Ham, Cheese, and Veggie Tortilla Pinwheels

 I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas! We are still in the holiday season so I thought I'd share yummy Ham and Cheese Tortilla Pinwheels, (or roll-ups), with you . I made these several times before Christmas for various parties and gatherings. Even though these type of recipes date back to the 80's or so, they are still delicious, and festive little appetizers when sliced and plated, or they can be cut in half and served for lunches or carried in lunch boxes. You can use any type of deli meats and cheeses. For these I also added leaf lettuce and red bell pepper that had been cut in thin strips. Stack each ingredient evenly across the tortillas, and then roll each one up as tightly as possible to keep stuff from falling out. Then enjoy these pretty, festive roll-ups whatever the occasion. Here's my method.

Ham, Cheese and Veggie Tortilla Pinwheels (or roll-ups!)
From Lynda's Recipe Box
Note: you can mix herbs into 8 ounces of plain cream cheese to use, or you may purchased the herbed cream cheese from your local store. Deli meats should be thinly sliced or even shaved. Count your meat and cheese slices so you can evenly divide it among the 8 tortillas. Makes 8 rolls.

Ingredients:
1 package of burrito sized tortillas- I used the spinach flavor tortillas. They add a nice touch of color.
8 ounces softened cream cheese, mixed with about 1 tablespoons fresh, chopped green onion or chives, and 1 tbls. parsley. Or to save time, buy the herbed cream cheese from your market.
1/2 pound thinly sliced deli ham, or other meat of choice,
1/2 pound sliced Provolone cheese, or cheddar or other cheese of choice
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
leaf lettuce, washed and large ribs cut out

To assemble Tortilla Rolls:
Lay tortillas out on a flat surface. With a knife, spread the softened cream cheese mixture thinly over the tortillas. The cream cheese is going to act like a glue to hold everything together.
Now at the end closest to you, start the layering. Lay out a couple of slices of ham that are folded in half, next cover with cheese, then the lettuce and ending with some sliced bell pepper. These ingredients will be stacked on top of each other, hopefully evenly all the way across.
Now, start rolling the tortilla and holding firmly to the ingredients as you roll, until each tortilla is rolled all the way. When rolled all the way, the cream cheese should hold it together. Wrap each rolled tortilla in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or overnight. To serve, remove the plastic wrap and cut the ends off of each tortilla rolls. Cut the roll into 8 equal slices and place on a serving tray. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches

 Who doesn't love a great tasting meal from the Crock Pot? Theses delicious Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches will hit the spot anytime of year, but they were especially good during a very busy couple of days. I babysit with my 2 adorable granddaughters, ages 3 years, and the other is 4 months. Let me tell you, this grandma gets tired sometimes, so a tasty slow cooker meal is a real blessing. I usually make my own barbecue sauce for this, but was too tired to care last week, so I used our favorite bottled sauce and added a sauteed onion to the pot too. The sauteed onion really adds extra flavor to the meat.

 The result was a very flavorful and easy meal. I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts this time, but boneless thighs will work just as well. In years past I've even used a whole chicken in the slow cooker to make sandwiches, but there is a lot of waste with the bones and skin. However it does work, either way you want to do it. This isn't a fancy meal, but sometimes you just want something easy on hand for those hectic days.

Slow-Cooker Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches
From Lynda's Recipe Box
This is so easy you don't really need a recipe, but here's what I do. Made 8 large sandwiches for us, but can be stretched to make more. If you want fewer sandwiches, cut the recipe in half, or freeze some of the meat for another meal.

Ingredients:
3 pounds of boneless-skinless chicken breasts, or thighs
1 large onion
1- 18 ounce bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce, or use  your homemade sauce
salt and pepper
buns

Directions:
Spray the inside of your crock pot with cooking spray. Salt and pepper the chicken breasts and lay them evenly in the crock pot.
Slice or dice the onion. In a skillet over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil or butter and the onion. Saute the onion until it begins to brown around the edges. Then add the onion to the chicken in the pot. Pour the bottle of Barbecue sauce evenly over the chicken. Cook on low until the chicken breasts, or thighs, can be easily shredded with a fork, 31/2 - 41/2 hours, depending on how fast your crock pot cooks. When done, remove the chicken to a pan and shred the meat using 2 forks. Pour the sauce over the meat and serve. Or you can add the shredded chicken back to the crock pot if desired. Enjoy!

Home-style Egg, Canadian Bacon and English Muffin Breakfast Sandwich

I know, this is hardly an original breakfast posting since the Golden Arches has been making similar breakfast sandwiches for years. But I love making them at home and making sure they are a bit healthier too. In my 20's I loved stopping at McDonald's on my way to work in the mornings and ordering this sandwich to start my day. I took my grandson out to breakfast last week, the day before school started, and he wanted to go to McDonald's, so I ordered my old favorite. While it was good, I prefer making them at home now.
Since I am in the process of trying to lose some weight, here's my healthier version if you'd like to try. You probably don't need directions for this, but just in case there is a new cook reading this, here's the method.

 Egg, Canadian Bacon and English Muffin Breakfast Sandwich
Inspired by the Egg McMuffin

I use the low calorie, whole wheat English Muffins. Toast the muffins. Butter lightly with a low-fat butter spread.
In a non stick skillet over medium low heat, add 1 scrambled egg. I push it around into somewhat of a circle as it cooks. Season with salt and pepper. Flip over to finish cooking. Place egg on the large half of the muffin. Warm thinly sliced Canadian bacon in the skillet and place on top the egg. I don't usually use cheese with these anymore, but this time I added about 1/2 ounce of shredded cheddar cheese on top and broiled it just until the cheese melted. Top with other half of muffin. Enjoy!

BLT Sandwiches with Avocado and Red Onion

The continuing blazing hot weather has left me with little desire to actually cook. I know I'm not the only one struggling here, so sandwiches, salads and one pan meals are all I've been making. I'm just trying to keep the house cool, so I don't use the stove anymore than I have to. Bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches are always good when you have some juicy homegrown tomatoes to use. I decided to add avocado and red onion slices to it and the sandwich was even better.
Of course, you don't need a recipe for this.
All you need is 2 slices of bread, toasted- or not if you prefer
several slices of crisp bacon
sliced tomatoes
thin onion slices
avocado slices
mayonnaise
Assemble sandwich and devour!
What do you like to eat when the temperatures soar to 100 degrees?

Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Obviously, this is not an exotic recipe that I have to share. And this isn't a perfect photo either. This is just an any day meal, that I make quite often when I grill on the week end. Normally, I grill leg quarters for the Pulled Chicken. Dark meat is more moist and is best for this dish. But this time I had a whole chicken that I either needed to cook, or put in the freezer. The grill was ready to go.

So I cut up the chicken into 4 pieces. I had grilled burgers and hot dogs last Saturday and still had lots of life left in the coals, so I put this chicken on the grill and closed the lid. About 35 minutes later, I had some beautiful grilled chicken, perfect for these flavorful sandwiches. I hate to waste any fire that's left, so I like to cook this chicken for the next meal. You could leave the chicken whole if desired, but it will take longer to cook. These grilled, Pulled Chicken Sandwiches are delicious and smokey and are particularly tasty topped with BBQ sauce, or slaw, pickles and onion, or grilled pineapple! Give them a try! PULLED CHICKEN SANDWICHES

from Lynda's Recipe Box

About 4 1/2 pounds leg quarters, or a whole chicken cut into quarters

salt and pepper

spices- I used chili powder, ground cumin and garlic powder (or you may use a purchased rub)

Buns

toppings of choice-onion, pickles, BBQ sauce, grilled pineapple, etc.,etc.

Set up grill with a cool spot on one side of grill. I sprinkle the chicken on all sides with salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin and garlic. Or you may use a purchased rub for this. Place chicken over a hot fire and add soaked wood chips, if desired. Close lid and cook until browned and then turn chicken over. Take care not to burn it. When browned, move the chicken to the cool side off of the coals and close lid to finish cooking. Cooking time will depend on the size of the chicken pieces and the heat of the fire. Chicken is done when the meat is pierced and the juices run clear. These pieces took 35-40 minutes.

Remove the chicken to a pan. When cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bones, pulling into shreds. Serve on buns with toppings of choice. This is just a simple, delicious meal that doesn't require much thought on my part. some days, that is very helpful!

NOTE: Pulled Chicken is not as moist as Pulled Pork, so I dilute a bit of barbecue sauce with water, and drizzle it over the chicken and give it a toss. This keeps the chicken moist, especially when reheated. Cover well and refrigerate. Then rewarm for the next meal.

Pulled Pork, Crock Pot Style!

Wow, I certainly didn't intend to not post for a week! Life has been busy, but I have been cooking, although it has been food that I've already posted. Sometimes, I just want comfort food, those dishes I've made for years, that don't have a recipe. That's what I've been doing. And although I've posted Pulled Pork before, it was done on the grill, not the crock pot. I also posted a recipe for Carnitas, using pulled pork, but this time I'm using this pork roast just for sandwiches. How great these are for get togethers like Super Bowl parties! A large roast will feed quite a few people, plus, the pulled pork can be made a day ahead, and then served from the crock pot the day of the big game! Easy! Everyone can serve themselves, which makes it easy

on you. Be sure to use a rub on the roast. Pork cooked by itself will taste, well, just like pork. It needs lots of seasoning in the crock pot to have a great flavor. Make it as spicy as you want. While I normally brown my roasts before placing in the pot, this time I didn't. It was midnight, you see, and I didn't want to stay up one minute later, so I covered this roast in a spicy rub and stuck it in the pot. It cooked all night and when we woke up the following morning, we were welcomed with a most delicious aroma! I shredded this baby, and put it in a pan with some of the juices, and put it in the fridge to keep until dinner that evening. We celebrated my husband's birthday with Pulled Pork, so he was a happy man. Here's what I did;

PULLED PORK, CROCK POT STYLE

from Lynda's Recipe Box

1 pork shoulder or pork butt roast ( I used a 7 pound one)

1 onion, chopped

3-4 cloves of garlic, smashed and peeled

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 1/2- 2 cups of water
1 1/2 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce, optional

Mix the rub ingredients together. Rinse the roast with water, and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the rub on the meat and rub it in. If you have time, brown the roast quickly in hot oil in a dutch oven, This step does give some extra flavor to the meat. Place roast in the slow cooker, add 1 1/2 cups of water to the pot and the barbecue sauce, if using. Also, add the chopped onion and fresh garlic at this time. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours until fork tender and roast pulls apart easily. Remove roast and let cool long enough to be able to shred the meat. Remove any fat from the meat. Sometimes, I coarsely chop the shredded meat to make the pieces more uniform. Pour the pan juices into a bowl, and skim any fat off and discard. I like to pour some of the juices, along with the garlic and onion, over the meat to keep it moist while serving. Also, you can freeze some of the meat as long as some cooking liquid is added to keep it from drying out. This tender Pulled Pork will be delicious served alone, or on a bun with some good barbecue sauce. Enjoy!

NOTE: This pork roast can also be done in the oven, in a covered dutch oven. Bake at 325 for 4-5 hours, or until very tender and falling apart.

Of course, cooking it in an outdoor smoker is the best, but I'm a wimp in cold weather!

Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia Sandwiches

I love a good sandwich and this Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia Sandwich definitely fits into this category. Tilapia is a very mild tasting fish that is delicious used in lots of different styles of cooking. In this recipe, the fish is dredged in a spicy cornmeal mixture and cooked in a skillet with minimal oil. Topped with the last of my garden tomatoes, leaf lettuce and mashed avocado with onion and cilantro, this yummy sandwich is perfect for dinner on your busiest weeknights! Forget the drive-through at the fast food joints- make your own "fast food" at home! Serve this healthy, nutritious and delicious sandwich with oven roasted sweet potato fries, or with a steaming bowl of soup on a chilly evening. Try this tasty, easy sandwich on your next super busy day.

Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia Sandwiches

3 T. yellow cornmeal

1 T. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. ground red pepper

4 tilapia fillets

1 T. canola oil

2 avocados

2 T. diced red onion

juice of 1/2 lime

1 T. chopped fresh cilantro

sliced tomatoes

leaf lettuce

4 french bread sandwich rolls

Peel and seed the avocados. In a bowl, mash the avocado with a fork. Stir in the diced onion, lime juice and cilantro. Set aside. Heat a large skillet and 1 T. canola oil over medium heat. Mix the cornmeal and spices together in a container large enough to be able to lay the fish. Dry the fish with paper towels, then dredge the tilapia in the cornmeal mixture. Shake off excess. Lay fish in the hot skillet and cook about 3 minutes, and then turn over. Cook about 3 more minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove fish from skillet to a platter. Toast the sandwich rolls under the broiler if desired.

To assemble the sandwiches;

Spread the avocado mixture over each roll half. On the bottom half, lay the fish fillet, then a couple of tomato slices and the leaf lettuce. Top with other half of roll. Open mouth and insert sandwich! Enjoy!

I was inspired by a recipe in Cooking Light's 2009 cookbook, that is similar to this, but used lime butter instead of the avocado mix that I used. The fish was also broiled, instead of browned in a skillet. My husband and I both loved these tilapia sandwiches, so I'll be adding this to our rotation. A meal that is ready in less than 30 minutes- can't beat that! Have a great weekend!

Pulled Pork- done on the grill!

We've had the most beautiful weather lately, and this past weekend was gorgeous! Yes, fall is in the air, but it's still perfect grilling weather. I like to grill as long as possible, even if it's just grilled burgers and sausages. I've been wanting to try grilling a pork shoulder for pulled pork for sometime, but it is not one of those quick dishes that I normally like to make, so I've been putting it off. If my family didn't love barbecue so much, I wouldn't have tried this. But my boys are BBQ fanatics, and I have to admit that I enjoy it too. Especially when it turns out well!
Recently, I found pork shoulder on sale at our grocery store for 99 cents per pound! I just couldn't pass that up, even if I did have to buy a 9 pound roast! The wheels were turning as I drove home. Since I have Steven Raichlen's cookbook, "How to Grill", I turned to it for guidance. I also went to Epicurious for his recipe from "The Barbecue Bible", for extra help. I followed his method, but used my own rub for the meat. I must say, it turned out wonderful for my first try. And the guys in my family were thrilled. Nine pounds of meat; it's a good thing we had some company to help us eat it. And we had leftovers too. This was one smoky and juicy pork shoulder. Here's what I did. I cut that huge hunk of meat in half so that it would hopefully get done in one afternoon. Then I added a spice rub, liberally, over it.

You're supposed to cover it and let it stay in the refrigerator for several hours, but I only managed that for a couple of hours. I set up our charcoal grill for indirect heat by setting up charcoal at each end of the grill and placing a drip pan between the piles. When the coals are ready, I placed the 2 pork roasts in the center of the grill over the drip pan. These porkers cooked for 6 hours, with intervals of mopping with a mop sauce and adding more charcoal. You definitely have to plan your day if you want to try this recipe as you have to be home. Charcoal had to be added every hour and also the mop sauce. Was it worth it? YES! This Pulled Pork was deliciously smoky, with a nice spicy crust, and tender enough to pull apart easily.

After removing the roasts from the grill, I placed them in a roaster and covered it with foil for about 30-40 minutes to rest. The pork stayed plenty hot. After resting, I removed the pork to a cutting board and cut it apart into large chunks and then proceeded to shred it with my fingers. It was still hot. I was pleased to see a smoke ring, and the meat tasted so smoky and good. After shredding and removing all the fat, I took a knife and coarsely chopped the meat. At this point, you can add a Carolina Vinegar Sauce, if desired. I prefer to use a thinned down barbecue sauce to pour over the meat to keep it moist. Just my preference. Which ever you do, the meat tastes amazingly tender and smoky. This was a very delicious, enjoyable meal, even if it was time consuming. These porkers "smoked" for 6 hours until they were fall apart tender. They reached 195 degrees on a meat thermometer when I took them off the grill.

Pulled Pork- done on the grill!
You may use a purchased rub, or use my version:

1/4 cup sweet paprika

1 T. brown sugar

1 T. black pepper 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 T. coarse salt

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

Mix ingredients in a small bowl.

Sprinkle rub over meat and gently"rub" into meat. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours if desired. Early in the day, set up the grill for indirect grilling and place a drip pan in the middle. When coals are ready, place pork roast over the drip pan and close lid of the grill. Grill for about 4-6 hours, until meat is tender and the internal temperature is about 195 degrees. Mop meat with a mop sauce every hour to keep it moist. Add about 10-12 charcoal briquettes to each side of grill at the same time. I was able to keep the grill temperature at about 250-300 degrees.

When meat is done, let it rest covered in foil for 30minutes or so. Shred meat; chop coarsely, if desired. Spoon a vinegar sauce over meat to keep it moist. I like to use a diluted BBQ sauce for this step. The meat will freeze well as long as it has the extra sauce on it. I served it with baked beans, slaw and potato wedges. When served on a bun, top it off with some slaw for an extra YUM factor! I forgot to do that for pictures! This was wonderful pulled pork! I'll be making this again, just not right away. I'm back to easier meals for awhile!

If you have any advice for my next attempt at making pulled pork this way, just let me know in the comments! Have a great day!

My Favorite Chicken Salad (so far)

I used to have a friend that made the best chicken salad sandwiches, better than any I had eaten before. Her secret? She baked her chicken! And she didn't add large amounts of mayo to make it sloppy. It was, just perfect, with nuts, mayo and chicken. As time has passed, I've added the other ingredients to it. But I still like to bake the chicken breasts, as it adds a depth of flavor that boiling can't. The crunch of the nuts and the vegetables is a delicious contrast with the chicken, so it makes a wonderful sandwich. Of, course, you can alter the ingredients to suite your own tastes. I use bone in breasts and take care not to over bake them and dry them out. Here's my recipe for delicious Chicken Salad.

MY FAVORITE CHICKEN SALAD (so far)

3 bone in chicken breasts ( this made about 4 cups of diced meat)

1 stalk of celery, diced (1/4-1/2 cup)

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 heaping cup of red seedless grapes (cut in half if very large)

1 T. diced red onion, optional (sometimes I use onion powder instead)

1/4 cup diced red bell pepper, optional

1/2-3/4 cup mayo; start with a lesser amount and add more only if you need it

2 tsp. Dijon mustard, optional

salt and pepper to taste

Bake chicken breasts in a 400 degree oven until done. When pierced with a fork the juices will run clear. Mine were done in about 35 minutes. I t will depend on how large the chicken breasts are as to how long they bake. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Once cool, remove the meat from the bones and dice and add to a large bowl. I had 4 cups of meat, but it may vary.

Add the rest of ingredients and mix well. Start easy with the mayo and add more or less, according to your preferences. Refrigerate for several hours before serving. Serve on some good rolls or on lettuce lined plates.

Barbecue Beef Sandwiches - Slow Cooker Recipe

It has been 98-100 degrees this week here in my small part of the USA! Of course, I was doing my jury duty thing, so I wasn't outside much, but I didn't want to heat up the kitchen when I got home either. I would have been fine with salads in the evening, but my husband and grown son think they still need filling food! So, I pulled out my slow-cooker, bought about 4 pounds of beef round roast, put the meat in the cooker and let it cook for hours until it was tender. It didn't heat up the kitchen at all. This time, I somewhat based this recipe from one in Southern Living's "Secrets of the South's Best Barbecue" cookbook. I browned the roast, added spices and a tangy sauce and let the cooker do the rest! It resulted in tender and very tasty BQ sandwiches, which lasted several days! A perfect meal for busy days.

BARBECUE BEEF SANDWICHES

1 (31/2- 4 Lb.) round roast or chuck roast

spices of choice- I used salt, pepper, garlic powder and chili powder

1 onion, small diced

1- 1 1/2 cups beef broth

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 T lemon juice- recipe calls for 1/2 cup

3 T steak sauce- I used Country Bob's sauce

1 tsp. black pepper

1 T Worcestershire sauce

sandwich rolls

In a dutch oven in hot oil, brown roast on all sides. Season well with spices of choice and place meat in slow-cooker. Add in the minced onion. Mix the sauce ingredients together and taste. Pour beef broth and sauce over the meat and cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours until the meat is tender and shreds easily with a fork. You may not need all of the liquid in the slow-cooker, so I removed the meat to a cutting board to shred and I also skimmed any fat from the sauce. Add desired amount of sauce to beef and serve on some nice sandwich rolls. Enjoy!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Italian Chicken Sandwiches

I hope all of you had a wonderful Mother's Day! Mine was great and I had thought I would post on Saturday, but this was a busy weekend. On Sunday, we went out to eat after church to my favorite Mexican food restaurant here in town. Our oldest son and his wife were there, along with our second son and his girlfriend(and her young son), and our daughter and her boyfriend. Afterwards, we drove about 30 miles to nearby town where my MIL lives in an assisted living facility. She is a wonderful MIL and she was so excited to have all of us come to visit! We really filled up her room! It was a great day! The only cooking I did was to make Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes and I made a fresh pot of coffee to go with them. It was a cool day, so these really hit the spot in the evening! But on Saturday, I made these delicious, Italian Chicken Sandwiches which are filling enough to be served as a quick meal on busy week nights. I purchased this Ciabatta loaf at Walmart. That is pretty much our bakery choice here, but this bread is really good. It's a sturdy, chewy loaf that small kids may not be able to handle though. Any way, I cut the loaf in half, then in half lengthwise. After toasting in the broiler, I spread a mayo mix over the toasted

bread, then topped the bread with some sliced, cooked chicken. After that, I topped the chicken with Provolone Cheese and stuck it under the broiler for a short bit, so the cheese would get

nice and melted. When removed from the broiler, I topped the sandwich with fresh basil,, red onion, tomato and topped it with the other half of bread. It is so yummy, just like ordering one from a nice deli.

You may also use lettuce or roasted red peppers if desired, or any other toppings you desire. Served with chips, salad or Sweet Potato Oven Fries, it makes a great meal!

Wouldn't you like a bite of this? It's quick to make, so lets get started.

ITALIAN CHICKEN SANDWICHES ( adapted from Cooking Light)

1 Ciabatta loaf or Ciabatta rolls, or Italian bread of choice

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cooked in a skillet

salt, pepper and garlic powder

8-10 large basil leaves

6 slices Provolone Cheese, or 1 cup of shredded Mozzarella Cheese

tomato slices

bell pepper slices, or roasted red peppers

thinly sliced red onion, if desired

lettuce, if desired

Dressing

For dressing, you can use Creamy Italian dressing, OR mix together 1/4 cup regular Italian dressing with 3 Tbs. mayo, OR mix together 1/4 cup sun dried tomato pesto with 3 Tbs. mayo. I know those are 3 choices, but I like to experiment, that way if I'm out of an ingredient, I can use something else. In a large skillet in 1 Tbs. olive oil, brown chicken breasts that have been seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, if desired. Cook until juices run clear, lowering heat, if needed. Remove chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice chicken breasts into thin slices. Turn on broiler. Cut bread in half and place on a baking sheet, cut sides facing up. Place pan under the broiler for a minute or so, until bread is golden. Watch it carefully! Remove bread from broiler. Spread 1/2 of dressing over the bottom half of bread, and top with all of the chicken slices. Arrange cheese over the chicken and then place bread back under the broiler just until the cheese melts. It won't take long. Remove bread from broiler and finish topping sandwich with the basil, onion slices , tomato and bell pepper slices. Spread remaining dressing on top half of bread and place on top of sandwich. Don't skimp on the dressing! Cut into four sandwiches and serve. These are so scrumptious and flavorful! These sandwiches can be ready in 30 minutes, or less, depending on whether you have crying children hanging on your ankles or, if the phone is ringing and driving you crazy! It's an easy, quick meal, perfect after along day at work or any other time, for that matter. Try one today!

The Egg Salad Sandwich!

Behold, the Egg! Yes, I love eggs; have since my earliest memories. Of course, at this time of year Easter Eggs come to mind. We had lots of those growing up. But I also love all the other things you can do with eggs; deviled eggs, omelets, egg casserole, boiled eggs, fried, scrambled eggs, and the fabulous Egg Salad Sandwich! Of course, we can do so much more with these delicious orbs. They are the ingredient in so many recipes. Eggs have sustained generations of our ancestors!

Now,back to the present. Last week my daughter was craving an egg salad sandwich and so was I. We do things like that. So, she offered to make them. She and I were the only ones home that evening, so, we didn't have to worry about satisfying the carnivores for dinner. So my wonderful daughter made us sandwiches. We both like Egg Salad with minimal ingredients so the flavor of the egg shines through. Here's how she made them;

EGG SALAD SANDWICHES

Place 4 eggs in a sauce pan and add enough cold water to cover them. Place pan on burner and turn to medium high heat. When water comes to a boil, turn heat to low and cover pan. Simmer for about 10 minutes and then turn off heat. Leave the lid on to keep the heat in.
When the eggs have been on the stove for 20 minutes total, drain off the hot water and replace with cold water and let set until eggs are cool enough to handle. Gently crack the eggs and peel them. My daughter then finely diced the eggs into a bowl. You can mash them if you'd rather, or I some times use the pastry blender to mash them up. Now into the bowl add;

2-3 Tbs. of mayonnaise ( too much will make it soggy and sloppy, yuk!)

salt and pepper to taste

about 1/8 tsp. celery seed

fresh chives, if desired

Mix it all together and refrigerate until cold. Before eating, taste and adjust seasonings if needed. This is enough for 2-3 sandwiches. Enjoy! They are so creamy and good!

As an added note, today is my Wedding Anniverary! My amazing husband and I have been married 31 years! It sounds like a long time, but at other times I wonder how we got here so fast! Either way, it's been a great life!

Shredded Pork Sandwiches

The baked Pork Shoulder Roast that I cooked the other day for Carnitas was so good and I had so much meat that I froze some and still had enough left for a few sandwiches. The roast had been quite lean, plus the spices used made it also delicious as a barbecue sandwich. In fact, son number 2 prefers to make barbecue sandwiches with it. The meat was seasoned well so the sandwiches were very flavorful.

To make the sandwiches, heat the meat in a pan in the oven and remove it when warm enough. Turn the broiler on. On a baking sheet, lay out flat the buns you are going to use, and stick the pan under the broiler. Stay right by the oven and watch it closely as the bread browns quickly!

When slightly toasted take pan out of oven and slather some of your favorite barbecue sauce on the bottom half of bun. My husband wanted cheese on his, so I shredded some Monterrey Jack cheese and topped his sandwich with that. Back under the broiler it went for just a minute, until the cheese melts a little and then remove from the oven. You have a very delicious, satisfying sandwich that will make you happy the rest of the day! Well, that might be too powerful for a sandwich to accomplish, but they are mighty good. How do you use up a pork roast?

Sloppy Joes

Growing up, I loved Sloppy Joes. My Mother didn't fix them, but my school did, and that was one of the few good things they made that tasted good, or so I thought! When I was older and wanted a Sloppy Joe, I would buy a can of sauce from the grocery store and proceed to make them that way. And I continued doing it this way until a couple of years ago, when my daughter and I got tired of the taste of the can of sauce and wanted something fresher. So I began looking for a recipe. I found one on rachaelray.com that sounded interesting, but I changed it around some, so I guess you could say that it is loosely based on her recipe. I now like Sloppy Joes again!

This a kid friendly recipe, but you can easily spice it up more if your family likes it that way.



Sloppy Joes



1 &1/2 pounds lean ground beef or ground turkey

1/2 onion, diced

1/2 red or green bell pepper, diced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or 1 large garlic clove, minced

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 &1/2 T. worcestershire sauce

16 oz. tomato sauce

2 T. ketchup

pinch of cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, brown the meat with the onion and bell pepper until meat is thoroughly cooked. Drain fat if any. Add the rest of the ingredients, along with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 15 min to let sauce cook down and the favors to combine. Taste to see if you need to adjust the seasonings any. Serve on buns and enjoy!