sandwich

Name: Healthy-ish Fried Fish Sandwich
Yield: 3 regular bun size sandwiches or 4 sliders
Ingredients: For the Tartar Sauce; 1 cup mayonnaise; 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish (or sweet onion relish); 1 tablespoon minced onion (yellow or green onion); 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; For the Fish Sandwiches; 2 6-8- ounce skinless (boneless halibut filets (if making sliders use 4 3-ounce halibut fillets)); 1 tablespoons lemon juice; 1/2 cup buttermilk; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 cup finely-crushed (unsalted, saltine crackers); 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs; 1/2 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning; Grapeseed or canola oil for frying; 3 brioche buns (or 4 slider buns); Cheddar cheese slices; Dill pickle slices

Italian Chicken Wrap

August 21, 2018

You may see pinwheel wrap sandwiches so often at the store or the quick mart you don’t even realize how easy they are to make at home. But this healthy Italian Chicken Wrap sandwich has a few secrets up it’s tortilla that’ll make it so you’ll never want a take-it-with-you lunch any other way again.

This recipe is brought to you by DeLallo Foods

It seems that lunches are the meal that can make or break your best eating intentions.

I know you know what I’m talking about. And I know that if you’ve said it to yourself once, you’ve said it 4053 times.

“This week I’m totally taking my lunch every day.”

But then it’s the night before and you’re too tired to pull a lunch together, or your morning is in a frenzy, or your delicate ingredients have all gone bad.

And then there you are. Once again, your intentions are dashed, leaving you staring emptily at the vending machine or forking over $13.84 for a lame something or another that really is just not that good. And worse, that marginal lunch is both taking away from your budget’s bottom line while adding too many calories to your very own bottom that soon won’t fit into your jeans if you keep this up young lady. (oops, did I say that out loud?)

But this easy Italian chicken wrap lunch is different. And here’s why.continue to the recipe… about Italian Chicken Wrap

Healthy Homemade Egg McMuffin

July 22, 2018

Grab and go breakfasts can be the saving grace of any weekday morning. The eggs in this homemade Egg Mcmuffin sandwich recipe can be batch cooked in the oven, on the stove top, or in the microwave, and make eating a healthy breakfast your easiest decision of the day.

This recipe is brought to you by Kroger

We’re all guilty of it. The alarm blares at some ungodly time of the morning (no matter what time it is) and our first reaction is to fumble about and emphatically hit that snooze button for just.10.more.minutes.of.I.NEED.MORE.SLEEEEEP.

And that my friends is how you your morning time table suddenly becomes irrevocably out of whack. So what’s the first thing to go in your morning routine? Breakfast.

You think to yourself as you hustle out the door, “I’ll just grab something later,” or “Here honey, just eat this pop tart,” and load everyone into the car and buckle up for your day.

But that muffin/bagel/donut you impulsively picked up as your cruised through the drive-thru with your grande skinny latte is loaded with sodium, fat, and calories? Where’s the skinny or the healthy in that? Or worse, you don’t grab anything at all so you overeat at lunch. And your kid finds herself starving thanks to those empty carbs before 1st period is even over.

That’s why having a stash of make-ahead breakfasts ready to run out the door along with you is the secret to your morning’s success.continue to the recipe… about Healthy Homemade Egg McMuffin

Chicken and Mango Rainbow Veggie Wraps

February 22, 2018

If you’re still debating whether a wrap is really a sandwich or not, you can use this one as proof that either which way the vote comes in, we all agree that healthy, crunchy rainbow wrap lunches are what make the world go ’round.

This post is brought to you by Almond Breeze

My daughter is mildly amused with the return to my teenage fascination with rainbows.

Chalk it up to reliving the memories of my eighth grade year as she makes her way through hers. Or it may be thanks to my continuing countdown of the quickly fading days of this age of innocence for my lil’ baby. Or maybe it’s thanks to the ’80s boomerang of denim overalls, scrunchies, boom boxes, Polaroid cameras, casseroles, mom jeans and new remakes of Full House, CHiPs and Roseanne.

🌈 Either/or/and/alloftheabove…ahhh, 8th grade. Best year ever. 🌈

This easy, veg-heavy Thai-flavored lunch wrap represents all the things right with eating the rainbow. You’ve heard it a hundred times. At least I hope you have: Eating the rainbow is one of the best ways to ensure you’re getting all the right nutrients in one fell swoop. And it’s just one more reason that eating a healthy wrap for an easy lunch or quick dinner is a good idea.

continue to the recipe… about Chicken and Mango Rainbow Veggie Wraps

How to Make a Healthy-ish Fried Fish Sandwich

January 22, 2018

If you think that making a healthier fish fillet sandwich at home is an impossible task, think again. This fried fish sandwich with homemade tartar sauce is golden brown and ready to serve in under 30 minutes, and it’s so good that it puts McDonald’s filet-o-fish to shame.

It’s wasn’t very often that I ate fast food as a kid so my first memory of eating at McDonald’s made quite the impression. Surprisingly, it was my grandma Mary Jane—who was a make-it-from-scratch kind of cook and always made sure I ate all my vegetables—who first introduced me to the fast food chain. Yes mom, she DID take me there!

But that day, and every trip to Mickey D’s after that, it wasn’t burgers that we ordered. It was always the filet-o-fish. Apparently I’m not alone.

Ever since, I’ve had a love for the simplicity of that fried fish sandwich: A simple fish patty with a dollop of tartar sauce and a slice of melty cheese sandwiched between soft and warmed top and bottom buns. Of course I always had to request extra pickles on mine because some things just never change.

So it wasn’t much of a surprise that while grazing through the gorgeously photographed and totally creative new cookbook Modern Comfort Cooking from my friend Lauren Grier of the food blog Climbing Grier Mountain, my perusing came immediately to a halt when I spied her recipe for Halibut Filet o’ Fish Sliders, a perfect recipe to serve for a crowd.

And that’s how Lauren helped cure my fish sandwich cravings by delivering a totally delicious recipe we’ll definitely be making time and time again.

How to Make a Fried Fish Sandwich That Feels Almost Healthy

Usually when I’m given the choice of going grilled, baked, or fried, 98% of the time the healthier baked and grilled routes are the ones I take. But just like every rule, there are exceptions, and that’s why I always prefer fried fish for my tacos and will once in a while splurge on fried chicken, Because hey, this girls still gotta live.

The methods Lauren provides in making this recipe make me feel totally okay that this fish is fried.

First, there’s no cloyingly heavy batter here. Instead, we use a lighter mixture of panko bread crumbs and finely crushed un-salted Saltine crackers. Un-salted Saltines? Now that’s an oxymoron if I’ve ever heard one. The panko breading adheres to the fish thanks to a quick dip in buttermilk, tenderizing the fish while still keeping things light. And because breadcrumbs allow more evaporation to occur, the fish stays crispy longer, where battered foods that keep all the moisture in, get soggy faster.

The second method that keeps things healthy-ish is the fish is cooked quickly in 350°F oil. Each side of fish takes only 2-3 minutes to cook and spends less time in the oil so the fish doesn’t absorb that much of it. I use grapeseed oil due to it’s high smoke point, making it ideal for frying and a sandwich that takes just minutes to make. Be sure to test the internal temperature of your fish fillets for doneness at 145°F and the fish is flaky and opaque.

Once the fish is cooked, place it on a rack placed in a baking sheet rather than paper towels. This allows air to circulate all the way around, keeping your fish crispy on all sides.

The other key ingredients to make this fish sandwich swimmingly sublime are:

A super soft, buttery brioche bun that’s been warmed on a tray in the toaster oven so the top of the bun stays soft, or you could microwave it for 15-20 seconds instead. (*note: Lauren’s original recipe made these sandwiches as sliders, but I had a hard time finding brioche slider buns so I simply used the regular sized bun and made just three sandwiches instead of 4 sliders.)
A thin slice of American or cheddar cheese, melted on the bottom bun.
Tartar sauce made with sweet relish for that tangy zip. Use Greek yogurt instead of mayo and lighten the whole load even more.
Slices of sour dill pickles. Always more pickles. That’s my big twist on Lauren’s original recipe.
If you’re really trying to up your fish sandwich game, sliced tomato, red onion and shredded lettuce could certainly be added too.

Best Fish for a Fish Sandwich

Overall, any skinless, mild white fish will do. The halibut I used here is at the top of my price point and the quality proves why, but a more budget-friendly cod or grouper would definitely be my next choice.

halibut
grouper
cod
bass
snapper
tilapia

What Goes Well with a Fish Sandwich?

Anything you’d serve with burgers or at a barbecue will make this fish sandwich a whole meal, and of course, you can never rule out good old potato chips or french fries on the side.

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Bookmark this recipe and leave a comment below, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

Healthy-ish Fried Fish Sandwich

Finely ground unsalted Saltine crackers with panko bread crumbs provide the crunch for these easy to make fried fish fillets. The original recipe called for twice the amount of ingredients for the buttermilk and the saltine mixture and we had a lot left over so I've cut those amounts to what is listed here.To grind the crackers, place them in a zippered gallon bag, release all of the air, close, and use a rolling pin to gently crush the crumbs into a fine meal.

Servings 3 regular bun size sandwiches or 4 sliders

Ingredients

For the Tartar Sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish or sweet onion relish
1 tablespoon minced onion yellow or green onion
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Fish Sandwiches
2 6-8- ounce skinless boneless halibut filets (if making sliders use 4 3-ounce halibut fillets)
1 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup finely-crushed unsalted, saltine crackers
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
Grapeseed or canola oil for frying
3 brioche buns or 4 slider buns
Cheddar cheese slices
Dill pickle slices

Instructions

For the Tartar Sauce
In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sweet relish, onion, lemon juice, kosher salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for flavors to combine.
For the Fish Sandwiches
Cut the fish fillets into 3-4 ounce pieces. Squeeze the lemon juice over the fish fillets. Combine the buttermilk, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. On a large plate, toss together the crushed saltine crackers, panko bread crumbs and Old Bay seasoning.
In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 inches of oil until a deep-fry or candy thermometer reads 350°F. One at a time, dip a piece of fish in the buttermilk, shake off any excess and dip into the saltine mixture and set on another plate or small baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the fish pieces. Place a few of the fish pieces in the oil being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Fry for 2 minutes, or if the fillets are taller than the oil, fry for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Use tongs to transfer the fish to a wire rack placed over a baking sheet or something similar to catch any dripping oil and quickly season with a sprinkling of kosher salt while the fish is still hot.
While the fish is cooking, preheat the broiler or a toaster oven. Place the tops and bottoms of the brioche buns on a baking sheet and place a slice of cheese on each of the bottom buns. Broil for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese has slightly melted and the buns are warm and toasty.
To assemble the sandwiches, top the bottom bun with the melted cheese with pickle slices, the halibut, and spread the top bun with tartar sauce and top your sandwich.

Purchase your own copy of Modern Comfort Cooking for 80+ recipes loaded with international flavors like French Onion Udon Noodle Soup, Indian Spiced Fried Chicken Drumsticks with Ginger Honey, Banh Mi Breakfast Tacos and Korean Pulled Pork Lasagna.

Visit Lauren and her food blog at Climbing Grier Mountain.

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Avocado and Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad

July 31, 2017

This traditional chicken salad recipe is lightened up with Greek nonfat yogurt and creamy mashed avocado for an added boost of protein plus good for you fats that make this salad so tasty no one will ever miss the mayo.

This post is in partnership with Oikos Greek Nonfat Yogurt who has compensated me to create a recipe using their product. All opinions are my own.

Continuing with tradition is so good in so many ways. But continuing to evolve is even better.

I mean, why use the answering machine when you have voice mail at your fingertips instead? And why tool your baby around in an old-fashioned pram instead of an easy-to-transport collapsible baby stroller? And just think of what we’d all sound like if language didn’t change over time …”If your great umbrage would care to meet my high dudgeon at 12 paces, I would be happy to entertain you at dawn.”

Huh?

So while this chicken salad has a whole lot of the classic flavors (shredded chicken, grapes, celery, pecans, red onion) it has also taken a turn for the healthy by subbing in mashed avocado mixed with Oikos Greek Nonfat Yogurt in place of the typical mayonnaise binder.

This change is good, and good for you, friends.

continue to the recipe… about Avocado and Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad

Potato Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches Recipe

July 26, 2017

Summer doesn’t get any cooler than ice cream sandwiches made of chocolate chip cookies with oatmeal, nuts, and potato chips (!) sandwiching cool colors of ice cream for an easy dessert that’ll chill everyone out.

This post is brought to you by Kettle Brand Potato Chips

Other than the words, “Wake up honey, it looks like Santa came!” and “Surprise! We got a puppy!”, there may be no better music to a child’s ears than the distant sing-song chimes of the ice cream truck rolling closer and closer to home on a hot summer day.

Oh my. The memories. Like Pavlov’s dog, those chimes would send us kids into a total frenzy, immediately dropping whatever we were doing to race for home screaming, “The ice cream truck is coming! The ice cream truck is coming!” and then hurriedly scavenge or beg for funds to before the ice cream man rolled on by.

I don’t know about you, but I bet our ice cream man got some sort of secret pleasure taunting us little kids with the possibility we just wouldn’t get.there.in.time.

But as it always does, times change. I don’t think I’ve heard the song of an ice cream truck come by any of our homes in years. But that’s no reason to stop me from getting my chill on, in fact, it’s simply motivation to share a new kind of ice cream memory with my daughter. And naturally, they start with chocolate chip cookies.

continue to the recipe… about Potato Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches Recipe

Easy Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce

April 23, 2017

These easy and full of flavor healthful chicken gyro sandwiches start with a simple 5-ingredient yogurt lemon marinated chicken that can be pan-fried, baked, or grilled, and then topped with a simple cucumber and dill tzatziki sauce. It’s as easy as that.

I’d have to say I’m just like 97.99% of the rest of the home cooks out there. We’re busy. Our days are full. And that makes our nights even fuller. It’s the reason why one of my most often heard of requests is for more meals that are easy to make, don’t take a whole lot of time or a laundry list of ingredients, but still have that from-scratch, seasonal-eats quality.

Well here is one recipe 97.99% of you and more are going to love. It’s simple. It’s fast. It’s practical with just a few simple ingredients. And it’s totally flavorful thanks to it’s Mediterranean roots. continue to the recipe… about Easy Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce

French Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwich

April 12, 2017

Today is a big day in the world of cheese lovers. It’s National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day. Two snaps and let’s celebrate.

I know. They make food holidays out of the oddest of food themes: Bologna Day (October 24). Fruit cocktail day (May 13). Bicarbonate of soda day (December 30). What?

But for pretty much every food lover everywhere, Grilled Cheese Day is officially one to break bread for. I mean, it’s cheese. And I’ve made it my goal to share a cheesy fave every GCDay since I started this bloggity blog back in 2011. So let’s dig into this melty onion, cheesy favorite between two slices of sourdough bread.

Who needs brothy soup anyway?continue to the recipe… about French Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwich

How to Build a Better Sandwich

July 5, 2016

There are a few secrets that make your sandwich instantly Instagrammable. These are the tips I follow to make a good sandwich great.

This post is sponsored by AdobeSpark. All of the photos in today’s post were shot over the past few months on my iPhone, with type added by a super fun app called AdobeSpark. The whole process makes it fast and easy to share on the blog and all of my social channels. See how I do it here.

It was my 8th grade summer when I embraced my independent wings. That was the year we were old enough to take the bus by ourselves to walk the floors of Ogden City Mall. We looked for boys and then looked away when they looked at us. We hummed along to Culture Club as we wandered through the aisles of Contempo Casuals. We sorted through the fishnet gloves ala Madonna and off-the-shoulder sweatshirts ala Flashdance wishing we had the money and the guts to pull off the look the girls in Seventeen magazine did.

Ogden was not the fashion capital of the world, but then neither were we.

continue to the recipe… about How to Build a Better Sandwich

Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich

April 12, 2016

This grilled cheese is like everyone’s favorite jalapeño poppers melted between two slices of bread for the ultimate gooey grilled cheese sandwich.

It’s finally here and if you’re at all like me, you’ve been patiently waiting like a toddler patiently waits for his or her turn behind 8 other kids for a ride on the slide, or to be told to wait until after lunch for that popsicle. Tantrums, tears and frustration may or may have not all played a part in this waiting game.

But the wait is over and today we’re enjoying a different kind of meltdown. It’s National Grilled Cheese Day!

Since I first started the blog, April has heralded the arrival of one of my favorite themed months: Grilled Cheese Month. See for yourself and check out my other grilled cheese recipes here. This year I’m thrilled to be partnering with Arla to share recipes featuring their cheeses and we’re starting things off with a cheesy classic: grilled cheese sandwiches of course!

This recipe all started with “the pull”. No, not tractor pulls. Not the pull of the moon either.

We’re talking about the determining factor of every perfectly made grilled cheese. It’s “the pull” of melty, gooey cheese when two halves are divided from one.

And this recipe has what it takes to get “the pull” every time.

continue to the recipe… about Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Curried Egg Salad Sandwich Recipe

March 21, 2016

Curry and onion powder add an exotic heat to the traditional egg salad sandwich, making it fit for an every day breakfast, lunch or elegant brunch.

This post is the first in my year-long partnership with McCormick, because I’m a firm believer that we can all use a little spice in our lives.

Back in the day I could peel an egg like no other.

As a kid, I vividly remember my Uncle Tom showing me a magic trick. “Hey, Heidi, do you want to see something special?” Well, of course I did! I was 10 years old! How could I not?

Uncle T knew how to make a presentation out of just about anything so when he showed me how he could peel an entire shell from a hard boiled egg in one movement, I was transfixed! The shell easily fell from the white orb in his large hand in one complete, in-tact ribbon.

It became my mission to master the peeling of an egg just like Uncle Tom did. And I did! For years.

And then my success came to a screeching halt.

I don’t know what my deal is, but for the life of me I can no longer peel an egg without it ending up as a shaggy semblance of what I see others pulling off all of the time.

That’s why today’s recipe is an egg salad sandwich instead of deviled eggs. Because who wants to see a deviled egg that looks like it’s been hacked with a jig saw when you can be making this delicious curry-spiked egg salad sandwich instead?

continue to the recipe… about Curried Egg Salad Sandwich Recipe

My Favorite Reuben Sandwich Recipe

March 9, 2016

It’s a sandwich in the most classic sense of sandwiches. But it is so much more than that. It’s grilled and cheesy plus crunchy and gooey. Pass the napkins.

It’s a sandwich in the classical sense of sandwiches. But it is so much more than that.

It’s grilled. It’s cheesy. It’s crunchy and gooey all at the same time. It begs to be dipped into matzo ball soup, and in our family, it is.

And it’s probably the only sandwich I honestly, seriously crave.

I bet you know that feeling. That gut-wrenching, I DON’T CARE IF I’M ON A DIET, mouth-watering-when-you-think-about-it CRAVING!!!. For the love of God, just give me a bite!

And more napkins. Lots more napkins.

continue to the recipe… about My Favorite Reuben Sandwich Recipe

Caprese Avocado Toast Plus 10 Avocado Toasts You’ll Love Forever

March 2, 2016

Cottage cheese subs in for mozzarella in this healthy and simple avocado toast that’s perfect for a favorite breakfast, lunch and snack, plus 10 more toasts to try.

Does the world really, Really, REALLY need another avocado recipe post?

Likely, not.

I mean, the recipe isn’t really even as much a recipe as it is a formula. Toast. Avocado. Extra stuff you put on top depending upon your cravings and whatever is in the fridge.

And flaky salt. Always flaky salt.

But when I made my breakfast the other day and stopped myself mid-bite to get a snap of it for Instagram, realized that this hum-drum and routine breakfast for me is indeed a blog-worthy recipe/formula to share.

Because often those routine recipes are usually the best. Even if they’ve already cycled through the trend scene.

continue to the recipe… about Caprese Avocado Toast Plus 10 Avocado Toasts You’ll Love Forever

Chicken and Waffles Sliders

December 16, 2015

An overnight brine of buttermilk and Cholula® Hot Sauce gives a juicy kick to these chicken and waffle slider sandwiches.

I’m pleased as punch to bring you this recipe sponsored by Cholula® Hot Sauce, because at our house, Cholula hot sauce is probably our most used condiment in the cupboard.

It’s a Southern thing. But it’s taking over mainstream. Chicken and waffles.

The best fried chicken I’ve ever had was from Gus’s Fried Chicken in Memphis, TN. I shared it with my friend Laura straight out of the paper bag on an old picnic table at The Shacks. She’d ordered it for us hot and spicy. Just the way I pretty much like everything.

Then last year, I took the whole dang family back to the South where we hit up more than one fried chicken joint and really went for the gusto with chicken and waffles at Hattie B’s—served only on Sunday.

These two meals are what food memories are made of.

Then we came home. My man couldn’t get that chicken and waffles breakfast out of his head. And ever since he’s been working on perfecting his version.

And today friends, this recipe is it.

continue to the recipe… about Chicken and Waffles Sliders

Pulled Chicken Sandwich with Creamy Ranch Sauce

August 20, 2015

Easy crockpot chicken is shredded and then topped on a soft ciabatta bread and drizzled with a creamy homemade ranch dressing and topped with sliced avocado and melted Monterey Jack cheese.

Earlier this week I posted a recipe for Slow Cooker Whole Chicken, a recipe I deemed far from sexy. It’s a very useful recipe, and makes having ready-to-use chicken for lunches and dinners super convenient and obviously tasty.

But sexy? Not so much.

But this shredded chicken sandwich? I’d say it’s looming on sexy. In fact, I’d say it’s already arrived to the party.

continue to the recipe… about Pulled Chicken Sandwich with Creamy Ranch Sauce

Raspberry and Chocolate With Almonds Grilled Cheese

February 25, 2015

Havarti cheese, creamy mascarpone, tart raspberries, milk chocolate with almonds and orange zest get melty and gooey pressed in between hunks of angel food cake in this surprising and delicious take on grilled cheese.

Grilled Cheese—it’s standard fare at our house. Savory? Sure! But, sweet? Absolutely!

Sometimes we all get in a rut with that cheddar-on-white-bread-with-tomato-soup thing. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. It’s just that there’s so much more cheesy goodness out there to be melted, gooed and strung into our mouths.

Especially when the cheese is paired with classic almond studded chocolate bars and a bite of sweet, fresh fruit for a savory take on a grilled dessert sandwich.continue to the recipe… about Raspberry and Chocolate With Almonds Grilled Cheese

Chicken Caprese Sandwich

February 12, 2015

Grilled rosemary bread is a delicious base for this grilled chicken caprese sandwich featuring fresh buffalo mozzarella, basil, farmer’s market tomatoes, and a balsamic reduction for a classic flavor combination you just can’t beat.

Did you do a double take?

In this season of slow cooker soups and hearty comfort food, you might be wondering what in the heck this fresh take on a summer classic is doing on the bloggity blog right smack dab in the middle of winter?

Personally, I can think of no better time. Even if you can’t ditch the snow shovel yet, you can still eat like it’s all sunshine and tan lines. Because soon enough, it will be.continue to the recipe… about Chicken Caprese Sandwich

Fried Green Tomatoes Grilled Cheese Sandwich

October 13, 2014

I’ve had a hankering to post a fried green tomato recipe, for, oh, say, the past 2 1/2 years. And lucky Mrs. GreenJeans, the day has finally come.

You can thank my underabundance of ripe, red tomatoes that instead produced a lovely harvest of green tomatoes for this recipe.

I’d have to say after eating this grilled cheese sandwich, it was nearly worth forgoing another burrata caprese salad in place of the plethora of my under-ripened fruit. The sweetness of these tomatoes paired perfectly with the spiciness of the monterey jack cheese oozing out from it’s edges.

Green tomatoes are still stunners, afterall.

continue to the recipe… about Fried Green Tomatoes Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Sirloin Steak Sandwiches with Horseradish Sauce

September 18, 2014

It was the tiger sauce topping these beef steak sandwiches that pulled him in and took the rest of us right along with him.

Watching cooking shows on weekend mornings is how my husband and I ease into the reality that in a wink of an eye we’ll be smack dab in the middle of Monday. Oh, how we rue the day (fist shake at the sky).

It’s also the way we figure out what’s looking good on the Casa de Larsen menu for the week and usually my husband decides on at least a few of the recipes because we share time in the kitchen. See, I don’t always have to be in charge.

We get our fair share of episodes on Food Network, but you simply can’t forget about good old PBS and some of the long-loved cooking shows that have outlived many an episode’s kitchen timer like those featuring the 80-year-old Jacque Pepin and Lidia Bastianich and yes, even the doyenne herself, Martha Stewart.

If you’re any sort of food lover in the kitchen you’ve likely run across America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country on PBS. What a set up these guys have in their sweet countrified-porch-wrapped kitchen that makes you feel right at home so pull up a chair.

They do the testing. Lots of it. They work the recipes until they discover the secret to it’s success. And only then do they share it in all it’s glory. And Christopher Kimball…in his trademark bow tie. If you have a thing for a guy in a bow tie, this is your man.

These Sirloin Steak Sandwiches were a featured player a few weeks ago. They called them Baltimore Pit Beef Sandwiches. We simply called them delicious.

continue to the recipe… about Sirloin Steak Sandwiches with Horseradish Sauce

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich with Herbed Ricotta

July 22, 2014

It’s mid-summer and I am soaking it in. Even my numbed-by-pain-killers-broken-wrist can’t dull the memories in my post-week-at-the-beach-where-did-the-humidity-go-summer-lovin-skin. It’s what summer’s all about and I have the tan to prove it.

With just 2 more weeks of July we’re narrowing down to the final 2 recipes for FoodieCrush Grilling Month. Break out the ticker tape because this week it’s a parade of a veggies on the grill.

So far this month we’ve sharpened our grilling skills with recipes for Grilled Pork Chops with Spicy Balsamic Grilled Peaches and headed to the sea for a bite of Grilled Swordfish with Smoked Paprika and Herbed Fruit Salsa. This week we’re circling back to dry land and the farmer’s market to take advantage of summer’s opulence.

Too often we get caught in our tried and true methods of steaming, baking and sautéeing when it comes to cooking veggies. But it’s summer, time to shake things up by biking rather than driving, wearing short shorts instead of maxi skirts and smiling extra sweetly at the cute barrista who always gets your name right…just because you know you can.

And when it comes to cooking, it’s time to break out of the expected because it’s summer and the grill is where the flavor. is. at.

continue to the recipe… about Grilled Vegetable Sandwich with Herbed Ricotta

Cheesy Shrimp and Grits Banh Mi in a Waffle Cone

June 24, 2014

Presented by Spike TV’s Frankenfood. Premiers Sunday, June 22 at 10/9c.

Do you guys watch cooking shows? Oh man, I am such a fan. And I have been for years. And because of it, I often catch myself bringing the cooking show slang into my own cooking world vocabulary.

“BAM!”, “E.V.O.O.” and “How easy is that?,” have all eeked their way into my vernacular. But when I catch myself saying, “That’s money!” I have to physically take a step back, remove the sunglasses hanging off the back of my head, re-think my bleached blonde ends and check myself at the kitchen door.

But there’s a few cooking show phrases I find myself adopting more often than not. Like when Ina says, “Let’s turn up the volume,” and Emeril exclaims, “It’s time to kick it up a notch.”

Roger Wilco, foodie fans, I’ll be doing exactly that thanks to the new cooking show, Frankenfood.

continue to the recipe… about Cheesy Shrimp and Grits Banh Mi in a Waffle Cone

Kennebunkport Lobster Grilled Cheese and Grilled Cheese Academy Contest

March 31, 2014

It’s no secret around here that I’m a big fan of cheese. Whether it’s in gooey sandwiches like this one or mixed into salads like this one or in cheesy chorizo dips too.

I love cheese.

And thus, my lust of cheese makes it even more exciting that once again this year I’ll be a judge for the 2014 Wisconsin Cheese Grilled Cheese Academy’s Grilled Cheese Recipe Showdown.

Last year I traveled to Madison, WI where I judged the Grilled Cheese Recipe Showdown and ate an amazing assortment of cheese in between buttered bread.

Eating 15 grilled cheese sandwiches in one sitting? Sure, sign me up.

continue to the recipe… about Kennebunkport Lobster Grilled Cheese and Grilled Cheese Academy Contest

Crushing On Kathy Strahs of Panini Happy Plus Roasted Apple, Brie and Pecan Panini

October 8, 2013

Each year when the leaves on the trees make their autumnal change, not only does it mean winter will soon be on its way, but it also signals the release of new cookbooks making their way to our kitchen shelves.

This week I’m crushing on another talented food blogger (click here to see more food blogger interviews) who has made her foray into the cookbook realm, creating amazingly innovative recipes that are all created between two hot presses. Meet this week’s foodie crush, Kathy Strahs of Panini Happy, and win a copy of her new cookbook The Ultimate Panini Press Cookbook plus Kathy’s must-eat-for-fall recipe: Roasted Apple, Brie and Pecan Panini.

But first, I want to tell you more about the uber talented Kathy. Maybe beyond talented, because creating a blog using everyone’s favorite sandwich maker, and consistently creating unique recipes that continue to inspire, takes some serious skills. And Kathy does just that.

Blogging since January of 2008, Kathy found the source of her online recipe inspiration thanks to the one and only Oprah.

“I watched Oprah’s annual ‘Favorite Things’ episode where she raved about her panini press, and I was intrigued,” Kathy reveals. “That model subsequently sold out everywhere. The next month my sister gave me one for Christmas. We had a newborn baby at home and I was going to be taking some time off of work,” says Kathy.

“I decided to start a food blog centered around my new panini press, exploring creative uses for it,” she explains. “I started out with mostly sandwiches (of course) but it wasn’t long before I began branching out into making ice cream cones, cornish game hens, cakes and lots of other fun non-panini on the press.”

Kathy and her husband Mike and at the Fig Fest in San Diego, CA.

continue to the recipe… about Crushing On Kathy Strahs of Panini Happy Plus Roasted Apple, Brie and Pecan Panini

Monte Cristo Waffle Sandwich and a Virtual Babyshower

September 4, 2013

The best part of breakfast is when it can be eaten anytime of day and for just about any occasion. Like for a virtual baby shower for a waffle making queen who will soon bequeath us a mini waffle eating princess.

I bet that’s exactly the occasion you were planning for making Monte Cristo Waffle Sandwiches.

It’s really been 9 months already? Really? It truly seems like maybe a month ago when I drove to the airport to pick up Melissa, the exceptionally talented recipe creator/food blogger/designer behind the lens and in front of the oven at The Faux Martha.

She and a few moree food blogging friends were making their way to SLC for the blogging conference Alt Summit and we were setting up camp at my house. Sure we’d be hitting the conference, but we were all looking most forward to some quality after-conference time of dinners, cocktailing and the usual friendly merriment.

But Melissa had a secret to share, and she needed a confidante to help with her cover.

On the drive to my house from the airport she spilled the beans to me that she was pregnant.

continue to the recipe… about Monte Cristo Waffle Sandwich and a Virtual Babyshower

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Pawsatch Snow Dogs

August 27, 2013

There’s no time like any time to load up a bun with vinegar sauced Pulled Pork Sandwiches with a tangy North Carolina sauce. Especially when there’s a few dogs in tow.

School’s back in session and even though most of us are wishing we didn’t have to say, “See you next year,” to the youthful delights that late night’s basking under the stars can bring, I hope you created some amazing memories to add to the bank of best moments in time.

Because we sure did.

Our forever memories bloomed this past July when we made our way to 10,000 vertical feet in Utah’s Uintah National Forest with 32 dogs who would be leading us on the adventure of a lifetime. So when Smudge is asked what her favorite part of summer was, it’s been an easy answer, “I spent the summer with my cousins and we went to Sled Dog Camp.” Because isn’t that what every kid does in the summer?

With her two cousins visiting for nearly a month, summer consisted of hardcore bonding time, and while a trip to Yellowstone, the Amusement Park and water slides galore were certainly fun, I know what’s going to rule in my girl’s world: Anything that involves a dog.

So when Mimi and Papa wrangled an overnight dog sled trip with Pawsatch Snow Dogs, the cousins were beyond excited. Almost as excited as those snow dogs being hooked to the line and ready to run.

I mean, who couldn’t love a face like this? Meet Chewbacca, 120 pounds of furry adventure.

continue to the recipe… about Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Pawsatch Snow Dogs

Avocado Caprese Wrap

July 12, 2013

Whether its a celebratory lunch for a crowd or just a quick bite for one, making Avocado Caprese Wraps are a filling and healthy way to take a bite out of summer.

I’m guessing I’m like a lot of you round about this time of summer. Fresh flavors are being craved by my taste buds sending shockwaves of recipe ideas to my hot little head. But with the daydreams of swimsuits and pool time on this hot, dry days, lighter fare is always on my mind.

I don’t know if I will ever tire of the classic caprese. Salads, sandwiches, pastas. You could turn this thing into a taco or french toast and I’d eat it. Weak in the knees. It’s what I’ve become. Prepare to see more.

And now, this wrap. It tingles my palate.

continue to the recipe… about Avocado Caprese Wrap

Mushroom and Kale Grilled Cheese and Friday Faves

June 21, 2013

Cheese. Cheese. Cheese. Oh, and can I get a side of cheese with that please?

My day yesterday was a cheese lover’s-cheesehead-dream sandwiched between slices of pretzel bread, sourdough and even a shout out to challah (hollah!) all to be consumed in less than two hours.

Over the last few months, I’ve shared the details of this contest with you and it’s finally all come down to this. The day had arrived. A grilled cheese reckoning. Homage to the great grilled cheese. The medal of honor to all things gooey and melty. The day I became an official judge for the Grilled Cheese Academy’s Grilled Cheese Recipe Showdown.

Following a selection process that had been narrowed down to the final seven recipe contestants, I went to Madison, WI to meet with my fellow judges from Wisconsin Cheese to determine which of these recipes would become the grand prize winner of a $5,000 prize package. (photos thanks to Mike)

continue to the recipe… about Mushroom and Kale Grilled Cheese and Friday Faves

Parmesan Crusted Fondue Grilled Cheese and Grilled Cheese Academy Recipe Showdown

May 7, 2013

April ended, May wormed its way in under a blanket of snow and announced the official end of Grilled Cheese Month. Sigh.

While many blogs are moving on to Mother’s Day celebrations—all pretty and lacy with flowers and sweets galore—I have just one more grilled cheese to share with you. Just because I can’t help myself.

And because I couldn’t bear it if you missed out on the chance to win some crazy, great prizes by simply creating your own grilled cheese sandwich, I really needed to remind you just one last time about your chance to wow the world with your cheeseness.

I’ll be one of the judges of the Grilled Cheese Academy’s Grilled Cheese Recipe Showdown next month, eating my way through toasted bread and gooey middles to choose the finest cheese sandwich of 2013.

The entries have been rolling in but I couldn’t resist giving you one more prod, one more push to enter for yourself because the prizes are just too good to not give it a go.

If I could enter, I oh so would. But I can’t, so you need to.

You only have until May 12 to enter the contest, and here are over 5,000 reasons you should…

continue to the recipe… about Parmesan Crusted Fondue Grilled Cheese and Grilled Cheese Academy Recipe Showdown

Chorizo and Peppadew Pepper Grilled Cheese

April 26, 2013

What is that you see? A towering inferno? No, just a deliciously lipsmackerlicious Spanish-style grilled cheese sandwich. What? What’s that you say? Oh man! Say it ain’t so! Grilled Cheese Month has nearly closed it’s doors, making way for Mother’s day brunch, Cinco de Mayo spiciness and so many asparagus recipes bopping about the web we probably won’t even have to eat the tender stalks to feel their superpower affects.

I may have to rebel and stay in April with my gooey grilled cheese. Although I do have one final grilled cheese recipe that I’m saving to transition into May. I have a hard time saying goodbye.

So. I’m going to be judging a contest, the Grilled Cheese Academy Recipe Showdown, and I can’t believe the goodness that’s been submitted so far. Like a marathon runner in training, I’ve been doing my due diligence and expanding my stomach in preparation for the big event. Like that was hard. If you haven’t yet, I really, really hope you enter. Because there are some SERIOUS prized to be won. Like serious. And I can’t win them. So I want you to instead. Plus I want some inspiration to glean for grilled cheese month NEXT year. Enter and get more info at the Grilled Cheese Academy site.

This photo of my husband hand modeling is for Chung-Ah of Damn Delicious. We have a thing about using our men for free labor. And have you seen her amazing grilled cheeses? Blueberries on a waffle. And cheese!

And now let’s get to that recipe with more cheese…continue to the recipe… about Chorizo and Peppadew Pepper Grilled Cheese

Cobb Grilled Cheese and Friday Faves

April 12, 2013

Okay, okay, I know. This grilled cheese is much more than just cheese. It’s a cacophony of flavors. Fresh, California-esque flavors packed and stacked into the theme of a grilled cheese sandwich.

With Grilled Cheese Month in full swing, completely creative cheese concoctions are popping up all over the web. Which makes coming up with something original not the most original idea.

Case in point: Last week when I posted my Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese I knew from the get go that the ingredient list may not be the most original, but the combination wasn’t something I had recently seen. That is until later that night when I was perusing my Feedly blog feed and BOOM, right there in the popular post column (natch) I saw a version of the same sandwich on Joy’s site from 3 days earlier.

I took comfort in my duplication that at least I was somewhat in the same hemisphere of recipe creation as a doyenne food blogger and hey, there aren’t that many original ideas left in the world. And who cares? Nothing ever comes out the same way twice from the exact same cook anyway. There’s plenty of room for all of us.

Some food bloggers scour the web to see if their recipe ideas have been posted on sites far and wide. I’m not into that. If it’s something I think sounds tasty, I’ll post it. If someone else features the same recipe idea, I’ll consider that fate, fluke or simply a happy accident with the world telling us we need more Spinach and Artichoke Sandwiches. Of which we do.

continue to the recipe… about Cobb Grilled Cheese and Friday Faves