Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

My most recent recipe swap selection came from my good friend Pam (Balancing Exercising with Healthy Eating).  The theme was sandwiches, and she submitted Rachael Ray's Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes.

These were really easy and fast to make, perfect for a quick lunch or weeknight dinner.  I served these on little finger rolls (hey, they were on sale) and I just loved the cheese sauce.  I think I'll add some green pepper next time for a little extra flavor.

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

adapted from Rachael Ray

• 1 tablespoon EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  
• 1 pound ground turkey
  
• 1 softball-sized onion, chopped
  
• 1/4 cup steak sauce
  
• 1 cup chicken stock
  
• Salt and ground black pepper
  
• 4 dinner rolls (or 8 finger rolls), toasted if desired
  
• 1 tablespoon butter
  
• 1 tablespoon flour
  
• 1 cup milk
  
• 1 cup desired cheese, shredded
  

In large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 turn of the pan of EVOO, brown the ground sirloin, about 5-6 minutes. Add the onion and cook another 3-4 minutes, until the onions start to get tender. Stir in the steak sauce and beef stock, season with salt and pepper, bring up to a bubble and cook about 2 minutes.

While the meat is cooking, melt the butter in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour and cook about 1 minute. Whisk in milk, bring up to a bubble and let thicken, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat and stir the cheese in a figure-eight motion until it is all incorporated.

To serve, place a scoopful of the meat mixture onto the bottom of the rolls, then top with the cheese sauce and replace the top of the roll.

Turkey Pesto Paninis

I love how my panini press can take a plain old boring sandwich and turn it into something elegant and exciting. I've always thought that having sandwiches for dinner was kind of a cop-out; it was always an act of desperation when my "real" dinner backfired.

But now, I plan for paninis often, and I love experimenting. This might be my new favorite - I never really liked pesto, but it totally rocks in this sandwich. And the melty cheese and the crispy roll... Mmmm. Now if only I could get away with bringing this handy appliance into work so I can have the leftovers for lunch...


Turkey Pesto Paninis
Adapted from Annie's Eats

Ingredients

• 4 sandwich rolls
• 8 slices of turkey deli meat
• 8 slices of mozzarella cheese
• 3 tbsp. pesto
• 3 tbsp. mayonnaise

Preheat panini press.

In a small bowl, combine the pesto and mayonnaise in a small bowl and mix until blended.

Split the buns and layer each sandwich with 2 slices of turkey and 2 slices of cheese. Spread a thin layer of the pesto mayonnaise on the inner side of the top half of each bun. Replace the top bun over the cheese to assemble the sandwiches.

Grill each panini for about 4-5 minutes, until desired crispiness.

Chicken Cheesesteaks

I'm always looking for different things to make with the leftovers from roasting a chicken, and last week I decided to make chicken cheesesteaks.

These were so fast and easy!  They would have been even better on big crusty rolls, but I just threw them on hot dog rolls.  I also don't love how the cheese is kind of clumped on top; next time I will probably melt the cheese in with the chicken for a more consistent coating.

Chicken Cheesesteaks

from Lauren's Kitchen

Ingredients

• 2T olive oil
• 1 pepper, sliced
• 1/2-1 onion, sliced
• 3-4 cups shredded chicken
  
• 4oz low-fat Velveeta, cubed
• 4 crusty rolls

Preheat broiler.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the peppers and onions and saute until tender.  Add the chicken and saute until warm.  Add the Velveeta and stir until almost completely melted and incorporated.

Divide the mixture among the rolls and heat under the broil to desired done-ness.

Mini Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

I made these delicious little sandwiches from Beantown Baker a long time ago, but I didn't want to post them until now.


Actually, kind of a funny story: when I was working on my worcestershire sauce recipe for HighLowAha's Superbowl competition, I had decided on these sandwiches. I made them, served them during a brunch, photographed them, and was all set to blog them.

I then realized where they came from, and since Jen was a guest judge in the competition, I figured that it wasn't really appropriate to use one of her recipes.

That, however, didn't stop me from loving these; I just figured I'd wait a bit to post them. I changed them just slightly, so visit her site for her original.

They were so easy to put together, and definitely something "different." They were perfect for the New Year's brunch we had with my family, especially since you prep them the night before and then just pop them in the oven. How much more convenient can you get?


Ingredients

• 1 c (2 sticks) butter
• 1 1/2 Tbsp dried minced onions
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tbsp honey mustard
• 1 package slider rolls
• 1 pound cooked ham slices
• 12 ounces sliced mozzarella cheese

In saucepan, mix butter, onion, Worcestershire sauce, & mustard and stir until blended and melted. Pour 1/2 of mixture into bottom of baking dish.

Assemble sandwiches with ham and cheese slices. Arrange rolls in single layer in baking dish, spreading them around to soak up suace in pan. Pour rest of sauce over tops of sandwiches, cover dish and refrigeragte up to 24 hours for suce to soak in.

Preheat oven in 350 degrees, bake rolls for 10-12 minutes until rolls are lghtly browned and cheese is melted.

Herb-Roasted-Tomato Panini

I guess it was no secret that I wanted a panini press, since I received THREE of them for Christmas this year.

I have been thoroughly enjoying the new addition to my kitchen. Everything tastes better on it - French Toast, quesadillas, you name it. I love having a whole new slew of fast and easy dinners options!

(Of course, you can use a grill pan and a skillet to achieve the panini, but the desired results are so much better on the press!)

I also discovered that the bakery in my Stop and Shop makes awesome multigrain panini-bread - it's labeled just that. It's perfect - crunchy without being too crispy, and it doesn't get soggy very easily. And the flavor is fantastic!


Ingredients

• 2 pints grape tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• basil, divided - 2 tablespoons finely chopped, plus an additional 16 whole leaves
• 8 slices panini bread
• 4 wedges Garlic and Herb Lite Laughing Cow cheese
• 12 slices mozzarella cheese
• cooking spray

Preheat your oven to 425.

In an oven-safe baking pan, toss tomatoes, olive oil, and chopped basil. Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until tomatoes start bursting. Using a potato masher, smoosh the tomatoes.

Preheat your panini press.

Spread half of a Laughing Cow wedge over each slice of bread. Place a slice and a half on top of each slice of bread (or as much/little as it takes to fit the slice).

Spoon the tomato mixture over 4 slices of bread, and cover with the basil leaves. Top with one of the other slices of bread.

Spritz your panini press with cooking spray and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions.

(Inspired by Rachael Ray.)

Superbowl Snack Throwdown: Crockpot Sloppy "Joeys"

Before I talk about this yummy little sandwich, I want to take a minute and thank each of you. Over the past few months, you have voted for my recipe and helped me throughout HighLowAha's competition. You have passed along voting information to your friends and family through email, Facebook, message boards, etc... and I cannot come close to properly expressing my gratitude.

You can now, however, rest your fingers, as voting is over for the season. For the next three weeks, Kate and I will be judged by Beantown Baker and Struble Suds as always, along with a new guest judge who will actually recreate and sample our recipes.

Now... onto the food!


You all know that I love my crockpot, and I really enjoy using it for entertaining. There's just something so wonderful about throwing things into the pot and actually being able to mingle with your guests.

For that reason, I think that these little Sloppy Joeys (I call them "Joeys" since they are smaller than your regular Joe) are perfect for your football get together. Casual and informal, your guests can even, dare I say, serve themselves quickly in between plays.


Not only are they delicious and full of flavor, but the use of turkey instead of beef makes them slightly better for you, and they are actually really filling. And the ease of preparation? Unbelievable. Brown the turkey, throw it in, and voila. Yumminess.


Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground turkey
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon hamburger seasoning
• 1/4-1/2 cup tomato sauce (optional)
• 12-16 slider rolls

Cook the turkey in a skillet over medium heat until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Drain, and add to crockpot.

Combine the remaining ingredients (except for sauce and rolls) and cook, covered, on low for 3-5 hours.

Check on it about a half hour before the end cooking time. If the mixture appears a little dried out, add some sauce to achieve desired consistency and flavor.

Serve on slider rolls.

(Inspired by Betty Crocker.)

Colleen's Chicken Salad

My taste buds were first introduced to this bowl of yumminess several weeks ago, when Colleen brought this Chicken Salad to my house for a brunch get-together.

I wanted something light and easy to take to work for lunches, and this is perfect. I actually planned to dice up an apple and throw it in there just for kicks, but totally forgot.

This was just so easy to prepare! I threw in a couple of additional chicken breasts onto the grill pan when making dinner, and the rest just came together in minutes. I will definitely be making this again.


Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts (about 1 pound), cooked and shredded
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1/3 to 1/2 of a large cucumber, peeled and diced
• 1/3 cup mayo, more or less to taste
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• kosher salt and coarse ground pepper to taste

Combine chicken, celery, and cucumber in large bowl.

In small bowl, combine mayo, mustard, and lemon juice. Pour over chicken mixture, season with salt and pepper; toss gently to coat.

Cover and chill for at least 1 hour, can be made up to 24 hours in advance.

Chicken Cheesesteaks

I ripped this one out of Everyday Food and was recently reminded of it when I saw it on Good Thymes and Good Food.


The time allocated was nowhere near enough for my chicken, which admittedly were very fat; I should have sliced them to make them thinner. But all in all, this was one delicious meal! (Oh, and I did NOT pull out the insides of the bread - that's the best part!)


Ingredients

• 1 pound chicken cutlets
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 mixed bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced (I omitted)
• 1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 6 ounces sliced provolone cheese
• 4 soft hoagie rolls, split lengthwise
• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise

Directions
1. Heat broiler, with rack set 4 inches from heat. On a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, toss chicken with 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Broil, without turning, until chicken is opaque throughout, 5 to 7 minutes.

2. Transfer to a cutting board (reserve baking sheet); let cool, and thinly slice. Set chicken aside.

3. On baking sheet, toss together peppers, onion, garlic, and remaining tablespoon oil. Broil, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender and slightly charred, 8 to 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

4. Add chicken to broiled vegetables; toss, and spread in a single layer.

5. Top chicken and vegetables with cheese; broil until cheese is bubbling, 30 seconds to 1 minute.

6. Scoop out most of the doughy center from both halves of rolls; discard.

7. Spread rolls with mayonnaise; fill with chicken and vegetables.

8. Serve immediately.

Messy Guiseppes

First of all, Brooke? Totally thought of you guys all night because of this dinner. In fact, Pat thought I got it from you and didn't believe me when I told him otherwise. :)

Anyway, I really don't know why Rach's "Messy Guiseppes" (an Italian version of the good ol' Sloppy Joe) appealed to me, but it did. And it was pretty good, minus the fact that I apparently don't know to use my broiler and the bread got a bit more scorched than I would have liked. Oh, and my grocery store didn't have ciabatta ROLLS - so I bought a ciabatta LOAF which got a bit soggy.

But overall - a yummy dinner. Actually, I enjoyed it so much that I forgot to make my veggies on the side. Whoops!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 5 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 medium portobello mushroom cap, finely chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon (eyeball it) allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Coarse salt and black pepper
• 1/2 cup (a couple of glugs) red wine
• 3/4 cup beef stock
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup (a generous handful) flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 5-8 fresh basil leaves, about 1/4 cup, chopped
• 1/4 cup (a small handful) grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Romano cheese
• 4 individual ciabatta rolls or any kind of crusty hoagie rolls
• 1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 8 slices

Preheat the broiler to high.
For the meat sauce, heat a deep skillet or a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of EVOO, twice around the pan. Add the ground beef and cook until lightly browned, breaking up the meat with the back of a wooden spoon. Add green pepper, onion, 3/4 of the garlic, mushrooms, allspice, red pepper flakes and a little salt and pepper to the beef and cook for about 5-8 minutes.

Add the wine and cook another minute then add the beef stock, Worcestershie and tomatoes. Bring the mixture up to a bubble, reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer for 10 minutes. Finish it by stirring in a handful of chopped parsley.

While the meat is simmering, combine the remaining garlic with the soft butter, basil, parmesan cheese and a little salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Split the rolls in half lengthwise without cutting all the way through and separating the halves. Press open the rolls by flattening them out a little bit. Slather the insides with the butter and place 2 slices of the mozzarella on each roll. Toast until golden brown under the broiler, about 2-3 minutes. Top one side of the cheesy garlic rolls with a heap of meat and get prepared to get sloppy with Messy Giuseppe!

Chicken Salad Contessa

If you don't already think I'm a ginormous dork, you will after you read this post...

I really wanted a cool sandwich to make because I just bought a really nifty Wonder Bread sandwich container. Look:
How cute is THAT?!

Anyway, a quick search on the Food Network's website yielded this Barefoot Contessa recipe. It looked so easy and yummy, so I had to try it! It definitely lived up to everyone of my expectations. I think my sandwich repertoire has just grown; I'm psyched that I have enough for several sandwiches.



Ingredients:

• 2 split (1 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on (1 1/2 pounds)
• Good olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup pecan halves (I omitted.)
  
• 1/2 cup walnuts halves (I omitted.)
• 1/2 cup good mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves, divided
• 1 cup green grapes, cut in 1/2
• Lettuce leaves, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts, skin side up, on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside until cool.

When the chicken is cool, remove meat from the bones and discard the skin and bones. Cut the chicken into a 3/4-inch dice.

Meanwhile, place the pecans and walnuts on a separate sheet pan and toast in the oven for 7 to 8 minutes until golden. Set aside to cool.

For the dressing, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Fold in half the chopped tarragon leaves.

Place the diced chicken in a bowl, add the pecans, walnuts and grapes. Pour the dressing over the chicken and toss well. Sprinkle the remaining chopped tarragon leaves on top, and serve on a bed of lettuce leaves.