used a bit more ranch, and I used chicken breasts instead of thighs. I did cook mine on the stove top by putting the chicken in water along with a stalk of celery, a slice of onion, garlic and salt and pepper, and I simmered for about an hour until the chicken pulled apart. But I"m posting the slow cooker recipe since I would have done it that way had I thought about it before leaving for work. The leftover chicken also makes great Quesadilla's...Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Wraps

2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 4)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Chicken broth
3/4 cup buffalo wing sauce (I used Frank's hot sauce)
1/2 cup ranch dressing plus more to spread on the tortilla
1 package flour tortillas for burritos (8 tortillas)
3 cups shredded lettuce
Grated cheese (if desired)

Place chicken in 1 1/2-quart slow cooker, sprinkle with salt and add 1/2 cup chicken broth.
Cover; cook 6 to 7 hours (if slow cooker has heat settings, use Low).
With slotted spoon, remove chicken from slow cooker and place on cutting board; discard liquid in slow cooker. (you can strain this juice and freeze for later use in a soup or stew)
In slow cooker or a medium sauce pan, mix buffalo wing sauce and the 1/2 cup of the ranch dressing. With 2 forks, shred chicken. Return chicken to slow cooker (or saucepan); stir gently to mix with sauce.

Next, you can warm your tortillas or have them cold for the wrap, I warm mine for a minute or two in a large skillet over medium heat, this makes them easier to roll.
To serve, spread each tortilla with 1 tablespoon ranch dressing; top each with about 1/2 cup chicken mixture, about 1/3 cup lettuce and sprinkle with grated cheese if desired. Roll up tortilla, secure with toothpicks if you want to make a few and then serve.
I served mine with Mexican rice and sauteed zucchini, would be good with chips or french fries too!
Enjoy!

Quesidillas 
Left over Buffalo Chicken
Grated Cheese
Flour Tortillas
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Spray a large cookie sheet with a non-stick cooking spray. Place 2 large flour tortillas on the cookie sheet, sprinkle with cheese, then left over chicken, then sprinkle again with cheese and top with another flour tortilla. Spray the top of the Tortilla with non-stick cooking spray. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the tortilla's are slightly browned around the edges.
Remove from the oven, cut in to fourths (like you cut a pie) and serve! This makes a great lunch!

Southwestern BBQ Burgers with Oil and Vinegar Slaw

MMMM I love experimenting with burgers almost as much as with Tacos and pizza. (I think I just love to experiment with food!) I was watching the Food Network Saturday Morning , and Rachel Ray made these yummy looking burgers, you can go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/brooklyn-chili-burgers-with-smoky-barbecue-sauce-with-oil-and-vinegar-slaw-recipe/index.html for the original recipe. I just had to give them a try but I tweaked the recipe a bit and turned it into a Southwestern BBQ burger. LOVED IT! The BBQ sauce is yummo, I tweaked it because I was trying to imitate a Sweet Hot Tomato Chutney that I bought at the Boise Farmer's market, loved the flavor... this came pretty close!  I followed her recipe pretty close for the slaw, but used a sweet onion that I grated into it instead of a red onion, and I used celery seed instead of celery salt because that is what I had, but use what you like! I also left out the beer in the burgers.... I don't think it needed it, plus I don't drink it so I didn't have any on had. I think they turned out YUMMO!  ENJOY!!
Southwestern Chili Burgers with Oil and Vinegar Slaw
 Ingredients
BBQ Sauce:
1 cup ketchup
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon, minced fresh ginger (remember those convenient tubes of the stuff in the produce department)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika,
1/2 teaspoon Jamaican All Spice
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle powder
1/2 to 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
Coarsely ground black pepper

Oil and Vinegar Slaw:
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon  ground black pepper, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 pound shredded cabbage slaw salad mix with carrot and purple cabbage (about 1/2 of a small package of the coleslaw mix)
1/4 cup grated sweet onion

For the burgers:
2 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup grated onion
Montreal steak seasoning (recommended: McCormick) or coarse salt and black pepper (I used about 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon I think)
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano,
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons chili powder

Vegetable oil or olive oil, for drizzling
Sliced pepper jack cheese,
Onion rings
Pickle slices or banana pepper slices
Cracked wheat Hamburger buns

Directions:
Preheat oven according to onion ring package directions,
Put all the ingredients for the barbecue sauce in small pot and cook over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens and the flavors combine, about for 20 minutes. (Just a warning, this thickens and burps as it bubbles so have it half covered with a lid so your stove doesn't get covered with it)

Whisk together the vinegar, honey and oil, in a medium bowl. Stir in the celery seed, salt and black pepper, to taste. Add the slaw mix and onions and toss together. Let the salad wilt up to 10 to 15 minutes.

Get your onion rings cooking
Preheat a grill or griddle to medium.
Put the meat in a bowl with the grated onion and season with steak seasoning or salt and pepper, to taste. In a small bowl combine the Worcestershire with the herbs (crush the herbs with your fingers as you add it to the worcestershire sauce), and chili powder. Pour the herb mixture over the meat and mix thoroughly. Form the meat mixture into desired size patties and drizzle with a little vegetable oil or olive oil. Put the burgers on the grill or griddle and cook for a few minutes on each side.  I cook for about 3 to 4 minutes per side depending on the thickness of my patties. Baste the tops of the burgers liberally with barbecue sauce. Top the burgers with Cheese and let it melt, I turn the heat off my grill at this point, so the burgers don't burn, close the lid and the cheese will get melty after a minute or two.

To assemble, spread both top and bottom of the buns with BBQ sauce, place pattie on bottom bun, next comes a couple of onion rings, then a spoonful of slaw, (the onion rings help hold on the slaw) and if you desire next comes the pickles or banana peppers, and top with the top bun! Serve with chips or fries or a crispy salad.... and get ready for heaven!! YUM!! (have lots of napkins handy)

Grilled Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper Panini's

I made these Panini's to go with my Tomato Soup last night. Oh my goodness these were good! I love Panini's! I found this recipe on http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/ but I tweaked mine a bit. I used Tyson grilled Chicken strips and already roasted red peppers to make them faster and easier. But you can always grill your own! I made her sundried tomatoe/pesto like she said to, but I think next time I will just buy a jar of sundried tomato pesto and mix that into the mayo, just for ease. But these were good!! They went really well with the Tomato soup!! YUMMO! Also, I made more of these for lunch today, and I added 2 slices of precooked bacon on each sandwich, it was awesome!! Either way these are yummo sandwiches!!

Grilled Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper Panini's

1/2 of a bag of Tyson's grilled chicken strips (or you could grill your own, use 2 whole chicken breasts)
8 whole sundried tomatoes in oil
3 Tablespoons prepared basil pesto
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup real Mayonaise
1/2 of a jar of roasted red bell pepper strips, drained
Provolone or Mozzarella Cheese slices
Softened Butter
Sourdough bread (the good hearty kind, or you can use a multi grain bread if you prefer)

If you are grilling chicken breasts get those going by pounding with a mallet so they are all about 1/2 inch thick.
Next, make sundried tomato pesto by combining the sundried tomatoes, pesto, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together in a blender or food processor and puree. (I highly reccommend the food processor, easier to get the tomato pesto out of than a blender, it's thick and not pourable)
If you are grilling your own chicken place in a baggie with a spoonful of the tomato pesto and mush around a bit to coat the chicken. Let marinate for a few hours in the fridge. Then grill about 7 minutes per side until done. Cool and Slice into strips.
If you are using the Tyson chicken strips, let thaw out a bit. Then place a Tablespoon of the tomato pesto in a large skillet, heat over medium heat, then add your chicken strips and cook 3 or 4 minutes to crisp the chicken and coat with the pesto. Set aside.

Next, make your spread by putting 1/4 cup mayonaise in a small bowl along with about 3 Tablespoons of the tomato pesto. (Freeze the rext in an small tupperware if you have leftover). Mix well to combine and set aside.

To make a panini, take 2 slices of bread, and spread your tomato/pesto mayonaise generously on one side of both pieces of bread. Next layer chicken slices across one piece of the bread, then layer on a few red bell pepper slices, then top with 2 slices of the cheese.

Then place the other piece of bread, mayonaise side down on top of the cheese. Butter the top of the bread. (If you have a panini grill, butter both the top and bottom piece of bread and grill until done.) I don't have a panini pan, so I used 2 heavy cast iron skillets. I heated the larger pan until hot, placed my sandwich butter side down, then placed my other heavey skillet on the top of the sandwich, this presses it down so it becomes a panini. Cook over medium-low heat until brown, remove top skillet,  butter the top piece of bread, and flip the sandwich over, and place the skillet back on the top and cook until this side is brown. Remove from pan to a plate and cut in half. Continue making sandwiches until your chicken is gone. I made about 4 sandwiches with about 1/2 bag of Tyson chicken.  Eat by itself or serve with soup! Way yummy dipped in the tomato soup I made with it!
YUMMO!!!

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

I made these for the super bowl. Jim loves hot wings, and I saw the Neely's make this on the food network, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I used Ranch dressing for the coleslaw, but you can use blue cheese dressing instead if you like, we don't like blue cheese dressing. These turned out Yummo!! but spicy, but buffalo wings are spicy right? Yum!!

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Louisiana Hot Sauce
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 small package coleslaw mix
1/2 cup ranch dressing (approximatly 1/2 cup)
Salt and pepper
sliced pepper jack or provolone cheese
Hard rolls (I like the kind you can get a walmart, perfect texture for sandwiches)

First, marinade the chicken breasts. In a small bowl whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, and 1/4 cup hot sauce. Place chicken in a ziploc bag, then pour hot sauce mixture over the chicken, zip up the bag and mush the marinade around on the chicken. Let chicken marinade in the refrigerator for a few hours. (I put mine in the fridge in the morning, and cooked later in the afternoon) Also, if your chicken breasts are quite thick, it's better to butterfly them before marinating it. I use a sharp knife and cut through the thickest part, so you end up with 2 thinner pieces of chicken.
Make the coleslaw mixture by pouring about  1/2 cup ranch dressing over the coleslaw mixture in a large bowl. Toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. Cover and set in fridge until ready to use.

To cook chicken, heat grill to medium/high heat. Place chicken breasts on grill and cook 7 to 10 minutes per side, depending on how thick your chicken is. I did mine about 7 minutes, and then turned, and cooked 7 minutes more. While chicken cooks on the first side, make a basting sauce by melting the 2 Tablespoons butter in a small saucepan, then whisk in another 1/4 cup hot sauce, let simmer over medium/low heat. 
When chicken has cooked on one side, turn, then baste the top with your butter/hot sauce mixture. After 7 minutes turn over one more time, and baste this side with the hot sauce, let sit for a minute more. Then remove from grill.
Cut the rolls open and toast under broiler for 2 minutes or until just starting to turn brown.
Remove and assemble sandwiches by placing 1 chicken breast on the bottom half of the roll, place a slice of cheese on the chicken , next add a spoonful or two of coleslaw, then the top half of the roll goes on next.
These were good, but spicy, just like buffalo chicken should be. Yum!

Grilled Peanut Butter and Honey Sandwiches

mmmmmmmm........ I love these Sandwiches. I learned how to do these clear back when I was a teenager. I think they were in my 'Teen magazine, or maybe it was Seventeen, anyway, one of those magazines you read all the time as a teenager. But with the weather still way cold and the sky all cloudy and gloomy, don't you crave your favorite comfort foods? This is one of my ultimate comfort foods. If you haven't ever tried these before, you just have to go give'em a try right now!! Just look at how gooey the Peanut Butter gets..... and if you want, you could put sliced bananas in it as well, if you want to be like Elvis (he liked Peanut Butter and bananas didn't he?)... but I don't care for banana's :o) Just eat them carefully, they are really gooey!

Grilled Peanut Butter and Honey Sandwiches

Ingredients:
Peanut Butter
Honey
2 slices of bread
butter

Preheat a skillet over medium heat. While pan is heating, spread 2 slices of bread with peanut butter, (be sure it's a good helping on both pieces.) Next spread 1 to 2 Tablespoons of honey on the peanut butter on 1 piece of bread, then top with the other slice.
Next, on top of sandwich, spread a thin layer of butter on top piece of bread, place in skillet- butter side down. Let cook for a minute or 2 until golden brown. While cooking spread a thin layer of butter on the top slice of bread. Then when bottom slice is golden brown, flip and cook the other side until golden brown.
Place on a plate, the peanut butter is probably running out the sides by now (if not you didn't use enough peanut butter).
Eat right away with a tall glass of milk. YUMMMMMMM!

Catfish Po' Boys

I love Catfish, especially when it's breaded in corn meal and fried (or  is that the only way to eat catfish!?) I get the catfish whenever we go to Texas Roadhouse! Yum! So when I saw this recipe on "5 Ingredient Fix" it looked way good so I had to give it try. It was yummo! They didn't put the coleslaw on it, but I thought it would be even better that way and it was! yum! Hope you like it as much as I did!

Catfish Po'Boys


Peanut or canola oil, for frying
4 hoagie rolls or 1 French baguette (I like to use the Hard Rolls from Walmart- they are perfect!)
3/4 cup corn meal
2 tablespoons Creole seasoning (recommended: Tony Chachere's)
 salt and  black pepper
4 (6 to 8-ounce) catfish fillets (I used frozen Catfish nuggets that I found in the freezer section at Walmart-2 or 3 pieces is perfect for one sandwich, I did about 12 or 15 pieces and we got 6 sandwiches out of it)
Remoulade sauce (see recipe below)
1 small package coleslaw mix (I put have the remoulade sauce on half a package)
 hot sauce, for serving

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a heavy-bottomed pot, (Dutch oven) heat enough oil to come halfway up the sides of the pot, to 365 degrees F.
Slice the  rolls in half, (not cutting through), and put them on a baking sheet. Lightly toast the bread in the preheated oven.
Combine the corn flour, seasoning and salt and pepper, to taste, in a shallow dish. Pat the fillets dry and dredge them in the seasoned flour mixture, shaking of the excess.
Once the oil is properly heated, carefully drop the catfish into the oil. Be careful not to overcrowd the pot. Fry until golden brown and beginning to float to the surface, about 5 minutes. Do not overcook. Carefully remove the fillets with a slotted spoon or tongs and drain them on paper towels.

When ready to assemble, Spread both top and bottom half of roll with a little remoulade sauce, put 1 catfish fillet (or 2 or 3 catfish nuggets) in each toasted roll and top with coleslaw, and drizzle with hot sauce to your taste. 
Enjoy!!

Remoulade Sauce

1 green onion, green and white parts, chopped
1 cup Best Foods Mayonaise
3 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Hot sauce, to taste
Pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Pulse all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. Pour into a covered container and refrigerate until ready to use.
This made enough sauce so that I used have to spread on the rolls, and the other half on about 1/2 a small package of coleslaw. In the half for the coleslaw I added a dash or two of chipotle powder.

Grilled Chicken Panini Sandwiches with Chipotle Mayo

Lately I've been in the mood for sandwiches, and you know how I love to experiment. Well, here is one experiment that turned out Yummo!!! I was grilling chicken tenders for dinner, and had seen this recipe for Chipotle Mayo on the Food Network so I thought Hmmmm, bet that would make a great sandwich and it did! I grilled these  on my BBQ grill since I don't have a panini pan....

Grilled Chicken Panini Sandwiches with Chipotle Mayo

2 pounds chicken tenders (or 3 tenders per sandwich)
1/2 green bell pepper sliced thinly
1/2 onion, sliced thinly
2 Tablespoons sundried tomatos
Cheese, sliced thinly
Sourdough bread (two slices per sandwich)
Chipotle Mayonaise (recipe follows)

Marinade the chicken tenders in your favorite Marinade for 2 to 4 hours or overnight. (I used the Ranch Marinade from my recipe for Original Ranch grilled chicken)
Heat grill, and grill chicken on med/medium high heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until juices run clear. While chicken is cooking, sauted onions and peppers in a small frying pan with the sundried tomatoes for a few minutes or until crunchy tender.  Slice cheese, and make Chipotle Mayo (recipe to follow).
When chicken is done, assemble sandwiches. I spread a spoonfull of the chipotle mayo on each slice of bread ( I used the big square loaf of sourdough bread you can get at Walmart's bakery, or the round loaf would work too). Then I place sliced cheese on both slices. Then place 3 chicken tenders across the bread, and top with a few peppers, onions and sundried tomatoes. Top with the other slice of bread and cheese. Spray bread with pam, then place on hot grill, (make sure your grill has been oiled) then I placed one of my heavy cast iron skillets on top of sandwich and grilled for 2 minutes. Remove skillet and turn, and place skillet back on sandwich. Grill 2 more minutes. Remove from grill, cut in two and enjoy!! Way Yummo!!!!

Chipotle Mayonnaise:
1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (remember these are quite spicey so one pepper with a spoonful of the adobo sauce is all you want) save rest of can for later use. (I keep mine in the freezer)
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1/2 cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl mash together the chipotle pepper, lime juice , and mayo, mashing around to break up the pepper. (I don't chop this, because it's good in the sandwich to bite into a bigger piece of pepper, but you don't want them too big) Season with salt and pepper to taste.

London Broil Steak Sandwiches with Cheese sauce

I know I've posted a steak and cheese sandwich recipe on here before, but I tried another version with London broil steak that I marinated for 24 hours. Then I had to try it with my homemade cheese sauce! Oh man these were good, but way messy! That makes them all the better right?

London Broil Steak Sandwiches

1- 2 to 3 pound London broil steak
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon Grill Mates SPICY Montreal Steak Seasoning
Whisk oil, vinegar, and steak seasoning together. Put steak in ziploc bag and pour marinade over it. Close bag and mush around a bit, then let marinade over night in the refrigerator.

When you're ready to make the sandwiches you'll need:
1/2 onion, sliced thinly
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced thinly
1/2 red bell peper, sliced thinly
Cheese sauce, warmed (see my recipe for mac and cheese, I used that cheese sauce)
Sandwich rolls

Heat grill to med/medium high heat. I heat my veggie grill tray too. When hot put veggies on grill tray, and steak on grill. Cook veggies about 10 minutes turning every so often so they don't burn. Cook steak about 6 minutes per side, or till desired doneness. We like ours medium rare so there is a little pink in the middle.
When steak is done, remove to a plate and let rest 5 to 10 minutes. Remove vegies when they are crunchy tender to a plate. Grill sandwich rolls opened up, for a minute on each side so you get nice grill marks, and they are slightly crisped.
Slice steak in very thin slices against the grain. London Broil is a tougher piece of steak so the thinner the slice the better and against the grain makes it easier to bite into.
To assemble sandwiches, place slices of steak on bottom of sandwich roll, then add peppers and onions, and top with a good helping of cheese sauce and top of sandwich roll. Have lots of napkins ready, and dig in!! I served with chips and guacamole. Yummo!!

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches

okay.. I love experimenting. The food network is always making steak sandwiches so I thought I'd give it a shot... this is what I came up with. Turned out pretty good! Next time I want to try for a messyier sandwich and make a homemade cheese sauce to pour over the top... will put that on here sometime. But this was good for a less messy and healthier sandwich.

Di's Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich

2 pounds carne asada (this is thin sliced roast, you can get it at the butcher block in most stores)
1 medium onion, slicen thinly
1 red pepper, sliced thinly
1 green pepper, sliced thinly

Steaksauce (I use A-1 or lea & perrins)
Sandwich Rolls ( I like using the wheat Bolillio Rolls you can get at Walmart)
Salt and pepper
Provolone Cheese
Olive oil

First, slice the carne asada into about 1 inch strips. Heat a Tablespoon or two of olive oil in a large skillet, add carne asada and season with a little salt and pepper. Saute until beef is starting to brown.

Add 1/4 cup or more steak sauce to the beef. Cover with a lid, and simmer for about 1/2 an hour. This will help to tenderize the steak and give it flavor.Stir occasionally.

While steak is cooking, in another skillet, heat another tablespoon or so of olive oil. Add peppers and onions, stir fry on medium heat until crispy tender.



Preheat the oven to broil.

When the beef  and veggies are done. Slice sandwich rolls in half lengthwise, and lay on cookie sheet. Place a slice of provolone cheese on each half of the roll. Place under broiler for 2 to 3 minutes until cheese is bubbly and rolls start to brown around the edges.

To assemble, grab yourself a roll, pile on the beef, you can put sauce from pan or more steak sauce, or hot sauce on it, then add some of the veggies, salt and pepper to taste! and Enjoy!! Serve with chips, potato wedge fries, or a salad if you're being really healthy! Yummo!!!

Like I said, these would be really sinful with a cheese sauce on them instead of the provolone... Next time when I'm not watching my wasteline I'm going to try it!

Pulled Pork Sandwiches and Cole Slaw

I love pulled pork sandwiches, especially topped with coleslaw. I serve these quite a bit in the summer for big family BBQ's cuz you don't have to heat up the oven. We made these last night for a YM/YW's combined end of school year dinner, those that dared to put the coleslaw on them, loved it! That's the only way I eat pulled pork sandwiches now. Serve with potatoe wedge fries, chips or salads and Yummo!!

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

a 3 or 4 pound Pork Roast (any will do, I buy whatever's on sale)
Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning (or what ever seasoning you want to use, regular salt and pepper works too with a little garlic powder, and onion powder)
Liquid Smoke ( I like the hickory flavor)
BBQ sauce (recipe to follow)
Hard rolls
Cole Slaw (see recipe on my blog -both original and chipotle coleslaw are great)

Stab holes with fork all over roast, sprinkle with liquid smoke and Montreal Steak seasoning. Place roast in crock pot or roaster on low, let cook all day. (or on high for 5 to 6 hours) When Pork is fall apart tender, remove from crock pot and shred with two forks or pull apart with your fingers after it's cooled a bit.
Drain juice from crock pot (I strain it into a small container to add to pork later if necessary) Place pulled pork back in crockpot, and season with more salt and pepper to taste. Add BBQ sauce to taste and if pork is dry add a spoonful or two of the juice.
Serve on hardrolls (my favorite are the hardrolls you can get at Walmart) Top with a spoonful of coleslaw and enjoy!!

BBQ sauce 
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup minced onion
1-1/2 cups water
1 can tomato paste
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons molasses
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1-3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon liquid smoke (I usually use Mesquite or Hickory flavor)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon paprika

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for a few minutes till they turn translucent and start to brown slightly. Add the rest of the ingredients, and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer, stirring occasionally for 1-1/2 hours uncovered so the sauce will thicken slightly. Chill or pour over pulled pork (may not need all of it, can keep leftovers in a tupperware in freezer or in jar in fridge for later use)

Fried Shrimp Po' Boys

I watch the food network all the time, and Emeril Lagasse made these except he didn't put the coleslaw on them, that was my idea... This has become one of our favorites, especially Andrew's. I usually serve them with potato wedge fries... Yummo!!!

Fried Shrimp Po'Boys

2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined (or more if you are making more than 4 to 6 sands)
Creole Seasoning (I've used Tony Chachere's)
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal

Hard rolls, or sub sandwich rolls ( I like to use Walmart hardrolls, they have great texture)
Cole Slaw (see my recipe on this blog)
Hot sauce (we like Louisianna Hot Sauce)

In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour and cornmeal and 2 Tablespoons creole seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt,  1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Set aside. (FYI-you might have some of this mixture left over after dredging your shrimp, I keep in a ziploc sandwich bag in the freezer to use the next time I make these)
Heat the oil in a large sauce pan or preheat a deep fryer to 360 degrees. Lightly season the shrimp with the Creole seasoning on both sides. Dredge the shrimp in the cornmeal mixture, coating the shrimp completely.
Fry the shrimp in hot oil, in batches, until golden brown, stirring occasionally so they don't stick together, about 4 minutes. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
When shrimp is all cooked,  have as many hard rolls as you need opened and placed on a cookie sheet, spray with Pam cooking spray, broil in oven 2 minutes until they just begin to toast (don't get them too crispy)
To assemble sandwiches, Lay 6 to 8 shrimp on the bottom of your sandwich roll (depending on the size of the shrimp and the roll) I lay my first shrimp flat, then kind of overlap them on each other. Sprinkle with hot sauce, top with a spoonfull of cole slaw, and then comes the top of the sandwich. Serve with potatoe wedge fries and fry sauce and dig in!! Yummmmmmm!!!

Teriyaki Chicken Burgers

These are Yummy Burgers, I got the recipe off of Top Secret Recipes, it's a clone for Red Robin's Teriyaki Chicken Burgers. Can also make with hamburger to create Red Robins Banzai Burgers (See note at bottom of recipe) I make these with potato Wedge Fries. Yummo!!

Teriyaki Chicken Burgers


Teriyaki Marinade
1 3/4 cups water
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Make Marinade by combining all the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium/high heat. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until sauce slightly thickens. Cover and chill marinade in the refrigerator for at least 30minutes. (This makes plenty of marinade for this recipe, only use what you need and put rest of marinade in a jar or Tupperware and use later at another time).


4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 canned pineapple slices (rings)
4 slices provolone cheese (or Swiss is good too)
4 sesame seed hamburger buns (or whatever kind you like)
Mayonnaise
4 tomato slices (if desired)
Lettuce

--Pound chicken breasts with kitchen mallet so that they are about 1/2 inch thick. Put chicken breast in Ziploc baggie and pour about 1/2 cup marinade in with them. Gently mush around in the baggie so the marinade is distributed around the chicken. Set in Fridge for at least 4 hours.
--Put your pineapple rings in another container with a lid, pour enough teriyaki marinade to cover pineapple rings. (Can reuse the marinade used for the pineapple,I save in jar with other marinade. Don't reuse the marinade on the chicken) Cover the pineapple with the lid and let set in fridge with chicken.
--When you are ready to make the sandwiches, heat grill or BBQ to medium heat. Start grilling your chicken first. Cook the chicken 6 to 8 minutes per side or until it's done. When you flip the chicken add the pineapple slices to the grill. The pineapple will take less time to cook-- about 3 or 4 minutes per side. You'll know the pineapple slices are done when they have nice grill marks on each side. Be care full not to burn the chicken or the pineapple. The Teriyaki contains sugar, which may char if grilled too long.
--While the chicken and pineapple are grilling toast the buns. I open the buns and place on cookie sheet, add 1 slice of cheese to each bun, and broil in oven for about 2 minutes, or until cheese is melty and other plain bun is toasty.
--Build your sandwich by spreading side of bun without cheese with mayo. Stack the chicken , arrange the tomato slices on next, then two slices of pineapple, and a couple of lettuce leaves.
Serve with potato wedge fries or Orieda Steak Fries are yummy too!
Serves 4

**Can make with hamburger, just form into patties, pour a little teryaki marinade into the bottom of a Tupperware container with lid. Place patties in Tupperware and cover with more marinade. Let sit for 4 hours. When you go to cook patties, they might be falling apart a little from the marinade.. just pick them up and reform into patties best you can and then place on hot grill. Cook for about 5 minutes per side or until your desired doneness. Add Pineapple rings when you flip the burgers. Assemble just like the chicken burgers.