Ham & Turkey Tasties

                         

We could eat these little sandwiches every day, and some weeks we do! They are really easy to make and can be enjoyed either hot or cold. It's a recipe I got from my mother-in-law who also makes them quite frequently. I tweaked the recipe slightly by cutting back a bit on the butter and cheese. They freeze beautifully and travel well. We have these a lot on the boat in the summer, and they are perfect for packing lunches. They really are just the perfect little sandwich! I hope you try these today, because they are DELICIOUS! Okay let's get started!

1. Take the Hawaiian rolls out of the package and slice horizontally. 

2. Separate the top and bottom.

3. In a small bowl mix softened butter, Worcestershire sauce, dijon mustard, onion powder, and poppy seeds. Spread evenly on both sides of bread.

4. Layer the ham slices on the bottom.

 5. Layer the turkey slices on top of the ham.

 6. Place 6 provolone slices on top of turkey. Slice will overlap a little bit.

7. Place the top of the bread back on.

8. Cut out each roll. Either wrap in foil and heat until cheese is melty, serve cold, or wrap and freeze. Enjoy!

Ham & Turkey Tasties

Makes 12 rolls

1 package King's Hawaiian Rolls (I use the honey wheat ones)
5 TBSP softened butter
1 tsp. mayo
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. worcestershire  sauce
1 tsp. onion powder(or fresh grated onion)
1 tsp. poppy seeds
1/3 lb. thinly sliced deli ham(I usually get a smokehouse style ham)
1/3 lb. thinly sliced deli turkey (I usually get honey or oven-roasted style)
6 slices Provolone Cheese

Split the rolls in half lengthwise. In a small bowl mix butter, mayo, dijon mustard, worcestershire sauce, onion powder, and poppy seeds. Spread evenly on both sides of rolls. Layer on the bottom half ham, turkey, then cheese. Cover with top halves of rolls. At this point you can either wrap in foil and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes, store in the refrigerator as cold sandwiches, or wrap and freeze.

Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Stuffed peppers are something I have loved since I was a child. My grandmother made them often, and thankfully her recipe has been passed on to me (will have to post her recipe sometime). I have made hers before and they are fantastic, but they are not the easiest dish to make. Lots of steps and lots of ingredients. When I found this stuffed pepper casserole recipe on Pinterest, I knew I had to give it a try in hopes of getting that same flavor but with an easier process. My husband and I were both impressed and ate every bit of it-even the left overs! It was adapted from a Kraft recipe and then I adapted again...so it's a twice adapted Kraft recipe! Hope you give it a try and feel free to adapt it to your family's liking.

1. Cook brown rice. You need 2 cups cooked, so I think I used about 2/3 c. uncooked.

2. Dice up a large green pepper, small onion, and mince 2 cloves garlic. Set those aside for a minute, while you brown your beef.

 3. In a skillet, brown 1 lb. lean ground beef. Once the meat is almost cooked through, add in the green pepper and onion. Let cook for a couple minutes while stirring.

4. Once the pepper and onion start to become slightly tender, add in 1 shredded carrot and your minced garlic. Cook stirring for about 2 more minutes.

5. In a casserole dish, combine your 2 c. rice and beef mixture. 

6. Add in a 24 oz jar of spaghetti sauce. Stir 1 can of sliced water chesnuts(cut in half), onion powder, and salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste.

7. Stir in about 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese and sprinkle the last 1 c. cheese on top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until bubbly and cheese begins to brown.

Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Serves 6-8

2 cups cooked brown rice
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 large green pepper, diced
1 small onion
1 carrot, shredded
1 can sliced water chesnuts, cut in half
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 24oz. jar spaghetti sauce(italian seasoned-if using plain you may need to add a few more spices)
1 tsp. onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese, divided

Cook the rice in a pot. Meanwhile, dice up the green pepper and onion, mince the garlic, shred the carrot, and cut the water chesnuts in half. In a skillet, brown the ground beef. Once its almost cooked through, add in the onion and green pepper. Cook for a couple minutes until slightly tender. Next add in the carrot and garlic and cook stirring for a couple more minutes. In a large casserole dish pour the beef mixture, rice, water chesnuts, and spaghetti sauce. Mix it up and give it a taste test. Season to your taste using salt, pepper, onion powder, and red pepper flakes. Stir in 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese and sprinkle the other 1 c. on top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Apple Carrot Molasses Muffins

I found these little muffins on pinterest at http://catesworldkitchen.com/2010/02/molasses-muffins/. I brought them to school for the 4th grade team and they were a big hit! They are so moist and just the right amount of sweetness. For being so delicious, it's hard to believe they are so healthy. Even the hubby loved them which was a big surprise! I really encourage you to try them. They would be perfect to make on a Sunday night to eat throughout the week for breakfast.

1. Add all your dry ingredients together in a bowl.

2. Grate one large carrot and 1 apple.

3. Mix all your wet ingredients together, including carrot and apple.

4. Slowly mix your dry ingredients into the wet. Add the chopped walnuts.

5. Fill your muffin pan. I used a mini muffin pan. Bake at 350 until toothpick comes out clean.

Apple Carrot Molasses Muffins

1.5 cups white whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

2 eggs

2/3 c. molasses

1 apple peeled and grated (I used a gala apple)

1 large carrot grated

1/2 c. walnuts chopped

1/4 c. oil (I used coconut oil)

Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. Grate your carrot and apple. Mix wet ingredients along with the carrot and apple. Add dry ingredients to wet and add your nuts. Bake at 350 in either regular or mini muffin tin until toothpick comes out clean. Makes about 14 regular muffins or about 30 mini muffins.

Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup

I found this recipe on Pinterest, and I made a few tweaks to cut back on some of the fat. It was absolutely fabulous! Tanner and I agreed it was the best tomato soup I have ever made! It's got quite a bit of veggies in it, but you can't even tell once they are pureed. It also made a ton! We had leftovers for days. Hope you enjoy!

           

1. Dice 1 c. each of celery, onion, and carrots.

2. Add to crockpot along with 2 cans diced tomatoes, 4 c. low sodium chicken broth, 1 TBSP dried basil, 1 tsp dried oregano, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper. Cook on low for 4-5 hours.

3. About 30 minutes prior to serving, melt 5 TBSP butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in 1/2 c. flour and cook for 5 minutes, whisking continually.

4. Once it looks like this, start ladling in some of the broth from the crockpot. 

5. Whisk in a couple of cups of soup until it is thinned out a bit.

5. Add it to the pot of soup and whisk a bit until it is combined. Using an immersion blender(or regular blender), puree soup to your liking. I made it thin with a few small chunks left.

6. Stir in 1 c. half and half, 1 c. 2% milk, and 1 c. shredded parmesan cheese.

7. Cook for another 20 minutes or until completely hot. Give it a taste test to see if it needs more salt, pepper, basil, and/or oregano.

8. Serve with some tasty fiesta grilled cheeses!

Crockpot Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup

Serves 8

1 c. diced celery

1 c. diced onion

1 c. diced carrot

2 cloves minced garlic

2 cans diced tomatoes, with juice(I used basil & oregano no salt added)

4 c. low sodium chicken broth

1 TBSP dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 bay leaf

5 TBSP butter

1/2 c. flour

1 c. half and half

1 c. 2% milk (or whatever kind of milk you have on hand)

1 c. parmesan cheese

1/2-1 tsp. salt

pepper to taste

Add first 9 ingredients in crockpot. Cook on low for 4-5 hours. 30 minutes before serving, melt butter in a small saucepan. Sprinkle in the flour, whisking constantly, and cook for 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in a couple of cups of broth from the crockpot to thin out the roux. Then add it all back into the pot. With an immersion blender, puree the soup to your liking. Then add the half and half, milk, and parmesan cheese. Give it a taste and add salt, pepper, basil, and/or oregano as needed. Cook on low for about 20 more minutes or until completely hot.

Mini Fiesta Grilled Cheeses

These little grilled cheeses are absolutely like no other and so simple! The recipe came from my mother, and I LOVED when she would make them. They are just so easy and really give the traditional grilled cheese a run for its money. They only require 4 ingredients and about 5 minutes to make. I usually pair them with some kind of soup. I promise you will love them!

1. In a bowl combine 1 can Campbell's Fiesta Nacho Cheese soup and 1 8oz. bag shredded sharp cheddar cheese. You could probably use any cheese you have on hand. It should be similar to the consistency of pimento cheese.

2. Thinly slice a store-bought french baguette. The above picture was only half of the baguette. One full baguette gave us 4 good servings. 

3. Lay all the slices out on your cutting board. Butter one side of each piece (like you would a grilled cheese).

4. On the non-buttered side of half the pieces, spread on about a heaping TBSP of the cheese mixture. 

5. Put the tops on. Outside of sandwiches should be all buttered. Preheat panini press, grill pan, or griddle to med-high heat. 

6. Grill the sandwiches for about 3-4 minutes or until toasted and melty. The cheese usually starts running down the rides and sizzling on the pan.

7. This is what they look like when they are done! Love those little grill marks!:)

8. Serve it up with some warm tomato soup and you can never go wrong!

Fiesta Grilled Cheese

Serves 4-8 (enough cheese mixture for 2 baguettes. Each baguette should serve about 4 people)

1 can Campbell's Fiesta Nacho Cheese soup

1 8oz. bag shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 french baguette, thinly sliced

butter

Mix soup and cheese in a bowl. Thinly slice baguette and butter one side of each piece as you would a grilled cheese. Spread about a heaping TBSP of the cheese mixture on the non-buttered side of half the bread pieces. Preheat your panine press, grill pan, or griddle to med-high heat. Grill the sandwiches for 3-4 minutes or until toasty and melted. 

Broccoli Cheese Soup

I absolutely love Panera Bread's broccoli cheese soup. It's so rich and cheesy and comforting. Unfortunately we don't have a Panera close by, so I figured it was time to try out a recipe for it myself. I found two recipes on Pinterest that looked good, so this is a recipe that kind of combines my favorite things about the two. I have made this soup twice now and it is FANTASTIC! Any time in the future I have a craving for broccoli cheese soup this will be the recipe. I really encourage you to try it. It's packed full of fresh broccoli and carrots, and I cut back on the half and half, so it's practically healthy! ;) Hope you enjoy!

1. Chop 1 small onion and cook in a pot with half a stick of butter .

2. While that is cooking, chop your broccoli into florets and rinse in a colander. 

3. Shred your carrots. I think I used 2 large carrots or about 2 c. (maybe a little less)

4. Once onions are tender, sprinkle in the flour and cook for another minute.

5. Slowly add 4 c. chicken broth and 2 c. half and half.

6. Add the broccoli and carrots. Simmer on low for 20-30 minutes or until veggies are tender.

7. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup. Add salt and pepper to taste, and nutmeg. Stir in 2 c. sharp cheddar cheese.

I served it up with an always tasty BLT! YUMMY!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Serves 6-8

4 TBSP butter

1 small onion, chopped

1 lb. fresh broccoli florets

2 c. shredded carrots

1/4 c. flour

4 c. low sodium chicken broth

2 c. half and half

salt and pepper to taste

2 c. sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

In a pot cook chopped onion and butter until onions are tender. Whisk in the flour and cook for another minute. Slowly add chicken broth and half and half. Add broccoli florets and shredded carrots. Simmer on low for about 20-30 min. Once veggies are tender, use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Add salt and pepper to taste and the nutmeg. Stir in cheese until melted.