Jalapeno & Bacon Grilled Cheese

In honor of National Grilled Cheese Day (starts April 12^th and then continues for the rest of the month!), I made this tasty little guy. Enjoy!

Servings: 2 sandwiches

2 large jalapeno peppers, seeded and cut in half lengthwise

4 slices of bacon
4 slices of sourdough bread
Butter
2 triangle wedges of Laughing Cow cheese (you can use any spreadable cheese or cream cheese)
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to broil. Place peppers cut side down under broiler for a few minutes, until skin starts to turn black and bubble. Then place peppers in a sealable zip lock bag and let steam for about 15 minutes. Remove skin from peppers by peeling or using a knife. Cut peppers in slices; set aside.

Cook bacon until crispy. Set on a paper towel lined plate to soak up excess oil; set aside.

Butter the outsides of each slice of bread. Spread Laughing Cow cheese on one side bread, top with jalapeno slices, two slices of bacon and shredded cheese. Top with other slice of bread. In a frying pan over medium heat, grill sandwiches until golden brown and cheese has melted, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Let sandwiches sit for a couple minutes before cutting in half eating. Serve with soup. 

Short Rib Grilled Cheese

Dinner 3 of 3 using the short ribs. All totally different and each very tasty.

Makes 3 sandwiches

Rustic bread, cut into slices

1 cup chopped short ribs (from this recipe)
3 slices of sharp cheddar cheese
3 slices of American cheese
½ onion, sliced
Margarine

In a small sauce pan over med-high heat, sauté onions in a little EVOO. Set aside.

To make sandwiches layer sandwiches with cheeses, onion and short rib meat. Butter outside slices of bread.

Cook in a Panini press or grill in a frying pan until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted.

Serve with your favorite soup or side salad.

Sourdough Chicken Club

Makes 3 sandwiches

1 sourdough baguette, cut in thirds
1-2 chicken breasts, grilled and sliced
6 slices of crispy cooked bacon
I ripe avocado, sliced
Monterey Jack cheese, freshly shredded
Mayo

To assemble each sandwich, open the sandwich and spread mayo on the bottom half. Layer chicken breast and bacon. On the top half, add avocado slices. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the open sandwich and broil for 3-4 minutes to melt the cheese. Close sandwich and enjoy with chips, salad or your favorite soup!

Meatball Sandwich on Garlic Sourdough

Beef meatballs (follow recipe from mini loaf from previous blog)
Sourdough baguette, cut in thirds and halved
3 slices of provolone cheese
Spaghetti sauce
1 large garlic clove
EVOO

Sauté meatballs in a little EVOO until browned on all sides and no longer pink in the middle.

Drizzle EVOO on insides of bread. Toast bread in toaster oven or oven just until crusty. Rub garlic clove on toasted insides of bread. Spread insides of bread with spaghetti sauce. Add meatballs to one half and top with cheese. Return to oven until cheese is melted.

Serve hot sandwich with a nice side salad.

Grilled Chicken Pita with Greek Salad

2 chicken breasts, marinated in Italian dressing overnight
1 package of pita bread
EVOO
Tzakziki sauce, premade from Trader Joe’s
1 medium yellow squash, sliced length wise, season with Lemon Pepper and Salt
Red onion, a couple sliced rings
Spicy radish sprouts
Mixed greens
Cucumber slices, for salad
1 small tomato, chopped for salad
¼ red bell pepper, chopped, for salad
5 kalamta olives, sliced
Feta cheese, lemon and oregano flavor, for salad
Balsamic vinaigrette

Over medium high heat, grill chicken until no longer pink in the middle, for about 8-10 minutes depending on thickness. Grill squash slices for a few minutes on each side, until tender. Slice chicken. Lightly brush pita with EVOO and grill on both sides for a couple minutes.

To make pita sandwiches, first spread pita with Tzakziki sauce, add a layer of squash, chicken, onion and then sprouts and fold in half. For the salad, add the rest of the veggies and feta cheese on the mixed greens. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette. Serve together and enjoy!

Crab Rolls and Veggie Salad

2 sourdough rolls
2 slices of sharp Cheddar cheese

crabs salad
2-6.5 oz cans of white lump crab, drained
2 Tbsp of mayo
1 small garlic glove, pressed or grated
1 rib of celery, minced
2 radishes, minced
1-2 Tbsp parsley, minced
Juice of ¼ lemon
½ tsp of sea salt
½ tsp lemon pepper
¼ tsp freshly cracked pepper

veggie salad
1/2 of a large carrot, diced
¼ red bell pepper, diced
1 slice of jicama, diced
1 small Roma tomato, diced
1 bunch of green onions, sliced
1/3 cucumber, diced
Crumbled feta cheese
Sea salt
Freshly cracked pepper
EVOO
Balsamic vinegar

Split rolls in half and toast. Add cheese on one side of roll and melt. For crab salad, mix all ingredients together. Add to other half of roll and close.

For veggie salad, mix all veggies together. Season with S&P to taste. Drizzle with EVOO and vinegar to taste. Top with feta cheese.

Breakfast Biscuit Sandwiches with Rosemary and Garlic Potatoes

3 servings

Pillsbury biscuits (5 pack)
1 large red skinned potato, sliced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 rosemary sprig, minced
S&P to taste
EVOO
4-5 eggs
4-5 slices of American cheese
4-5 slices of ham
Nectarine, sliced in wedges

Bake biscuits accordingly to directions (350 degrees for about 15 minutes).

Blanch potatoes, by placing potato slices in rapidly boiling salted water for a few minutes. Heat EVOO in a frying pan over med-high heat and add potato slices to sauté. Add garlic, rosemary and S&P to taste. Sauté until both sides of potato slices are crispy and brown, about 10 minutes.

Fried each egg in a little EVOO, flip after a few minutes, so the egg is soft in the middle and the outside is fried and brown. Heat up slices of ham by lightly frying each slice in a little EVOO in a frying pan.

Make sandwiches by splitting each biscuit, add egg, topped with ham and cheese. Serve with potatoes and nectarine.

Pizza Baguettes with Salad

Pizza Baguettes:
1 sourdough baguette
Spaghetti sauce
Slice ham
Tomato, sliced
Jarlsberg cheese, shredded

Salad:
Mixed greens
Red bell pepper, sliced
Cucumber, sliced
Green onions, sliced
Blue cheese crumbles
Your favorite dressing

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut baguette in thirds, and then in half. Spread each side with spaghetti sauce. Layer ham, tomato slices and top with cheese. Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is melted.

Make salad by layering salad and veggies, topping with blue cheese and dressing.

Serve pizza baguettes with a side of salad.

Turkey and Brie or Cheddar Panini with Side Salad

Sourdough baguette
Mayo
Pesto sauce
Leftover grilled turkey tenderloin slices
Brie cheese
2 sharp cheddar cheese slices
Baby spinach (pick a few out of the mixed greens)

Side Salad:
Mixed greens
Red onion, sliced
Green bell pepper, sliced
Tomato, cut in wedges
Cucumber, sliced

Heat the George Forman grill until ready. Cut baguette into thirds. On one baguette third, spread with mayo and pesto, layer with turkey slices and brie. Press in grill until cheese is melted. On the other baguette third, spread with mayo and pesto, layer with turkey slices, cheddar cheese and baby spinach leaves. Remove turkey & brie and replace with turkey and cheddar. Grill until cheese is melted and spinach is wilted.

Make side salad by layering veggies on top of mixed greens. Serve with your favorite dressing.

Cut sandwiches in half. Either serve both of one type of sandwich or mix halves. Serve with salad.

Grilled Chicken in Jalapeno Flat Bread with Tzazki Sauce (my version)

2 chicken breasts, marinated over night in Italian dressing
1 large zucchini, slice length wise
¼ red onion, sliced
Spicy sprouts
Jalapeno flat bread

Dressing (my version of Tzaziki sauce):
1/3 Asian cucumber, sliced very thinly (using grater)
¼ cup of sour cream
1 tsp EVOO
2 Tbsp of green onions, chopped
½ to 1 garlic clove, finely minced
Juice from ¼ lemon
Dash of white wine vinegar
Coarse sea salt and fresh crushed pepper, to taste

Make sauce by adding cucumber, sour cream, EVOO, green onions, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar and S&P. Mix well. Set to the side.

Grill chicken breasts until no longer pink in the middle. Brush zucchini and onions with EVOO and sprinkle with salt. Add to grill and cook until just tender. Add flat bread to the grill towards the end to warm up bread. Slice chicken, against the grain.

Serve by spreading dressing over flat bread. Spread sprouts over one half, add sliced chicken, add zucchini and red onions. Fold flat bread in half to make a sandwich. It’s a little messy but worth it! Enjoy!

BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders with Coleslaw

Serves 6-8

BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders:
2 lbs pork shoulder
½ onion, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
I bottle of BBQ sauce
Crockpot

12 pack of Sweet Hawaiian Rolls

Coleslaw:
I bag of shredded cabbage for coleslaw
1 large carrot, shredded
2 green onion bunches, diced
1/2 cup mayo
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp sugar
salt and pepper, to taste

Add pork, onion, garlic and broth to Crockpot on high for 6+ hours. When the pork is done it should shred easily. Drain most of the liquid and add the BBQ sauce. Mix together and pull apart using two forks.

Mix all ingredients together for coleslaw. Make one hour prior to serving to allow flavors to mix and marinate.

Heat rolls in microwave so they are nice and soft. Fill each roll with pork and serve with coleslaw.