A Collection of 10 of My Delicious, Quick and Easy Recipes

We all often want delicious, quick and easy recipes these days; so I thought I'd give you a collection of some of mine.  I find these particularly good right now, since I'm a little under the weather...

Hearty and Crunchy Golden Panini Turkey Sandwich with Gooey Melted Pimento Cheese

Hearty and Crunchy Golden Panini Turkey Sandwich with Gooey, Melted Pimento Cheese

If you are craving a quick, yet satisfying lunch or supper with minimal ingredients, you'll love this easy and hearty panini!  Made with crunchy seeded bakery bread, this golden grilled sandwich just oozes gooey, delicious melted pimento cheese smothering toothsome, thinly sliced deli turkey!

I make it with prepackaged deli turkey and my daughter's amazing pimento cheese from Paula Deen's recipe!

                          Oh, Just Look At That Gooey Melted Cheese...

                                   Not Sure I Can Wait For It To Cool!

Zesty Albacore White Tuna Salad Fused with A Distinctive Crunch!

Take tuna salad from boring to delightful with this easy and delectable albacore white tuna salad fused with a unique and zesty crunch!

When you need something light and uncomplicated for lunch, dinner, a snack or an appetizer, you'll love this distinctive tuna salad!

                     It's Unique and Zesty Crunch Makes This Definitely...

                                         Not Your Typical Tuna Salad!

Hearty Beef Pot Roast with Vegetables In The Slow Cooker

Put this hearty pot roast on early in the morning and come home to a nice hot meal.  You can do the prep work the night before, including searing the roast, if you like!  It's all very easy, but so satisfying! Make enough to have leftovers for sandwiches!

                                 When It's Cold and Ugly Outside...

                         This Will Keep Them Warm and Cozy Inside!

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 approx. 3 lb. boneless beef shoulder (pot) roast--allow about 1/2 lb. per person
• 2 TB all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. seasoned salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 TB vegetable oil
• 4 cleaned stalks of celery, cut into about 3" pieces
• 4 cleaned and peeled carrots, halved or quartered to achieve about 1/2" thickness ea. piece
• 1 large yellow onion, peeled & sliced into about 1/2 slices*
• 3 approx. 1/2 lb./ea. Idaho baking potatoes, scrubbed and cut, unpeeled, into halves
• (table salt and freshly ground black pepper for sprinkling on the vegetables)

Directions

1. Preheat the slow cooker on low.  
2. Pat the roast dry with a paper towel on all sides.  Mix the flour, seasoned salt, pepper and garlic powder together with a fork or small whisk.  Sprinkle the mixture all over the roast and rub it in with the back of a spoon.  Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat.  Sear all sides of the roast about one minute each side, or until well browned.  
3. Place the potatoes on the bottom of the slow cooker and sprinkle lightly with the table salt and pepper.  Scatter about half of the other vegetables on top of the potatoes and lightly sprinkle with more table salt and the pepper.  Place the roast on top of these vegetables, pouring any drippings scraped from the skillet on top of the roast.  Put the remainder of the vegetables on top of the roast and sprinkle lightly with additional table salt and the pepper.  
4. For a tender roast, cook on low for 10 hours.  The internal temperature of the roast should register at least 160º for medium. (Optional:  If you're at home while the roast is cooking, flip it over after about four or five hours.)  

*Tip:   To avoid odor on your hands, rub them with lemon juice before peeling an onion.  To avoid or keep tears to a minimum, peel and slice an onion under cool, running water.

The vegetables and roast will create a flavorful gravy in the cooker.  Serve the roast and vegetables with the gravy and nice soft rolls or bread.  Chow down and enjoy!

                                        Find A Little Comfort...                     

                                            All In One Pot!
                               
Printable Recipe

So Simple, So Perfect, Crispy Roast Chicken

 (I've had this sitting in draft for a few days.  However, I had a slight interruption...my precious, new baby granddaughter was welcomed into the world on August 2nd!)

Craving some protein?  Make it on Sunday and have it for leftovers during the week...a salad, a sandwich or just more delicious roast chicken.  That wing or leg will haunt you for a late night snack!

Roast chicken just doesn't get any better or any easier than this!  After much experimenting over the years, I came to this simple method for a classic and delicious roast chicken.  No need to stuff or truss!  Roasters are not as dry as baking chickens; all they need is a little seasoning...not even any butter or oil!  Follow this recipe and I guarantee you a succulent roast chicken with a crispy exterior!
                               

The aroma of a chicken roasting in the oven just seems to say:

                              

                                              "Welcome Home!"

                                    Salivating?  Let's Cut Into It...

Serves 4 or more

Ingredients

• 1 plump roasting chicken (about 4 to 5 lbs.)
• garlic powder
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• dried thyme leaves
• dried rosemary leaves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375º.
2. Place a rack in a shallow roasting (or baking) pan which you've lined w/foil.*
3. Wash the chicken and remove any fat,* neck or giblets from the inside.
4. Pat the chicken dry and place it breast up on the rack in the pan.
5. Sprinkle the inside of the chicken with salt and pepper.
6. Sprinkle all the seasonings on the top of the chicken.
7. Place in the oven and roast uncovered about 30 minutes per lb. or until a drumstick moves easily at the joint and the juices run clear, or the chicken registers at least 180º when a thermometer is inserted.  (Check after about 1 to 1 1/2 hours and if already golden brown, loosely cover with a tent of foil to keep from over browning.)

*Tips 

• You can save any fat for schmaltz, see:  "The Schmaltz" under "Bon Bon's Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls".  
• Over the years, I've used so many different configurations of a roasting pan for this chicken.  Generally I use whatever is handy.  I've even used a toaster-oven rack in a baking pan.  You really don't need anything fancy...just a rack and a pan! (This note is especially for those who don't own a lot of equipment or are just starting out in the kitchen).  However, if you happen to have an impressive roasting pan and rack, enjoy it!
• My Not Just White Chicken Chili would be great for using leftover chicken breast from this roast!

Let the chicken rest a few minutes before slicing. (I prefer an electric knife to achieve attractive slices.) You'll feel like Mama just wrapped her arms around you while you enjoy this with your favorite sides!*

*Suggested Sides:

My Simple Side Salad with Avocado and Satisfying Spatzle Casserole with Swiss Cheese; Sweet Potato Casserole with Crunchy Nut Topping or Yellow Summer Squash Casserole.

Printable Recipe

Stuffed French Toast with Cream Cheese and Strawberries

You have to try this fabulous-tasting French toast this weekend.  Though it makes the perfect brunch item, you would enjoy it anytime you're in the mood.  It's easy and you would have fun making it with the kids!

                                         A Little Bit of Heaven

Ingredients

Per Serving:

• 2 slices cinnamon-raisin bread
• 2 TB softened Neufchatel cheese or cream cheese
  
• 2 TB strawberry preserves

Soak For One to Two Servings:

• l egg
• 2 TB milk
• Dash nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. vanilla 

For The Skillet:

• Butter-flavored cooking spray
• 1 TB butter (per sandwich)

Directions

1.  The Stuffing:

For each sandwich:  On one slice of bread, spread the 2 TB of softened Neufchatel cheese or cream cheese and then spread the 2 TB of strawberry preserves on top of that, taking care not to spread the stuffing all the way to the edges.  Place another slice of bread on top of the stuffing and pinch the edges of the sandwich together all the way around.

2.   The Soak:

For one to two servings, use an approximate one to one & one-half qt. shallow glass cooking dish and whisk together the ingredients for the soak.  Lay each sandwich in the soak and let the sandwich(es) absorb the egg mixture until wet but not completely soaked.  Carefully lift each sandwich and flip to soak the opposite side of the sandwich(es) just until wet.

 3.   Cooking the Sandwich:

Spray a non-stick skillet with the butter-flavored cooking spray.  Over medium heat, melt 1 TB of butter for each sandwich.  Carefully transfer the sandwich(es) to the skillet and cook, flipping once, until golden brown on each side.


Enjoy and be prepared to be transported to heaven (for a minute anyway)!

Printable Recipe

How This Avocado BLT Stacks Up

Avocado is my butter, and I absolutely adore it!  Probably because I eat very little butter, I find avocado a special treat.  I remember my mother, a dietitian, always said avocado had a lot of fat, but the good kind - well, bring it on!

Following is my simple version of an Avocado BLT which I've been making for many years (way before the current wave of recipes for it).  But how you stack this sandwich is critical to its fabulous taste.  You want the bacon to impart its salty flavor between the avocado and tomato!

I typically enjoy this sandwich for brunch.  Whether you have it for brunch, lunch, dinner or in between, you'll find it delicious anytime! 

Oh, if you wondered what happened to those tomatoes from my last blog, well....

How to Stack This Avocado BLT*

1.  Toast two slices of a hearty, whole-grain bread (I like a 9 or 12-grain).

2.  Spread mayo on each slice of the toasted bread (I use a reduced fat).

3.  Place a large green salad leaf on one slice of the bread.

4.  Place a couple of slices of tomato on top of the salad leaf.  Add salt and fresh ground black pepper.

5.  Add a couple of slices of cooked bacon (I use an extra-lean turkey bacon; if you like, there is a low-fat pork bacon.)

6.  Add one-half of a ripe avocado,** sliced lengthwise.  Sprinkle with salt.

7.  Top with the other slice of toasted bread.

8.  Cut the sandwich in half with a sharp serrated knife. Enjoy!

*Use premium ingredients.
**An avocado is ripe when slightly soft to the touch.

           And here's a great way to use the other half of that avocado:

I used mozzarella cheese with the avocado in this omelette, but I always use whatever is on hand:  Swiss, Colby, Cheddar, etc.

If you're not quite ready to use the other half of your avocado, I recently discovered this neat gadget which helps retard browning.  You strap the avocado in it like a baby in a car seat and place in the refrigerator. Be sure to cut the avocado evenly, since the idea is to keep the avocado from being exposed to air, and place it in its little seat with the seed intact (there's an indentation for the seed);  a similar gadget is also made for apples:

                                               My "Butter Dish"

                    

Before I place the avocado in the gadget, I sprinkle it with lemon juice and/or "Fresh Fruit" produce protector (a powder typically used for canning and made by Ball) to also help retard browning.  If you keep the sliced avocado more than six hours in the avocado holder, it's still going to brown a little; but the lemon juice and/or powder will help prevent more intense browning.  I generally use the avocado within a couple of days and just scrape off any browning.  Have Fun! 

Printable Recipe