Old-Fashioned Egg Salad Sandwiches

Hello Lunch!

 

Not So Sweet, Sloppy Joes!

Tradition here in our family is a huge dinner for Christmas Eve ~ and Christmas Day is all about sloppy joes!

Shredded BBQ Salmon on a Croissant

Salmon is nearly impossible to screw up, it’s very forgiving!  Its oily pinkish-orange flesh and skin keeps it moist, making it a versatile fish, whatever the cooking method.


It was time for a change-up, time to come up with something different, and this totally blew me away on the first bite.  It was truly delicious!

Could be because I like shredded meat and barbecue sauce in a sandwich, think pulled pork/shredded chicken ~ so now shredded salmon is added to my list of favorites.



Bill cooked a slab of salmon on the grill and basted it with this spicy BBQ sauce of butter, brown sugar, celery seeds, soy sauce and ginger. I shredded the salmon, placed it on a croissant with a small helping of coleslaw placed on top.  Perfect, easy and very delicious, delectable!

I’m wondering why I didn’t think of doing this many moons ago…

Shredded BBQ Salmon 
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoon brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon celery seed
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon seasoned pepper
1 pound slab of salmon
Croissant or bun/bread of your choice
Coleslaw, optional

Method:

In a small saucepan, combine sauce ingredients.
Cook for a couple of minutes and stir, until sugar is dissolved.
Place salmon on grill over medium heat.
Cook for about 8 minutes per side, until fish flakes easily with a fork, basting with the sauce occasionally.
While, salmon is cooking, prepare slaw with a spoonful of slaw dressing (I use Marzetti.)
Let salmon cool for a minute, then shred with 2 forks.
Split croissant or roll, fill with scoops of shredded salmon, top with slaw, and serve.

ENJOY!

 

Cuban Picadillo Sloppy Joes plus Tetrad with a Blood Moon and a Happy Anniversary…

I’m envious of our good Canadian friends who vacation in Cuba frequently ~ this recipe is about as close as we will get to it!

Anyway, I love picadillo!  (Say peek-ah-DEE-yoh.)  It’s derived from the Spanish verb “picar,” which means to mince into small pieces.  The basic ingredients are ground beef, onions and tomatoes, with each Latin American country having its own rendition, but its heart belongs to Cuba.

What makes the Cuban-style hash especially appetizing is the addition of green olives, capers and raisins or currants ~ it’s a great mixture of salty and sweet, with different textures and various flavors, blending together to form the distinctive Cuban dish. 

I took it one step further, and turned the picadillo into sloppy joes.  This makes a lot:  if there is any left over, you are the lucky one, as it’s even better then!  It’s comfy, home-style cooking at its best!

Cuban Picadillo Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil

1½ cups onion, chopped

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

2 pounds 90% lean ground beef

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 (15-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes, undrained

1/3 cup tomato paste

4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon brown sugar

½ cup dried currants

½ cup green olives with pimento, chopped

2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained

Hamburger buns

Method:

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add onion and garlic, sauté 3 minutes.

Add beef to pan, crumble and brown.

Stir in ingredients through brown sugar.

Reduce heat to low; simmer about 20 minutes, until liquid reduces, stirring occasionally.

Stir in currants, capers and olives, cook for 5 minutes.

Serve on toasted hamburger buns.

Makes 10-12 sandwiches

Buen provecho!

By the way…

 

Tonight and tomorrow, kicks off a tetrad:  the first of four lunar eclipses in a row ~ the only such quartet in a span of 28 years.   A full lunar eclipse in North America will occur, presenting a blood moon.  Mars will be closest to Earth for the year.  It’s around 1:00 a.m. CST, and will last 78 minutes.  I hope to see it!  Will you be watching?

And it’s our 47^th wedding anniversary tomorrow!  Our anniversary, a total lunar eclipse, income tax day, what a day!

 HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, DEAR BILL!!!

   

Grilled Turkey Burgers

These burgers provide a double whammy ~ they’re good for us and filled with good flavors!

Oftentimes, turkey burgers are bland; probably like eating particleboard.  The burgers need a little help ~ a good dose of Dijon mustard does just that, making them tasty and moist too, plus aids in not adhering to the grill.

Since ground turkey is a lean soft meat, it needs a binder; I used Panko breadcrumbs.  And, allowing the patties to set in the refrigerator for an hour or so before grilling, helps keep them intact on the grill also.   

These turkey burgers are a low-fat grilled treat!

Grilled Turkey Burgers 

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons Panko crumbs
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup red onion, chopped
3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon seasoned pepper
1 pound ground turkey breast

Method:

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients.
Form into 4 patties.
Refrigerate for 1 hour or so.
Grill burgers until done, about 12-14 minutes.
Serve on toasted buns.

ENJOY!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda's blog, My Kind of Cooking, for her great cookbooks, tips and delicious recipes!

Slow Cooker Barbecued Pulled Pork

There are probably as many recipes for slow cooker pulled pork as there are celebrity chefs…

And, this recipe for it is a cinch ~ easy, easy, thanks to the slow cooker. The pork cooks for hours in its penetrating smoky, slightly sweet, spicy sauce, until it’s falling-apart tender, and you can pull it into shreds with a fork. 

As a bonus, it fills your house with mouth-watering aromas ~ you will be drooling!

Why spend all day cooking when the slow cooker can cook this scrumptious dish for you, vastly cutting your kitchen time?

Before

Voila!

Slow Cooker Barbecued Pulled Pork

Ingredients: 

3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed

1 onion, sliced thin

2 cups ketchup

1 cup water

½ cup apple cider vinegar

½ cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons liquid smoke

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon hot sauce

2 teaspoons paprika

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon seasoned pepper

8-10 soft hamburger-style buns

Method:

Trim pork and place in a 6-quart slow cooker.

Spread sliced onions over top.

In a medium bowl, combine next 10 ingredients and stir well.

Pour into slow cooker, set on low for about 8 hours, or until meat shreds easily.

Place on buns and serve.

Mouth-watering delicious!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog, @My Kind of Cooking for great tips and delicious easy recipes! 

A Simply Egg~cellent Sandwich

My grandfather, Goff, ate 2 scrambled eggs:  fresh eggs from the hen house; with just about every meal, for as long as I can remember, and he lived well into his 80’s.  He definitely loved them ~ and, I do too, although I don’t eat nearly that many!  

Grandma & Grandpa - Maude & Goff
50th Anniversary ~ 1963

 

This is a simple recipe for a lush, delicate, tasty egg salad sandwich.  And, I imagine, by now, you’re probably saying, “Really, a recipe for an egg salad sandwich?” There are a lot of folks out there, who have never made egg salad for a sandwich.  So this is for them, and you too.  Sometimes, I add a couple of tablespoons of chopped pimento-stuffed green olives.  

By the way, I came across this “Sandwich Personality Test,” what your favorite sandwich says about your personality and love life.  

“Egg salad enthusiasts are often the center of attention.  They are entertaining and crave adventure.  The best words to describe those who love egg salad sandwiches are:  charming and energetic.  Egg salad sandwich lovers are the “universal romantic” and are often compatible with all sandwich lovers.”

An egg salad sandwich seems like heaven to me ~ deviled eggs on bread…

Egg Salad Sandwich

Ingredients:

6 eggs

1/4 cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise

1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard

2 tablespoons onion, minced

1/3 cup celery, finely chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Chives

Method:

Place eggs in saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil.

Remove from heat and let stand in hot water for 18-20 minutes for hard-cooked eggs.

Remove from water. Cool, peel, and chop.

Combine all in a bowl and chill.

Serve on your favorite bread and sprinkle with chives.

It’s simply a satisfying sandwich!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog, @My Kind Of Cooking for her tips on Tuesday and yummy recipes on Friday!

Barbecue Pulled Chicken Sliders and “Thanks” to an Italian Cook

Isn’t miniature food the greatest? 

If you like pulled pork, you’ll really like this pulled chicken!  It’s a quick way to cook a dish that’s traditionally slow-cooked.  I especially like the fact that they’re sliders, on mini buns; the perfect size and not so messy to eat.  

Use boneless chicken breasts that have been simmered in salted water, cooled and shredded.  Or, for a simple, readily available solution, cut up a rotisserie chicken from the market to speed up the process.

I’m not big on sweet sauces, so this tangy sauce with a tablespoon of brown sugar, cider vinegar, spices, and a little ketchup, hits the spot.  Bill thinks this is the best barbecue sauce ever and I concur! 

Switching gears, I want to take time to thank Claudia @What’s Cookin’ Italian Style.  A short while ago, she had a giveaway for 2 photography books:  Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson and The Pocket Idiot’s Guide to Great Photography by Shawn Frederick and Bill Gutman.

I knew I could benefit from these, so entered the contest and was the lucky one winner!  These are two excellent books for anyone who finds the concept of photography confusing, like I do.  The information takes the mystery out of picture taking, by offering great tips in achieving better photos.  I am studying the books and am happy to be learning more about photography! 

Please ~ go over for a visit at Claudia’s blog:  What’s Cookin’ Italian Style!  She has fantastic Italian recipes that will make your mouth water.  She occasionally talks about her Italian family and makes you wish you were seated around her dinner table for her friendliness and her great cooking ~ just like her mother’s, I imagine!

If you like your cooking “heart healthy,” she has another terrific blog with good and healthy recipes, plus info for you @Blogs Got Heart.

Thanks so much, Claudia, for the photography books and your excellent blogs!

Now, here’s the chicken slider recipe:

Barbecue Pulled Chicken Sliders

Ingredients:

½ cup ketchup

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon dry mustard

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast

8 sliders mini buns (I used Pepperidge Farm)

8 Vlasic dill pickle ovals

Method:

Combine first 8 ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring occasionally.

Add chicken to ketchup mixture; combine well.

Cook 2 minutes or until chicken is heated thoroughly. 

Spoon 3 tablespoons chicken mixture on each bottom half of bun, top with pickle and top bun half.

4 servings (2 sandwiches each serving)

Yum!!!  Excellent barbecue sauce for sliders!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog, @My Kind Of Cooking.  She has unique tips on Tuesdays and yummy recipes every Friday!

Spicy Sloppy Joes for Super Bowl Sunday

Growing up, this was a favorite messy meal of mine, and still is today!

Sloppy Joes are perfect for a delicious quick meal for your family or a crowd too ~ like for your Super Bowl party that’s coming up Sunday!  It’s a comfort food dish that is cheap also.  I make it just like Mom did, in an electric skillet.  It’s great for Sloppy Joes, but a slow cooker works just as well.

These Sloppy Joe’s are not sweet, like most are, and they’re not runny either ~ making them not so sloppy! Serve these Super Bowl Sunday for raves from your fans!

Spicy Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground round

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 cups tomato sauce

2 tablespoons tomato paste

¼ cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons McCormick’s Montreal Seasoning

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon dry mustard

Method:

To a large skillet, over medium-high heat, add ground beef and break it up.

Sauté until no longer pink.

Reduce heat to medium and add onions and bell peppers and sauté for 5 minutes.

Stir in tomato sauce and paste.

Turn heat to low and add remaining 5 ingredients.

Simmer on low for at least 5 minutes.

Serve piled on toasted buns.

4-6 servings

Enjoy with tangy cole slaw and your favorite sides.

Have a great Super Bowl Day and I hope your team wins!  Sadly, mine’s not playing…

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog @My Kind of Cooking for great tips and recipes.

Mom’s Pressed Chicken Spread

I was going through Mom’s recipe box recently and came across this recipe.  I don’t know the origin of it but, I remember her making the spread for some pretty tasty sandwiches when I was a kid.  This is simple and light for the hot summer days we’re having now.  

It may sound like a lot of celery---include it all; it won’t give the chicken spread a strong celery taste.  Combining the celery with the nuts adds a little crunch to the spread with the flavors complementing the chicken perfectly.  Mom always put the chicken through a manual meat grinder but I use the food processor for a speedy job.  When adding the broth, be careful not to add so much as to make it mushy.  You can always add more of it or a little mayo if needed after it has been well chilled. 

It’s good on about any type of bread or toast and slider buns also, with a lettuce leaf or two for a savory sandwich; however, spread it on crackers and you are treated to a saporous appetizer! Mom’s Chicken Spread is great summer fare that I hope you try!

Mom’s Pressed Chicken Spread

Ingredients:

3 pounds boneless chicken breasts

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

¾ cup chopped pecans

1 tablespoon onion, grated

1 tablespoons sweet pickle juice

1 cup celery, finely chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Cook chicken in large sauce pan in salted water to cover until tender and done.

Remove from broth; reserving broth.   Set aside to cool.

Place chicken in food grinder and grind, or food processor or chop fine with a knife.

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and mayonnaise, beating well.

Add pecans, onions, pickle juice, celery, salt and pepper.

Stir until well blended.

Place ground chicken in cream cheese mixture and combine thoroughly.

Add ¼ to ½ cup reserved chicken broth to desired consistency.

Mixture will thicken when chilled.

Mom’s note:  chicken will be moister if cooked the day before using and placed in the broth to chill in the refrigerator.

ENJOY!!!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog @My Kind of Cooking for great tips, recipes and cookbook giveaway!