Avocado and Chicken Lettuce Wraps

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avocado, chicken, gluten free, lettuce, quick, wrap

My sweet boyfriend is out of town at annual training with the Army for 3 weeks. What does that mean for me, other than being lonely? DIET TIME! Since dating, I have gained those 10 pounds of “happy weight” that everyone dreads. How can I NOT eat when someone makes me a delicious dinner? How can I NOT drink a beer when there are several new, fun breweries and pubs? So I have been enjoying too much. These three weeks are crunch time! Exercise more. Eat less. Wish that it was easier to lose than gain…. Cheers to more bunny food!

Avocado and Chicken Lettuce Wraps

• 1 chicken breast from a rotisserie chicken, shredded
• 2 large leaves from iceburg or romaine lettuce
• 1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
• Red onion, to taste
• 2 small tomatoes, quartered
• 2 slices of cheese
• Dijon mustard, to taste

Pretend like you are making a burrito. Lay the leaf of lettuce on a plate. On one third of the lettuce, layer the chicken, avocado, onion, 4 pieces of tomato, the slice of cheese broken in half, and mustard to taste. Gently roll the lettuce up into a burrito shape. Makes 2 rolls.

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Grilled Cheese with Smoked Gouda, Roasted Mushooms and Onions

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gouda, grilled cheese, mushroom, onion, roasted, sandwich, smoked, vegetarian

These little sandwiches are pretty dang tasty. Umami overload. My favorite. Next time I will add roast beef or pastrami. A delicious meal with very little effort.

• Servings: 2
• Time: 35 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 tbsp butter
• 4 slices good bread
• 1 cup smoked gouda, shredded

Preheat oven to 400°F. On a baking sheet,  toss sliced mushrooms and onion in olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast the veggies for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browning around the edges.

In a non-stick skillet, melt the butter. Take the four slices and dip them in the melted butter. Be sure that the butter is evenly coating the four sides. Remove the skillet from the heat. Assemble the sandwiches in skillet in this order- bread (butter side down), 1/4 of the cheese, roasted onions and mushrooms, 1/4 of the cheese, bread (butter side up). Lightly press together to help things settle. Grill over medium heat until each side is lightly browned and the cheese is melty. Inspired by this recipe.

 

Brie, Ham, Apple Grilled Cheese with Whole Grain Mustard

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apple, brie, fall, grilled cheese, ham, sandwich, whole grain mustard

I made these little sandwiches to accompany some Sketch-Free Broccoli Cheese Soup (recipe to follow). I love fresh apples but sometimes struggle to find savory ways to use them. Be sure to use a tart apple with a firm texture. You really want a punch of flavor and a good crunch when you bite into this delicious sandwich.

Brie, Ham, Apple Grilled Cheese with Whole Grain Mustard

• 4 slices good bread (think sourdough, etc)
• 4 ounces of sliced ham
• 4 ounces of sliced Brie
• 1/2 apple, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp whole grain mustard
• Butter

Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place two slices of the bread, butter side down in a non-stick skillet. Layer each sandwich in this order – 2 oz ham, 2 oz brie, 1/4 apple, 1 tbsp whole grain mustard. Top each sandwich with the last slice of bread. Grill until browned on each side and the cheese is melted. Serves 2.

Pork and Pimento Cheese Patty Melt

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cheese, food, main dish, patty melt, pimento, pork, sandwich, Southern

What do you do when you plan on burgers only to realize you don’t have buns?! You make patty melts!

Pork and Pimento Cheese Patty Melts

• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of pimento cheese
• Butter
• 8 slices of bread

Prepare you grill to medium heat. In a bowl, combine the pork and the cumin. Divide pork mixture into four even balls. Press each one into very thin patties. Grill until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.

Heat a skillet over medium heat while spreading one side of each piece of bread with desired amount of butter. Place four slices butter side down in the skillet. Top with a pork patty and desired amount of pimento cheese. Top with second slice of bread. Grill the bread on each side until lightly browned and the pimento cheese is melted. Makes 4 patty melts.

Ham and Swiss Hawaiian Sliders

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food, game day, ham, Hawaiian, rolls, sliders, Swiss

Yay for football season! It heralds the beginning of fall. And pumpkin lattes, apple cider, root vegetables, pumpkins, and creative costumes for little trick-or-treaters. One of the best thing about football season is all the good food. These sliders are a snap to throw together and would be great any time. Maybe a baby shower or a church supper. And if you don’t consider yourself much of a cook, I bet you can still make these.

Ham and Swiss Hawaiian Sliders

• 1 pkg Hawaiian King rolls
• 1/2 to 3/4 lb shaved ham
• 6 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp dried minced onions
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• Swiss cheese slices

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter and mix in mustard, minced onions, and poppy seeds together. Split the rolls and paint the butter mixture on each side of the rolls. Place ham and Swiss cheese on the bottom half. Apply the top of each bun. Bake until the cheese is melted.

Pork Burgers with Peppers and Onions

Tags

burgers, food, main dish, onions, peppers, pork, sandwich, summer

The Kentucky State Fair is being held in Louisville this week. My husband and I plan to visit on Friday. I am super excited! When I was a kid, my grandparents used to take my siblings and I every year. We would have a group discussion about when we should go- the beef cattle week or the dairy cattle week. (There are many points to consider here. 1) We grow beef cattle. Do we really want to see what we know already? 2) What other animals are there this same week? Pigs? Fowl? Goats? Sheep? Mules and horses? 3) What did we see last year? There are other points but you get the idea.) We would get up really early and make the two hour drive to the fairgrounds. Then we would meander around for hours, looking at all the exhibits. Some of them twice. On the way home, we would discuss the whole experience and each try to pick out our favorite part of the day. This usually occupied us until we got home or we fell asleep.

Food was also a big point of consideration. Under the food tent are so many things that need careful consideration. Which to choose – pork or beef or catfish or mutton from their local producers? Do we leave room for the Erhler’s ice cream later in the afternoon? My grandfather usually picked a rib eye steak sandwich while my grandmother chose a pork burger.  In honor of these precious memories, I decided a pork burger would be a nice change from our usual beef burger. The texture of a pork burger is somewhat different. The meat is more tender and less grainy in texture. The pork is a more subtle flavor that can be easily complimented with spices, such as the cumin I used here.

Pork Burgers with Peppers and Onions (from Martha Stewart)

• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 4 slices Pepper Jack cheese
• 4 toasted buns

Prepare your charcoal grill to medium high heat. In a bowl, combine the pork with the cumin. Form into 4 patties. Make a foil packet to hold the onions, peppers, and the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill the burgers until the juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side (maybe a bit longer depending on how hot your grill is). Grill the veggie packet until the veggies are tender. On the toasted buns, add a burger. Top with a slice of cheese and a good amount of the peppers and onions. Use other condiments if desired (I used mayo). Serves 4.

My Two Favorite Summer Sandwiches

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bacon, bologna, food, lettuce, mayo, sandwiches, Southern, summer, tomato

Tomato season is one of my favorite parts of the summer. I love them all. Big, little, yellow, red. There really isn’t a home grown tomato I don’t like. I eat them nearly every day they are available. Most often I eat them in BLTs and Bologna Tomato Sandwiches. They add something so special to a sandwich… well, really anything you add them to. In fact, I don’t eat bologna unless it’s in the sandwich below. And I always cut my sandwiches into triangles. For some reason, I am convinced they taste better that way. 😀  What is your favorite summer sandwich?

The BLT

• 4 slices of bacon, fried crispy
• 1 big slice of tomato
• 1 lettuce leaf
• Mayo
• Salt and pepper
• 2 slices of toast

Spread the mayo on one side of the bread. Top with the lettuce, tomato, salt and pepper, then bacon. Add top slice of bread. Cut into triangles. MMM!

The Bologna Tomato Sandwich

• 1 slice good bologna (I used Boar’s Head Beef Bologna)
• 1 big slice of tomato
• Mayo
• Salt and pepper
• 2 slices of toast

Spread the mayo on one side of bread. Top with the bologna, tomato, salt and pepper. Add top slice of bread. Cut into triangles.

Grilled Bratwurst Sandwiches with Caraway Sauerkraut

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bratwurst, food, grilling, quick, sandwiches, sauekraut, sausage, summer

My hubby loves bratwurst. I like them too but I think they are way better with the tangy sauerkraut and the spicy mustard. This was a really quick and tasty dish that would be great on the weekend when you have been working hard in the yard… Or for those school nights when you don’t have time to do anything elaborate. Whenever you fix this recipe, I know you will love it!

On a side note, I can’t wait to try to make my own sausages at home… Brats are first on the list. Do you have any recipe suggestions or tips?

Grilled Bratwurst Sandwiches with Caraway Sauerkraut (from Martha Stewart)

• 1 tbsp butter, plus more for rolls
• 1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 can (14 ounces) sauerkraut, well drained
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp caraway seeds
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 bratwursts
• 4 hard rolls, halved horizontally (I used hot dog buns because that’s what I had)
• 1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
• 1/2 cup bread-and-butter pickle chips, if desired

Prepare your grill to medium heat. Grill the bratwursts until they are cooked through and the juices run clear.

In a medium saucepan, melt the tablespoon of butter. Add onion and saute until soft, about 4 minutes. Add sauerkraut, sugar, caraway seeds, and 1/2 cup water. Add salt and pepper as desired (I didn’t add salt because the kraut brine is enough for me). Simmer until the whole thing is heated through. Set aside.

Butter each side of the rolls and place on the grill for a minute or two. Remove when they are browned lightly. Fill each roll with the sausage, pickles, kraut, and top with good mustard.

Pan Bagnat

Tags

food, french, lunch, overnight, pan bagnat, protein, quick, sandwich, tuna

I love tuna because it is such a quick source of protein. I eat it a lot and am always on the lookout for new ways to try it, other than the usual tuna salad. This recipe is fantastic! I made it the night before my work week. It was super convenient just to grab a sandwich and go. The flavors complimented each other amazingly. I definitely will be making this again soon!

Pan Bagnat (a variation of a recipe from Food52)

• 1/2 loaf crusty French baguette
• 1 clove garlic, cut in half
• 4-6 basil leaves
• 1(6oz) can tuna (I used the pouch kind because it’s drier)
• 3/4 cup Kalamata olives, sliced
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
• 1/2 small vidalia onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Slice the loaf of bread in half lengthwise. Remove some of the insides of the bottom half to create a trough into which the filling will go. Brush both halves with a little extra virgin olive oil. Rub each with the garlic. Line the half with the trough with the basil leaves.

In a mixing bowl, combine the tuna, olives, red bell pepper, onion, parsley, and artichoke hearts. In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk the lemon juice into the olive oil until well combined. Pour the vinaigrette into the tuna mixture and stir to combine. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.

Spoon tuna mixture into the trough of the baguette over the basil leaves. Wrap sandwich well in plastic. Crush it down by placing a brick or heavy cast iron skillet and refrigerate, preferably with the weight, overnight.