Flaky Ham and Turkey Sandwich Slices

 From: Pillsbury Annual Cookbook 2007

Ingredients:

• 1 box (15 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
• 2 tsp yellow mustard
• 1/2 lb sliced cooked turkey
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 small plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/2 lb sliced cooked ham

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Remove pie crusts from pouches; place crusts flat on work surface (after they've been softened). Brush each crust with 1 tsp mustard to within 1/2 inch of edge.

Layer turkey, cheese, tomato slices and ham in 4 1/2-inch-wide strip down center of each crust to within 1 inch of top and bottom of edges. Fold top and bottom edges up onto filling. Bring both sides up over filling, meeting in center; press crust edges together forming 1/2-inch-high seam to seal. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Cut 3 or 4 slits in the top crust of each to allow steam to escape.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Cut each roll into 8 slices; serve warm.

Verdict:

Thumbs up! I love a hot sandwich, so this had a great flavor combo and hit the spot.

What I did differently or would do differently the next time:

Honestly, I would love this with a croissant crust instead if I did this again. Also, reading is vital. I did NOT soften my pie crusts and the first one I cooked broke all to pieces because of this! Hah! Definitely let the pie crust soften so it is more pliable when you are layering.

Also, for some reason, my brain could not comprehend these directions. Let me give it to you in layman's terms: lay out your pie crust. Slather it with a little mustard. In the middle, lay down some turkey, then cheese on top, then tomatoes on top, then ham on top. Then fold the top and bottom inwards, and then pull over the left and right sides into the middle like a burrito. Boom.

I also love that you can easily vary the ingredients. The next day, I had one pie crust left, so I made another one with avocado mayo, and I added onions. Chefs kiss!

Cranberry-Turkey Quesadillas

 From: Pillsbury Annual Recipes 2007 cookbook

Ingredients:

• 1 package burrito tortillas
• 3 cups shredded pepper Jack cheese (12 oz)
• 6 oz smoked cooked turkey, chopped
• 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Heat oven to 400 degrees. On ungreased large cookie sheet, place 4 of the tortillas. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cheese over each tortilla. Top each evenly with turkey and cranberries. Sprinkle 1/4 cup remaining cheese over each. Top with remaining tortillas.

In small bowl, milk melted butter and parsley. Brush butter mixture over tops of filled tortillas. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until cheese is melted and edges begin to turn light golden brown. Cut into wedges; serve warm.

Verdict: Thumbs up! Oh man... these were so tasty! What a great combination of flavors! What I did differently: Well, as I was typing this recipe up, I realized I never brushed the tops with the butter and parsley mixture! Hah! I'm sure that would have been good, but these were great anyway. I also made some of them with mozzarella cheese in case the Bible study girls didn't care for spicy foods.

Baby Hot Browns

 From: Southern Living: All-time Favorites cookbook

Ingredients:

16 pumpernickel rye party bread slices

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp flour

1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups milk

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 pounds thinly sliced turkey

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Arrange bread slices on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 500 degrees for 3-4 minutes.

Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat; add flour, and cook, whisking constantly, until smooth. Add cheddar cheese, whisking until cheese melts. Gradually whisk in milk; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is thick and bubbly. Stir in salt and pepper. If desired, chill until ready to bake.

Top bread slices evenly with turkey. Top each with about 1 1/2 Tbsp cheese sauce. Sprinkle evenly with parmesan cheese and bacon.

Bake at 500 degrees for 7 minutes or until parmesan is melted.

What I did differently: I used regular slices of pumpernickel/rye. I broiled them in the beginning instead of baking them at 500 degrees (basically the same thing, right?) My suggestion would be to add the milk BEFORE adding the cheese. That's how I make macaroni and cheese. I followed the recipe instructions against my better judgement and the cheese was super gooey and didn't melt as smoothly as I would have liked. Trust me. Pour your milk in gradually to the butter/flour mixture, keep whisking, let it thicken, and THEN add that cheese. And we only had to cook it for about 4 minutes in the oven for it to be done. Perfection!

Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich

From: Macheesemo

Ingredients:
English muffins (I used Arnold sandwich thins that are made with flax and fiber)
Eggs
Cheese (I used store brand cheddar cheese)
I also used Jennie-O turkey bacon

Grab a muffin tin and crack an egg into each tin. The blog where I got the recipe from used a dozen (she was freezing them) but I only did four at a time. Make sure you spray with nonstick spray or spread with butter first!

Cook at 350 F for 10-15 minutes. Toast your bread if you like (I didn't).

After I cooked my eggs for about 10 minutes I added half a slice of cooked turkey bacon, crumbled, on top and cooked another 3 minutes. I sprinkled a quarter ounce of cheese on one bun, topped it with the egg and bacon, and then put the other side of the bun on top. I cooked it for another 5 minutes just to get it all toasty and melt the cheese.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! Trying to get more protein in my breakfast so this was perfect. You'll notice I had two eggs on my sandwich - that's because I used the sandwich thins instead of an English muffin. I will definitely be making these again. Check out the original recipe website for ways to freeze these!

*Macros noted are for the ingredients I used but only one egg, not the two I ended up using*

Calories: 213
Carbs: 21
Fat: 9
Protein: 14

Grilled Chicken BLT

From: Lawry's Website

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/4 lbs)
1/2 cup Lawry's Original Seasoned Salt Marinade, divided
1/4 cup mayonnaise
4 Kaiser or other crusty rolls, toasted
8 slices cooked bacon
1 medium tomato, sliced
4 lettuce leaves

Place chicken in large resealable plastic bag or glass dish. Add 1/4 cup of the marinade; turn to coat well. Refrigerate 30 minutes or longer for extra flavor. Meanwhile, mix mayonnaise and 2 Tbsp of the remaining marinade in small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Remove chicken from marinade. Discard any remaining marinade. Grill chicken over medium heat 6-7 minutes per side or until cooked through, brushing with remaining 2 Tbsp marinade. Spread mayonnaise mixture evenly on rolls. Top with chicken, bacon, tomato, and lettuce.

What I did differently from the recipe:
I quartered it because I was just making one sandwich for myself.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! Delicious! I don't normally add anything to my BLT - I think it is perfect just the way it is. But I got some Lawry's marinade in the mail today and this recipe looked so good I just wanted to go ahead and whip it up! Actually, I got some seasoned salt from Lawry's as well so I made homemade french fries (got a 5-lb bag of potatoes at the store today for $1.00!!!) and made them with seasoned salt instead of sea salt. Yummy!!

Grilled Chicken BLT

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/4 lbs)
1/2 cup Lawry's Original Seasoned Salt Marinade, divided
1/4 cup mayonnaise
4 Kaiser or other crusty rolls, toasted
8 slices cooked bacon
1 medium tomato, sliced
4 lettuce leaves

Place chicken in large resealable plastic bag or glass dish. Add 1/4 cup of the marinade; turn to coat well. Refrigerate 30 minutes or longer for extra flavor. Meanwhile, mix mayonnaise and 2 Tbsp of the remaining marinade in small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Remove chicken from marinade. Discard any remaining marinade. Grill chicken over medium heat 6-7 minutes per side or until cooked through, brushing with remaining 2 Tbsp marinade. Spread mayonnaise mixture evenly on rolls. Top with chicken, bacon, tomato, and lettuce.

Smoky BBQ Pork Sandwiches

From Pillsbury: Annual Recipes

Ingredients:
1 boneless pork shoulder roast
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups barbecue sauce
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp liquid smoke

Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle pork roast with salt and pepper. Add roast to skillet; cook 8 to 10 minutes or until browned on all sides. Place roast in 4-5 quart slow cooker. Cover; cook on low heat setting 8-10 hours. About 40 minutes before serving, remove roast from slow cooker and place on cutting board; discard liquid in slow cooker.

In slow cooker, stir together all remaining ingredients. With 2 forks, shred pork roast. Return pork to slow cooker; stir gently to mix with sauce. Increase heat setting to high; cover and cook 30 minutes longer or until thoroughly heated. Serve on buns.

What I did differently from the recipe:
Everything. No, just kidding. Leila had gotten a Honeybaked Ham for Christmas (YUM!) and we wanted to make this with the leftovers. Therefore, I didn't have to go to all the hassle of cooking a shoulder roast. All I did was shred the ham that we had, add that and all the other ingredients to the slow cooker, and cook it on high for about 30-40 minutes. SIMPLE! Also, I only used about one cup of barbecue sauce.

What I'll do differently next time:
Same as above, I'm sure.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! This was really delicious! The shredding of the ham took some time but it was much easier than cooking the whole shoulder roast, I think. Plus, it only took about 45-60 minutes to make (including the shredding) instead of 11 hours.

P.S.
Yes, that is delicious cucumber salad on my plate. Unfortunately you'll have to get that recipe from Corky. Yum!

Printable version:

Ingredients:
1 boneless pork shoulder roast
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups barbecue sauce
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp liquid smoke

Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle pork roast with salt and pepper. Add roast to skillet; cook 8 to 10 minutes or until browned on all sides. Place roast in 4-5 quart slow cooker. Cover; cook on low heat setting 8-10 hours. About 40 minutes before serving, remove roast from slow cooker and place on cutting board; discard liquid in slow cooker. In slow cooker, stir together all remaining ingredients. With 2 forks, shred pork roast. Return pork to slow cooker; stir gently to mix with sauce. Increase heat setting to high; cover and cook 30 minutes longer or until thoroughly heated. Serve on buns.