Ok, one of my favorite things to eat is grilled cheese sammiches. I love 'em, and they can be made in so many different combinations that it boggles the mind. Also, you can serve them with so many different things that they can become the saving grace of any diner. From potato chips and a pickle to a steaming bowl of vegetable soup, the standard diner-style grilled cheese sammy is the perfect lunch or dinner.
If you want to be crazy, you can make crazy combinations of cheese and breads. Ryes and artisan breads with all sorts of gourmet cheeses grilled in olive oil or some crazy goats milk butter. Add some sort of meat or you favorite grilled veggies to the sammich and you have a delight to go down in the cooks digest. But what I'm talking about here is that good old-fashioned comfort food, something that might remind you of what Grandma used to make on those cold winter days when you were out sledding. ( if you have never had a grandma make you something special while you were out sledding, you are missing a great part of life, so I don't wanna hear any whining about it.)
Ingredients:
Block of American Cheese from the deli - Cut into THICK slices
hearty ( dense) white bread- sliced for sammiches
soft butter
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
butter bread on one side and place butterside down on a cookie sheet, place one thick slice of cheese on the bread and then prepare second slice of bread and place butter side out on top of cheese. (I recommend making two at once, it just easier because I always want a second one!)
Bake on center rack of oven for 8-10 minutes or until the bottom side is golden brown, flip over and bake an additional 6-10 minutes until that side is also golden. (If it's done right the cheese will be just starting to ooze from the sides of the bread. I personally like when the cheese gets to the pan and gets brown and crispy!)
Remove from oven and cut in half serve on a plate with your favorite side dishes.
EAT IT!!!
After thoughts:
This style sammich is The Best with Tomato soup, but any tomato-y soup goes great with this style sammich.
If you live in the Northeast, the best bread is Monk's Bread. Their white is perfect for this purpose.
You can make half a dozen of these at once on the cookie sheet, so it is perfect for company, because it's fast and easy.
Showing posts with label easy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label easy. Show all posts
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Sausage & Sauce Crock Pot style
Once in a while we need something that is spicy and full of flavor and can be enjoyed in many ways. This is one of those recipes, you can use it as a topping for pasta, or as a main course with some fresh garlic bread. Then there is my favorite way, to take these tender simmered sausages and tuck then into a fresh, soft hoagie roll and load them up with Parmesan and provolone and chow down!!
It's a simple recipe that you can vary to your tastes in a hundred ways. If you like it spicy, use spicy sausage, or throw some peppers into the sauce. If you like it mild, use sweet sausage or toss a little sugar into the sauce. You can mix and match the sausage types, use chunky sauce or smooth style, or add meatballs for the variety. Hang on tight, there is no wrong way to make this.
Ingredients:
1 1/2-2 pounds Italian sausage links (whatever your favorite is)
2-3 quarts of your favorite tomato sauce. ( I like to make my own most of the time, but the Newman's Own® Garlic and Basil is AWESOME when I don't feel like it)
Directions:
With a sharp knife stab each sausage a few times and set in large sauce pan, cover with water and cover pan.
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, simmer for 15 minutes on low heat. ( this removes the excess fat from the sausage.)
Meanwhile, put 1/3 of sauce in crock pot.
Remove sausage from water and cut into thirds. add immediately to crock pot. Use remaining sauce to cover the sausage completely, mix with slotted spoon to remove bubbles.
Cover and set on low, simmer for 6 to 8 hours.
Serve any way you wish!
EAT IT!!!
Afterthoughts:
You can do this in the oven also, set the temp at 200-215 and check occasionally to be sure that it is not cooking to fast.
Serve over Spaghetti with garlic bread makes a great dinner.
Fry up some ground beef with onions and garlic, add to sauce and simmer with the sausage. Meat sauce with sausage is a really hearty meal all by itself.
It's a simple recipe that you can vary to your tastes in a hundred ways. If you like it spicy, use spicy sausage, or throw some peppers into the sauce. If you like it mild, use sweet sausage or toss a little sugar into the sauce. You can mix and match the sausage types, use chunky sauce or smooth style, or add meatballs for the variety. Hang on tight, there is no wrong way to make this.
Ingredients:
1 1/2-2 pounds Italian sausage links (whatever your favorite is)
2-3 quarts of your favorite tomato sauce. ( I like to make my own most of the time, but the Newman's Own® Garlic and Basil is AWESOME when I don't feel like it)
Directions:
With a sharp knife stab each sausage a few times and set in large sauce pan, cover with water and cover pan.
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, simmer for 15 minutes on low heat. ( this removes the excess fat from the sausage.)
Meanwhile, put 1/3 of sauce in crock pot.
Remove sausage from water and cut into thirds. add immediately to crock pot. Use remaining sauce to cover the sausage completely, mix with slotted spoon to remove bubbles.
Cover and set on low, simmer for 6 to 8 hours.
Serve any way you wish!
EAT IT!!!
Afterthoughts:
You can do this in the oven also, set the temp at 200-215 and check occasionally to be sure that it is not cooking to fast.
Serve over Spaghetti with garlic bread makes a great dinner.
Fry up some ground beef with onions and garlic, add to sauce and simmer with the sausage. Meat sauce with sausage is a really hearty meal all by itself.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Biscuits or Dumplings
It's kinda like one of my universal fallbacks, I use this basic starting point for many of my recipes. It is such an easy place to begin that you should just write in down and put it up on the fridge. You can use this for the Pizza crust as seen below, or you can use it as a basis for wieners in a blanket, or the shortcake in Strawberry shortcake. They are great for biscuits to go with soup and stew or for breakfast as biscuits & gravy and they are equally as awesome as the dumplings in Chicken and Dumplings.
These can be made as a drop biscuit, rolled and cut, or spread out and baked as a small cake. They can even be cooked in a frying pan as pan bread. The secret to keeping them tender is to work the dough as little as possible. The more you work the dough, the tougher they get. My grandma was well known in the family for the toughness of her biscuits, they tasted great, when they were warm from the oven, but after they cooled down they were suitable for use as hockey pucks. My grandma was a pretty good cook overall, but she had certain recipes that I always wondered about! My grandfather was fond of saying that his kids all learned to cook in self defense! Make some up and enjoy!
Ingredients:
2 cups Flour
1Tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup Milk
Directions:
preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In medium mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, and salt, mix with fork to evenly blend dry ingredients.
Add oil and milk, mix quickly until liquid is absorbed, then by hand until there a good dough is formed. Don't worry, it should seem a little lumpy.
Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut with floured cutter, place on ungreased baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, check with toothpick. They should be lightly browned on top when they are done and golden on the bottom.
Variations:
Drop Style-
To make drop biscuits, up milk to 1 cup, and drop onto baking sheet at the size you wish. The bigger they are the longer they need to bake. Average is 20 minutes.
For Shortcake-
Add 1 Tbsp granulated sugar to either drop or rolled style recipe. Cook as directed.
Garlic & Cheddar-
Add 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese to drop recipe. Cook as directed for Drop Style
Dumplings-
Make rolled recipe and drop by tablespoon into boiling gravy or stew , cook for 15-20 minutes.
EAT IT!!!
After thoughts:
When making these for company, you can brush them with butter before baking to even the color or brush when finished backing to add a little pizzaz.
Once you master this recipe, you can use it for just about anything. It's a simple baking powder recipe. Don't be afraid to experiment with it to go with whatever you're making.
These can be made as a drop biscuit, rolled and cut, or spread out and baked as a small cake. They can even be cooked in a frying pan as pan bread. The secret to keeping them tender is to work the dough as little as possible. The more you work the dough, the tougher they get. My grandma was well known in the family for the toughness of her biscuits, they tasted great, when they were warm from the oven, but after they cooled down they were suitable for use as hockey pucks. My grandma was a pretty good cook overall, but she had certain recipes that I always wondered about! My grandfather was fond of saying that his kids all learned to cook in self defense! Make some up and enjoy!
Ingredients:
2 cups Flour
1Tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup Milk
Directions:
preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In medium mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, and salt, mix with fork to evenly blend dry ingredients.
Add oil and milk, mix quickly until liquid is absorbed, then by hand until there a good dough is formed. Don't worry, it should seem a little lumpy.
Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut with floured cutter, place on ungreased baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, check with toothpick. They should be lightly browned on top when they are done and golden on the bottom.
Variations:
Drop Style-
To make drop biscuits, up milk to 1 cup, and drop onto baking sheet at the size you wish. The bigger they are the longer they need to bake. Average is 20 minutes.
For Shortcake-
Add 1 Tbsp granulated sugar to either drop or rolled style recipe. Cook as directed.
Garlic & Cheddar-
Add 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese to drop recipe. Cook as directed for Drop Style
Dumplings-
Make rolled recipe and drop by tablespoon into boiling gravy or stew , cook for 15-20 minutes.
EAT IT!!!
After thoughts:
When making these for company, you can brush them with butter before baking to even the color or brush when finished backing to add a little pizzaz.
Once you master this recipe, you can use it for just about anything. It's a simple baking powder recipe. Don't be afraid to experiment with it to go with whatever you're making.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
We call it, " Indian Hash"
This is an old family favorite that my grampa taught to my dad, and he taught to me. Then I spent some time on the reservation and learned a few more secrets. There are many variations of this quick and easy dinner, but I'm gonna share with you my favorite.
We call it Indian Hash and I have had it at many a home or party while I was living on the Rez. I really don't know why they call it hash, unless it is the potatoes. It's no matter really, because it is easy to make and really filling. It is really a meal all in itself, and when you try it, you'll be hooked too.
Some of the ingredients are pretty flexible. to make it quickly use instant mashed potatoes. you can get them ready while you cook the meat. If you wish to use fresh mashed potatoes, prepare them ahead of time, it's easier and saves time when your in a hurry. I like the use of pork sausage, but it's not solid rule, the ground beef can be any grade you can afford, ground chuck is less greasy. You can use the corn or not. You can use canned corn, but make sure you drain the water out before you add it to the pan. You can even serve the corn on the side, but if you want a veggie with it, the corn is the only way to go.
Ingredients:
4-6 cups Mashed Potatoes
1 lb ground chuck
1 lb pork sausage
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 large onion sliced and quartered
Directions:
In a large frying pan break up sausage and ground chuck, throw in onion and fry until meat is completely cooked.
Drain off excess grease retaining a couple teaspoons.
Return pan to heat and mix in the potatoes and corn.
Cook to desired doneness. Some people like to just get everything up to the same temperature, Some like to get the potatoes brownd off. There really is no wrong way to finish this stuff. (with the exception of burning it to a cinder!)
Serve right from the pan.
EAT IT!
After Thoughts:
Serve with ketchup. I don't know anyone who doesn't put ketchup on this stuff!
Goes amazingly well with an ice cold glass of milk.
Reheats great, so you can make a lot and eat it all week if you so desire!
We call it Indian Hash and I have had it at many a home or party while I was living on the Rez. I really don't know why they call it hash, unless it is the potatoes. It's no matter really, because it is easy to make and really filling. It is really a meal all in itself, and when you try it, you'll be hooked too.
Some of the ingredients are pretty flexible. to make it quickly use instant mashed potatoes. you can get them ready while you cook the meat. If you wish to use fresh mashed potatoes, prepare them ahead of time, it's easier and saves time when your in a hurry. I like the use of pork sausage, but it's not solid rule, the ground beef can be any grade you can afford, ground chuck is less greasy. You can use the corn or not. You can use canned corn, but make sure you drain the water out before you add it to the pan. You can even serve the corn on the side, but if you want a veggie with it, the corn is the only way to go.
Ingredients:
4-6 cups Mashed Potatoes
1 lb ground chuck
1 lb pork sausage
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 large onion sliced and quartered
Directions:
In a large frying pan break up sausage and ground chuck, throw in onion and fry until meat is completely cooked.
Drain off excess grease retaining a couple teaspoons.
Return pan to heat and mix in the potatoes and corn.
Cook to desired doneness. Some people like to just get everything up to the same temperature, Some like to get the potatoes brownd off. There really is no wrong way to finish this stuff. (with the exception of burning it to a cinder!)
Serve right from the pan.
EAT IT!
After Thoughts:
Serve with ketchup. I don't know anyone who doesn't put ketchup on this stuff!
Goes amazingly well with an ice cold glass of milk.
Reheats great, so you can make a lot and eat it all week if you so desire!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Instant Soup (Spicy Veggie)
OK, not really "instant", but it only takes a few minutes and it comes out pretty good. One thing you will find is that it helps to have some basics in your fridge and cupboard. Basics mean at least a small, but stocked, spice rack, flour, sugar, milk, eggs, canned tomatoes, some frozen meat (if you like meat, vegans can modify if they choose) Various frozen and canned veggies, and and either bullion, or canned stock. Also Peanut Butter. It's one of those great useful things that goes well with loads of tastes. Storage containers are also a must, because when you make one person meals, it is rare that you will have to use the entire contents of most packaged foods.
This soup is great in a pinch and it only takes as long as it takes to nuke the veggies to your desired cooked-ness. Some people like 'em a little crunchy, some like 'em mushy, I like firm but just a little past the crunchy phase. Secondly I like things a little spicy, you have the option, you can make it spicier, or tame it out. I don't judge, but I might tease you if I find out!! LOL To the soup!
Ingredients:
1 cup Frozen Mixed veggies ( your choice, but for this one I like the Southwest mix)
1/4 cup beef stock
1cup spicy tomato/vegetable juice
1/2 tsp Tabasco
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
pinch basil
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and cover, nuke for 2 minutes. stir contents and nuke for another 2 minutes. Allow to sit for 2 minutes covered. Remove from nuker and test your veggies, if you want them softer, cook some more, if you are happy...
EAT IT!!
After thoughts:
If you have some cooked macaroni to toss in it's a nice addition.
I like to put some croutons on top with a little Parmesan cheese
It would also go good with a nice cheese sammich.
This soup is great in a pinch and it only takes as long as it takes to nuke the veggies to your desired cooked-ness. Some people like 'em a little crunchy, some like 'em mushy, I like firm but just a little past the crunchy phase. Secondly I like things a little spicy, you have the option, you can make it spicier, or tame it out. I don't judge, but I might tease you if I find out!! LOL To the soup!
Ingredients:
1 cup Frozen Mixed veggies ( your choice, but for this one I like the Southwest mix)
1/4 cup beef stock
1cup spicy tomato/vegetable juice
1/2 tsp Tabasco
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
pinch basil
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and cover, nuke for 2 minutes. stir contents and nuke for another 2 minutes. Allow to sit for 2 minutes covered. Remove from nuker and test your veggies, if you want them softer, cook some more, if you are happy...
EAT IT!!
After thoughts:
If you have some cooked macaroni to toss in it's a nice addition.
I like to put some croutons on top with a little Parmesan cheese
It would also go good with a nice cheese sammich.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Ramen & Cheese
Quick an easy baby! One thing you may notice after a while is that I LOVE Cheese. I put it on tons of stuff, but you don't have to if you don't want to. It's not required. I think perhaps I make up for some of the people in my family who don't like cheese. ( what's that all about?) So here goes, one of my favorites and a great standby for those days when nothing else seems to be appealing.
Ingredients:
1 Pkg Ramen Noodles ( chicken flavor recommended)
3 Slices American cheese ( velveeta slices are best, but any sliced cheese will do)
2 cups water
Directions:
Boil the water... D'oh!! toss in the noodles (without the flavor packet)and cook to your desired consistency. I like them a little firm, so they don't fall apart on the fork.
While the noodles are cooking unwrap your cheese slices and put 1 in the bottom of the bowl. Set the other 2 near your work place because you want to use the heat from the noodles to melt the cheese. (That's the key to the speed here. )
When the noodles are ready, drain off most of the water, keep enough to cover that slice of cheese in the bowl. (probably 2 tablespoons) Now dump the noodles into the bowl, and add a slice of cheese in the middle and on top of the noodles.
Open the flavor packet that came with the noodles and sprinkle a little of the powder on top of your cheese/noodle pile. Now stir the noodles to spread the cheese evenly.
EAT IT!!
After thoughts...
You could use cheez whiz in a pinch, and it would probably work pretty good.
I like to eat this with a glass of orange juice and a couple of crackers w/ peanut butter.
Ingredients:
1 Pkg Ramen Noodles ( chicken flavor recommended)
3 Slices American cheese ( velveeta slices are best, but any sliced cheese will do)
2 cups water
Directions:
Boil the water... D'oh!! toss in the noodles (without the flavor packet)and cook to your desired consistency. I like them a little firm, so they don't fall apart on the fork.
While the noodles are cooking unwrap your cheese slices and put 1 in the bottom of the bowl. Set the other 2 near your work place because you want to use the heat from the noodles to melt the cheese. (That's the key to the speed here. )
When the noodles are ready, drain off most of the water, keep enough to cover that slice of cheese in the bowl. (probably 2 tablespoons) Now dump the noodles into the bowl, and add a slice of cheese in the middle and on top of the noodles.
Open the flavor packet that came with the noodles and sprinkle a little of the powder on top of your cheese/noodle pile. Now stir the noodles to spread the cheese evenly.
EAT IT!!
After thoughts...
You could use cheez whiz in a pinch, and it would probably work pretty good.
I like to eat this with a glass of orange juice and a couple of crackers w/ peanut butter.
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