Cucumber Sandwiches

This is a delicious, light summer lunch that is FULL of flavor.  If you want to take these to a party, you can make them fancy by cutting them into small triangles or use a cookie cutter to cut your desired shapes. (And munch on the "scraps".)  These are SUPER yummy on my Dill Bread.

Fresh cucumbers of your choice, peeled, and sliced into 1/4 inch slices.

White or Dill Bread slices

2 blocks cream cheese, softened

1 packet of Italian Dressing Mix

In a medium mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and Italian Dressing mix and stir until fully incorporated.  

Begin assembling a sandwich by spreading a generous amount of the cream cheese mixture on two slices of bread.  

Take one piece of the cream cheese topped bread and place cucumber slices on the cream cheese, making sure the slices overlap just slightly, as pictured.  

Top the sandwich with the other slice of bread, cream cheese side down.

Repeat for as many sandwiches as you need.  

Cream cheese mixture stays fresh in the fridge for several days.

Enjoy immediately as is or cut into desired shape.  

Ham and Cheese Sliders

I am so sorry.  I don't know why I'm just now getting around to blogging these recipes.  I thought I did it a long time ago.  I've lost my mind, I guess.  This is ALSO from my baby sister's bridal shower that we threw in JULY...(ugh, sorry, 3 months later...) but I guess it's better late than never.  As shower favors, we took this recipe and printed it out on card stock.  We then added a pretty little burlap and lace embellishment to one corner, punched a hole in the other corner, and slid a skinny piece of ribbon through the hole.  Then we tied it to a wooden kitchen spoon.  As everyone left the shower, we gave them the spoon and recipe to take home with them.  They were ELATED to get the recipe.  It's THAT good.

Sandwiches

24 Kings Hawaiian Rolls

24 pieces honey ham

24 small slices of Swiss cheese

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup Miracle Whip

Poppy Seed Sauce

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 1//2 tablespoons yellow mustard

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Split each Kings Hawaiian Roll in half for sandwiches.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and miracle whip.  Spread onto both sides of the center of each roll.  Place a slice of ham and a slice of cheese inside each roll.  Close the rolls and place them in a 9x13 baking dish.  Place them very close together.

In a medium bowl whisk together all of the poppy seed sauce ingredients.  Pour the sauce evenly over all of the sandwiches.  You do NOT have to use ALL of the sauce!  Just use enough to cover the tops.  Let everything sit for 10 minutes; just long enough for the butter to set up a little bit.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.  Uncover and bake an additional 2 minutes or until the tops of the sandwiches are brown and slightly crispy.  Serve warm.

Note: Sandwiches can be assembled a day ahead and left in the fridge. 

Cheeseburger Sliders

Sometimes I'm just in the mood for a good burger.  But sometimes not really a burger...but more like a slider.  These little guys kind of mimic White Castle burgers.  And they are phenomenal on my homemade hamburger buns.

1 lb. 80/20 ground beef

1/4 cup dehydrated onion (you need the 80/20 beef so the juices rehydrate the onions)

seasoning salt to taste

sliced american cheese (or your favorite cheese for burgers)

1 package of party rolls (or seriously, try the homemade hamburger buns...they are SO easy to make and give the whole thing a lil extra something)

all of your favorite burger toppings and condiments

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small mixing bowl combine the ground beef with the dehydrated onion.  Press the beef mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Turn oven off.

Drain the grease from the meat.  Take your sliced cheese and lay it in a single layer to cover all of the meat.  Stick the meat back in the oven, which has been turned off, long enough for the cheese to melt.

Cut the meat into squares big enough to fit the rolls.

Top with your favorite burger toppings.  In my house we like to use bacon and sauteed shrooms.

*Note: Sometimes we get in the mood to have these as our main dish.  In that case, I double the meat and onion amounts and make my hamburger buns a little larger.

Grilled Cheese & Apple Sandwich

My husband turns his nose up and runs from the kitchen every time I make this sandwich.  He calls himself "a purist" when it comes to many things...meaning he doesn't want me messing with classic dishes.  But when it comes to grilled cheese, I like it many different ways.  While I also like a plain 'ol grilled cheese sandwich, if you add some thinly sliced apples to the mix, you get a pleasant surprise.  I realize this will sound weird to many of you...but it's good!  And if you have some sunflower seeds, add those too.

2 tablespoons butter

2 slices of bread

whatever cheese you like and however much you like on a grilled cheese

1 apple, thinly sliced

sunflower seeds, optional

Preheat a nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Instead of spreading butter on the bread, I like to melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the pan and let it get nice and bubbly, but not brown.  Add 1 slice of bread to the hot pan.  Layer the cheese on top of the bread, followed by sunflower seeds, a nice layer of apples, and another layer of cheese.  Place the second piece of bread on top and allow the bottom piece of bread to become a nice golden brown color.  When the color is to your liking, lift the sandwich from the pan and melt a second tablespoon of butter.  When the butter is melted, place the sandwich back in the pan, untoasted side down, and allow it to become golden brown as well.  To serve, slice sandwich down the middle and enjoy.

Pepperoni Panini

My husband loves a good sandwich.  But a panini, he LOVES.  This one is so easy to prepare I can't even really call it a recipe.  You'll see.

Split an entire loaf of french bread down the middle lengthwise.  You can cut all the way through...or not...whatever.  Just make sure you have plenty of room for stuffing it full of goodness.

 

 

 

 

Lay it open nice and flat.

Then, to ONE side only, add a nice thick layer of pepperoni.  As much or as little as you like.  Then, top with lots shredded mozzarella.  Then add ANOTHER thick layer of pepperoni.

Put the lid on your panini and cut into desired lengths.  Press with panini press until sandwich is flat and bread is golden brown.  Serve with a side of warm marinara sauce, for dipping.

 

Sloppy Joes

This sloppy joe recipe will feed a small army.  The good news is that it's extremely tasty and freezes very well.  So make a huge batch of it, portion it out into sizes that meet your family's needs and pull it out for those nights when you just don't feel like cooking.  It also doubles as an excellent hot dog sauce.

5 lbs. ground beef

2 tablespoons onion powder

3 tablespoons mayo

3 tsp. chili powder

3 tsp. garlic powder

3 tsp. yellow mustard

4 cans of tomato soup

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

salt and pepper to taste

Brown and crumble ground beef, drain grease.  Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until desired thickness, stirring occasionally.