Portuguese Prego Sandwich

Photo from the Sandwich Tribunal

Portugal definitely left me with a new appreciation for sandwiches. During my trip, I was lucky enough to try several traditional Portuguese sandwiches, some made with pork and others with beef. Honestly, I couldn't pick a favorite—they were all delicious in their own way.

Since coming home, I've been recreating some of those flavors in my own kitchen. One of my favorites so far has been the Bifana, a classic pork sandwich served with an incredibly flavorful garlic-infused sauce that's almost like a light gravy. If you haven't tried one, you absolutely should.

This recipe, however, is something different. It's a beef sandwich with tender onions and plenty of savory flavor, but without the rich sauce that makes a Bifana so memorable. Different? Yes. Disappointing? Not even a little.

I tossed some mushrooms into the pan simply because I needed to use them before they went bad, and that turned out to be one of the best decisions I made. They soaked up all the delicious flavors and fit right in with the beef and onions.

My only misstep was the bread. I grabbed what I thought were sturdy hard rolls, but they were much thinner than I expected. There wasn't enough room to pile on as much of the beef and onion mixture as I wanted, so the bread-to-filling ratio was a little off. It certainly didn't stop me from devouring the sandwich, but next time I'll hunt down a heartier roll that can handle all that delicious filling.

Portuguese Prego Sandwich

Recipe from Portuguese Recipes

Serves 4

• 1/2 lb of sirloin steak, cut thinly
• 5 T butter
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (or to taste)
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 Portuguese style sandwich buns, toasted

Lay out the steaks on a cutting board or other flat surface. Lay slices of garlic on on side of the steaks.

Using a tenderizing mallet, “nail” the garlic to the steak by pounding the slices into the meat.

Repeat on the reverse side of the steaks.

Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.

Fry each steak in the butter for barely two to three minutes, turning once.

Transfer to a dish and cover.

Melt the rest of the butter in the same skillet.

Add the onions and sauté until they are golden.

Return the beef to the onions and sauce and heat through for about 30 seconds.

Serve on the toasted sandwich rolls, enjoy!

Focaccia Grinder Sandwich

If you've ever shared a meal with me, you already know one thing: I eat my burgers and sandwiches plain. No lettuce, no tomato, no onion—basically no veggies. My philosophy has always been simple: if I wanted a salad, I would have ordered one.

Lately, though, I've been trying to stick to my goal of making recipes as they're written. Sure, recipes are really just guidelines, and I firmly believe every good cook should tweak things to fit their own tastes. But this year I've been making a conscious effort to give recipes a fair shot before putting my own spin on them.

With Seattle turning into a summer sauna this week, I was looking for a dinner that wouldn't require turning on the stove or oven. Technically, this sandwich is supposed to be toasted in the oven before serving. That was an easy pass for me. I'm not a fan of hot sandwiches that turn the lettuce warm and wilted. No thanks. This one was staying completely al fresco.

And let me tell you—I am so glad it did.

This sandwich was absolutely incredible. The combination of crisp lettuce, tangy pepperoncini peppers, and zesty Italian dressing completely made the sandwich. I did add a little mayo to one side of the bread, and that turned out to be a very good decision.

Every bite was crunchy, drippy, messy, and packed with flavor. It was exactly the kind of summer meal I was craving.

I did discover one small issue after I started assembling everything. The deli meat combo pack I bought didn't contain capocollo like the recipe called for—it had prosciutto instead. Honestly, I'm not convinced it mattered. The package also included hot calabrese and dry salami, and I piled them all onto the sandwich. Not a single regret.

Then, as I'm sitting here writing this, I realized something horrifying.

I forgot the pesto.

ARGH!

The sandwich was fantastic without it, but I can only imagine how much that pesto would have elevated everything. Looks like I'll just have to make another one for lunch tomorrow. Tough sacrifice, I know.

Focaccia Grinder Sandwich

Recipe from Pinch of Yum

Makes 6 sandwiches

The Sandwich Base:

• 1 loaf of focaccia (I use the Trader Joe’s focaccia with roasted tomato and Parmesan)
• 1/4 cup pesto (refrigerated one from TJ’s)
• 2 ounces uncured calabrese salami (8 slices)
• 2 ounces uncured capocollo (8 slices)
• 4 large slices Provolone cheese

The Salady Part:

• 1 head romaine lettuce, shredded (2–3 cups)
• a quarter of a red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup sliced pepperoncini
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup Italian dressing
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup mayo (optional)

Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Slice Focaccia: Keeping the focaccia flat, use a serrated knife to cut the focaccia in half horizontally. (You don’t want to tip the bread up because all the toppings will fall off.) Lift the top half of the bread off and set to the side.

Layer Sandwich: Layer the bottom piece of focaccia with pesto. Then layer the salami, capocollo, and Provolone.

Toast Sandwich: Toast in the oven for 6-8 minutes. (Leave the top piece laying to the side so it doesn’t stick to the cheese yet.)

Toss and Layer Greens: In a separate bowl, toss lettuce, red onion, pepperoncini, Italian dressing, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange salad on top of the toasted sandwich. Dollop with a bit of mayo (optional but I love it).

Finish: Press the top part of the focaccia over the sandwich and cut into wedges! WHOA NELLY that’s good. It’s juicy, crispy, salty, dense, and everything I want in a sandwich!

Chicken French Dips

Photo from The Skinny Dish

Sometimes I go into a recipe with pretty low expectations. Usually it's because there's an ingredient or cooking method that I've convinced myself I don't like.

In this case, it was slow-cooked chicken. For some reason, my brain had decided that chicken cooked in the slow cooker just wasn't my thing. Turns out, my brain was wrong.

This recipe was an absolute winner.

I'd never had a Chicken French Dip before, so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. The ingredient list is surprisingly simple, but somehow those basic ingredients come together to create something incredibly flavorful and satisfying.

One thing I've learned about French dips: the bread matters. A lot. You need a sturdy, crusty roll that can stand up to being dunked in au jus without falling apart. There's nothing worse than a soggy sandwich that disintegrates halfway through eating it.

I almost skipped the mozzarella cheese because I tend to like my French dips pretty plain and straightforward. But lately I've been trying to be more open-minded about foods and flavors I assume I won't like. I'm glad I gave it a chance because the melted mozzarella ended up being the perfect finishing touch. It added just the right amount of richness and took the sandwich to another level.

This one is definitely earning a spot in my Favorites folder for the year. That's two new favorites in two days—I'm on a roll!

Chicken French Dips

Recipe from The Skinny Dish

Serves 8

• 2 lbs chicken breast raw
• 1 large yellow sweet onion thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp light butter I use land o lakes
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cups of 98% fat free chicken broth
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp all purpose white flour
• 4-5 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• freshly cracked pepper

For the sandwiches:

• 1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella
• 6 hard rolls or bread of choice
  

In a large skillet over medium heat add olive oil and butter. Add thinly sliced onions, a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook stirring often for about 12-15 minutes until the onions become very soft and a little caramelized.

Add chicken breasts to a slow cooker, followed by the cooked onions, minced garlic, chicken broth, and kosher salt & black pepper.

In a small bowl whisk together flour and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk the mixture into the broth on top of the chicken. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Remove the chicken, place onto a cutting board, and cut into pieces or lightly shred.

To assemble the sandwiches: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a sheet pan lay bottom of the roll down, top each roll with about 4 ounces of chicken, 1/4 cup of the au jus from the slow cooker (*see notes), two tbsp of mozzarella, and then the top of the bun.

(Note: These totally work as open faced sandwiches for those who want to cut back on carbs or calories)

Place sheet pan into oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until the bread is crispy and the cheese is nicely melted. Serve with 1/2 cup of au jus for dipping! Enjoy!

Garlic Steak Sandwich

Photo from Portugueserecipes.ca

Steak sandwiches are God's gift to the free world. I'm sure of it. My favorite sandwich is a French dip (Thanks dad for introducing me to these). Yet, I've been known to try a few other types of steak sandwiches. The one that comes to mind that is one of my favorites is the Marlboro Man's Steak Sandwich from the Pioneer Woman. I used to make this often back in the day. Then when I went low carb, I made it still just without the bun. It's delicious. 

This recipe kinda reminded me of it a little, though now that I say that I'm not really sure how other than they both use beef and bread. 

This was an excellent meal. I misread the recipe and didn't "infuse" the steak with garlic. Dad used to do that with his tri tip and I KNOW that's tasty. I just missed that step and ended up just adding a heaping scoop of jarlic (garlic in the jar). 

I'd made this again for sure. In a heart beat in fact...

I choose to not add the cheese, mostly because I didn't have anything. But in hindsight, munster or gouda would be amazing on this sandwich.

Garlic Steak Sandwich

Recipe from Portugueserecipes.ca

Serves 2

• ½ lb of steak, sliced
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• 3 T butter
• ½ c red wine
• ½ large onion, thinly sliced
• ½ tsp coarse black pepper
• ½ tsp coarse sea salt
• 2 slices of cheese (to taste), optional
• 2 crusty sandwich buns

Lay out steaks on a work surface and stick the garlic slices in slits cut with a knife.

In 1-1/2 tablespoons of butter, fry each steak for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once. Once done, set aside.

In the same skillet, add the other 1-1/2 tablespoons of butter and saute the onion until it is golden bown, transfer the onion to the same dish as the steaks and set aside.

Pour the red wine into the same skillet used to cook the steaks and onions and simmer over medium-high heat until liquid is reduced by about half.

Add the steaks and onions on the skillet with the wine, season with salt and pepper, and cook another minute on both sides or until hot.

Serve the steaks and onions on warm crusty rolls with the sliced cheese (optional).

Crispy Chicken Katsu Sandos

There was this teriyaki shop down the street from HotelCaliforniaSoft many years ago. It was a delicious teriyaki place. It was also the first place I tried Chicken katsu. I remember thinking "Where has this been all my life?" The crispy chicken and that katsu sauce. Yum. 

Chicken katsu isn't my go to at teriyaki places, but I'll try it and Lord help me if I find one that I like. It's not to be ordered every single visit. One must pace themselves. 

Tonight's meal was a take on said katsu, only as a sandwich. It was spot on. And since I can now fry items without burning them (Thanks Hex Clad pans) the chicken katsu turned out perfect.

The hello fresh recipe has you topping your sandwich with boring old lettuce. I took the opportunity to use the slaw again. I've discovered slaw on hot sandwiches is perfect. It doesn't get all wilty.  The side of potatoes where just meh. I would have preferred something like broccoli as the side, but what's a girl to do? 

My other side was a Caesar salad. Friend Paul brought homemade Caesar dressing for Sunday dinner and there was some left over, so I'm eating it up. 

I'd order this one again for sure. 

Crispy Chicken Katsu Sandos
Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 2  Potato Buns
• 4 tablespoon Katsu Sauce
• 10 ounce Chicken Thighs
• 4 ounce Coleslaw Mix
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• Baby Lettuce
• 1.5 tablespoon Sour Cream
• ½ cup Panko Breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoon Mayonnaise
• 12 ounce Potatoes
• 1 Lime
• 3 Radishes

 Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Cut potatoes into 1⁄2-inch wedges. Toss potatoes on a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on top rack until browned and tender, 18-20 minutes.

Thinly slice radishes into rounds; very thinly slice rounds lengthwise into strips.

Quarter lime. Trim and discard root end from lettuce; thinly slice crosswise.

While potatoes roast, in a medium bowl, combine radishes, coleslaw mix, 1 TBSP mayonnaise, juice from half the lime, a pinch of sugar, salt, and pepper.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Place between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a mallet or heavy-bottomed pan until about 1⁄2 inch thick. Season all over with half the garlic powder, salt, and pepper. In a shallow dish, combine panko, remaining garlic powder, and 1⁄2 tsp salt. Brush a thin layer of sour cream onto both sides of chicken (there might be more sour cream than you need). Working one piece at a time, press chicken into panko mixture until fully coated.

Heat a 1⁄4-inch layer of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot enough that a pinch of panko sizzles when added to pan, add coated chicken in a single layer. Cook until panko is golden brown and chicken is cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side (thinner pieces of chicken will cook faster!). Turn off heat; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Halve and toast buns.

Spread as much katsu sauce as you like on cut sides of buns. Fill with chicken and lettuce. Drizzle with as much remaining katsu sauce as you like (or use as a potato dipper!). Close to form sandos.

Divide sandos, oven fries, and slaw between plates. Serve with any remaining lime wedges on the side.

Griddled Ham & Swiss Sandwich Bar

A ham & swiss sammy is my jam. I love them. It's my favorite deli meat and a winning combination in
my book. So, when I saw this Hello Fresh recipe I knew it was a must. 

It's been a crazy week here with the Niece and her family in town, so two nights I had planned Hello Fresh got changed to dinner with the Niece. I always plan on one night a week of me not wanting to cook and so don't plan on anything. So one of the Hello Fresh meals will be that night. The second one I knew I had to do at lunch and this was the perfect meal. 

I made a few changes in that I didn't set this up as a "bar". I just made the sandwich and I didn't bother with the potatoes.

My main change was I slathered the mayo/mustard combo on the bread inside instead of having it on the side. 

Overall, this was delicious. I'd do it again for sure.

Griddled Ham & Swiss Sandwich Bar
Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 4 tablespoon Mayonnaise
• 8 ounce Smoked Deli Ham
• 2 slice Swiss Cheese
• 1 unit Sliced Dill Pickle
• 2 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
• 4 slice Sourdough Bread
• 16 ounce Potatoes
• 1 tablespoon Fry Seasoning

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut potatoes into 1⁄2-inch-thick wedges.

Toss potatoes on a baking sheet with a large drizzle of oil, Fry Seasoning, salt, and pepper. Roast on top rack until browned and tender, 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, place mayonnaise and mustard in separate serving bowls (save some mayonnaise and mustard for making the Dijonnaise in Step 5). Arrange family style along with sourdough, ham, Swiss, and pickle for everyone to build their own sandwiches.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil and 1 TBSP butter in a large pan over medium heat. Carefully add sandwiches (for 4 servings, you may need to work in batches; wipe out pan and add more olive oil and butter between batches as necessary). 

Cook, gently pressing with a spatula or heavy-bottomed pan, until cheese melts and bread is golden, 2-4 minutes per side (add another drizzle of olive oil when flipping). TIP: Lower heat and cover with lid if sandwiches begin to brown too quickly.

In a small bowl, combine remaining mayonnaise with remaining mustard.

Halve sandwiches on a diagonal. Divide sandwiches, potato wedges, and any remaining pickle between plates. Serve with Dijonnaise on the side.

Fried Chicken BLT Sandwiches with Dill Potato Salad & Lemony Greens

Photo from Hello fresh

Who doesn't love a BLT? You put fried chicken on it and you've really got something. 

One MAJOR adjustment to this recipe for me...I didn't fry the chicken. 

One, I'm horrible at frying and not burring chicken.

Two, I could go without the extra calories and carbs. So I opted to just grill the chicken. I think it was a better sandwich.

It needed more bacon and more tomato in my opinion. These were two LONG slices of sourdough. If you're gonna have a BLT you need to know you have the "B" and the "T". Thankfully I had both on had to add to the sandwich. And I regret it not.

Fried Chicken BLT Sandwiches with Dill Potato Salad & Lemony Greens
Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 12 oz Red Potatoes
• 1 Lemon
• ¼ oz Dill
• 1 Tomato
• 1 Baby Lettuce
• 3 tablespoon Sour Cream
• 2 teaspoon Hot Sauce
• 1 tablespoon Fry Seasoning
• 12 oz Chicken Cutlets
• 4 oz Bacon
• 6 tablespoon Mayonnaise 
• 82 g Tempura Batter
• 2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• 4 slice Sourdough Bread

Dice potatoes into ¾-inch pieces. Place in a medium pot with enough salted water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 12-15 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water; transfer to a large bowl to cool. TIP: Spread potatoes out to help them cool more quickly. 

While potatoes cook, quarter lemon. Pick and finely chop fronds from dill. Thinly slice tomato into rounds. Trim and discard root end from lettuce; reserve two large leaves, then roughly chop remaining lettuce.

In a small bowl, combine half the sour cream, half the hot sauce, 1 tsp Fry Seasoning, a big pinch of salt, and pepper. Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a thin, pourable consistency. 

Pat chicken dry with paper towels; place between two large pieces of plastic wrap; pound with a mallet or rolling pin until about ½ inch thick. Transfer marinade to a zip-close bag. Add chicken and seal to close; set aside to marinate, tossing occasionally. 

Heat a large dry, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add bacon; cook, turning occasionally and adjusting heat if browning too quickly, until crispy, 6-10 minutes. Turn off heat; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. 

While bacon cooks, in bowl, combine two packets of mayonnaise, ¼ tsp Fry Seasoning, and remaining hot sauce to taste. Season with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, combine tempura batter mix, remaining Fry Seasoning, a pinch of salt, and pepper. 

Remove chicken from marinade; allow excess to drip off off (discard remaining marinade). Add to bowl with batter mix; toss until thoroughly coated, pressing to adhere mixture in a thick layer.

Heat ⅓-inch layer of oil in pan used for bacon over medium-high heat. 

Once oil is hot enough that a pinch of batter mix sizzles when added to pan, add coated chicken in a single layer. 

Cook for 1 minute, then reduce heat to medium and cook until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes per side. (TIP: Work in batches if necessary; lower heat if chicken begins to brown too quickly.) Transfer chicken to a paper-towel-lined plate; season with salt.

While chicken cooks, toast sourdough slices. 

To bowl with potatoes, add mustard, remaining sour cream, remaining mayonnaise, a squeeze of lemon juice, and as much dill as you like. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. 

In a second large bowl, toss chopped lettuce with 2 TBSP olive oil, a big squeeze of lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Spread half the sourdough slices with sauce. Fill with chicken, bacon, tomato, and lettuce leaves. Close sandwiches. 

Halve sandwiches and divide between plates. Serve with potato salad and greens on the side.

Warm Buttered Shrimp Rolls

In 2016 we went to the South. We hit Charleston and Savannah before heading to Atlanta. I fell in
LOVE with the fried shrimp there. My goal was to eat as much of it as I could. Fresh, spicy, crispy and delicious.

One lunch my mom suggested I get something other than fried shrimp. So, I ordered a fried shrimp po'boy. What? It was different. 

What happened though is I was then in LOVE with the po'boys. You can't get that kind of sandwich here. 

Photo from Hello Fresh

I came across this recipe on Hello Fresh and I thought it might be reminiscent of the south. And it did not disappoint. 

I didn't do the potatoes along side it tonight though. Corn, a sandwich AND potatoes seemed like too much. AND it's hotter than hades here and I didn't want to have the oven on any longer than I needed. 

Warm Buttered Shrimp Rolls

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 12 ounce Potatoes
• 2 Scallions
• 1 Lemon
• 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 2 tablespoon Mayonnaise
• 1.5 tablespoon Sour Cream
• 1 teaspoon Celery Salt
• 4 ounce Shredded Red Cabbage
• 10 ounce Shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 Demi-Baguette
• 1 teaspoon Hot Sauce
• 1 Corn on the Cob

Warm Buttered Shrimp Rolls with Corn on the Cob, Creamy Lemon Slaw & Seasoned Potato Wedges

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cut potatoes into ½-inch-thick wedges. Zest and halve lemon. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.

Toss potatoes on a baking sheet with a large drizzle of olive oil, half the paprika, half the garlic powder (you’ll use the rest of each spice later), salt, and pepper. Roast on top rack until browned and tender, 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, juice from half the lemon, half the celery salt (you’ll use the rest later), and 1½ tsp sugar. Add cabbage and scallion greens; toss to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Place 1 TBSP butter in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave until melted, 30 seconds. • Slice baguettes lengthwise, stopping before you get all the way through. Brush melted butter onto cut sides of bread. Place, cut sides up, on  a baking sheet); toast until golden brown, 2-3 minutes.

While baguettes toast, rinse shrimp under cold water, then pat dry with paper towels. Toss in a second medium bowl with a large drizzle of olive oil, remaining paprika, remaining garlic powder, remaining celery salt, and a big pinch of salt and pepper.

Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once pan is hot, add shrimp and scallion whites. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are opaque and cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Turn off heat; stir in 1 TBSP butter and lemon zest to taste.

While shrimp cooks, wrap corn in damp paper towels. Microwave until kernels are softened and corn is cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Let rest for 1 minute; halve corn crosswise.

Fill toasted baguettes with shrimp, as much slaw as you like, and hot sauce if desired.

Beef Tenderloin & Gouda Sandos plus Balsamic Au Jus & Mixed Greens Salad with Apple

A beef sandwich is always a good thing to have on the menu. The description on the website made this
meal sound amazing: 

Dip dip hooray! Celebrate dinnertime with a twist on this classic hot sammie. Our chefs swapped out the traditional roast beef and layered luxurious seared beef tenderloin, melty Gouda, and pickled shallots between Dijonnaise-spread toasted sourdough–a sandwich fit for dinner. 

First off, I had nothing to dip this bad boy in. Why? I cooked the liquid down too much. On the one hand it made a hella jam, on the other I didn't have a dip. I don't really think I needed the dip. 

The dijonnaise and gouda really worked well together too. 

I should also mention. I started by trying to pan fry the steaks, but I just suck at that AND I prefer them on the grill. So after I got a nice sear on them, I moved the remaining cooking to the grill. 

Overall, it was yummy. 

I wasn't feeling the salad tonight. Plus I need more of a dressing than just lemon juice. If I had thought about it I would have saved a few shallots and made a Dijon vinaigrette. So instead I had some baked beans and a side of yellow flesh honey dew.

Side note: If you've not tried the yellow flesh honey dew...DO IT! I'm mildly addicted to them currently. 

Beef Tenderloin & Gouda Sandos plus Balsamic Au Jus & Mixed Greens Salad with Apple

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 1 Granny Smith Apple
• 1 Shallot
• 1 Lemon
• 5 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 tsp Dried Thyme
• 4 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 2 T Mayonnaise
• 10 ounce Bavette Steak
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 T Onion Powder
• ¼ c beef stock
• 2 Demi-Baguette
• 2 slice Gouda Cheese
• 2 ounce Mixed Greens

Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and dry produce.

Halve, peel, and thinly slice shallot. Halve, core, and thinly slice apple. Halve lemon.

In a small bowl, combine vinegar, half the thyme, 2 TBSP water, 1⁄4 tsp sugar, and a big pinch of salt until salt and sugar are dissolved. Stir in shallot; set aside to pickle.

In a separate small bowl, combine mayonnaise and mustard. Season Dijonnaise with salt and pepper to taste.

Pat steak dry with paper towels; season all over with half the garlic powder, half the onion powder, a big pinch of salt, and pepper.

Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add steak and cook to desired doneness, 5-7 minutes per side.

Turn off heat; transfer to a cutting board to rest for at least 5 minutes. Wipe out pan.

Heat a drizzle of oil in same pan over medium heat. Add pickled shallot and its liquid, stock concentrates, and 1⁄4 cup water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallot is softened, 4-5 minutes.

Remove pan from heat; stir in 1 TBSP butter until melted. Cover to keep warm.

Halve baguettes lengthwise. Toast directly on middle rack until crisp for 2-3 minutes.

Thinly slice steak against the grain. Once baguettes are toasted, transfer to a baking sheet; arrange cut sides up. Top bottom halves with gouda and steak. Bake on middle rack until cheese is melted, 2-3 minutes, transfer to a cutting board.

Using tongs or a slotted spoon, arrange shallot from pan over melted cheese (reserve au jus in pan). Spread top baguette halves with Dijonnaise. Close sandwiches.

In a medium bowl, combine mixed greens, apple, juice from half the lemon, and 1 TBSP olive oil (2 TBSP for 4). Toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Halve sandwiches crosswise. Pour au jus into small serving bowls.

Divide sandwiches and salad between plates. Serve with au jus on the side. TIP: We like to dunk our sandwiches in the au jus before each bite!

Slammin’ Secret Sauce Chicken Sandwiches

Dripping down your arm goodness. This is one saucy sandwich. 

Hello Fresh came through again. Tonight we're having a "name that chicken sandwich". Ok, it has a name. Slammin' Secret Sauce Chicken Sandwich. And it is definitely slammin. 

The "secret sauce" isn't anything fancy, just mayo, Frank's Hot sauce and dill pickles

This sandwich is dripping, literally, with goodness. The secret sauce, pickles and BBQ seasoned chicken really is a nice combo. 

I didn't eat the cabbage slaw on the side, I put it on the sammy...and BAM that really pushed it over the top. Juices running down my arm told me it was a winner.

Slammin’ Secret Sauce Chicken Sandwiches

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 2 scallions, sliced thin
• 1 1/2 T sour cream
• 2 T mayo
• 5 tsp white wine vinegar
• Several dashes of Frank's Hot Sauce
• 2 Brioche buns
• 10-12 sliced dill pickles
• 10 oz chicken cutlets, pound thin
• 1 T Sweet and Smoky BBQ Seasoning
• 4 oz shredded purple cabbage

Chicken, Bacon & Basil Mayo Sandwiches

I love sandwiches. When I saw this recipe come up I knew it'd be great for dinner and lunch the
following day. 

This recipe did not disappoint. If you love bruschetta, you'll love this sandwich. The balsamic marinated tomatoes really puts this over the top. So good. I'll be ordering this one again. 

What I'll do different though when I do. The flat bread they provided was good size. Two flatbreads took up a full baking sheet. But they only provided three strips of bacon. That is NOT enough bacon in my humble opinion. I felt like I needed just a little more bacon. Although, truth be told, you could leave off the bacon and this recipe would stand on it's own. 

I'd also add more tomato. The package only had one small Roma tomato. regardless of of thin you slice it, that's not that much tomato per sandwich. It needed a little more. 

And last, but not least, I'd grill the chicken next time. You know I can't not grill my chicken. 

Chicken, Bacon & Basil Mayo Sandwiches

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 4 oz bacon, cooked
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 5 T Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 T Italian Seasoning
• 2 flatbreads
• 1 oz Basil paste (pesto)
• 2 T mayo
• 10 oz chicken

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Heat a large dry pan over medium- high heat. Add bacon; cook, turning occasionally and adjusting heat if browning too quickly, until crispy, 6-10 minutes. Turn off heat; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Wipe out pan and let cool slightly.

While the bacon is cooking, halve tomato lengthwise and thinly slice into half-moons. Halve, peel, and thinly slice shallot. Peel and mince or grate garlic. 

In a small bowl, combine tomato, shallot, garlic, balsamic vinegar, 1⁄4 tsp sugar [JW note: I did not add this. I wanted the salad more savory than sweet], and a pinch of Italian Seasoning. [JW note: I added about a tsp of olive oil at this stage instead of where it calls for it later. ] Set aside to marinate.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels; place between two large pieces of plastic wrap. Pound with a mallet or rolling pin until chicken is about 1⁄2 inch thick. Season with remaining Italian Seasoning, a pinch of salt, and pepper. 

Heat a drizzle of oil in pan used for bacon over medium-high heat. [JW Note: I used the bacon grease already in the pan. I  took most out and left about 1/2 tablespoon. ] Add chicken; cook until browned and cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side.

While the chicken is cooking, place flatbreads on a baking sheet. Toast on top rack, flipping halfway through, until golden, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board; halve crosswise. 

In a second small bowl, combine basil paste and mayonnaise.

Pour balsamic mixture from tomato salad into two small serving bowls. Add 1 tsp olive oil to each bowl; stir to combine. [JW note: This step didn't make sense to me. I just added the tomato mixture to the sandwich. The package only came with a Roma tomato and there isn't really enough for two sandwiches AND left over salad to eat. ]

Spread flatbreads with basil mayo. Fill with bacon, chicken, and as much tomato salad as you like. Close sandwiches and halve crosswise.

Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork

It's Sunday dinner night! Tonight I went all our with BBQ as the theme, but not grill type of BBQ. Rather BBQ as the flavor. 

I started with this Slow cooker BBQ Pulled Pork. I had it in the slow cooker for 8 hours and man was it good. I removed most the liquid, shredded it then added enough liquid back to keep the meat moist. 

We had coleslaw to top it as well. It's required. It's the only time I eat coleslaw and man does it make the sandwich.

Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork

Recipe from Slow Cooker Gourmet

Serves 12

• 3 pound boneless pork shoulder
• 2 tablespoons herb and garlic seasoning
• 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup chicken broth

Rub pork shoulder with seasoning and place in slow cooker

Mix together bbq sauce, vinegar and broth and add to slow cooker

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5 until pork reaches internal temperature of 205 degrees

Remove pork and shred

Add about 1/4 - 1/2 cup of the juices back to pork and discard the rest

Add additional BBQ sauce if desired

Guinness Glaze Chicken Sandwich

Photo from Will
Cook for Smiles

I have a few recipes that seem a bit too "fancy" to make for just myself. It's not that I don't think I'm worth it, but rather I think it'll be so amazing I want to share the experience with someone else. 

This was one of those recipes. I knew it was going to be unbelievably amazing and I wanted someone else to think so too. Enter Janet. She was over for planning for our next vacation (and some scrapbooking) and I made this sandwich.

First, the Guinness glaze! Oh lord. It's bold, sweet, sticky, and oh so delicious. Cooking it down takes patience. I actually took it too far so it wasn't so drippy, but still tasted amazing. Watch it though. You look away and it'll burn. It goes from soupy to glaze-y in a blink of an eye. 

The recipe itself doesn't discuss how to do the sautéed mushrooms, but I'm sure you can find a recipe on the Interweb if you want to add them. The sandwich was fine with bacon, cheese, chicken and I added crunchy onions to the top of it. Yum!

Guinness Glaze Chicken Sandwich

Recipe from Will Cook for Smiles

Serves 4

Guinness Glaze:

• 1 1/2 c Guinness stout
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 4 T brown sugar
• 3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 T honey
• salt to taste

Chicken Sandwich:

Grilled Chicken breast

• 3 slices crispy bacon
• Red Onion
• Sauteed Mushrooms
• 2 slices Provolone cheese
• 2 T Guinness Glaze

Guinness glaze: Combine all the ingredients for glaze in a sauce pot and set the heat to medium. Whisk the mixture with a silicone whisk until combined. Keep slowly whisking until sugar is dissolved.

Let it simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 25-30 minutes. It will reduce in half. Raise the temperature to medium-high and boil for about 30 seconds. Stir and take it off heat. (Don't worry, it will thicken more as it cools.)

Sandwich: Grill the chicken and add a little glaze when it's almost done. Sauté the chicken in glaze until fully cooked.

Build the sandwich and pour a little extra glaze between the chicken and cheese.

Chicken Milanese Sandwiches with Basil-Lime Mayo (153 of 150)

I did it! I successfully fried something without burning it AND it being done all the way through. I'd say it's experience, but I think it's my new pans.

I completely forgot to put lime in this recipe BTW. While this sandwich was delicious, lime would have put it over the top! Next time. 

Chicken Milanese Sandwiches with Basil-Lime Mayo

Recipe from Holajalapeno.com

Serves 4

for the basil-lime mayo:

• 2 c basil leaves
• 1/2 c mayonnaise
• juice of 1/2 a lime
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

for the chicken:

• 14 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 c Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 lime, zested
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 c all-purpose flour
• 1/2 c vegetable oil, for frying

for the sandwich:

• 4 bolillo or hoagie buns
• baby spinach / lettuce
• tomato

For the basil-lime mayo:

Combine basil leaves, mayonnaise, lime juice, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth.

For the chicken:

Heat oven to 300°F.

Cut chicken breasts in half horizontally. Place one half on a cutting board and cover with plastic wrap. Pound chicken until it is 1/2-inch thick using a meat mallet or anything else heavy (rolling pin or wine bottle would also work). Repeat with remaining chicken.

Cut the pounded chicken into 4 equal pieces if you do not have 4 already.

Season chicken with salt and pepper.

Place Panko in a shallow dish. Season with salt and pepper and add lime zest. Mix seasoning into Panko.

Crack egg into a separate shallow dish. Add 1 tablespoon of water, season with salt and pepper and whisk until smooth.

Place flour in a third shallow dish. Season with salt and pepper and mix to combine. Place one or two chicken pieces in the flour mixture and coat on all sides.

Transfer floured chicken to the egg wash and turn to coat. Now place in the Panko mixture and press to coat with Panko on all sides. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces.

Line a baking sheet with paper towels.

Heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, test with a pinch of Panko. If the oil is hot enough the Panko should sizzle immediately.

Slide 1 or 2 Panko-coated chicken breast into the hot oil (don't crowd) and let cook, undisturbed until deep golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for 3 minutes more.

Transfer chicken to the baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm while you cook the rest of the chicken. You can place the rolls in the oven too if you want them toasted a little bit.

If most of the oil has been used in the pan add a couple more tablespoons of oil to cook the rest of the chicken pieces.

To make the sandwiches:

Slice each roll in half and spread some basil-lime mayo on the top and bottom of the rolls. Put a bit of baby spinach on the bottom half then top with a piece of chicken. Pile some pickles on top and cover with the top bun.

Porto Bifanas (132 of 150)

Oh bifanas! My favorite thing to eat in Portugal. They're everywhere and they are oh so good. I did notice they changed ever so slightly as we traveled around Portugal. 

What is a bifana? Simply put, it's a steak sandwich. A pork steak, to be more specific, seasoned with garlic and other spices. They are then put inside a hard bread roll. Simple, right? 

I found this interesting tidbit on the tasteporto.com site. 

Not all Bifanas are created equal

In the North of the country, it is usually made with little pieces of steak that have been spiced and seasoned in a big pot with sauce, and it’s usually a bit spicy. The bread is a simple white bread roll, that ends up being moistened with the steak sauce. Check out this video, of bifanas simmering at Conga, to get what I’m saying.

As you go further south, though, the steak is no longer cut and is instead beat with a mallet, it is mostly garlicky and not spicy at all – instead, they suggest you eat it simple or with mustard. Also, the bread is lightly toasted. And, sadly, there is less sauce as well.

And to that tune, the bifana I made was very different, but oh so yummy. I followed this recipe 100%. I doubled it because I was feeding 8 people. The only thing I didn't quite double was the whisky. I only had 5 tablespoons handy. I also let it cook for about 2 hours and y'all...it was so amazing. 

I had had a bifana in Cascais that had a garlic schmear on the bread, so I wanted to duplicate that somehow. I made the bread a roasted garlic bread. It was amazing. 

I had yellow mustard, Dijon mustard and Piri Piri sauce handy to put on the sammy. 

Porto Bifanas

Recipe from Portugueserecipes.ca

Serves 4

1 lb of thin pork cutlets

1/2 cup of olive oil

5 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon of paprika

2 tablespoons of hot red pepper sauce

3 bay leaves

3/4 cup of white wine

3/4 cup of beer

4 tablespoons of whiskey

2 tablespoons of Port wine

1 small lemon, juice

Coarse salt (to taste)

2 teaspoons of piri piri sauce

Put olive oil, rolled garlic cloves, paprika, pepper sauce and bay leaf in a pan and mix.

Turn on the heat and let the garlic saute a little to release flavor but don't let it burn.

Add the wine, beer, whiskey, port wine and a pinch of salt.

When it boils, add the meat and mix it well in the sauce.

Drizzle with half of the lemon juice, add the piri piri sauce and the remaiding lemon juice to the pan.

Let it simmer for about 45 minutes, so that the meat is tender, if you see that you need more sauce, add some more beer or white wine (do not add water).

Before removing from the heat, check the seasoning.

Copycat Red Robin Whiskey River BBQ Burger (116 of 150)

Red Robin is one of the places that I think has good burgers. When I go I either order the Bacon Burger with Cheese or the Whisky River BBQ Burger. Though, every time I order it, they get my order wrong. 

See, I don't like veggies on my burgers. So I ask to hold the lettuce and tomato. For some reason that translates to the kitchen staff to also leave off the BBQ sauce. It happens more often then getting my order right. 

This burger I controlled what went on my burger. It had all the hallmarks of the WR BBQ Burger...beef, American cheese, fried onions and BBQ sauce. I cheated though and bought BBQ sauce. 

Copycat Red Robin Whiskey River BBQ Burger

Recipe from Love Bakes Good Cakes

Serves 6

• 2 lbs. 80/20 ground beef
• Oil, for brushing on burgers
• 6 seeded hamburger buns
• 12 T mayonnaise
• Onion Rings - Thin & Crispy
• Bourbon Whiskey BBQ Sauce
• 6 slices Cheddar cheese
• 12 slices tomato
• 2 c chopped lettuce

While the grill preheats, divide and shape the ground beef into 6 patties. Brush the burgers lightly with oil.

Grill the burgers until browned and slightly charred on the first side (about 3-4 minutes). Flip the burgers over and continue to cook until desired doneness - about 4 minutes for medium-rare, longer for a more done burger. Drizzle burgers with Bourbon Whiskey BBQ Sauce and place one slice of cheese on each burger. Cook an additional minute or until the cheese just begins to melt. Remove from the heat and set aside while you assemble the burgers.

To assemble the burger, spread the cut side of both parts of the bun with 1 tbsp. mayonnaise on each half. Place Onion Rings on top of the cut side of the bottom bun portion. Add the burger with sauce and cheese. Top with tomatoes and lettuce. Replace the top bun over the top of the sandwich. Serve!

Slow Cooker Tri-Tip Sandwiches

Ok, another recipe I'm not counting a "new". The new part of this is that it never crossed my mind to use a tritip to make sandwiches. I am converting this recipe a bit to make it a French dip instead of a BBQ type sandwich. 

I had a tritip in the freezer courtesy of Butch Box. It was a small roast so figured why not just use it and make French dip sandwiches and leftovers for lunch this week (sorry Pantry Goat).

I seasoned the tritip with salt and pepper and seared all sides of the roast before plopping it in the slow cooker. 5 hours on low seemed to do the trick. 

I made packet au jous on the side. In hindsight I could have used the liquid in the slow cooker as the au jous. 

Slow Cooker Tri-Tip Sandwiches
Recipe from Bakingmischief.com

Serves 4

• Seasoning salt 
• 1 trimmed tri-tip 
• 1 c water, beef, or chicken broth
• 5 french rolls sliced open
• 5 T mayonnaise
• Packet of Au jous (Optional)

Sprinkle seasoning salt over the entire tri-tip. 

Place tri-tip and water or broth in the slow cooker and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low 6 to 8. The meat is done when you can easily pull it apart with a fork. Use two forks to shred the meat in the slow cooker. JW note: I didn't shred it. I just made thin slices for a French dip sandwich.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spread mayonnaise over the inside of the rolls and top with the shredded tri-tip. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes until bread is toasted.

Grilled Chili-Lime Chicken Sandwiches (Recipe 100 of 125)

Look at that! Recipe 100 and it's only August. I bet I hit closer to 135-140 this year. 

This recipe was solid. It was tasty, messy, and fully of some great chili lime flavor. The only thing I did not do for this recipe is the avocado. Blech. So instead I put the mayo mixture on the top and bottom of my bun. I used Ciabatta rolls because I thought they'd stand up better with what I assumed would be a sloppy mess...and I was right. 

Grilled Chili-Lime Chicken Sandwiches

Recipe from Cook's Country July 2021

Serves 4

• 3/4 c mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 tsp grated lime zest
• 2 T lime juice
• 1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
• 2 c coleslaw mix
• 1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and minced
• 4 large sandwich rolls, split
• 1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted and mashed

Combine mayo, lime zest, 1/4 tsp salt, and chili powder in small bowl. 

Combine chicken, 1/4 c mayo mixture and 3/4 tsp salt in second bowl. 

Combine coleslaw mix, jalapeno, 2 T mayo mixture, and lime juice in a third bowl. 

Reserve remaining mayo mixture to put on sandwich rolls for serving. 

Grill chicken until done. Let it rest. 

Grill rolls cut sides down until toasted. 

Cut chicken into pieces. Spread avocado evenly on cut side of 1 side of bun. Spread the mayo mixture on the other. 

Distribute chicken and slaw evenly and serve.

Grilled Basil Chicken Sandwiches

This is not a new recipe for me. I've made this a couple of times but never posted it to the blog for some reason. So I'll remedy that right now. 

This is a simple and delicious recipe. When I first made it, I actually followed the recipe (so says my notes). Then the second time I made it, and then this time, I modified it every so slightly to make it even easier. 

Instead of using basil leaves, I just used pesto. I had it, so I used it. I mixed a couple spoonfuls of pesto into mayo to make the "mayo mixture". It's just as good, if not better. 

While heirloom tomatoes are the best with this, they aren't cheap. I used a beef steak instead. In the past I used a bruschetta type of relish to top it...according to my notes that was fantastic. So I'd do that again for sure. 

Photo from MyRecipes.com

Grilled Basil Chicken Sandwiches
Recipe from MyRecipes.com

• Leaves from 1 large bunch basil
• 1/2 c mayonnaise
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 boned, skinned chicken breast halves, halved
• 4 wide slices ciabatta bread
• 1 heirloom tomato, cut into 4 slices

Heat grill to high (450° to 550°). Reserve 4 basil leaves. Whirl mayonnaise, remaining basil, garlic, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a food processor until smooth.

Sandwich chicken breasts between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a mallet until 1/4 in. thick.

Grill chicken, basting each side with some of mayo mixture and turning as needed, until cooked through and well browned, about 8 minutes.

Brush one side of bread with a little mayo mixture; grill bread on both sides.

Lay chicken on mayo side of bread. Top each sandwich with a tomato slice and a basil leaf and serve the remaining mayo on the side.

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwich

I generally judge a restaurant by their French dip sandwiches.  I'm a HUGE fan of French dips. Dad used to make a killer French dip. I rarely make them because making a French dip for one person is tough.

But today, Meg-A-Roonie was coming to lunch and I figured it was a great opportunity to make a French dip.  And one by SkinnyTaste.com would mean it's "low cal". It would have been had I followed the recipe.  I followed it mostly. That should count.

The recipe can be found here on SkinnyTaste.com, but just in case you'd rather just scroll down, it's below too.

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions

Recipe from SkinnyTaste.com

For The Beef:

• 3 to 4 lb lean beef round roast, trimmed
1 tbsp minced garlic, minced
• 1 T fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dry)
1 tbsp fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dry)
1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 to 3 (14.5 oz) cans Swanson's low-sodium beef broth

• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 10 whole peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 large onion, cut into chunks

For the Caramelized Onions (makes about 1 cup):


• 1/2 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 large onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• For the Peppers (makes about 2 cups): (I only did one red pepper cuz Meg-A-Roonie was the only one that was going to eat a bell pepper).
• 1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced into strips
• 
1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced into strips

For the Sandwich:

Sargento Reduced Fat Provolone or Mozzarella Slices  (JW: I used swiss cheese cuz that's what I had available. whole wheat baguette or rolls, cut into 2 oz pieces



In a small bowl mix garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Rub the spice mixture onto all sides of the roast, then place in the slow cooker. (JW: So I'm not a fan of rosemary, so instead of rosemary and thyme I used McCormicks Montreal Grill Seasoning.)

Pour the broth into the side of the roast until it just cover the meat. If the broth doesn't cover the roast you can add water and top with onions. Add the Worcestershire sauce, peppercorns and bay leaf to the broth. Cover and cook on low until the meat flakes apart easily with a fork, about 9 to 12 hours, depending on the size of your roast. (JW: my roast was 2.3 lbs. I clearly didn't need to cook it for 9 to 12 hours. Instead I cooked it for 3.5 hours. It was delicious.)

An hour before the meat is done, prepare the onions and peppers. In a large nonstick skillet heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and salt and cook until golden, stirring often, reducing heat as needed if the onions are burning or browning too quickly, about 30 to 35 minutes. Add 1 tbsp to the pan if it becomes too dry. The onions should turn golden and the flavor should be sweet. Transfer to a serving bowl, then add the peppers to the skillet and cook stirring often until soft, 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove the meat from the slow cooker to a cutting board and shred with a fork or slice with a knife. Strain the broth through a fine sieve then place in a gravy separator to remove any fat. Pour 1/4 cup broth into each small ramekin.

Preheat the oven to broil. Split the bread open and top with 2 ounces of beef. Top with onions, peppers and cheese and broil until the cheese melts. Place on a plate with broth for dipping.