Sandwich Fun

During summer, we eat a lot of sandwiches for lunch! We're either running around outside and need something portable or I'm in the middle of a project and need something quick. Also, school is starting soon and I'm sure you'll be after some new sandwich ideas. Here are a few ideas to liven things up.

1) New Shapes. Simply use a large cookie cutter and cut out a shape from a prepared sandwich. Image from Family Fun.

2) Cheesey Face. Cut out a face shape on one slice of bread. Make a grilled cheese sandwich and add some tomato ears and chip "hair". I have no idea where this is from, I like to give credit to whoever came up with it, but I just found this pic in my files. If it's yours, please tell me! :)

3) Robot. Cut crusts off sandwich and cut into two rectangles. Add a banana smile, grape eyes, and cheese puff antennae.

4) Puzzlers. Make one sandwich on white bread and one on whole wheat bread. Cut a similar "puzzle" piece out of each sandwich. Swap the pieces and serve. (This one is great for school lunches!)

5) Cell phone Sandwiches. This one's from Denise. She's actually a soapmaker, but came up with these cuties!

6) Tic-Tac-Toe Melts from HomeBasics. To make the “board”, top a slice of lightly toasted bread with a slice of cheese. Then use thin strips of ham to divide the slice into nine squares. Decorate with playing pieces: “O’s” made from black olive rings and “X’s” made from small strips of red bell pepper. Broil until bubbly and serve.

Muffins, Muffins, Muffins

This is a great "base" muffin mix so that you can add your own favorite fruits, etc. They aren't too sweet and really satisfying!

2 c. all purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. sugar (add up to 1 cup if you like them SWEET)
1 egg
1 c. milk
1/4 c. vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. In a 2 cup measuring cup, mix the egg in with the milk. Pour milk mixture and oil into the flour mixture. Mix quickly and lightly with a fork until moistened..but do not beat. Batter may be lumpy. At this point add your favorite fruit or cinnamon & sugar for "coffee cake" muffins.

Pour into paper lined muffin tins. Usually I can squeeze out 14. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden. Store in ziplock bag or tight lid container to keep fresh.

To my muffins, to make "Lemon Blueberry" muffins, I added:

2 Tbl. lemon zest
2 capfuls of lemon juice (or fresh juice if you have it- add 1 1/2 tsp depending on how "zingy" you want it!)
1 cup of frozen blueberries

Then for the topping:
Glaze: 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup powdered sugar
Mix together until smooth and drizzle over warm muffins.

Balsamic Salmon

My husband and I are trying to be a little more healthy so I have been making salmon more often. My husband cannot stand fish!! I decided to try and see if I could get him to enjoy it by experimenting and cooking it different ways. This is a recipe thatI made up that he actually really enjoyed! He even agreed to eat it once or twice a week!!

Ingredients:
Salmon Filet (I have been buying preportioned single filets at Albertsons and they only cost $1 each!)
Balsamic Vinegarette salad dressing

Directions:
Add fish to a frying pan with a little olive oil or butter (i used butter to mask the fish taste even more). Pour a little of the dressing on top of the salmon, let it cook (can add a pinch of garlic powder also), repeat on other side. I cooked it until it was starting to brown. Take the filet out and peel off the scales (you can cook that side a little longer if desired).

Only 5-10 minutes and you have a tasty and fairly healthy serving of fish!

As Sides:
-I steamed some broccoli (and added roasted sliced almonds)
-sliced potatoes to look like french fries and cooked them on the stove in a little olive oil and some steak seasoning. My little boy loves to dip food so he was able to dip these in some ketchup!

ENJOY!!

Luscious Banana Pudding

This is Paula Deen's "Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding." It's awesome.

2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen Cookies
6 to 8 bananas, sliced
2 cups milk
1 - 5 oz box french vanilla pudding
1 - 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 12 oz container cool whip, thawed

Directions:Line bottom of 13x9x2" baking dish with 1 bag of cookies and put bananas on top. Blend milk with pudding mix well with a handheld electric mixer. Beat cream cheese and condensed milk together in a bowl until smooth; fold in whipped topping. Add to pudding mixture, stirring until well blended. Pour mixture over cookies and bananas; cover with remaining cookies. Refrigerate.

Carne Asada - like you were in mexico....

Carne Asada Recipe

Ingredients:
2 pounds flank or skirt steak

Marinade:

4 garlic cloves-minced

1 jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and minced

1 teaspoon cumin

1 large handful fresh cilantro, leaves and stems, finely chopped (great flavor in the stems)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 limes, juiced

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup olive oil

Method

1 Lay the flank steak in a large non-reactive bowl or baking dish. Combine marinade ingredients and pour the marinade over the steak. Make sure each piece is well coated. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-4 hours.

2 Preheat your grill over medium-high flame (you can also use a cast iron grill pan on high heat for stove-top cooking). Brush the grates with a little oil to prevent the meat from sticking. Remove the steak from the marinade. If you are cooking indoors, you may want to brush off excess marinade as the bits may burn and smoke on the hot pan. Season both sides of the steak pieces with salt and pepper. Grill the pieces for a few minutes only, on each side, depending on how thin they are, until medium rare to well done, to your preference. You may need to work in batches. Remove the steak pieces to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak across the grain on a diagonal.
(Optional) Serve with warm tortillas (flour or corn) and pico de gallo

Southern Style Biscuits

GREEN BEANS

Jumbo Molasses Cookies

Cream:

3 c. butter-flavored shortening
4 sugar
Add and mix well:
1 c. molasses
4 eggs
Combine and gradually Add:
8 c. flour
2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ginger
Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours.
Shape ¼ c. dough into balls. Roll in sugar.
Four cookies per sheet.
Bake 350* for 18-20 min or until edges are set.
*Can do “normal size” cookies and reduce baking time.

Tortellini Sausage Soup

In a Large Dutch oven..or pot
BROWN:
1 lb mild sausage
ADD: 2 tsp garlic
1 small onion, chopped
ADD:
6 c. water
5 tsp beef granules
1 c. chopped carrots
½ tsp basil
½ tsp oregano
3 Tbsp parsley
28 oz canned tomatoes (diced)
1- 8 oz can tomato sauce
Cook until carrots are tender.
Meanwhile…
COOK SEPARTELY:
1 bag frozen tortellini
Bow tie pasta (optional)

Bran Flax Muffins

(these are my absolutely favorite muffins! Actually the only ones I’ll eat!)
Mix together in a large bowl:
1 c. flour
½ c. whole wheat flour
¾ c. flaxseed meal (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
¾ c. oatbran
1 c. brown sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
Stir in:
2 tart apples, peeled and shredded
1 ½ c. carrots, shredded
½ c. raisins (opt)
1 c. nuts, chopped (opt)
Combine and Pour into dry ingredients:
¾ c. milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
Stir just until ingredients are moistened. Do not over mix!
Fill muffin cups ¾ full. Bake 350* for 15-20 min.