BBQ Beef

This flavorful beef works great on buns as sandwiches or piled tall atop a mound of mashed potatoes for Sunday dinner.

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (3-pound) boneless beef shoulder or chuck roast
1 cup barbecue sauce
1⁄2 cup cider vinegar
1⁄2 cup chicken broth
1⁄4 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1⁄2 medium yellow onion minced
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 1⁄2 teaspoons dried thyme
6-8 hamburger buns (only needed if serving as sandwiches)
Butter (optional)
6-8 slices Swiss cheese (optional)

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat and brown the meat well, turning often, about 15 minutes. In a bowl combine the barbecue sauce, vinegar, broth, sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, onion, garlic and thyme. Pour over the meat and bring to a boil. Cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil and roast in the oven for 5 to 6 hours. Remove the meat and shred it with a fork. Return the meat to the pot and keep warm.

Butter the hamburger buns, if desired, and broil them until they are barely brown around the edges. Place one slice of Swiss cheese, if using, on the bottom bun and place under the broiler just until the cheese has melted.

Fill the buns with the meat and serve.

Smoked Turkey Club Panini

These are quick and easy, but, when served on a good-quality rustic, artisanal bread, are totally 'fancy' enough for company. Makes a great lunch for the family. Even my littles eat these!

8 slices bacon
1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed, patted dry, and minced, plus 2 tablespoons tomato packing oil
1/3 cup mayonnaise
8 (1/2-inch-thick) slices good-quality crusty bread
8 slices deli Swiss cheese
8 ounces deli smoked turkey
2 cups baby arugula

Cook bacon. Set aside on paper-towel-lined plate to cool and drain.

Combine sun-dried tomatoes and mayonnaise in bowl.

Spread mayonnaise mixture evenly over 1 side of each slice of bread. Assemble 4 sandwiches by layering ingredients as follows between prepared bread (with mayonnaise mixture inside sandwich): half of Swiss, turkey, crisp bacon, arugula, and remaining Swiss. Press gently on sandwiches to set.

Brush outside of sandwiches lightly with sun-dried tomato packing oil (or with melted butter).

Cook on panini grill or press, if you have one. If not . . .

Heat 12-inch nonstick grill pan over medium heat for 1 minute.  Place 2 sandwiches in pan and weight down with Dutch oven. Cook sandwiches until bread is golden brown and crisp and cheese is melted, about 8 minutes, flipping sandwiches halfway through cooking.



VARIATION:
I also make an even quicker-and-easier version of this. For each sandwich I make, I spread yellow mustard on one side of each of 2 pieces of bread and melted butter on the opposite sides. Between the two sides with mustard, I layer Havarti cheese and turkey deli meat to make sandwiches. I then cook the sandwiches on a panini press until the bread is golden-toasted and the cheese is melted.

Steak Hoagies with Mushrooms, Onions, & Peppers

I buy "SteakEze Thinly Sliced and Shaped Sirloin Steak Strips" in the frozen aisle at "Sam's Club" to make these. So quick and easy. A family favorite.

4 (6-inch) sub rolls, partially split open
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
8 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin
1 onion, sliced thin
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and sliced thin
1 tablespoon A1 steak sauce
1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano or 1/4 teaspoon dried (I prefer 1/4 tsp of 'Italian Seasoning' instead, but oregano is good, too)
8 slices deli Provolone cheese

Position oven rack 8 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil. Open rolls partially, arrange cut side up on prepared baking sheet, and broil until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Do not turn broiler off. (Note: sometimes I will brush the insides of the rolls with a little melted butter before broiling, just to add some additional flavor).

Cook purchased steak strips in a skillet according to directions on box. Move to a plate when cooked.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to now-empty skillet and cook until vegetables are softened and lightly brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in sliced steak, steak sauce, and oregano and cook until beef is no longer pink.

Divide steak mixture among rolls and top with provolone. Broil sandwiches until cheese is melted and spotty brown, about 5 minutes. Serve.

French Dip Sandwiches in the Crock Pot

These couldn't be easier or more yummy. Serve the meat on a crusty, sturdy roll that won't turn to mush on contact with the juice (unless you like it mushy, of course). I often make these rolls here to serve the meat on as they hold up well to the juice.

Note, do not try to substitute beef broth for the consomme or vice versa. I tried that once. Didn't turn out nearly so well.

Recipe courtesy of the lovely Wendy Petersen.

2-inch thick roast, large
1 can Campbell's beef consomme
1 can Campbell's french onion soup
1 can beef broth 

Place roast in bottom of crock pot. Pour cans of consomme, soup, and broth over the meat. Cook in crock pot until meat pulls apart easily (8-10 hours on low or 6-8 hours on high).


For a printable version of this recipe, go here.

Two Meals in One: 1) Steak & 2) Steak Sandwiches

This is a convenient way to get two meals out of one, sort of. You make the chili-rubbed skirt steak one night and then use the leftovers for steak sandwiches the next night.

CHILI-RUBBED SKIRT STEAK

Serves 4.

4 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons light-brown sugar

1 teaspoon dried oregano

coarse salt and ground pepper

2-1/2 to 3 pounds beef skirt steak, cut into 8 even pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

Heat broiler with rack 4 inches from heat. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, coriander, sugar, oregano, 1 tablespoon coarse salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Coat steaks evenly on both sides with oil, then spice mixture, patting to adhere.

Place half the steaks on a rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Broil, without turning, until medium-rare, 5 to 8 minutes, depending on thickness. Transfer to a large platter, and cover with aluminum foil; let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, broil remaining steaks; transfer to a large plate, let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate to use later for Steak Sandwiches with Peppers.

Remove foil and divide steaks among four serving plates. Drizzle with any accumulated juices, and serve with salad.

STEAK SANDWICHES WITH PEPPERS

Serves 4.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, halved and sliced into 1/4-inch thick wedges

1 red bell pepper, (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced lengthwise

1 green bell pepper, (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced lengthwise

coarse salt and ground pepper

2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

1-1/2 pounds beef skirt steak, cut into 4 even pieces (or use leftover Chili-Rubbed Skirt Steak)

4 crusty Italian hero rolls, (about 3 ounces each), split in half horizontally, insides torn out to form a hollow; invest in good quality bakery bread—do not use cheap hoagie buns as they can’t hold the filling and become chewy and soggy

6 ounces thinly sliced (about 10 slices) pepper Jack cheese

Preheat broiler with rack 4 inches from heat.

Coat steaks evenly on both sides with a little olive oil and sprinkle both sides with coarse salt and ground pepper. Place the steaks on broiler pan. Broil, without turning, until medium-rare, 5 to 8 minutes, depending on thickness. Transfer to a large platter, and cover with aluminum foil; let rest 10 minutes. Slice into very thin pieces.

Move oven rack to 6-inches from heat and keep broiler on.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and peppers; cook, stirring often, until softened and beginning to char, 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat; stir in vinegar and steak.

Place bottom halves of rolls on a large rimmed baking sheet; dividing evenly, top each with meat mixture, then cheese slices. Broil until cheese has melted, about 2 minutes. Remove from oven; transfer to a cutting board and cut in half. Serve.

For a printable version of this recipe, go here.

California BLTs

Courtesy of Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa.

6 thick-cut slices smoked bacon
4 slices good white bread, cut 1/2-inch thick
4 tablespoons good mayonnaise (recommended: Hellman's)
4 to 8 tender green Bibb lettuce leaves, washed and spun very dry
1 ripe Hass avocado
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 large ripe tomato, sliced 1/2-inch thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place a baking wire rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon on the rack in a single layer. Bake for 15 to 25 minutes, until the bacon is browned and crisp. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

Place the bread slices on a sheet pan and toast them for 5 minutes. Turn the slices and toast for 1 more minute, until all the bread is evenly browned. Place 2 slices on a cutting board. Spread each slice with about 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise. Cover the slices with a layer of lettuce. Peel the avocado and slice it 1/2-inch thick. Toss the avocado slices gently with the lemon juice, and arrange on top of the lettuce leaves. Place 3 slices of bacon on top of each sandwich and then add a layer of tomato slices on top of the bacon. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.

Spread each of the remaining 2 slices of toasted bread with 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise and place, mayonnaise side down, on the sandwiches. Cut in half and serve.

For a printable version of this recipe, go here.

Italian Sausage, Pepper, & Onion Hoagies

These are fast and easy and yummy! 
Serves 4.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1-1/2 pounds Italian sausage, cut into 3-inch lengths
3 bell peppers (a mix of red, orange, & yellow ones makes a pretty presentation; I don't recommend green bell peppers for this), cored and sliced thin
1 onion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
salt and ground black pepper
4 submarine sandwich rolls

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown sausages lightly on all sides, about 3 minutes total. Transfer to plate and set aside.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet. Add bell peppers and onion and return to medium-high heat until peppers begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in broth and water and, scraping up any browned bits, bring to a simmer. Nestle sausages into vegetables, cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until sausages are no longer pink in center, 10 to 12 minutes.

Stir in vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide sausage mixture among rolls and serve.

For a printable version of this recipe, go here.

Sloppy Joes

Serves 4.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, minced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound 85% lean ground beef
1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water (may need more to adjust consistency)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Tabasco sauce, optional
4 hamburger buns
pickles, optional

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minute. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add beef and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until almost cooked through, but still slightly pink, about 3 minutes.

Stir in tomato sauce, ketchup, water, brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco. Simmer until sauce is slightly thicker than ketchup, 8 to 10 minutes.

Season with salt and Tabasco to taste. Spoon meat mixture onto hamburger buns and serve.

For a printable version of this recipe, go here.

Cobb Club Sandwich

Serves 4. I love these sandwiches! Love them!

1 medium tomato, sliced thin

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup mayonnaise, divided

3 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

12 slices Pepperidge Farm White Sandwich Bread (do not substitute a flimsy, lower-quality bread), lightly toasted

2 large eggs, hard-cooked, peeled, and sliced thin

1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced thin (or substitute guacamole; I use the stuff you buy at Costco)

8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and drained 

3 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooled and sliced thin (I use the pre-grilled chicken breast strips in the refrigerated section at Costco to cut down on time and effort)

Place tomato slices on several layers of paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 15 minutes, then press with additional paper towels to extract excess moisture. Set aside.

Using fork, mash 1/2 cup of the mayonnaise and blue cheese together in small bowl until smooth.

Spread blue cheese mixture on one side of 8 slices of toast. Spread 3 tablespoons mayonnaise on one side of remaining 4 slices of toast. Place 4 cheese-coated toasts on work surface. Layer each with sliced tomato, egg, and avocado. Place plain mayonnaise-coated toasts, mayonnaise side down, over avocado; spread tops of toast with remaining mayonnaise. Continue layering with 2 strips bacon and sliced chicken. Top with remaining blue cheese-coated toasts, facing down. Cut each sandwich into triangles (I use my electronic knife for a clean cut). Serve.

For a printable version of this recipe, go here.

Simple Southern Pulled-Pork Sandwiches

I have served these sandwiches many-a-time when I have company come over after church. The pork cooks while we attend meetings and when I get home, all I have to do is boil some corn-on-the-cob and cut up a cold watermelon. Doesn't get easier.

3 to 4 pound pork roast

2 onions, chopped

16 ounces bottled barbeque sauce

1/3 cup honey

12 sandwich buns (use good quality so they don't get soggy and fall apart)

Place pork in crock pt and cover with onions, barbeque sauce, and honey. Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours. Use 2 forks to shred meat and mix shredded meat thoroughly into sauce. Serve on sandwich buns.

For a printable version of this recipe, go here.

Salmon Salad BLT

This is one of my all-time favorite sandwiches. It has so much flavor and a wonderful fresh lightness.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

1-1/4 pound salmon, seasoned with salt and pepper

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup English cucumber, seeded, diced small

2 tablespoons red onion, minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

8 slices thick-sliced, good-quality white bread, buttered on 1 side

Romaine lettuce leaves

Tomato slices

8 strips thick-sliced bacon, cooked

Sauté salmon fillets in oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, 4-5 minutes per side. Cool slightly, then cut into chunks.

Stir mayonnaise, cucumber, red onion, dill, and lemon juice together in a bowl. Fold in salmon, then season with salt and pepper.

Toast bread, buttered side down, on a griddle or in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until golden on 1 side, 2-3 minutes.

To assemble each sandwich, place lettuce on untoasted side of 1 slice of bread, then top with a tomato slice, 3/4 cup salmon salad, and 2 strips bacon. Top with another slice of toast and cut sandwich in half.

For a printable version of this recipe, go here.

Italian Steak Sandwich

This is definitely a special-occasion sandwich as the ingredient list is a little on the pricey side and it'll take you 40 minutes or so to make it all, but my, oh, my is it yummy!

A faster version of this sandwich is to make roast beef panini using the recipe for the yummy gorgonzola-mayo. I buy panini bread at Costco, spread the gorgonzola-mayo generously on the inside, fill will premium deli roast beef (I use about 1/4-lb of thin cut meat per sandwich), a slice of Havarti cheese, and fresh spinach leaves. I butter the top and bottom of the outside of the panini and put it in a panini press until toasty on the outside and warmed through. So, so good.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

These can be made on an indoor grill. Good-quality, fresh rolls make a world of difference, as do all the fresh herbs. I don’t recommend substituting dried herbs.

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup creamy gorgonzola

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup red onion, chopped

1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

1 sirloin steak or flank steak (about 1-1/2 pounds)

4 ciabatta rolls, split, brushed with olive oil

2 cups baby spinach leaves

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Puree mayonnaise, Gorgonzola, olive oil, and red onion in a food processor until smooth. Add 1/2 cup parsley, pulse until chopped, and season; cover and chill.

Combine oil, 2 tablespoons parsley, thyme, rosemary, and pepper flakes (if using) in a bowl; set aside.

Grill steak on both sides to desired doneness, about 5 minutes. Thinly slice steak across the grain, then toss strips in oil-herb mixture; season with salt.

Toast rolls on grill, cut side down. (Don’t forget to lightly brush them on the cut-side with olive oil first).

To assemble, divide spinach leaves among bottom halves of rolls and top with sliced steak. Spoon mayonnaise over steak (be generous—you want a big ol’ puddle of the stuff; you’re not spreading it on like you would regular mayonnaise), top with remaining rolls, and cut in half.

For a printable version of this recipe, go here.