Posts filed under 'sandwiches'
“This is the King of my Sandwich World”, my hubby said tonight when eating this delicious, fresh vegetable sandwich. When he said that, I knew I’d better share this recipe with my friends and readers.
I was inspired by the Farmer’s Market Grilled Cheese from Better Homes and Gardens, but of course catered it to suit our tastes better.
The basic idea behind this sandwich is to pick your favorite FRESH vegetables from the produce section or the Farmer’s Market and surround them with sourdough bread and gooey cream cheese.
The Sandwich King
Sourdough bread - 1 loaf
cream cheese, 8 oz
cilantro - 1/2 bunch
sliced tomato - 1 large
vidalia onion - 1 medium
jalapeno pepper - 1 sliced thinly
artichoke hearts - 1 can, chopped
fresh spinach - about 1/4 bag chopped
(I know the artichokes are not a fresh veggie, but we do love them on this anyway!)
First thing to do is bring a block of cream cheese up to room temperature, then beat it with a mixer. Add minced fresh cilantro and beat it together. This is your cheese spread. Do not refrigerate this before making the sandwiches. It will be impossible to spread.
Next, slice and dice all the vegetables just the way you want them. With my large and opinionated family, I keep everything in separate bowls and let each person decide what to put on their own sandwich. When it comes to the picky ones, I tell them it has to have at least two things and they can’t get something else out. (Otherwise, they’d likely end up with a boring peanut butter or bologna sandwich.)
Finally, build this like it’s a glorified grilled cheese sandwich. Butter on one side of each slice of bread. Smooth the cream cheese spread (liberally!) on one slice, topped with as many of the vegetables as you like. Press it together and grilled it on a hot skillet. (cast iron if you’ve got one)
The first evening we tried this sandwich, every single one of us was skeptical. We were all pleasantly surprised - so delicious! There is an amazing combination of fresh flavors in every bite, surrounded by this gooey cream cheese mixture that binds it all together. It’s an excellent, light-tasting summertime meal. And if you have a garden, a great way to incorporate your fresh vegetables into your menu in a new way.
*Consider using zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, bell peppers, avocado, … or come up with your own ideas.
August 1st, 2011
This is a really simple, but great sandwich…
All I did was get two pieces of bread, or a tortilla. Put some mesquite ham on, I prefer it to be thinly sliced. Then one or two pieces of provolone cheese onto it, and then spread a thick layer of pesto onto the bread. I think the mesquite ham goes really well with the pesto, but if you like a different type of ham, that’s fine too.
(posted by my daughter Sarah, who thinks that I don’t post often enough.)
We bought the pesto from Sam’s club instead of making it ourselves. The basic ingredients are: fresh basil, pine nuts, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and garlic. Apparently, I haven’t posted a recipe for pesto - ever - I should get on that for all of you who want to try making it yourselves!
January 9th, 2010
A healthy alternative to the all-American hamburger….
A creative way to replace meat with vegetables….
A method of reducing fat and calories in your diet….
The black bean burger may not be perfect to a true beef-lover, but it does make a tasty sandwich if you are in the mood for one. The recipe I decided to try is a Chili’s knockoff. I’ve never had the Chili’s Black Bean Burger, but have heard that it’s quite delicious. In our new-and-improved diet, we are very happy eating mainly fruits and vegetables with a few whole grains and the occasional meat thrown in.
For the first try on the Black Bean Burgers, I decided I wanted to grill them. Typically, grilling is our favorite method of cooking almost everything and I wanted the first attempt to be as great-tasting as possible. When I formed the patties, I could tell that they were going to fall right through the grate, so I decided they were going to have to be laid on a piece of foil. A small bit of butter on the shiny side of the foil, then I placed the patty on top. The butter, or a little cooking spray is absolutely necessary, since the beans will definitely stick to the foil otherwise. After the meal, I decided that grilling is probably not the best cooking method for these patties, but simply frying in the pan (in a bit of oil) would be best.
Black Bean Burgers
makes 3 or 4 (if small-ish)
1 can black beans, drained
2 t. cajun seasoning
1/2 medium onion
2 t. minced garlic
3/4 c. bread crumbs
1 egg
1 t. oil for frying
Drain the black beans, rinse quickly and let the water drain out. I use a fine strainer for this. While they are draining, put the onion and garlic in your food chopper and pulse until finely chopped. Add most of the beans, reserving a few out. (Mash these gently with a fork so that you have some large bean pieces for texture’s sake.) Pulse some more until you have bean paste.
Now place this in a medium-sized bowl and combine the paste with the slightly mashed beans. Add the seasoning, bread crumbs and egg and toss until well-combined with a fork.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. (I grilled mine, so I’m not sure how well they will hold up in a skillet — you may have to flip very gently.)
I hope everyone looking to eat healthier in 2008 is willing to try one of these! I served mine on whole wheat buns with a lettuce leaf, sliced avocado (a good replacement for mayonnaise) and a green salad on the side.
So, my open-minded friends, try having a black bean burger sometime soon!
January 5th, 2008
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