Bun Bust

One of my favorite things to get while dining out casually when I lived on the East Coast was Shrimp or Lobster Rolls.  I didn't live in Maine so the quality of lobster was never really the star of the show.  My favorite part was the New England Style hot dog bun with the split top.  When I saw this shrimp salad roll in the latest edition of Cooking Light I was so excited to see it served on that type of bun.  I had my hopes set high that I would be able to find that specific delivery method here in the south.  I searched several supermarkets in my area all to no avail.  But I shouldn't have been surprised, because I think the reason I love those buns so much is because I had never seen them while living in New Orleans and they were a novelty to me.  I would have been thrilled to have been able to serve these on the perfectly grilled split top bun to stay authentic, but I had to make a regular old hot dog bun do.  And by time I took my first bite I had forgotten my ingredient substitution because the shrimp salad was so yummy that it didn't matter.

Shrimp Salad Rolls
Adapted from Cooking Light August 2012

 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 1 pound)
• 1/4 cup canola mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• 4 (1 1/2-ounce) hot dog buns
• 8 Boston lettuce leaves

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler to high.
2. Heat butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; swirl to coat. Add shrimp to pan; season with salt and pepper to taste (not the salt and pepper called out in the ingredient list, that is for later); sauté 4 minutes or until done.



Place shrimp on a large plate; chill in refrigerator for 10 minutes. Coarsely chop shrimp.



Combine mayonnaise, and next 6 ingredients (through cayenne pepper) in a large bowl.



Add Shrimp to the mayonnaise mixture,



and mix to combine.



3. Open buns without completely splitting; arrange, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Spray with Pam.  Broil 1 minute or until toasted. Place 2 lettuce leaves in each bun; top each serving with 1/2 cup shrimp mixture.



Click Here for My Adapted Printable Recipe

Sly - Der

When I think of Sliders my mind automatically relates them to American Cuisine. I envision them topped with American cheese, ketchup, mustard and a pickle served along side a nice heaping pile of crispy French fries. The main reason I loved this recipe from the get go was because I loved the twist on the traditional preparation of those bitty burgers. Slider buns are so easy to find these days in the bread section of any grocery store and they even readily offer 100% whole wheat options. I am not the biggest fan of Italian sausage, but found that my ingredient choice of using a mild version was the perfect compromise and ensured the slider wasn't overcome by an anise flavor.

Italian Meatball Sliders
Adapted from Cooking Light March 2012

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 shallots, finely diced
1/3 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), toasted
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 ounces lean ground pork
2 (4-ounce) links Mild Italian sausage, casings removed
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups lower-sodium marinara sauce
12 wheat slider buns, toasted
12 basil leaves
12 small slices of fresh mozzarella

Preparation

1. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat; swirl to coat. Add garlic and shallots to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until shallots are softened, stirring frequently.

Combine shallot mixture, ricotta, and next 8 ingredients (through egg) in a medium bowl.

Shape mixture into 12 (1-inch) meatballs; flatten each meatball slightly.

2. Return pan to medium-high heat. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to pan. Add meatballs to pan; cook 6 minutes, turning once.

Add marinara sauce; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 12 minutes or until meatballs are done. Top meatball slider with a slice of cheese and cover the skillet for 2 minutes to allow the cheese to melt.

Top bottom half of each bun with 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce, 1 meatball slider, 1 basil leaf, and top half of bun.

Click Here for My Adapted Printable Recipe

Cheese Please !

Growing up in New Orleans, fasting from meat is not that hard during the Lenten season. This town is a seafood mecca and sadly we almost make Friday's an event during Lent where you have the perfect excuse for crawfish boils, fish frys and trips to your favorite seafood restaurant.

When I was a young girl we did partake in all of those options on Friday's of Lent, but I can also remember when my mom opted for the cheaper non-seafood alternative. I can remember her pulling out her heavy cast iron skillet and whipping up grilled cheese sandwiches on those Fridays for our hungry family of six. And I can also distinctly remember taking the pass. I have no idea why, other than my unexplainable pickiness as a child but I did not like grilled cheese at all. I know - what is there not to like? I really can't answer that sitting here today, but I always lament at the loss of all of those delicious chances to eat those melty gooey sandwiches.

This version of a grilled cheese sandwich is even more tempting than the classic is to me today. It wouldn't pass for a Friday Lent option, but it is worth the wait until the next day. This is a decadently rich way to kick up the traditional pan grilled sandwich.

Bacon Avocado Grilled Cheese
Adapted from William Sonoma

Ingredients:

• 8 slices country-style sourdough bread, each 1/2 inch thick
• 4 tsp. olive oil
• 1/4 lb. cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
• 8 bacon slices, cooked
• 1/4 lb. Monterey jack cheese, thinly sliced
• 2 ripe Haas avocados, sliced
  

Directions:

Brush one side of each bread slice with 1/2 tsp. olive oil.

Lay half the slices, oiled side down, on a clean work surface and top with the cheddar cheese, dividing evenly. Place avocado slices on top of the cheddar

and the bacon slices next

then top with the Monterey jack, dividing evenly.

Top each with one of the remaining bread slices, oiled side up.

Heat a large fry pan or griddle over medium heat until hot. Place 2 of the sandwiches in the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the undersides are golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the sandwiches and brown the other side, 3 to 4 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.

Transfer the sandwiches to a cutting board and cut in half. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Click Here for My Adapted Printable Recipe

Salami Skepticism

Forrest is a big fan of Salami and I have never been crazy about it, but always willing to eat it if it is buried in a a dish with other ingredients of my liking. I went into making this super easy calzone thinking I would be turned off by the fact that the salami was the sole meat. And boy was I ever wrong. This calzone was delicious. All of the ingredients worked wonderfully together and it even left me questioning my salami disdain...

Salami Mozzarella Calzone
Adapted from the Food Network

Ingredients

• 1 large green bell pepper, diced and sauteed in cooking spray
  
• 4 oz of white button mushrooms, sliced and sauteed in cooking spray
  
• 1 large eggs
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 pound shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
• 1 13.8-ounce tube refrigerated pizza dough
• 1/4 pound deli-sliced salami, cut into thin strips
• 1/4 pound sliced provolone cheese

Directions

Place a baking sheet upside down in the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Beat the eggs and parsley in a small bowl.

Pour half of the egg mixture into a medium bowl and stir in the mozzarella.

Reserve the remaining egg mixture for brushing on the crust.

Turn another baking sheet upside down; line with parchment paper and brush with olive oil. Unroll the dough on the parchment paper and pat into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle. Spread the mozzarella mixture over one half of the dough, leaving a 1-inch border along the edge.

Top with the salami,

followed by vegetables

and provolone.

Fold the other half of the dough over to cover the filling. Crimp and roll the edges to seal,

then pierce the top of the dough in a few places with a knife.

Slide the calzone with the parchment paper onto the hot baking sheet; bake 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with the remaining egg mixture,

then continue to bake until the crust is golden, 5 to 10 more minutes. Let rest 5 minutes, then cut into wedges.

Click Here for My Adapted Printable Recipe

Sloppy Seconds

I have never in my life (prior to Sunday night) eaten a Sloppy Joe. My mom didn't make them growing up and let's face it, they aren't the type of cuisine that often pops up on restaurant menus. I have never had the desire to whip them up in my own kitchen, because quite honestly they have never come to mind. As I flipped through this month's issue of Cooking Light I was intrigued by this version since it contained equal parts meat and mushrooms. I am a big time mushroom girl so I figured there was no time like the present. Not to mention, my husband was uber jazzed when I asked him if he would like Sloppy Joe's for dinner one night this week. Men are so easy to please in the cooking department!

Beef and Mushroom Sloppy Joes
Adapted from Cooking Light June 2011

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground sirloin
• 2 (8-ounce) packages presliced cremini mushrooms
• 1 cup prechopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup no-salt-added tomato paste
• 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 4 (2-ounce) Kaiser rolls or hamburger buns, toasted

Preparation

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add beef; cook for 4 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Salt and pepper the beef during browning.

2. While beef cooks, place mushrooms in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until finely chopped.

Add mushrooms, onion, and garlic to pan;

cook for 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Add tomato paste and next 5 ingredients (through salt)

to pan; cook 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and liquid evaporates.

Stir in pepper and hot sauce. Spoon about 1 cup beef mixture on bottom half of each bun; top with top halves of buns.

Click Here for My Adapted Printable Recipe

Specialized Sandwich Style

When it comes to sandwiches I have always been a Ham and Cheese type of girl. Now that I am a more adventurous eater I will often try other varieties, but growing up Ham and Cheese was always my first choice and because of that it still remains a personal favorite. Therefore, I think it is only natural that I feature a few different versions of the classic sandwich here on my blog. Or maybe I am just trying to span all of the ham and cheese cultures that I can come up with. A while back I presented you with this Italian version and now I give you H&C with a French spin.

Creole Croque Monsieur
Adapted from Cooking Light January 2010

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Creole mustard
• 1 tablespoon fat-free mayonnaise
• 8 (1-ounce) slices Italian bread
• 6 ounces thinly sliced ham
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup egg substitute or 2 eggs
  
• 1/4 cup fat-free milk
• Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Combine mustard and mayonnaise in a small bowl.

Spread 3/4 teaspoon mustard mixture over each of 4 bread slices; layer each slice with 1 1/2 ounces ham and 1/4 cup cheese. Sprinkle evenly with pepper.

Spread 3/4 teaspoon mayonnaise mixture over each remaining bread slice; place, mustard side down, on top of sandwiches.

2. Combine egg substitute or egg and fat-free milk in a shallow dish. Dip both sides of each sandwich into the egg mixture.

3. Heat a large nonstick griddle or large skillet over medium heat.

Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sandwiches to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and cheese melts.

Serve.
Click Here for My Adapted Printable Recipe

Brew-quet

My mom told me that when I was a little girl I used to walk around at any event that had alcohol saying, "I mell beer." She said I was like a bloodhound when it came to brewskies. I could always detect when they were being served. I don't think beer has a very strong smell, so I find this story particularly amusing. I think I was probably just trying to assert the fact that I knew it was being served and that there was a beverage I couldn't partake in.

Now that I am allowed to have beer, I really like it! I particularly like the few recipes I have made that require beer as an ingredient. I have made beer bread, and chili with beer and several things beer battered. This was my first recipe that called for beer that didn't require cooking the beer in any fashion. It was definitely the recipe with the most potent beer flavor of all of the beer recipes I have tried. I would recommend using a beer that you love because the flavor is very prevalent in this spread.

Beer Cheese Spread
Adapted from Southern Living October 2007

Yield

Makes 3 cups

Ingredients

• 1 (1-lb.) block sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 small onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/2 (12-oz.) bottle amber beer, at room temperature
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Garnish: thyme sprig

Preparation

1. Saute onion and garlic in a small skillet until softened.

2. Mix together first 5 ingredients in a food processor until blended and the cheese turns into a spread like consistency.

Gradually add beer, pulsing until blended after each addition.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill 2 hours. Garnish, if desired. Serve with crackers or pretzel sticks. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

After you make this spread you can use it in the recipe below. Grilled Beer-Cheese Sandwich: Spread 1 tsp. softened butter evenly on 1 side of 2 bread slices. Place bread slices, buttered sides down, on wax paper. Spread 1/4 cup Beer-Cheese Spread onto 1 side of 1 bread slice. Top with remaining bread slice, buttered side up. Cook sandwich in a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cheese is melted.

Chicken Choices

I had half of a rotisserie chicken left over after yesterday's pasta salad. I needed to find something to use it in, and of course the possibilities were endless. I found this recipe and I thought it was a great twist on a very typical chicken recipe.

Italian Chicken Salad
Adapted from Cooking Light May 2005

Yield

4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)

Ingredients

• Dressing:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 small gloves of garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 
  Salad:
• 3 cups cubed rotisserie chicken breast
• 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
  
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 cup of pitted ripe olive slices
  
• 1 (14-ounce) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained

Preparation

To prepare dressing, combine first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to a small skillet and saute red bell pepper until tender; about 8 minutes. When the peppers begin to soften, add the quartered artichoke hearts. Remove from skillet after 8 minutes and let cool.

To prepare salad, place chicken in a large bowl. Pour dressing over chicken and add the oregano, parsley and basil. Stir to combine. Add the artichoke hearts, red peppers

and olives to the chicken mixture and combine.

Serve the chicken salad on fresh ciabatta rolls or over lettuce leaves for a perfect salad.