Supreme Pizza Grilled Cheese

It's starting to finally get cold here in New York. In fact we received a light dusting a few days ago. It was our first snow for the winter here. And now there is a storm heading our way that will be dumping a foot or more of snow. Time to stay in and make a favorite comfort food....grilled cheese. But not just any grilled cheese. This recipe I dedicate to all you pizza lovers out there.



This recipe makes 2 sandwiches.

-4 slices of bread of your choice.
-2 slices of mozzarella cheese
-2 slices of provolone cheese
-2 tablespoons of your favorite pizza sauce
-8 to 10 slices of pepperoni ( 8 if using large slices and 10 if using smaller slices. )
-4 slices of this cut deli ham
-minced onions, sliced olives, grated parmesan cheese, fresh basil, sliced mushrooms.

You can use whatever you want for your sandwich. Think of it like pizza. Use your favorite toppings.

Assembling one sandwich:

Spread some softened butter on one side of one slice of bread. Take the other bread and place on the bottom of your work place. Add 1 of cheese, then sauce and continue with your other toppings until you end up with with the last slice of cheese. ( making that 2 slices of cheese per sandwich )
Place the buttered side up to top it off then place in a heated skillet buttered side down. Now spread butter on the top slice of bread. Cook till golden brown then flip and do the same on the other side.
Serve with tomato basil soup and you are all set to stay in and keep warm.

Easy Sloppy Joes

I grew up on the stuff that came in a can and sometimes I just didn't like it. This recipe is my go to for Sloppy Joes and after making it you might not ever buy the canned stuff again. This recipes uses ingredients you should already have on hand. And instead of buns you could serve with slices of white bread or even on biscuits. It just depends on what you have on hand.


Easy Sloppy Joes

1 pound of ground meat
1/4 cup of chopped onion
1/4 cup of chopped green pepper
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of prepared mustard
3/4 cup of ketchup
3 teaspoons of brown sugar
salt and black pepper to taste

In a medium sauce pan brown the meat, onions and green peppers. Drain off the liquids. Reduce the heat and add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for about 20 mins. Serve on any kind of bread you have on hand.

My Go To Chicken Salad

The other week our local Publix had boneless skinless chicken breasts on sale so I bought two packages of them. Sometimes I like to take a break from cooking on the weekends and just prepare some stuff that is easy and all you have to do is put it together. I boiled some of the chicken and chopped it up and made 4 cups of chicken for this recipe. You can half it. I made enough for the weekend as someone likes to have 2 sandwiches when he eats....we won't say who though lol. You can serve this on any kind of bread. Even on a bed lettuce.

Ingredients

4 cups of cooked chopped up chicken. ( I actually shredded the chicken by hand into small pieces )
1/2 cup or more of minced celery which I even included some of the leaves.
1/4 cup of sweet relish
1 tsp of lemon juice
1 cup of mayo
1/2 tsp of onion powder
1/4 tsp of salt, garlic powder, sugar and black pepper


Mix ingredients. Cover and let chill for about 2 hours and serve on toasted Texas toast.

Reuben Doggie

I went to Long Doggers with my aunt a few months ago and had their Reuben dog....OMG..it was great..I love Reubens and this was fantastic. So tonight for dinner I am making them at home. Very easy to do.


Using one hotdog per person ( or 2 for the Big Dog lovers in the house ) cook them up either by boiling them, pan frying them or even microwaving them. set your bun up and lightly toast your bun in a toaster oven or regualr oven. I just pan fried mine because its too hot to turn the oven on. Heat up your sauerkraut. Then put some Thousand Island dressing on your bun then a slice of swiss cheese and run it under the broiler for the cheese to melt...add your dog then kraut...or dog then cheese then kraut. Gator doesn't like kraut so he is having just a cheese one..

If you want to change this up a bit you can do these in cresent rolls like pigs in a blanket. Just leave the dressing as a dip for afterwards. Use good franks not cheap ones. You will taste the difference because a hot dog is not just a hot dog and they all don't taste alike.

Which is your favorite hot dog to eat? Mine has to be Nathan's.

Roast Beef Sammy

                                                        Dripping Roast Beef Sammy


Ingredients

1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed French Onion Soup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

3/4 pound thinly sliced deli roast beef

4 Soft hoagie rolls with sesame seeds

4 slices deli provolone cut in half

1/4 cup drained hot or mild pickled banana rings

Directions

Heat the oven to 400°F.

Heat the soup and Worcestershire in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil Add the beef and heat through, stirring occasionally.

Divide the beef evenly among the rolls. Top the beef with the cheese slices and place the sandwiches onto a baking sheet.

Bake for 3 minutes or until the sandwiches are toasted and the cheese is melted. Spoon the soup mixture onto the sandwiches. Top each sandwich with 1 tablespoon pepper rings.

Ham and Cheese Sliders

I love parties that have a meat and cheese tray. Making up your own sandwich and sitting down to watch the game is great too. Here's a wonderful recipe for warm ham and cheese sliders ( which are little sandwiches ) for your next get together. Superbowl is coming up soon!

Ingredients

24

small potato rolls ( you will find these where the burger buns are )

1/2 lb

thinly sliced deli ham

1/2 lb

thinly sliced swiss cheese

1 stk

of butter

2 Tbsp

mustard

2 tsp

worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp of poppy seeds

Directions Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a sauce pan melt the butter, mustard worcestershire, and poppy seeds together. Cut the rolls in half. Lightly brush the inside of each roll with the butter mixture making sure there is some left. Next place one slice of ham and one slice of cheese them put the tops back on. Place the sliders in a 9 x13 baking dish and lightly drizzle or brush the tops with the remaining butter mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 10-15 mins till the cheese is melted.

Italian Tuna Salad

Oh boy this is really good! It's very different than your traditional tuna salad. There's no mayo in this version. Although mayo is on my list of favorite condiments, I really don't miss it here.

The ingredients:

2 cans Albacore water packed tuna

3 large celery stalks, sliced

1 large green bell pepper, chopped

1 purple onion, chopped

3 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1 tsp ground oregano

1 tsp dried basil leaves

1 1/2 tsp crushed garlic

Salt & Pepper to taste

about 8-10 minced black olives



Empty two cans of water packed Albacore tuna into a medium size bowl, set aside. In a separate measuring cup, mix 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup red wine vinegar, 1 tsp ground oregano, 1 tsp dried basil leaves, 1 & 1/2 tsp crushed garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, mix with a fork until well combined. Pour this dressing into tuna and stir just enough to distribute evenly over the tuna.

Slice 3 stalks of celery, chop 1 green bell pepper, chop 1 purple onion, chop 3 Roma tomatoes. Put these into the tuna mixture along with the minced black olives and stir just enough to distribute vegetables evenly through the tuna.
Serve this tuna salad by itself on a bed of greens or with some rustic Italian bread!

Pesto Tuna Melt

I just love tuna fish. And when Friendly's came out with their tuna melt I couldnt get enough of it. My grandmother would take me to Friendly's for lunch or even dinner sometimes when I was little  and I would order the tuna melt. Yummy! So here is a grown up version so to speak.


Pesto Tuna Fish Melt


 * 5 ounces, weight White Tuna In The Can, Drained
    * 3 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
    * 1 Tablespoon Fine Sea Salt
    * 1 Tablespoon Coarse Black Pepper
    * 1 Tablespoon Chopped Onion
    * 5 whole Hamburger Dill Pickle Slices, Diced
    * 3 slices Bacon, cooked and crumbled
    * 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
    * 2 slice of White bread
    * ¼ cups Jarred Pesto
    * 2 slices American Cheese
    * thinly sliced tomato

Mix all together except the tomato, cheese and bread. Assemble sandwich with cheese first on bread then tuna mixture then tomato then cheese and bread. Butter the outside of the sandwich and toast till a golden brown in a hot pan.

Beef Drip Sammy

Could this be any more of a comfort food? Usually comfort food is like meatloaf or mac and cheese. But I'm including this sandwich. Oh the goodness!

Beef Drip Sandwichs

Ingredients

    * 1 whole Beef Chuck Roast, 2.5 To 4 Pounds
    * 1 can Beef Consomme Or Beef Broth
    * 3 Tablespoons (heaping) Italian Seasoning
    * 1 teaspoon Salt
    * ¼ cups Water
    * ½ jars (16 Oz) Pepperoncini Peppers, With Juice
    * Buttered, Toasted Deli Rolls
    * Provelone Cheese to melt on top


Preparation Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a heavy pot or dutch oven. Stir lightly to combine seasoning with the liquid.

Cover and bake in a 275 degree oven* for 5 to 6 hours, or until meat is fork-tender and falling apart. **If meat is not yet tender, return to oven for 30 minute intervals till it’s tender!**

Remove from oven. With two forks, completely shred all meat, leaving no large chunks behind. Serve immediately, or keep warm over a simmer on the stove.

May make the day before, then store in the refrigerator. Remove the hardened fat from the top before reheating.

Serve on buttered, toasted rolls. Top with cheese and melt under the broiler if desired. Serve with juices from the pot. Make sure you toast your bread or the bread will become a soggy mess.