Seasoned Beef Sandwich

This is a wonderful sandwich which is coupled with a the same ingredients as a Gyro sandwich except we used beef. We used a seasoned rub that made the beef taste amazing.

 

 

Seasoned Beef Sandwich

 

 

The rub is made from a combination of different spices. I used 3 TBS of Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, pepper, rosemary powder, celery salt, cumin and only 1 tsp of sriracha seasoning.   I applied the rub liberally and let the meat marinate in the refrigerator overnight or if you don’t have time give it at least a few hours.

 

 

 

We grilled the seasoned beef until it was a little over rare done but you can cook it longer if you like.  We let the beef rest for about 10 minutes after it came off the grill and cut it up running along the grain of the meat into strips.

 

 

 

I dressed the seasoned beef sandwich with cucumber sauce, cilantro, diced onions, feta cheese, and broccoli slaw.

Enjoy



Cucumber Sauce Recipe

 

Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes loaded with all kind of goodness. They can be made with any or all of the ingredients below. You can pick which ones you like best. These are a devine comfort food to enjoy any time of the year.


Mashed Potatoes

Start with cooking potatoes by boiling them in salted water until tender. I used baby red potatoes and left the skins on but you can prepare them for boiling any way you want. Once they are cooked so that you can poke a fork in them without resistance you can rinse the water off them. I mash them and add 1 to 2 sticks of butter, one 8 once package of cream cheese, some fresh garlic (garlic seasoning will work too),and 1 or 2 big scoops of sour cream any flavor you like ( I used onion and chive sour cream). You can add some cheese if you want too.  I never said these were diet potatoes.



Once the mashed potatoes are all mixed and mashed up then add some salt, pepper, chives,parsley, Italian seasonings. This is where you can add any other seasoning you like. Make sure to taste and add more of anything above it it seems to plain because potatoes can absorb alot of seasoning.

Serve hot.

Enjoy these wonderful Mashed Potatoes



Potato fun facts

Orange Fennel Salad

This is a wonderful salad which you would believe would be good.  With all the flavors it is distinct but all of those flavors compliment each other and make this Orange Fennel Salad a home run.




Orange Fennel Salad

I started by cutting 4 oranges into segments.  Combine the oranges and 2 med bulbs of thinly chopped fennel.  Toss in 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives and some chopped onion.

Add some olive oil, lemon juice form 1 lemon, salt and pepper to taste.

Toss the Orange Fennel Salad until everything is coated and serve right away.




Enjoy




Fennel is a flowering plant species in the celery family Apiaceae or Umbelliferae. It is the sole species in the genus Foeniculum. It is a hardy, perennial herb with yellow flowers and feathery leaves.



Information on Fennel

Jambalaya

This is a wonderful dinner for those cold nights. It is easy to make and I usually start with a box of Jambalaya mix and add a few other ingredients. Only takes about 30 minutes to be table ready.

 Jambalaya

I start the  Jambalaya with the box mix because it is easier than trying to season to get it spicy so I let them do the hard work. I pour in the mix with a couple cups of water and let that start boiling. I will cut up the sausage into bit size pieces and put it into the mix. You can use any combination of sausage or sea food you would like. I will usually pick precooked sausage or cook it before I add it to the pot. I then add a can of diced tomatoes, green chilies, black beans and some diced peppers. If this sounds too spicy leave out the green chilies or if it needs more add some jalapenos.

After it comes to a boil you need to simmer the  Jambalaya for about 15 minutes or until the rice is done.

Serve with cornbread or crackers.

 

Cornbread Recipe





 

Enjoy




History of Jambalaya

Beef & Veggie French Bread Sandwich

This is a wonderful meal that can be in made in less than 30 minutes.  We ate this vitamin packed sautéed veggie and beef mix on toasted French bread.

 

Beef & Veggie French Bread Sandwich

 

 

 

 

 Sauté the veggies of your choice in a little olive oil.  I used thin sliced carrots, peppers, jalapenos, and zucchini.    I cooked them for about 10 minutes to get them tender.  Then added some broccoli slaw and seasoned with salt, pepper, Asian seasoning, garlic and onion pepper, and cooked another 10 minutes. 

 

 

 

 

I added my leftover smoked beef roast thinly sliced. 

 

 

 

 

Last I added some sweet and sour sauce to the meat and veggies.  Give them a few minutes to get happy together.  Then top with the cheese of your choice and let it melt.

 

 

I served on toasted French bread.  This Beef & Veggie French Bread sandwich was amazing and we had plenty of leftovers for lunches the next few days.

 

 

 

 

Enjoy

 

 

 

History of French Bread

The History of French Bread

The beginnings of French bread can be found in Vienna in the middle of the 19th century. Prior to this period, bread was baked in a dry oven, producing a loaf that was less consistent in texture. The invention and use of the steam oven allowed for the control of temperature and baking time that produced a loaf of bread with a soft, creamy interior and thick, brown crust.
In the 1920s, a law was passed to prohibit bakers from working before four in the morning. Since most bakers got up well before this to start their loaves, a change was made. Instead of forming the bread into the wide, flat loaves that had been previously been popular, bakers began to form their dough into long, thin loaves no more than 2-1/2 inches in diameter. This new shape allowed the bread to cook more quickly; bakers could now serve the breakfast crowd while obeying the labor law.

Lasagna

This is a very easy recipe and there will leftovers for all week. The history of lasagna is a confusing and much debated one. There are a few theories as to its origins. Some believe that the word ‘lasagna’ comes from the Greek word ‘lasagnum’ which is the word for the dish that is pasta based.


More history on Lasagna

 

Lasagna


Cook ground beef with onions, I cut up fresh spinach but you can skip that if you don't like spinach, and green peppers

To assemble the Lasagna put sauce in the bottom of a pan. Cover bottom with uncooked Lasagna noodles. I know but you don't have to cook the noodles which makes it an easy recipe.

Next layer of the Lasagna is a ground beef mixture, cottage cheese, and ricotta cheese.

Next layer is mozzarella cheese and more noodles.

Sauce and more ground beef, cottage cheese and ricotta cheese.

Mozzarella and more sauce.

Noodles and sauce on top. Put about 1 cup of water around the outside of the lasagna next to the pan so the noodles can cook.

Cheese on the top and cover. Bake the Lasagna on 350º for 45 miminutes covered and 15 minutes uncovered.

Enjoy




Neelys Lasagna Recipe

Smoked Beef Roast

We picked up an electric smoker a year ago for free and have been enjoying the taste of smoked meat and poultry.  We decided to smoke a beef roast and it turned out wonderful.

 

 Smoked Beef Roast

 

 

We started with a seasoning rub and coated it really well.  Your rub can be of any ingredients you want or you can use a store bought mixture.   You can create one by combining garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper, cumin, Italian seasoning, and any hot pepper powder you would like.  All of the ingredients can be used or omit the ones you don’t like.

 

Rub the meat with the seasoning and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight if you have the time.  Let it rest out on the counter for about 10 minutes before you put it on the smoker. 

 

 

Always soak the smoking chips over night before you use them.
 

Smoke the beef roast and keep on low (250-300) for 3-5 hours or until it is 160 degrees internally.  

You can achieve the same effect on the gril if you keep it on low and use favored chips in a tin can filled with water.  Be sure to keep filling the water in the tin can of chips as the roast cooks and it evaporates.  The chips could start on fire if you let the water run out of the tin can.

 

Take the beef roast off the smoker and let it rest for about 10 minutes.   The smoked beef roast can then be sliced up for sandwiches.  You can use any kind of sauce and topping on this sandwich.

 

 

 

Tomorrow I will post a recipe with the leftover smoked beef roast.

 

 

Enjoy

 

Peppermint Pie

Peppermint Pie is a very light dessert that is great any time of the year. It would be great for the holidays. I have pasted the original site where you can get the full recipe with fat and calories included.

Peppermint Pie

Hungry Girl peppermint pie recipe





Start by making the crust for the peppermint pie by using 4 sheets (16 crackers) chocolate graham crackers broken. Melt 2 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread. Pour butter in cracker crumbs and stir. Press in a pie pan coated with non stick spray and bake on 400 for 10 minutes until firm.

One 4-serving box Jell-O Sugar Free Fat Free Vanilla Instant pudding mix with
3/4 cup fat-free milk or low fat almond milk. I shaved chocolate into the pudding mix.

2 standard-sized peppermint candy canes lightly crushed. Add 3 cups Cool Whip Free (thawed)

Pour into a bowl and evenly spread filling into the crust. Refrigerate the peppermint pie until completely chilled and set, at least 1 1/2 hours.

I topped my peppermint pie with chocolate shavings and some pecans. You can put a few tsp of crushed candy canes on top. This pie was divine. Hard to believe it is low in calories and fat. See the hungry girl site for exact recipe because I altered mine a little because of what I had in my refrigerator.

Enjoy

Mexican Layered Pizza

This was created to use up some products in my refrigerator and freezer.  I love to think up new recipes especially when I am using stuff I have already bought.   This recipe is spicy but if you don’t like hot and spicy (but who doesn’t like hot and spicy) just omit a few items and it will still be an amazing dinner.  So let’s cook pizza caliente.

 

Mexican Layered Pizza

 

 

I started with a plain frozen pizza crust.  You can make your own and bake them in the oven until golden brown if you would like.  I put sauce on the crust, now I used some Vindaloo Simmer Sauce that had with peppers and garlic in it.   I then poured some hot sauce or salsa on top.  I seasoned well with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, cumin, garlic powder, onion power, paprika and some celery salt. I chopped a bunch of things to layer the pizza with first and will evenly divide them between the three layers. 

 

 I chopped black olives, cooked and sliced Peppered Jack Links sausage, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, peppers and hot sweet peppers for the Mexican layered pizza.  I also got ready black beans and green chilies from a can and cheese.  When everything is ready I assembled the pizza.

 

Layer one is pizza crust, sauce, salsa, seasoning, black olives, black beans, green chilies, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, peppers of any color, sausages and cheese on top of that.  Any of these ingredients can be omitted or you can add any of your favorites.

 

Put another pizza crust on top and continue the process.  Add all the ingredients above again and cheese. 

 

Put another pizza crust on top and layer with all the items from above again.

 

 

Bake the Mexican layered Pizza on 370 Degrees for about 30 minutes or until crust is crispy, and everything hot and melted.

 

Take the Mexican Layered Pizza out of the oven and let cook.  Carefully cut with a pizza cutter and enjoy.  You can top with anything you like.  We used sour cream and salsa.

 

 

Enjoy

 

 More Mexican Pizza Recipe

 

Fried Chicken

Todays flashback dinner is from my childhood. We ate a lot of chicken because 40 years ago it was only about 10 cent a pound so it was a very economical way to feed the family. It still can be a cheap dinner.  A dinner recipe of Fried Chicken but made into adult form. Fried Chicken just like grandma made except it is oven fried which is better for your health. This chicken had amazing crunch and flavor you should try it.




History of how the chicken conquered the world





Fried Chicken

I used drumsticks but any parts of the chicken will be fine. I seasoned the drumsticks with all kinds of things. You can use whatever you like.

Pre heat oven at 375 Degrees



I have a container with 2 eggs or 1 Cup of egg substitute, yogurt or sour cream. All will work to adhere the flour mixture to the chicken. I will add to the mixture some hot sauce or soy sauce or any other liquid to add extra flavor.

I put together some crunch for the outside of the chicken. I put into a container flour, cornmeal, cornflakes and a crushed up high fiber cereal. About 2 cups will be fine. I then put a package of dry ranch dressing mix in and add seasoning and parmesan cheese. Remember chicken can be really plain so make sure to use lots of seasoning if you like it tasty.

Roll each piece of chicken in the egg or wet mixture and then in the flour batter mixture. Then lay on a nonstick sprayed pan.

Put in oven to bake. After 25 minutes flip the chicken and bake another 25 minutes or until done. (170 degree internal temp)





Enjoy




Chicken jokes

Chili Dog Burritos

Chili Dog Burritos

 

 

 

 

 

Take a hot dog of any type or you can use brauts if you want and cut it in half.  Lay the tortilla out and spread a little cream cheese on it.  Put the hot dog halves in on the tortilla and pour a little chili on it.  Add cheese and roll up the tortilla folding in the ends. 

 

 

 

Put the burrito in a hot pan on medium heat and turn ever few minutes until it is crispy.  You can also put it in the oven for about 15 minutes on 350 degrees or until it is crispy and the inside is warm.

 

 Top with salsa, hot sause or sour cream.

 

 

These are also great leftovers for the next day’s lunch.

 

 

 

 

Enjoy

 

Chili dog cheese dip Recipe

 

Potato Skins

I peeled the potato skins from the potatoes that I boiled for potato salad. I kept these when I would have normally thrown them away. So I took all the skins and put them in the refrigerator. I cooked up crispy potato skins.



Nutritional Value of Potato skins

Potato Skins


I took a bunch of the potato skins out of the bag and put them on a greased on a large cookie sheet pan.

I toss them in olive oil and season them well. I used salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, garlic, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and celery
salt.

I bake on 400º for about 40 minutes flipping every 10. Bake until brown and cripy. Top with shredded cheese when it comes out of the oven. Top with all your favorite toppings. I added some sour cream and parmesan on top and they were wonderful.

Enjoy



Homemade black pepper potato chips