Easy Blackened Chicken

 Blackened Chicken Seasoning

Seasoning Ingredients:

2 Tbsp paprika

2 Tbsp garlic powder

2 Tbsp onion powder

2 tsp thyme

2 tsp basil

2 tsp oregano

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Mix all seasoning ingredients together. Cover 3-4 chicken breasts generously on both sides with seasoning. Grill the chicken in oil in a pan or on a grill, on medium heat, turning after 6 min. Cook until internal temperature reaches 165. You can serve hot or it is also good cold. Serve in wraps with ranch or blue cheese dressing, lettuce, tomato, etc. These are great to make ahead and serve cold on a busy day. 

Ham and Cheese Sliders

This is a recipe that Patrick's cousin makes often. They are easy to make and a crowd pleaser! We have had them as appetizers or as an accompaniment for soup. 

Ingredients:

12 Hawaiian Dinner Rolls

1/2 lb. of shaved ham slices

1/2 lb. of sliced cheese (provolone or swiss work well)

3/4 c. melted butter

1 T. Dijon Mustard

1 t. Worcestershire Sauce

1 t. Brown Sugar

1 T. Poppyseeds

2 t. Dried Minced Onion

Slice the dinner rolls in half so there is a top and a bottom. Place the bottom of each roll in a 9x13 pan. Layer the ham and cheese, and then place the tops on the sandwiches. 

Melt the butter. Then mix in the remaining ingredients. Brush the tops of the sandwiches with the melted butter sauce and then bake at 350 for 12-15 min. until cheese is melted and sandwiches are browned.

Cheeseburger of Champions

 This is my go-to burger recipe. It came from a Weber's Real Grilling cookbook I got decades ago.

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 T Ketchup

1 t. dried basil

1/2 t. dried thyme

1/2 t. kosher salt

1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 t. Tabasco sauce (I skip this now because of the kids)

1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper

Mix everything together well in a bowl. Portion out the burgers into 1/4-1/3 pound portions and flatten. Grill over direct high heat 8-10 minutes, turning once. This will be about Medium, so longer if you prefer them more well-done. 

Italian Beef Sandwiches (crockpot)

These are a recent find. Delicious and easy crockpot recipe. Serves 6. Originally found on iowagirleats.com

3 lb roast with visible fat trimmed and cut into large chunks
1 envelope of Zesty Italian dressing mix
8 oz. pepperoncini pepper slices plus a splash of juice (Patrick and I loved the hot peppers, but the boys preferred the mild ones. We bought spicy peppers to throw on top of our sandwiches.)
8 oz. Giardiniera (chicago-style italian sandwich mix). I've never been able to find this so I leave it out.
14.5 oz. beef broth
provolone cheese slices
hoagie buns

Place all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low for 9 hours or until meat shreds easily with a fork. Shred meat and put back in crock pot for 1 hour on low.

Split buns length-wise. Top with shredded meat, cheese and additional peppers if you want.

Breakfast Sandwiches

These are very easy and can be prepped ahead of time. Great for a special breakfast or to feed a lot of people for a brunch. We made them for our Easter sunrise service, and they were a huge hit.

1 pkg Hawaiian rolls (or other similar rolls)
2 c. shredded cheese.
7-8 eggs, scrambled
6-8 slices of bacon, cooked and diced (could also sub cooked, ground sausage)
2 T. melted butter

Preheat oven to 350.

Cut the rolls through the middle and arrange the bottom halves in a 9x11 pan. Layer cheese, scrambled eggs and diced cooked bacon. Add the top halves of the rolls. (At this point, you can cover and refrigerate overnight if needed).

Before cooking, spread melted butter on the tops of the rolls. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 10 min. covered. Then remove cover and bake an additional 2 minutes.

Apple, Cheddar and Pastrami Grilled Cheese

3 Tbs. apple butter
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp honey
Kosher salt
4  1/2 inch thick slices sourdough bread
8 oz aged white Cheddar, thinly sliced or coarsely grated (about 2 cups)
2 oz. thinly sliced pastrami
6 to 10 very thin slices of apple, preferable honey crisp
1-1/2 oz (3 Tbs) unsalted butter

Combine the apple butter, mustard, honey and a good pinch of kosher salt in a small bowl. Spread evenly on two slices of bread and top with half of the cheese and the pastrami.  Top that with a layer of sliced apple, overlapping with slices slightly and the remaining cheese.  Top with the other slices of bread to make two sandwiches.

Melt 2 Tbs of the butter in a heavy-duty 12 inch skillet over medium-low heat until lightly browned.  Add the sandwiches and cook, adjusting the heat as necessary, until golden brown on the one side.  Flip, add the remaining 1 Tbs butter, and cook, lifting the edges of the bread to allow the butter to run under and adjusting the heat as necessary, until the cheese has melted and the other side is golden brown.  Slice in half and serve.

Note: I had this without the meat and it was very good.  You can also just butter the bread if you prefer to make the sandwich that way.