Tag: sandwich

SLOPPY JOES

These Sloppy Joes are delicious enough for adults and kids alike! Made from scratch, with a rich, smoky flavor and the addition of healthy vegetables, these truly are finger-licking-good! 

Having Sloppy Joes for dinner doesn’t have to mean opening a can of premade Sloppy Joe mix…Yuck! Instead, you can make a homemade, delicious, flavourful meal that the whole family will love in under an hour!

Don’t be afraid to slip vegetables into dishes like Sloppy Joes; not only are they healthy, but they add flavor and texture. And you don’t have to stick to what I have listed in the recipe; you could use red peppers, celery, or carrots.

I initially didn’t write this recipe with barbeque sauce as one of the ingredients, but when I tried it, WOW!! It gave the sloppy joes such a rich, smokey flavor. So I rewrote the recipe and worked in the barbeque sauce. It doesn’t matter which brand you use; just use your favorite.

I highly recommend toasting the hamburger buns. Trust me; it will take your Sloppy Joes to a whole other level! Of course, if you don’t have a toaster or the buns won’t fit in your toaster, you can always toast the buns in the oven.

  • Preheat the oven to 350° F.
  • Toast your bread on the middle rack of the oven on a sheet pan for about 10 minutes, flipping it halfway through.

The lower heat will give you a bit more control — cut down the time for golden brown toast, and leave it in a bit longer if you like it darker and crisper.

Sloppy Joes

These Sloppy Joes are delicious enough for adults and kids alike! Made from scratch, with a rich, smokey flavor and the addition of healthy vegetables, these truly are finger-licking-good! 
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Course
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
 

  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 large onion, diced, about 1½ cups
  • 1 large green pepper, diced, about 1 cup
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 6-ounce cans tomato paste
  • 1 8-ounces can tomato sauce
  • ½ cup barbeque sauce, any brand
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground mustard
  • 1½ tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
  • 8 hamburger buns, toasted

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat until it is browned and cooked through. Remove the ground beef from the heat and drain off the fat (retaining about a tablespoon to fry the vegetables). Set the ground beef aside.
  • Add the diced onions and green peppers to the same skillet and saute until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
  • While the vegetables are cooking, whisk together the tomato paste, tomato sauce, barbeque sauce, brown sugar, ground mustard, vinegar, and salt, in a small bowl. Set aside.
  • Add the minced garlic to the skillet and saute with the vegetables for an additional 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
  • Return the cooked ground beef to the skillet and stir together with the vegetables. Turn the heat down to medium and add the sauce ingredients. Stir until completely mixed in. Taste and add more salt if needed.
  • Continue cooking until everything is heated through and steaming, about 10 minutes.
  • Serve on toasted buns (see notes).

Notes

Toasting the Buns:

  • Use a toaster, or
  • Preheat the oven to 350° F. Toast your bread on the middle rack of the oven on a sheet pan for about 10 minutes, flipping it halfway through. The lower heat will give you a bit more control — cut down the cooking time for golden brown toast, and leave it in a bit longer if you like it darker and crisper.
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CLASSIC EGG SALAD

Egg salad is a classic recipe that is always a crowd-pleaser! Amazingly creamy and packed with flavor. Perfect for sandwiches, bite-sized appetizers, or served with crackers!

Every year around this time, I find myself with a bounty of brightly colored Easter eggs that need to be used – I just have a hard time throwing out perfectly good food! Of course, my kids eat some of the eggs, usually their favorite ones, but I always need to find a way to use the rest. So, without fail, I will make egg salad sandwiches. It’s such an easy and quick way to use up all those eggs! And everyone in my house loves this egg salad recipe, so it’s a win-win!

But honestly, you don’t have to wait for Easter to make this classic egg salad. It is just too delicious to have only once a year – not to mention it is incredibly easy. In about 25 minutes, you’ll have a delicious, protein-packed lunch, snack, or appetizer!

How to Boil the Perfect Egg Every Time!

Step 1: Place eggs in the bottom of a saucepan. 

Step 2: Fill the pan with cold water, 1 inch above the eggs.

Step 3: Bring the water to a rapid boil on the stovetop over high heat.

Step 4: Once the water comes to a boil, cover the pan with a lid and remove the pan from the heat. Do not lift the lid. Set a timer for 12 minutes.

Step 5: Fill a large bowl with ice and water.

Step 6: When the eggs are done, use tongs to remove the eggs from the hot water and immerse them gently into the prepared ice water to cool for about 10 minutes.

Step 7: Gently tap the eggs against a hard surface and peel away the shell. Rinse the egg under cold water to remove any bits of shell.

Making Egg Salad:

Once the eggs are boiled, you are almost done!

  • Chop the eggs, don’t dice them; you want some texture to egg salad.
  • Measure out 2 tablespoons of relish and drain off any excess liquid. It makes your egg salad runny if you add too much liquid. But, don’t worry; you will still get the tangy punch of flavor from the relish.
  • Add all the ingredients; Miracle Whip, mustard, relish, salt, and pepper (mince the parsley if using) and gently fold everything together.

That’s it! I told you it was easy.

  • This recipe works great as a standard sandwich filler. Just add lettuce or spinach and top with egg salad.
  • It also works great for open-faced sandwiches (like in my pictures). I would recommend lightly toasting the bread (either French bread or baguette, sliced thin), then add a piece of lettuce and top with the egg salad. Garnish with minced parsley and paprika.
  • Serve with your favorite crackers for a delicious side dish or snack.

Classic Egg Salad

Egg salad is a classic recipe that is always a crowd-pleaser! Amazingly creamy and packed with flavor. Perfect for sandwiches, bite-sized appetizers, or served with crackers!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Course Salad
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
 

  • 6 hard-boiled eggs
  • 4 tablespoons Miracle Whip
  • 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
  • 2 tablespoons sweet relish
  • ¼ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon fresh minced parsley, (optional)
  • paprika for garnish, (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Boil 6 eggs (*see notes below), peel, and chop.
  • Measure out the 2 tablespoons of relish and drain off any excess liquid.
  • Add all the ingredients to the chopped eggs and gently fold together. Taste and add more salt if needed.
  • Serve in a standard sandwich, an open-faced sandwich, or serve with crackers.
  • Store in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.

Notes

  • This recipe works great as a standard sandwich filler. Just add lettuce or spinach and top with egg salad.
  • This also works great for open-faced sandwiches (like in my pictures). I would recommend lightly toasting the bread (either French bread or baguette, sliced thin), then add a piece of lettuce and top with the egg salad. Garnish with minced parsley and paprika.
  • Serve with your favorite crackers for a delicious side dish or snack.
 

How to Boil the Perfect Egg:

Step 1: Place eggs in the bottom of a saucepan.
Step 2: Fill the pan with cold water, 1 inch above the eggs.
Step 3: Bring the water to a rapid boil on the stovetop over high heat.
Step 4: Once the water comes to a boil, cover the pan with a lid and remove the pan from the heat. Do not lift the lid. Set a timer for 12 minutes.
Step 5: Fill a large bowl with ice and water.
Step 6: When the eggs are done, use tongs to remove the eggs from the hot water and immerse them gently into the prepared ice water to cool for about 10 minutes.
Step 7: Gently tap the eggs against a hard surface and peel away the shell. Rinse the egg under cold water to remove any bits of shell.
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SOUTHWEST CLUB WRAPS

If you are looking for a quick and healthy dinner idea that includes loads of flavor, look no further! These wraps are healthy, delicious, and completely satisfying.

We all need some go-to recipes that are easy and healthy, but we don’t want to sacrifice flavor just because we are trying to be healthy. And if you are anything like me, you want to break out of your salad rut once in a while. Don’t get me wrong, I love salads, but part of eating healthy consistently is keeping your food interesting. Wraps are a great way to mix it up, and honestly, the variations are endless!

Sauce: These wraps start with a southwestern-style sauce, ranch dressing, and barbecue sauce. I make a ratio suggestion for the ranch and barbecue sauce, but you can change that based on your preference. You can use any variety of barbecue sauce that you like. If you love barbecue sauce, add more! If you want a bit of heat to wrap, use a spicy barbecue sauce.

Cheese: You really can use any you like, shredded or sliced. My preference is Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese, as I find they go perfectly with the other flavors of the wrap. I have even used sliced Gouda…and it didn’t disappoint! One suggestion, if you use shredded cheese, be sure to layer it on top of the sauce; the shredded cheese will stick to the sauce and will be less likely to fall out of your wrap when you are eating it.

Lunch Meat: Turkey works the best, as it is mild in flavor and allows the sauce to be the dominant flavor, and at the same time adds healthy protein to your wrap. However, you could certainly try other lunch meats and find a combination that you love.

Vegetables: This is where you can really get creative or even individualize the wraps. I love to load my wraps up with lots of lettuce; I’ve even used spinach when we had it growing in our garden. My husband loves olives, so I’ll load his up with extra. On the other hand, I don’t like olives, so I leave them out of mine. I do recommend using the peppers and cucumbers, as they add a nice crunch to the wrap.

For added flavor, we like to dip our wraps in the leftover sauce or make a little extra, if needed. We even save the leftover sauce for dipping carrots, bell peppers, or cucumbers. Our family prefers the ranch/barbecue combinations over just ranch for dipping vegetables. Try it!

My kids even enjoy getting involved in making the wraps to their liking, loading up on the things they like, and skipping the ones they don’t. I find they are more likely to eat vegetables if they have some control over which ones they get to eat. Otherwise, my kids will peek through the wrap suspiciously, concerned about what I might have slipped inside.

Southwest Club Wraps

If you are looking for a quick and healthy dinner idea that includes loads of flavor, look no further! These wraps are healthy, delicious, and completely satisfying.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
 

Sauce:

  • ¾ cup ranch dressing
  • ⅓ cup barbecue sauce, (any brand will do)

For the Wraps:

  • tortillas, (use the large burrito size)
  • lettuce or spinach leaves
  • 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
  • 8 ounces shredded cheese or sliced cheese, (Monterey jack or pepper jack)
  • 1 ripe avocado, sliced thinly
  • 1 large red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
  • ½ of a cucumber, sliced into thin strips
  • ½ – 1 cup sliced black olives

Instructions
 

Sauce:

  • Combine the ranch dressing and the barbecue sauce in a small bowl. Mix well. Set aside.

Wraps:

  • Prepare all the vegetables by washing and slicing them as indicated on the ingredient list.
  • Begin assembling the wraps. Layout the desired number of tortillas. Start with the sauce, spread evenly over the entire tortilla, leaving about an inch around the edge. Layer the cheese and meat over most of the tortillas. Add the vegetables down the center of the tortilla.
  • Roll the finished wrap. To make a closed-end wrap, fold both the right and the left edges over the vegetables about one to two inches and then roll from the bottom. Be sure to press the ingredients into the center of the wrap as you roll the tortilla tightly.
    To make an open-ended wrap, fold only one edge and roll tightly.
  • If you make a closed-end wrap, cut the wrap in two and eat half at a time.
  • Use the leftover sauce to dip the wrap as you eat it.
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BLACKBERRY-BACON GRILLED CHEESE

This adult version of the classic grilled cheese sandwich brings sweet and savory together with perfection. Made with bacon, sweet blackberry jam, smoky cheese, and jalapenos. One bite, and you’ll never think of grilled cheese sandwiches as “kids’ food” again!

Why should kids be the only ones who get to enjoy this classic sandwich? The crunch of the toasted bread, the stringy melted cheese, greasy fingers. Well, now you can have your sandwich and eat it too! This is grilled cheese for adults!

I’ve seen other food bloggers, who I follow, do varying versions of this sandwich, and I thought, “Yes, a grilled cheese sandwich for me!” My favorite food as a kid was grilled cheese. You could take me to any restaurant in town, fine dining or otherwise, and there I was, ordering a grilled cheese sandwich every time! Of course, my parents were slightly annoyed with my eating rut and lack of dining adventure, but hey, this girl likes her grilled cheese! All that to say, this sandwich makes me happy!! This is my comfort food!

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Bread
  • Smoky cheese (I like to use gouda, but any smoky cheese will do)
  • Bacon
  • Jalapeno
  • Blackberry jam

The first step is frying up the bacon – the crispier, the better. While the bacon is frying, slice the jalapenos. Remove the seeds if you want less heat. Also, thinly slice the cheese. I always use gouda for this recipe. It’s a soft cheese with a mild smoky flavor. I find that it just complements the other flavors perfectly.

Once you have drained the bacon, assemble your sandwich by layering the cheese, bacon, and jalapenos. Spread one side of the bread generously with blackberry jam. Butter the outside of the sandwich on both sides. Heat your skillet over medium-low to medium heat (depending on your stove).

**I like to preheat my skillet on medium, and right before I add the sandwich, I lower the heat to medium-low. The key is to slowly toast your bread to give the cheese enough time to melt completely. If your heat is too high, your bread will be completely toasted (or burnt), but your cheese will not have had enough time to melt. Low and slow is the key.

Once one side is golden-brown, flip and brown the other side. This pairs perfectly with a bowl of tomato soup or any soup of your liking. Enjoy!

Blackberry-Bacon Grilled Cheese

This adult version of the classic grilled cheese sandwich brings sweet and savory together with perfection. Made with bacon, sweet blackberry jam, smoky cheese, and jalapenos. One bite, and you'll never think of grilled cheese sandwiches as "kids' food" again!
4 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Servings 2 sandwiches

Ingredients
 

  • 4 slices bread
  • cheese, Gouda or other smoky cheese
  • 6-8 slices bacon
  • 1-2 jalapenos, sliced
  • blackberry jam
  • butter

Instructions
 

  • Start by frying up the bacon in a medium skillet until nice and crispy. Then drain the bacon on a paper towel.
  • Assemble the sandwich by layering the cheese, bacon, and jalapenos.
  • Generously spread blackberry jam on one side of the bread.
  • Butter the outside of the sandwich on both sides.
  • Heat a skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Grill the sandwich until the bread is golden-brown and the cheese begins to melt. Flip and repeat on the other side. **The key is to heat the sandwich slowly, allowing the cheese to melt completely.
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