Tomato Jam

Seeds unsprouted still
Barren vines in Autumn chill
Heedless enjoyment

The perfect way to enjoy tomatoes any time of the year.  This is an absolute must-try as the "T" on a BLT.  It might just be your new favorite sandwich!  Also great on burgers and hot dogs.

Tomato Jam

Adapted from Well Done Chef

Ingredients:

2-14.5oz cans diced tomatoes (or equivalent amount chopped & seeded fresh tomatoes)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp Kosher salt

2 tsp minced garlic

2 tbsp grated onion

1/4 cup reserved tomato liquid

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne

Directions:

1.  Drain the tomatoes well (reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid for later use).

2.  In a small bowl, stir together the reserved tomato liquid, brown sugar, vinegar, black pepper, and cayenne.  Set aside.

3.  Place a large pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Once hot, add the tomatoes, oil, salt, garlic, and onion.

4.  Cook the tomato mixture, stirring often, until most of the liquid has evaporated and a fond begins to form on the sides of the pan.

5.  Stir the sugar-vinegar mixture into the pot.  Cook, stirring often, until the liquid has reduced and become somewhat syrupy.

6.  Transfer the mixture to a heat-safe bowl to cool to room temperature.  Pulse the mixture in a food processor to break the tomatoes into smaller pieces.

7.  Cover and chill until ready to use.

Cranberry BBQ Sauce, Turkey Sandwich

I'm not a fan of putting cranberry sauce on a turkey sandwich.  I also don't usually enjoy citrus on my meat.  But this sauce defies the norm; it's so very yummy!  Perfect drizzled over leftovers, brushed on grilled turkey breast, as a braising liquid for drumsticks, or just as sauce on a turkey burger.  Of course, it would be absolutely lovely with chicken, too (but let's not steal turkey's thunder - tis his season, after all)!
This recipe is adapted from Patio Daddio.  It is quick, easy, different, and delicious!

Cranberry BBQ Sauce

Adapted from Patio Daddio

Ingredients:

1 can whole berry cranberry sauce

1/2 cup orange juice concentrate

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp unsulphured molasses

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp minced red onion (freeze dried works perfectly)

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried parsley

Directions:

1.  Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan set over medium heat.  Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.

2.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

3.  Remove the pan from the heat and allow the sauce to cool.

4.  Place the sauce in a food processor or blender.  Process until smooth.

5.  Optimally, cover and chill the sauce for at least 2 hours before using to allow the flavors to meld.  Reheat as desired.  Serve!

Turkey Tenderloin Sandwich with Bacon & Cheese

Ingredients:

1 recipe Cranberry BBQ Sauce 

1 lb turkey tenderloins

4 large buns (I used potato buns)

4 slices colby-jack or cheddar cheese

4 slices bacon, crisped & crumbled

Directions:

1.  Bring the BBQ sauce to a boil in a large saucepan.

2.  Place the tenderloins in the sauce and reduce the heat to a simmer.

3.  Allow the tenderloins to cook in the sauce, turning them occasionally, until they are cooked through.  Turkey dries easily, so watch closely to avoid overcooking.

4.  Remove the turkey form the pan and allow it to rest for five minutes.  Slice the meat, against the grain, into strips.  Toss the strips with additional sauce if desired.

5.  Preheat a broiler to high.  Place a slice of cheese on each bun top.  Place the bun tops under the broiler and heat until the cheese is melted.

6.  Divide the turkey slices evenly over the bun bottoms.  Top with additional sauce and bacon pieces.  Place the bun tops on top and serve!

Sloppy Cubanos

A Cubano is an awesome sandwich made with roasted pork, ham, dill pickles, mayo, and mustard.  Delicious!  This recipe combines the fun and ease of Sloppy Joes with yummy Cubano inspired flavor.
This sandwich is loosely adapted from one by Rachel Ray.  It makes a wonderful and fast lunch or dinner with plenty of great flavor.  A must-try!

Sloppy Cubanos

Adapted from Rachel Ray

Ingredients:

2 tbsp dried minced onion

3/4 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp Mexican oregano

1/2 tsp ground coriander

2 tbsp lime juice (from about 1 lime)

1/4 cup orange juice (from about 1 small orange)

14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (with the liquid)

1 lb ground pork

1/4 cup dry sherry

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp minced garlic

1 cup chicken broth

Salt

2 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tbsp yellow mustard

4 hamburger or sandwich rolls

4 tbsp dill relish

4 oz deli-sliced ham, chopped small

4 deli slices of Swiss Cheese

Directions:

1.  In a small bowl, combine the onion, cumin, pepper, oregano, and coriander.  Set aside.

2.  In a small bowl, combine the lime and orange juice.  Set aside.

3.  Pulse the diced tomatoes with liquid in a food processor until no large pieces remain.  Set aside.

4.  Place a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Once hot, add the pork.  Cook, crumbling as you go, until the meat is browned.

5.  Add the sherry and cook until most of the liquid is reduced.

6.  Add the tomato, brown sugar, garlic, and the herbs and spices.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until much of the liquid has reduced.

7.  Add the chicken stock and lime-orange juice.  Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until much of the liquid has reduced and the mixture has thickened to the desired consistency.  Salt to taste.

8.  In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and mustard.

9.  Spread the mayo-mustard on both halves of each bun.  Spread about 1 tbsp of dill relish on each bun top.

10.  Preheat the broiler to high.

11.  Place the bun bottoms on a baking sheet,  Divide the meat mixture evenly over the bun bottoms.  Top each with 1/4 of the chopped ham and one slice of cheese.

12.  Broil the loaded bun bottoms until the cheese melts (watch closely - this will happen quickly).

13.  Place the bun tops on top and serve!

Pesto Chicken Sandwich

It's always nice to have a few grilled chicken sandwich recipes on hand.  That way, when you want a quick dinner, you've got some options.  This is a nice one for the collection - juicy grilled chicken with melty cheese, pesto sauce, and roasted red peppers.  Yummy!
This recipe is adapted from Bon Appetit at Epicurious.  It's fast, simple, and delicious.

Pesto Chicken Sandwich

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients:

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tbsp prepared pesto

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken half-breasts

Olive oil

Salt & Pepper

4 Deli slices of Italian cheese (I used Mozzarella-Provolone)

4 buns (such as ciabatta - I used Orowheat Crostini)

1/2 cup roasted red peppers, chopped

Directions:

1.  Stir the mayonnaise together with the pesto.  Cover and chill.  You can use this sauce right away, but it's even better if you have time to let it rest for about an hour in the fridge.

2.  Clean and oil your grill grate.  Preheat to high.

3.  Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness (or buy thin-cut).  Brush or spray with oil and season generously with salt and pepper.

4.  Grill the chicken, flipping halfway, until it is nearly cooked through.  Top each piece of chicken with a slice of cheese.  When cooked through, transfer the chicken to a plate to rest for five minutes.

5.  Spread about 3 tsp of the sauce onto each bun top.  Sprinkle the red peppers evenly over the sauce (about 2 tbsp per bun top).

6.  Place the chicken pieces onto the bun bottoms.  Place the bun tops on top.  Serve!

Grilled Ham & Cheese English Muffin Sandwich

When my son was a toddler, his favorite TV show was Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals.  He loved when she'd say "Yummo!".  I'm a lucky mom - he loves food; a regular gourmet.
For dinner, I wanted to make grilled cheese sandwiches.  I had some Franz Hawaiian English Muffins and thought they'd be interesting to use instead of standard sliced bread.  I hopped online to see what people had to say about grilled English Muffin sandwiches.  Were they some wonderful delicacy I'd been missing out on all these years?  Were they an abomination - too tough, the filling shooting out when you take your first bite?
That's when I happened upon a recipe by Rachel Ray.  I immediately thought of my son and how he'd be pleased to be eating a recipe she'd deemed "yummo".  It turned out to be a good find.  The recipe had an interesting twist - the sandwiches were built inside out.  The result: a crunchy, tasty, grilled masterpiece.
This, of course, is a quick & easy lunch or dinner to make.  And, with the combo of crunchy sweet bread, smoky ham, and melty cheese, it's just delicious.  I guess I have been missing out all these years!

Grilled Ham & Cheese English Muffin Sandwich

Adapted from Rachel Ray

Ingredients:

4 english muffins (I used Franz Hawaiian)

Butter for spreading

Brown mustard (optional)

8 deli slices of Swiss cheese (I used baby Swiss)

8 deli slices of Black Forest ham

Directions:

1.  Split the muffins and spread butter on the cut sides.

2.  Spread a light layer of mustard on the smooth crusty sides (what used to be the outsides of the muffins).

3.  Place a slice of cheese over the mustard on each muffin half.  Fold the ham as necessary to fit and place two pieces of ham on two of the muffin halves.  Top with the remaining two muffin halves.  You should now have a sandwich with the following layers: butter, muffin, mustard, cheese, meat, cheese, mustard, muffin, butter.

4.  Heat a skillet or griddle to medium-low.  Once hot, add the sandwiches.  When the first sides are golden brown, flip.  Cook until the second sides are golden and the cheese is melted (turn the heat down if the bread is browning too quickly).

5.  Serve!

Grilled Chicken Panini

I had planned to make chicken for dinner - something that would require preparation, a sauce, time in the oven, and time under the broiler.  Then, I noticed the forecast - hot.  Who wants to stand around a hot kitchen for an hour, sweltering?  Not me.  I had to think of an alternate plan.
So, I had bread.  I had chicken.  Just the perfect pair for a grilled chicken panini!  So, I went in search of an interesting new recipe and found a great one at The Pioneer Woman.  Grilled marinated chicken, roasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, molto bene!
I did end up making a few small changes: basil & Parmesan instead of pesto (there is plenty of garlic in the tomatoes and oil in the recipe to achieve the flavor, but without having to buy or make pesto separately), bottled roasted red peppers instead of freshly roasted (to save time and because Mezzetta tastes great), Italian bread, different distribution of oil, and olive oil instead of butter for the bread (just personal preference).
It was a good dinner and a good recipe.  So, next time you want to make a yummy Italian-style sandwich, look no further - you've got your recipe right here!

Grilled Chicken Panini

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:

1/4 cup oil-packed sun dried tomatoes (with Italian herbs is fine)

3 tbsp chopped basil

2 tbsp grated Parmesan

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (plus extra for brushing on bread)

4 boneless, skinless chicken half-breasts

1/4 cup mayonnaise

12 slices Italian bread

3/4 cups chopped roasted red peppers

12 deli slices mozzarella (I used cheddar-mozzarella)

Directions:

1.  Place the sun dried tomatoes, basil, Parmesan, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in the small bowl of a food processor.  Process until well blended and fairly smooth.

2.  Mix half of the mixture with 1 tbsp olive oil.  Pour the oil mixture into a large Ziplock bag.  Pound the chicken to an even thickness (or you can purchase thin-sliced breasts).  Place the chicken in the bag and seal the top.  Move the chicken around until it is completely coated with the mixture.  Place in the refrigerator to marinate for 1-2 hours.

3.  Meanwhile: mix the second half of the tomato mixture with the mayonnaise in a small bowl.  Cover and chill while the chicken marinates (this will give the flavors time to blend).

4.  Preheat your gas grill to high (clean and oil the grate before you begin).  Grill the marinated chicken, flipping halfway through, until cooked through.  Transfer to a plate and let rest for 5-10 minutes.

5.  Slice the chicken.  Slicing across the half-breasts will make larger pieces, making the sandwiches easier to flip while cooking.  Slicing lengthwise and then across will make bite-sized pieces, which are trickier to work with, but easier to eat.

6.  Preheat a pan or griddle to medium-low.

7.  Spread the mayonnaise sauce on half of the bread slices.  Place the chicken slices on top of the sauced bread slices.  Sprinkle the roasted red peppers over the chicken.  Lay two pieces of cheese over the filling on each of the 6 bread slices.  Top each with a second slice of bread to make sandwiches.  Spray or lightly brush the tops of the bread with olive oil.

8.  Place the sandwiches in the heated pan or griddle, oiled sides down.  Spray or lightly brush the second sides with olive oil.

9.  Use a grill press (or a heavy pan or a foil-wrapped, clean brick) to press the sandwiches as they cook.  I place a piece of parchment or waxed paper between the sandwich and the press to avoid any sticking.

10.  When the first side of the sandwiches are golden brown, flip them over and cook the second side.  Use the grill press to press the sandwiches again as they cook.

11.  Cut and serve!

Smoky Mountain Chicken Sandwich

I love a good chicken sandwich and am always on the lookout for a good one.  When I saw Todd Wilbur's Ruby Tuesday clone in Top Secret Restaurant Recipes, I knew I had to try it.
I joked with my husband that it's the American cordon bleu.  It is grilled chicken with smoked ham, provolone, and BBQ sauce.  A great combo!
I made the sandwich almost exactly as directed.  The only changes were: I used skinless chicken.  I omitted the tomato.  I used my own sauce (he recommends Bullseye, which would save some prep time).  And, finally, I melted the cheese under the broiler to avoid over or under cooking the chicken.
This is one tasty sandwich!  I've never tried Ruby Tuesday's version, but if it's anything like this, it's a winner!

Smoky Mountain Chicken Sandwich

Adapted from the recipe by Todd Wilbur

Ingredients:

Sauce -

1/2 cup ketchup

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp dried minced onion

1 1/2 tsp white vinegar

1/2 tsp prepared yellow mustard

1/2 tsp liquid hickory smoke

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

Pinch cayenne (optional)

2 tbsp water

4 boneless, skinless chicken half-breasts

Oil

About 1/4 tsp dried thyme

About 1/4 tsp salt

8 deli-slices smoked ham

4 deli-slices provolone cheese (I used provolone-mozzarella)

4 soft buns (I used Orowheat Potato)

1 green onion, sliced thin

Directions:

1.  For the Sauce: stir the ketchup and brown sugar together in a small saucepan until smooth.  Stir in the remaining ingredients.  

2.  Put the pan over medium-high heat.  Bring to boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until the mixture begins to thicken (sauce will become thicker as it cools).

3.  Transfer the sauce to a bowl and allow it to come to room temperature.  Cover and chill for at least one hour (sauce can be used while it is still hot for this recipe, but tastes even better if you give the flavors the time to blend).

4.  Preheat the grill to high.  Clean and oil the grate.

5.  Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness (for even cooking).  Spray or brush both sides with oil.  Season both sides with salt and thyme (crumbled between your fingers).

6.  Preheat the broiler.  Warm the sauce in a small saucepan or in the microwave.

7.  Grill the chicken, flipping half-way, until cooked through.  Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet.  Spread the sauce evenly over the tops of each piece of chicken.  Top each with two slices of the ham and then one slice of the cheese.

8.  Place the baking sheet under the hot broiler until the cheese has melted.

9.  Place each piece of chicken on a bun bottom.  Sprinkle each evenly with the sliced green onion.  Add the bun tops.  Serve!

Fajita Burgers

Fajitas - one of the Mexican food greats!  The perfect blend of spices, peppers, onions, and sour cream to go along with the delicious meat and tortillas.  I decided to join my love of this wonderful food with my burgerology hobby and came up with (drumroll please) Fajita Burgers!
This burger is a beef patty (for steak fajitas, but feel free to make it with ground chicken instead), topped with charred green peppers and a tangy onion crema, served up on a soft bun.  Ahhh - yum.

Fajita Burgers

Katie Christy

Ingredients:

Crema -

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tsp lime juice

1/4 tsp lime zest (optional)

1 tsp dried minced onion

Spice Blend -

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1 green bell pepper, trimmed and cut into quarters

1 lb ground beef

4 slices colby-jack cheese (optional)

4 hamburger buns (I used Orowheat Potato)

Directions:

1.  For the Crema: stir the ingredients together in a small bowl.  Cover and chill until ready to use.

2.  For the Spice Blend: stir the ingredients together in a small bowl.  Set aside.

3.  Preheat the grill to high.  Oil the grate.

4.  Place the green pepper pieces on the grill.  Grill until slightly charred on the first side.  Flip, grill until slightly charred on the second side.  Remove from the grill.  Chop.  Set aside.

5.  Meanwhile: form the beef into four 1/4 pound patties.  Oil both sides and sprinkle evenly with the spice mixture.

6.  Place the patties on the grill.  Cook until the first side is just browned.  Flip.  Cook until the second side is well browned.

7.  Flip the burgers again.  Top each patty with a slice of cheese.  The beef should reach an internal temperature of 160°.  If you are at temperature before the cheese melts, close the grill cover briefly to do a fast-melt.

8.  Open the buns.  Spread 1/4 of the crema mixture onto each bun top.  Spoon about 1/4 of the green peppers onto the crema.  Place a patty on each bun bottom.  Assemble.  Serve!

Garlic French Grilled Cheese

Not every lunch and dinner has to be a grand affair.  Sometimes, it's just a grilled cheese kind of day.  This recipe is one of my family's favorites (the idea for putting Parmesan on the outside is from Kraft).  It's basically garlic French bread turned into a grilled cheese sandwich.  Yum.

Garlic French Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Katie Christy

Ingredients:

Garlic Bread Seasoning -

2 tbsp grated Parmesan

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp dried parsley

1/8 tsp salt

8-10 slices French Bread

Olive Oil

8-10 thin deli-slices of cheese (I used cheddar-mozzarella)

Butter, softened

2 tbsp grated Parmesan

Directions:

1.  For the Garlic Bread Seasoning: mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl.  You can use it right away, but it's even better if you cover and chill for an hour to let the flavors blend.

2.  Brush or spray one side of each piece of bread with olive oil.  Sprinkle the seasoning evenly over the tops.

3.  Place two slices of cheese on half of the bread slices.  Put the cheeseless breads atop the cheesed breads to make sandwiches.

4.  Spread butter onto both sides of each sandwich.

5.  Sprinkle 1 tbsp of the Parmesan evenly over the tops of the sandwiches.

6.  Heat a large skillet or griddle to about 200°.  Place the sandwiches, tops down (Parmesan side down), on the griddle.  Sprinkle the sandwiches evenly with the remaining tablespoon of Parmesan.  Cook until the first side is golden brown.  Reduce the heat to about 150°.

7.  Carefully flip the sandwiches.  Cook until the second side is golden brown and the cheese is melted.  If cooking in batches, place the finished sandwiches on a rack (so they don't become soggy from the steam).

8.  Slice and serve!