Open Faced Sandwiches w/ Russian Dressing

Need something really simple to make, yet hearty? Well, this is ridiculously simple & very filling & tasty. All you need to do is either 1) get deli-sliced roast beef or 2) slice up leftover roast beef. That is all. If you want to go the extra mile, add the Russian dressing. Open Faced Sandwiches remind me of NYC deli. Have you ever gone into a NYC deli & ordered a sandwich? Usually they are heaping high with enough meat to make three regular-sized sandwiches! I can never finish one. If you make these at home, you can control the portion & still have the taste. YUM, just serve with a pickle. 

<3 Lishie

Open Faced Sandwiches
nice, crusty bread
deli-style sliced roast beef
sliced provolone
Fire up the broiler. On a broiler pan, place the sliced-open crusty bread. Optional- Spread some 
Russian Dressing on the slices. Pile as high with roast beef & provolone as you dare. Broil for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted to your liking.

Swap ~ Sandwiches

Another swap! I love these swaps (thank you to Sarah at Taste of Home Cooking as usual for hosting.)at his swap, I got to visit another new blog. And this week's swap? Sandwiches. So perfect! Summer for me is a mix of grilling, pasta & sandwiches.

Ammie, from Adventures in My Kitchen, Adapted this recipe from Rachel Ray. If you read my blog,you know I am not a big RR fan but I will take suggestions from other bloggers if they have put a RR recipe to the test! and funny thing? Ammie's changed RR's lime to tangerine... When I went shopping, I couldn't find the tangerines so I reverted to my favorite naval oranges. It is all citrus, right? (says the Floridian gal :) )


I grilled the chicken then shredded it, adding some sliced celery to the mix. Although it was a bit sweet for my taste, I enjoyed it!!! So it probably was better it was orange (tangerines are sweeter, right?)This is a great, summery meal. Thank you so much Ammie!


<3 Lishie

Grilled Honey Orange Chicken Sandwiches

adapted from Adventures in My Kitchen

• 1 orange, juice & zest
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1 tsp cumin
• A handful cilantro, roughly chopped
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tsp grill seasoning
• Toppings of your choice, we used: Yummy tomatoes & celery slices
• 4 rolls

In a medium bowl add  juice & zest of the orange, honey, cumin, cilantro and oil in a bowl and mix well.  Add chicken breast to bowl, stirring to coat well.  Set aside 15 minutes.

Heat grill or grill pan to medium high.  Place chicken on grill pan and cook for 4-5 minutes.  Flip and finish cooking on other side.  Be careful that you pan isn't too hot, and watch as these cook since the honey burns easily.

Once removed from the heat, let the chicken sit for a few minutes.  Then serve on rolls with your favorite toppings.

Steak, Peppers & Mushrooms Sandwich

March 21, amongst other things, is National French Bread Day. Who am I to deny celebrating this? So on my menu for the week... Peppered Steak & Mushrooms Sandwiches. Yum. Easy. Contentment.

<3 Lishie

Steak, Peppers & Mushrooms Sandwich

• 2 lb strip loin, trimmed
• olive oil 
• bell peppers (I used red), sliced
• mushrooms (I used white buttons), sliced
• s & p
• rolls (I used French rolls)

Place raw steak in freezer for 30 minutes; this makes it easier to slice the meat. Remove the meat from the freezer and slice very thinly. 

Heat saute pan on medium-high heat... Add olive oil, peppers & mushrooms. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the veg is softer, then add the steak. When steak browns (pretty fast if thin) add S & P, to taste... Top rolls with mixture & serve.

On a more serious note, March 21st is also World Down Syndrome Day to signify the uniqueness of Down syndrome in the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome and is used synonymously with Down syndrome.

Balsamic Chicken & Avocado Sandwiches

  I had this yummy sandwich catered in for a lunch event at work… And it inspired me to recreate it at home. I used lowfat mayo because it tastes just.as.good & grilled the chicken. I LOVE baby arugula so along with my avocado adoration, I used it as a topping. This sandwich would also be a great panini & tastes great on just about any bread! It’s also delicious cold or warm, perfect for those of us carting their lunch to work!

<3 Lishie

Balsamic  Mayonnaise

• 1 c Mayonnaise     
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• freshly ground pepper 

Blend the ingredients in a food processor or blender.

Slice up grilled or roasted chicken, mix balsamic mayo…

Place on bread of choice & top sliced avocadoes & baby arugula.

Thanksgiving Sandwich

A gorgeous autumn day that is cool but not too cool calls for something yummy & very Fall-like but not too winter-like. What to make? We had a busy Sunday. Began with church, then some errands, a visit to a friend, mommy-to-salon... Then we watched our town's Columbus Day Parade. After, grocery shopping with toddler in tow... & regular food prep. I truly was tuckered out & wanted to remain awake for Dexter! 

Sandwiches make a hearty, all-in-one dinner sometimes. Just make sure you have all of the components! This is a great way to have a little Thanksgiving other times of the year. And this is a great way to utilize those turkey day leftovers in November!

So... this is what we dined on:

Thanksgiving Sandwich

• Deli, thick-cut roasted Turkey
• Dressing (stuffing~ I cheated & used reduce-sodium Stove-top Stuffing made with chicken stock & butter)
• Cranberry Sauce (we actually prefer the canned jellied one)
• Fresh kaiser rolls

Stack the turkey & dressing on the roll, spread the cranberry sauce as the condiment. Enjoy!

<3 Lishie

Pumpkin Butter

There's a whymsically wonderful little cafe in Greenwich Village, NYC called Peanut Butter & Co. It is everything peanut butter. And the peanut butter is freshly made ~ smooth (my pref!) or crunchy. And it is fun. I love grabbing lunch there every once in a while because it makes me smile... I usually always have the fluffernutter sandwich & a vanilla diet coke but they have a new item for Halloween & fall... ready for it? It's a Peanut Butter & Pumpkin Butter Sandwich. & it is scrumptious. Here's how you can make home-made pumpkin butter:

Pumpkin Butter 

(Slow Cooker Method)

adapted from:Eastern European Food

• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 to 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp cloves

Combine pumpkin puree with sugar & spices, and choose one of the following cooking methods.
Slow Cooker: Place sweetened pulp in a slow cooker with lid partially off to let steam escape. Set at low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-12 hours or overnight, or until thick enough so the butter doesn't run off a spoon when turned upside down. 

<3 Lishie

Homemade Sloppy Joes

It's a bit chilly out today but not cold enough to warrant a stew or something extremely hearty. I was glancing through my America's Text Kitchen cookbooks since the BEA- Book Expo America is coming up this week in NYC & ATK will be there. I love stopping by their table. And I love even more that they  have given out free food & cookbooks, signed right there. Sloppy Joes sort of stuck in my mind & I decided to make them tonight. They are a comforting food & home made, not full of all of the sodium, salt & sugar the canned stuff comes chock full of... These are so tasty. I have some leftover which I may even mix with a little pasta for a lunch for me. Make these- your kids will love them & you'll be happy because it is good for them. We had potato salad & fresh dill pickles on the side.

Sloppy Joes
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen
Serves 4

• 2-3 TBSp veg oil
• 1 med onion, finely diced
• 2 Garlic cloves, minced 
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 lb 85 % ground beef, I use Angus
• S & P1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 cup tomato puree
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 Kaiser Rolls

Heat oil over medium-high heat, about 1 minute. Add onion, stir until covered in the oil. Cover & allow to soften but not brown (about 10 minutes). If it begins to brown, lower the heat.  Add the garlic & chili powder and saute for 30 seconds. Add beef, S & P, brown sugar & reduce heat to medium. Cook, breaking up meat into small pieces, using a wooden spoon, until meat is almost no longer pink, about 3 min.


Add the puree, ketchup, & water. Cook until slightly thickened, about 4-8 minutes.


Serve on Kaiser buns. 

*Lishie tip- use a good, sturdy bread or bun (like a kaiser- I had plain, my hubby chose with poppy seed. Have  told you all that he goes grocery shopping with me EVERY week! Yep!) a regular hamburger bun will absorb any of the sauce like a sponge, become soggy & fall apart. Yuck.)

Hummus & Pita Chips

I love, love, love hummus. It's my "in front of the tv treat" with pita chips. YUM. Sometimes, I also love to have it as a vegetarian sandwich in a pita with lettuce & tomato & cucumber. It's full of protein & so good. The following recipe is very versatile. Add tahini sauce for extra flavor or roasted red peppers... And the chips? Think of your favorite flavors & season away!!!


Hummus

• 2 cups canned chick peas, drained
• Juice & Zest of 2 Lemons
• 3 cloves garlic
• Kosher Salt
• Pinch of Sweet Paprika

Place everything into the Food Processor & combine until the texture you like. 


*Sometimes I add chopped roasted, red pepper too!


Pita Chips

• Bag of Pita Bread (I get plain, white)
• Olive Oil, to coat
• *Seasoning (You could use anything!) I use Sea Salt

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut each pita in half & then into 8 wedges. Arrange the pita wedges on a large baking sheet. Pour olive oil over the pita triangle piecess. Toss and spread out the wedges, not overlapping. Sprinkle Sea Salt (or whatever seasoning). Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until toasted and golden in color.


No tip here unless you HAVE one FOR me! LOL... just an observation... why do my pitas ALWAYS look like my toddler cut them? They break so easily! Good thing, they taste yummy no matter what.

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers

• 4 TBSp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 TBSp Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 TBSp chopped Basil
• 1 tsp Oregano
• S & P
• 2  Portobello caps
• Cooking Spray

Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, basil, oregano & S &P. Place the cleaned portobello caps in a large ziploc bag with the oil/vinegar mixture. Allow it to marinate for 10-15 minutes at room temperature.

When ready, heat the grill pan on Medium-high & spray it with cooking spray.  Grill each portobello side about 10 minutes. (If using cheese, when you flip the portobello cap, place cheese on the already-grilled side.)

I served them on rolls with sliced roasted red pepper, lettuce & tomato. If you want cheese, provolone or mozzarella would be delicious on these!

*Lishie tip- to clean mushrooms, take a damp towel & simply pat off any dirt. Do not immerse fungi ;) in water because they absorb like sponges. This is also the reason why you should not marinate for a long period of time! Only 15 minutes or less or the caps will be inundated with liquid.

Monte Cristo Sandwich... my version

OK, this is my new favorite sandwich, my new favorite grilled cheese... it's like having French toast for dinner but so much more. I've always liked the idea of the actual Monte Cristo Sandwich but not the components. I generally don't like two meats together & I do not like Swiss cheese. But the idea of grilled ham & cheese, French toast-style- yum. Here's what I did...

Monte Cristo Sandwich

• 2 pats of butter
• 2 Slices White Bread
• Couple of Slices of Deli Honey Ham
• Freshly grated Gruyere Cheese
• 1 Egg
• a Pinch of Cinnamon

Scramble the raw egg in a bowl, whisk in the cinnamon.


Meanwhile, heat a non-stick griddle pan (any pan you'd use for a grilled cheese) on medium-high. Place a pat of butter on & allow it to melt & sizzle up. Dip one side of one piece of bread in the egg mix. Place the dipped side down onto the buttered griddle. Top it with the ham & then the grated Gruyere. Dip one side of the other slice of bread in the egg mix. Place the Non-dipped side onto the sandwich/cheese. When the bottom of the sandwich (touching the griddle) is browned on the edges, place the second pat of butter down & flip! Cook until the new side is also browned on the edges. 


OMGoodness, so good!!! The hint of the cinnamon complements the honeyed ham perfectly. Of course, you can use any type of ham & you can use Swiss cheese instead. You could also throw in the deli turkey. I had a craving for deli & I have to be careful- cooked is best for me so this came to mind & I am so glad it did. My new favorite concoction.

Juicy Turkey Burgers

   

These burgers are extremely juicy, I guarantee it! Everyone's always asking for "juicy" turkey burgers & I think the #1 complaint is dryness.  And I use the leanest cut of ground turkey too. 

This is a burger base you can pretty much add any toppings to. I like my burgers straight up & for the flavor to come from the meat & the "added" flavor to come from toppings. (The only exception is with my cheese-stuffed burgers.) YUM    

Even my hubby who usually won't touch turkey burgers said they were good. I'm glad since they are so much healthier than red meat.

Turkey Burgers

• 1 lb. ground turkey (I use the leanest)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 TBSp Olive Oil (couple of shakes of the bottle)
• 1/2 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper

Toppings- Optional
We topped with shredded cheddar, Dijon & Tomato. & love Potato Rolls!

Use whatcha like! 

 Place ground turkey in a bowl & add all of the other ingredients. Mix quickly with your hands until everything is just combined. *Do not handle too much! Quarter the mixture into four even amounts. Pat each mound into a burger patty shape.

Turn your grill pan on high & spritz with cooking spray. Grill on each side about 6-7 minutes.

Serve on a bun with toppings of your choice!

*Lishie Tip- *As with all ground meat, do NOT overmix/over-handle! 

Recipe Swap! Chicken Salad, Theme: Paninis/Sandwiches

This week I hosted the recipe swap. And boy am I ever mad at myself! I was so consumed with my toddler's party that I didn't think about the fact that tonight (4/18/11) is the FIRST night of PASSOVER. So my Jewish friends are fasting from bread & leavened products & I choose to make paninis & sandwiches the topic? Dumb-me. I apologize to all of my Pesach following friends. I am very sorry. I will say that my recipe I am blogging here can be eaten alone OR on matzoh though! YUMMM, matzoh is so delish! We have a case of it in the house.

Mayo-y Goodness

Back to the blog... I got my friend Feisty again over at Tales From the Mad Men Kitchen! She supplied Emeril's Chicken Salad with Fresh Herbs from Food Network Magazine.

I was happy to make it since it is very close to how I make my own chicken salad. I followed Emeril's closely for this swap only making slight changes- I traded out the cayenne pepper for sweet paprika & I used half the mayonnaise.  And let's face it- Emeril's avocados are "optional" because it's doubtful they are even part of the recipe. Me thinks they are there to make the chicken salad look better. Because, no matter what way you pose it, it STILL looks like, well, my picture- Lumps of stuff covered in mayo ;)

Also I have to say I COMPLETELY disregarded the very first direction of "Rinse the chicken briefly under cool running water"! From everything I have read, this spreads the threat of salmonella more than not washing it! Just pat the chicken dry & carefully discard the paper towel. 

But, like I said, it's similar to my recipe- I roast my chicken fully with dry herbs de provence (for this, since it's "Fresh Herbs" I used Parsley & Dill) & I don't put in red onion... so when I asked my observant hubby what he thought of it, especially in comparison to mine, he said, "it's good. I can't remember how you make yours." Ummmm, thanks ;) Ha! I still like mine without the onion but this came in a good second!

Thank you Feisty for a change of pace! Oh I shared my Graceland Eggplant Panini. YUM. And this is my friend Kelly's, from Running Mama Cooks, take on it: Link.

Happy Pesach, my Jewish friends... And try this on Matzoh! You'll be happy :) And that is my Lishie tip.

Roasted Red Pepper & Mozzarella Panini

My hubby prefers his sandwiches with out eggplant, plainer... This is delicious too:

Roasted Red Pepper & Mozzarella Panini

• Italian Sub Rolls or full Italian Bread, sliced into sandwich sizes
• 1 Jar of Roasted, Sweet Red Peppers or 1 Fresh Red Pepper, Roasted
• Fresh Mozzarella, sliced
• Fresh Basil
• Approximately 2-3 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Approximately 2-3 tsp Balsamic Vinegar

Assemblage:
Put it all together- Bread, peppers, mozzarella slices, basil leaves (I leave them whole) & finally the splashes of extra virgin olive oil & balsamic vinegar. 

Close the assembled sandwich & cook it either on a panini maker OR on a grill pan with a weight up on the sandwich (another pan or heavy plate) until the mozzarella is melted. 

"Graceland" Eggplant Panini

Oozing, cheesy goodness!

Today was Book Club Sunday which means lovely ladies, wonderful conversation & a meetup at the local diner. I ALWAYS seem to get breakfast & the same thing for these days. Curious enough though, when I get diner at other times, I crave what is listed on the menu as the "Graceland" sandwich. I don't know why it's called that as it has nothing to do with peanut butter & bananas grilled (Elvis' purportedly favorite sandwich) at all. It's actually grilled- coated eggplant, roasted red peppers & mozzarella & it comes "drippingly" greasy &  delicious with a side of fries. YUM. So since I get breakfast for book club, I thought why not recreate the Graceland at home, for dinner?

Mine begins with the eggplant: 

Eggplant Panini

• 1 Eggplant
• 1 egg, whisked
• 1/2 cup Bread crumbs
• Approximately 3 TBSp Olive Oil
• Italian Sub Rolls or full Italian Bread, sliced into sandwich sizes
• 1 Jar of Roasted, Sweet Red Peppers or 1 Fresh Red Pepper, Roasted
• Fresh Mozzarella, sliced
• Fresh Basil
• Approximately 2-3 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Approximately 2-3 tsp Balsamic Vinegar

Clean, peel, & slice the eggplant length-wise. Set up a mis en place: Whisked egg in one shallow bowl, Bread Crumbs in another. Heat the 3 TBSp Olive Oil in a saute pan on medium-high heat. Dip the eggplant slice first in the egg then coat the slices with bread crumbs & place in the saute pan. Cook until it is golden, about 2-3 minutes each side. Allow to cool on a paper towel lined plate.
After the eggplant is bread & cooked, assemble the sandwiches... Bread, eggplant, peppers, mozzarella slices, basil leaves (I leave them whole) & finally the splashes of extra virgin olive oil & balsamic vinegar. 
Close the assembled sandwich & cook it either on a panini maker OR on a grill pan with a weight on the sandwich (another pan or heavy plate) until the mozzarella is melted. 


It is DELISH.

Here is the diner's Graceland:

Photo Courtesy of Stacey :)

*Lishie tip- "Panini" simply means "pressed" in the U.S. but in Italy, it means a sandwich customarily made out of a small loaf of bread, pane.


BTW, the month's Book Club read, which I highly recommend, was:
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is a fascinating story. It's non-fiction & 3/4 of the way through, I got slightly bored with the scientific part (although, written for the layman, me, to understand & it was indeed comprehendible). I wanted more of Deborah than of the actual HeLa cell history but am in awe of what the Lacks family went through. It terrifies me how little we've seemingly come from the '50s too, in many aspects, when Henrietta's cells were taken from her. Makes me wonder what my doctor does with my "bewildering" crohns saga & records.


View all my reviews

Week's worth of lunches in about an hour

OK, so I will let you in on something I do on Sundays, prep-wise, that can take you through-out the week, lunch-wise. This is one example & will be wonderful if you love chicken! Most people do (minus the vegetarians) because I always hear, "I'm looking for yet another chicken recipe". Well, why not? It's healthy skinless & so easy to make & pair with other foods. Here's a week's worth of chicken lunch.

It all starts out with 2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breasts. Cut them into chicken "tenders" & fully coat them in olive oil. Place the tenders 2" apart on a baking sheet (I line it with parchment). Then the prep fun begins!

5 dishes means Divide the total amount of chicken tenders by 5... So, if you were able to yield 15, then 3 each meal...

For the Chicken: On each of the 3 uncooked tenders, Season w/ Kosher S & P, then slather it with the herb listed below. Then bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes.

For the Sauce: whisk together the ingredients to blend well.

Monday 

(Pictured)

3 tenders

Herb: Dill

Container Sauce: 

1 tsp. fresh dill/1 tsp lemon  juice + zest /3 TBSp yogurt/1 tsp. olive oil 

Toppings: lettuce/tomato/cucumber

"Bread": Wrap 

Monday- yummy Spinach-wrap pockets of chicken-y goodness

 Tuesday
 3 tenders 
Herb: Basil 
Container Sauce:
 1 TBSp balsamic vinegar, 2 TBSp extra virgin olive oil 
Toppings: 
Fresh mozzarella, tomato & fresh basil 
"Bread": Ciabatta roll

Wednesday

3 tenders

Herb: Oregano

Container Sauce: 

1TBSp lemon juice + zest, 1/4 tsp dijon mustard, 3 TBSp extra virgin olive oil

Toppings: tomato, cucumber, olives, feta cheese

"Bread": Pita

Thursday

3 tenders

Herb: Herbes de Provence

Container Sauce: 

1 TBSp honey, 2 TBSp dijon mustard

Toppings: arugula 

"Bread": egg or potato roll

Friday

3 tenders

Herb: parsley + freshly grated parmesan

Container Sauce: 

1 TBSp balsamic vinegar, 2 TBSp extra virgin olive oil

Be DIFFERENT for Friday- Bring a SALAD 

(mixed greens- whatever your preference)

topped with the chicken!
*And if you are giving up meat for Lent, simply OMIT the chicken :)

Wonder Woman

*Lishie tip- use your imagination! This is just an outline for what you can do. There are so many different combinations!

Stroganoff Sandwiches for Fat Tuesday!

Today is the day before Ash Wednesday, Fat Tuesday & while I can't throw all caution to the wind food-wise, I most certainly can make a tasty red-meat dinner! We tend to only eat it once a week anyway, so I planned wisely. I decided to make sandwiches because they make Stroganoff less stuffy & more fun & we can eat 'em watching tv if we like! But I smartened them up (or so I thought) by using sirloin. I served roasted cauliflower & broccoli on the side. Here's my variation:


Beef Stroganoff Sandwiches

• 2 TBSp olive oil
• 1 TBsp butter
• 1 lb. thin sirloin, sliced into thin strips
• S & P
• 1/2 cup AP flour
• 1 large shallot or 2 small shallots
• 1 cup chicken or beef stock
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/4 tsp lemon zest
• 1 TBSp lemon juice
• 2 TBSp freshly chopped dill

Heat the olive oil & butter in a large skillet on medium-high.

Sprinkle the sirloin strip w/ S & P then coat in flour, shaking off the excess flour. Add carefully to the hot oil/pan. Mince the shallot over the meat.  Cook meat 5 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally. Add the stock & cook until it thickens, about a minute. Then stir in the sour cream, lemon zest plus juice & the dill.

Serve in crusty, yummy French rolls with your preferred topping. Some suggestions: arugula or watercress. Or you can eat the sirloin over egg noodles.


Hubby & I were just "eh" on this one. Next time, I'll use angus ground beef over noodles. Or, serve it on smaller, less "bread-y" rolls. And, as you'll see directly below, it is NOT pretty looking! HA!

Not photogenic at all!
So Dreadful looking in pictures.

*Lishie tips- You can cut the sirloin into strips before or after cooking it. But, like I said, if you are going to make sandwiches, perhaps you should try 1 lb. of ground beef instead.

*Lishie facts- Fat Tuesday, or mardi gras, is a legal holiday in New Orleans, LA. It occurs 46 days before Easter, the day before Ash Wednesday.