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.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Another friend contribution.. Frito-Chili Pie
Yeah, I'm being lazy, but since people send them to me I may as well post them, right? I mean it would be rude to totally dismiss them!! LOL I am told that this recipe is kinda like required knowledge for anyone who lives in the southwest. I don't know if it's true, but that's what I have been told, so I am gonna post it.
I have had rave reviews of it, and I have yet to try it myself, so if you try it and like it please, let me know. I hope to try it in the near future. It is not like me to put something up untested, but because I trust the source without question, I am taking the chance. Any gripes, leave me your email address , and I will hook you up with the contributor! Or not! Maybe you want to submit your own recipe? You can always do that, email to: summerseeker67@yahoo.com
As written to me:
Frito Chili Pie Casserole (from T.V. - Mrs. Norman V. Peale)
2 1/2 cups Fritos corn chips (the original thin ones)
1 large onion, chopped
1 - 15 oz. can chili
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Place 1 1/2 cups Fritos in a baking dish. Arrange chopped onion and
half the grated cheese over the Fritos. Pour heated chili over onion
and cheese. Top with remaining corn chips and grated cheese. Bake at
350 degrees for 10 minutes. Can be adapted for microwave by heating
the chili in the microwave and layering as normal. Cook on reheat
(80% power) for about 5 minutes.
I have had rave reviews of it, and I have yet to try it myself, so if you try it and like it please, let me know. I hope to try it in the near future. It is not like me to put something up untested, but because I trust the source without question, I am taking the chance. Any gripes, leave me your email address , and I will hook you up with the contributor! Or not! Maybe you want to submit your own recipe? You can always do that, email to: summerseeker67@yahoo.com
As written to me:
Frito Chili Pie Casserole (from T.V. - Mrs. Norman V. Peale)
2 1/2 cups Fritos corn chips (the original thin ones)
1 large onion, chopped
1 - 15 oz. can chili
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Place 1 1/2 cups Fritos in a baking dish. Arrange chopped onion and
half the grated cheese over the Fritos. Pour heated chili over onion
and cheese. Top with remaining corn chips and grated cheese. Bake at
350 degrees for 10 minutes. Can be adapted for microwave by heating
the chili in the microwave and layering as normal. Cook on reheat
(80% power) for about 5 minutes.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Friend contribution, Hamburger Pie
This recipe was given to my by a very good friend of mine, so good in fact that we refer to each other as cyber twins, since our minds seem to work in the same way and at the same speed. (slowly!) He in his turn got this recipe from his mother and she got it from some ancient cookbook that she has since lost. If I had the full details of where it came from I would gladly give credit where it is due, as this is quite a tasty concoction. I haven't tried any variations on it, bit I can guess that It would probably be really good with a layer of sliced mushrooms and shredded cheddar or sliced swiss on top! I am posting it exactly as it was given to me, so it doesn't fit my normal format. It actually takes a little longer than my normal recipes, but I think it's worth the extra time! To do it right you will probably need 45 minutes. So it still comes in under and hour.
Hope you like it!
Hamburger Onion Pie (from 365 Ways to Cook Hamburger)
Ingredients:
1 prepared pie shell
1 lb. ground beef
1 1/2 cups sliced onion
1 tsp. salt (I use seasoned salt)
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
paprika
Brown beef and cook with onions until beef loses its red color and
onions are tender. Add salt and pepper and spread in pie shell. Beat
eggs lightly and mix with cottage cheese. Pour over meat and sprinkle
with paprika. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
Hope you like it!
Hamburger Onion Pie (from 365 Ways to Cook Hamburger)
Ingredients:
1 prepared pie shell
1 lb. ground beef
1 1/2 cups sliced onion
1 tsp. salt (I use seasoned salt)
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
paprika
Brown beef and cook with onions until beef loses its red color and
onions are tender. Add salt and pepper and spread in pie shell. Beat
eggs lightly and mix with cottage cheese. Pour over meat and sprinkle
with paprika. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
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.
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