Orange Ginger Chicken Salad Sandwich

This chicken salad sandwich is a favorite among my sandwich creations, it starts with cooled roasted chicken breast, mixed with crispy celery and infused with a orange, ginger Greek yogurt sauce and then sprinkled with sliced almonds and orange zest. I first posted this as an addition to my crepe recipe back in 2009, but have made some changes along with photos to show how I make this tangy yet savory sandwich. It complements any summer picnic or baby/bridal shower when served with fresh croissant rolls.

 

Ingredients:

 

• 2-3 cups of cubed chicken breast (see how I roast or broil my chicken; click here)
• 1-2 celery Stalks (chopped)
• Juice from 1 whole orange
• 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon sage
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 cup of Plain Greek style yogurt
• 1/4 cup of Mayonnaise
• zest from 1 whole Orange
• 1/4 cup of sliced or slivered almonds

 

 

 

 

Directions:

 

In a large bowl, add chopped chicken and celery.

 

  

 

Mix:

Juice from 1 orange, 1 teaspoon of ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon sage, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon of salt, zest from half of an orange, and 1/2 cup of Plain Greek style yogurt in a small bowl.

 

Pour onto chicken and celery and mix well, stir in 1/4 cup of Mayonnaise. Top with the other half of orange zest, and sliced almonds.

 

Pulled Pork

I have enjoyed making several crock pot meals this week from the Rival crock pot recipe book. This is the second recipe I tried this week, and it was so yummy and easy. (picture taken from rival crock pot website.)

Yields 8-10 people

1 Pork shoulder roast (2.5 to 4 lbs)

1- 21 ounce bottle BBQ sauce

2 tbsps lemon juice

2 tsps brown sugar

1 medium onion, diced

Buns/Rolls

*Note- when using a 4 quart crock pot, decrease the ingredients in half except the BBQ sauce. Decrease the BBQ sauce to 14 ounces.*

1. Cook roast for 10-12 hours on low or 5-6 hours on high. (I did mine on the high option)

2. Remove roast, discard liquid. Shred pork. return to crock pot. 

3. Add remaining ingredients. Cover; cook on low 1 hour or high 30 minutes. Serve.

Pulled Beef

Unfortunately I did not take any pictures of this dish, but trust me when I say it made for a delicious and easy meal for my family. It's from the crock pot recipe book by Rival.

Yields: 8-10 serving

3 lbs beef rump or bottom roast (I used rump as it has less fat and it costs less per pound)

2 envelopes onion flavor dry soup mix

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp oregano

1 tbsp minced garlic

2 cans beef broth

1 bottle (12 ounces) beer (your choice of flavor)

1. Trim and discard fat off beef. Place beef in crock pot. Do not add water to crock.

2. Combine soup mix, sugar, oregano, garlic, broth and beer in large mixing bowl.

3. Pour mixture over beef. Cover; cook on high 6-8 hours or until beef is fork tender. (I cooked mine for 7)

4. Remove beef. Shred. Return to liquid and mix well. 

Serve and Enjoy! The first night we made this, we used it as the meat for our French dip sandwiches. The second night we used it as a roast with rolls, mashed potatoes and gravy. We preferred this recipe more as the roast dish. 

The Dubliner'

THE 'DUBLINER'. Put an Irish spin on the regular old grilled cheese! I came up with this last year and now it is a frequent request at our house. Variations can be made depending on your available ingredients and what your family likes.

Ingredients:

-Virgin (white, no dried fruit, but you can use teh dried fruit type as well- I think it would taste very good) Irish soda bread, sliced into sandwich servings. If no soda bread, just use regular.

-Kerrygold Irish butter (you can substitute regular, but Kerrygold is creamier.)

-Dubliner Sharp vintage cheddar (it is available at nearly every grocery store in specialty cheeses).

-one leek, sliced.

-olive oil (if not using bacon)

-salt and pepper

-2 slabs Irish bacon (Optional. Regular bacon can also be used, but Irish bacon has a thicker cut and usually less sodium is used.)

Directions: Heat a grill. If using bacon, cook in a medium skillet until crisp (or tender depending on your taste). Take sliced leeks, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and saute them in olive oil if not using bacon, or use remaining bacon fat if you used the bacon, until tender and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Butter your bread slices on one side. Slice cheese and place on bread, then, top with leeks and bacon. Cook/Grill as any grilled cheese and serve. This dish goes well with potato and leek soup.

Eggplant Sandwiches

1/2 cup flour (any kind is fine)

2 large eggs

1 cup bread crumbs ( I make my own by grinding stale bread, but store bought is fine too).

1 medium eggplant

1/2 cup oil (canola or olive oil are best)

salt

Romaine lettuce

2 medium tomatoes

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

4 ounces fresh goat cheese (or more if you like extra cheese like I do).

Place the flour, eggs and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Dip the eggplant slices in the flour, egg then bread crumbs. Heat the oil in a large pan. Cook the eggplant until golden brown and crisp. About 2 -3 minutes per side. Set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle eggplant with salt.

Now to assemble the sandwiches. Layer eggplant, lettuce, tomatoes, goat cheese, basil and another eggplant slice on top. Enjoy!

Ham and Egg Salad Sandwich

Don't bother yourself to make this one perfect. I cut my eggs and ham rather chunky in fact. We had extra dyed eggs and more ham that was yet to be used up from Easter, which pretty much predicted this as an upcoming lunch. By throwing in some extras, this egg salad sandwich could be a gourmet lunch and still satisfy that little kid in you too. :)

Ham and Egg Salad Sandwich:

Ingredients-

Eggs -6 hard boiled (I like to do 3 egg yokes and 6 egg whites)

Ham cut up- As much as you'd like really

Light Mayo- About 1-2 Tablespoons

Light Sourcream- About 1-2 Tablespoons

Mustard- About 1-2 teaspoons

Celery Salt- 2-3 dashes

Ground Pepper

Dill Weed- Several dashes 

Curray Powder- A few dashes

Other extras I like to use:

Garlic- minced

Onion -minced

Fresh Celery with the leaves- chopped

Directions:

Cut up all ingredients and mix together well. Spread on sandwich bread or serve of crackers

Cucumber Sandwiches

Before I finished my spring semester in school, I was studying about the United Kingdom. Of which, I studied traditional English cuisine. I thought about making things such as Spotted Dick or the traditional fish and chips and may still do so. But, one simple English snack that I had tried before- the cucumber sandwich- was something that I wanted to share for a taste of England. You can find my class notes and other information (with pictures) about England by clicking here.

Thinly slice your cucumber. Some may suggest peeling them but, if you buy an English cucumber, I don't even bother.

(As you can see, mine are not as thinly sliced as normal which makes them better to layer on your sandwich)

You can buy an English cucumber or regular although I've read and experienced that :

It is generally sold wrapped in plastic to reduce water loss, and so is usually not waxed and therefore does not need peeling.
It is usually called seedless (which is an outright lie), but its seeds are much smaller and less prominent.
It is the seeds in a cucumber (and especially in an aging cucumber) that make it bitter, so a semi-seedless English cucumber is less likely to be bitter
It has been bred to be more easily digested than some other varieties (fewer burps).

(Copied from http://www.ochef.com/189.htm)

Soak you slices in some White wine vinegar (or regular vinegar) and water for 30-40 minutes.

I let mine soak in my salad spinner. This way after they soaked, I dumped extra vinegar out (without touching the cucumbers) and gave it a quick spin to release the excess
(otherwise, you would pat them with a paper towel).

Then sprinkle salt and pepper on as desired.

To prepare your bread (usually white bread), butter both sides with real butter. At this point you can cut of the crusts now or after placing the cucumbers on them. So, place your cucumbers accordingly on your bread and cover with the other end.

These are a great appetizer or snack you and your company to enjoy!
*
Do you think that this is something you'd like to try or have you tried them already?

Cooking Tool: Camping Pie Iron

I love the outdoors! We went camping this weekend for the 4th of July and one of our favorite things to do when camping at night is to sit by the open fire, eat, sing, and just tell stories. One thing that makes the campfire experience even more fun is when we roast hot dogs, marshmallows and make pies or grilled cheese sandwiches. These pies don't really compare to that of dutch oven cobbler but, it is fast and easier. We made apple pies and grilled cheese sandwiches this weekend and thought it was the perfect way to introduce our cooking tool of the week, the Pie Iron.

I have used the pie iron for camping since I can remember. My uncle and aunt would bring theirs on our family camp outs growing up and we couldn't get enough cherry or berry pies. It was fun to make your own and see what other neat things you could make over the fire. They are very easy to use and are long enough for kids to use them safely. They are not that expensive and if you like to camp a lot, it might be something to think about getting. You can buy them at almost any camping or online store.

How to use them:
Butter or spray inside both cooking plates. Add your bread. For this one, I used Potato bread. It is ok if the bread is a little bigger, you can trim the crust or push it into the plate and clamp it.

Put a big scoop of pie filling in the center. I also spread some cream cheese inside both slices to make it even better.

Place into fire or grill.
If cooking in the fire, try to wedge it into hot coals or two hot logs to help it cook evenly. Don't forget to turn it either.

When it is golden brown on both sides, it is done.

Having just a grilled cheese, also works out. They are delicious!

Other suggestions:

Stuffed french toast

(with already cooked bread)

Toad in a hole

(cut hole into two slices of bread, can also use two eggs)

Any grilled sandwich like a tuna melt

Cheeseburger (with already cooked hamburger)

Quesadilla (with small flour or corn tortillas)

Grilled Burritos (they would be small unless you have a double iron)

*

Have You Tried These or Think You Would Like One?

Not Your Usual Grilled Cheese

Learn more about this amazing chef including recipes:

http://www.tylerflorence.com/ Tyler Florence (born Kevin Tyler Florence on March 3, 1971) is a chef and television star of several Food Network shows. He graduated from the College of Culinary Arts at the Charleston, South Carolina, campus of Johnson & Wales University in 1991. He was later given an honorary doctorate from the university for his culinary success. He hosted Food 911 and How to Boil Water, and currently hosts Tyler's Ultimate on the Food Network.

This particular recipe, Tyler's grilled cheese sandwich, is a favorite in our house. It is made up of unique, yet juicy flavors that you normally don't find in a grilled cheese sandwich. Even with my substitutions, both versions still shares that wonderful taste. I recommend you try it for yourself. Each bit has a cheesy and smokey flavor with just a little juicy crunch from the Granny Smith apple. Delicious!


I apologize for the 'not so clear' picture I took this evening when I made these. (Had to use an older camera). Here is Tyler Florence's recipe for his Grilled Cheese Sandwich.
(My substitutions will also be added)

Ingredients
8 slices country-style white bread, sliced 1/2-inch thick
12 ounces farmhouse Cheddar, sliced

(I used smoked cheddar or Gouda Cheese if I can't find farmhouse)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

(I spray on I can't Believe it's not butter or lightly brush on melted butter)
12 slices bacon, cooked to desired doneness
1 green apple, thinly sliced
Dijon mustard

(I use my dill mustard mix: 1 teaspoon mustard, 1 tablespoon mayo, and 1 teaspoon of Dill weed)

Directions
Heat griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat. Alternatively you can use your panini press if you have one.
Assemble sandwich: Generously spread Mustard on 4 slices of bread. Top with slices of Cheddar, 3 pieces of bacon, apple slices and additional Cheddar. Place the remaining bread on top and spread with butter. Place on skillet buttered-side down and butter the remaining side. Cook until cheese is slightly melted and bread is browned. Flip the sandwich and continue to cook until cheese is thoroughly melted and sandwich is golden brown.

*
Has anyone tried these?
Or do you think this is something you'd like to try?

Marinated Italian Cold Cut Sub

I have to give my in laws the credit for this one. My mother and Father in law make these great Italian Marinaded cold cut sandwiches and they are desirable meal among the children and children in law. I do however, make mine different than them but, I think that they are both equally great and suggest trying them out and make any adjustments that might interest you.

Thinly Slice 1/2 -1 Red onion, 1/2-1 green pepper, 1/2- 1 red pepper, and 2 Roma tomatoes (not pictured).

Through in a bowl with a quarter pound of thinly sliced Salami, Pastrami, Ham, Roast beef and pepperoni (if desired). Then pour in 1/2 to 1 bottle of Wishbone light Italian dressing, 1/2 bottle of Newman's Own Oil and Vinaigrette, and 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar. Toss to mix.

Lay out individual portions on a cookie sheet and pour remaining marinade over it . Let it marinade in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. You can make this the night before and leave in over night.
* Another easy way to do this is to lay out the meat and veggies in individual portions on the cookie sheet and then mix the liquid ingredients together and pour over the portions on the cookie sheet.

Lay over a favorite hoggie roll. I chose a Sourdough roll for this one. It is a little firmer and holds it together well. This would be a good time if you wanted to put some sliced fresh tomatoes, shredded lettuce, and/or salt and pepper.

I keep wondering that these would be good hot but haven't tried it yet. I would think that you would just saute the veggies, add meat, and then add liquid ingredients and skip the marinading process. Of course, it wouldn't be a cold cut sub though :).

What do you think, do you think it might be good hot?