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.

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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.

Mixed Mushroom and Brie Sliders with Balsamic Reduction

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balsamic, brie, food, mushrooms, sandwiches, sliders, vegetarian, vinegar

These slicers came together only by accident. The mushrooms, brie, and rolls were all on sale at my local Kroger. They just seemed to be just too good a deal to pass up. And too good a combination to ignore.

Mixed Mushroom and Brie Sliders with Balsamic Reduction

• 8 oz mixed mushrooms (mine had oyster, shiitake, and criminis)
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 2 or 3 slices of brie
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 crusty dinner rolls

In a skillet, saute mushrooms to tenderness. Set aside and saute onion until browning but not burning. In the same skillet, reduce the vinegar to half. Split the dinner rolls and layer the mushrooms, onions, and brie. Dress each sandwich with the balsamic reduction. Serves 1.

Portabella, Onion, and Pepper Sandwiches with Horseradish Aioli

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aioli, horseradish, mushrooms, onion, peppers, sandwiches, vegetarian

Sometimes you need a meal that isn’t completely saturated with calories, grease, and meat. I know the cheese and butter doesn’t go along with that idea so much. But a grilled sandwich is only good with those two things. Anything less wouldn’t be worth the trouble 🙂

Portabella, Onion, and Pepper Sandwiches

• 2 portabella mushrooms
• 1 onion, sliced thinly
• 1 green pepper, sliced thinly
• 1 garlic clove, microplaned
• Olive oil
• 8 slices of good bread
• Butter
• Cheese slices (I used montery jack)
• 2 tbsp mayo
• 2 tsp prepared horseradish
• 1 tsp garlic, microplaned
• 1/8 tsp salt
• Pepper

Saute mushrooms, onion, green pepper and garlic in olive oil until the vegetables are tender. In another skillet, melt butter. Dip one side of each bread slice in the melted butter. Arrange sandwiches in this order: bread slice (butter side down), mushroom mixture, cheese slices, bread slice (butter side up). Grill in buttery skillet until golden brown on each side. Combine the mayo, horseradish, garlic, salt and pepper together for the aioli. Spread desired amount of aioli onto sandwich. Makes 4 sandwiches.

Featured Where?!?!

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deli, food, huffington post, philly cheese steak, sandwiches

OH MY GOD!

My Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches were just featured on a Huffington Post article: Deli Sandwiches: Classic Recipes for Reubens, Monte Cristos, and More!

I am so excited I don’t know what to do with myself!!!

Portabello Sandwiches with Cajun Sweet Potato Fries

Tags

Cajun, mushrooms, portabello, quick food, sandwiches, sweet potatoes

This past week has been both relaxing and busy. My husband and I had the week off and spent the great majority of it in Tennessee with family and friends.

A mountain stream….

From Tuesday to Friday, we stayed at a cabin in the Smoky Mountains with a fantastic view and a relaxing hot tub. We hiked, grilled out, and shared romantic moments. It was nice to get away from it all and just enjoy each other’s company.

A view from Clingman’s Dome…

Friday to Sunday we spent just outside of Knoxville celebrating the marriage of a college friend. A large group of my Berea College friends were there to celebrate as well as my BFF of 6 years. It was so wonderful to reconnect with and meet some amazing people. Plus, we were able to stay at my grandmother’s house and spent time with her.

My best friend and I…

I am sure you have noticed that my posts have decreased in their frequency as of late.  Now that I am back home, I hope to increase my posting frequency. Even though I had so much fun on vacation, I missed the quality and healthiness of home cooking. Sure pizza, ribs, and steak are yummy. Sometimes, I just long for the comforting familiarity of my own food and knowing what goes into it’s preparation. Even though we drove home today and I am exhausted, I wanted to eat something healthy and quick for dinner. The thoughts of another commercially prepared meal make me want to puke.

Portabello  mushrooms are a hearty, tasty replacement for meat. I love the earthy taste and the juicy texture; the high antioxidant levels are also a plus. Mushrooms are low in sodium and high in a whole host of things including fiber, iron, potassium, and zinc. I love fixing them as a sandwich with sauteed onions and cheese.

Instead of regular fries or chips, I am fixing Cajun sweet potato fries. Made in the oven, these fries are healthier than fried white potatoes for two reasons- 1) fried is way worse than baked and 2) sweet potatoes are better than white potatoes. Sweet potatoes have a lesser glycemic effect than white potatoes and are higher in fiber and Vitamin A. The Cajun spices give these fries enough pizzazz that you don’t need to add ketchup or extra salt.

For good timing, start potatoes first while you prep your mushrooms.

Portabello Mushroom Sandwiches

• 2 portabello mushrooms caps, rinsed
• salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to taste
• Pam spray
• cheese, if desired

Spray a glass 8×8 inch baking dish with Pam. Place mushroom in pan, stem up. Spray mushroom with Pam. Sprinkle spices over mushroom evenly. Bake on 400 degrees for 10 or until tender, depending on size of mushroom.  Remove from oven and top with cheese. Serve on a buttered, toasted bun with desired toppings. I personally like to saute onion and add to my sandwich.

Cajun Sweet Potato Fries

• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

In a small bowl, stir together paprika, brown sugar, black pepper, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Slice the sweet potatoes into desired size (I usually do about the size of a carrot stick). Pour olive oil over potatoes and stir to coat. Sprinkle on spices and stir again.  Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet or in a shallow pan. Bake in 400 degree oven until tender, or about 1 hour.

Mustard BBQ Sauce!

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bar-b-q, BBQ, Dinner, mustard, pork, sandwiches, Southern, Supper

When I think of Southern food, I automatically think of BBQ. My grandfather loved BBQ so much that we always made sure to eat at a BBQ placed when we were together. Though we enjoyed many types, our favorite BBQ is Maurice’s Piggie Park BBQ. When we visit Charleston, we stop at  Piggie Park to enjoy their awesome BBQ and the sides on their buffet. It has been featured in BBQ books such as Al Roker’s Big Bad Book of BBQ and magazines including Southern Living and People.  If you have a chance, stop at this place! It is guaranteed to please. When we crave the cuisine of the Deep South, we fix this recipe; it is our humble imitation of the best BBQ sauce in the world. After you taste this, not other BBQ sauce will compare!

Mustard BBQ Sauce

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1 cup mustard
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp A1 sauce
• 2 tbsp katsup
• Dash of garlic
• 1/2 cup molasses

Mix together and serve over your favorite smoked meat. I put on so much sauce that it is dripping off the bun while I eat it. LOVE IT!