Friday, January 24, 2014

Mexican Club Sandwich

Most of a classic club sandwich ingredients are here; bacon, turkey or chicken, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes.  Instead of three layers of toast there are three crispy tortillas, and guacamole in place of mayonnaise.


3 slices of bacon
3 flour tortillas (8-inch)
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
4 oz. sliced roast turkey or chicken
3 slices pepper Jack Cheese
4 slices tomato
2 Tbsp. salsa
1 Tbsp. sour cream

Quick Guacamole

1 avocado
2 Tbsp. minced red onion
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Salt, black pepper or cayenne pepper to taste

Preheat broiler.

Cook bacon in a skillet until crisp.  Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate; reserve drippings.  Brush both sides of tortillas with drippings, transfer to a baking sheet, and broil until beginning to brown, 2-3 minutes.  Flip and broil until crisp, 1-2 minutes
To assemble, spread guacamole on 2 tortillas and top both with lettuce.


Place turkey and cheese on one of these tortillas, then stack the other one on top of the cheese, lettuce side up.


Layer bacon and tomato on top of lettuce.


Top with salsa, sour cream and the remaining plain tortilla.


Poke 4 sandwich picks into the sandwich, and cut the club into quarters between the picks.



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Saturday, January 18, 2014

How to Make a Big Mac at Home

I can't tell you the last time I went to McDonald's.  I really try to stay away from fast food.  
Once in a while, you still get a craving for two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce...............you know the song.  Here's how to make a fresh Big Mac at home with ingredients you most likely have on hand.  

1-1/4 lbs. lean ground beef
Shredded lettuce
Minced onion
Hamburger Dill Pickle Chips
Special Sauce
Hamburger Buns - with or without sesame seeds

SPECIAL SAUCE

1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. French Dressing
2 Tbsp. dill pickle relish (use about 1/2 cup of dill pickle chips, chopped finely)
Do not use sweet pickle relish!
1 tsp. yellow mustard
1 tsp. ketchup
1 tsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder

Mix all sauce ingredients and refrigerate for at least one hour for flavors to blend.

Divide ground beef into 8 equal portions.  Form into VERY thin patties, about 1/4" thick.  Season with salt and pepper.
Heat up a griddle or cast iron pan.  Lightly butter hamburger buns.  You will be using two bottoms and one top of the buns.

Grill until nicely toasted.
Fry hamburger patties until nicely browned on each side.

While the burgers are frying, top each bun portion with about 1 Tbsp. of Special Sauce.  Top two portions with shredded lettuce, minced onion and pickle slices.

Top each "bottom" bun portion with hamburger pattie and top with a slice of American cheese.  Add remaining top bun portion.

Makes 4 BIG MACS to enjoy at home!

Cindy gives us her version of a Gluten Free version with her substitutions.  Thank you Cindy for this recipe!  

  • BIG MAC
    Make it a Gluten Free Special Sauce!
    Follow Comfy Cuisine's recipe with these substitutions:

    1/2 cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise
    3 Tbsp. Wishbone French dressing
    1/2 cup of Vlasic Stackers dill pickle chips, chopped finely
    1 tsp. French’s yellow mustard
    1 tsp. Heintz ketchup
    1 tsp. Marukin rice vinegar
    1 tsp. sugar
    1/2 tsp. McCormick’s garlic powder
    1/2 tsp. McCormick’s onion powder

    Cabot’s natural cheddar cheese slices (gluten free and lactose free)
    UDI’s (GF) hamburger bun

    What a Happy Meal!
    Cindy
    Celiac Disease since 2001

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Fried Onion Burgers

Squashing the ground beef and onions together into a hot skillet makes a great burger with crispy edges and caramelized onion flavor.
1 lb. ground beef
2 medium Vidalia or Spanish onions
4 Tb. canola oil
Salt to taste
American cheese (optional)
6 Hamburger buns, toasted
Dill pickle slices

Divide the ground beef into 6 equal balls.  Thinly slice the onions using a mandoline or slice them using a sharp knife.  Divide the onions into 6 equal portions.

Working in two batches, heat 2 Tbsp. of the oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium high heat.  Add 3 of the beef balls and using the back of a spatula, press down on them until they are thin.  Cook for 1 minutes.  Top each patty with a portion of the onions, then season with salt.  Press the onions into the meat and cook for about 1 minute more.

Flip the onion-topped patties and flatten them with the spatula.  Place a cheese slice, if using on each patty and let the cheese melt while the onions and the meat brown.  Top the bottom half of each bun with the onions and cheese-topped patties, add the top bun, and serve with dill pickles.

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