Roast Beef Sandwich
Well, it’s official. This Mitten Movie Night marks 1 month until….my birthday! In honor of the downward slide and creeping closer to the middle of 40, I figured I would treat myself to one of my favorite food groups-sandwiches. There is nothing better than a BIG sandwich that you can sink your teeth into and just enjoy. The best thing about sandwiches is that almost anything goes and that goes for this roast beef sandwich that’s anything but average.
One (of many!) of the best sandwiches I ever had was in Louisville. It was mine and my husband’s anniversary get away. No kids, just us. We visited museums and did all the touristy things and then we would hit breweries for lunch or dinner. While we have been to Louisville several times since then (it’s our favorite place to visit when we are looking for a quick kid-free getaway) I always think back to this trip and the roast beef sandwich that I had there. It was full of meat, cheese, and onions. Droooolllll.
So when I was thinking of what type of sandwich to make I decided to make it like a big sub sandwich. Growing up my mom would make sub sandwiches in the summer and it was always a special treat. While I was at it I thought some bacon would be really good with this too. Then finally, let’s slather a blue cheese sauce on it.
The beefy concoction will pair perfectly with Bell’s Pooltime Ale. This beer is slightly tart from the cherries which make a perfect contrast to all the beef and tangy blue cheese in this. I may even say that I hit this combination out of the park!
For the movie recommendation, I HIGHLY suggest Father of the Year. Who doesn’t love Adam Sandler movies? David Spade returns to a little bit of Joe Dirt character which made this movie too funny! So now on to the roast beef sandwich recipe.
First, start by cooking the bacon. I like bacon very crisp so I cooked it for about 6 minutes then turn and cook for an additional 6-8 minutes. Take the loaf of bread and cut it in half. Spread with butter and place face down on a cookie sheet. Put into a preheated 350-degree oven and let it toast up for about 5-8 minutes.
Once the bacon is done remove it from the pan and put on a plate with paper towels to allow it to drain. Remove all the grease in the pan from the bacon reserving about 1-2 tsp. Add 1 Tbs of butter to that (this is not very diet friendly if you can’t tell) then add the sliced mushrooms and onions. Let those cook down for about 5 minutes. Then add the roast beef.
While those cook flip the bread over and spread the cheese equally on each side. Put back into the oven and let the cheese melt, around 5 minutes. Now make the sauce which is just mixing the blue cheese, mayonnaise and horseradish sauce together. Crumble the bacon and add to the cooked roast beef. Take the bread out of the oven then pile it high onto one side of the bread then top off with the other. Cut into 6 pieces then serve. Let others add lettuce, tomatoes, and the blue cheese mixture as they like. And here you are…..
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
*Affiliate links are included in this post. Please read my Discloser Policy.
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 15 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
|
- 1 loaf Italian bread
- 1 pound bacon
- 1 pound cooked roast beef from the deli area
- 8 ounces white mushrooms cleaned and sliced
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 1-1/2 Tbs butter
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup horseradish sauce
- 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
- lettuce and tomato for topping
Ingredients
|
|
- Start by cooking the bacon. Cook for about 6 minutes then turn and cook for an additional 6-8 minutes.
- Take the loaf of bread and cut it in half. Spread with butter and place face down on a cookie sheet. Put into a preheated 350-degree oven and let it toast up for about 5-8 minutes.
- Once the bacon is done remove it from the pan and put on a plate with paper towels to allow it to drain. Remove all the grease in the pan from the bacon reserving about 1-2 tsp.
- Add 1 Tbs of butter to that then add the sliced mushrooms and onions. Let those cook down for about 5 minutes. Then add the roast beef.
- While those cook flip the bread over and spread the cheese equally on each side. Put back into the oven and let the cheese melt, around 5 minutes.
- Now make the sauce which is just mixing the blue cheese, mayonnaise and horseradish sauce together.
- Crumble the bacon and add to the cooked roast beef.
- Take the bread out of the oven then pile it high onto one side of the bread then top off with the other. Cut into 6 pieces then serve. Let others add lettuce, tomatoes, and the blue cheese mixture as they like. Enjoy!
My Dad’s Chicken & Rice
I’m serious when I say that I have been eating this meal most of my life. It’s a recipe that my dad invented, thus the name ‘My Dad’s Chicken & Rice’. He cooked it for us growing up and when I was old enough he gave the recipe to me and I’ve been making it myself for about 20 years now.
My dad is a great cook! He makes the most unbelievable grilled chicken. My mouth is watering a little right now as I’m thinking about it. I want to think that he got his skills from my grandmother. On Sunday’s growing up, we would have big dinners of lamb, creamed spinach, and croissants. Dessert was almost always chocolate pudding with whipped cream. I loved those Sunday’s and I try and keep the tradition alive in our house. Sunday’s here usually start with Swedish Pancakes and end with a big comforting meal like Crock Pot Ranch Pork Roast.
For quick weeknight dinners though I look to this chicken and rice recipe. It’s full of chicken, meaty mushrooms, and crunchy water chestnuts. Perfect when you want a one-dish meal that goes from stove to table with little cleanup. Now on to My Dad’s Chicken & Rice recipe.
The key to really good chicken and rice is making sure the chicken in really crispy. In order to do that it means cooking the chicken separate from the mushrooms and onions. First, take the chicken and cut into cubes. On a plate, put the flour, garlic powder, and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the mixture coating all pieces.
In the bottom of a large pan, I use a covered stockpot, heat about 1 tbs. of oil in the bottom of a pan. Add the chicken to the pan and cook until all the chicken is nice and crispy around 10 minutes. Stirring occasionally to make sure all parts are browned. *Look at that! Again, this is what makes this dish amazing.*
Once the chicken has cooked take it out of the pan and set aside. In the same pan add butter and let it melt. Add the sliced mushrooms and chopped onion. Cook until the mushrooms start to shrink and the onions are browned.
To the pan add the chicken back in. Now add the wet ingredients: chicken broth, fancy mixed vegetables (do not drain liquid), water chestnuts (do not drain liquid), and soy sauce. Finally to the pot add the rice and stir it all together. Cover the pot and cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes check to see if you need to add any additional chicken stock so that the rice doesn’t dry out and stir so the rice doesn’t stick to the pan. If there’s still plenty of liquid allow to cook another 5-8 minutes covered.
Taste to make sure that the rice has cooked thoroughly and then add salt, pepper, and more soy sauce to your taste. I always end up adding more but please add at your discretion. Top with some crunchy noodles and here you are……
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
Originally published March of 2016. Updated photos & recipe July of 2018.
*Affiliate links are included in this post. Please read my Discloser Policy.
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 25 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
|
- 1 pound chicken tenderloins cut into chunks
- 1 cup instant brown rice
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 Tbs butter
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 1 small yellow onion
- 1 tbs vegetable oil
- 1 8-ounce can water chestnuts chopped
- 1 14-ounce can fancy mixed vegetables
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
Ingredients
|
|
- Take the chicken and cut into cubes. On a plate, put the flour, garlic powder, and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the mixture coating all pieces.
- In the bottom of a large pan, I use a covered stock pot, heat about 1 tbs. of oil in the bottom of a pan. Add the chicken to the pan and cook until all the chicken is nice and crispy, around 10 minutes. Stiring occasially to make sure all parts are browned. Once the chicken has cooked take it out of the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan add butter and let it melt. Add the sliced mushrooms and chopped onion. Cook until the mushrooms start to shrink and the onions are browned.
- To the pan add the chicken back in. Now add the wet ingredients: chicken broth, fancy mixed vegetables (do not drain liquid), water chestnuts (do not dain liquid), and soy sauce. Finally to the pot add the rice and stir it all together.
- Cover the pot and cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes check to see if you need to add any additional chicken stock so that the rice doesn't dry out. If there's still plenty of liquid allow to cook another 5-8 minutes covered.
- Taste to make sure that the rice has cooked thoroughly and then add salt, pepper and more soy sauce to your taste. Enjoy!
Buffalo Ranch Chicken Tacos
I’ve got something spicy on deck for this Mitten Movie Night! These Buffalo Ranch Chicken Tacos are full of so much flavor. Soft tortillas filled with chicken, pico de gallo, cheese and finally topped with a buffalo ranch sauce that you will be putting on everything once you try it.
Can you believe that this Summer is half over? Where did the time go? What seems really odd is that we haven’t even been busy this summer. So in order to celebrate the mid-summer slump let’s pair these fresh tacos with some Summer Love Ale from Victory Brewing Company. A perfect fruity compliment to the bite of the buffalo sauce and the jalapeno in the pico de gallo.
For tonight’s movie, I recommend ‘How It Ends’. I am a big fan of post-apocalyptic movies and this one was right up my alley. Check out Netflix to find this title. So now on to these buffalo ranch chicken tacos!
Start by cutting each chicken breast in half to thin these out a bit. I then cover with plastic wrap and use a mallet to beat the chicken down to about 1/2″ thick. Heat the oil in a pan then sprinkle the creole seasoning over each side of the chicken. Place the chicken into the pan and cook each side 4-6 minutes. Placing the seasoning on the chicken make it look almost ‘blackened‘.
While the chicken cooks make the pico de gallo. You can hand chop all the vegetables and then mix them with the lime, cilantro, and cumin or you can save so much time by using a food processor. It does make it a little watery from the tomatoes so what I do it strain in a mesh strainer over a bowl. Saves so much time and tastes just as delicious.
Once the chicken has cooked all the way through remove from the pan and cube. In a bowl combine the buffalo sauce and ranch dressing. This sauce is the key to making this chicken taco recipe the BEST!
For the flour tortillas, I love to cook them over the open flame on my stove. You can, of course, skip this step if you like and just cover 8 tortillas with a warm, wet paper towel and microwave for 25 seconds. Now fill the shells with chicken, cheese, pico de gallo then drizzle with buffalo ranch sauce. Serve with Double Batch Smashed Beans and here you are…..
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
*Affiliate links are included in this post. Please read my Discloser Policy.
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 10 minutes |
| Servings |
tacos
|
- 8 flour tortillas, fajita size
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded thin
- 2 Tbs creole seasoning
- 2 Tbs avocado oil or vegetable oil
- 1 cup mexican blend shredded cheese
- 1/2 cup buffalo sauce
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing
Ingredients
Chicken for tacos
Buffalo Ranch
|
|
- Start by cutting each chicken breast in half to thin these out a bit. Then cover with plastic wrap and use a mallet to beat the chicken down to about 1/2" thick.
- Heat the oil in a pan then sprinkle the creole seasoning over each side of the chicken. Place the chicken into the pan and cook each side 4-6 minutes. Placing the seasoning on the chicken make it look almost 'blackened'.
- Once the chicken has cooked all the way through remove from the pan and cube.
- You can hand chop all the vegetables and then mix them with the lime, cilantro, and cumin or you can save so much time by using a food processor. *If you make this in the food processor: Strain in a mesh strainer over a bowl.
- In a bowl combine the buffalo sauce and ranch dressing.
- Fill the tortilla shells with chicken, cheese, pico de gallo then drizzle with buffalo ranch sauce. Enjoy!
Duck Breast Wrapped In Bacon #CookoutWeek
For my last #CookoutWeek recipe I made something that I’ve never cooked at home before, duck. I was so excited to receive from one of our sponsors, Maple Leaf Farms, a whole bunch of duck goodies. Duck breasts, duck bacon, and half roasted ducks. So it was time to get creative and I think I created a winner for sure in this duck breast wrapped in duck bacon.
While I’ve had duck many times at restaurants and really enjoy it for me it’s like fish entrees, I prefer to eat them out instead of worry about how to make them at home. But I am up for a challenge and what better place to take a shot than Cookout Week?!
*Affiliate links are included in this post. Please read my Discloser Policy. I received Maple Leaf Farms Duck Breasts,
Duck Bacon and roasted half ducks complimentary but all opinions stated in this post are my own.
For more information about visit Maple Leaf Farms site or Instagram.
For this recipe, I decided to keep it simple. As simple as it gets to WRAPPING IT IN BACON! Make sure that the duck breasts are unthawed. Pat each one dry then place on a rack. Open 1 package of bacon then wrap at least 3 pieces on each breast. You won’t use the whole package so what I did was add the bacon to the sheet that I baked these on and my family enjoyed them as an addition to the breasts. The duck bacon was amazing! The boys raved and raved about it.
I ended up baking the breasts in the oven since Michigan weather has been kind of a pain (rain, rain, and more rain). Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and they should be done in around 1 hour. Next time I plan on cooking these on the grill! But I was very happy with how these turned out without going to grill route and it gives me a way to make these all year round.
One of my favorite combinations of flavors is chicken blackberries. Since duck has a similar flavor profile I thought a sweet sauce would be great with this. And then it’s summer so why not heat things up a little with chili powder? Yes! It’s so simple. Remove the pit from the apricots and chop. Add the preserves, salt, red pepper and chili powder. Done!
Check the final temperature to make sure the duck is cooked all the way through. It should be at an internal temp of 165 degrees. And here you are….
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
Don’t forget to enter the #CookoutWeek giveaway! This prize pack has an ARV of over $750! You have until June 30th at 11:59 PM to enter, follow our sponsors and bloggers on social media by entering your information below:
To enter, follow our sponsors and bloggers on social media by entering your information below:
Check out all these delicious recipes from all the participants of #CookoutWeek!
Follow the other bloggers as well to get great ideas for your next cookout. Here are all the bloggers who are part of #CookoutWeek 2018:
The PinterTest Kitchen ♥ 2 Cookin Mamas ♥ A Day in the Life on the Farm ♥ A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures ♥ April GoLightly ♥ Authentically Candace ♥ Blogghetti ♥ Body Rebooted ♥ Bottom Left of the Mitten ♥ Cheese Curd In Paradise ♥ Chef Sarah Elizabeth ♥ Coconut & Lime ♥ Cookaholic Wife ♥ CookwithRenu ♥ Daily Dish Recipes ♥ Everyday Eileen ♥ Fairyburger ♥ Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice ♥ Family Around the Table ♥ Fix Me a Little Lunch ♥ For the Love of Food ♥ Frankly Entertaining ♥ Frugal & Fit ♥ Get the Good Stuff! ♥ Hardly A Goddess ♥ Herbivore Cucina ♥ Join Us, Pull up a Chair ♥ Jolene’s Recipe Journal ♥ Jonesin’ For Taste ♥ Karen’s Kitchen Stories ♥ Kelly Lynn’s Sweets & Treats ♥ Mildly Meandering ♥ Moore or Less Cooking ♥ Our Good Life ♥ Oven Tales By Syama ♥ Palatable Pastime ♥ Sarah Cooks the Books ♥ Savory Moments ♥ Seduction In The Kitchen ♥ Strawberry Blondie Kitchen ♥ Sweet Coralice ♥ Tampa Cake Girl ♥ Technotini ♥ That Recipe ♥ The Baking Fairy ♥ The Beard and The Baker ♥ The Freshman Cook ♥ The Simple Supper ♥ The Spiffy Cookie ♥ The Weekday Gourmet ♥ This is How I Cook ♥ Who Needs A Cape? ♥ Wildflour’s Cottage Kitchen
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 1 hour |
| Servings |
servings
|
- 2 7.5 ounce boneless duck breasts
- 12 ounces duck bacon
- 1/2 cup aprictot preserves
- 2 apricots chopped and pitted
- 2 Tbs water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
Ingredients
|
|
- Make sure that the duck breasts are unthawed. Pat each one dry then place on a rack.
- Open 1 package of bacon then wrap atleast 3 pieces on each breast. You won't use the whole package so what I did was add the bacon to the sheet that I baked these.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and they should be done in around 1 hour.
- Remove the pit from the apricots and chop. Add the preserves, salt, red pepper and chili powder.
- Check the final temperature to make sure the duck is cooked all the way through. It should be at internal temp of 165 degrees. Top with the apricots and enjoy!
BBQ Baked Potatoes #CookoutWeek
I’m so excited to be participating in another #CookoutWeek! Time sure goes by fast when it feels like we just got done with Choctoberfest. Here we are though heading straight into summer and that means grilling out! Give these BBQ baked potatoes a try. Loaded with a beef and beans then topped with cheese and green onions this potato makes a wonderful summer meal.
*Affiliate links are included in this post. Please read my Discloser Policy. I received Chef Shamy complimentary but all opinions stated in this post are my own. For more information about Chef Shamy visit their About page. You can purchase Chef Shamy here and save 10% with the discount code 10BUTTER10 through July 4th.
I feel like summer just started yet we are a week away from the 4th of July. Michigan is odd though because due to the law we do not start school until after Labor Day. Where we live in Michigan it’s very close to Indiana and they’ve already been out of school for what feels like weeks! I’m sure they feel the same when they go back to school close to the beginning of August and we’re still chilling through Labor Day though.
Well whenever your summer starts no matter where summer usually means cooking out. So let’s get to my first contribution to #CookoutWeek, BBQ baked potatoes.
Chef Shamy sent me two tubs of what I am referring to now as ‘the good stuff’. From beginning to end Chef Shamy is what made these potatoes. The whole time we were eating them my 11-year-old kept saying, ‘The butter is what makes it.’ He is my best go to for honesty on recipes and he loved these BBQ baked potatoes. So let’s get to the recipe!
After looking into a few different variations of making BBQ baked potatoes on the grill it seemed like the only logical choice would be to season the tin foil that we are wrapping our potato in. So start by ripping off 6 large sheets of tin foil. Wash the potatoes then set them aside. In a microwaveable bowl melt the Chef Shamy Garlic butter. With a basting brush spread the butter on one side of each piece of tin foil. Sprinkle with sea salt.
Poke each potato with a fork to make holes for steam to escape as they cook. Put the baked potato right in the center of the tin foil then fold at the top then the sides. It is now ready for the grill. Crank the heat on the grill to medium heat so these cook low and slow for 45 minutes-1 hour.
In the last 15 minutes of the potato cooking make the toppings. I decided on beef, beans and a slightly sweet BBQ sauce would be perfect! In a pan brown the beef, garlic and chopped onion until the meat is cooked all the way through. Drain off the extra fat from the pan. Now add the beef broth, ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, apple cider vinegar, molasses, chili powder and paprika. Stir to combine and heat through.
Take the potoatoes off the grill and let set for a few minutes. Open the foil carefully since steam will escape. Cut the potato in half. Fluff the potato then add some more Chef Shamy Garlic Butter. Top with the beef and beans. Sprinkle cheese and green onion. Return to the grill for 2-4 minutes to melt the cheese. And here you are….
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
Don’t forget to enter the #CookoutWeek giveaway! This prize pack has an ARV of over $750! You have until June 30th at 11:59 PM to enter, follow our sponsors and bloggers on social media by entering your information below:
To enter, follow our sponsors and bloggers on social media by entering your information below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Check out all these delicious recipes from all the participants of #CookoutWeek!
Follow the other bloggers as well to get great ideas for your next cookout. Here are all the bloggers who are part of #CookoutWeek 2018:
The PinterTest Kitchen ♥ 2 Cookin Mamas ♥ A Day in the Life on the Farm ♥ A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures ♥ April GoLightly ♥ Authentically Candace ♥ Blogghetti ♥ Body Rebooted ♥ Bottom Left of the Mitten ♥ Cheese Curd In Paradise ♥ Chef Sarah Elizabeth ♥ Coconut & Lime ♥ Cookaholic Wife ♥ CookwithRenu ♥ Daily Dish Recipes ♥ Everyday Eileen ♥ Fairyburger ♥ Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice ♥ Family Around the Table ♥ Fix Me a Little Lunch ♥ For the Love of Food ♥ Frankly Entertaining ♥ Frugal & Fit ♥ Get the Good Stuff! ♥ Hardly A Goddess ♥ Herbivore Cucina ♥ Join Us, Pull up a Chair ♥ Jolene’s Recipe Journal ♥ Jonesin’ For Taste ♥ Karen’s Kitchen Stories ♥ Kelly Lynn’s Sweets & Treats ♥ Mildly Meandering ♥ Moore or Less Cooking ♥ Our Good Life ♥ Oven Tales By Syama ♥ Palatable Pastime ♥ Sarah Cooks the Books ♥ Savory Moments ♥ Seduction In The Kitchen ♥ Strawberry Blondie Kitchen ♥ Sweet Coralice ♥ Tampa Cake Girl ♥ Technotini ♥ That Recipe ♥ The Baking Fairy ♥ The Beard and The Baker ♥ The Freshman Cook ♥ The Simple Supper ♥ The Spiffy Cookie ♥ The Weekday Gourmet ♥ This is How I Cook ♥ Who Needs A Cape? ♥ Wildflour’s Cottage Kitchen
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 55 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
|
- 6 large baking potatoes
- 1/4 cup Chef Shamy Garlic Butter melted
- 2 Tbs sea salt
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 Tbs lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 Tbs yellow mustard
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp dark molasses
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp Spanish paprika
- 1/4 cup Chef Shamy Garlic Butter not melted for topping after potatoes have cooked
- 1/2 cup shredded colby jack cheese
- 1/4 cup green onions chopped
Ingredients
|
|
- Rip off 6 large sheets of tin foil. Wash the potatoes then set them aside.
- In a microwaveable bowl melt the Chef Shamy Garlic butter. With a basting brush spread the butter on one side of each piece of tin foil. Sprinkle with sea salt.
- Poke each potato with a fork to make holes for steam to escape as they cook. Put the baked potato right in the center of the tin foil then fold at the top then the sides.
- Crank the heat on the grill to medium heat sthen place these on the grill and cook low and slow for 45 minutes-1 hour.
- In the last 15 minutes of the potato cooking make the toppings. In a pan brown the beef, garlic and chopped onion until the meat is cooked all the way through. Drain off the extra fat from the pan.
- Add the beef broth, ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, apple cider vinegar, molasses, chili powder and paprika. Stir to combine and heat through.
- Take the potoatoes off the grill and let set for a few minutes. Open the foil carefully since steam will escape. Cut the potato in half.
- Fluff the potato then add some more Chef Shamy Garlic Butter. Top with the beef and beans. Sprinkle cheese and green onion. Return to the grill for 2-4 minutes to melt the cheese. Enjoy!
Double Deluxe Tacos
Crispy and crunchy these double deluxe tacos have everything that a taco lover is looking for. Double the taco goodness! A hard taco shell filled with spicy beef wrapped with a flour tortilla then spread with refried beans. Finish it off by sprinkling with cheese and bake. Top with crunchy lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream. Don’t wait for Taco Tuesday to enjoy these.
For the start of June, I’m living for these fruity, lemon, citrus and bright beers. Nothing heavy just delicious and makes me think of sitting on a beach, getting a tan then taking a nap in the middle of the afternoon. Chicka Chicka Yeah from Odd Side Ales is the perfect beer for just that. Similar to my favorite beer, Dirty Blonde, but different enough to feel like it’s not a repeat.
Then for this Mitten Movie Night, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is back so we must binge!! Sadly this is the first half of the last season of this adorable show. If your a fan of The Office, Parks & Recreation or 30 Rock I think you will love this show too. Now on to these double deluxe tacos!
Start by browning the pound of ground hamburger. Cook through until no longer pink, around 8-10 minutes. Then drain the grease from the pan. To the beef add the water, beef base, tomato bouillon, cumin and chili powder. Cook medium heat until the bouillon has dissolved and the sauce is reduced which just takes about 4 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and great an 8″x11″ pan the set up the assembly line. With a knife spread the refried beans over the flour tortilla shells. Place a hard shell in the center of the flour tortilla then add some the beef to the middle of that. Place the finished taco in the pan and repeat until all 6 of them are done. I found that 6 was the perfect amount for the beans and meat ratio.
What should I do with those extra taco shells then?
I always like to have tortillas on hand since my 4 yr old loves cheesy roll-ups. Just add cheese and some chili powder then microwave for 20 seconds and lunch is served. With a side of fruit, it’s perfect for busy days.
Once all the tacos are assembled top them off with cheese then put them into the oven to bake for 15 minutes. Chop up some lettuce, tomatoes and any other toppings you like. Open up some sour cream. And here you are…..
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
*Affiliate links are included in this post. Please read my Discloser Policy.
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 25 minutes |
| Servings |
tacos
|
- 6 flour tortillas 8 inch size
- 6 hard taco shells
- 16 ounces refried beans
- 1 pound ground hamburger (80/20 mix)
- 1 cube Knorr Tomato Boullion
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1/2 tsp beef bouillion
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 2 cups shredded cheese I used Triple Cheddar
Ingredients
|
|
- Start by browning the pound of ground hamburger. Cook through until no longer pink, around 8-10 minutes.
- Then drain the grease from the pan. To the beef add the water, beef base, tomato bouillon, cumin and chili powder. Cook medium heat until the bouillon has dissolved and the sauce is reduced which just takes about 4 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and great an 8"x11" pan the set up the assembly line. With a knife spread the refried beans over the flour tortilla shells. Place a hard shell in the center of the flour tortilla then add some the beef to the middle of that. Place the finished taco in the pan and repeat until all 6 of them are done.
- Once all the tacos are assembled top them off with cheese then put them into the oven to bake for 15 minutes.
- Chop up some lettuce, tomatoes and any other toppings you like. Open up some sour cream. Enjoy!
Easy Chicken Burritos
Does this time of year leave you running around like crazy? Soccer, baseball practice, end of school trips? Trying to be 10 places at once leaves little time for your family to actually sit down for dinner together let alone spend time in the kitchen making dinner. Tonight try this easy chicken burrito recipe that will get everyone and dinner to the table within 20 minutes.
What does dinnertime look like in your family?
Growing up sitting down to dinner with my family was something that my mom made a priority. Even though she was a single mom and worked different shifts as a local factory she always made it work. I’m thankful to her for that because I carried on the tradition with my family. If we are at home, we are eating together no matter what. No tablets or phones just eating and having conversations about our day. Now let’s get started with this simple recipe that isn’t simple on taste.
The beauty behind this dinner is using already cooked chicken. I always keep shredded chicken on hand for shredded chicken recipes like this or my Chicken & Mushroom Subs. The same holds true for pulled pork. I will make a double batch so I can make BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza one night then save the other half to make Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese another night. Double duty cooking is another way to make dinnertime doable on busy weeknights.
Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees and greasing a 9×13 pan. To the bottom of the pan add about 1/4 cup of the thick and chunky salsa to the bottom. Shred the cooked chicken into a bowl then add the rest of the salsa to it and stir to combine. Add the chicken mixture to a flour tortilla one at a time then roll up and place seam side down in the pan. Reserve about a 1/2 cup of the chicken to add to the top. Roll up and repeat with the remaining 5 tortillas.
Once all the burritos are made finish by adding the remaining chicken to the top then top with the cheese. Bake uncovered in the oven for 20 minutes until the cheese is all melted on top. Shred some lettuce, chop up tomatoes and any other toppings you like. And here you are….
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
*Affiliate links are included in this post. Please read my Discloser Policy.
Get The Recipe, Get The Goods
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 20 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
|
- 6 flour tortillas, burrito size
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 16 ounce thick and chunky salsa
- 8 ounces shredded colby jack cheese
Ingredients
|
|
- Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees and greasing a 9x13 pan. To the bottom of the pan add about 1/4 cup of the thick and chunky salsa to the bottom.
- Shred the cooked chicken into a bowl then add the rest of the salsa to it and stir to combine.
- Add the chicken mixture to a flour tortilla one at a time then roll up and place seam side down in the pan. Reserve about a 1/2 cup of the chicken to add to the top. Roll up and repeat with the remaining 5 tortillas.
- Once all the burritos are made finish by adding the remaining chicken to the top then top with the cheese. Bake uncovered in the oven for 20 minutes until the cheese is all melted on top.
- Shred some lettuce, chop up tomatoes and any other toppings you like. Enjoy!
Toad In The Hole
Welcome to Mitten Movie Night the Royal Wedding Edition! Tonight I tried my hand at a classic English dish, Toad In The Hole. Savory sausage is baked on top of a simple bread ‘pudding’. Top with an Mustard-Onion gravy and you have a meal fit for a King.
I hadn’t had Toad In The Hole before I knew that it was going to be something that I would love. Meat, onions, carbs….GRAVY!!! Of course I had to add some Michigan appeal to this dish by using Beer Brats made with Founder’s Dirty Bastard Craft Beer. We eat these a lot during the Summer and they worked great in this recipe.
While I did do some research about favorite beers of England I felt like I would rather share a Michigan beer that I felt was fitting not only with the meal but also the name, Soft Parade from Short’s Brewing. This beer is full of fruit flavor: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. Fruit beers pair so well with dishes that aren’t exactly complex in flavor and that’s why a simple sausage dish like this is perfectly contrasted with this beer. Plus the name gets you in the mood for the ‘procession’ that the Royal Wedding will have. See how I did that? Wink, wink….I know it was a weak analogy but like most things I’m going with it! Now on to the meal.
So after going through about a million recipes I settled on this one from Cooking Channel TV for Toad in the Hole with Mustard-Onion Gravy. For the base it’s just flour, salt, eggs and milk. To one bowl add the flour and salt. In another bowl add the milk and eggs then whisk to combine. Slowly add the milk and egg mixture to the flour whisking it together to make a batter.
Simple enough but then the trick seemed to be what you do with it once the ingredients are mixed together. Half the recipes said to just keep it out on the counter for 10-30 minutes. The other half said that you had to keep it in the refrigerator overnight or at least a few hours to set. What I did was make the batter in the morning and put in the refrigerator until I was ready to make this about 6 hours later.
The other part of this recipe that was in all of them was heating up the pan you are cooking the pudding and sausages in. About an hour before you are ready to put this on the table take the batter out of the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Now put the pan you plan on baking this in into the oven. I used a metal pan because I was worried about adding the cold batter to a hot pan would break it. Next brown the sausages in a pan on the stove with 1 Tbs oil. Brown all sides which takes about 8 minutes but don’t worry about cooking all the way through. Reserve any oil in the pan for the gravy.
Carefully take the pan out of the oven then add a small bit of oil to that pan. You can spray or add the oil then spread with a paper towel but please use caution since the pan is extremely hot. Now add the batter and top with the sausages. Return it to the oven and cook for 45 minutes.
For the gravy use the reserved oil you left from cooking the brats and add the thinly sliced onions. Using very low heat cook them down slowly for about 10 minutes. To the onions add the flour and stir to coat. Now add the beef broth, mustard. Continue cooking down until it thickens to a gravy consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Take out the Toad In The Hole from the oven. Slice and serve topped with gravy. And here you are……
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
*Affiliate links are included in this post. Please read my Discloser Policy.
| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 45 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
|
- 2/3 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 18 ounces beer brats I used Open Acres Dirty Bastard Beer Brats
- 1 Tbs vegetable oil
- 1 medium yellow onion sliced thinly
- 1 Tbs all purpose flour
- 1-1/2 cup beef broth
- 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 Tbs whole grain mustard
Ingredients
Toad In The Hole
Mustard-Onion Gravy
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|
- To one bowl add the flour and salt. In another bowl add the milk and eggs then whisk to combine. Slowly add the milk and egg mixture to the flour whisking it together to make a batter.
- Keep batter on the counter for 10-30 minutes or keep in the refrigerator up to overnight if you like.
- Take the batter out of the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put just the pan you plan on baking this in into the oven.
- Next brown the sausages in a pan on the stove with 1 Tbs oil. Brown all sides which takes about 8 minutes but don't worry about cooking all the way through. Reserve any oil in the pan for the gravy.
- Carefully take the pan out of the oven then add a small bit of oil to that pan. You can spray or add the oil then spread with a paper towel but please use caution since the pan is extremely hot. Now add the batter and top with the sausages. Return it to the oven and cook for 45 minutes.
- For the gravy use the reserved oil you left from cooking the brats and add the thinly sliced onions. Using very low heat cook them down slowly for about 10 minutes.
- To the onions add the flour and stir to coat. Now add the beef broth, mustard. Continue cooking down until it thickens to a gravy consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Take out the Toad In The Hole from the oven. Slice and serve topped with gravy. Enjoy!
Chicken & Mushroom Subs
Not looking to spend a lot of time on dinner? Then I have the perfect sandwich for your busy Friday night. Chicken & Mushroom Subs on a steamed bun. Using pre-cooked chicken, sliced mushrooms and shredded cheese this is a one pan wonder that will easily become your go to meal for the warm weather season.
Well we are heading into Mother’s Day weekend with lots of rain and dreary weather on this Mitten Movie Night. Trying not to get too down because we have really had great weather lately and it really was a long time coming. Since it’s rainy out tonight we will stay in and make these easy sandwiches and enjoy a cold Latitude 42 Michigan Honey Amber. This beer is such a unique mix of honey and citrus. The nice thing about this chicken sandwich is that it pairs so well with a big flavor craft beer like this. For me the perfect meal is this-a great beer and sandwich. Tonight we are watching Super Troopers! We had date night last weekend and watched Super Troopers 2 so naturally we have to go back and re-watch the original classic. Now on to the sandwich.
Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees and grease a sheet pan. This sandwich is a great use of cooked chicken. If you have a rotisserie chicken on hand shred it up. Did you cook some chicken in the crock-pot and have some leftover? Great! Even boil 2 chicken breasts on the stove top. Whichever way you choose to cook your chicken breast shred it then add to the pan. On top of that add the sliced mushrooms. Pop into the oven and cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes take the pan out of the oven and add the cheese then put pan back into the oven for another 5 minutes to let the cheese melt.
For the buns I decided that I wanted them to be steamed and not toasted. I tried a little trick to steam buns in the microwave that I found online and it worked really well! Just leave them in the plastic bag (of course remove the bag tie first which could have metal on it) then microwave for 30 seconds, viola! Fresh steamed buns.
The sauce is simply made by combining 1/4 cup mayonnaise and 2 Tbs Caesar dressing. This adds a creamy layer of flavor to the sandwich. Slather the sauce on the buns then slide the chicken, mushroom and cheese filling on to each bun. Pair with some chips. I recommend Better Made Garlic Dill Pickle! And here you are……
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
*Affiliate links are included in this post. Please read my Discloser Policy.
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 10 minutes |
| Servings |
sandwiches
|
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 8 sub sandwich buns steamed
- 1-1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tbs Caesar dressing
Ingredients
Chicken & Mushrooms
Dressing
|
|
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a sheet pan. To the pan add the cooked and shredded chicken. On top of that add the sliced mushrooms. Put into the oven and cook for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes take the pan out of the oven and add the cheese then put pan back into the oven for another 5 minutes to let the cheese melt.
- To steam the buns leave them in the plastic bag (remove the bag tie first which could have metal on it) then microwave for 30 seconds.
- Slather the sauce on the buns then add the chicken, mushroom and cheese filling to each bun. Pair with some chips. Enjoy!
- Combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise and 2 Tbs Caesar dressing.
Hacienda Torta Cubana
Did you know that this weekend kicks off not only Cinco De Mayo but also the Kentucky Derby? Double celebrations for this Mitten Movie Night. Who is ready to party? I know I am. For this very special day I made this copycat recipe that I really love from a very popular restaurant, Hacienda. Really going out for this recipe I made the bread from scratch then piled it high with slow cooked pork, ham, cheese and a special spicy sauce to top it off.
What are your plans this weekend? We are actually going to have our first date night in awhile Saturday. We might go to a non-kids movie or a brewery to watch the Derby. What do you do when you and your significant other have a little time off?
For tonight though we are easting this Torta Cubana and enjoying some Latitude 42 Brewing Company Nectar of the Goddess. I really love this beer it is fruity and perfect for the warmer weather. Complimenting the sweet and spicy topping on this sandwich and cut the salty taste of the pork and ham. Now on to the recipe!
As I said in the intro I made the bread for this sandwich from scratch. This Salsa Bread was so good and I was pleased at how well it took off on the blog. In fact, just two days it is now my #1 post on the blog. If you do not want to make the bread from scratch any sandwich bun will work.
Need a use for leftover pulled pork?
Then this sandwich is the perfect use for that. When I recently made my Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese I got the pork on a great deal and cooked it all at once. I used half for that recipe then the other half for this one.
The amount of ingredients should make 6 sandwiches. Divide the pork and ham up and you will make each of these made-to-order style in one pan. To a pan add the pulled pork and ham. Start to cook it over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Flip the meat. Butter the bottoms of the bread with some butter then add to the pan butter side down. Add cheese to the top of meat then cook for another 2-3 minutes until the bread is crispy and the cheese is melted. Remove and stack the sandwich on a plate and then prepare the Apricot Sriracha Sauce.
While the description for the sauce on this is ‘Spicy Chipotle’ I decided to use one of my favorite condiments, sriracha. Mix together some Apricot Jelly and sriracha according to taste but use the general recipe below to what I use and adjust from there.
Assemble the sandwich with warm and toasted salsa bread. Pile high with the pork, ham and cheese. Add the pickles and the sauce. Top off this deliciousness with the last piece of bread. And here you are….
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
*Affiliate links are included in this post. Please read my Discloser Policy.
Get The Recipe, Get The Goods
| Servings |
sandwiches
|
- 6 buns or 12 pieces of Salsa Bread/Regular Bread
- 1 cup cooked pulled pork
- 1/2 pound cookied ham
- 1/2 cup shredded colby jack cheese
- 1/4 cup sliced dill pickles
- 2 Tbs butter
- 1/4 cup Apricot Preserves
- 2-4 tsp Sriracha Sauce depending on taste
Ingredients
Torta Cubana Sandwich
Apricot Srircha Sauce
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