the BEST sandwich...

If you are, by chance, in need of a lunch idea this week...well, look no further. This combination of hearty bread, cream cheese and veggies is perfection. You could add turkey or ham to make it even more filling. Have you tried "Dave's Killer Bread?" This is the Good Seed variety. The story behind this bread is so worth the read (www.daveskillerbread.com)

This is how I doctored up the sandwich, but by all means, cater it to your own liking!

2 slices Dave's Killer Good Seed bread (or any hearty, seeded bread)

Cream cheese 

Salt & pepper (very important!!!)

Sliced English cucumber 

Sliced green onions 

Shredded carrots 

Spinach leaves 

Yellow banana peppers 

panini's...

focaccia or ciabatta bread

1/2 pound salami

1/2 pound prosciutto

1/2 pound provolone cheese

mustard

olive oil

I found a loaf of focaccia bread at the bakery and cut it into six portions. You could also use the individual ciabatta rolls (really, whatever works!) Place sliced provolone on each half and meat in the middle. I only used mustard with the salami. Place sandwich together and brush with olive oil. Place on preheated panini press or grill and press down. Cook until cheese is melted and bread is crisp.

I don't have a panini press, but I do have a George Foreman and it worked perfectly. You could get really creative with paninis and make them according to your own taste. A fresh mozzarella, tomato & basil would be fantastic. Adding a little pear or arugula to the provolone and prosciutto would also be great. I wish I had been thinking more clearly and I would have sprinkled a little rosemary on the cheese. That's because this was a last minute dinner and I just started throwing stuff together. Not bad for "one of those nights!"

I served them with some fresh berries and some Italian pickled vegetables. These will be taking the place of a standard grilled cheese. The whole family loved them!

And let me just mention that the cheese that melts on the grill and gets all crusty is one of the BEST parts.

baked ham & cheese rolls...

2 Tbsp dried minced onions

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp poppy seeds

1 stick melted butter (I used 1/2 a stick)

1 dozen dinner rolls

1/2 pound ham

1/2 pound thinly sliced Monterey Jack or Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 325°. In a small mixing bowl mix onion, mustard, poppy seeds, and melted butter. Leaving the dinner rolls intact, slice them open so that you have one solid top and bottom. Place the bottom half on a baking sheet or in a 9x13 inch baking pan, the pan size will depend on choice of rolls. Line the bottom half of the rolls with cheese slices and ham. Return the top part of the rolls and drizzle the butter mixture evenly over top. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Now use a sharp knife and separate the little sandwiches. Serve immediately.

Note- These can be made ahead of time and refrigerated, may require 5 more minutes of baking. Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds.

These little sandwiches were a hit. They came together quickly, and were full of flavor. I mean, butter BAKED right on top of a ham & cheese sandwich???YUM! The flavor from the onions and mustard were delicious, as well. The original recipe called for 1 Tablespoon of poppy seeds (which is what I used and is pictured above) but I think 1 teaspoon would suffice. Especially since my kids weren't thrilled about little black dots on their food...whatever.

These would be perfect for a bridal/baby shower. Crank up your ovens (I know, I know...it's hot outside) You'll be glad you did.

Recipe adapted from Big Red Kitchen

chicken wrap...

whole wheat tortilla

light cream cheese

sliced grilled chicken

romaine lettuce

sliced cucumber

light balsamic vinaigrette

Spread a small amount of cream cheese on tortilla. Layer lettuce, romaine & cucumber and drizzle with vinaigrette.

Whenever I grill chicken for dinner I grill up a few extra pieces and keep them in the fridge for wraps, salads, pasta, etc. This makes a very healthy, filling lunch...and it's really tasty, too!!

meatball sliders...

One recipe for meatballs (cut in half)

18 1 oz rolls, lightly toasted

18 slices mozzarella cheese

1/2 jar spaghetti sauce

fresh basil (if desired...I forgot this step)

Heat up spaghetti sauce, add meatballs, stirring to coat. Place one meatball on each roll and top with a slice of cheese. Place under broiler or in warm oven until cheese is melted. Top with one fresh basil leaf.

I've mentioned before that my family LOVES anything in mini form. When I saw this idea on Smitten Kitchen's site I knew we had to give it a try. It was a hit. I used an ice cream scoop to get bigger, uniform meatballs. We LOVED them!!

(1 slider-4 pts)

AMAZING grilled cheese...

sour dough bread

extra sharp or sharp cheddar cheese, sliced

mozzarella cheese, shredded

bacon; cooked

green apple (granny smith); thinly sliced

butter

Layer ingredients in between buttered slices of sourdough bread. Grill over medium high heat until cheese is completely melted and bread is golden brown and crispy.

FAB.U.LOUS. Really. Next time you have a craving for plain old grilled cheese, kick it up a little. The crunch of the apple with the crisp bacon is just amazing.

cheddar-cornmeal waffle blt...

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups cornmeal

2 Tbsp baking powder

2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp sugar

4 eggs, separated

2 cups milk

8 Tbsp butter, melted

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

8 oz bacon, cooked

tomato

lettuce

mayonnaise

salt

pepper

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt & sugar. In a medium bowl whisk together egg yolks, milk and melted butter. Add to dry ingredients and stir until combined. Stir in cheese.

In another medium bowl beat the egg whites until stiff. Gently fold into batter.

Bake on waffle iron (according to iron directions).

Toast waffles under the broiler for a few minutes and assemble with mayo, bacon, lettuce, tomato, salt & pepper.

DELICIOUS!

This was a winner. It was a nice change from original blt's on toast. You could easily make the waffles ahead of time and just toast them under the broiler right before serving to cut down on the prep. My kids ate the insides of the sandwich, then dunked the waffles in a little syrup...not exactly what I had planned, but whatever..they ate their dinner.

ham & cheese in puff pastry...

1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 pound black forest ham, sliced
1/2 pound Swiss Gruyere or cheddar, cheese sliced
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place a piece of parchment paper or a silpat on a sheet pan.
Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry on a floured board and carefully roll it out to 10 by 12 inches. Place it on a sheet pan and brush the center with the mustard, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Place a layer first of ham and then cheese, also leaving a 1-inch border. Brush the border with the egg wash.
Place the second sheet of puff pastry on the floured board and roll it out to 10 by 12inches. Place the second sheet on top of the filled pastry, lining up the edges. Cut the edges straight with a small, sharp knife and press together lightly. Brush the top with egg wash and cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve hot or warm.

I love Ina. She, yet again, came through. The episode where she makes this just aired today...I didn't even watch the whole thing, but I knew I needed to make this. She recommends this for a cocktail party...One man's appetizer is another man's dinner.

My family loved it.

(I used a little more ham than the recipe calles for in as much as it was dinner)

*cut into 12...1 serving 7 pts*

turkey, avocado blt...

The name says it all!!

sandwich bar...

No recipe. Just an idea. This is a great meal for a crowd. It is so refreshing after A LOT of grilled food!! Be as creative as you want. Provide lots of options and everyone is happy!

ENJOY!

jr. sloppy joe's...

1 lb extra lean ground beef

minced onion

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

1/2 cup ketchup

2 tsp mustard

1/3 cup brown sugar (you can add less)

small rolls or hamburger buns

Brown ground beef and onions and drain off excess fat. Add remaining ingredients and cook over low heat about 10 min. Serve on hamburger buns.

I love to serve these on "dollar" rolls (little 1 oz rolls). Many grocery stores make their own version of these in their bakery. If not, potato rolls or hamburger buns work just fine. There is something about eating a mini version of anything that just grabs my kids (I eat less as well...) Serve these up with a little corn on the cob, watermelon, etc. This is a great recipe for a crowd, the recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, etc.

french dip sandwiches...

chuck roast (any size)

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic; minced

1-2 cans beef broth

minced onion

seasoned salt

rolls

provolone cheese

1 envelope onion soup mix

1-2 beef bouillon cubes

Heat (med heat) olive oil in med pan. Add garlic. Brown all sides of roast; approx. 1 min per side. Place in slow cooker. Add minced onion, salt & beef broth. Cook on low for 8 hours. Remove meat from slow cooker, cover with foil, and let rest 10 min. Shred with a fork. Heat soup mix according to pkg directions with bouillon cubes. Place desired amount of meat on roll, add a little cheese and set under broiler until cheese is melted. Serve with soup on the side for dipping.

*roasted cauliflower *

1 head cauliflower

olive oil

salt

pepper

Cut cauliflower into florets. Place all ingredients on a baking sheet and toss with hands to combine. Roast in 4oo degree oven 10-15 min. until fork tender (depends on size of florets and desired tenderness). Turn once or twice during cooking.

My kids do not like pot roast...???? Something about all of the meat & veggies cooked together served with gravy is not appealing to any of them...I don't get it. BUT, they will eat/devour these sandwiches. So, we all get what we want! You can use any cut of roast, and cook it whatever way you like to cook roast. I just chose the no fail/easy route. I bought little hard rolls for these...they are the perfect size for kids, and then the adults can have as many sandwiches as they want. I toasted the rolls a tiny bit under the broiler first (soggy bread thing). You may even be able to buy "au jus" (the dipping liquid) pre made, or a packet mix...the soup worked really well, though. If your little people don't like the onion bits in the soup, they can be easily spooned out.

If you have a small number of eaters in your house, just cut the meat in half before cooking and freeze one half for another time.

And as far as the cauliflower is concerned...YUM! I am pretty much convinced that ANY vegetable roasted with a little olive oil, salt and pepper is fabulous! It gets all brown & crunchy on the outside...I don't see anything wrong with that!

meatball subs...

meatballs

hoagie rolls

spaghetti sauce

provolone cheese

Warm meatballs in spaghetti sauce over med heat until warmed through. Place 4-5 meatballs with sauce on a hoagie roll. Put provolone cheese over meatballs and broil until melted.

Remember those meatballs? It's time to put them to use. This is such a great dinner for a busy weeknight. Just pull the meatballs out of the freezer (as many as you need) and defrost in the microwave. My kids loved this dinner. The only thing I didn't do that I will do next time is toast the haogie roll a little under the broiler (just barely) before adding the meat & sauce. The bread was a little soggy...good, but soggy.