Rachael Ray's Spicy Chorizo Sloppy Joes

 I was home last Tuesday prepping the pasta salad I was taking to my sister's July 4th celebration when I saw this on a rerun of the Rachael Ray show.  I watched a lot of her shows while I was recovering from chemo back in 2015.  I still make a few of the recipes from back then.  I made this the other night and of course took no photos.  I made a couple of tweaks and we liked it a lot.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 red field pepper, seeded and chopped--I used red and yellow bell peppers
  
• 1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped; can sub a Fresno or any chili
  
• 1 rib celery with leafy top, finely chopped--I skipped the celery
  
• Salt and pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped or grated
• 1½ pounds 85% ground sirloin or plant-based beef substitute
• ½ pound fresh beef or pork chorizo or soy-based chorizo substitute

 

For the Joes, heat oil in a cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions, peppers and celery, season with salt and pepper and soften a few minutes. Add garlic and stir a minute. Add beef and chorizo and brown and crumble, then stir in the sauce, reduce heat to low and simmer a few minutes for the flavors to combine.

    For the sauce

 

• One 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• ½ cup beef stock or bone broth
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper sauce (Rach likes Frank’s RedHot)--I used Smoked Chipotle Tabasco
  
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

 For the sauce, whisk the ingredients and set aside. 

Toppings:

• Finely chopped white onion
• Sliced bread and butter pickles--I served with kosher dill chips
  

Serve the sloppy Joes with a pile of rolls and the toppings.

Kung Pao Sloppy Joes

 The Taste of Home Annual Recipes 2021 has several things in it that I want to try.  This recipe is written for ground beef but I bet it would be good with turkey as well.  

1lb. lean ground beef (90%)

1 small sweet red pepper, chopped

4 green onions, chopped and divided 

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. minced fresh ginger root 

1 to 1 1/2 tsp. Sriracha chili sauce 

1/2 C. reduced sodium soy sauce

6 tbsp. rice vinegar, divided

1/4 C. water

3 tbsp. sesame oil

2 tbsp. cornstarch 

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1 pkg. broccoli coleslaw mix

1/2 C. chopped unsalted peanuts 

6 hamburger buns or flour tortillas 

Fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

In a large cast iron or othe heavy skillet, cook the beef, red pepper, and 2 green onions over medium high heat until the beef is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender, 6-8 minutes, breaking up beef into crumbles; drain.  Add garlic, ginger and chili sauce; cook 1 minute longer.

In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, 4 tbsp. vinegar, water, 1 tbsp. oil, cornstarch, and brown sugar until smooth; stir into beef mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes.

For the slaw, in a large bowl, combine coleslaw mix, remaining 2 green onions, 2 tbsp. vinegar and 2 tbsp. oil; toss to coat. Spoon 1/2 C. of the beef mixture onto the bun bottom, top with 1/2 C. slaw and peanuts.  If desired, top with cilantro leaves.

Cuban Pulled Pork Sandwiches

 Chris and I both like Cuban sandwiches.  We have thought of making them at home.  I came across this recipe in Taste of Home’s 2021Annual Recipe book.  I have made this recipe twice now and it’s amazing.  

1 boneless pork shoulder butt roast 4 to 5 pounds

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. pepper

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 C. orange juice 

1/2 C. lime juice

12 garlic cloves, minced; yes 12

2 tbsp. spiced rum, optional 

2 tbsp. ground coriander 

2 tsp. white pepper 

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

Sandwiches 

2 1lb. loaves French bread

Yellow mustard, optional 

16 dill pickle slices

1 1/2lbs. thinly sliced deli ham

1 1/2lbs. Swiss cheese, sliced

Sprinkle roast with salt and pepper, place in a slow cooker.  Combine oil, juices, garlic, rum if desired, and spices; add to slow cooker.  Cook, covered on low 8-10 hours or until tender.  Remove roast. Shred with 2 forks.  This pulled pork would be good on its own if you don’t like Cuban sandwiches.  

Cut each loaf of bread in half lengthwise.  If desired, spread mustard over cut sides of bread. Layer bottom halves of bread with pickles, pork, ham, and cheese.  Replace tops. Cut each loaf into 8 slices.  

One thing I did was griddle the pork until it started to crisp then I put the cheese on top and let it melt.  Then I assembled the rest of the sandwich.

Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich with Garlic Mayo

This recipe came from them April/May issue of allrecipes.com Magazine.  Chris and I went to Philly a few years ago and have tried to recreate delicious cheesesteak sandwiches that we tried.

1/2 C. mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp. olive oil
1lb. beef round steak, cut into thin strips
2 green peppers, cut into 1/4 inch strips
2 onions, sliced into rings
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
4 hoagie rolls, split lengthwise and toasted
1 8oz package shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp. dried oregano

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Stir together mayonnaise and garlic in a small bowl. Cover and chill.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add beef; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 3 minutes. Remove from skillet.

Stir bell peppers, onions, salt, and black pepper into skillet.  Cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.  Return beef to skillet and stir to combine.

Spread each hoagie rolled with 2 tbsp. chilled garlic mayonnaise and put on prepared baking sheet.  Divide beef mixture among rolls.  Stir together cheese and oregano in a bowl and then sprinkle over sandwiches.  Bake until cheese is melted and slightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Per sandwich 764 calories, 41g. fat, 50g. protein, 51g. carbohydrates, 5g. fiber, 1445mg. sodium

Chicken Caesar Wrap

I found this recipe in the April/May issue of Simple and Delicious.  I could see this becoming a summer staple for lunches and dinners.

3/4 C. reduced fat creamy Caesar salad dressing
1/4 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 C. cubed cooked chicken breast
2 C. torn romaine
3/4 C. Caesar salad croutons, coarsely chopped
6 whole wheat tortillas

In a large bowl, combine the dressing, cheese, garlic powder, and pepper.  Add the chicken, romaine and croutons.  Spoon 2/3 cup chicken mixture down the center of each to; roll up.

1 wrap is 337 calories, 12g. fat, 57mg. cholesterol, 730mg. sodium, 29g. carbohydrates, 27g. protein

Cuban Style Pork Sliders with Mojo Sauce

This is something that I think will become part of our regular rotation this summer and going forward.

3lbs. ground pork
2 C. chopped onions
2 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 C. chicken broth
4 tsp. snipped fresh thyme
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 recipe Mojo sauce
24 cocktail buns or small dinner rolls
1/4 C. yellow mustard
12 slices country style ham, halved
12 slices Swiss cheese, halved
Pickle slices

In a Dutch oven, cook ground pork, onions, jalapeño peppers, and garlic over medium high heat until meat is browned and onions are tender, using a wooden spoon to break up the meat as it cooks. Drain off fat.

In a 3 1/2 or 4 quart slow cooker, combine meat mixture, broth, thyme, cumin, coriander, salt, and black pepper.

Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high heat for 3'to 4 hours.  Stir in Mojo sauce.

To serve, spread cut side of buns with mustard. Layer bottoms of buns with ham and cheese.  Using a slotted spoon, spoon meat mixture onto cheese.  If desired, add pickle slices.  Replace tops of buns.  Makes 24 servings.

Mojo Sauce

Ina medium skillet, cook 6 cloves garlic, minced, in 2 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat until garlic starts to brown.  Remove from heat.  Carefully add 1/3 C. orange juice, 1/3 C. lemon juice, 1 tsp. ground cumin, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper; return to heat.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until slightly reduced; cool.  Whisk before using.

Per serving: 338 calories, 20g. fat, 63mg. cholesterol, 627mg. sodium, 19g. carbohydrates, 1g. fiber, 19g. protein

Slow Cooker Mexican Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches

I saw this in the September 2016 issue of the Food Network Magazine.  I am not huge fan of chicken thighs so maybe I will do a mixture of breasts and thighs. I will cook it for slightly less time than the recipe calls for so as not to dry out the white meat.

6 large skinless, boneless chicken thighs, about 2 pounds
Kosher salt
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, chopped plus 3 tbsp. sauce from the can
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
1/2 medium onion, grated
2/3 C. ketchup
3 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. packed light brown sugar
1/4 C. apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. Worcestershire
1/4 vegetable oil
2 C. shredded red cabbage
2 radishes, thinly sliced
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 avocado
4 sesame hamburger buns
8 thin slices Monterey Jack cheese

Season the chicken with salt and cumin; transfer to slow cooker.  Add the chipotle and adobo sauce, tomatoes and onion; toss to coat.  Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.  Transfer the cooking liquid to a fat separator.  Pour the liquid into a small saucepan leaving the fat behind.  Add the ketchup, 3 tbsp. brown sugar, 2 tbsp. cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce to the saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and gently simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk 2 tbsp. vegetable oil and the remaining 2 tbsp. cider vinegar, and 1 tsp. brown sugar in a large bowl.  Add the cabbage, radishes, scallions, and 1/2 tsp. salt; toss and set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 tbsp. vegetable in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally and pulling it apart with tongs or a fork, until browned and crisp in spots, 3 to 5 minutes.  Stir in all but 1/2 cup of the sauce; season with salt.

Preheat the broiler. Slice the avocado.  Put the roll bottoms on a baking sheet, top with he chicken and cheese. Broil until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Top with slaw, avocado, and roll tops.  Serve with remaining sauce.

Chipotle Chili Sloppy Joes

I may try this in the crock pot or cook it ahead and reheat it.  It sounds like an interesting spin on sloppy joes.

1lb. lean ground beef 90/10
1 C. finely chopped sweet onion
1/2 C. finely chopped green pepper
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 C. chili sauce
1/2 C. water
1 to 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped
1 tbsp. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. yellow mustard
6 hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls
2 tbsp. butter softened

Preheat broiler. In a skillet, cook beef, onion, green pepper, jalapeño over medium heat 5-7 minutes or until beef is no longer pink, breaking up beef into crumbles. Drain.

Stir in chili sauce, water, chipotles, brown sugar, and mustard; bring to a boil.  Simmer , uncovered, 8-10 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.

Lightly spread cut sides of buns with butter; arrange on a baking sheet, buttered side up.  Broil until lightly toasted.  Fill with meat mixture.

Per serving: 313 calories, 12g. fat, 57mg. cholesterol, 615mg. sodium, 32g. carbs, 2g. fiber, 19g. protein

Turkey Avocado Paninis

Happy New Year!

Sometimes you need a sandwich. This is a beautiful sandwich that was tweaked to lower the sodium in the December/January issue of allrecipes.com magazine. In a couple of weeks, I will celebrate a year on high blood pressure meds...yay me!  I am always looking for recipes with great taste but low sodium.  This one caught my eye and I think I will add nice thick tomato slices in the summer when I get some from Mom's yard!

1 red bell pepper
1/2 ripe Hass avocado
1/4 C. canola or olive oil mayonnaise
4 slices thin sliced wheat or rye bread
2 slices lower sodium provolone cheese
1 C. fresh spinach
1/4 lb. deli sliced lower sodium turkey breast
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil

Preheat broiler.

Slice bell pepper lengthwise into flat quarters and discard seeds and stem.  Broil slices, skin side upon a broiler pan about 4 inches from heat until charred, about 10 minutes.  Remove pan, cover with foil, and let cool about 15 minutes.  When pepper is cool enough to handle, peel off and discard skin.  Slice crosswise into half inch wide strips.

Mash avocado in a bowl with mayonnaise.  Top 2 bread slices with provolone, spinach, turkey, broiled pepper, avocado mixture, and remaining bread slices.

Lightly brush bottom of a panini press with olive oil, add sandwiches and brush tops with oil.  Cook until bread is toasted, cheese has melted, and bread has grill marks, about 5 minutes.

Grilled Margherita Sandwiches

Well, it's that time of year, tomatoes are starting to come fast and furious from Mom's garden.  I think this will be yummy.

1/4 C. lower sodium marinara
8 slices whole grain bread
4oz. fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
1 large tomato, cut into 8 thin slices
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
12 large basil leaves
Cooking spray
1 tbsp. olive oil, divded

Spread 1 tbsp. marinara over 1 side of each of 4 bread slices.  Top evenly with cheese and tomato.  Sprinkly tomatoes evenly with pepper and salt.  Top tomatoes with basil and remaining bread slices.  Lightly coat sandwiches with cooking spray.

Heat a large skillet over medium low heat.  Add 1 1/2 tsp. oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add sandwiches to pan; cook 2 1/2 minutes or until browned.  Brush tops evenly with remaining oil.  Turn sandwiches over; cook 2 minutes or until browned.  Serve immediately.

Chicken French Dip Sandwiches

I remember one of the first times I ordered a French dip in a restaurant; I felt so grown up.  Here s a spin on the French dip that is a great idea for a summer supper.

2 8oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt, divided
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
8oz. sliced mushrooms
1/4 C. dry sherry
1 1/2 C. low sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 20 inch baguette

Cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally.  Cover with plastic wrap and pound with a smooth meat mallet or a heavy pan to an even 1/4 inch thickness.  Sprinkle with poultry seasoning, 1/4 tsp of salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the chicken and cook until browned and no longer pink in the middle, 2 to 4 minutes per side.  Transfer to a clean cutting board; cover to keep warm.

Add 1 tbsp. oil to the pan.  Cook onion and mushrooms over medium heat, stirring occasionally until light brown, 6 to 8 minutes.  Add sherry and cook, stirring for 1 minute.  Stir in broth, Worcestershire, and the remaining salt.  Bring to a boil and cook until the liquid is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut baguette into 4 portions and slice horizontally.  Pull out the soft inner bread, brush the insides with the remaining tbsp. oil.  Toast on a baking sheet in the oven for about 10 minutes.

To serve, strain the liquid from the mushroom mixture for dipping.  Slice the chicken into strips.  Divide the chicken and mushrooms among the baguette pieces to make 4 sandwiches and serve with the dip.

Calories 449, Fat 15g., Cholesterol 63mg., Carbs 46g., Protein 37g., Fiber 8g., Sodium 771mg., Potassium 537mg.

Open Face Turkey Reubens

We love reuben sandwiches around here.  This is something we can do for a quick summer dinner.  We can use deli turkey or use meat from a turkey breast that we grill or smoke.

1/3 C. low fat mayonnaise
4 tsp. ketchup
1 tbsp. dill relish
3 C. coleslaw mix
4 slices pumpernickel bread
4 tsp canola oil
8 thin slices low sodium deli turkey
6 slices low sodium Swiss cheese

Position rack in the upper third of oven; preheat broiler.

Whisk mayonnaise, ketchup and relish in medium bowl.  Add coleslaw mix and toss to coat.

Place bread on a rimmed baking sheet and brush each piece with 1 tsp. oil.  Broil until toasted, 2 to 4 minutes.  Flip the bread over and top each piece with 2 slices of turkey, 1/2 C. of the coleslaw and 1 1/2 slices of Swiss cheese.  Toast the sandwiches under the broiler until the cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes.

Calories 383, Fat 20g., Cholesterol 63mg., Carbs 26g., Protein 26g., Fiber 3g., Sodium 733 mg., Potassium 238 mg.

Greek Style Chicken Wraps

I like Greek/Mediterranean food more and more.  This would be a nice summer lunch or dinner.  We're already seeing cucumbers and tomatoes are right around the corner.

1 C. grape tomatoes, halved
3 tbsp. pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp. crumbled feta cheese
1 1/2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
4oz. shredded boneless skinless chicken
2 small cucumbers, chopped
6 tbsp. plain hummus
6 8 inch whole wheat flour tortillas


Place tomatoes, olives, feta, juice oregano, pepper, chicken and cucumber in a large bowl.  Toss to combine.  Spread 1 tbsp. hummus over 1 side of each tortilla.  Top each tortilla with about 1/2 C. chicken mixture.  Roll up wraps; cut in half.

Serves 6: Calories 237, Fat 9.9g., Protein 12g., Carbs 27g., Fiber 5g., Cholesterol 20mg., Iron 1mg., Sodium 556mg., Calcium 40mg.

Pepper and Egg Sandwiches

I am thinking perhaps that pepper and egg sandwiches are regional...feel free to comment and correct me if I am wrong.  These are big sellers during Lent at a lot of the local sandwich shops as it is a delicious meat free meal.  There are a couple of places we get our pepper and egg sandwiches from in the neighborhood but I decided to try my hand at homemade.  They came out yummy!

First, I sauteed some peppers and onions in olive oil until tender but not squishy.  You can use green peppers, hot peppers, pick your peppers.

Then I cut the bread...in hindsight, I should have chosen something other than a ciabatta loaf or I should have done a better job cutting the bread because these shapes became a bit troublesome when I got ready to throw these in the broiler.

Next, scramble some eggs, I put some Italian seasoning in with the eggs.  Put the eggs on top of the bread and the peppers and onions on top of the eggs.

Top with cheese, I used provolone but you can use whatever kind of cheese you like best! Broil until cheese melts and becomes golden brown and bubbly.  These particular sandwiches required a knife and fork.

Garlicky Grilled Cheese

I found this in the April issue of Cooking Light...I like this magazine because it takes things that might use your entire daily allotted calories and remakes the recipe into something a little more manageable from a calorie standpoint.

1/2 tsp. olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 C. baby spinach leaves
4 C. baby arugula leaves
4 center cut bacon slices, halved
8 1oz. rustic Italian bread slices
2oz. part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
2oz. fontina cheese, shredded

Heat a large skillet, over medium high heat. Add oil, swirl to coat.  Add garlic to pan; saute 1 minute.  Add spinach and arugula; stir until wilted.  Remove spinach mixture from pan.  Return pan to medium high heat.  Add bacon; cook until crisp.  Remove bacon.

Top 4 bread slices evenly with cheese, bacon pieces, spinach mixture, and the remaining 4 bread slices.

Heat pan over medium heat.  Add sandwiches to drippings in pan; weigh down with a plate or panini press.  Cook 2 minutes on each side.

Calories-300, Fat-11.9g, Protein-16g, Carbs-33g, Fiber-3g, Cholesterol-32mg, Iron-3mg, Sodium-716mg, Calcium-279mg.

Tuna Melts

For a while I was getting daily emails from a cooking website....I kept or printed recipes until I had a pile of paper and a clogged up email box.  When you see a flurry of recipes (no, not outside), I am working through the collection of emails.

I love tuna melts...as long as they are homemade.  For some reason I have an aversion to tuna salad made by someone I don't know.  Chris makes a fantastic tuna salad and from time to time we'll put it under the broiler with some cheese.

When I make the recipe I think I will add a tomato under the cheese...a beautiful ripe tomato from the yard.

PS-my beagle thinks she is a cat and hops to attention when the tuna can is opened!

1 1lb. loaf French bread
1 small sweet onion, peeled and diced
1 12oz. can tuna, drained
2 c. mozzarella cheese
1 C. mayonnaise

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine sweet onion, drained tuna, mozzarella, and mayonnaise.  Mix thoroughly.  Spread tuna mixture on slices of French bread to form a sandwich.  Place sandwiches on a cookie sheet.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Tuscan Grilled Cheese

Yum!  That's all I can say.  I probably won't wait until I get some arugula to make this.  Not sure if greens of any kind belong on a grilled cheese but we'll see.

4 1/2 inch thick slices country bread
3 tbsp. garlic flavored olive oil
4oz. smoked mozzarella, thinly sliced
1 large ripe tomato, evenly sliced
1/4 C. fresh basil leaves
4 C. arugula leaves
3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Brush one side of each bread slice lightly with oil, using about 1 tbsp. total.  On 2 slices arrange half of cheese, then tomato, basil and remaining cheese.  Top with remaining bread slices, oil side down.  Brush tops of sandwiches with about 1 tbsp. remaining oil.

Heat medium skillet over medium heat.  Placed sandwiches oil side down in skillet.  Cook until sandwiches are golden brown on both sides, turning once, about 5 minutes per side.

Toss arugula with balsamic and divide between 2 plates.  Cut sandwiches in half or quarters and arrange around arugula. Serve.

Tex Mex Patty Melts

This sounds really good but I will probably switch out the white bread for something different.  I wonder if I will be able to sell these to the kids.  They are not as big fans of spicy as Chris and I are.  Chris and I have learned some tough lessons from chipotles in adobo.  LOL

1lb. ground beef
3 tbsp. chili seasoning mix
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
1/2oz. beer
1/4 C. mayonnaise
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
6 slices white bread
6 slices pepperjack cheese

Mix together ground beef, chili seasoning mix, 2 minced chipotle peppers and beer in a bowl.  Divide the mixture evenly into 3 patties.

Stir together the mayonnaise and 1 minced chipotle pepper in a small bowl.  Divide the mixture between bread slices and spread evenly.  Place a slice of pepperjack cheese on top of the mayonnaise mixture on each slice of bread.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Cook the patties in the skillet until no longer pink in the middle, 5 to 7 minutes each side for well done.  Remove each burger to a slice of bread, sandwiching them with remaining slices.

Drain the skillet reserving 2 tbsp. of the grease.  Heat the reserved grease in the skillet over medium high heat.  Grill the sandwiches in the skillet until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted; 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Bacon Jack Chicken Sandwich

With the weather we have been having, I should be making these sandwiches every day!  Lots of great flavors in one spot for a quick and simple summer supper.  You could probably just make the chicken breasts and prepare the other ingredients and let the hungry crowd assemble their own sandwiches using the rest of the ingredients on the list.

8 slices bacon
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tsp. poultry seasoning
4 slices pepper jack cheese
4 hamburger buns, split
4 leaves of lettuce
4 slices tomato
1/2 C. thinly sliced onions
12 slices dill pickle

Preheat a grill for medium heat.

While the grill preheats, place the bacon in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Cook until browned on both sides.  Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.

Rub the poultry seasoning onto the chicken pieces, and place them on the grill.  Cook for about 6 minutes per side or until no longer pink in the center.  Top each piece of chicken with 2 slices backon and 1 slice pepperjack cheese.  Grill 2 to 3 minutes to melt cheese.

Place each piece of chicken on a bun and top with lettuce tomato, onion, and pickle slices before serving with your favorite condiments.

Classic Croque Monsieur

Have you ever been to France?  If you ever go, stop in a cafe and order a croque monsieur.  It is a great spin on a grilled cheese.  I have had some wonderful ones in cafes in Paris and some here in the States too.  Whenever I eat one, I think of my high school French teacher.  She passed away a few years ago but she had a way of speaking French like a native and she guided both of my trips to France.  I will make these, open a bottle of wine and offer a toast.

3 tbsp. mayonnaise
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
8 slices firm white bread
4 slices Swiss cheese
8 slices smoked ham
1 tbsp. butter or margarine
3 eggs
1/2 C. milk

Heat oven to 450 degrees.  Mix mayo and mustard; spread onto 4 bread slices.  Cover with cheese, ham and remaining bread slices.  Place butter in 15x10x1 inch pan.  Place in oven 1 to 2 minutes or until butter is melted.  Meanwhile whisk eggs and milk in pie plate until well blended.  Dip each sandwich in egg mixture then place in buttered pan.  Pour any egg mixture over sandwiches.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until sandwiches are golden brown on both sides, turning after 5 minutes.

When dipping sandwiches, let each sandwich soak in egg mixture about 30 seconds to absorb as much of the egg mixture as possible.