July 21, 2011: California Cobb Wrap Recipe

Looking for a light lunchtime treat? Try this quick and easy wrap with beautiful colors and a great taste.

California Cobb Wrap

1 spinach sandwich wrap (tortilla)
1 T. ranch dressing (or use this chipotle garlic ranch recipe)
2 slices bacon, crisply cooked
½ avocado, thinly sliced
½ tomato, cut into thin slices
1 large leaf green lettuce

Spread dressing across one side of wrap. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon, avocado slices and tomato slices. Top with lettuce. Roll up tightly, like a burrito.

Tip: Add shredded, leftover chicken for a heartier sandwich. Diced green chiles can also be added for a bit of a kick.

July 14, 2011: Veggie Wrap Recipe

I’ve shared with you that I’m trying my best to get healthy this month with daily exercise and a delicious fruit smoothie for breakfast. Another way I cut down on calories but load up on vitamins is by enjoying a raw veggie wrap for lunch.

I’m not including any measurements with this recipe because the amounts really depend on your particular tastes and the size of your tortilla or wrap (you can use a fancy one like spinach or sun-dried tomato flavor, but a plain old flour tortilla will work just fine). You could also put these ingredients in a pita bread for a change of pace.

This particular combination of ingredients is one of my favorites, but do feel free to substitute whatever you’ve got on hand and whatever sounds really good to you.

Veggie Wrap

1 tortilla, burrito size
Feta cheese, plain or flavored (you can substitute low fat cream cheese if you like)
Hummus, commercially prepared (any variety; my favorite is roasted pine nut) or homemade
Broccoli sprouts
Radishes, thinly sliced
Green onions, diced
Carrots, shaved into thin strips
Tomato, diced
Sunflower seeds
Mixed baby greens

Sprinkle feta cheese evenly over tortilla; microwave on high for about 30 seconds, just until cheese starts to melt and tortilla is softened.

Spread hummus over tortilla, sprinkle with remaining ingredients. Roll up like a burrito.

Serves one.

Tip: For some extra flavor, try splashing on a bit of balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing or a squirt of fresh lemon juice plus soy sauce.

June 14, 2011: Patty Melt Recipe

Nearly everyone grills hamburgers over the summer – but why not mix things up a bit and make patty melts instead? This recipe is a nice change from boring hamburgers yet it's still a breeze to make and clean up.

Patty Melts

1 ½ lbs. ground beef (80% lean is preferred)
1 T. bottled steak sauce
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. Montreal steak seasoning
8 slices sturdy bread (rye, multi-grain, or whole wheat)
8 slices cheese of your choice (Swiss, cheddar, American)
Caramelized onions (you may want to use this recipe for balsamic caramelized onions, peppers, and mushrooms)
3 T. softened butter
3 T. mayonnaise

Combine all ingredients and mix with your hands. Form into thin, bread-shaped patties. Grill over medium heat about 3 – 4 minutes per side (for medium). Remove from grill.

To assemble patty melts, place a slice of cheese on one slice bread. Top with burger patty and about a quarter cup of caramelized onions. Add one more slice cheese and top with slice of bread. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Note: I don't think any condiments are necessary but you may want to spread a bit of Dijon mustard on the inside of the sandwich for extra flavor.

Mix together butter and mayonnaise. Brush on one side of each sandwich. Place assembled sandwiches on a Panini press or griddle heated to medium, buttered side down. Brush tops of sandwiches with remaining butter mixture. Cook until golden and crispy on both sides, flipping once (about 1 - 2 minutes).

Serves 4

June 10, 2011: Grilled Top Sirloin Sandwiches Recipe

Top sirloin is a funny kind of steak – it can be really tough or it can be pretty tender. It’s hard to tell what you’re going to get when you buy a package at the grocery store. Just to be on the safe side, I always marinate it. This recipe is for the marinated steaks and a mustard glaze that goes over the top during the last few minutes of grilling – and this combo is perfect for a hearty dinner sandwich (I served mine on pieces of a store-bought cheese loaf).

Grilled Sirloin Steak Sandwiches topped with Balsamic Caramelized Onions, Peppers, and Mushrooms and served with Parmesan Crusted Corn on the Cob

Balsamic Marinade

¼ cup balsamic
¼ cup olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ pounds thick cut top sirloin chops

Mix together ingredients in a nonmetallic dish. Add meat and marinade for a minimum of two hours. Remove from marinade just before grilling and sprinkle with sea salt.

Mustard Glaze

1/8 cup yellow mustard
1/8 cup Dijon mustard
1 t. citrus peel seasoning (look for it in the spice section; can substitute a mixture of freshly grated lemon and orange peel, dehydrated minced, crushed coriander seeds and sesame seeds)
1 t. minced garlic
½ t. salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients. Brush on both side of steaks during the last few minutes of grilling.

For sandwiches: Slice steak thinly and pile on top of bread. The mustard glaze is the only condiment necessary although you may wish to top the sandwiches with caramelized onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms (recipe will be posted tomorrow, June 11, 2011).

Tip: cook the sirloin steaks to medium rare then take off the grill and put on a platter. Tent with a piece of foil for five minutes so the juices don’t run off.

March 11, 2011: Meatloaf Recipe

Ah, meatloaf… it’s one of the most popular comfort foods – unless your mom’s recipe wasn’t all too tasty. That’s the thing about meatloaf; it can either be really good or really bad. I tend to stick with my own recipe because I know I like it but never order meatloaf when I’m eating out in a restaurant.

These days not a whole lot of people make meatloaf, even though it used to be a mainstay for families in the 50s, 60s and 70s. The declining popularity is most likely due to the fact that it takes so long to cook; by the time a busy mom or dad gets home from work, there just isn’t enough time to prepare and bake a meatloaf.

It’s a shame, though, because leftover meatloaf makes THE best sandwiches the next day! When I used to work at a hotel in Mesa, a couple of my lunch buddies, who were much younger than me, used to beg me to make meatloaf and bring sandwiches for all of us the next day. Soft wheat bread, mayo, a bit of ketchup, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper and... yum! Of course, I didn't mind obliging them.

I think I’ve mentioned before that both my son and my husband are picky eaters. But there’s one thing that both of them agree on and that’s my meatloaf, which is a family favorite (and the older my son got, the less likely the chance that there would be any leftover for sandwiches the next day because he would finish it off for dinner).

Mama’s Meatloaf

2 slices bread, torn into small pieces
1 – 2 T. dried, minced onion (depending on your preference)
1 t. dried parsley
Milk (about ½ cup)
1 egg
¼ cup ketchup
Dash or two of Worcestershire sauce
2 t. Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
2 lbs. ground beef

In a large mixing bowl, combine the torn bread, onion, and parsley. Add enough milk to cover all the ingredients. Let sit for about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the egg, ketchup, Worcestershire, and seasonings and mix with a spoon. Add the ground beef, and mix with your hands until thoroughly combined.

Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pat the ground beef mixture into the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour to 1 ½ hours. After 45 minutes of baking, remove the loaf and pour off excess grease. Pour off the remainder of the grease again before slicing and serving.

Note: I know some people prefer a tomato sauce on top of their meatloaf but I'm not including a recipe for that here because my boys like ketchup better than anything else. For a quick sauce, use a can of condensed tomato soup.

Tips: You can use either 80% lean or 93% lean ground beef; the former makes a juicier, more tender meatloaf while the latter produces less grease – your call.
For the bread, I use the heal of a loaf since it’s not good for sandwiches. Then again, you can use any type of bread you have around. Last time I used one heal of wheat bread plus one cheddar garlic biscuit leftover from a previous meal. Cracker crumbs will also work if that’s all you’ve got handy.

February 1, 2011: Cold Weather Italian Dinner – Calzones and Minestrone

When it’s chilly outside, what’s better than hot soup and sandwiches? Most of us consider tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches comfort food, but this combination of Italian favorites takes that old standby and kicks it up a notch.

Since it’s only my husband and I eating, this recipe is enough for two people, although it makes six calzones (freeze the leftovers for a healthier, homemade “Hot Pocket” – great for a quick lunch).

Pizza Calzones

Dough:
1 cup warm water
2 ¼ t. yeast
1 T. olive oil
1 t. sugar
1 t. salt
2 ½ cups flour
1 egg, slightly beaten
Garlic salt (optional)

In the warmed bowl of an stand mixer, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the olive oil, sugar, salt, and 2 cups of flour. Process on speed 2 for about 2 minutes; gradually add the remaining half cup of flour. Continue processing on speed 2 until the dough cleans the side of the bowl. Turn dough out into greased bowl; cover and let rise about 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Note: If making by hand, mix ingredients as directed in a large bowl. When mixed, turn out onto floured surface and knead by hand until dough is smooth and elastic.

Punch down dough and separate into 6 equal pieces. Roll out each piece into a 7-inch circle on lightly floured surface.

Pizza Filling:
1 T. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
½ can stewed diced tomatoes, undrained
1 pillow package pepperoni
5 mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
10 – 12 large black olives, sliced
1 8-ounce package shredded Italian cheese blend

In small saucepan, heat olive oil on medium. Add diced garlic and cook for about a minute, then add the sliced mushrooms. When the mushrooms are soft, add the diced tomatoes and cook on low until most of the liquid is reduced. Toss in the sliced black olives.

Assemble Calzones:

For each circle of dough, place 8 – 10 pepperoni slices on lower half, spoon one-sixth of the sauce with vegetables over the pepperoni, then top with one-sixth of the cheese. Fold the top of the dough circle over the bottom and press edges together with the tines of a fork (use your fingers to seal the edge if necessary). Brush the top with beaten egg and sprinkle with garlic salt (if using). Place on greased baking sheet.

Bake in oven heated to 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Minestrone Soup

1 T. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
½ white onion, medium dice
½ can stewed diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can vegetable broth
1 smallish carrot, peeled and sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 small can green beans (or about 1 cup frozen green beans)
1 – 2 t. Italian seasoning blend
½ - 1 cup water
1 dry cup salad macaroni (or macaroni variety of your choice)

Heat the olive oil in medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and the onion. Cook for a couple minutes, until the onion is soft. Add the rest of the ingredients, through Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for about half an hour. Add the water if the soup is too thick and return to boil. Add the uncooked macaroni and boil over medium-high heat for about ten minutes, until the macaroni is al dente.

Tip: Start the two dishes at the same time. Get your saucepan and pot out, heat and add the olive oil to each, then toss one clove garlic and the mushrooms in the saucepan and one clove garlic plus the diced onion in the pot. Divide the can of stewed tomatoes between them when ready. The calzone sauce will be done first, but you can keep it warm while you prepare the dough.