Avocado with Feta, Cucumber, Tomato Sandwich

click picture for source

Okay so this was way too easy.  I was in a lazy mood today and did not feel like making anything.  Normally this results in a run for fast food that is far too convenient, however, I am trying to make better eating choices, so I scanned pinterest for some easy inspiration.

This was it.  Exactly what I was looking for.  There wasn't a website recipe or anything, but the picture caption summed up how to make it and that was that.  

It was quick for my desire to eat immediately and it was light and refreshing so I didn't feel weighed down or gross after eating.  Another example of how eating right doesn't have to be eating bland and boring.  

I mashed avocado with feta.  Toasted some whole grain artisan bread (thin sliced).  Sliced tomatoes and cucumbers.

Spread the avocado mixture on the toast.

Top with cucumbers and tomatoes

Salt and Pepper

EAT!  

Enjoy!

Two Fails

I had two girlfriends visit me a couple of weekends ago.  We got in the conversation of cooking.  They were asking me questions and I was encouraging them that not everything always turns out and you don't learn unless you try.


I told them how we've thrown full meals into the garbage after one bite because they were that nasty.  We decided that maybe I should start sharing some of these fails.


Here are two fails...same ingredients tried different ways...neither turned out.  I had such high hopes for this one.


My sister had made the most delicious pizza for my niece's birthday party....this was my attempt at it.


I started out with flat bread (Ang used pizza dough).

I smothered it in pizza sauce...way too much pizza sauce.

I added lots of spinach...remember it shrinks when it's heated up.

Then I added the Cervalet Salami.  I don't like salami or any meat with knobby white bits, however...this stuff is good!

Topped it with fresh mozza balls...

and baked it...

It was a greasy nasty mess.  I did end up eating it because it tasted okay enough to eat and I really do hate wasting food, but it was a floppy soggy mess.  I folded it in half to eat it.

I don't know if it's because I added too much sauce, or maybe I should have baked it straight on the oven racks, or maybe the spinach or mozza created too much moisture....or maybe the salami had too much fat...I don't know.  It was not good...Ang's was good.

Knowing that this combo of ingredients tasted good together, I decided to try making a panini.

I used less sauce, but it still was a drippy drippy mess when I ate it.  It was better than the pizza, but not what I wanted.  Maybe I needed to keep it in the panini grill longer?  

Anyways....you need to make mistakes to learn.  So don't be afraid to not have a recipe and don't be discouraged when it doesn't work out.

French Dip

I made this last week.  It was so good! By far, one of the best I've ever had or made.


You can find the recipe here.


My only suggestion is to cut back on the salt.  I wouldn't salt the roast before, it was a tad on the salty side.


Also, even if you're not a beer drinker, you have to trust me on this...you don't taste the beer. 


I toasted the buns with provolone cheese first and then added the meat. 


Make sure you use the juice to dip your sandwich in!!

Meatball Heroes and Oven Roasted Potatoes

I've never had or made meatball subs, but the picture on the webpage where this was posted made it look so good so I gave it a shot.


I'm glad I did...it was delicious....and filling.  I barely at mine.


I got the recipe from Real Simple.  You can find a printable version there.


I did some make some changes.  First of all, I used fresh homemade meatballs.  They are so easy to make and taste way better.  I baked mine in the oven, then I heated up the sauce in a skillet and added the meatballs to that.


I did, however, buy store made pasta sauce.  I have yet to find a good recipe and master a good red sauce from scratch that I love.


If you don't follow my other changes, at least do this one.  I thought that if I followed their way for heating up the bun, I probably would have a soggy sandwich by the time I added the meatballs and sauce.  I also didn't think the cheese would melt like their picture from just adding it after the meatballs.  So I cut the buns in half, added the cheese and baked them in the oven until everything was toasty and melted...then I added the meatballs.


Now onto the oven roasted potatoes!  I love oven roasted potatoes.  I've never really ever had a recipe for them, I just kinda make it up each time.  I like to try a variety of ways.  One of my favorites is tossing the potatoe cubes in olive oil then adding onion soup mix and roasting...so good.  I also like to just sprinkle them with "vegetable" seasoning sometimes.  Garlic powder and dry dill are also a fav.


I saw this recipe on another blog and she raved on and on about it so I figured I would try it.  They were good!  I did find they took a bit longer to get that crispy outside I love.


Anyways...you can get the recipe here.


Let me know if you try either of these!

Philly Beef and Cheese

If you are like me and have approximately 492 roasts in your freezer, you are always looking for a different way to serve roast.


I get sick of just plain roast or beef dip and Ben doesn't really like bbq beef sandwiches, so I'm always on the hunt for trying it a new way.


I was looking around the internet and saw many variations and different versions of this one and got a little overwhelmed.  I decided to go home and make up my own based on all the recipes I saw.  I wanted something easy and quick and that is exactly what this is.


I put my roast in my slow cooker that morning with some beef broth.  I cooked it on low all day while I was at work.  When I got home, I took it out of the slow cooker and let it cool....then I shredded it.

Then I mixed mayonnaise, minced garlic, salt, pepper and parmesan in a bowl.

And because marble was the only cheese I had, I used that.  If you are wondering why I only had marble...you can read part of that story near the end of this post.  I normally would have used swiss, provolone or havarti for this.

In a skillet I sauteed onions, green peppers and mushrooms (mmm....I love that combo) until soft.

Then on panini buns (you could easily use subs too) I spread the garlic mayo, added the cheese and shredded roast beef.

I broiled them in the oven until the cheese was all melted and gooey.  When they came out of the oven, I piled the green pepper mixture on them and served it with a mixed green salad.

Yeah...it was pretty flavorful and delicious!  The best part though was how fast and easy and simple it all was.  A perfect weekday meal for the busy person.

Oven Ham Sammies

These were so good!  I loved them.  I actually made quite a few changes to the original.


You can get the original recipe from here.


Here are the changes I made:


- I used cheddar cheese because that is what we had

- I don't know what King Hawaiian Rolls are or if you can even get them in Canada, so I used the half baked panini buns...I love them!  Don't finish baking them first though...build the sandwiches like the recipe says.

- use less butter

- I made them in the morning and then we had them for dinner.

- I baked them according to the directions on the bag for the half baked buns to make sure they got cooked through.  If you are using already fully baked buns then just follow the recipe.

Tangy BBQ Sandwich

Print the recipe from right here.


I had my sister's family over a couple of Saturday's ago.  Ang and I decided at last minute to do this one, so we defrosted the roast in the microwave for a bit, then we threw it in the slow cooker (still partially frozen) on low for 2 hours then cranked it to high for 3 hours.


It actually turned out perfect.  We cut the roast up, but it back in the sauce and let it sit until we were ready to it.


The sauce was very runny, but I think it's because we added it partially frozen.  We just used tongs and a slotted spoon to get the meat out.


We used havarti cheese on it and broiled the buns before adding the meat.


It was delicious!!!  No leftovers from this crowd.


The next week we had roast and with the leftovers, I put all the ingredients into a pot, added the shredded beef and heated it up on the stove top.  I used those half baked panini buns you can get (I don't know their real name...but the ones that are partially baked already and you finish them at home).  I baked the buns, sliced it and put the filling it...so good.