Ham and Gruyere Party Sandwiches

When planning a food menu to serve for a party or to feed a crowd, I always look for a few items that can be made ahead of time so that I’m not too stressed the day of the event. Most everyone enjoys a ham and cheese sandwich, especially when the cheese is gruyere! The sliders can be made the day before, stored in foil, and placed in the oven 20 minutes before serving. The butter, mayo, mustard, chives, and thyme all work well together and make a great condiment to the sandwich. Another plus is that the sandwiches can also be frozen for later use.

Ham and Gruyere Party Sandwiches

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons minced chives

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

4 (15 oz) packages slider buns

2 1/2 pounds very thinly sliced deli ham

1 1/2 pounds Gruyere cheese, shredded

In a medium bowl, combine butter, mayonnaise, mustard, chives, and thyme, stirring until smooth.

Using a serrated knife, cut buns in half crosswise, keeping edges of buns attached to each other.

Spread butter mixture evenly over bottom halves of buns. Top evenly with ham and cheese; cover with bun tops. Wrap each set of six sandwiches in heavy-duty aluminum foil, and refrigerate up to 2 days.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake wrapped sandwiches, directly on oven rack, for 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through.

To freeze ahead, place wrapped sandwiches in freezer, and freeze up to one month.

Remove from freezer, and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Bake as directed.

Source: Cooking with Paula Deen, November/December 2010

Asian Meatball Subs with Hoisin Mayonnaise

Well I have arrived home safely from our Thanksgiving travels. I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving! I don’t know about you, but at the moment all food is starting to seem unappealing and cooking is about the last thing I want to do. I’m sure I will get over it soon, but for now I am having to push through. I made this tasty sandwich before our holiday travels began. I’m a sucker for hoisin sauce and the rest of the ingredients sounded too good not to try. Many of the prep work can be done the night before or morning of cooking to make yet another easy and quick meal after a long day at the office. The sandwiches were delicious. If I changed anything at all about this recipe it would probably be the bread, it seemed like a lot compared to the amount of meat. I probably could have ate a second one, but with all the bread consumption, I decided to save some for lunch the next day.

Asian Meatball Subs with Hoisin Mayo

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1 slice white sandwich bread

1 1/2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon soy sauce

5 scallions, white and green parts separated

1 1/4 pounds ground pork

3 large cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

1/3 cup water chestnuts, drained, rinsed, and chopped

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup hoisin sauce

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 to 4 teaspoons Asian chili-garlic sauce

Peanut or vegetable oil, for frying

1 cup bean sprouts

4 7-inch-long pieces baguette, split open

Tear the sandwich bread into small pieces, then toss with the milk and soy sauce in a large bowl. Let stand 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, mince the scallion whites. Cut the scallion greens into thin 2-inch long strands. Put the strands in a bowl of ice water and refrigerate while you make the meatballs.

Add the scallion whites, pork, garlic, ginger, water chestnuts, egg, cilantro, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to the bowl with the bread; mix until combined. Gently form into 16 golf-ball size meatballs. Put the meatballs on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 to 4 hours.

Stir the hoisin sauce, mayo, 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice, chili-garlic sauce, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Heat about 1 1/2 inches of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees. Add the meatballs in batches and cook, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Drain the scallion greens and toss with the bean sprouts, the remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Spread the hoisin mayo on the insides of the baguette pieces, then fill with the meatballs and top with the scallion-sprout mixture.

Source: Food Network Magazine, November 2010

One Year Ago Today: Meatball Sliders

Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches

Back when I was a summer intern in college, I would often eat at a certain restaurant for lunch. Once of my favorite things on their menu was oddly enough the salad that accompanied the meal. What made the salad so good was the barbecue ranch dressing that accompanied it. Whoever thought to combine ranch dressing with a sweet barbecue sauce was genius! When I saw the recipe for this sandwich and it called for a barbecue ranch sauce I knew I needed to try it! The pork was tender and moist, as always, but the sauce made the sandwich even better. The original recipe called for Kaiser rolls to be used, but my husband and I both thought the roll had too much bread for this particular sandwich. Next time I will try regular hamburger buns and see if that makes a difference. On another note, our family tends to grill even through the winter, but for those that don’t the pork could also be cooked in the oven.

Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches

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1/4 cup hot pepper jelly

1 teaspoon water

1 tablespoon paprika

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed

Cooking spray

1/4 cup light ranch dressing

1/4 cup sweet barbecue sauce (I used K.C. Masterpiece Original)

8 hamburger buns

Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

Combine pepper jelly and water; set aside.

Combine paprika, salt, sugar, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, and black pepper; rub evenly over pork. Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray; cover and grill 15 minutes, turning pork occasionally. Brush pork with jelly mixture. Grill an additional 5 minutes or until thermometer registers 155 degrees.

Place pork on a cutting surface. Lightly cover with foil; let stand 10 minutes. Thinly slice pork. Combine ranch dressing and barbecue sauce. Serve pork and ranch mixture with buns.

Source adapted from: www.MyRecipes.com

One Year Ago Today: All Occasion Sugar Cookies

Stromboli Sandwiches

This recipe comes from my dear sister-in-law and is one of my favorite hot sandwiches! The weather in NY got a little chilly last week. Our temperatures were in the sixties and I started to get in the mood for some comfort food. This is an easy prep, easy assembly, and quick to the table kind of sandwich that both me and my hubby enjoy. I will admit that I have not had a proper Stromboli before, so I have no clue how close this version compares to the real thing, but we both love it and that is good enough for us! My SIL’s version calls for using Jimmy Dean Sausage, but up here in the North there are a lot of good Italian sweet and hot sausages that would also work for this sandwich. It also makes for a good left over lunch sandwich the next day!

Stromboli Sandwiches

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1/2 lb Jimmy Dean Sausage, or other breakfast sausage

1/4 lb lean ground beef

1/4 of a medium sized onion, chopped

1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms (I used a can)

1/4 cup green pepper, chopped

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup tomato paste

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/8 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

1 loaf Italian bread

Mozzarella cheese, sliced

Combine the sausage, beef, onion, mushrooms, and green peppers in a non-stick skillet and cook over medium heat until meat is no longer pick. If needed, drain meat to remove grease and return to pan.

Stir in water, tomato paste, Parmesan cheese, salt, oregano, garlic, and rosemary. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for five minutes or until thickened.

While the mixture is simmering, cut the top third off the loaf of bread and carefully hollow out the bottom, leaving a 1/2 inch shell. Line the bottom half of the bread with mozzarella cheese. Top with sausage mixture and add another layer of mozzarella cheese. Replace bread top.

Wrap sandwich loaf in foil and bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand for five minutes before slicing.

Source: The Brookshire Fam; originally from Taste of Home

Citrus Chicken Panini

 

This is one of my absolute favorite sandwiches…and it is so easy to make. So, what makes this sandwich so special? The zest of an orange and lemon is added in with my favorite sandwich condiment, mayonnaise! The concept of adding zest, garlic or ginger is something I have used before in burgers or anything that I want to increase the flavor. I also love ciabatta bread. Our grocery store has started carrying whole wheat ciabatta which I was really excited about. If you hate mayonnaise, try substituting for a different condiment. If you prefer a cold sandwich, skip the Panini grill. Hot or Cold, this sandwich is so light and refreshing!

Citrus Chicken Panini

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1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon orange zest

Ciabatta loaf, halved lengthwise

6 slices mozzarella cheese

1/2 pound thinly sliced deli chicken breast

2 cups arugula

1 tomato, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat Panini grill.

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, garlic, and zests. Spread mixture evenly over cut sides of bread. Layer cheese, chicken, arugula, and tomato evenly over bottom half of bread. Cover with op half of bread.

Brush grill with olive oil. Grill sandwich for 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and sandwich is heated through. Cut into slices to serve. Garnish with arugula, if desired.

Source: Cooking with Paula Deen, May/June 2009

Egg Salad Sandwiches

The classic cold salad sandwiches: egg, chicken, tuna and ham. I generally always go straight for chicken salad. I’m not even sure I had egg salad in my younger years, but lately I’ve been  craving it. My favorite chicken salad recipe calls for tarragon, so when I was searching for an egg salad recipe, I knew I had found a good one when it called for tarragon as one of the main ingredients. The shallots provide a sharp onion flavor, rounding out the flavors of a good egg salad. If you want to prepare the salad ahead of time, I would combine all ingredients except for the eggs. Add the eggs at the last minute, this will ensure that the salad stays nice and fresh.

Egg Salad

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8 large eggs

1/2 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons shallot, finely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, finely chopped

2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoons black pepper

Cover eggs with cold water by 1 inch in a 2-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a rolling boil, partially covered. Reduce heat to low and cook eggs, covered completely, 30 seconds. Remove pan from heat and let eggs stand in hot water, cover, 15 minutes. Transfer eggs with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice cold water and let stand 5 minutes (to cool). Peel eggs and finely chop.

Stir together eggs and remaining ingredients in a bowl with a fork.

Serve on your favorite sandwich bread.

Source: www.epicurious.com

Peppered Flank Steak with Onion Marmalade

I have been in a sandwich/burger mood lately, so we have been trying lots of new different types. This particular sandwich is one that I made for the men in my family. Most men can’t say no to steak, add in the onion marmalade and the sandwich becomes gender neutral! The marmalade was seriously delicious. I almost wished that I had doubled the marmalade recipe, I couldn’t get enough piled on my sandwich. If you have steak lovers in the family, I’m positive this will be a great new spin on steak sandwiches.

Peppered Flank Steak Sandwich with Onion Marmalade

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1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

3 cups finely chopped yellow onion

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

5 garlic cloves, crushed

1 1/2 pound flank steak

1 to 2 tablespoons coarsely ground blank pepper

6 hamburger buns, split and toasted

Cook sugar in oil in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes or until golden.

Add chopped onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook 20 minutes or until golden, stirring often.

Stir in orange juice and, if desired, bourbon; cook 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Set aside and keep warm.

Combine Dijon mustard, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and garlic; spread mixture over both sides of steak. Sprinkle steak with pepper, and press gently into mustard mixture.

Grill steak over medium, direct heat for about 10 to 12 minutes, turning once. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices.

Spoon steak onto bottom halves of buns; top evenly with onion mixture, and cover with bun tops.

Source: Everyday Grilling, Oxmoor House, 2006

Barbecue Pulled Pork Sandwiches

So far I have shared with you the my favorite spice rub and homemade barbecue sauce for pulled pork sandwiches. Today I am going to tie everything together for the final product, the perfect sandwich. Our family loves making pulled pork sandwiches during Alabama football season,  it is almost a family tradition! Don’t be discouraged by the length of time it takes to slow-cook the pork, the end result is well worth the wait. We use a smoker to smoke the meat, but I know that is not an option for everyone, so I have included directions for cooking the meat in the oven as well. If you have any pork leftover, I highly recommend a barbecue baked potato with the leftover pulled pork and barbecue sauce….so good!

Barbecue Pulled Pork Sandwiches

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1 bone-in or boneless pork butt, around 4 pounds

Yellow mustard

Barbecue Spice Rub

Barbecue Sauce

Hamburger buns

Place the pork in a baking dish. Rub a thin layer of yellow mustard all over meat, creating a “glue” for the spice rub. Sprinkle spice rub over the mustard and massage into the meat. Continue until the pork butt is fully covered in the spice rub. Cover in foil and refrigerate overnight.

If using a smoker, preheat to 150. Place meat in smoker and let smoke for 2 hours. Take meat out of smoker, cover in foil (tight enough that the juice of the meat will not spill out) and place in a 225 degree oven. Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 210 degrees.

If using an oven, preheat to 225 degrees. Place meat in oven and cook until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Cover pork in foil and return to the oven to cook until the internal temperature reaches 210 degrees (for about 7 to 8 hours).

Take meat out of over and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. (I like to wrap the meat in a towel while the juices rest to keep the temperature warm). With two forks, pull meat apart until it is fully shredded.

Serve on a toasted bun with barbecue sauce drizzled on top. Great with sides such as barbecue baked beans, coleslaw, and potato salad.

Chicken Salad

Everyone has their favorite chicken salad recipe…and this is mine. I like it because it includes red grapes. I like it because it uses dried tarragon, which is an excellent flavor combo. I like it because it includes less than 5 ingredients. I like it because I just do! My husband always request this for our lunches during the warmer months and it always seems to be the perfect meal. I served the salad at the baby shower on crackers, but I have also used croissants or regular bread for serving. This salad is simple to throw together and yet so satisfying!

Chicken Salad

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3/4 cup mayonnaise, miracle whip, or your preferred substitute

1 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded

2 cups red seedless grapes

Mix dressing and tarragon in large bowl. Add chicken and grapes, mix lightly to combine ingredients.

Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.

Banana Bread Sandwiches

The first time I tried this sandwich was for my sister-in-law, Beth's wedding shower that my mother-in-law and I threw for her. They were really good and I knew they would make a good finger food to bring for my office's "Food day" at work. I'm not quite sure what classification this sandwich falls into. For some, it is sweet enough to be a dessert. I tend to lean more toward a finger food good for breakfast or a quick snack. Banana bread is one of my favorite breads and I would have never thought to pair it with coconut or pineapple, but the combination is delicious together.

Banana Bread Sandwiches

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2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

2 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 6 medium)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with nonstick baking spray with flour.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.

In a medium bowl, combine oil, eggs, bananas, and vanilla. Add to flour mixture, beating at low speed with an electric mixer until combined.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 23 to 27 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 30 minutes. Remove from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack.

Cut cake into 3 x 1 inch slices. Cut each slice in half crosswise. Spread Pineapple-Coconut Filling (recipe below) evenly over bottom halves of banana bread. Cover with top halves of bread.

Pineapple-Coconut Filling

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup pineapple preserves

1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and preserves at medium speed with an electric mixer until combined. Stir
in coconut and pecans. Cover, and chill.

Source: Cooking with Paula Deen magazine, May/June 2009

Meatball Sliders

These cute little sliders are the perfect appetizer for a day full of College football. They are also great for a game night with friends, which is exactly what I made these for. They are the perfect bite, filled with both sweet and spicy flavors. While the meatballs on their own are good, the flavor of the relish adds a spicy element that keeps you coming back for more. This is an easy dish to put together and can even be made in advance if you are short on time.

Monster Meatball Sandwiches

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32 bite-size frozen meatballs

1 (9 oz) jar mango chutney

1 cup chicken broth

16 fresh dinner rolls or slider rolls

1 (16 oz) jar hot diced cherry peppers or other sandwich relish

Stir together the frozen meatballs, mango chutney, and chicken broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 25 to 30 minutes.

Cut rolls vertically through top, cutting to but not through bottom. Place 2 meatballs in each roll. Top with desired amount of relish.


Source adapted from: www.MyRecipes.com

Sausage and Peppers

Since living in New York we have picked up a few new recipes that are popular to this region. When we first moved in and were invited to a BBQ, my husband and I both thought that meant burgers and hot dogs. After going to a few BBQ’s we realized it was all about sausage and peppers which we have since grown to love. This Italian inspired meal can be both sweet, spicy, or a combination of  both, depending on the type of sausages used. A lot of times this dish is made straight from the grill, but since the weather is getting colder I thought I would share my version made straight from the stove top.

Sausage and Peppers

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5 or 6 whole Italian sausages (Hot, Sweet, or a combination of both)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, sliced into rings and halved

1 green bell pepper, cut into strips

1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

1 tablespoon house seasoning

Olive oil

Italian bread

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Place sausages into boiling water for about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Pour in olive oil to coat skillet pan. Place peppers and onions and garlic over medium high heat in a skillet. Season vegetables with the house seasoning. Sauté the vegetables just until they begin to soften. Transfer contents of skillet to a large bowl and set aside.

Slice sausages into 1/2 inch pieces. Add olive oil to pan in order to coat, if needed, and fry the sausages until they are lightly browned along the edges. Stir in the cooked vegetables and continue to cook on medium high for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Assemble as a sandwich using Italian bread or other hoagie style bread.

Bringing back the Sloppy Joe!!

If I’m being honest, at some point in my life I gave up on the Sloppy Joe. Maybe it lost the appeal when I learned that it was made from a can, maybe it was the reputation others had about it, but I hadn’t had a Sloppy Joe for many years, until I found this recipe. This Sloppy Joe is made from scratch using fresh ingredients. The best part is that while it still contains tomato sauce, the main flavor comes from barbeque sauce. Oh how sweet it is! For those of you that also thought you hated Sloppy Joes, give this recipe a try, I think you will find it much more pleasing than the original!

Spencer's Sloppy Joes

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1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds lean ground beef

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup barbecue sauce (I used KC Masterpiece)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Tabasco

Hamburger buns, split

Barbecue sauce, for topping, if needed

Heat oil in a large skillet with straight sides. Add the bell peppers and garlic. Sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the ground beef to the vegetables. Stir and cook about 8 minutes, until the meat is no longer pink and fully cooked. Drain, if desired.

Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire, and hot sauce into the skillet. Stir. Simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Serve on hamburger bun and add extra sauce, if needed.

Source adapted from: www.foodnetwork.com; Down Home with the Neely’s

Shrimp Po’ Boys

Sometimes when it comes to dinner I just want something that takes minimal effort. This meal was on the table in less than 10 minutes and yet it was delicious! When I know I have meals that require some kind of sauce, I generally prep and make the sauce the night before, which is exactly what I did with this sandwich. Not only does it make dinner a breeze the next day, but the flavors of the sauce generally marry very well together and make it that much flavorful! The sauce is definitely the star of the dish, so don’t leave it out!

Pan-Seared Shrimp Po’ Boys

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1/3  cup  reduced-fat mayonnaise
2  tablespoons  sweet pickle relish
1  tablespoon  chopped shallots
1  teaspoon  capers, chopped (I omitted this only because I didn’t have it on hand)
1/4  teaspoon   Tabasco
1  pound  peeled and deveined large shrimp
1 1/2  teaspoons  salt-free Cajun seasoning
2  teaspoons  olive oil
4  hoagie rolls
1/2  cup  shredded romaine lettuce
8  thin tomato slices
4  thin red onion slices
Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Heat a large nonstick  skillet over medium-high heat. Combine shrimp and Cajun seasoning in a bowl; toss well. Add olive oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Add shrimp to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until done.
Cut each roll in half horizontally. Top bottom half of each roll with 2 tablespoons lettuce, 2 tomato slices, 1 onion slice, and one quarter of shrimp. Spread top half of each roll with about 2 tablespoons mayonnaise mixture; place on top of sandwich.
Source: www.myrecipes.com