Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes

This is great when you need a quick and easy version of a old favorite.


Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes
Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
1 green bell pepper, diced
4oz mushrooms, diced
1 onion, diced
1 lb ground beef
3 tbsp worchestershire sauce
1/4 cup broth
salt and pepper

sliced cheese (provolone, pepperjack, and american all work well)
4 buns or hoagie rolls

melt the butter in a large skillet over medium. Add veggies. Cook until well softened, about 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Add meat and cook until well browned. Drain, and return to pan along with veggies. Add worchestershire sauce, broth, salt and pepper. Simmer on medium low for 5-10 minutes. Serve on a soft bun and top with a slice of cheese

Potsticker Sliders

If you are looking for a flavor packed burger variation, this is a great one to try. It has all the flavor of potstickers without the labor. They are a bit delicate, so I would suggest cooking them in a skillet or grill pan instead of the actual grill.

The sauce is a nice glaze and a little goes a long way. It also goes great on veggies, rice, or stir fry.

Potsticker Sliders 

Patties:
1.5-2 pounds ground pork and/or turkey
1.5 cups thinly sliced cabbage (the bagged "angel hair" cabbage slaw in the salad section works well)
1/2 cup canned water chestnuts, diced small
3-4 green onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced/grated (or 2 tsp granulated dried garlic)
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger (or 1 tsp dried)
1 egg
4 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari or aminos)

Sauce
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp-1 tbsp sriracha sauce (depending on how spicy you want it)
2 tsp rice wine vinegar (I've used red wine vinegar or balsamic in a pinch)
1 clove grated/minced garlic (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tbsp tomato paste (or ketchup)
1 tbsp corn starch
1 tbsp water

1 (12 count) package hawaiian king rolls

Directions

Combine all the patty ingredients well, but don't over mix. Divide and form 12 patties. Heat up a skillet or grill pan. Spray/coat with oil of choice and cook patties 3-5 minutes on each side, or until done. Probably will be in batches.

Meanwhile, combine soy sauce, sugar, sriracha, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and tomato paste in a small sauce pan. Heat over medium until boiling. Combine water and corn starch and add to sauce. Lower to medium low and simmer 3-5 minutes

To serve, place a patty on a bun and drizzle some glaze on top.

"Grilled" Cheese Stuffed Dinner Rolls

These rolls are easy and yummy, stuffed or not.

This makes a easy meal for a group. No more layering, flipping, burning sandwiches. Easy peasy.

These can easily be adapted for a pasta meal. Stuff with fresh mozzarella (and basil too!) and add italian seasoning to the brushed butter.

I tried 3 different types this time. American, cheddar, and a mix of american and cheddar. American had the most "classic" grilled cheese flavor, but I really liked the balance of the 2 types of cheese.

"Grilled" Cheese Stuffed Dinner Rolls

Ingredients:

2 cups (a little more if needed) flour
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk, warm
1/4 cup water, water
2 tbsp butter, melted

18 chunks cheese of choice (For american cheese, fold slices into a cube)
2 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp garlic powder
pinch of salt

Mix together the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a mixer bowl.

Mix together milk, water, and butter. Add to bowl.

Mix together until well combined, scraping bowl if needed. Put on dough hook attachment and turn on "2". Once the dough is a nice ball on the hook, let knead 8 minutes. If dough sticks to bottom in the middle, add more flour, 1 tbsp at a time.

Remove hook, cover, and let sit 10 minutes.

Divide dough into 18 pieces. (half. Each half into 3rds. Each 3rd into thirds)

Roll into a ball. Flatten into a disk. Place cheese into center and pinch to seal. Place seal side down onto a greased 9 inch round pan. 9 in each pan.

Place in cold oven. Turn on to 375. Once to heat, cook 20-25 minutes, until tops are a deep golden brown.

Remove from oven and brush with the butter (mixed with garlic powder and salt)

Let cool 5-10 minutes and serve

Asian Style Sloppy Joes

These are spicy and sweet. And they satisfy the sloppy comfort craving.
Be sure to get a good bun!

Asian Style Sloppy Joes


Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp garlic chili sauce
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1inch nub of ginger, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can water chestnuts, drained and chopped (optional)
Buns

Brown the meat in a large skillet over medium. Drain if needed

Add the tomato sauce, paste, bell pepper, soy, vinegar, brown sugar, chili sauce, worcestershire, garlic, ginger, and water chestnuts. Simmer 10 minutes, or until bell peppers soften.

Serve over buns!

Creamy Chicken Flautas

Ok, just in case you were wondering. A flauta is with flour tortillas and taquitos are with corn tortillas.

Ok, class dismissed. Lets cook.


These things are ridiculously good. Definitely will be making them regularly. Prep wise, its pretty easy as well!

You can either bake or lightly pan fry. I will go ahead and share both ways of making them. But baked is super easy

Creamy Chicken Flautas

Ingrediens:

3 cups shredded chicken (rotisserie works, or put a 2 big/3 medium chicken breasts in the crockpot. I used 8-9 chicken thighs)
1 pkg 1/3rd fat cream cheese
1/3rd cup sour cream
1/3rd cup salsa
1 can diced green chilis
1 cup black beans
1 cup corn
2 green onions, diced
1 1/2 cups baby spinach. Stems torn off and torn into smaller pieces
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar

16 6 inch flour tortillas

melted butter or oil

This really couldn't be simpler. Mix all filling ingredients well.

Spoon a heaping 2 tbsp of filling into a strip off center in the tortilla and roll tightly. Place seam side down.

To fry:
Heat a frying pan on medium. Add oil and heat. Add flautas in small batches (I did 2 at a time) and cook until just lightly brown on each side.

To bake, lightly butter a baking sheet and place flautas seam side down. Brush with melted butter and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes, until golden.

Zucchini Grinders

This tastes kind of like a meatball sub. But not meatballs. Just zucchini. And it is gooood. You *can* use shredded mozzarella on this. But please don't. Use the fresh soft stuff. Its a little more expensive, but its so much better.

Zucchini Grinders

Ingredients:

2 medium zucchinis, quartered lengthwise, and sliced
1 tbsp butter
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup diced tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp red pepper flake
4 italian hoagie rolls
4 oz fresh mozzarella, cubed


Heat butter in saucepan over medium. Add zucchini and stir to coat. Cook a few minutes until softened.

Add tomato sauce, tomatoes, and spices. Cook until bubbling

Add zucchini into sliced rolls. Top with cubed cheese. Wrap in aluminum foil and cook for 15 minutes in a 350 oven.

Avocado Egg Salad Sandwich

So, avocado just needs to go on everything.  Its crazy good for you and tastes like heaven. Whats stopping us?

Avocado Egg Salad Sandwich

Ingredients:

8 hard boiled eggs, whites and yolks separated. Chopped
2 avocados, rough chopped
2 tbsp plain low fat greek yogurt
2 tbsp chopped scallions
1 tbsp cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Mash up the yolks and avocado. Add whites, scallions, yogurt, vinegar, and s&p. Smear on a yummy bread and ENJOY.

Santa Fe Burger

AKA the best burger ever. Oh my. So yummy.

I'll admit, I am not a big fan of Bobby Flay's attitude. He is a cocky mo fo and he bugs the crap out of me. In fact, I watch Throwdown JUST hoping he will lose.

But, the guy knows how to cook. Not only does his meatloaf knock my socks off, but this burger was the bomb. Totally worth being one of our meat meals for the week.

Burger slathered with queso, topped with roasted poblano and crumbled blue corn chips. Yeah. Told ya. Put it on a fresh baked challah roll, and you will die very very happy

Santa Fe Burger
Adapted from Bobby Flay

Ingredients:

1 lb 80/20 burger
Montreal Seasoning
1 lg poblano pepper
1 tsp oil
4 hamburger buns or challah rolls

Queso:

1tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cup whole milk
8oz fresh grated monterey jack cheese
salt and pepper

Form the 4 patties and season well with the Montreal Seasoning. Cook on grill to desired doneness.

Coat pepper in oil and roast in 375 oven for about 15 minutes, until skin browns. Remove from oven, put in bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 15 minutes. Peel off the skin. Remove seeds, and dice

Heat skillet to medium. Melt butter. Add flour and cook 1 minutes Add milk, turn up heat to high, and stir constantly for 5 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in cheese. Keep warm

Top burger with diced pepper, a generous helping of queso, and a few crumbled corn chips. Ah-may-zing.

Sauerkraut Stuffed Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dogs

Holy yumminess. This is a way to take a hot dog up a notch with just a few more minutes of prep.

Sauerkraut Stuffed Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dogs
Adapted from Simplyrecipes

Ingredients

4 jumbo kosher hot dogs
2 oz of block sharp cheddar cheese, sliced into sticks
1 cup sauerkraut, drained well
4 slices of bacon (not thick cut)


Cut the hot dogs from end to end, but not cutting all the way through. I cut about half deep and pulled it to open a little more.

Put the sticks of cheese in the cut.

Top with a few tbsp of sauerkraut.

Wrap bacon around the hotdog (not super tight) and secure with toothpicks

Grill, turning 1/4 turns until the bacon is cooked

Mushroom and Beef Burger

Hamburgers can be so much more than just boring beef thrown on the grill. This recipe mixes diced up mushrooms mixed into the patty. Its delicious.

Mushroom and Beef Burger

makes about 6 burgers.

Ingredients:

2 lbs 80/20 ground beef
6 cremini mushrooms, diced in pea sized pieces
1 tbsp Lowrys seasoning
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp pepper

Cheese for topping (suggested monterey jack or swiss)

Simply mix all ingredients together lightly with your fingers (don't over mix) and form into patties. Don't use too many mushrooms or the patties won't form well.

Cook on a grill to desired done-ness and top with cheese

Open-Faced Veggie Melts with Basil Garlic Mayo

Who doesn't love roasted veggies? Put it on some crusty bread and top it with cheese...Who can refuse?

Open-Faced Veggie Melts with Basil Garlic Mayo


1/2 lb asparagus
1/2 sliced bell pepper
1 portobello mushroom, sliced
olive or grape seed oil
salt & pepper
Sliced bread (I used my NoKnead Dutch Oven Bread)
1/4 cup mayo (or Miracle Whip)
1 tsp fresh basil (I LOVE this, in the produce section)
1 garlic clove, pressed/minced/microplaned
about 6 sliced melty cheese. I used Provalone

Put your oven rack at the very top. Turn the broil on.

Cut the woody ends off the asparagus. Cut the remaining asparagus in half.

Toss in oil and salt and pepper.

Roast 5 minutes.

Add the sliced mushroom and bell pepper. Coat and season.

Cook 10 more minutes or until soft.

Meanwhile, mix mayo, basil, and garlic. Spread on bread.

Top bread with veggies and then cheese.

Put back under the broiler until cheese melts and starts to brown