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Showing posts with label sandwiches. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sandwiches. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

NuWave Oven Cuban-Style Pork Roast

Using a NuWave Oven can be a huge time saver, but it's also a great way to cook dinner without heating up the kitchen.  Here in Florida, keeping the kitchen cool is really important in the summer months, so I'm working on more recipes to use during those warmer upcoming days.

This is one recipe that I couldn't wait to rework.  Cuban Sandwiches are a favorite for my family and this recipe is a delicious twist on our original Grilled Cuban Sandwich recipe.

The "original" Cuban sandwich was said to have been created near Tampa, Florida, but there seems to be several variations of the "original".   The sandwich usually consists of sliced pork, deli ham, Swiss cheese, and sliced dill pickles.  These 4 ingredients are layered onto sliced Cuban bread and topped with a generous squirt of yellow mustard.  The sandwich is then grilled on a panini press, or similar type of grill, and toasted until the bread is crunchy, and it is a most delicious sandwich!


So here is where the NuWave Oven comes in.  I've always baked a pork loin roast for this sandwich instead of the traditional pork shoulder roast for two reasons.  First, it's much quicker to cook a pork loin than a 4 or 5 pound pork shoulder.  That is a big chunk of meat and it takes quite a while to cook.   Secondly, and most important to me, the pork loin is a leaner cut of meat.  It roasts beautifully, it's easy to slice and you save a lot of fat and calories.  So for us the loin works better and look however beautiful the crust is when cooked in the NuWave.

For this recipe we used orange juice and lime juice in the pork marinade, both of which are frequently used in Cuban cooking.  (The juices are what give the pork that nice crispy, caramelized crust.)


So here is the finished sandwich.  Moist pork loin layered with the ham, Swiss cheese and pickles, then grilled to perfection.  A few crunchy chips and pickled beets on the side make a delicious Cuban-style dinner.  Enjoy!!

3/4 cup  Orange Juice
1/4 cup  Lime Juice
1/2 tsp  Cumin
1/2 tsp  Oregano
1/2 tsp  Onion Powder
1 tsp  Sea Salt
1/2 tsp  Ground Black Pepper

1-1/2 lb  Lean Pork Loin Roast

Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a large zip lock bag, then place the pork roast in the bag.   Place the roast in the refrigerator and marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight, turning several times.

Prepare the NuWave cooking tray by lining the bottom tray with heavy duty foil.  (This will make cleanup quick and easy.)

Remove the roast from the bag and reserve the marinade.  Place the roast on the 4-inch rack of the NuWave Oven, set the power level to 7 and the timer to 20 minutes.  While the roast is cooking, heat the marinade in a small saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes, then remove the marinade from the heat.

When the 20-minute timer beeps, turn the roast over and drizzle with several spoons of the marinade.  Set the timer for 10 minutes, drizzle the marinade over the roast again and set the timer for a final 10 minutes.  Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the roast and add a few more minutes if needed.  If the roast is up to the desired temperature, remove the roast to a platter, cover and keep warm for about 10 minutes, before thinly slicing the pork.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Crispy Chicken Sandwich

During those endless back-to-school shopping trips to the mall, lots of Moms give in to the many, many requests for lunch.  After hearing "I'm hungry" a few too many times, how can we not succumb to all of those requests, especially when you see the Chick-Fil-A sign? Yum.

This is one of the few fast food sandwiches that I enjoy and yes, I know it's fried and not exactly a healthy sandwich, but they just taste so good!  And now you can make them at home.

This is a crispy and perfectly spicy sandwich that is so close, almost exactly, and maybe just a bit better than the mall variety.  With two layers of seasonings you get a combination of hot sauce, lots of pepper and just a bit of cayenne, to create a spicy sandwich with flavor that pops!


This sandwich starts with boneless skinless chicken breasts that are sliced in half horizontally, which allows the chicken fillets to cook quickly.  Next we marinate the chicken in a mixture of buttermilk, Frank's hot sauce and a few seasonings, which adds the first layer of flavor, followed by a quick dredge in seasoned flour.  The addition of a drizzle of buttermilk to the flour mixture adds delicious little crispy pieces to the finished sandwich.  All you need to complete this creation is a whole grain bun, (to keep it a little healthy!), a bit of mayo and a few sliced dill pickles.  Enjoy!!

1-3/4 lbs  Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, sliced in half horizontally

Marinade
1 cup  Buttermilk
2 TB  Frank's Hot Sauce
1 tsp  Salt
1/2 tsp  Ground Black Pepper

Dredging Flour Mixture
1-1/3 cups Flour
1 tsp  Seasoned Salt
1 tsp  Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp  Paprika
1-1/2 tsp  Garlic Powder
1-1/2 tsp  Onion Powder
1/2 to 1 tsp  Cayenne Pepper, adjust according to preference
2 TB  Buttermilk

Canola Oil for Frying

Whole Grain Sandwich Buns
Mayonnaise
Sliced Dill Pickles for Garnish

In a medium glass bowl combine the buttermilk, Frank's sauce and the salt and pepper.  Add the chicken fillets to the buttermilk, turning to evenly coat each piece.  Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to 2 hours, if needed, turning the chicken occasionally.

In a medium bowl combine the flour and the rest of the dry seasonings and stir to combine.  Drizzle the 2 tablespoons of buttermilk into the seasoned flour, stirring lightly with a fork to create small clumps in the batter.

Use tongs to remove the fillets from the marinade, letting the excess liquid drip off.  Dredge each fillet in the flour mixture, pressing down and turning to coat each side, then place the chicken on a platter.  Repeat with the rest of the chicken.

In a large skillet, heat 1/2-inch of oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Carefully add two or three pieces of chicken to the pan, without crowding them, and fry for 4 - 5 minutes or until crispy.  Turn the chicken over and cook the other side for about 4 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear, being careful not to overcook the chicken. Remove chicken from the pan and place on paper towels to drain.  Serve on sandwich buns with mayonnaise and dill pickle slices.  Enjoy!!

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Calamari Po'Boy Sandwiches

Until a few years ago I had never tasted calamari.  Growing up in the Midwest, fresh seafood was pretty scarce, and the thought of eating "squid" would have made me cringe, so, I was a little nervous the first time I tried these little rings. Fortunately they had been prepared in a light tempura batter and quickly fried to ensure they were not overcooked, and they were delicious.  (That is the main secret to preparing calamari, don't overcook it or the rings will be rubber bands.)

Since calamari has become so common on restaurant menus, I was looking forward to cooking some at home.  When I spotted calamari on sale at our local fish market, that was just the incentive I needed to give it a try.

For our Calamari Po'Boy Sandwiches we used a double batter.  First the rings are coated in cornmeal, then dipped in an egg wash before being lightly coated in Italian seasoned breadcrumbs.  The result is a crispy coating that cooks fast and doesn't taste heavy.  We used a wok to fry the rings and it worked great to keep the oil at an even temperature, even when cooking multiple batches.


To add a little extra flavor to our Po'Boys we added a few goodies from our garden, a layer of fresh basil leaves and a spoonful of marinated cucumbers.  The cucumbers, with a nice cool sauce, added a delicious contrast to the calamari and all we needed to finish the sandwich was a drizzle of homemade sriracha sauce.

  

The calamari rings were so good my hubby even made his own snacks while he was waiting for dinner.  A piece of calamari, a slice of cucumber, a little basil leaf and a generous drop of sriracha, and he was a happy man.  Enjoy!!

Cucumber Salad

2 large  Cucumbers, peeled and sliced
1/2 tsp  Salt
Pinch of Black Pepper
1 TB  Minced Chives
1 cup  Sour Cream
1-1/2 TB  Lemon Juice

In a medium glass bowl combine all ingredients, stirring to evenly coat the cucumbers.  Chill for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Fried Calamari Rings

1 lb  Calamari Rings
1/4 cup  Yellow Cornmeal
2  Eggs, beaten
1 cup  Italian Breadcrumbs
Canola Oil for Frying
Whole Sandwich Buns or Hoagie Rolls
Fresh Basil Leaves, washed
Cucumber Salad
Sriracha Sauce, optional

In a large deep pot, or a wok works great if you have one, heat the oil until very hot and shimmering.

Coat the calamari rings in the cornmeal, shaking off any excess breading.  Then dip the rings in the eggs, then into the breadcrumb mixture.  Again, shake off excess breading and lay the rings on a baking sheet.

Carefully drop the rings into the hot oil and cook until golden brown, about 1 - 2 minutes.  Remove the rings with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain.

Place a layer of the basil leaves on the bottom bun, followed by a layer of cucumbers and finally several calamari rings.  A drizzle of sriracha sauce on top adds a little extra spice.  Enjoy!!

Saturday, July 13, 2013

El Diablo Burger

During our recent trip to Universal Studios, we were excited to find the park was home to one of Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville restaurants.  Overlooking the waterway in the heart of the park, this was a great place too cool off, grab a burger for dinner and enjoy the very "festive" atmosphere.

My husband chose the El Diablo burger which included a spicy assortment of toppings including crispy fried onions, roasted poblano peppers, Monterey jack cheese, chili paste, and spicy chipotle ketchup.  Not only did he love this burger, he wanted to recreate it at home.
So that was my assignment.  Try to duplicate this burger, that I never tasted, and get as close as possible to the original.  So the challenge was on and, according to my husband, this was a pretty good burger.

The crispy fried onions were easy, we used French's crunchy onions for that step.  The poblano peppers in our garden were just the right size, and this would be our first chance to use them this season.  We quickly charred the peppers on the grill, let them cool, then removed the blackened skin to reveal the smoky pepper inside.  Then it was easy to slice the peppers open so they would lie flat on the bun.

The chili paste stumped me a bit, but I ended up using Sriracha sauce and just blended it into the meat with a bit of salt and pepper.  The chipotle ketchup was super easy and will be something we will make for many other meals.  Start with plain ketchup, add one chipotle pepper and a spoonful of the adobo sauce the pepper is packed in, then blend for 10 seconds. It's an easy, spicy sauce that would taste great with almost anything. (If you like extra spicy sauce, add two chipotle peppers to the mixture.)

We grilled the burgers until medium-rare, then topped them off with a slice of Monterey jack cheese and the sandwiches were ready to serve.  Everyone loves the burgers, kids included!  For those not too into lots of spice, you can serve the ketchup on the side.  It makes a great dip for the sandwich or even French fries.

There is a bit of extra work involved with this burger recipe, but the results are well worth it.  The ketchup can be made and the peppers can be roasted in advance, which will save some time when you're ready to grill. This is one great burger. Enjoy!!

Chipotle Ketchup
3/4 cup  Ketchup
1  Whole Chipotle Pepper, packed in adobo sauce
1 TB  Adobo Sauce

Add the 3 ingredients to a small blender and puree a few seconds.  Refrigerate until needed.

Roasting Poblano Peppers
Rinse 1 pepper for each sandwich you will be serving.  Place the whole peppers on the grill over medium-high heat and roast 5 - 8 minutes, turning frequently to evenly char the entire pepper.  We also tried this on the side burner and it worked great, too.

 
Place the peppers in a paper bag and allow to cool for 15 minutes.  Remove the peppers from the bag and gently peel off the charred skin. (The skin will come off very easily.) Carefully slice off the top of the peppers, and remove all seeds.  Slice the peppers from top to bottom and lay flat on a plate until needed.

Burgers
2 lbs  Extra Lean Ground Beef (this will make 6 patties)
1 TB  Sriracha Sauce (or a bit more to taste)
1 tsp  Kosher Salt
1 tsp  Ground Pepper

Combine the beef with the seasonings, form the meat into patties and place on a platter. 

Other Burger Toppings
Sliced Monterey Jack Cheese
6  Deli Burger Buns
French's Fried Crispy Onions

Grill the burger over medium heat until medium-rare, then add the Monterey jack cheese during the last few minutes of cooking.

Place a spoonful of chipotle ketchup onto each bun, lay a poblano pepper on the bottom bun, then add the burger.  The top bun gets a generous sprinkle of crunchy onions and dinner is ready to serve.

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Shrimp and Crab Po'Boy Sandwich

It's always been a custom at our house that the birthday person gets to choose anything they would like for their birthday dinner.  It's been an especially fun tradition to watch as our kids grew older.  Their tastes have changed each year as they experienced new foods and cuisines, and they have learned which foods they love and even some foods that they don't like.  And as a very proud Mom, I have to admit, they have never, not even once, asked for McDonald's for their birthday dinner. YES!!


So tonight, for my daughter's very special 13th birthday, she chose a Seafood Po'Boy sandwich.  She really didn't specify at first what kind of sandwich she wanted, but just gave me a basic suggestion of shrimp, made into a po'boy.  So we came up with this sandwich together, and she was very pleased with the results.

What made this dinner even better, was that it is super easy to make.  Shrimp, crab meat, a few seasonings, lots of garlic and a quick 10 minutes to marinate and you are ready to cook.  Sautéing the seafood mixture takes less than 10 minutes, and a quick broil to crisp up the rolls is just 4 minutes longer.

This is a great seafood sandwich that's full of flavor and gets a little kick from Sriracha sauce.  You might notice we use fresh and dried basil in this dish.  This is something we've done for many years when cooking shrimp, and for some reason, as good as fresh basil tastes, the flavor is further enhanced by the dried basil.  I'm not sure why, but it tastes great when they are blended.  You could also use only fresh or only dried basil in this recipe and the results would still be delicious.  Enjoy!!

6  Hoagie Rolls, sliced lengthwise
1-1/2 lbs  Medium Raw Shrimp, peeled and deveined
8 oz  Imitation Crab Meat, flake style (also called Surimi)
1/3 cup  Olive Oil
3 TB  Minced Garlic
2  Heaping TB  Chopped Fresh Basil
1 TB  Dried Basil
1 TB  Paprika
2 TB  Sriracha Sauce  (use 1 TB for less heat)
3 TB  Balsamic Vinegar
1/8 tsp  Cayenne Pepper
Grated Parmesan Cheese for Garnish, optional

Place the hoagie rolls on a foil-lined baking sheet and set aside.

In a large glass bowl, combine all of the remaining ingredients.  Stir gently to evenly coat the shrimp and crab, then set the mixture aside to marinate for 10 minutes.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high.  When the skillet is hot, add the shrimp-crab mixture and spread into an even layer.  Cook for 4 minutes undisturbed, then turn the seafood over and cover the skillet with a lid.  Cook for 4 minutes longer, then stir the mixture to make sure all of the shrimp are cooked through and pink.  Remove the skillet from the heat while you make the sandwiches.

Spoon the seafood mixture into the hoagie rolls, pressing the mixture down slightly while stuffing the rolls.  Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the sandwiches and broil for 4 minutes or until golden on top.  Serve with cole slaw.  Serves about 6 and any leftover seafood makes a wonderful lunch the next day.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich

The legendary Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich is said to have originated in the early 1930's in Philadelphia.  This hearty sandwich is served on French or Italian rolls and consists of very thinly sliced roast beef, sautéed onions and peppers, and melted cheese.  There seems to be a lot of disagreement regarding the type of cheese to use, but provolone and American seem to be the favorites.

 
Instead of buying deli roast beef for our sandwiches, which currently runs $10 or more per pound (ouch!), I bought a bottom round beef roast, which at $4.50 per pound is a great bargain and my favorite choice for sliced beef sandwiches.  This cut of beef cooks quickly, and only needs a generous coating of seasoned salt and cracked pepper before roasting.  Cooking the roast until it reaches 145 degrees in the center, then letting it rest for about 20 minutes, delivers a tender and juicy cut of beef that is right around medium-rare and ready for slicing.  The 3 pound roast used in this recipe is about twice the amount needed for the 5 of us, but the leftover beef is great for sandwiches, and the 3 pound size seems to always cook perfectly, so I always buy the same size.

 
For the toppings, we sautéed sliced onion and green and orange peppers for our sandwiches and topped them off with smoked provolone cheese.  A quick 3 minutes under the broiler melted the cheese until it was bubbly and the bread was slightly toasted. Delicious!

3 lb  Bottom Round Beef Roast
Seasoned Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 TB  Olive Oil
1  Green Pepper, cored and sliced
1  Orange or Red Pepper, cored and sliced
1  medium Onion, sliced
Smoked Provolone Cheese Slices
French or Italian Hoagie Rolls, sliced lengthwise

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking pan with foil and place the roast in the pan, fat side up.  Generously coat the roast with seasoned salt and pepper, then bake uncovered for about 60 to 90 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 145 degrees.

Remove the roast from the oven and allow to rest for 20 - 30 minutes.  Once the roast has cooled slightly, slice the meat very thinly and place the meat on a platter until you are ready to prepare the sandwiches.

Line a baking sheet with foil, place the hoagie rolls on the sheet and place a slice of provolone cheese in the base of each roll; set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the peppers and onions to the skillet, add a little more ground black pepper, and sauté until tender, about 8 - 10 minutes. 

Add about half of the meat to the skillet with the peppers and onions (this will serve about 6 people) and set the rest of the meat aside.  Sauté the mixture quickly, stirring the beef, onions and peppers together.  If the beef looks a bit dry, add one or two teaspoons of olive oil to the skillet, and continue to stir, only cooking the beef for about 2 minutes.

Scoop portions of the beef, onions and peppers onto the hoagie rolls, pressing the mixture into the rolls.  Top with slices of provolone cheese, then place the sandwiches under the broiler for 2 - 3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the rolls are slightly browned.  Serve immediately.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Caribbean Seafood Sandwich with Lime-Dijon Vinaigrette

Summer has arrived early here in Florida with temperatures already in the low 80's.  Although my basil and tomato plants are very happy to have the warm temperatures, after a few hours of yard work,  we wanted something light and cold for dinner. 

 
We started by boiling some medium-sized shrimp.  Just a few lemon wedges, Old Bay seasoning and bay leaves are all you need for delicious boiled shrimp.  And they only take about 4 minutes to cook. Super easy!

Next, we chopped imitation crab meat into bite-sized pieces,  (This crab is also called surimi and is the same crab used in some sushi.)  and added a little minced jalapeno and green onion.  I used half of a jalapeno in this recipe, but I think I would use the whole pepper next time.  The heat from the jalapeno was really tasty.

Instead of a mayonnaise-based dressing we went with a simple and light Dijon and lime juice vinaigrette.  The flavors of the Dijon, lime and jalapeno all came through it this light, delicious coating and were a huge improvement over the customary heavy mayonnaise dressing.

We used Cuban bread to make the sandwiches because of its light, airy texture, and adding a drizzle of the vinaigrette to the sandwich allowed the bread to soak up some of that zingy flavor.  As an alternative, my daughter used the butter lettuce leaves to make "wraps" that were also delicious.  I'm sure this cool seafood sandwich will be a family favorite this summer.  Enjoy!!

1-1/2 lbs  Medium Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1-1/2 quarts  Water
1  Lemon,  cut into wedges
1 TB  Old Bay Seasoning
2  Bay Leaves
10 oz  Imitation Crab Meat, coarsely chopped
1 heaping TB  Dijon Mustard
1 TB  Lime Juice
2 TB  Red Wine Vinegar
2 tsp  Honey
4 TB  Olive Oil
1 TB  Minced Green Onions
1 TB  Minced Jalapeno Pepper ( use 2 TB for more heat)
Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper, to taste
Cuban Bread, sliced lengthwise and into portions
Garnishes:  Sliced Tomatoes, Butter Lettuce, Avocado Slices, Chopped Green Onions and Lime Wedges

Place the water, lemon wedges, Old Bay and bay leaves in a large pot.  Bring to a boil, then add the shrimp to the pot.  Cook 3 - 4 minutes, stirring several times, until the shrimp are bring pink and cooked through.  Drain the shrimp and transfer to a platter to cool.

In a medium glass bowl combine the Dijon, lime juice, vinegar, honey, olive oil, onions and jalapeno.  Whisk vigorously to combine, then season the vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper.  Add the cooled shrimp and the chopped crab meat to the vinaigrette and stir to coat the seafood.

Slice the Cuban bread into the desired portions and cut out a wedge of the bread interior.  Place a scoop of the salad onto the bread, along with a spoonful of the vinaigrette.  Top with butter lettuce, and a few slices of tomato and avocado and a sprinkle of diced green onions.  Served lime wedges on the side.  Enjoy!!

Monday, January 21, 2013

Salmon BLT Sandwich

Salmon is one of my favorite varieties of fish.  You can prepare salmon in so many ways and the fish will always taste amazing. And that's just the case with this Salmon BLT Sandwich, a twist on the classic BLT.  This is a delicious way to serve a healthy portion of salmon as a sandwich with the added treat of a little bacon, fresh tomato and spinach.

   

Another surprise to this sandwich is the simple caper and dill dressing.  If you aren't familiar with capers, or have never cooked with them, they are a great item to keep on hand.  You only need a single teaspoon for this recipe and they add a bright zing of flavor to the dressing.  I'm sure we will be using this same dressing with many others dishes in the future.  Enjoy!!


1/2 tsp  Dried Dill
1 tsp  Capers, very finely chopped
1/4 cup  Light Mayonnaise
1/4 tsp  Ground Black Pepper

1 lb  Salmon Fillets, skinless, cut into 4 portions
Salt and Pepper
8  slices  Bacon
1  large  Tomato, sliced
1 cup  Fresh Spinach, washed and patted dry
Sliced Sourdough Bread, toasted

In a small bowl combine the dill, capers, mayo and pepper.  Stir to combine and chill until ready to serve.

Place the salmon on a serving platter and lightly season both sides with salt and ground black pepper.  Wrap each salmon fillet with 2 slices of bacon, wrapping the bacon around, then overlap with the second slice, until the salmon is wrapped snug with the bacon.  Repeat with the remaining pieces of salmon.

Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat until hot.  Place the salmon in the pan and cook for about 4 - 5 minutes until the bacon is browned, then turn the salmon over and cook 4 minutes longer.

Serve the cooked salmon on toasted sourdough bread, with sliced tomatoes, fresh spinach and a dollop of the caper and dill dressing.

Friday, December 28, 2012

Roquefort Burgers

Ahh.. the creamy yumminess of blue cheese tucked inside of a juicy burger.  And this is no ordinary blue cheese, but Roquefort Cheese.  As we approach the end of this holiday season, sometimes a simple burger is just what we need for a weeknight dinner.  But we decided to give these burgers a little something extra.


Roquefort cheese has a unique flavor which pairs well with beef. We included the crumbled cheese inside the burger, then added about a tablespoon of cheese to the top of each burger and let it slowly melt. 

This is such a super easy burger, but the flavor is amazing.  If you are a blue cheese fan, but have never tried Roquefort cheese, this is going to be a real treat.

1 lb  Extra Lean Ground Beef
2 - 3 oz  Roquefort Cheese, crumbled
Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper to taste

In a medium bowl combine the beef, cheese and salt and pepper, mixing by hand to form 4 patties.  For the best flavor, try to center a few larger pieces of Roquefort into the middle of each burger.

Grill the burgers over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, turn burgers over and cook 3 minutes.  Add a tablespoonful of cheese to the top of each burger and cook 3 - 4 minutes longer.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Catfish Po'Boy with Creole Slaw

Well, today was my lucky day.  I have been hoping to find catfish on sale and today was the day.  For some reason the price of catfish has skyrocketed over the last few years. The fillets we used to pay $2 per pound for are now almost $10 per pound. For catfish!  Catfish is one of my favorite varieties of fish, but when it costs more than salmon?  Well, salmon will win every time.

Many Po'Boy sandwiches have a mayonnaise-based sauce or dressing, and I was hoping to avoid that on this sandwich.  The catfish needed to be crispy-crunchy without drowning in sauce.  I also wanted to try out a Creole-style slaw to go on top of the fish.  A slaw that would add crunch, but not be drippy with dressing, and this recipe came together perfectly.

 
For the slaw I started with a bowl of finely shredded cabbage and one shredded carrot.  Then I added a few basic slaw ingredients like mayo, cider vinegar and a bit of sugar.  But I wanted this to have a Cajun flavor, so I needed to spice it up just a bit.  A little Creole mustard and a pinch of paprika were all it needed.  I prepared the slaw about 3 hours before dinner, so it was still nice and crunchy when we assembled the sandwiches, but the cabbage had absorbed the flavors nicely.

We served the catfish on hoagie rolls and added a few slices of these beautiful orange tomatoes we found at the farmers market.  The tomatoes have a slightly citrusy flavor and they combined nicely with the fish and slaw.  A few squeezes of lime juice on top were the only "sauce" this sandwich needed.  Enjoy!!

To Prepare the Slaw
4 cups  Shredded Cabbage
1  Carrot, shredded
1 TB  Sugar
1/2 cup  Hellman's Light Mayonnaise
1/4 cup  Apple Cider Vinegar
2 TB  Creole Mustard
1/4 tsp  Paprika
1 tsp  Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp  Black Pepper

Combine all ingredients in a glass bowl and stir to evenly coat all of the cabbage.  Refrigerate at least 2-3 hours.

To Prepare the Fish
3  Large Catfish Fillets (about 1-3/4 lb), cut in half
Canola Oil for Frying
2  Large Eggs
2 TB  Frank's Hot Sauce
2 TB  Heavy Cream  or  Milk
1/2 cup  Cornmeal
1/4 cup  Flour
1 tsp  Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp  Black Pepper
1 tsp  Onion Powder
1/2 tsp  Paprika
1/4 tsp  Cayenne Pepper
Sliced Tomatoes for Garnish

In a medium bowl combine the eggs, hot sauce and cream or milk and stir well.  Set aside.

In a large bowl or dish combine the remaining dry spices and set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add a 1/2-inch of canola oil and heat until shimmering.  Dip the fillets one at a time into the egg mixture, then into the cornmeal coating.  Place each piece into the skillet and cook about 5 - 6 minutes, or until browned and crispy.  Turn the fish over and cook for 5 minutes longer.  Transfer to a paper towel lined baking sheet to drain.

Serve the catfish fillets on hoagie rolls with sliced tomatoes and a spoonful of the Creole slaw on top.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

BLT, Fried Egg and Pepper Cheese Sandwich

Ok, envision for a moment what it would be like to work in a restaurant. While some of you may be familiar with the frantic pace, the long hours and the ever-changing schedules, others may have no idea what restaurant life is like.  Many people have asked me if it was "fun" to work in the food business and that question always makes me smile. While it is enjoyable to work with other foodies, sharing ideas and orchestrating the perfect dinner party, it is without a doubt, an incredibly demanding job.

Believe it or not, when working in a commercial kitchen, one of the most difficult things to do is to remember to eat!  Seeing so much food you sometimes simply forgot to eat.  Then you glance at the clock and it's 10 pm and the last time you ate was somewhere around 7 am.  Now you're starving and you want something that resembles comfort food, but is quick and easy to throw together.  This sandwich was very often a combination lunch-dinner-bedtime snack..and it is amazing!

The original recipe by Chef Thomas Keller was published years ago in Food and Wine magazine, but the sandwich idea itself has existed in the restaurant business for much longer.  It's a combination of a BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato) sandwich, a fried egg sandwich and a grilled cheese sandwich all put together into one delicious sandwich.  This makes a great dinner and you will absolutely love it!

Several Slices of Bacon, cooked and drained
Sliced Pepper Cheese or Provolone Cheese
2 Slices of Toasted Bread, I love using Italian Bread
Mayonnaise
Tomato Slices
Butter Lettuce Leaves
1 tsp  Butter
1  Large Egg

Place the toasted bread on a plate.  Place the pepper cheese on one side and spread mayonnaise on the other half and top with bacon, tomato and lettuce.

In a small skillet, melt the butter and fry the egg over medium heat, turning once so the egg is cooked around the edge but still runny inside.

Carefully place the sunny side up egg onto the lettuce side of the sandwich.  Place the other slice on top and slice the sandwich in half.

Monday, June 18, 2012

NuWave Oven Roast Beef

For his Father's Day dinner this year my husband requested French Dip Sandwiches.  This is a delicious sandwich, but heating the house up in the summertime just to cook a roast is not my favorite thing to do. So I decided to try Plan B.

I pulled out my NuWave Oven and decided to use it to make the roast beef.  I've only used the oven for whole chickens and chicken drumsticks, and I've been wanting to try it for other foods, so today was the day.

I bought a bottom round roast that weighed in at 3-1/2 pounds and seasoned it generously with seasoned salt, lots of ground black pepper and a little mist of olive oil from a spray bottle, just to keep it from sticking to the roasting grid.  I gave the grid itself a quick spray too and lined the bottom drip pan with heavy duty foil. (Zero cleanup on the pan..yay!!)

I placed the roast on the 1-inch rack with the fat side up, inserted an oven-proof thermometer in the side of the roast and set the timer for 20 minutes on HI.  **Make sure the thermometer does not touch the metal edges of the oven.

After 20 minutes the timer beeped and I flipped the roast over.  (It was already smelling amazing!!)  I set the timer for another 20 minutes and started the oven again.  I kept a close eye on the roast for this second half of cook time.  The roast was browning nicely but the thermometer was not quite high enough, reaching about 115 degrees.  I wanted to get to the 120-125 range before turning off the heat, so I added another 10 minutes to the timer.  This extra cook time brought the temp up to 123 degrees, which was good with me.  I turned the oven off and let the roast rest in the oven for 10 minutes longer, which brought the internal temp up to a juicy 133 degrees.  By the time I was slicing the meat it had a nice crust of salt and pepper on the outside and the inside was a perfect medium-rare.  So yummy.
   

Here are some pictures of the whole process.  For those of you who own a NuWave, drag that thing out and give it a try this summer and you might find you can save yourself some money.  By cooking the beef in the NuWave I had the chance to season the meat the way we liked and since the roast was on sale ($3.99 per pound) I saved about $18 over the price of roast beef from the deli ($9.99 per pound).  A delicious money-saving meal and I didn't even have to heat up the house.

We served the sandwiches with sliced swiss cheese and horseradish-mayo and a little bowl of french onion soup to dip the sandwich into.  Enjoy!

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Crispy Swai Sandwich with Chipotle Mayo

Mmm..crispy fish sandwiches on a Friday night.  I know, I know...frying is not the healthiest way to prepare fish, but sometimes you just get in the mood for some delicious fried fish.

Growing up, as far back as I can remember, we would have fish for dinner on Friday nights. There were several reasons for this, the first being Lent. During the 6 weeks or so before Lent, Catholics are not supposed to eat meat, and for us fish was the protein of choice.  The second reason was because my Mom hated fish, and my Dad loved it!

Since my Mom worked most Fridays, my Dad would take my sister and me out for a fish dinner.  Sometimes it was McDonald's (this was back when McD's was a once-in-a-while "treat" not a daily visit like it is for many people today), sometimes it was to Arthur Treacher's Fish-N-Chips (melt in your mouth, lightly beer-battered fish that was just heavenly!!) or even Red Lobster if we were really lucky ("so fancy", we thought!).  There were also the local church Fish Fry events every Friday night during Lent or the Anchor Inn, a favorite local restaurant where I first learned how to eat catfish without getting a forkful of bones!  Lots of fun nights and many great memories.

This recipe uses Swai Fillets, which is a type of catfish.  The fish was golden and crispy-crunchy on the outside while the inside was sweet, moist and delicious.  The spicy chipotle mayo on top added a nice touch of flavor to the fish and any leftover sauce is great on grilled chicken sandwiches, too.

I think my Dad would have loved this sandwich just as much as we did.  Happy Father's Day Dad, we miss you.

3/4 cup  Flour
1/2 cup  Yellow Cornmeal
1/2 cup  White Cornmeal
1 tsp  Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp  Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp  Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 cup  Flour
2  Large Eggs, beaten
2/3 cup  Milk
4  Large Swai or Catfish Fillets, cut in half (about 1-3/4 lbs)
1 cup  Mayonnaise
2  Canned Chipotle Chilies in Adobo
2 tsp  Adobo Sauce
2 TB  Honey
2 TB  Lemon Juice
1 cup  Oil for Frying
8  Kaiser Rolls or Buns
Boston Lettuce Leaves
Tomatoes, thinly sliced

Make Ahead:  In a small food processor, combine the mayo, chipotles, honey and lemon juice and process until smooth.  Place sauce in a glass bowl, cover and refrigerate until needed.

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper and set aside.

You will need 3 bowls for this assembly process.  Pour 3/4 cup flour into the first bowl.  In the second bowl combine the eggs with the milk and beat until blended.  In the third bowl, combine the yellow and white cornmeal, salt, pepper, Old Bay and 1/4 cup flour.

Dredge the fillets in the flour, then the egg mixture, followed by the cornmeal mixture, then place on the baking sheet.  Make sure the fillets are well coating the the cornmeal as this will ensure a crispy-crunchy texture.  Let the fillets rest about 15-20 minutes, or you can cover the baking sheet and place in the refrigerator for up to 1 hour, if needed.

Pour oil into a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Place 4 fillets into the pan and fry over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes or until crispy and golden.  Carefully turn fillets, reduce heat to medium and cook 5 minutes longer.  When fillets are golden, remove from pan and place on a paper towel lined platter to drain.  Keep fillets warm while cooking the remaining 4 fillets.

Place the fillets atop the kaiser rolls and spread with a generous dollop of the Chipotle Sauce, a few leaves of lettuce and a juicy slice of tomato.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Grilled Cuban-Style Burgers

Ahhh...grilling season is finally upon us!  Cooking dinner on the grill saves so much time and it doesn't  heat up the house on these hot summer nights, so I'm all for finding new recipes for grillable meals.

This burger is a tasty twist on the Classic Cuban Sandwich.  A Cuban sandwich consists of sliced pork, sliced ham, Swiss cheese, mustard and pickles, and is grilled to perfection on a panini-style grill. 

For this burger, we used ground sirloin and kept the ham, Swiss and pickle from the traditional sandwich.  The results were delicious!  The melty Swiss cheese paired well with the ham and sirloin and it was a nice change from our usual burgers.  We will definitely be making these again.  Enjoy!!

1 lb Lean Ground Beef
1 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp  Seasoned Salt
1/2 tsp  Ground Black Pepper
8 thin slices Cooked Ham (about 3 oz)
8 slices Swiss Cheese
4 Rolls or Buns, split and toasted
Sliced Dill Pickles

In a bowl, combine beef, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Shape into 4 - 3/4 inch thick patties. On a charcoal grill, place patties on rack of uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 14 - 18 minutes or until meat is cooked to 160 degrees, turning once halfway through grilling. Top each with a slice of ham and cheese and allow the cheese to melt.

Prepare the rolls with one slice of cheese on the bottom bun and 1 slice of ham.  Place burger on top of ham and top with sliced pickles. Serves 4.

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Summer Ham Salad

When you have a food blog, sometimes life just gets in the way of being creative.  During the past several weeks our yard has been "under construction" while we had an old patio and retaining wall replaced, then followed it up with laying new sod.  What a huge project this turned out to be!  But on the brighter side, we have a nice new patio and since we can use our grill a bit easier now, we'll be adding lots of new grilling recipes to the web site very soon.

Once that project was finished, I made a quick trip to Tallahassee and reacquainted myself with restaurant food.  Ya know what??  I really don't like restaurant food.  The service received at restaurants seems to have really fallen off over the past few years.  Servers are slow and inattentive, the food is under seasoned and sloppy, and the prices?? Yikes!  I knew it had been a while since I'd  been out to dinner but really, the prices being charged for mediocre food are shocking.  I could not wait to get back home so I could cook something...anything, just so I could add some seasoning!

So, after a couple of crazy-busy weeks, it's time to get back to posting some new recipes. Well, kind of new recipes.  Ham Salad is a dish I learned to make when I was in high school while I was working at a country club.  Ham Salad finger sandwiches were commonly served there for wedding receptions and I probably made several thousand of these over my years there. 

It's been so long since I made this dish I had to really think about the measurements because I've always prepared it by memory.  The ingredients are very flexible and can be changed according to your own tastes. The original recipe used German garlic bologna instead of ham but we still called it "ham" salad...lol.  It's also very good made with smoked ham or honey ham for a slightly sweeter batch.


This salad is great on crackers or on a nice soft dinner roll and makes a great lunch or light dinner.  It's perfect for hot summer days (like today!) when you want something quick and cool and easy.  Just add a small salad and dinner is ready.  Enjoy!


2 lb  Smoked Ham  (or German Beef Bologna or Honey Ham)
3  Hard Boiled Eggs, chopped**
1 cup  Shredded Cheddar Cheese**
1 cup  Mayonnaise**
1/2 cup  Sweet Pickle Relish**
3 TB  Sugar

Using a food grinder, grind the ham into a large bowl. (A food processor works great, too.) Add the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine.  For the best flavor, prepare the salad one day in advance.

**  The amounts for eggs, cheese, mayo and pickle relish can be adjusted to suit your own preferences.  If you like more mayo, just add an extra tablespoon at a time and mix it into the salad  until you get the consistency you prefer.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Blackened Shrimp Po'Boy Sandwich

I can't believe Summer is nearly upon us.  Here in Florida the temperatures are already into the mid to upper 80's and I'm afraid we might be in store for a very hot summer.  So this is a great time to start experimenting with some new lighter fare for those days when it's too hot to bake anything and you just want a nice light sandwich.

With a just a few minutes of prep time and a handful of fresh ingredients, you can make this delicious Blackened Shrimp Po'Boy Sandwich for lunch or as part of a light dinner. 

This is also a very inexpensive meal.  Considering a fast food cheeseburger meal probably runs $5 per person (or more) and is far from healthy, the half pound of shrimp will only cost $3 - $4 and will make at least 2 sandwiches.  On top of that you have a fresh and healthy sandwich full of bright flavors that will taste SO much better than a processed burger.

1/2 lb  50-60 ct Shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 tsp  Old Bay Blackened Seasoning
1 tsp  Garlic Powder
1 tsp  Butter
1 tsp  Olive Oil
2 tsp  Minced Garlic
2  Hoagie Rolls
Provolone Cheese
Romaine Leaves

Once the shrimp are cleaned, place them on a small plate in a single layer and sprinkle with the Old Bay and garlic powder.  Turn if needed to evenly coat the shrimp and set aside.

Prepare the hoagie rolls, lining each roll with romaine and provolone cheese; set aside.

Using a small skillet, add the butter, olive oil and garlic, browning the garlic over medium-high heat.  Once the garlic is slightly browned, add the shrimp to the skillet in a single layer.  Do not turn the shrimp and allow to cook about 3 minutes over medium-high heat.  This will allow the shrimp to sear.  Turn the shrimp and cook for 1 - 2 minutes until cooked thru.

Scoop the shrimp into the 2 hoagie rolls and serve with sliced pickles or a light salad.  Enjoy!!

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

It's easy to turn a few simple chicken breasts into a delicious meal, but what if you only want to make lunch for 2 people?  Recipes for larger quantities can be difficult to break down into smaller numbers of servings because the amount of seasonings and spices has to be reduced to such a small measurement. 

This recipe for Buffalo Chicken Breast Sandwiches is a quick and easy to make lunch that you can prepare with ingredients most people have on hand. The sauce can be made spicier by adding the red pepper flakes, but if you just want a little heat, leave them out and the sandwich is just as tasty.

2  Sandwich Rolls or Buns
1-1/2 TB  Butter
1/2 tsp  White Vinegar
1/2 tsp  Black Pepper
1 tsp  Garlic Powder
1 TB  Franks Red Hot Sauce
1/4 tsp Red Chili Flakes, optional
Leaf or Romaine Lettuce Leaves, optional
Sliced Provolone Cheese

Lightly butter the inside of each of the sandwich buns.  In a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, place the buns in the skillet open side down and heat until lightly brown.  Remove from the skillet and place on 2 plates.

In the same skillet,  melt the butter, then add the vinegar, black pepper, garlic powder and Frank's sauce.  Stir to combine and heat for 4-5 minutes until garlic powder is fully blended and the mixture is warm.  Pour the sauce into 2 small serving dishes, leaving 1-2 teaspoons of sauce in the skillet.

Lightly season the chicken fillets with salt and pepper and add them to the skillet. Grill chicken breasts for 4-5 minutes on each side until juices run clear.  The butter and sauce in the skillet will coat the chicken nicely as it cooks.

Place chicken breasts on the buns and top with lettuce, provolone cheese, a spoonful of the Buffalo sauce and then top of bun. Serve with carrot and celery sticks and blue cheese salad dressing.

**  GIVEAWAY!! ~~ Be sure to enter the Rice Select Giveaway.  Click  HERE!  for more details. The winner will be selected on Wednesday, April 4, 2012.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Crispy Swai Sandwiches

Here is another great way to cook Swai fillets.  These can be served on hoagie rolls as shown or served on a bed of Chipotle Slaw.  Great mustard flavor and the crunch of Panko crumbs make for a delicious sandwich. 

1 cup  Flour
1 1/2 TB  Chili Powder
1 tsp  Black Pepper
1/2 cup  Dark Beer
3/4 cup  Stone Ground Mustard
2 cups  Panko Crumbs
1 TB  Garlic Powder
1 TB  Paprika
1 tsp  Kosher Salt
1 1/2 lb  Swai Fillets (or regular catfish)

In a shallow dish combine the flour, chili powder and pepper, and set aside.

In a seperate shallow dish combine the beer and mustard, and set aside.

In a 3rd shallow dish combine the panko garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
Dredge the fish fillets in the flour mixture, then the beer and mustard and finally dredge in the panko crumb mix.  Place coated fillets on a large platter.

Heat 1 cup of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Carefully add the fish and cook about 2 - 3 minutes per side, turning gently. You may need to add an extra minute or 2 if the fillets are thick.  You want a nice crispy exterior to the fish.

Remove fillets from the pan and place on a paper towel lined platter to drain.  Serve on toasted hoagie buns or on top of a bed of Chipotle Slaw.  These are so yummy, they are even delicious eaten with just a squeeze of lime!

**Note:  The fillets can also be oven-fried.  After you dredge the fish, place on a sheet pan lined with non-stick foil.  Bake at 400 degrees, turning once after 6 minutes, until the fish is cooked through, about 15 minutes total.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Spicy Swai Po' Boy Sandwich

Here is another tasty way to use Swai Fish Filets in a spicy Po'Boy-Style sandwich.  Swai has become a favorite at seafood markets because it is so reasonably priced and has a mild sweet flavor similar to regular catfish.

The sauce used on the fish is quite versatile and can be used on shrimp or even chicken for a delicious zingy flavor.  As a finishing touch, a squeeze of fresh lime or lemon tops this sandwich off nicely.

1 lb  Swai Fillets, cut into 1-inch to 1 1/2-inch pieces
2  Cloves Garlic, minced
3 TB  Olive Oil
1 - 2 tsp  Sriracha (to taste)
1 tsp  Balsamic Vinegar
1 TB  Fresh Finely Chopped Basil
1 tsp  Paprika
1/4 tsp  Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp  Black Pepper
Leaf Lettuce
Hoagie Rolls, Sliced lengthwise and hollowed out in the center

In a medium glass bowl, toss all ingredients until fish is evenly coated.  Let marinate for 20-30 minutes at room temperature.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot.  Carefully pour the marinated fish mixture into the hot skillet.  Arrange fish into a single layer and let saute about 3 minutes before turning and cook 2-3 minutes longer.  Remove skillet from heat and prepare sandwiches immediately by placing a piece of leaf lettuce on a hoagie roll and then filling the center with the fish.  Enjoy!!

Monday, January 23, 2012

Beer Battered Swai Po' Boy Sandwich

For this yummy sandwich creation we used Swai Fillets, which are a variety of catfish, to put a little twist on the classic Po' Boy sandwich.  Using Sam Adams as the base for a simple tempura-style batter, the fillets were quick fried and the result was a light, sweet breading that only needed a little guacamole and a squeeze of lime as a finishing touch. 



To quickly fry the fish I used my electric wok.  The wok is very handy for cooking tempura-battered foods because it keeps the temperature of the oil steady, which in turn cooks the foods to a nice golden color.  This same batter works great on zucchini, eggplant or to make onion rings and is also delicious on chicken strips, scallops or butterflied shrimp (leave the tails on the shrimp and it makes them easy to eat and they will look beautiful!)

2 lbs  Swai Fillets, cut into 1-1/2 to 2-inch pieces
2 cups  Flour
2 tsp  Salt
1/2 tsp  Black Pepper
4  Egg Yolks
2 TB  Butter, melted
1 bottle  Sam Adams Beer (1-1/2 cups)
Canola Oil for Frying
French Bread or Hoagie Rolls

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, salt and pepper. 

In another bowl blend the egg yolks and melted butter.  Slowly whisk the beer into the egg/butter mixture, then add this mixture to the dry ingredients.  Cover batter with plastic wrap and let rest for about 30 minutes.  (The batter can stand at room temperature for up to 2 hours, if needed.)

Using a wok or heavy-based pot, such as a dutch oven, heat about 2 inches of oil to 375 degrees.

Pat the fish fillets with a paper towel to make sure the fish is dry.  Dip the fish into the batter one piece at a time then carefully place them into the oil.  Cook 4 to 6 pieces per batch, for about 5 minutes, turning several times until the fish is golden.  Place cooked fish on paper towels to drain.

Working in batches, keep the fish warm while the remaining fish is cooking, adding more oil to the pan if  needed.  The fish will cook very quickly so be sure not to overcook or the coating will be soggy.

To prepare sandwiches, slice hoagie rolls horizontally but without cutting all the way thru.  Scoop out  about half of the bread from the rolls, line with leaf lettuce then add the pieces of Swai.  Top with Spicy Guacamole or a squeeze of lemon or lime and serve.  Enjoy!