MAGAZINE PIMP AT WORK!

Obsessive me has come out to play over a $4.00 magazine from the Food Network. Unsuspecting me received it graciously from Hoity Toity Niece last weekend and have cover-to-covered it three times already.

I'm loving the format, the over sized layout and content. And not just because they revere the sandwich in such deservedly incredible ways, it's much more than that. It's seeing some of my favorite television chefs in a different, more tangible way.

Lazy me can now lay in bed and read about the $625.00 cookbook (have you heard about that?), test my wine IQ, pick up cooking tips from the pros or see what Eva Longoria's kitchen looks like. It's all in there and with photographs, big, colorful, eye popping photographs!

Herb filled Terracotta pots on the table of contents page could be a picture of my front porch right about now, and the recipe index is simple, user friendly and packed for days with dead-on recipes. No, I'm not a magazine sales person and I'm not pimping for Food Network... , but I would if they asked me.

How about a Grilled Cheese Sandwich with dates and prosciutto? Or a Grilled Cheese with Bacon and Thousand Island Dressing.... yes, I said bacon and thousand island dressing.

Or a Grilled Pound Cake with Mascarpone, hmmm? And those are just a few sandwiches offered up inside, along with main dishes, desserts starters ... and so on. .. you have to pick one up soon. do it.

SLOPPY JOE THYME!

It is such an honor to have my friend "Chef E" participate in S365's never-ending quest for perfection between two slices of bread. A woman of many talents, Chef E presides over multiple blogs where her passions for poetry and culinary arts gracefully converge.

It is sheer genius that "E" would choose to share with us her very own spiced-up Sloppy Joe recipe, perfect for this time of year. As I read E's intro, I too was reminded of the canned Sloppy Joe mix Mom served in the 60s. Geeez, it's a wonder we're all alive. "Chef E" uses ingredients that make this "Joe" worthy of a much nobler name. Thank you Chef E

I have been playing around with fresh herbs the past few weeks in some of my recipes. The sign of spring comes and we all want to plant our herbs and flowers right? Then as always I wanted to plant a big summer sammie right into my mouth.

S365 also puts some good food in our path, so I offered to do a few posts for her. One thing I have not had since childhood is a Sloppy Joe. My mom made them from the can with ground beef. Since I moved to the north east from Texas I find the use beef, veal, and pork for their meatballs and such is more common; it has grown on me. So why not use the formula for the Joe's right?

The history of Sloppy Joe is not a clear path, but I assume when I was a kid mother's had began loving the idea of the little helpers around dinner time, saving precious time, or even weekends as they began taking on a job, added to their domestic duties- thanks to the likes of Hunt's and other processed food companies back in the 60's. Here is some information provided by a simple task of googling!

A Sloppy Joe is an American dish of ground beef, onions, sweetened tomato sauce or ketchup and other seasonings, served on a hamburger bun. Commercially made sauces are also available. Textured vegetable protein may be used as a vegetarian substitute for the meat. Contradictory lore suggests that the Original Sloppy Joe Sandwich was invented at Sloppy Joe's Bar in Key West, Florida, or by a cook named Joe at a cafe in Sioux City, Iowa, as a variation of the popular "loose meat" sandwich (which does not contain tomato sauce).

My key ingredient in the recipe was taking six ounces of low fat ground beef, veal, and pork; add chopped fresh thyme, oil oil, chopped onion and garlic, salt/pepper to taste, two tablespoons smoked paprika, and mix well; let sit overnight. Brown and add 1 small can of tomato paste, 1/4 cup beef broth, and simmer on low for thirty minutes. Many sloppy joe recipes call for bell peppers, but I prefer my a bit on the spicy side, not sweet like many of the chili recipes in the mid-west to north east. Texas we like it hot!

HIGH STEAK SANDWICH!

Fisherman's Choice - Beef Slider with Grilled Onions, Melted Cheddar and Homemade Fries

A GREEN BEAN THING!

What makes me happy? Seeing GREEN does! Our local supermarkets have begun to carry so many wonderful spring greens lately including gorgeous green beans. Terrific sides that can be prepared in a variety of ways, then refrigerated and served with just about any meal, including of course sandwiches.

Green beans come in many colors, sizes and varieties, they're full of vitamins like A, B, C, E, K and minerals including phosphorus, calcium and magnesium. PLUS they add a beautiful aesthetic for your plate.

I some times saute them in

* a little oil with
* a teaspoon of butter
* freshly chopped onions
* garlic
* jalapeno peppers
* salt and pepper to taste making them almost a meal in and of themselves.
* Saute everything but the beans first to bring out the onion, garlic and pepper flavors, then add the chopped green beans and cook them al dente so that they're still firm and have a little crunch to them.

Any way you slice them, not matter what color, length or variety, green beans are pretty terrific. Put them in soups, salads, stews or poo poo platters, it doesn't matter because they go with just about everything.

LIFE CAN BE STICKY!

What can I say about this meal? Except that some times life becomes so complicated, the road ahead so full of twists and tricks that you start to feel lower than a snake in a wagon track. When conditions are that sticky, the best you can do is find comfort in things familiar. While a glass of milk may be a healthier choice, nary a 2%, skim or whole exists that will do what a vodka martini will to wash away the weary, not to mention a PBJ on white!

LETTUCE WRAPS from P.F. CHANG'S!

Just about everyone knows about P.F. Chang's China Bistros, right? Extremely popular and now almost everywhere in the U.S. Conceptually, they've broken away from the traditional full-service Chinese restaurant format offering fewer dishes, great prices and a cool dining experience. Think of an American steak house, but with decor motifs from the Ming and T'ang Dynasties.

These lettuce wraps are one of P.F's signature appetizers, and they're so good. We stopped into Pei Wei Asian Diner --a casual, quick-service variation of P.F. Chang's base restaurant, for a quicky lunch. Light and delicious, they make a perfect lunch. Ingredients: 3 tablespoons oil 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts 1 cup water chestnut 2/3 cup mushroom 3 tablespoons chopped onions 1 teaspoon minced garlic 4 -5 leaves iceberg lettuce Special Sauce 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup water 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 2 tablespoons ketchup 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil 1 tablespoon hot mustard 2 teaspoons water 1 -2 teaspoon garlic and red chile paste Stir Fry Sauce 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar Change Measurements: US Metric

Directions:

1. Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl.

2. Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil.

3. Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to serve.

4. Combine the hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside as well.

5. Eventually add your desired measurement of mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to pour over the wraps.

6. Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan.

7. Saute chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or done.

8. Remove chicken from the pan and cool.

9. Keep oil in the pan, keep hot.

10. As chicken cools mince water chestnuts and mushrooms to about the size of small peas.

11. Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.

12. When chicken is cool, mince it as the mushrooms and water chestnuts are.

13. With the pan still on high heat, add another Tbsp of vegetable oil.

14. Add chicken, garlic, onions, water chestnuts and mushrooms to the pan.

15. Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple minutes then serve it in the lettuce"cups".

16. Top with"Special Sauce".

PUTTANESCA SANDWICH!

When Mezzetta Company held their "Make That Sandwich" recipe contest, I jumped at the opportunity to submit my fantastic Puttanesca sandwich. Unfortunately, it was not chosen as winner, but in my world, this one has winner written all over every bite.

Contest rules disallowed publishing the recipe prior to the contest end, so I never got around to posting it here on S365. Now that fresh herbs and veggies are becoming plentiful again, this is a good time to revisit the Puttanesca.

A lot of thought went into this delicious satisfyer, and if you're a lover of savory, fresh Italian flavors and ingredients, making it will be worth the effort. One small change has been made to the recipe, so these photos will differ slightly from your end result. Now it's even better.

Part of the recipe challenge was to use as many Mezzetta products on your sandwich entry as possible. I must admit it, they do make products that are superior to others on the market. On the other hand, if you have a preference for another brand, go for it.

Mayo Spread Ingredients: 1 cup mayo - 2 tsp granulated garlic - 4 tsp anchovy paste - 1/4 cup capers - - Mix ingredients together in a mini-chop or blender and refrigerate until you build sandwiches - - Veggie Chop Ingredients: 1/3 cup Calamata Olives, diced - 1 1/2 cups fresh tomato, diced - 1/3 cup red onion, diced - 1/4 cup pimento, diced - -mix all diced veggie together in a bowl and let sit for about 15 minutes to allow flavors to marry - Bread, Meat Cheese & Lettuce: 6 to 8 pieces fresh Parmesan cheese, shaved - 4 slices rotisserie chicken breasts - 2 leafs romaine lettuce - 2 ciabatta rolls with bottom slices hallowed leaving 1/4 inch bread - - Herb Mix: 1/4 fresh basil - 1/4 cup fresh parsley - 2 tbls fresh oregano, all chopped - -

Build your sandwich: Spread the mayo mix into the hallowed out ciabatta bread, place lettuce atop the spread, then sliced chicken breast, then veggie chop. Leave the sandwich open for plating beside the freshly chopped herb mix allowing each individual to use the herbs to taste.

FAUX PHO!!

One recent Saturday two Caucasian ladies on a shopping expedition stopped into a Vietnamese restaurant to have a quick lunch. One of them familiar with the ethnic fare, the other had yet to have the pleasure.

The lady who'd previously delighted in said cuisine ordered Pho (pronounced "fah"), a veggie and herb filled noodle soup with shrimp, and every quality necessary to produce a gala experience directly upon the tongue.

She shared it with her companion who with all two feet, joined the palate party and partook of her first Pho feast. Upon leaving the restaurant they b-lined to an Asian market across the way to seek out and purchase what they surmised to be ingredients apropos for replicating Pho. Months passed and the ingredients sat forgotten in a cupboard above the stove. With the last days of summer behind them, when the weather took a change into fall, they remembered the forgotten ingredients and went about the unfamiliar task of recreating the bowl of Pho from long ago.

To the best of their respective recollections they wasted no time and began to work on the soupy replication. When finally it was soup, they sat down to taste test their recreation. For the following 45 minutes the only sounds to be heard in the house were slurps, splashes and pleasure filled sighs.

Surprised with their success, they felt delighted and proud to have concocted a soup so similar to the ancient Asian staple, and a happy dance ensued.

Ingredients: 1 pkg Gia Vi Pho Ga instant broth mix - 1 pkg Hokan Rice Sticks (rice vermicelli noodles) - 1/2 red onion - 1/2 lb uncooked shrimp - 3/4 cup bean sprouts - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro - 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves - 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves - 1 garlic clove, minced - 1/4 cup Srirachi hot sauce - 1 cup leafy cabbage - 1/4 cup shredded carrot Method: Follow cooking instructions on noodle package and on broth package, but first bring soup water with the following ingredients to a soft boil: carrot, onion, garlic (If you happen to have stock, use that instead of plain water), then continue following the soup mix directions, adding at the last minute, cook until they're pink (about one minute) and serve with freshly chopped basil, cilantro, mint, bean sprouts and cabbage piled high in the middle of the table. Each person can use these fresh ingredients to their own taste.

IF IT'S SO HOT, WHY THEY CALL IT CHILE?

It's that time again. Last years chile run to New Mexico yielded what I would term a "boat-load" of freshly roasted, flash-frozen, good-sized chiles. An extra suitcase for the flight home became necessary to accommodate the precious cargo, and I'm sure we smelled a little earthy when we came in from the airport. But on the heels of another great visit to New Mexico, the chile was just icing on the cake.

Green Chile can be found almost every where, but nowhere else on the planet except in the high deserts of New Mexico can you find these particular green chiles. .. We use them in everything. Cornbread, soups, beans, eggs, potatoes... any where a special bite of fresh will pay compliment to a dish.

Most especially, of course is to eat the chile as close to it's natural state as you can get it. Hence the Rellanos pictured here. Each chile is stuffed with cheese, then bathed in egg, rolled in breadcrumbs/meal (for these we used plain soda crackers, ground) then fried to perfection on the stove top. Yikes. We plan our trip right at harvest time. This means having the distinct pleasure of actually watching our selection of hot, medium hot, and mild chiles be fire roasted right in the chile vendors parking lot. Once the chiles have cooled from the roasting process, they're counted out and frozen for use through out the year. AWESOME!These were packaged in groups without regard to their level of HOT, so I guess you could call it a mixed bag, and any bodies guess as to which of them will smoke your scalp, and which will be mild. Nothing like living on the edge!

Unless you're a professional, and these chiles are in your blood line, such a daring method of packing your chile is not recommended. Most people like knowing what to expect when they bite into their meal.

CAESAR SALAD TRIED AND TRUE!

Have you ever had a 'Meyer' Lemon? I would venture that most "foodies" know about them, but many ordinary lovers of food, drink and cooking (like me) may not. My best friend, a big-shot chef, introduced me to Meyers quite a few years ago.

What I didn't know until I Googled 'Meyer Lemons' is that the tree was named after Frank Meyer who brought them to the U.S. from China in the early 1900s. They were banned in the mid-40s due to a virus, then reintroduced around 1970 with a new virus-free version of the tree. 'Meyers' are a favorite for home growers, but because they don't ship well you may not see them in all regions. In areas like S. Texas they're known as 'Valley' Lemons. Hold one to your nose, and you may think you're smelling a bright yellow tangerine. Open it and you'll realize it's a lemon alright, uber sweet and succulent, I prefer them over regular lemons, especially for salads.

So in honor of the "Meyer" here is my tried and true recipe for Caesar Salad. Without exaggeration, I have made a batch of this dressing every week for the last year.

Ingredients: 1 cup extra virgin olive oil - 3 to 4 large garlic cloves, minced - 2 tbls red wine vinegar - 1.2 tsp Worcestershire sauce - 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard - 1 can anchovy (rolled with caper or flat, doesn't matter) - 1.5 lemons (meyer or regular) seeded - 1 large head of romaine lettuce, cleaned and relatively dr - 1.5 cups shredded Parmesan cheese - Corse salt and pepper

Method:

Put the minced garlic in the bottom of a blender or small food processor. Pour in olive oil, vinegar and seeded lemon. Mix on high for a few seconds. Add mustard, Worcestershire, anchovy and mix again for about one minute to be sure the anchovy is liquefied. You can adjust the flavor by adding a dash more vinegar if you prefer. Poor into a carafe and refrigerate for 30 minutes. In a large bowl, evenly distribute the cheese with the lettuce. Then pour the dressing over the lettuce and cheese mixture in small amounts until it's covered nicely, but not saturated. PLEASE PARDON THE SPACING IN THIS AND POSTS TO FOLLOW!

SIRACHI CHICKEN SANDWICH (PART 2)

Once you have had your fill of the Sirachi Chicken over Jasmine rice , what else is there? In our house it’s a container of chicken breasts floating in savory remnants produced by yesterday’s slow simmer, a.k.a. Part 1.

By now the onion/garlic/sirachi/soy consistency is perfect for spreading over the inside of toasted bread (we used Kaiser roll). Slice a nice size piece of the tender chicken to lay atop whatever green you prefer (we used leafy lettuce), and a lovely slice of mild cheese is optional.

A side dish of remnants is also good to have around should the mood strike you to do a little dipping with your sandwich. A garnish of something cool like cucumber salad or carrot sticks will do well to cleanse the palate between delectable bites.

Side note: Am I the only one having spacing issues on blogger?

SIRACHI CHICKEN SANDWICH (PART 1)

Culinarily speaking (if there is such a word), my life is played out in two realms. Realm one is on-diet, and realm two is off-diet. Realm one means using healthy cooking, eating and sandwiching habits. Realm two means cooking, eating and sandwiching with some abandon.

There is a third realm which I sometimes fall into around major holidays or major depressions, when reckless abandon takes over, all bets are off and anything goes on the plate. My objective at all times is to avoid realm three, but I'm not always successful.

A favorite realm two (off-diet) staple for us is Chicken Adobo (popular Philippine dish/cooking process). My recipe for Chicken Adobo is no where near authentic Filipino cuisine, however I learned to make a modified version from a Filipino friend. Delicious, but a little high in calories.

One day while in realm one (on-diet), I was asked to make a batch of chicken Adobo. Instead I improvised using the same Adobo cooking method but tweaking the ingredients to lower the calories. The outcome was amazingly simple, delicious, totally different and almost guilt free. We now call it Sirachi Chicken and it makes TWO meals. Sirachi Chicken over rice and one of the best sandwiches you'll ever have. Here is part 1 of the two part process for a Sirachi Chicken Sandwich:

Ingredients:

1 large package chicken breasts, skinless/boneless, trimmed and washed

1/2 cup Kikoman soy sauce

1/2 cup Srirachi sauce (easy to find, check Wal Mart Asian section)

1/4 cup water

5 to 6 medium size garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 large onions, finely chopped

3 to 4 tbls cooking oil

Method:

Saute garlic at the bottom of a large skillet, add onions and saute until translucent. Lay chicken breasts on top of the onion garlic mix in the pan, do not stir. Pour the soy sauce, Srirachi sauce and water over, do not stir. Cover and simmer on low for 45 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook uncovered for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until the chicken is fork tender. Serve over white rice (preferably Jasmine)

Stay tuned for the Sirachi Chicken Sandwich on Kaiser Roll.. Delicious.

SANDWICH BLOG IN A PICKLE!

Poor Sandwich 365! So neglected, practically ignored. Ravaged by novice design experimentation, manipulated to the point of nonrecognition. Left in a pickle to fend for itself, all alone in the ginormously competitive world of foodies and food blogs.

Scaled down to a mere shadow of it's former self without promise of a new or better design. Ashamed of being exposed and embarrassed for leaving followers/friends to flap in the wind. A rudderless ship gone off course, but alas.. there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I shall try, try again and promise to persevere in spite of short comings in the design department. There are sandwiches to be made, recipes to be shared, photos to be displayed, condiments to be tried and fish to be fried. We shall over come..

CELL PHONE SALMON PATTIES!

I grabbed this shot with my cell phone. Once again, not the best possible presentation. But these patties are soooooo amazing. That is if you like canned Salmon, and even if you think you don't

I've been known to turn my nose up to canned salmon in the past, as I'm not much a fan of canned anything....

But this recipe has made me a believer, and while we didn't have them between two pieces of starch, making them a bona fide sandwich, that's not to say they won't make an awesome sandwich next time. By then I hope to have a working camera so as to capture the real essense of these healthy, scrumptious, easy to make beauties.

Think about it, they'll be great in a salad, by themselves, cold or hot. These babies are WINNING!!!!!!!!!!

Ingredients:

1 can salmon, skin & bones removed
½ cup diced onion
¼ cup diced bell pepper
1 egg
¼ cup cracker crumbs
fresh ground pepper
oil for browning (preferably Canola oil)

Method:
Flake cleaned salmon into a mixing bowl. Add all other ingredients and mix together. Form patties and refrigerate for about 20 minutes. Lightly coat a frying pan with oil. Not enough to make the patties swim, but just enough to brown them, and do just that, brown over medium heat, turning once, until golden brown on both sides. Makes 4 lovely burger sized patties.

BRIE PESTO SANDWICH

A little bit of pesto goes a long way, and when you pair it with a richly satisfying brie cheese the outcome is a step in the direction of down and dirty decadence. What better way to get a jump start on April, otherwise known as National Grilled Cheese Month? :)

The ingredients are simple enough but a Brie Pesto Sandwich requires good timing, so don't try to make it unless you're on your toes and ready to pay close attention to detail. Don't laugh, I take these matters very seriously!

Ingredients
2 cups fresh basil or fresh arugula
4 tblspoons olive oil (leave room adjustment here)
2 medium size garlic cloves,

1 handful of pine nuts (or pecans)

2 Tablespoons cilantro (optional)
1 small wheel of brie cheese

2 tbls butter
Salt and Pepper to taste
Your choice of good grilling bread

Method

Mix basil, garlic, pine nuts and cilantro together in a food processor, add olive oil. Butter your bread on all sides, including the outside of the bread. Spread pesto atop buttered bread, cut brie cheese into smallish strips and lay them atop the buttered and pesto(ed) bread. Grill until the cheese has melted. Fabulous!

NO OVEN ENGLISH MUFFINS

When I saw that Kristy from My Little Space had made her own English muffins, I was all over it like white on rice. How ambitious is she, I thought. Who makes their own English muffins? I don't know about you, but I buy them ALL the time. They're delicious, inexpensive and low in calories, about 120 or 130 per. What's better than an Egg McMuffin from McDonald's? Or a wonderful breakfast of Eggs Benedict? Okay so those may not be completely guilt free, but they're still among my favorite things to order when I'm having breakfast away from home. A little about Kristy.... obviously, she's an awesomely talented cook, premier baker and amazing photographer who resides in Malaysia. Her blog My Little Space is unquestionably a foodie "go-to" for boat-loads of people (myself included), like more than 73000 from 135 countries, with almost 300 regular followers and counting. Each one of her recipe posts garners between 20 and 40 comments consistently, and we all know how meaningful that is.

On occasion, Kristy has submitted some of the absolute best sandwiches to S365, which is of course a huge compliment to this blog. So take a peek when you have a few minutes or when you're in need of a cool fix for breakfast, lunch, dinner and especially dessert.

Here's how to make these beautiful English Muffins with nooks and crannies for whatever you happen to be spreading:

Ingredients:4 cups all purpose
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 tbsp yeast
1/2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 cup lukewarm milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp butter, melted
some cornmeal for dusting (or maize flour)

Method:(1) dissolved yeast & sugar into water for 5 mins.
(2) for hand knead, place 2 cups of flour into a big mixing bowl.
(3) stir in milk, eggs, yeast mixture and butter until combined.
(4) gradually, add in flour until a sticky dough is formed and knead for another 5 mins.
(5) cover the dough and let it proof for an hour or until double in size.
(6) punch dough to release air and then place it to a floured(cornmeal) working table.
(7) sprinkle cornmeal onto dough & roll into 1/2 inch thickness then cut with round cutter.
(8) cook dough on a preheated frying pan over low heat for 5 mins each side.
(9) cool on wire rack.

Kristy's footnote:

All together I got 12 buns from one recipe at the size of a burger bun. The best thing I like about it is, it doesn't even need an oven to get them cooked. That's also meaning you can even enjoy it in the middle of the jungle. LOL! :o)

Thank you so much Kristy!

THE CUBANA - HEALTHIFIED!

Don't let the blurry photos fool you, this was so delightful, and almost guilt free since several steps were taken to reduce the number of overall calories. The end result was something to write home about.Cubans (sandwiches) can be fraught with calories (approximately 700) but difficult to stay away from because the combination of flavors is so incredible. When eaten in a restaurant setting there's no way to control the use of high calorie ingredients like cheese, butter and doughy white bread. Not this one!
We replaced a higher calorie bread with:

*Whole wheat ciabatta rolls and used

*Smart Balance butter spread- two Tbls

*Garlic powder - 2 shakes

*Thinly sliced Virginia ham -2 slices

*Left over pork roast - 1 slice

*Reduced fat baby Swiss cheese - 2 slices

*Dill pickle - 1

*Pam cooking spray

*Panini grill

Mix a shake or two of garlic powder with Smart Balance or your choice of butter substitute. Spread on both insides of the ciabatta roll. Build the sandwich using thinly sliced pork, ham, cheese and pickle. Spray the outside of the bread with cooking spray and place on a panini grill until the cheese is melted and serve. Cha Cha Cha!!

ASIAN TURKEY BURGER!

I made this one up on a wing and a prayer! Okay, so it's nothing fancy, but I have to tell you, it's really delicious.

Approx 2lb ground turkey

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 head of napa cabbage, shredded

3 scallions, finely chopped
1 egg white, beaten lightly

1 handfull (6 to 8 leaves) fresh mint, finely chopped

3 tbls soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1 dash course salt

1 dash ground black pepper

3 tbls veggie oil

1/2 cup mayo

2 to 3 tbls grated fresh ginger

2 tsp prepared wasabi

Whole wheat hanburger buns, toasted

Mix together turkey, bell pepper, cabbage, scallions, egg white, cilantro 2 tbls soy sauce, ginger 1/2 tsp sesami oil, salt and pepper. Mold into patties (approx 6)

Heat 2 tbls veggie oil in a skillet over high heat til hot. Reduce heat to medium, add burgers and cook 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until done thru.

On the side, mix mayo, wasabi and remaining tsp soy sauce with 1/2 tsp sesame oil. Use atop finished burger!

And don't forget to go and win the GIVEAWAY ON HOITY TOITY BABY!!

MAYO PENO SHRIMP SANDWICH!

One of my Originals

Ingrédients

1 Lb Small to Medium Raw Shrimp (Cleaned and Deveined)

3 Tbls Olive Oil

2 Tsp Granulated Garlic

2 Tsp Seasoning Salt (Lawry's best)

1 Rustic Baguette Loaf (in 4 to 5 inch pieces)

3 Green Leafy Lettuce Leaves

1/3 Cup Cilantro Leaves

1 Cup Sam's Mayopeno Spread
Préparation

Coat the bottom of a medium saute pan with olive oil
Sprinkle garlic and seasoning salt over olive oil and bring to medium heat
Add shrimp and saute2 to 3 minutes untill opaque
Remove and cool (15 to 20 minutes)
Coursly chop cooled shirmp and blend with Sam's Mayopeno Spread
Cover and refridgerate untill chilled
Assemblée
Split baguette and toast untill golden (broiler is best)
Spread each side of the baguette with Sam's Mayopeno Spread
Place lettuce leaf on baguette
Top with Sam's Mayopeno shrimp mixture
Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve!
To inquire about Sam's Incredible Mayopeno Spread drop a comment

A SVELTE MELT (In Tuna)!

Where in the world have I been? It's not a very compelling story. I'd love to report that I've been traveling the globe in search of the latest sandwich news, but being honest, that is not the case.

In all truth, my attention was temporarily diverted from this fabulous world of sandwiching, can you imagine? But I'm back now with affirmation that all that glitters is not gold. Unless of course it's a lovely piece of faccocia or sourdough that's been toasted to golden perfection.

So last night started out to be somewhat dreary. No one has had time for grocery shopping lately, leaving few choices for dinner.

This old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard which seemed to be nothing but bare. When way in the back, up under some snacks, she found what was soon to be fare.

A not so fancy can of Albacore Tuna was staring me right in the face. I scoured the fridge in search of ingredients that still had a breath of life in them and came up with a simple sandwich that was most satisfying indeed. Hey, it doesn't have to be fancy or exotic. That my friends, is the beauty of the sandwich.Albacore packed in water is my favorite canned tuna to work with. It's clean of any dark meat which tends to smell a little fishier than does the more mild white meat of Albacore. Just placing it into a bowl (after draining) conjures up memories of the wholesome tuna sandwiches Mother used to make, not to mention the possibility of whipping up something really delicious without much work. I love traditional tuna salad with Mayo, chopped celery, chopped onion and sweet pickle relish. Matter of fact, the only way I will ever eat sweet pickle relish is in a tuna salad. Otherwise, it's not one of my favorites.

Didn't go the traditional route last night though. Instead, I used chopped celery mixed with a little olive oil and lemon in the tuna mix (trying to stay away from Mayo right now, my biggest weakness). The lemon really brightens the tuna flavor, and of course olive oil keeps it moist and lean. Saving the other ingredients for the outside of the sandwich, I laid the sliced Como Loaf bread on a cooking sheet and lightly toasted both sides under the broiler, then began stacking flavors, starting with jalapeno peppers, Bermuda onion, pickled capers and a creamy Vintage white cheddar cheese. Then back under the broiler for a minute or two (just until the cheese melted) which helps to marry the flavors quickly.

For a small side dish, I peeled, then sliced a large cucumber into a bowl. Over it I drizzled seasoned Rice Vinegar ("Original" which is a little sweet), a tiny bit of olive oil, freshly ground pepper and coarse salt. A perfect compliment to the sandwich. Simple and good, that's how me likes it.