Category: SANDWICHES & SLIDERS

BEEF and BEAN BURGERS

I  really wanted to make veggie burgers, but hubby nixed that idea before it left the gate. So, I came up with this recipe and he was half way thru before he even noticed the beans AND he cleaned his plate, so I’ll call it a success.

VEGGIE BURGERS – NOT
BEEF and BEAN BURGERS – makes 6 burgers

1 can seasoned black beans, drained
1 cup Panko
2 pounds ground chuck 
1/4 cup grated onion or minced green onions
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
Fresh ground salt and black pepper
4 slices baby Swiss or aged white cheddar cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
hot sauce
toasted buns (I served them bunless)
lettuce, pickles and sliced tomato
1 tablespoon avocado oil

  • Whisk together the mayonnaise and hot sauce to taste. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl combine the bread crumbs, paprika, garlic, green onions, Worcestershire, salt and pepper until well blended.
  • Using your hands mix in beans until well incorporated.
  • Set aside for 5 minutes.
  • Preheat 1 avocado oil in skillet over medium high heat.
  • Using your hands divide bean mixture into 6 balls and form 6 patties.
  • Cook the burgers until browned, about 5 minutes on each side.
  • Add a slice of cheese, cooking only until cheese is melted.
  • Serve on toasted buns with mayo hot sauce, lettuce, tomatoes and pickles.

    BEEF & POTATO HAND PIES

    This recipe was something I was going to make while my nephew was visiting, but he became ill and lost his appetite. I finally made it tonight and realized he REALLY would have loved it!  You could change this up to do chicken or pork with various vegetables quite easily.  The key to the flavor was the raisins and paprika combination with this particular recipe.

     BEEF & POTATO HAND PIES
    1 tablespoon Avocado oil
    1 small wall walla sweet onion, diced
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    1/2 pound ground beef
    1 tablespoon smoked paprika
    1 medium Yukon gold potato, diced small
    1/2 cup golden raisins
    1 package (2 sheets) Pepperidge Farm puff pastry
    Fresh ground salt and black pepper
    2 tablespoons butter, melted

    • Preheat oven to 400°.
    • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  
    • Add onion, cooking until soft.
    • Add garlic, cooking until fragrant.
    • Add beef and cook until browned, breaking up meat into very small pieces.
    • Add potato, paprika and raisins, stirring to blend well. 
    • Season with salt and pepper to taste.
    • On a lightly floured work surface, gently roll out puff pastry and smooth creases.
    • Cut each sheet into 4 squares.
    • Place 1/3 cup of meat mixture into center of each squae.
    • Lightly brush edges with water.
    • Fold over into triangles and seal edges.
    • Sprinkle with more paprika.
    • Transfer to parchment lined baking sheet.
    • Bake 20-25 minutes until puff pastry is golden and puffed.
    • Brush with melted butter during last 5 minutes.
    • Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

    SANDWICH STACKERS

    This recipe was originally from a book for cooking with cast iron pie irons. I changed it up for an easy week night recipe.  You can fill it whatever you’d like and or dip it in any sauce you like.  This is a fantastically versatile recipe.  Using thin sliced deli meats and cheeses works best.

    SANDWICH STACKERS
    Pillsbury Crescent Rolls or Pizza Dough
    cooked bacon strips
    baby swiss slices
    aged white cheddar slices
    hard salami slices
    pastrami slices
    oven roasted turkey slices
    Apple slices
    Egg Butter wash

    • Using two of the crescent triangles create a rectangle for each sandwich.
    • Layer desired ingredients within the rectangle.
    • Top with two more crescent triangles and seal edges.
    • Bake 12-15 minutes until pastry is golden and cheese is melted.
    • Brush with egg butter wash.
    • Bake another 3-5 minutes
    • Cool 2 minutes before cutting into squares and stacking.

    THE CUBAN RUEBEN SANDWICH deconstructed AND reconstructed as STUDEBAKERS

    I LOVE to find interesting recipes that have tons of flavor.  Unfortunately at times I have to adjust them to the flavor whims of my family.  The following recipe is just that type of recipe.

    Originally known as Rueben Cubans I had to adjust some ingredients for my food allergy as well as for the ingredients I had on hand.  When I deconstruct and reconstruct a sandwich successfully I always rename them after a fun sounding car.  My first example of that was my recipe for Cadillacs aka Parmesan Roast Beef.

    STUDEBAKERS aka GRILLED SWISS BACON SAUSAGE SANDS
    3 tablespoons mayonnaise
    3 tablespoons dijon mayonnaise
    3 tablespoons chopped dill pickle (or dill pickle relish)
    1 1/2 tablespoons chopped green chiles
    1 small onion, thinly sliced
    3/4 – 1 pound ground pork sausage (good with plain old beef too)
    8 thinly sliced center cut Canadian Bacon
    4 thin slices turkey
    6 ounces shredded or thinly sliced Baby Swiss Cheese
    8 slices Caraway Rye Bread
    salt and pepper to taste
    2 tablespoons butter

    • In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, mustard, pickles and jalapenos. Set aside.
    • Saute onion and set aside.
    • Grill Canadian Bacon slices until tender.
    • Shape the Italian sausage into 4 patties roughly shaped the size of your bread.
    • Season patties with salt and pepper.
    • Grill each patty for about 3 minutes or until edges are brown and no longer pink.
    • Flip patties to brown second side and top with one half of Swiss cheese.
    • Spread mustard mixture on each slice of bread.
    • Heat a grill pan and melt butter.  
    • Lay 4 slices of bread in bubbling butter and top with Canadian Bacon slices.
    • Top with turkey slices.
    • Top with remaining Swiss Cheese and sauteed onions.
    • Add pork patties and top with remaining bread slices. 
    • When bottoms are golden flip sandwich and grill other side until golden.

    ITALIAN GARLIC SUPREME STROMBOLI aka SANDWICH PIZZA

    According to Wikipedia STROMBOLI is: a type of turnover filled with various cheeses, typically mozzarella, Italian meats such as salami, capicola and bresaola or vegetables or a Greek Island or an Ingrid Bergman movie – you choose. The dough is Italian bread dough.

    When I was much younger and elderly family friend always told me I looked just like Ingrid Bergman.  I didn’t know then what a compliment that was.

    Stromboli is reported to have originated in 1950 in Essington, Tinicum Township just outside of Philadelphia, at Romano’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria, by Nazzareno Romano. There, William Schofield supposedly gave it the name, after the movie Stromboli, starring Ingrid Bergman.  Other sources claim the stromboli was the brainchild of Mike Aquino, Sr., and that he created it in Spokane, Washington, in 1954.  The first claim is more credible, with most people remembering the advent of the stromboli at Romano’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria in the early 1950s.

    No matter what you call it, it is a family favorite around here.

    We have a favorite pizza – ITALIAN GARLIC SUPREME from Round Table Pizza.  This pizza is full of pepperoni, Italian sausage, Roma tomatoes, white mushrooms, green onions and lots of chopped garlic and is baked with a blend of 3 cheeses in a creamy garlic sauce.  Unfortunately they are not a national chain.  We have spent horribly disappointing meals  out trying to find a local replacement for this pizza.  I have since decided the best replacement is the one I make myself.  Hubby whole heartily agreed! We decided to push the envelope though and make that same recipe into a sandwich.
    ITALIAN GARLIC SUPREME STROMBOLI aka SANDWICH PIZZA
    ITALIAN GARLIC SUPREME PIZZA
    CRUST
    1 cup of warm water (105 degrees)
    3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
    2 tablespoons of olive oil
    2 teaspoons of honey
    1 teaspoon sugar
    1 teaspoon of salt
    1 teaspoon of yeast
    • Put warm water into a bowl. Add salt, sugar and honey and mix well. Add the yeast, mix and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
    • Gradually add the flour and olive oil until well blended.
    • When the mixture gets too heavy to mix, start kneading the dough with your hands.
    • Knead the dough until you have a smooth ball. If the dough cracks it is too dry. Add water bit by bit until if forms a nice smooth ball. If you need to add water or flour, do it by small amounts.
    • Coat the dough with olive oil, place it in a large bowl and cover it with kitchen wrap and a flour sack towel. Let the dough rise for about an hour at room temperature, then push it down again so it deflates. Let it sit for about another hour. Either bake it or refrigerate for later use.
    • Put the dough on a lightly floured surface, put a bit of flour on top and make it into the shape of a pie by stretching it out from the center outwards. Use a rolling pin until the dough is about 1/4″ thick. Punch some holes in the dough with a fork to let the air escape while the pizza is in the oven.
    • Lightly oil a cookie sheet with olive oil and sprinkle with cornmeal.
    • Pre-Bake dough at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.
    TOPPINGS 
    1 package John Morrell pepperoni
    3 Italian sausages, cooked and crumbled 
    1 can Contadina tomato paste with basil and oregano or homemade sauce
    1/2 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced
    1 large bunch green onions, thinly sliced including the majority of the tops
    6 cloves garlic, finely minced
    1 Roma tomato, diced small
    2/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese
    2/3 cup grated provolone cheese
    2/3 cup grated Romano cheese
    Extra light olive oil
    • Whisk together the tomato paste, garlic and 1 teaspoon olive oil to make the sauce.
    • Brush pre-baked dough with a small amount of olive oil and then an even layer of the sauce.
    • Evenly sprinkle the crumbled sausage over the sauce followed by half of the pepperoni.
    • Top with the mushrooms, green onions and tomatoes.
    • Evenly sprinkle the cheese over it all
    • Top with the remaining pepperoni.
    • Roll up and place on the center of the pan.
    • Bake the sandwich pizza at 400-450° F for about 20-25 minutes until the crust is golden.

    STUCK IN A TIME WARP – GRILLED CHEESE & CHILI

    Back in 1988 I was having a particularly tough time at work- no details, but let’s just say a man was trying to make my life miserable and I needed a mental health day.  I decided to go to a movie that had just been released, Working Girl.  After all, Harrison Ford was in it!  I thought it would be a fun chick flick and bring my spirits up.


    I was right.  My spirits saw the underdog, a woman no less, rise above the BS and succeed, or at least get her opportunity to succeed.  So, what is my point?  Do you remember that scene at the very end when Melanie Griffith, er Tess McGill in Working Girl combines Trask and radio to succeed?  It was almost like an Oprah AHA moment!

    Well, I had an AHA, or Trask/radio idea! Chili and Grilled Cheese.  You eat cheese on your chili don’t you?  So, why not eat chili on your cheese, grilled cheese that is.


    There’s no real recipe here – you get the picture!

    CALIFORNIA ROLL

    Every now and then only comfort food will work to get you smiling again.

    CALIFORNIA ROLL
    Fresh baked Croissant
    Fresh sliced turkey
    Fresh sliced avocado
    Fresh sliced tomato
    Are you seeing a pattern here yet?
    Sliced Provolone
    A little mayonnaise
    salt and pepper to taste
    and a smile

    BEAN & BACON ROLLS

    BEAN & BACON ROLLS
    4 slices of your favorite bread
    8 slices bacon
    1 small can Bush Maple baked beans

    • Preheat oven to 350˚.
    • Spread Beans on each slice of bread.
    • Roll bread up and secure with 2 slices of bacon with toothpicks.
    • Bake for 30-45 minutes until bacon is crisp.

    SHREDDED BBQ CHICKEN SANDWICHES with COLESLAW & BBQ CHICKEN COBB SALAD

    CHICKEN RUB
    1 teaspoon paprika
    1 teaspoon garlic powder
    1 teaspoon sea salt
    1/2 teaspoon white pepper
    4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    In a small bowl combine the paprika, salt, garlic and pepper.
    Brush both sides of chicken lightly with oil.
    Sprinkle with rub.
    Grill chicken over direct heat 10-12 minutes, turning as necessary. Let chicken rests 5 minutes before shredding. Add barbeque sauce and mix well. Toast rolls. Pile chicken onto rolls and top with slaw.

    SLAW
    1/4 cup mayonnaise
    1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    1 teaspoon sugar
    1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    1/8 teaspoon white pepper
    3 cups shredded coleslaw mix
    In a large bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar salt and pepper.
    Toss with cabbage mix.
    1/2 cup BBQ sauce

    HOMEMADE BBQ SAUCE
    1 cup packed brown sugar
    1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
    1/4 cup molasses
    1/4 cup honey
    1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
    2 tablespoons dark rum
    1 tablespoon liquid smoke
    1 teaspoon white pepper
    2 teaspoons garlic powder
    2 1/2 cups Portland Ketchup

    • In a large saucepan combine all the ingredients except the ketchup.
    • Cook uncovered until sugar is dissolved and all ingredient are well blended.
    • Add ketchup and bring to a slow boil, stirring constantly.
    • Reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring often (about 30 minutes) until dark and thick.

    The next day makes for a wonderful salad.

    BAKED HAM & SWISS SANDWICHES

    I wish I could tell you where I saw this recipe, but I can’t. I did adapt it slightly and  it really makes the perfect football food – quick, easy and tasty.  Original recipe called for using a 9×13 pan.  I used my lasagna pan and it worked out very well. As an added bonus they are really good as a “club” adding turkey as well to the ham.

    BAKED HAM & SWISS SANDWICHES
    12 pack of KING’S Hawaiian rolls
    4 slices thick ham, quartered (to fit on rolls)
    4 large slices Swiss cheese, quartered (to fit on rolls)
    1/3 cup butter
    2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
    1 teaspoon garlic powder
    1 teaspoon onion powder

    • Slice rolls in half and layer pan with bottom halves.*
    • Place a slice of ham and Swiss cheese on each roll.
    • Put the tops on.
    • In a small saucepan melt the butter.
    • Add the Worcestershire sauce and seasonings and blend well.
    • Brush the tops of each roll.
    • Cover with foil and refrigerate over night.
    • Preheat oven to 375°.
    • Bake 15-20 minutes.
    • Serve immediately!  They are best hot.

    CROQUE MADAME

    Chris over at Nibble Me This made Croque Madame recently. It intrigues me so much I have been researching its origins and thought I’d share with you. I LOVE wikipedia – if you have a question, they have an answer!
    To understand the Croque Madame we need a bit of history. A croque-monsieur is a hot ham and cheese grilled sandwich. The most typical cheese is gruyère. It originated in France as a fast-food snack served in cafés and bars. More elaborate versions come coated in a Mornay or Béchamel sauce. The name is based on the verb croquer (“to crunch”) and the word monsieur (“mister”)—the reason behind the combination of the two words is unclear—and is colloquially shortened to croque. While the origins of the croque-monsieur are unknown, there are many speculations on how it was first originated. The croque-monsieur’s first recorded appearance on a Parisian café menu was in 1910. Its earliest published use has been traced back to volume two of Proust’s In search of lost time.

    A croque-monsieur served with a fried egg or poached egg on top is known as a croque-madame. The noted French chef Jacques Pepin also makes a version using chicken instead of ham, which he demonstrated in the “Our Favorite Sandwiches” episode on the PBS series (and its coordinating cookbook of the same title) Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home in which he worked with Julia Child. Many dictionaries attribute the name to the egg resembling an old fashioned woman’s hat. According to the Petit Robert dictionary, the name dates to around 1960.

    I made one of each and added mustard for hubby on the ham.



    CROQUE MADAME
    PER PERSON
    2 slices white or whole-wheat sourdough bread
    2 ounces Gruyère cheese, sliced into 24-32 1/16-inch-thick slices
    3 ounces smoked ham, such as Black Forest, sliced into thick slices
    1 JUMBO egg
    1 + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
    sea salt, to taste
    freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

    • Melt butter in griddle.
    • Place half of the slices of bread in butter and cover them with the cheese slices, making sure they don’t extend past the edges of the bread.
    • Place 2 slices of the ham in an even layer over the cheese, and place the top slice of bread over the ham.
    • Grill the sandwiches, turning once.
    • Place on serving plates.
    • Crack eggs into separate bowls and check that the yolks aren’t broken.
    • In a non-stick skillet, melt half of the butter over medium-high heat, until it starts to bubble.
    • Add eggs into pan, being careful not to break the yolks or crowd the eggs.
    • Add a teaspoon per egg of water to pan, sprinkle the eggs with salt and cover the pan with lid.
    • Cook the eggs for about 3 minutes for a soft-cooked egg and 5-6 minutes if you like your eggs firm.
    • Center a fried egg over each of the grilled sandwiches and sprinkle with pepper.

    CADILLACS – PARMESAN ROAST BEEF SANDWICHES

    As I get older I have noticed that there are fewer and fewer mom and pop style diners. I find this very sad. Some of the best soups, salads and sandwiches I have ever had were diner style. With all the chain restaurants these days they do okay, but they also do formulaic recipes with as few ingredients as they can get away with to make it palatable, at least in my opinion. This recipe I made from memory of a fantastic sandwich I had in a roadside diner somewhere in Texas many years ago.



     

    PARMESAN ROAST BEEF SANDWICHES

    8 ounces thinly sliced roast beef (close to shaved)
    1 firm tomato     1 medium onion, thinly sliced
    4 ounce can mild green chiles,     VERY well drained*
    4 slices thick quality sourdough bread
    1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
    6 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
    4 tablespoons butter
    2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
    mayonnaise

    • Heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat in a small skillet.
    • Saute’ onions until JUST tender.
    • Add green chiles and Worcestershire sauce. Drain well if there is any excess oil.
    • Toss roast beef with onion mixture until heated through and well blended.
    • Grill the tomatoes until cooked through.
    • Butter 2 bread slices. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over butter and immediately press down gently so cheese nestles into the butter. This will form a crispier crust.
    • Press bread buttered side down on hot grill.
    • Add grilled tomatoes.
    • Top with shredded cheese.
    • Top with roast beef mixture.
    • Spread mayonnaise on top slices of bread and top sandwiches.
    • Spread butter on top side of bread and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, pressing firmly again to imbed Parmesan cheese.
    • Flip sandwiches and grill until golden.
    *I accidentally picked up jalapenos this last time. 
    NOTE to self these were ALSO good, but way HOT!!!