HOT HAM AND CHEESE SANDWICHES

If I had a dollar for every time I made these sandwiches, I would be a happy girl!  Just looking at them right now makes my mouth water!  Oh my goodness, they're A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!

My friend Matresa gave me this recipe years ago.  I have made them for so many occasions...bridal showers, baby showers, birthday parties, holiday get togethers, and sometimes for my family on days that I know will be busy.  These are good by themselves with some chips or you can serve them with soup.  I have not found a person that does not like them.  The best thing is you can make them the day before and then bake them up the next day.

I have made them on all different kinds of rolls.  The original recipe called for Pepperidge Farm finger rolls.  When PF stopped making them, I used SaraLee dinner rolls.  These particular sandwiches in the picture were made using King's Hawaiian Dinner Rolls.  I have also used turkey in place of the ham and a ham/turkey combination.  You could even experiment using your favorite cheese.  I think Havarti or Provolone might be good.

But what really makes these taste so good is the sauce that you pour on top.  I doesn't look great when you are cooking it but it takes these rolls to whole nutha level!   Oh and the smell in your kitchen is absolutely divine!

Trust me, you can't go wrong if you bring these for your New Year's celebration!  You will get a ton of compliments and I just bet it will become one of your favorite go-to recipes!

HOT HAM AND CHEESE SANDWICHES

1 pound Sliced Ham (I use Black Forest)

1 pound Sliced Swiss Cheese

2 packages King's Hawaiian Dinner Rolls (or other pre-made dinner rolls)

1-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce

1-1/2 sticks Butter

1-1/2 tablespoons Dry Minced Onions

1-1/2 tablespoons mustard

Cut rolls in half making a top and a bottom.  Place bottom half in a buttered, glass baking dish.

Layer ham, then cheese on top of rolls.

Put top half of rolls on top of the ham and cheese.

Melt butter and add remaining ingredients.  The mustard doesn't really combine well and that's fine.

Cut along perforated edges making single sandwiches.

Pour butter mixture over the sandwiches.

Place toothpicks in several of the sandwiches, cover with glad wrap and place in refrigerator overnight.

Remove the glad wrap and toothpicks and place in a cold oven.

Turn oven to 350 degrees and bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.  I always try to take these out of the fridge about an hour or more before I put them in the oven.  A cold dish put into a hot oven can cause it to break. Watch closely to make sure the onions on top and the bottoms do not burn.  

ENJOY!

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE

CHICKEN SALAD

If I only had a dime for every time I have made this chicken salad...I would be a rich girl! Ha!  I have made it for just about every baby and wedding shower I have ever given and for luncheons galore.  It is quick to make and super easy, as well!

I first had chicken salad made with grapes at a local, little bakery.  I went there probably every week.  But, unfortunately, the owner sold out and when the new management took over, they did not offer lunch...boo!!  So, that left me to try to figure out how to make that amazing chicken salad.  I tried different ingredients until I came up with this one and it is my favorite. 

CHICKEN SALAD

1 - 12.5 ounce can Tyson Chicken Breast, drained

2 Eggs, boiled, peeled and diced

4 tablespoons Mayonnaise

2 heaping teaspoons Sweet Relish

Sweet Green or Red Grapes, approximately 20 halved

2-3 tablespoons chopped Pecans or Walnuts or sliced Almonds

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Put the chicken in a medium bowl and using a fork, separate the chicken.  Add the other ingredients and stir well.  If you feel like it needs more mayonnaise, you can add it at this time.

Serve on lettuce, bread or croissants.

Makes about 6 whole sandwiches, depending on how much mixture you place on each sandwich.

 ENJOY!

 CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE 

SLOPPY JOES

I think the last time I made Sloppy Joes, my kids were in elementary school and I used Manwich! Those were so wonderful that I have not made them again!


I decided to attempt them again but, this time I decided to find a recipe....no Manwich!  I googled a few and then I saw a recipe by Pioneer Woman.  I absolutely love her recipes.  I have one of her cookbooks and she cooks the way I like to cook and the things I like to cook.  So, that helped me make up my mind which recipe to try.  Now, I did change up a few things.  First of all, I used a combination of half ground turkey breast and half ground sirloin.  Holly requested that I not make them too sweet so I didn't put all of the brown sugar that it called for.  I also left out the chili pepper flakes because it hax too much kick for some sensitive stomachs and that is an ingredient you can add post-cooking anyway...so no biggie!

I served the Sloppy Joes with Roasted Potatoes and Homemade Apple Pie.  Truly a down home american meal!  I, once again, did not take the picture immediately and had to do it later.  I am usually cooking right up to the point that I have told everyone that supper will be ready so I have some hungry eyes staring at me and no time to stop and take a picture.

I was not expecting big things from these Sloppy Joes.  BUT....these were sooooo gooooood that I have literally eaten them 3 days in a row!  I had one Thursday for supper, 1/2 a Joe on Friday for lunch and another 1/2 on Saturday for lunch!  These will definitely be a regular at our house from now on.

I started out taking pictures and then got sidetracked and just forgot I was supposed to be taking pictures for this blog...so this recipe will be without a lot of pictures!   I apologize for my brain...these days it is on overload and is apparently checking out!

SLOPPY JOES

1-1/4 pounds Ground Sirloin
1-1/4 pounds Ground Turkey Breast
Garlic Powder and Garlic Salt
1 - 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 large Onion, diced
1 large Green Bell Pepper, diced
5 cloves Garlic, minced (I, of course, use 8 or 9 ha!)
1-1/4 cup Ketchup
1 cup Water
2 tablespoons Brown Sugar (I only used 1 tablespoon)
2 teaspoons Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
1/2 teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes
Salt to taste
Freshly Ground Pepper to taste
Tabasco Sauce (optional; to taste)
Hamburger Buns

1. In a large non-stick skillet, combine the sirloin and turkey breast and cook over medium-high to high heat.

2. Cover the meat generously with garlic powder and sprinkle garlic salt lightly over the meat














3.  Sprinkle the worcestershire sauce over the meat and stir well
4.  Continue cooking and add the onion, bell pepper and garlic until the meat is cooked
5.   If there is any cooking grease in the pan, drain and discard
6.  Add the ketchup, water, and brown sugar to the meat, stirring to incorporate
7.  Sprinkle dry mustard, chili powder and chili flakes (if desired) over the meat and stir well
8.  Add salt and pepper to taste
9.  Serve on warm hamburger buns...these can be toasted if you like
10. You can serve with onion, pickles, jalapenos and/or cheese

ENJOY!

"CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE"