Smoky Jalapeno Cheesesteak

Welcome Back! Where you been? Haahahahahaha. No long story what I've been up to....just stuff. Sometimes you just aren't feelin' it. I've felt my cooking at home either was not worthy to blog about or the camera battery was dead when I had something fabulous made. It's always something, right?
Right.


Regardless....today fun sandwich is:


Smokey Jalapeno Cheesesteak
by JennyMac's Lipsmack
makes 2 large sandwiches or 4 average

Sandwich Rolls/Hoagie Rolls (per person)
6 layers of Steak-Um meat or slivered beef (about 1/2 pound)
1 onion thinly sliced
6 jalapenos, deveined/seeded and julienned
Smoked Cheese

Slice onions and peppers and saute in pan until soft. Slice beef into strips and add into onion mixture until beef is no longer pink (take just a minute or so).

Prepare your rolls by heating them up in the oven (if you desire a crusty roll). Slice cheese thinly. Slather on the mayo. Put meat into "mayoed' rolls top with cheese. Serve with your favorite chips -hope your mouth is big enough!

Cooks Notes:

1. The smoked cheese is not something you will find in the grocery with all your other cheeses. This cheese I found at a Farmer's Market. It was actually a Smoked Horseradish Cheese....yummy. BUT normally when a recipe calls for a smoked cheddar I have to go to the section of the grocery when I need Saga Brie, Manchego or Guyere cheeses. Look for it. Today I noticed they had a smoked Guyere right next to the smoked provolone and mozzarella. Wow, they are increasing their stock! It shouldn't be too hard to find. These smoky cheeses are also great on burgers for it tastes like you have bacon on it....when you
don't!

2. As for jalapeno....don't be scared to use this and opt for the plain bell pepper. The heat of you sandwich is directly related to how well you remove the seeds and the veins in the pepper. This is your source of heat. When I am feeling crazy for some heat I just slice them up without regard...and also don't forget the cheese on your sandwich is also your saving grace. Any dairy is the antidote to pepper pain!

No ordinary buns for this pork BBQ!!!

Pepper Jack Rolls Baby!

I've been a fan of the Artisan Bread in 5 minutes book and have made my own bread a few times. Yummy! I used the Vermont Cheddar Bread recipe (page 106) as my springboard idea.

Pepper Jack Rolls
adapted from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

3 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 Tbsp. granulated yeast
1 1/2 Tbsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
6 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup white cheddar powdered cheese
1 cup grated pepper jack cheese
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 egg, beaten

1. Mix the yeast, salt and sugar with the water in a 5 quart bowl (I used my lidded non air tight food container that I store my dough in).

2. Mix in the dry ingredients, grated cheese, powdered cheese and pepper flakes without kneading, using a spoon. You can use a 14 cup food processor with a dough attachment but mixing this dough directly in the container was just fine.

3. Cover (not airtight) and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.

4. The dough can be used immediately after the initial use, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate in lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 7 days.

5. When baking rolls, dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off dough pieces roughly equal portions (about the size of a plum) Shape each one into a smooth ball. Allow them to rest and rise on a cornmeal-covered pizza peel for 40 minutes (or just 20 minutes if using fresh unrefrigerated dough).

6. Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450 degrees with a baking stone placed on the middle rack Place an empty broiler tray on any other shelf that won't interfere with the rising bread.

7. Just before baking, coat with beaten egg and stick a few jalapenos on top.

8. Slide the rolls directly onto hot stone. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray and quickly close the oven door. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until deeply browned and firm.



Here is one of the final rolls in relation to the place size. Ginormous! Honestly too much bread for me. I think I overestimated my size of plums. LOL. Although K-man was ecstatic about his man sized pork BBQ sandwich!







I could have probably put more pepper flakes in the dough as you can BARELY see the pepper. The bread wasn't a cheesy as I thought it would be. Although bread was fluffy and tender. The crust held up GREAT to the smooshy BBQ inside.

AWESOME!

But when you still have BBQ left and a bit of dough what do you do to restyle your dinner?

BBQ Pork Rolls!

The dough that remained after making 6 ginormous sandwich rolls was just enough to cut into 6 small circles. Using my greased TEXAS sized muffin tin....

Place a handful of green onions on the dough about 1/4 cup BBQ on the onions. Pull up dough around the filling and place in greased muffin tin dough edges down.

Throw a few slices of jalapenos around the dough in the muffin tins. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and put tin on the stove to let dough rise enough to fill up the muffin cups.

Bake for 20 minutes until brown. Serve with chilly coleslaw...sprinkle a bit of chili powder on top of it to compliment your BBQ rolls. Pickles, some extra BBQ sauce on the side for dipping and PERFECTION!

BTW, making your own Pork BBQ is very easy too!

Bake a Pork Butt according to package directions. Rubbed with favorite dry BBQ dry rub (mine was 6 lbs and it took about 4 hours). Stick a fork in the roast until when twisted is falling apart. Remove from pan and put on plate and let cool until able to tear apart with a fork. Add your favorite bottle of BBQ sauce to pork shreds. DELICIOUS!

Made enough for 4 HUGE sandwiches, 6 pork rolls and package of BBQ for two more average sandwiches for the freezer for a quick dinner another night!

Oink!

Not your typical Ham and Cheese....

Who doesn't love ham and cheese sandwiches? Who doesn't love to eat foods in a mini version?

I found these cuties on Beantown Baker site. What appealed to me what that they weren't just ham and cheese slapped between some bread. It had a very interesting marinade and her family and friends have been raving over them so I wanted to give them a 'whirl' for New Year's.


Mini Ham and Cheese Sandwiches
from Beantown Baker

1 c (2 sticks) butter
1 1/2 Tbsp poppy seeds
1 1/2 Tbsp grated dried onions
1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp honey mustard
2 (12 ounce) packages Hawaiian rolls - or any small rolls like parkerhouse or potato
1 pound cooked ham slices
12 ounces sliced swiss cheese

In saucepan, mix butter, poppy seeds, onion, Worcestershire sauce & mustard, stir until blended and melted. Pour 1/2 of mixture into bottom of baking dish.

Assemble sandwiches with ham and cheese slices. Arrange rolls in single layer in baking dish, spreading them around to soak up sauce in pan. Pour rest of sauce over tops of sandwiches, cover dish and refrigerate up to 24 hours for suce to soak in.

Preheat oven in 350 degrees, bake rolls for 10-12 minutes until rolls are lightly browned and cheese is melted.

These were awesomely YUMMY. I see now why they were raved about. I would definitely make these again for super bowl!

Cook's Notes:


1. I found the Hawaiian Rolls without a problem but keep in mind that they are on the sweet side. My store had only packages of four and I had purchased 3 of them @ 4 oz each. Meaning I had 12 rolls or only HALF of what the recipe required. You would need to get 24 rolls. Keep this in mind when making the recipe.

2. Use butter only. Do not use things like Smart Balance or margarine (they have water whipped in) and these products will make your bottom bun half soggy. Next time I will stick to butter instead of trying to cut the fat...sometimes you just HAVE to stay true with no substitutions.

3. Be sure to use the thinly sliced DELI ham in you get in packages. We had leftover spiral sliced ham from the holidays and it had too much 'texture' when you bit into it. Granted I only used two slices cut to size figuring the thickness of the bread could handle it...but your teeth sometimes couldn't cut through with ease.

4. As K-man and I were discussing the pros and cons of this recipe (don't get me wrong, these had wonderful flavor, the marinade rocked!) We decided to try this recipe again using corned beef, with same amount of rolls using parkerhouse (less sweet) and HALF of the recipe marinade (we don't need to eat 24 rolls!)


Giveaway update: Don't forget to enter your comment for my cookbook giveaway! Your comments about my blog have been so very wonderful. I am glad that I am making some people happy out there!
Make sure you tell me what book you want BUT the books I listed are just some of my faves. If there is some other book you've been drooling over....ask for it. I just may have to purchase two...one for you and ME!

Enjoy!

Slide one over!

You see sliders offered on every appetizer menu now. You see the ads on TV with Billy Mays (screaming) about making your OWN sliders at home with some contraption....and now ladies and gentlemen (drum roll please....)

You can really make your own sliders now because the buns are FINALLY available! So cute!

Slider Burgers, Baby

4 mini burgers (tonight we used turkey)
tomato
lettuce
mayo
onion
cheese
ketchup
*new* slider buns

Shown here is a dab of mayo with lettuce, tomato, salt and pepper....waiting for my turkey burgers to finish cooking....top with a cheese slice.....


Dinner was two sliders, potato salad and baconnaise potato salad....notice the hotdog in the background....yes K-man was THRILLED that I had grilled him a hotdog as well.

K-man ate everything and a small bowl of peaches. Me, I only finished one slider, half a hotdog (with no bun) and half of each scoop of potato salad! And K-man wants some lemon tart for dessert...I don't know where he puts it!!!!

Cook's Note on 5/24: One of those 'art gallery' sites turned down the top picture said it was dull/fuzzy. Geez! *shaking head with face in hands*

How to keep them away...

I know I try to have my K-man eat healthier, that is only when I am cooking. But some days he goes back to his 'single man days' and hits the local fast food place to grab a quick breakfast before work...or his co-workers are getting something and if he isn't 'sent' with a breakfast from me....he caves. So weak...LOL

I found a recipe for sausage and cheese biscuits and with some egg added....so much better than those FF breakfast places. Lower fat, no trans fat and I know that there aren't any mystery chemicals in it that we can't pronounce!

Let me show you what I made for his breakfast this week! Shown are the pictorial steps, followed by the recipe....


Link sausage cut 1/2 inch, frozen cheese cubes and buttermilk...essential yummies!








I mixed all the dry stuff in the food processor, mixed in the 3 things from above and pressed into one big rectangle and cut into squares on parchment paper. These are brushed with egg wash.






Freshly baked....mmmmm. You know what was the best part here? I had to cut off all the melted cheese to make them look nice...OMG....fried cheese bits....so good. Drat K-man came checking in on me while I was doing this part....I had to share some...*harumpt*








Scramble up some eggs, season with salt and pepper and slowly cook in a pan. While the eggs are cooking...












Take your best squares and halve them. Use a sharp knife and use a sawing cut to ensure you don't dislodge those little pork bites! OMG, I wanted to butter these and eat one right there!






Cut your egg into 8 squares (or how ever many sammies you are making)...









Wrap them up for your sweetie! I asked K-man how he wanted them. Packs of two or singles...he said he wanted both depending how hungry he was that morning. LOL.

So here you go...4-5 days of breakfast for your man! What about the leftovers?



Those go to work with ME!!!!! I probably will just eat them 'as is' with my coffee. Ok...I broke down and ate one while I was snapping pix....*thud*

Egg, Sausage and Cheese Biscuit Sandwiches
adapted from Bakers Banter aka King Arthur Flour

2 cups cooked, sliced breakfast sausage links (1/2" pieces)
1 cup diced cheddar cheese
3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Pizza Dough Flavor, optional (I used a Tbsp of grated Parm cheese and 1/2 tsp oregano and 1/4 tsp. garlic)
1/2 cup butter, cut in pats (I used 50/50 smart balance)
1 cup yogurt, buttermilk, or sour cream (I used non-fat buttermilk)

1) Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2) In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and Pizza Dough Flavor. Add the butter, cut in pats.

3) Work in the butter till the mixture is crumbly. (I used my food processor for this!)

4) Add the sausage and cheese, mixing to distribute. Add the yogurt, buttermilk, or sour cream.

5) Mix just till everything is evenly moistened.

6) Transfer the dough to a piece of parchment or a lightly floured work surface. Pat and roll it into an 8" x 10" rectangle about 3/4" thick.

7) Cut the dough into twenty 2" squares. (I only got 15 because I wanted them bigger!)

8) If you've been working on parchment, simply lift the parchment onto a baking sheet. Separate the scones so there's about 1" between them. If the scones aren't on parchment,, space them on a lightly greased baking sheet, leaving about 1" between them.

9) Bake the scones for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they're a medium- to deep-golden brown.

10) Remove the scones form the oven, and cool them on a rack briefly.

11) Scramble eggs and leave them to set....do not disturb them you want them to be once solid coat on bottom of pan. Let cool.

12) Split open biscuits and sandwich an egg square inside. Wrap up with plastic wrap for convenient breakfasts to go! Can be easily heated up in the microwave!

Because you Love him...

Sometimes, I just like to put together a dinner, meal or special dessert for my K-man.  That is just how I am....I like to let him know not only do I love and appreciate him but I am thinking of him and his likes....it's fun to surprise him with something 'special' that HE likes (it's win/win, if I like it too) 

Here is a sandwich I put together for my K-man because it has many of his favorite things...

Rye Bread

Avocado (that man will halve and eat an avocado with a spoon in it's peel with pepper only just for a SNACK)

grilled flank steak (we love the Mc Cormick's MESQUITE marinade)

green onion

cherry tomatoes (I should have roasted them!)

mozzarella

horseradish sauce

Let's put it together!

I heated up the leftover flank steak just enough.  I didn't want to lose too much pink in the meat.  Toast your bread by either toaster or grilling on a pan.  Melt your cheese.  Top with meat on one side....tomatoes on the other.  Cheese is very important for it acts as your 'glue' in a STACKED sandwich.

Now I topped the meat with his avocado with some salt and pepper and some green onions on the tomatoes.

Now carefully....STACK IT...

Cut it open and look at what you got...

Yum!

This sandwich definitely produced a huge smile and lots of "Mmmmm-mmmm's"  He even did the dishes afterward!  Again....win/win situation!

I'd like my submarine sandwich, salad style, please!

All the sandwich places are trying to be healthier by offering salads on their menus now. Here is a great recipe that is basically a chef salad tweaked to be reminiscent of a sub sandwich.


Gather your 'submarine' sandwich makings...









Find a jar and place in your salad dressing ingredients....Shake....














Shake it baby, until mixed and pour on your prepared salad....













Submarine Salad

Romaine Lettuce Head
2 hard rolls, cubed and slightly toasted in oven with olive oil if desired
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 c. shredded Swiss Cheese
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 ounces each of ham, turkey, salami
1/2 c. sliced pepperoni
1/3 c. olive oil
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp pepper
hot pepper rings to garnish (optional)

Combine the lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese, ham, turkey, salami, pepperoni in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredient for the dressing. Mix well. Add your toasted roll cubs, toss in salad. Pour dressing over salad toss to coat. Serve immediately.


ALSO!!!....since we had a bit of this leftover the next day....I picked out a few of the remaining toasted roll cubes and just put the rest of the salad between come ciabiatta bread for picnic sandwiches. Awesome!

Semi-Reubens

Ok, St. Patty's day has come and gone....many of us have leftovers from our corned beef and cabbage....I don't want hash....How about a reuben? Mmmmm! I love a good reuben sandwich. Tender corned beef, melty swiss cheese, crunchy sauerkraut, sweet russian dressing on hot buttery rye bread....THUD.

Well my K-man likes pretty much all food BUT does not like sauerkraut at ALL. He will eat cole slaw but even plain cooked cabbage is still sketchy for him. When I made the corned beef and cabbage....he looked like a little kid when he was looking at the cabbage on his plate, like: "What is this and do I have to eat it?" I reassured him that is was NOT sauerkraut....he took a few bites and said half-heartedly....'it's good.' I knew it wasn't his thing....clearly some childhood eating memories! LOL...

Anyhow here's my tweaked reuben for K-man to enjoy:

"Un-sour" Reuben

Sliced leftover corned beef
Sliced Swiss Cheese
Rye Bread
Finely shredded cole slaw (says Angel Hair cabbage in salad section in grocery)
Thousand Island Dressing
Horseradish sauce (in your dressing aisle)
Red Onion

1. Toast your rye bread.
2. Thinly slice your COLD corned beef, otherwise it being warm will shred beef.
3. Place sliced cheese on bread when hot out of toaster.
4. Warm corned beef slices in microwave.
5. Squirt on some horseradish sauce.
6. Pile on the beef on the horseradish.
7. Mix shredded cole slaw with dressing. Just enough to flavor it but not to make it drippy.
8. Spread extra dressing on the warmed cheese.
9. Place a few thin red onion rings and then the slaw on corned beef.
10. Top with remaining slice of bread with cheese.

Serve with a dill pickle.

Now THAT is a sandwich anyone can enjoy! Warning a big mouth needed.

The way to their heart is through their stomach!

This is the heart they want....and make it into a sandwich please!!!

See this bread? Hard to tell in the picture but it's the same width as your 9 inch cake pan. But the yeast dough has risen much higher than your regular cake. The only specialty pan I have in my house (other than a bundt or springform) is this heart cake pan. Someone left it behind after a potluck...their loss is my gain!!!

K-man isn't into the fancy gifts (shirts, cologne, jewelry, etc). He is just happy with a card. When I've gotten him gifts in the past..."it's too much....I don't need anything...don't spend money on me"...etc. But more importantly....K-man always loves is my cooking and is most appreciative. So I thought....this year how about a food gift? He loves the simple stuff....the man food things. I stumbled upon a xeroxed recipe for a sandwich made from a bread loaf baked in one of those animated cake pans and assembled into a huge sandwich for a party....then I remembered my heart pan...hmmmmm. I know what to do for K-man.

Step One: Get a heart cake pan...or any cake pan pertinent. A football, a dog, cookie monster, whatever.

Step Two: Go to the grocery and get from the freezer section a package of frozen bread loaf dough. Get all or any of the other things that go into your sweethearts favorite sandwich.

Step Three: Bake your bread. I cut the dough in half lengthwise and place on heart halves (you can see the crease in the middle from that) you need to do this in order for it to rise evenly.

Step Four: After risen, brush with beaten egg. Cover with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, etc. I used Crazy Jane's mixed up salt. Bake @ 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when tapped. Let Cool.

Step Five: Slice bread in half so you have now two hearts. A top and a bottom to your heart sandwich.

Step Six: Slather on your mayo or mustard and fill with all your sweetheart's favorite meat and cheeses.

Step Seven: Serve his favorite soda/beer and watch his light up when you offer him the platter with his GIANT heart sandwich as you say "HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!"

What did I end up making?

Although K-man loves everything I cook. Sometimes he misses the simplicity of his bachelor food or SAYS he wants the simple stuff for he doesn't want me to "work so hard in the kitchen". He has a hard time understanding that I LOVE cooking!!!


He said one day, "you know hunny, you don't have to always make such fancy stuff....I'd be happy with just a grilled cheese sandwich."

*Slice off the rounded top and crusty bottom to have two large heart shaped bread slices.



*Layer your sliced cheese.

*Then layer of bacon and another layer of cheese.











So here you go sweetheart...your grilled cheese sandwich. A special request fulfilled for my love who fulfills my life by making me feel special!!!

Luckily for me...this bread fits perfectly in my George Forman 360 grill!!






And if you are lucky...he will share with you....and K-man did.