Monte Cristo sandwich (Disneyland style)

BLUE BAYOU MONTE CRISTO SANDWICH

Ingredients:

1 egg
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons water
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
8 slices egg bread (challah works well), sliced 1/2-inch thick
8 thin slices ham
8 thin slices turkey
8 thin slices Swiss cheese
3 cups canola oil
Confectioners sugar
Blackberry preserves

Directions:

1. Line a cookie sheet with paper towels; set aside.
2. Whisk the egg and water together in a mixing bowl. Add flour, salt, and baking powder and whisk thoroughly for 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth, scraping sides of bowl.
3. On one slice of bread, arrange 2 slices of ham, turkey, and cheese, covering the bread evenly. Place another slice of bread on top and slice each sandwich in half diagonally.
4. Heat oil to between 365 degrees F and 375 degrees F in a 10-inch pan. Do not let the oil reach a higher temperature than this; if the oil starts to smoke, turn the heat down. Dip half of the sandwich into the batter, allowing excess to drain, and very carefully place into the oil.
5. Repeat with the other sandwich half. Cook 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Place the cooked sandwich on the prepared cookie sheet in a warm oven until ready to serve. Repeat with the other three sandwiches.
6. Cook one at a time, and allow the oil to reach the desired temperature between each.
7. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and serve with blackberry preserves on the side.

Saucy Hot Dogs

I am not a hot dog lover, but I loved these.  Be sure to buy good quality hot dogs and buns it makes all the difference.

Saucy Hot DogsRecipe by Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

3 slices bacon
1 medium onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bottle chili sauce (like Heinz, not like Sriracha)
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup apple juice
8 high-quality hot dogs
8 hot dog buns
Desired toppings (like shredded cheese and chopped onions)

Instructions: In a large skillet, fry the bacon over medium heat until the bacon is crisp. Drain the bacon on a paper towel, leaving the drippings in the pan. Add the onion and garlic to the drippings and saute until the onions are tender and fragrant. Add the chili sauce, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, crumbled bacon, and apple juice and bring to a boil. Add the hot dogs and cook for 5-10 minutes until the sauce is thickened and the hot dogs are hot. Either serve immediately or transfer to a slow cooker set to the low setting. Serve with shredded cheese and chopped onions.

Hamburger Steak with Onion & Mushroom Gravy

Hamburger Steak with Onion & Mushroom GravyRecipe adapted from Cooking Light
Ingredients:
2-3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon butter
1 pound ground sirloin
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large white onion, vertically sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup sliced mushrooms (like baby portobellos)
4-5 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef stock
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Mashed potatoes (make ‘em with roasted garlic and buttermilk for extra deliciousness)
Instructions:
Divide the meat into 4 1/2″-thick patties. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Swirl 2 teaspoons in olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the patties and cook for 4-5 minutes and then flip and cook for another 4-5 minutes or until cooked through. Remove the patties from the pan and set aside.
Heat the teaspoon of butter in the skillet. When melted, add the onions and sprinkle lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until they become tender and start to caramelize, about 5-7 minutes (you may need to add an additional teaspoon of oil if the onions are burning or sticking). Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook until the mushrooms are tender, being careful not to let the garlic scorch.
When the onions and mushrooms are cooked, sprinkle them with 1 tablespoon of flour and stir quickly to combine. Add the broth and vinegar and cook until thickened. Add the beef patties and heat through. Serve each patty over mashed potatoes and top with mushrooms, onions, and gravy. Serves 4.

 Original recipe found HERE

Cheesy Grilled Pizza Sandwich

Cheesy Grilled Pizza Sandwich

Cheesy Grilled Pizza Sandwiches
Recipe by Our Best Bites
There are not specific measurements in this recipe, because you can make them to your liking depending on the size of your bread.

Ingredients
rustic style sandwich bread
butter or olive oil
pizza sauce
garlic bread seasoning
pepperoni or turkey pepperoni
Mozzarella cheese
(I also added tomoatoes and fresh basil)

Instructions
Lightly butter one side of each slice of bread, or brush lightly with olive oil.  Sprinkle garlic bread seasoning on each slice and gently pat on with clean hands.  Turn slices of bread over.  Spread pizza sauce on each slice and sprinkle with cheese.  Place pepperoni slices on one of the sandwich halves and then place the two pieces of bread together.
Grill on a panini press or hot skillet, or place under a broiler in the oven, flipping once, until both sides of bread are toasted and golden brown and cheese is melted.  Cool for 3-5 minutes before slicing in half and serve.

Crockpot chicken tacos

Crockpot Chicken Tacos
Recipe from Tasty Kitchen
Serves: ~12 people

1 Envelope Taco Seasoning (I use Old El Paso Reduced Sodium)
6 Pieces Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 16-ounce jar Salsa (I switch between brands, but Newman's Own or Pace are my favorites)

Dump everything into a crock pot and give it a little stir to blend the seasoning with the salsa. You do not need to add any water to the taco seasoning. Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours. When done, the chicken should shred easily when stirred with a fork.

For tacos, serve the chicken with soft flour tortillas, guacamole, lettuce, shredded cheese and/or sour cream. This is very versatile and can be used for enchiladas, nachos, tostadas, quesadillas, etc. Any leftover chicken can then be used for tortilla soup (make it the next day or freeze the chicken to use at a later time).

Baked Caprese Pasta

I made this tonight and my family devoured it.  It was fresh and delicious. I was thinking next time I might substitute Chicken fingers for the mozzarella sticks. Original recipe found HERE.
Baked Caprese Pasta

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 1/4 C chicken broth
• 1 1/2 C milk (Fat content lower than 1% not recommended)
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/3 tsp kosher salt
• 1 lb penne pasta, cooked
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/3 C mozzarella, cubed
• 1/2 C fresh basil, chopped
• 1 (8 oz) box Mozzarella Sticks

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Melt butter in a medium-sized sauce pan and add garlic. Let cook until fragrant, about 1 minute and stir in flour, cooking an additional minute.
3. Whisk in broth and milk, stirring constantly until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in salt and red pepper.
4. In a 9x13" casserole dish, place 1/2 of the pasta into the bottom and top with 1/2 of the tomatoes, and basil, and all of the mozzarella. Repeat with the remaining pasta, tomatoes and basil.
5. Pour garlic sauce evenly over the pasta.
6. Cut each mozzarella stick into a several pieces and place across the pasta in an even layer. Cover with foil.
7. Bake for 20 minutes, uncover, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the mozzarella sticks are melted and crisp and the sauce is bubbling.

Stovetop Ribs

These ribs are so good and they don't take as long to cook as some Rib recipes take.  The recipe says to let them boil in the water until the water has evaporated and that should take about 20 minutes, but the few times I have cooked them it has taken more like 45min.  I have also used beef ribs and I actually like them better than the pork because they were less greasy. Recipe found HERE

INGREDIENTS:

10 pork spareribs 1/2 cup soy sauce 10 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tablespoon dried rosemary 1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 bay leaves 1 lime, juiced 10 sprigs fresh parsley ground black pepper to taste 2 limes, cut into wedges

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Place the spareribs into a large pot, and fill with just enough water to cover. Add the soy sauce, garlic, rosemary, oregano, bay leaves, lime juice and 3/4 of the parsley. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered over medium heat until the water has completely evaporated, about 25 minutes.
2.	When all of the water is gone, remove the bay leaves, and allow meat to brown, turning occasionally. Use a spatula to scrape up browned bits and softened garlic from the bottom of the pot, and toss them with the pork. The garlic will dissolve onto the meat. Remove the meat, and drain on paper towels. Season with black pepper and garnish with lime wedges and remaining parsley.

Lemon Cookies

We love these EASY 4 ingredient cookies. (original recipe found Here)

Ingredients

• 1 box Lemon Cake Mix*
• 1- 8 oz container Cool Whip
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar (for rolling)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. In medium bowl, beat cool whip, egg and cake mix until well blended. Dough will be thick and sticky.
3. Drop by teaspoonfuls into a bowl of powdered sugar and roll to coat.
4. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 10- 12 minutes

Notes

*Try these using strawberry or orange cake mix for variety.