Burp! Recipes: Sandwiches

Showing posts with label Sandwiches. Show all posts

Bloody Mary Burgers

Bloody Mary Burgers
Makes 4 burgers

[printable recipe]

Ingredients:
For the vodka tomato sauce:

3 tablespoons butter
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 ribs of celery, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/3 cup vodka
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar

For the burger:

1 pound ground chuck
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 English muffins, split and toasted

Optional toppings:

8 slices bacon, cooked
4 fried eggs
lettuce leaves
tomato slices

Directions:

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. When butter is melted, add onions and celery. Sauté until tender. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Increase heat to high and add salt, cayenne pepper and vodka. Cook for one minute and stir in tomato paste, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, water and sugar, stirring to combine. Sauce should have consistency of thick ketchup. Set aside. Sauce can be made night before and stored in refrigerator until serving.

While celery and onions are cooking, combine ground beef, Worcestershire, horseradish, celery seed, salt and pepper. Mold into four burgers and set aside.

Preheat grill to high heat for direct grilling. When ready to cook, brush and oil grill grate.

Place burgers on hot grate and grill until cooked through, 5-7 minutes a side for medium. To test for done-ness, insert instant-read thermometer through side of burger into center. The temperature should be at least 160°F for medium.

Place lettuce, tomato and bacon on bottom half of each toasted English muffin. Place burger on top, spreading liberally with vodka tomato sauce. Top with fried egg and remaining bun.

©BURP!

Spinach Artichoke Melts

Spinach Artichoke Melts
Makes 4 melts

[printable recipe]

Ingredients:
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons diced shallots
4 ounces cream cheese
Half of one 14 ounce can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
4 ounces shredded Fontina cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese|
8 slices soft sourdough bread
4 tablespoons softened butter

Directions:
Add garlic and shallots to food processor with salt. When garlic is finely chopped, add cream cheese and process until well blended. Add artichokes and pulse until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Remove the artichoke mixture from the food processor and place in a medium bowl. Stir in Parmesan and spinach.

Heat a skillet or sauté pan over medium heat.

Spread each slice of bread with approximately ½ tablespoon of butter.

Spread the unbuttered sides of four slices of bread with a generous amount of the spinach artichoke mixture and top each with about 1 ounce of grated Fontina. Top with remaining bread slices, buttered side up.

Transfer sandwiches to the hot skillet. Grill until bread is golden and cheese is melted, turning once during grilling.

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Truffle Butter Grilled Cheese with Fontina and Duxelle

Truffle Butter Grilled Cheese with Fontina and Duxelle
makes 8 mini sandwiches

[printable recipe]

Ingredients:
16 slices French bread
½ lb Italian style fontina, shredded
1/2 cup duxelle (recipe below)
4 T truffle butter

Directions:
Heat a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Spread truffle butter on one side of all 16 slices of bread. On eight of the slices, spread the unbuttered side with approximately 1 tablespoon of the duxelle. Place four of bread slices containing the duxelle butter-side down on the heated skillet. Top each slice with 1/8 of the grated fontina and top with a slice of French bread, butter-side up. Cook until bottom bread is golden brown and cheese starts to melt. Carefully turn sandwiches over and continue to cook until the second side is golden brown and the cheese is completely melted. Repeat with remaining sandwiches.

Mushroom Duxelle
Makes approximately 2 ½ cups

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
1 lb mushrooms
¼ cup minced shallots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
¼ cup dry sherry

Directions:
Place mushrooms into a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Set aside. Heat butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When butter is melted, add shallots and saute until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté briefly, just until the garlic is fragrant and beginning to soften. Increase heat to medium-high and add the chopped mushrooms and thyme, stirring to combine.

Allow the mushrooms to cook, undisturbed for 5-7 minutes, or until they have released their liquid and begin to brown. Give them another good stir and continue cooking until they are browned and fairly dry, reducing the heat as needed if mushrooms begin to stick. Add sherry and cook, stirring, until all the moisture has evaporated. Allow to cool.

Leftover duxelle is delicious tucked into an omelette, spread on crostini, added to mashed potatoes, or used as a topping or stuffing for grilled fish or roasted meats.

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Cherrywood Smoked Turkey Panini with Goat Cheese and Door County Cherry Chutney

Turn ordinary dinner rolls into delectable post-Thanksgiving sliders with the help of a few simple ingredients and a Panini press. For this recipe, we used leftover homemade cherrywood smoked turkey and our favorite new Thanksgiving fruit relish, Door County cherry chutney with rosemary.

Cherrywood Smoked TurkeyPanini with Goat Cheese and Door County Cherry Chutney

Makes 8 panini sliders

[printable recipe]

Leftover smoked turkey breast, thinly sliced
sour cherry chutney with rosemary
4 oz log fresh goat cheese
2 oz. arugula
8 leftover Cybros sprouted grain dinner rolls

Preheat Panini press

Split each dinner roll in half lengthwise. Spread with 1 ½ inch slice of goat cheese (about 1 T) and top with 1 slice turkey breast. Spread about 2 tsp cherry chutney on top of the turkey. Working in batches, grill sliders for 3-4 minutes or until browned, crisp and heated through. Open each Panini and top with fresh arugula before serving.

©BURP! Where Food Happens

The Cream City Burger

The Cream City Burger
[printable recipe]
serves 4

1 1/3 lb (4 large) fresh bratwurst links, casings removed
1 1/2 T butter
1 T extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
pinch of salt
½ cup Riverwest Stein beer (or another lager)
Beer cheddar sauce (recipe below)
4 pretzel buns

In large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter and oil. Add sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Stir to coat onions with butter and allow to cook undisturbed for 5-10 minutes, or until beginning to brown.

Continue to cook onions, stirring occasionally, until well caramelized (turning down the heat if the onions appear to be browning too quickly).

Add beer to onions and stir to incorporate. Bring to a boil and allow to bubble until the alcohol flavor has dissipated and there is very little moisture left in the pan. Set onions aside.

Form the sausages into four patties. Preheat grill to high heat for direct grilling. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate.

Place burgers on the hot grate and grill until cooked through, 6-7 minutes a side. To test for done-ness, insert an instant-read thermometer through the side of the burger into the center. The temp should be at least 160 degrees F for medium.

Place one burger on each pretzel roll. Top with onions and cheese.

Beer Cheddar Sauce
makes approximately 3 cups of sauce

4 T butter
4 T all purpose flour
1 ½ cups Riverwest Stein (or other lager) beer
¾ cup heavy cream
1 ½ cups Springside beer cheddar cheese, shredded

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When butter is melted, whisk in flour. Continue whisking and allow the mixture to cook for an additional 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the beer and cream, whisking constantly. Bring the mixture just to a boil and whisk until thickened. Sprinkle cheese into the cream and beer mixture, whisking until smooth.

Beer cheese sauce can also be used as a sauce for pasta, a topping for nachos, or a dipping sauce for pretzels.

©BURP! Where Food Happens

The Grilled Cheesus Bison Burger

The Grilled Cheesus Bison Burger
inspired by "The Cheesus Burger" in Laura Werlin's Grilled Cheese, Please!
serves 2
(printable recipe)

1/2 lb ground bison
2 T worchestershire sauce
1 T barbeque rub
1 small sweet onion, sliced
1 T olive oil
2 T butter, at room temperature
8 slices soft sourdough bread
1/2 lb smoked gouda cheese, grated
2 dill pickles, cut into 5 lengthwise strips each
ketchup
dijon mustard
1/2 cup spring greens
4 slices fresh tomato

Preheat oven to 300
In a medium bowl, mix the bison with worchestershire and barbeque seasonings. Form into two thin patties. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until beginning to brown. Give the onions a good stir. Then, turn the heat down to medium and continue cooking the onions until well caramelized, about 15 more minutes. Transfer onions to a small bowl and set aside.

Butter one side of each slice of bread, placing the bread on your work surface butter-side-down. Place 1/8 of the smoked gouda on 4 of the slices. Place pickle slices on top of the cheese on two of the slices and onions on top of the other two. Divide remaining smoked gouda between the sandwiches. Top each with the remaining 4 slices of bread, buttered side up.

Wipe out the skillet you used to cook the onions with a paper towel and return it to the stovetop. Heat over medium heat for 2 minutes. Place the sandwiches in the pan, in batches if needed, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the undersides are golden brown. Turn the sandwiches and press lightly with a spatula to compress the filling. Cover and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove the cover, turn once more and cook until the cheese is completely melted. Transfer sandwiches to a baking sheet and place into the oven.

Meanwhile, fire up your charcoal grill. When the coals are glowing, place hamburger patties on the grill rack and cook for about 6 minutes, or until the edges have browned and the juices are beginning to run. Turn the burgers and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until cooked to your liking.

To assemble:
Place the sandwiches on a large cutting board. Spread ketchup on top of the grilled cheese containing the pickles and mustard on top of the sandwiches containing the caramelized onions. Place the burger on top of the ketchup, followed by tomato slices and greens. Top with the caramelized onion sandwiches.

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Irish Burgers with Whiskey-Caramelized Onions

Irish Burgers with Whiskey-Caramelized Onions
(printable recipe)
makes 4 burgers

1 lb organic, grass-fed ground beef
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t dry mustard
1/4 t ground allspice
1/4 t coriander
1/4 t ground juniper berries
1/8 t ground cinnamon
1/8 t white pepper
4 oz Irish Dubliner cheese, sliced
Whiskey Caramelized onions (recipe below)

In medium size bowl, add all ingredients and mix with hands quickly until combined. Do not over-mix. Shape into patties and allow to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Preheat grill to high heat for direct grilling. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate.

Place burgers on the hot grate and grill until cooked through, 5-7 minutes a side for medium. To test for done-ness, insert an instant-read thermometer through the side of the burger into the center. The temp should be at least 160 degrees F for medium.

Serve burgers on rye foccaccia smeared with a nice grainy mustard, topped with melted Irish Dubliner cheese, and piled high with whiskey-caramelized onions.

Whiskey-caramelized Onions

1 1/2 T butter
1 T extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
pinch of salt
3 oz. Irish whiskey

In large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter and oil. Add sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Stir to coat onions with butter and allow to cook undisturbed for 5-10 minutes, or until beginning to brown.

Continue to cook onions, stirring occasionally, until well caramelized (turning down the heat if the onions appear to be browning too quickly).

Add whiskey to onions and stir to incorporate. Simmer until the alcohol flavor has dissipated and there is very little moisture left in the pan.

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Sloppy Lentils

This delicious vegetarian rendition of sloppy joes is sure to satisfy. Comes together quickly in your crockpot, and can be made ahead for even greater ease. Perfect for those busy weeknights.

Sloppy Lentils

1 T olive oil
1 large onion, 1/4 inch diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 large carrots, diced
1 1/2 T chili powder
1/4 - 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
2 cups dried brown or green lentils (don't use red; they'll get too mushy)
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
2 T Braggs liquid aminos or low sodium soy sauce
1 T dijon mustard
1 T brown sugar
1 tsp kosher salt

Heat oil in deep skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and pepper until beginning to soften, around 5-7 minutes. Add chili and chipotle powders and stir until onions and peppers are coated and the spices have bloomed.

Transfer to a 3 1/2 - 4 quart slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients and cook on low 8 - 10 hours.

If you have time, these lentils benefit from being cooled and refrigerated overnight so that the flavors can develop. Reheat and serve on whole grain buns.

Get the full post Over at Burp!

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Lamb burgers with fresh figs

Lamb burgers with fresh figs
1 lb ground lamb
1 tsp ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt black pepper - to taste
splash of balsamic vinegar
3-4 firm-but-ripe fresh figs, roughly chopped

crusty rolls
bleu cheese (we used buttermilk bleu)

Combine all but figs in a medium bowl and work lamb with your hands to combine. Add the figs and mix gently until well incorporated. Form ground lamb into four patties, and refrigerate for about 15-20 minutes.

Heat grill pan or charcoal grill to medium-high. Grill burgers for 4-5 minutes/side (medium to medium rare) -- or until cooked to your liking.

Serve burgers on a nice, crusty roll topped with crumbled bleu cheese.

Get the full post Over at Burp!

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Teriyaki Chicken Burgers

What's better than a burger... unless maybe it's a teriyaki chicken burger on a homemade bun? A slathering of fresh macadamia nut butter and a slice of grilled pineapple bring this one straight home.

Teriyaki Chicken Burgers
serves 6

Marinade:
2/3 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 T freshly grated ginger
2 T brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T brown rice vinegar

1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken thighs, sliced into strips or cubes
1/4 of a large red pepper, chopped
10-12 saltine crackers, crushed

grilled pineapple slices (optional)
macadamia nut butter (optional)

Equipment: Food processor or meat grinder

Combine ingredients for marinade in a medium bowl (pineapple juice through rice vinegar). Stir to combine. Add chicken pieces. Marinate for at least 2-3 hours or overnight.

When chicken has marinated for the specified time, drain off liquid. Place chicken and meat grinding equipment (blades, grinding plates, food processor bowl if using) into the freezer for about 30 minutes to chill thoroughly.

When chicken is chilled, grind it as directed (see instructions below).

When chicken is ground, place into a bowl. Add crushed saltine crackers and stir to combine. Meat mixture will be sticky. Form chicken mixture into six patties. Place them on a plate and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat grill to medium heat. Grill teriyaki burgers for approximately 6 minutes minutes per side, or until fully cooked.

Serve on buns topped with macadamia nut butter and grilled pineapple.

To grind chicken in a food processor:
Put the metal chopping blade in the food processor. Add meat and chopped red pepper. Pulse the meat in 1 or 2 second bursts until it reaches the appropriate texture. You might have to do it in batches.

To grind chicken in meat grinder:
Assemble the grinder. Place bowl beneath the grinder, and put chicken meat and chopped pepper into the hopper. Turn on the grinder, or begin grinding manually, pressing down gently on the chicken with the goad if needed.

Get the full post Over at Burp!

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Bacon Panini

Peanut butter and chocolate pair up with bacon in this fun little panino. You can substitute chocolate chips for the Tagalon cookies if you don't happen to have any on hand.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bacon Panini
makes 6 little sammiches

For caramelized bananas:
3 "nearly ripe" bananas (they should still be slightly green at the tips), sliced on the bias
3 T butter, divided
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt

For sandwiches:
12 slices French bread
36 slices banana
12 slices cooked bacon
6 T peanut butter
9 Tagalong Girl Scout cookies -- 6 whole, 3 chopped in half (or a handful of chocolate chips)

To make caramelized bananas:
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When foam subsides, add bananas, arranging them so that as many bananas as possible are lying flat on the pan. Allow to cook undisturbed for 2 minutes, or until bananas begin to brown. Flip bananas and sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and remaining butter. Cook for an additional minute or two, stirring to coat the bananas with the butter-sugar mixture. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

To compose sandwiches:
Spread 6 slices of French bread with peanut butter. Press one and one half of the cookies (or a few chocolate chips) into each slice. Add bacon, along with about 3 slices of banana. Top with remaining slices of French bread.

Grill sandwiches on a hot griddle or in a panini press until chocolate melts and panini are slightly browned.

Serve at once.

Get the full post Over at Burp!

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Spinach Stuffed Portabella Mushroom Burgers

We love a nice burger as much as anyone. But, even at our house, these stuffed mushroom burgers are made to please. Filled with garlicky spinach and covered with melted cheese, you might find yourself wondering why you ever opted for a beef burger in the first place!

Get the full post Over at Burp!

Spinach Stuffed Portabella Mushroom Burgers

Mushrooms:
4 nicely sized portabella mushrooms
3 T balsamic vinegar
3 T red wine (whatever you're drinking tonight is fine)
1/4 cup tomato juice (we like ours spicy)
3 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 T Cajun, Italian, or other seasoning blend

Filling:
2 T olive oil
10 oz fresh spinach leaves
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
1/4 tsp salt

4 slices cheddar or Swiss cheese (feta or bleu cheese is also awesome here)
4 hamburger-sized buns (we like sprouted grain buns)

Remove stems from portabella mushrooms, and scrape out black gills with a spoon. Place marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Pour over mushrooms and allow to marinate for about 20 minutes.

While your mushrooms are marinating, make your spinach filling.

In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add garlic and saute just until starting to cook. Add spinach and toss until wilted -- 3-4 minutes at most. Add bread crumbs and salt. Toss until well combined. Set aside for stuffing your portabella burgers.

Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Over indirect heat, grill the mushrooms cap-side-up for 4-5 minutes, or until nicely browned. Flip the mushrooms over and divide spinach filling equally among the four mushrooms. Grill for another 3-4 minutes or until beginning to brown and heat through. Add cheese, cover the grill, and allow to cook until cheese is melted.

Place each burger atop a nice, hearty bun, and enjoy!

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Bourbon Chicken Breasts

Is there anything better than bourbon chicken? Succulent breast of chicken, pounded thin and infused with the flavors of bourbon, sucanat, garlic, and green onions -- and then grilled to sweet, caramelized perfection. I think not!

Get the full post Over at Burp! where we take bourbon chicken breasts and pair them with pears and brie to make lip-smacking sammiches!

Bourbon Chicken Breasts
1/4 cup brown sugar (or Sucanat)
1/4 cup shoyu soy sauce
3 T Dijon mustard
1/3 cup bourbon
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

6 split chicken breasts
1/4 cup minced green onions
freshly ground black pepper

Combine Sucanat, soy sauce, mustard, bourbon, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl. Whisk until smooth.

Pound the chicken breasts between two sheets of waxed paper with a meat tenderizer until quite thin. Season the chicken breasts with black pepper (to taste) and lay them in a single layer in a large, shallow container. Sprinkle with green onions. Pour marinade over the top of the breasts and allow to marinate for at least 4-6 hours (overnight is best). Discard marinade.

To cook chicken, grill over medium high heat for 4-5 minutes/side -- or until chicken is cooked through.

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Roasted Asparagus & Onion Panini (with or without ham)

Like spring in a sammich. These veggie panini are just the thing for a mid-March dinner. Roasty toasty, with the brightness of lemon and the herbal goodness of pesto, you'll flip for these sammiches. Great with or without a bit of ham.

Get the full post Over at Burp!

Roasted Asparagus & Onion Panini
makes 3

1 lb medium to large asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-3 inch pieces
1 medium onion, thinly sliced (sweet onions are best here, but Spanish onions work well)
1 T olive oil
2 T melted butter
2 tsp lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
salt
black pepper

3 Telera buns (see NOTE)
3 slices thinly sliced ham (proscuitto works well)
3 oz. Gruyere cheese, thinly sliced
3 slices Swiss cheese
basil pesto, to taste

Preheat the oven to 450ºF
Whisk olive oil, butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest together in a small bowl. Add salt & pepper to taste. Toss vinaigrette with asparagus and onions and spread on a large roasting pan. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes -- or until the asparagus is just tender and the vegetables are beginning to brown. Turn oven temperature down to 200ºF.

Slice Telera buns in half and spread with pesto. Add Gruyere, then ham (leave ham out for a vegetarian sammich), then Swiss cheese. Close the sanwiches and place as many as will fit on a grill pan or panini press for 8-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the bread is crisp. Continue until all sandwiches have been grilled, keeping grilled sandwiches warm in a 200ºF oven.

Pull sandwiches apart and admire all the ooey-gooey cheese.

Then spoon asparagus and onion mixture inside. Close sandwiches, slice, and serve.

NOTE: Telera refers to a Mexican bread similar to a French roll with a scored and flour-dusted crust. It can be found in Mexican markets; used to make tortas. You could also substitute soft French rolls.

Thai Fish Tacos

A nice break from the usual fish tacos, these combine the flavors of Thai fare with the succulence of late summer peach salsa.

Get the full post HERE.

Thai Style Fish Tacos
makes 3-5 tacos

2 large catfish filets, rinsed
1/4 cup unsweetened, dried flaked coconut
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 T cornstarch
1 tsp salt
2 T coconut oil

4 large flour tortillas, warmed

Thai coleslaw (recipe below)
Peach salsa (recipe below)

Mix coconut, cornstarch, panko, and salt. Dredge catfish filets in coconut mixture. Set aside.

Heat coconut oil in large cast iron skillet. When oil is hot, add fish filets. Cook for 4-6 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through (time will depend on the thickness of the filets).

Cut filets into manageable pieces. Place one piece of fish in each warmed tortilla. Top with coleslaw and salsa, to taste. Serve with chips and additional salsa on the side.

Thai Coleslaw

3 T full-fat plain yogurt (or sour cream)
1 T mayonnaise
1 tsp lime juice
1 tsp fish sauce
1 heaping tsp red curry paste
1 tsp brown sugar
pinch of salt

1 small head of cabbage, shredded (I used red cabbage)
handful of cilantro, chopped

Mix yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice, fish sauce, curry paste, brown sugar, and salt (to taste). Toss dressing with cabbage. Add cilantro to taste.

Serve alone as a side dish, or with fish tacos.

Peach Salsa

1 large peach, diced
2 small tomatoes, diced
2 T chopped cilantro
1 Thai bird chile, minced
1 green jalapeno, minced
2 medium shallots, minced
pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients, except salt, in a bowl. Toss to combine. Taste for seasonings. Add salt to taste.

Sour Apple & Kraut Quesadillas

Not really a "recipe," but we love this combination of sweet/tart/salty. Great on their own for lunch, these also make a great accompaniment for Smoky Sweet Potato Chowder. Use the tangiest apples you can find for this recipe.

Sour Apple & Kraut Quesadillas

4 whole wheat tortillas
1 small sour apple, cored and sliced
1/2 cup sauerkraut, drained
10 thin slices sharp cheddar cheese (we also like horseradish cheddar for these)

Divide apples evenly between two tortillas. Top with a sprinkling of sauerkraut, and finally the slices of cheddar.

Heat grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Place one quesadilla at a time on the skillet, cooking until browned on the one side. Flip over and brown the remaining side.

Allow to sit for 4-5 minutes before slicing into pie-shaped pieces.

We talk about this recipe HERE.

Meatball Sandwiches with Spinach and Provolone

1 lb chicken Italian sausage

1 14.5 oz can tomato sauce

3 T olive oil, divided

4 cloves garlic, minced and divided

2 T fresh basil, chopped

2 T fresh oregano, chopped

10 oz fresh baby spinach, washed

1 French baguette

8 oz aged provolone cheese

Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Shape Italian sausage into 1/8 cup balls (you will get 12-15 meatballs, by my count). Place meatballs on a parchment/silpat lined cookie sheet. Place into oven and bake for about 25 minutes (or until meatballs are thoroughly cooked and beginning to brown). Raise oven temperature to 450º

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat 1 T olive oil in a small saucepan over medium to medium-high heat. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic and cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes until just beginning to soften. Add tomato sauce, basil, and oregano and mix well. Allow to cook for 5-10 minutes so that the flavors have a chance to blend. Pour over meatballs and allow to simmer over low heat until you are ready to assemble the sandwiches.

Heat remaining 2 T of olive oil in a large skillet (with a cover) over medium heat. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and cook briefly. Add baby spinach to skillet and toss to combine. If spinach is very dry, add a tablespoon or two of water to assist in the steaming process. Cover and allow to cook for 3-5 minutes, or until spinach is wilted.

Slice baguette lengthwise, and then cut loaf into four pieces.
Place 1/4 of the spinach inside each sandwich. Top with 3-4 meatballs and additional sauce, if desired. Top with 1/4 of the provolone cheese. Place in 450º oven for 5-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Enjoy.

We talk about this recipe HERE.

Barbeque-Style Roasted Tempeh

This is a favorite recipe of ours. It makes fairly quick weeknight fare. The sauce is positively delicious (excellent bbq flavor -- and a bit of kick). The tempeh turns out just lovely and rib-like, and the leftovers are even BETTER the next day.

We talk about this recipe HERE.

BBQ Tempeh

1 cup ketchup (preferably fruit sweetened)
2 T Bragg's apple cider vinegar
1 T shoyu soy sauce
1 T honey
2-3 T molasses (to taste)
2 T chili powder
1/2 to 1 tsp ground chipotle chile
3 garlic cloves, minced
16 oz soy tempeh, cut into 1/2 inch wide strips

Mix together all ingredients, except tempeh. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed

Lightly oil an 8- or 9-inch baking dish.
Pour half the sauce into the baking dish. Arrange the tempeh on top in a single layer. Pour the remaining sauce on top. Allow tempeh to marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

When tempeh has marinated, preheat oven to 350º
Roast for about 30 minutes, until the tempeh is beginning to darken and brown and the sauce is mostly absorbed. Serve hot or at room temperature.

We love the tempeh as a sandwich, served on whole wheat rolls with Chipotle Slaw.

Lamb Burgers with Rosemary Onions & Feta

Lamb Burgers with Rosemary Onions & Feta Cheese

These burgers featured fresh rosemary from our herb garden in addition to locally raised ground lamb and delicious buns made by a local bakery. The caramelized onions seasoned with rosemary gave them a sweet element. And the sourness of yogurt with the saltiness of feta really took these over the top.

2 T olive oil
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 T fresh rosemary, minced

1 1/4 lbs ground lamb
1 1/2 T fresh rosemary, minced
1-2 tsp freshly ground pepper (or to taste)
3/4 tsp salt
1 T balsamic vinegar

Feta cheese
Greek style yogurt

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until beginning to brown. Add rosemary, stir to combine, and turn heat to LOW. Continue to cook until well caramelized, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, mix together lamb, rosemary, salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar. Divide into four patties and allow to rest for 1/2 hour or so at room temperature (I think this allows the flavors to marry -- and it gives the lamb a chance to warm up a bit before grilling).

Heat grill to medium (we like these made on a charcoal grill). Grill burgers 3-5 minutes/side or until they reach the appropriate stage of doneness. It's approximately 3 minutes for a burger that is medium-rare.

Serve burgers on a bun that has been slathered with Greek yogurt, with crumbled feta cheese and a liberal spoonful of onions.

We talk about this recipe HERE.