Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches with Slaw

This could just be the best 30 minutes you spend today. Rarely is a recipe so good I make it two nights in a row! The first night we ate it so fast I didn't get a photo. The second night we showed a little restraint and I was able to get a picture. Another recipe from The Best Simple Recipes from America's Test Kitchen did not disappoint. This meal is easily on the table in 30 minutes. I was impressed how a few simple ingredients that are pantry staples made such a delicious dish! This will appear often in our dinner rotation.

Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches with Slaw
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup barbecue sauce (I used Sweet Baby Rays)
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon hot sauce (I used Franks)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 bag (16 ounce) coleslaw mix
4 -6 hamburger buns

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned, about a minute on each side. Stir in barbecue sauce, 1/2 cup vinegar and hot sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until cooked through, about 10 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through. Transfer chicken to a large plate and tent with foil. Continue to simmer sauce until thickened, about 3 minutes. Cover and keep warm.
Meanwhile, combine mayonnaise, buttermilk and remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar to a bowl. Stir in coleslaw mix and season with salt and pepper.
Shred chicken into bite size pieces. Return chicken to skillet with sauce and toss to combine. Serve on buns topped with coleslaw.
Printable Recipe

Cheddar and Green Onion Biscuits--SRC

It's good to be a member of the Secret Recipe Club again. The SRC is a great way to meet new bloggers and try new recipes. This month I was fortunate to get to know Healthy. Delicious. I enjoyed getting to know Lauren. She reminded me a lot of myself. We both grew up cooking and following our Mom around the kitchen. Planning and cooking dinner was something we both enjoyed from early on. Lauren is young enough to be my daughter--that is where we differ! Lauren has been blogging for over 6 years--that is commitment. Her recipe focus is on non-processed foods, fruit and veggies in season and weeknight meals that can be ready in 40 minutes! Spend a while on Laurens blog--you will be glad you did.

I am going to make the Baked Buffalo Chicken Taquitos when my daughter comes to visit. I needed a quick, simple meal so I scanned the blog and found a recipe for Cheddar and Green Onion Biscuits. Now you need to know that biscuits are my hubby's love language. I have made many recipes over the years and found that successful biscuits need a light hand. I used my food processor to make these gems and they were in the oven in minutes.

The cheese and green onions were a great combo. I sliced the warm biscuits added a thin slice of ham and a little drizzle of honey mustard sauce. A fresh fruit salad finished this
delicious meal and I had it on the table in under 40 minutes. These biscuits would be a great side for soup or stew. Add a slice of bacon or a sausage patty and you have a delicious breakfast. So many possibilities.

Green Onion and Cheddar Biscuits
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
dash of salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 stick of butter (2 ounces)
1 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese-- I used Tillamook Extra Sharp Cheese
3/4 cup milk--I used 1%
4 green onions, chopped
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
In food processor mix flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add chunks of butter and pulse just till you have a fine, crumbly texture with pea size lumps of butter. Add the milk, cheese, green onion and garlic powder. Pulse a few times till just mixed. Do not over mix. Drop 1/4 cup portions of batter on parchment lined sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for about 17-19 minutes, do not over bake. Serve warm. They are also yummy split and toasted. Makes 12 delicious biscuits. Master biscuits and make your family happy! 
Thanks Lauren--I have a new blogging buddy! 

Pepperoncini Beef

I'm sure you are probably tired of turkey about now. But family gatherings continue, parties and activities fill your calendar. Do I have a great recipe for you. It is simple and delicious. I have made it twice in the past two weeks, that's how good it is. I found the recipe over at Our Best Bites which is not surprising because their blog is awesome and Kate and Sara are amazing too.

Pepperoncini Beef
Salt and pepper a two to three pound beef roast, I like a Rump Roast. Heat a little olive oil in a pan until hot. Brown roast on all sides. Yes I know this dirties a pan but just trust me on this one. You really want a nicely browned roast. 
Put the browned roast in a crock pot. Top with 4-5 cloves of garlic, pressed. Pour contents (juice and all) of a 16 ounce jar of Pepperoncini pepper rings over the roast. Put the lid on and cook till very tender. You could cook it on low all day or on high for a shorter time. All crock pots seem different. You want it fall apart tender.
Remove roast from crock pot place on a cutting board. When cool enough to handle either shred or slice the beef. Using an immersion blender blend pepper/juice mixture. Drizzle some of the juice over the beef--maybe half. It adds moisture to the meat as well as flavor. Put the remaining on the table to add as needed.
Spread a little butter and mayo on a crusty roll. Pile on meat and top with provolone cheese. Put sandwich under the broiler just to melt the cheese and heat up the roll. Be prepared to eat one of the best sandwiches ever. I'm a non beef eater but these were excellent. It's easy and feeds a crowd. Perfect for the coming holidays.
Feeds about 8 adults.

Whole Wheat Loaves TWD/BWJ

Making bread has been a big part of my life.  With 6 children at home making homemade bread was a necessity. We went through plenty of peanut butter sandwiches. Making bread was a big savings. I had a Bosch Bread Mixer and a wheat grinder that sounded like it had an airplane engine! I made 6-8 loaves of bread every week. Over the years my bread making has all but subsided--how much bread can two people eat? I do however believe in the skill of bread making. My daughters are great bread makers. If you master the art of bread making you can be the hit of any gathering. A pan of hot rolls is always welcome! A loaf of homemade bread and a jar of jam makes a wonderful hostess gift.

So what happened to my bread today?? Well, as I said making bread is a skill--if not practiced one becomes rusty. I started out great. Fresh yeast, freshly ground flour. I was off to a great start, the dough felt perfect and it raised as it should. My problem was in my pans. Yes, pans. I didn't have the sized specified in the recipe so I used pans that were too big. I let the dough raise to much and when it hit the heat the loaves deflated. The bread was too coarse. This was my fault, not the recipe! I asked Hubby's advice on how to photograph my less than perfect loaves. Cut thick slices was his remark. So I did. This bread didn't taste bad. I will give it another try. These loaves will become salad croutons.
Hopefully my fellow TWD bakers had better luck. Check Michele and Teresa's blogs for the complete recipe. And learn to make bread--it's a good thing to do.

Grilled Cheese with Garden Tomato and Basil Sandwich

Is there anything better than a garden fresh tomato? I love a sliced tomato on top of my grilled cheese sandwich. Add some fresh basil and you have a gourmet lunch. This will be lunch most days--until it freezes!

French Dip Sandwiches

I was introduced to French Dip Sandwiches at a local diner 40+ years ago. Tender roast beef  piled on a toasted bun is good , but add provolone cheese and dip it in a little cup of aujus and it almost feels gourmet!
This dish is always a welcome dinner entree. For years I made it with left over roast beef and a packet of au jus mix, it was good.
I found a winning recipe on Our Best Bites. Now French Dip Sandwiches are not a 'leftover' but a meal fit for company.

French Dip Sandwiches
1 2.5-3 lb beef roast
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt & pepper
2 1-ounce packages onion soup mix (there are generally 2 packages in a box)
2 cups water
2 cans beef broth
6-8 large buns (these are generous servings)
Swiss, provolone, or mozzarella cheese

Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.  Salt and pepper roast.

When hot, carefully place roast in pan and sear all sides. You are not cooking the meat, just browning it quickly on each side to add flavor and seal in the juices.  After it is browned place the roast in a crock pot and cover with both packages of onion soup mix.  Add water and beef broth.  Cook 8-10 hours on low, or 4-5 on high and another 3-4 on low.  You can't make a mistake with this part!  Basically the longer it cooks the more tender it will be.  You will know the meat is done when it easily pulls apart with a fork.  When the meat is done remove from crock pot and shred into chunks with a fork.

Place meat on crusty rolls. Top with cheese and broil just until cheese is melted.  Don't answer the phone or try to load a few dishes in the dishwasher.  The rolls and cheese will not be tasty when burnt black! Serve with au jus on the side.

Spring Showers bring Ribbon Sandwiches

I love a little sandwich, a bite size dessert, chocolate covered strawberries all served on a dainty glass plate. A shower, brunch or luncheon is the perfect time to serve 'a bite of wonderful'. I dream of a Amy Atlas party, but here are a few of my real life favorites!

Nothing says 'lady' like a Ribbon Sandwich!  These delicious delights were popular in the '70's. They were on the menu at the first bridal shower I attended.  It was love at first bite; I have been making Ribbon Sandwiches for almost 40 years. I think my original recipe came from a Betty Crocker Cookbook.
I have updated this simple sandwich many times as trends and products have changed. I have made these sandwiches on pink and blue bread for baby showers. The sandwiches are best made a day or two before the party. I like to make the fillings and invite a friend to help make the sandwiches 'assembly line' style

Ribbon Sandwiches
Golden Cheese Spread
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Bon Appettie
Mix well

Ham Salad Filling
2 cups ground cooked ham (I use my food processor)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup minced celery
2 Tablespoons sweet pickles, minced
1 Tablespoon minced onion
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Mix well
To make sandwiches, use 3 slices of sandwich bread. Butter one side of each slice, spread ham salad on one slice, cheese spread on another and top with the third slice of bread. Trim crusts off each sandwich stack. At this point I put the sandwich stacks in a plastic bag. They can be refrigerated for a few days. To serve slice stack in half, then slice each half into 3 'ribbons'.
This makes about 8-9 sandwich stacks or about 50-60 ribbons. I alternate wheat and white bread, look for 'square' sandwich style bread. Have fun....Make peanut butter and jam for the kids! I will post more fun and easy shower foods soon.

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