Baked Club Sandwich

I'm pretty sure Ally is my husband's new hero.

Last Saturday, while I was browsing blogs and my Google Reader looking for the week's recipes, my hubby walked up behind me and said "That. We're having that. I mean -- can we have that??"



The item on the screen? Ally's "take" on a club sandwich. Leave it to three kinds of meat to make my hubby's little heart flutter! ha!


Admittedly, I had it starred in my Reader -- so I was happy to indulge him. I served it basic -- just some steamed broccoli on the side to off-set all that meat!!


This is a delicious sandwich. I'd totally make it again -- really, any combination of meat and cheese would be amazing this way. On my list to try? Philly cheesesteak style sandwiches, and ham and cheese. Mmmm...

With my changes...

Baked Club Sandwich
(Culinary Infatuation)

(Serves 2-4, depending on how big everyone's appetite is!!)


1 frozen bread loaf, thawed -- OR -- 1 refrigerated french bread loaf (I used the latter this time because I forgot to pull the bread out of the freezer to thaw!)
6 slices each (about 1/4 lb.) deli meat -- turkey, ham, roast beef
6-8 slices provolone cheese
1/2 cup (approx) shredded cheese (I used pizza blend -- had it in the fridge!)
melted butter for brushing the top
italian seasoning to sprinkle on top (I just used parsley -- DH is picky)

Directions
- Roll the dough out until it is a large rectangle (no measurements -- just as large as you want it!)
- Layer the meats and cheeses on one side of the rectangle however you like
- Roll the dough up pin-wheel style and transfer to a baking sheet
- Baste the top with butter and sprinkle with seasonings
- Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes

Mom's Baked Beans (Two Ways)

Baked beans can sometimes be like macaroni and cheese -- everyone's got a different recipe, and everyone likes theirs best!

This is the baked bean recipe I grew up on -- my mom, and my grandma, both made these beans and I adore them. I tend to turn my nose up at other varieties -- these are the best! (IMO)

We usually served these beans as one of our many sides at 4th of July picnics, Memorial Day get-togethers, and every other excuse we could find to bring family members together to eat during the summer. Since I now live far away from my family, I made these this week to reminisce -- it just wasn't the same without the countryside and family around!

These beans are described as "two ways" because you can cook them two different ways, depending on your preference, time, etc.

Both are explained below.

Mom's Baked Beans

(Serves approximately 4-6 people -- depending on how hungry you are!!)

2 (16-oz) cans of baked beans (We always used Campbells Pork & Beans for this -- it's a nice starter and saves a lot of time. I don't believe they come in 16 oz. cans anymore -- just make sure you're close to 32 oz.)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp dry mustard (or 1 tsp. regular or brown mustard)

1/2 cup ketchup

4-8 (depending on how much you like) slices of bacon, cut into small pieces (I reccommend frying off the bacon in advance -- gives nice flavor when it's pre-cooked!)

1/2 cup chopped onion

Directions

- Mix all ingredients together, then choose your cooking preference:

Way #1

- Mix all ingredients together in a large pan, heat over medium-low heat for 45 minutes, or until onions are tender

Way #2

- Bake for 1 hour, uncovered, at 350 degrees. Stir the mixture 1/2 hour into baking.

Protein Bars

I exercise 5 days a week. And I do so in the afternoon -- after work and before dinner. This means I'm almost always looking for some kind of afternoon snack to get me through my workout and give me time to get home, shower, and make dinner before I am ravenously hungry.

I've tried the store-bought protein bars, but they often upset my delicate stomach, or, they simply have the WORST consistency on earth (I am a "consistency" eater -- if it doesn't feel right in my mouth, forget it!!)

Chelley had these bars on her blog, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to give them a try. The protein would be of much use to me as an afternoon snack, and I'd never tried protein powder, so this seemed like a pretty safe introduction!

These bars are actually pretty good. I'd like to try them with vanilla or unflavored powder -- see if they taste more pea-nutty than chocolate-y. The chocolate flavor just has a little too much of that "this is health food chocolate" taste to it, for me.

DH also enjoyed these bars immensely. I've bookmarked several others to try, but this is the only no-bake, 5-minutes-flat style bar I have saved!

No-Bake Protein Bars
(Chelley's Blog)

Makes 9 bars

1/2 cup natural peanut butter (I used a chunky version and really liked the peanuts in these bars)
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
4 scoops chocolate protein powder
2 tablespoons flax seed
6 tablespoons milk (I needed a splash more milk than this)

Directions
- Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl
- Spread into a greased 8 x 8 glass dish and refrigerate until firm enough to cut.
- Cut into 9 squares, wrap individually, and store in the refrigerator.

Nutritional Info:
(Per Chelley)

1 serving = 1 bar

200 calories
8 g fat
15 carbs
15 g protein

Menu Monday

I'm probably going to be terrible about remembering to post every Monday, but I'm giving it a go!
Monday: Steak (DH is in charge of this one!), pasta and veggie sides
Tuesday: Baked Club Sandwich, broccoli florets
Wednesday: Homemade Baked Beans, Hot Dogs (old fashioned, in casing) -- DH's request
Thursday: Spaghetti with meat sauce
Friday: Leftovers!

Zesty Mozzarella Chicken

This recipe came from Kay, over at Kitchen Scrapbook. I like Kay's recipes -- her cooking style is similar to mine.

I'm just not a fancy eater. My delicate stomach won't tolerate odd spices, or weird replacements for protein, or any of that nonsense. I like good recipes -- but I don't feel pressured to find new and bizarre recipes. I'm more concerned with having a log of items I (and my husband) will actually eat.

*Steps off soapbox, now* Oops.

This chicken is VERY tasty. I'd say it's basically Chicken Parmesean, with a different name, but that didn't make me enjoy it any less! And it was easy and quick, to boot.

I served it simply with some local, fresh green beans.

Buy local, people!

Zesty Mozzarella Chicken

(Adapted from Kitchen Scrapbook)

1 egg white, lightly beaten

2 tbsp. milk

1 cup bread or cracker crumbs

2 tbsp. parmesean cheese

1/4 tsp. each salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and dried oregano (I think I added closer to 1/2 tsp. of each -- and I added 1/4 tsp. of onion powder as well)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

2 tbsp. butter (I replaced this with olive oil -- enough to just barely coat the bottom of the pan)

1/2 cup pasta sauce

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella or italian blend cheese

Directions

- In a shallow bowl (I used a pie plate) combine the egg white and milk.

- In another bowl (again, I used a pie plate) combine bread or cracker crumbs, parmesean cheese, and spices.

- Heat oil (or butter if you use it) in a large skillet until warm.

- Dop chicken in the milk/egg mixture, then in the bread/cracker crumb mixture.

- Place in skillet and brown chicken on both sides until no longer pink and juices run clear (It took me about 10-12 minutes on medium/medium high heat)

- Meanwhile, heat the pasta sauce so it's warm.

- When chicken is done, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

- Remove from heat and cover for 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese melts.

- Serve with pasta sauce.

Me in a Mosaic

I saw this on BeanTown Blogger's page, and thought it was neat. I normally only do food, here -- but I'm making the exception for this.

Here's how it works:

1. Type your answer to each of the questions below into flickr search.

2. Using only the first page of results, pick one image.

3. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into Big Huge lab’s mosaic maker to create a mosaic of the picture answers.

The questions:

1. what is your first name?

2. what is your favorite food? right now?

3. what high school did you go to?

4. what is your favorite color?

5. who is your celebrity crush?

6. what is your favorite drink?

7. what is your dream vacation?

8. what is your favorite dessert?

9. what do you want to be when you grow up?

10. what do you love most in life?

11. what is one word that describes you?

12. what is your flickr name?

And thanks to the pictures that made up my image...
1. The "R.Kelly"- Song..., 2. Back from my Méditerranée villa, 3. Red Dawn, 4. Tibet, 5. imghenryfc5, 6. Absolut Disco, 7. IMG_2331, 8. coffee and chocolate mousse cake, 9. So Close Horse and Rider, 10. Summer time!, 11. Anxious, 12. lumen peittämä enkeli