Breakfast Grilled Cheese

Our latest recipe swap theme was breakfast.  And I never would have thought a simple sandwich would make me so happy!  I haven't been eating much for breakfast lately, so this was a nice break from my rut.

Jenna from Jenna's Cooking Journey submitted this recipe.  For some, it might seem like an odd combination, but I promise you that it's far from that.  Even if you aren't a fan of goat cheese, this is worth trying...it may convert you to the other side.

Breakfast Grilled Cheese
from Jenna's Cooking Journey

1 egg
salt and pepper
2 slices of bread (I used whole wheat)
1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese (or a few tablespoons of smooth)
1 tablespoon pesto (homemade or store bought)
2 pats butter

Scramble egg, seasoning with salt and pepper while cooking.  Add goat cheese to one side of bread, and pesto to the other.  Place egg on either piece, then close sandwich.

Add butter to each side of bread and place in preheated panini press.  Cook until desired toasted level is reached.

Blackened Tilapia Sandwiches with Avocado Spread

What new shows have you watched this season so far?  Anything you really love?  Hate?

I have a bunch that I'm looking forward to...but, I can't even begin to contain my excitement about the Dancing With The Stars All-Stars season that started this week.  I LOVE the show and having all the great ones from seasons past on at the same time makes me giddy.  Well, actually, Joey Fatone is the one who makes me giddy...

(did I say that out loud?)

So, now my nights are filled with TV watching, once again...good thing I can multitask and write my blog posts at the same time :)  And this sandwich is perfect for when life gets busy, thanks to back-to-school and the new primetime season.


Blackened Tilapia Sandwiches with Avocado Spread
slightly adapted from Cake, Batter and Bowl

for the avocado spread:
1 avocado, mashed
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt

for the tilapia:
1 1/2 teaspoons thyme
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tilapia filets
1 tablespoon canola oil

4 buns
sliced tomato
sliced onion

To make the avocado spread, mix avocado, lime juice, cilantro and salt together in a small bowl.  Refrigerate.

Mix all spices together in a small bowl.  Massage spice mixture evenly on both sides of each fish filet.  Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet and cook filets on each side, about 3-4 minutes.

Spread avocado spread on one side of bun.  Add fish, tomato and onion.  Cover with other half of bun and serve.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

Buffalo Chicken Sliders for a Virtual Baby Shower!

Happy Monday, everyone!  Hope you had a great weekend.  I did - a wonderful time with family/friends, along with a lot of exciting sports - with both of my favorite teams winning yesterday, I'm feeling the spirit.  So, the timing of this post couldn't be more perfect!

My friend Jessica, from The Jey of Cooking, is expecting her second child one month from today.  And it's a girl!  Her adorable little boy is going to be a big brother :)  So exciting!

Jey is a huge baseball fan, so what theme would be more perfect for her virtual baby shower than ballpark food?  It's an All-Star event that will have you all yearning for your favorite stadium eats!

Many of you know that I pretty much love buffalo ANYTHING.  And I think Jey does too.  So, I think she'll appreciate my contribution, which is quick, easy, delicious...perfect to eat while rooting for your home team.  I'd normally make this in the crockpot for a large crowd, but since I was only feeding myself and Frank, I made a faster version.

Jey, congratulations again...I hope we hit this virtual baby shower out of the park for you!


Buffalo Chicken Sliders
3 boneless chicken breasts, cooked
1/4 cup (approximately) Frank's Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce
1/4 cup blue cheese dressing
slider rolls

Shred cooked chicken and place in a bowl.  Add hot sauce and dressing and mix.  Taste and adjust ingredients according to your liking.  Spoon onto slider rolls and serve.

Sweet Ham & Swiss Sliders

I've been intrigued by this recipe for a long time now, so I recently tried it and took it along to a party.  What a crowd pleaser!  And it couldn't have been easier to make.

I mean, seriously, what's not to love about this?

I made a few adaptations, like using large onion rolls cut in 4, instead of slider rolls (gotta improvise when you can't find what the recipe calls for!), and I also made a batch with turkey instead of ham.  They were equally delicious :)

I think this post is perfect as far as timing goes, considering football season has begun!


Sweet Ham & Swiss Sliders
adapted from Heather Likes Food

8 large onion rolls
24 slices ham (or turkey)
16 slices swiss cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a 9x13 baking pan, or on a rimmed baking sheet, place bottom halves of rolls.  Top each with ham and cheese (enough so all is evenly distributed among all of the bread).  Spread a little mayonnaise on each top half roll and place on top of ham and cheese.  Make sure rolls are snug together.

In a small bowl, combine mustard, butter, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar.  Mix until combined.  Pour evenly over rolls.  Cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to bake (or bake right away).

Bake covered for 10 minutes, then remove foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until tops are browned and cheese is melted.

Copycat Chick-Fil-A Sandwich

I'm not going to get all political on you here.  I'll just say that I'm glad I perfected this sandwich, since I otherwise wouldn't be eating it anymore.

Now all I need to do is nail down the waffle fries and I'll be all set.

Copycat Chick-Fil-A Sandwich
slightly adapted from Hilah Cooking

4 boneless chicken breasts
1 cup pickle juice
3 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cups AP flour
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
vegetable oil for frying (peanut oil is supposedly better, but I didn't have any)
4 buns, buttered and toasted
pickle slices

Pound out chicken to 1/2 inch thickness.  Marinate in pickle juice for 1 hour.

Beat egg and milk together in a bowl.  Combine flour, sugar and spices in another bowl.  Dip chicken on both sides in egg first, then flour mixture.

Heat oil in a deep skillet.  Fry each piece for a few minutes on each side, or until golden and cooked through.  Place on paper towel lined plate and blot top side.  Serve on buns with pickles.

Caprese Sliders with Pesto Mayonnaise

This time around, our recipe swap theme was very fitting, considering last month was the hottest July on record - "Too Hot to Cook".  And yeah, that about sums it up lately.  It's been a scorcher, for sure!

I was happy to see the recipe I received, which was from Jenna from Jenna's Cooking Journey.  While we were at our shore house, I made these for lunch, with a few adaptations.  I changed them to sliders, since we had mini rolls, and left the meat in its natural state.  The pesto mayo was a great condiment, but I neglected to snap a photo of it...whoops!  And, it's an iPhone picture, so it's not that great.

Yeah, not very well prepared.  But what's most important is...the burgers were delicious!!  Perfect for a hot summer day.

Caprese Sliders with Pesto Mayonnaise
adapted from Jenna's Cooking Journey

1 pound ground beef
salt and pepper
fresh mozzarella, sliced
1 tomato, sliced
fresh basil leaves
mini burger buns

for the pesto mayonnaise:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 pesto (homemade or store bought)

Mix salt and pepper into beef.  Form into 6-7 patties.  Place on hot grill and cook on one side for a few minutes.  Flip over and add cheese.  Cover grill and cook another few minutes, until cheese is melted (cook burgers to your liking).

Place burgers on buns.  Top with tomato and basil.  Spread pesto mayonnaise on bun.  Serve.

Grilled Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato & Pesto Sandwich

I feel like the majority of my posts lately have consisted of the same ingredients.  Anyone else notice that?  Blueberries, tomatoes, herbs...all those delicious things that are in season.

Today is no exception.  How can you resist this sandwich?  It's quick, easy and so delicious.  Comforting is an understatement.  


It's a super simple "adult" grilled cheese :)

There should be a nice slice of onion in here but unfortunately I was out of them that day (!!!)...normally that's a given with any grilled cheese I make.  Still, it was awesome.

I want the herbs in my garden to last forever!!!

Grilled Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato & Pesto Sandwich
2 slices bread
pat of butter
sliced fresh mozzarella cheese
sliced tomato
pesto (homemade or store bought)

Spread pesto on both sides of bread.  Add cheese and tomato, then close sandwich.  Melt butter in a pan over medium high heat, then put sandwich in.

Grill on one side, then flip.  Grill on other side until cheese is melted, then remove and plate.  Cut in half and serve.

Hawaiian Pulled Pork

It's been a scorcher of a summer already!  It pains me to turn the oven on...even the stovetop makes my kitchen hotter than it needs to be.  I don't even want to think about what August will be like!

Time to bust out my trusty crockpot again...

It's been a while since I made my old standby pulled pork recipe.  I was all set to make it when I thought, maybe it's time to try something new.  And we were both glad that I did.  Delicious!

Hawaiian Pulled Pork
slightly adapted from The Experimental Spoon

3 pounds pork shoulder (or butt)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 (15 ounce) can pineapple rings, drained and chopped
salt and pepper
rolls

Place pork in crockpot, followed by onion and remaining ingredients.  Cook for 6-8 hours on low.  While cooking, when meat looks tender enough, shred with 2 forks so it absorbs more juice.

Makes about 6 servings.

Teriyaki Turkey Burgers

This time around our recipe swap theme was one of my favorites...burgers (and sandwiches, too).  Frank just isn't a big fan of burgers for dinner at home, or even when we're out.  I mean, don't get me wrong...he'll eat them :) but it would just never be his first choice.  So, I made this for myself for lunch while he was at work.

I was happy to receive a recipe that I hadn't tried before.  Stef from Kickin it in the Kitch submitted it and it was really good!  I had to grill a few extra pieces of pineapple (couldn't resist) but hey, at least I ate it without a bun :)

Thanks for a great recipe, Stef!

Teriyaki Turkey Burgers
slightly adapted from Kickin it in the Kitch

1 cup breadcrumbs
1 can pineapple rings, drained (reserve 1/4 cup liquid)
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 pound lean ground turkey
teriyaki sauce for basting
jalapeno slices

Combine breadcrumbs, juice and soy sauce in a bowl and mix.  Add meat and mix well.  Shape into 4 patties.

Grill for about 10-12 minutes, brushing occasionally with teriyaki sauce.  With a few minutes left, add pineapple to grill and cook for a minute or two on each side.  Baste with sauce if you like.  Plate burger and top with pineapple and jalapeno.

Horseradish Burgers with Havarti

There are very few things I love more than a great burger.  Seriously, I could eat one every day.  All the more reason why, once again, variety is key.

The rain doesn't stop me, either.  I made these beauties on my Griddler and they were just as delicious as grilling them outside.  Do yourself a favor and buy one today if you don't have one already - it's one of my favorite things!  Which reminds me...I still have to get the waffle plates...

It's easy for me to have my burgers "protein style" when they're this yummy.  You won't miss the bun here - promise!

Horseradish Burgers with Havarti

barely adapted from Tyler Florence

2 pounds ground beef

1/4 cup prepared horseradish

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper

sliced havarti cheese

buns (but like I said, you don't need them!)

toppings and condiments of your choice

Put beef in a bowl.  Mix in horseradish and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper.  Handform into 8 patties.  

Grill burgers for about 8 minutes (for medium), then flip.  Add cheese.  Cover for 1 minute so cheese melts.  Serve with favorite condiments and toppings.

Linked to: Cheese Blog Hop

The Best Tuna Salad

There are plenty of people out there rolling their eyes, I know.  The sight of "the best" anything has that effect on some.  And that's fine.

So to all you eye rollers out there, just do me one favor.  Try this recipe.  THEN tell me what you think.

I mean it.  Leave me a comment.  Prove me wrong.

Until then, I agree with Cook's Country...this IS The Best Tuna Salad!

The Best Tuna Salad
from Cook's Country Magazine

3 cans solid white tuna packed in water (I've always preferred Bumblebee)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup minced onion
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (CC recommends Hellmann's...that's all we EVER use in this house!)
1 celery stalk, finely chopped

Drain tuna and pat dry with a paper towel.  Microwave oil and onion for about 2 minutes, until onion begins to soften.  Mix with tuna, lemon juice, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.  Let marinate for 10 minutes.

Stir in mayo and serve (I like my tuna salad cold so I always refrigerate it for a while before eating).

Crockpot French Dip Sandwiches

Another week, another crockpot recipe...and another use for bottom round roast.

We love my pot roast but we like to change it up too.  I came across this recipe during a recent recipe swap and put it on my short list to make on one of my work days.  The ease of it was just one reason why I loved it.  The rest, well, is pretty obvious.

I didn't even bother sticking these under the broiler and they were still delicious.  The heat of the meat melts the cheese a bit and all the flavors join together really well.

A delicious sandwich that's hearty enough for dinner.  And easy enough to make while you're in the office.  Score!

Crockpot French Dip Sandwiches
barely adapted from Kate's Recipe Box

2 pounds beef bottom round roast
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 tablespoon herbs de provence
3 bay leaves, broken in half
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
3 cups water
Italian bread
sliced provolone cheese
mayonnaise
italian seasoning

Place meat in crockpot.  Add garlic, herbs de provence and bay leaves.  Pour in soy sauce and water.  Cook on low for 6-10 hours until meat is fork tender.

To assemble sandwiches:  cut and split bread.  Add meat to bottom slice.  Spread mayo on top slice then sprinkle italian seasoning on top.  Place cheese on meat and either broil for a few minutes, or close sandwich and serve right away.  Spoon out some au jus and serve on the side, if desired.

Linked to: Tastetastic Thursday

Mini Croques Monsieur

Well, by now we know which picture took home the Academy Award.  I have no idea if this dish accurately represents the winning film, but I didn't want to stay up until the end of the show and then write my post :)

If you read my blog post yesterday you got a recap of all of the dishes I made for my 24x24 party.  The first recipe I'm sharing is what I made to represent the film "Midnight in Paris".  This delicious sandwich is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and is very easy to make.  I'm wishing I had one right about now, as I sit here and watch Billy Crystal kick off the show...

Stay tuned for more of my party recipes in the next few weeks.  Hope your favorites took home Oscars last night!

Mini Croques Monsieur
slightly adapted from Kitchen Illiterate

12 thin slices cut from French baguette
ham
fontina cheese (use whatever cheese you like, but I HIGHLY recommend fontina)
dijon mustard
3 eggs
salt and pepper
butter

Beat eggs in a bowl and add salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Assemble sandwiches by spreading mustard on each side of bread, then add cheese and ham.  Melt butter in a skillet.  Generously immerse sandwiches in egg and place in skillet.  Cook for about 5 minutes on each side, until cheese is melted.  Serve immediately.

Foodbuzz 24x24: A Tribute to the Best Picture Oscar Nominees of 2012!

I was so excited when I received the email from Foodbuzz that my 24x24 proposal had been accepted this month!  Planning a menu and party around a theme is always fun, and I had a blast with this concept.

For those of you not familiar with 24x24, it's a virtual party sponsored by Foodbuzz each month, where 24 bloggers' proposals are chosen to be executed in the same day.  Since the assigned party date was the day before the Academy Awards, I thought it would be fun to come up with an event based on it.  Then I thought, why not devote one dish to each movie nominated for Best Picture?  Awesome.  Except, I hadn't seen any of the movies...

Frank and I have never been big movie goers...and now our trips to the theater are to see whatever Disney film is playing.  But, we love watching movies at home, and I LOVE watching the Oscars...especially the Red Carpet portion :)  So, I did a little research on each film and came up with rough ideas for each of them, finalized the menu, went shopping, and got to work.

My family got together and enjoyed the feast (like we do most weekends anyway!) while listening to tunes from our favorite movie soundtracks.  The dishes were mostly of the picky/finger food variety, which was what I wanted, since there were 9 of them.  I wanted everyone to enjoy a little portion of each.

All of the recipes will be featured in the next few weeks, but the dishes were as follows (alphabetized by movie title):

For "The Artist" - Crostini with Goat Cheese and Olive Tapenade.  I went with something black and white since, well, that's what the movie is :)

For "The Descendants" - Pineapple Coconut Ice Cream.  It brought us right back to Hawaii.

For "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" - Juice Box Wings, based on the juice boxes that Thomas Horn's character is seen drinking throughout the movie.

For "The Help" - Chocolate Pie.  If you read the book or saw the movie, you definitely know why this dish was a no-brainer.

For "Hugo" - Herb Mushroom Quiche with Puff Pastry, shaped as hearts to match the key ring that is significant in the film.

For "Midnight in Paris" - Mini Croques Monsieur.  When in Paris...

For "Moneyball" - Salty Sweet Candied Peanuts.  A fun spin on ballpark food!

For "The Tree of Life" - Death By Chili.  I thought a comfort food dish was fitting based on the movie, and made an extra batch of my chili that won FOUR awards at a competition I was in the week before the party!  Much more to come on this...

And finally, for "War Horse" - Raw Kale Salad with Walnuts, Pecorino & Lemon, a farm to table dish which is appropriate for this movie's theme.

We had a great time - it really was a lot of fun!  I can't wait to share all of the recipes with you.  Enjoy the Oscars!

Turkey Sloppy Joes

There are different meals that are staples in certain homes.  If you're a regular reader of my blog, you know what some of ours are :)  What are yours?

One meal that I know is a popular staple with some families is sloppy joes.  And that's great.  It's just not something I remember eating much at all growing up...and until now, a meal that I never made.

All I picture when I hear the words is a Manwich can.  Do they even make that anymore?

Anyway, the mood struck me recently, and I caved.  With a healthier version.  On homemade rolls (another first!!!  recipe coming soon).

Thumbs up for sure.  This could be a new staple for us...and hopefully for you, too!  You could even make it your healthy option for Super Bowl Sunday, that is, if you're considering one :)

Turkey Sloppy Joes
slightly adapted from Martha Stewart

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped carrots
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 pound ground turkey
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 sandwich rolls

Heat oil over medium heat in a large saucepan.  Add carrots, onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper.  Cook for about 4-5 minutes, until soft.

Add tomato paste and cook another minute while stirring.  Add turkey and cook another 4-5 minutes until no longer pink, while breaking meat up with a spoon.

Add tomatoes, sugar, vinegar and Worcestershire.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 12-14 minutes.  Serve on rolls.

Linked to: Tastetastic Thursday

Packing it up

Lately you may have noticed that I've alluded to some changes going on around here - reasons why I will need to make things a bit easier for me in the kitchen a few days a week.  The big news is that I've decided to reenter the workforce after almost 4 years!

I wasn't really planning on it, but a great opportunity with a company that I worked for several years ago came along.  I started yesterday and will be working part time, which is perfect for me right now.  Soooo, obviously I'll be busier...BUT, don't worry, my blog will not suffer as a result.  I wouldn't neglect my second baby like that! :)

In my previous life, when I was a career woman without kids, I rarely packed my lunch.  Working in the city made eating at restaurants and/or ordering lunch in way too tempting.  You walk out of the door to your building and have so many fantastic options within a few blocks...NYC is great like that.  Plus, who wants to carry their lunch while commuting via bus or train or ferry?  I really didn't.

Now that I'll be driving to the office (and a very short drive, I may add!) and work in an area where you have to get in your car for anything you need, bringing lunch is more practical.  And of course, it gives me more material to write about :)

I know there are a lot of ways to make egg salad (I have a few favorites myself)...this one is probably at the top of my list.  I love the tastes of these ingredients together, and it only takes a few minutes to make.  Easy to pack, too!

Now I have to get busy baking, since my new coworkers are dying to try some of my sweet treats...

Tangy Egg Salad
4 hard boiled eggs
1 teaspoon mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons dijon
2 teaspoons sweet relish
salt and pepper to taste
diced onion

Peel and chop eggs in a bowl.  Add remaining ingredients and taste as you go to adjust seasonings to your liking.  Serve as a sandwich, with crackers, or eat straight up with a fork!

Serves 2.

Spreading more blogging community love (Secret Recipe Club)

Since it was only 2 days ago, I'm sure you remember my yummy recipe that I posted for my first contribution to the Secret Recipe Club.  It really was a blast to participate in, and it was great seeing what everyone else chose to make.  Plus, it was a great way to get introduced to some new blogs that are terrific!

After Amanda posted the blog hop, it was determined that one blogger's recipe had been forgotten.  The person who had it suddenly backed out, leaving Connor's Cooking an orphan of the reveal  :(   So, several of us decided it would be fun to choose one of her recipes and post it today, to make up for what happened.

I had very little time to make something since I was going out to dinner with friends, so I perused the blog for quick and easy recipes.  The one that caught my eye was perfect...it could be made ahead so I could eat it for lunch today.  Plus, I had all the ingredients in the house.

This recipe is a "dip" and although I photographed it that way, I actually kept the eggs a bit chunky (my preference) and had it on wheat bread for a nice lunchtime sandwich (with sliced red onion, of course!).    It was delicious!  I could see it as being a big hit at a party, though, served as a dip with crackers and celery.  Yum.  

Deviled Dip

slightly adapted from Connor's Cooking

8 hard boiled eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon mustard
5 bread and butter pickles, chopped
a few shakes of hot sauce
paprika, salt and pepper to taste

Chop eggs and add all additional ingredients. Stir until combined. Serve with crackers and celery.

Mexico on a bun

It's no surprise to any of my regular readers that I love two things...

spicy food
and
burgers.

Let's combine the two, shall we?

In my quest for expanding our "burger portfolio" this grilling season, I've been making new creations based on what's in my fridge (my typical MO).  These were goooood...

Salsa or pico de gallo would be a nice addition to this burger, although it really isn't necessary...the juiciness of the burger and the creaminess of the avocado were good enough for us.

Ole!

Spicy Mexican Burgers 
1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
4 slices Pepperjack cheese
sliced red onion
jalapeno peppers
sliced avocado
4 hamburger rolls

Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl without overmixing.  Form into 4 patties.  Place patties on grill and cook to your liking.  Place on rolls and top with remaining ingredients.

Boardwalk grub

Google this:  sausage & peppers recipe.

How many different ones popped up?

That's the beauty of this dish - there are SO many different ways you can make it, and they're all great.  You can change it up year round, or use whatever method is your favorite, and it never disappoints.  Pan, crockpot, grill, oven...which way do you usually make it?

Below you'll see how I usually do, although I've used several different methods.  This is usually what's easiest.  Everything's in one place, the ingredients are always on hand, and the end result is delicious.

Cooking it on the stovetop is especially handy this time of year when you've run out of room on the grill, too.

Don't these remind you of the boardwalk, NJ peeps?  Yum!

Stovetop Sausage & Peppers
2 pounds Italian sausage (I prefer hot, but use what you like), cut into bite size pieces
1/4 cup (approximately) extra virgin olive oil, divided
4 peppers (any variety), ribs and seeds removed, sliced
1 large yellow onion, sliced
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 can tomato paste
1 tablespoon basil
1 tablespoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
rolls (or pasta)

In a pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil then add sausage.  Cook until brown.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add 3 tablespoons oil, then peppers, onion and garlic. Cook until slightly soft, then add tomato paste and mix it through the rest of the ingredients.  Add basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Transfer sausage to large skillet and mix until combined.  Continue cooking until sausage is cooked through and the vegetables are soft.  Serve alone, on rolls or with pasta.

Another goodie for the grill

I've been baking different stuffed cupcakes lately, so why not continue the trend with my cooking, too?

I love me a stuffed burger.  What could be so bad about yummy cheese oozing out of tender, juicy meat?

Nothing.  Nothing at all.

Bacon, Onion & Cheese Stuffed Burgers
adapted from Allrecipes

1 pound ground beef
4 slices bacon
1/2 onion, chopped
cheese of your choice (I used gorgonzola in one burger, shredded cheddar in another)

Form meat into 4 patties and set aside.  In a pan, brown bacon.  Remove (save fat in pan) and set on plate with paper towel to blot off fat.  Once cooled, crumble into small pieces.

Cook onion until brown with reserved bacon fat in the same pan.  Remove and combine with bacon.

Place bacon mixture on one patty, followed by cheese.  Top with another patty.  Repeat with the remaining two.  Place on hot grill and cook to your liking, flipping once.

Makes 2 burgers.

Linked to:  What's On Your Plate?