Big Macs at Home

We've been trying to eat healthy around here, and one of the things we're trying to cut out is fast food. We really didn't eat it often, but when we did, the Princess and I headed straight for the Big Macs.

I remember in elementary school music class learning the Big Mac sales pitch as part of a lesson on rhythm. Over 35 years later, I still remember it - "Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun." Know what I'm talking about?

So I tried to recreate those toppings here at home, though I added my own little twist. On my "Big Mac," I leave off the pickles. I always just picked them off the fast-food version anyway. And I don't use two beef patties. Although one of my burgers would definitely equal the two tiny flat ones McDonald's uses on their Big Macs!

My first step is to carmelize some onions. I can't stand the taste and crunch of raw onions. Usually I scraped them off if I could. But cook onions up in a pan, softening and sweetening them up, and I'm all over that!

I thinly slice two onions, then heat up 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet. Over low to medium heat, cook the onions for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring often. You don't want them to burn, just to brown nicely.

Then I make the special sauce. It's really very simple. I take 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise and add about 1 1/2 tablespoons of ketchup. Then I stir in two teaspoons of dill pickle relish. It's very similar to Thousand Island dressing, so you could use that if you don't want to make the homemade sauce.

After grilling up some burgers on my George Foreman grill, I assemble the homemade Big Macs.

First comes the whole wheat bun. Mine didn't have any sesame seeds, but it's okay. Layer the cooked burger and cheese, then pile on some carmelized onions.

Now if you're going to add pickles, do so now. Everyone else in my family does. Spread some special sauce over the top bun and stack up some lettuce on the burger.

Now enjoy your Big Mac, knowing it's healthier and more satisfying than what you'd buy at the drive-thru!

Italian Sausage Sandwiches

As I was growing up, this is one quick and easy meal my mom served often. And we kids loved it! It's now one of my favorite sandwiches to prepare for my own family. And it's so simple to throw together, its makes the perfect busy weeknight dinner.

My mom always used spicy Italian sausage. But my kids aren't really big fans of spicy stuff, so I just use the mild or sweet sausage. And because the meat is already well seasoned, you don't have to add anything but sauce. How much easier can that be?

Here's what you need:

5 Italian sausage links (usually sold in a 16-19 oz package)
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce - this is the smallest can of tomato sauce
shredded mozzarella cheese, if desired
4-6 sandwich rolls

Remove the sausages from their casings. In a skillet, brown the sausage until no longer pink, breaking it up into small chunks as you cook it. Drain any excess grease from the skillet. I do this by removing the sausage with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel-covered plate. Then I pour the grease into a small bowl and dispose of it when it cools and hardens. I put the meat back into the pan and proceed.

Stir in the tomato sauce and heat through. Serve on crusty sandwich rolls and top with shredded cheese if desired. I usually pop the sandwiches into the oven at 375 degrees for a few minutes until the cheese is melted.

Beef and Bean Burritos

Frozen burritos were once a staple in my freezer. It was so easy to pop them into the oven or microwave for a quick meal. But the list of ingredients was a mile long. And frankly, the texture was a little scary at times.

These burritos are simple - just 5 ingredients, plus the tortillas. And they can be customized to suit your family's tastes. But best of all, they freeze wonderfully and taste delicious!

Here's what you need:

1 lb ground beef
2 cups refried beans (or one 15 oz can)
1 cup salsa - here's where you can adjust the heat if you like spicy
2 TBSP taco seasoning
1 cup shredded cheese
8 burrito sized tortillas

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and drain. Stir in the refried beans, salsa and taco seasoning until well blended.

Spread 1/3 cup of the mixture on the lower half of a tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese.

Fold in both sides, then roll up tightly.

Wrap the burrito in aluminum foil to bake immediately or to freeze for later. I have found it easiest to place the tortilla on the foil, then fill and roll up. Then it's a snap to wrap!

If you're serving these immediately, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 15 minutes.

If freezing for later, place the foil-wrapped burritos in a freezer bag. These will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. You have some options for reheating them. Pick the one that is easiest for you!

You can thaw them completely in the fridge overnight. Pop them into a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Unwrap from the foil, then put them into the microwave to defrost. Heat in the oven as directed above.

Or, if you want to reheat them from their frozen state, put them in the oven for about an hour. This method with ensure that you get some crispy goodness on the outside.

Chicken Bacon Subs

I'm not much of a sandwich eater, as in peanut butter and jelly or ham and cheese. But give me a big sub sandwich stuffed with meat and cheese, and I'm all over it! Maybe it's the crusty sandwich buns over regular bread that I really enjoy. Whatever it is, these yummy sub sandwiches will satisfy your family's hunger! And you'll be happy to have a quick, easy-to-prepare meal that's on the table in less than 20 minutes!

Here's what you need:
(adapted from Life as Mom)

2 cups cooked shredded chicken
1/4 cup chopped cooked bacon
1 TBSP ranch dressing mix, scroll down through this post to find my easy recipe
2-3 TBSP chicken broth (add just enough to keep the filling moist but not too drippy)
salt and pepper to taste
sliced mozzarella or provolone cheese (you could shredded if you want)
4-6 sub sandwich buns

In a bowl, combine the chicken, bacon, ranch dressing mix, chicken broth, salt and pepper.

You don't have to do this, but I always line the sub bun with cheese. You could just layer the cheese on top. But I like my sandwiches really cheesy.

Stuff the bun with the chicken mixture, then layer some more cheese on top.

Place on a baking sheet and pop into a 375 degree oven for a few minutes until the cheese is melty and the filling is warmed through.

I love how the bun gets just a little crusty from being in the oven but it's not so dry you can't eat it. The combination of chicken, bacon and cheese is yummy, with the ranch dressing mix adding some great flavor too.

Alternative crockpot cooking method: Place 2-3 chicken breasts in the crockpot. Sprinkle ranch dressing mix and bacon over the top. Add a little chicken broth if you want to. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours until chicken shreds easily. If the chicken is too dry, add a little more broth. Serve on buns as directed above.

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

Nothing beats a drippy Philly cheesesteak sandwich. It's my absolute favorite! But when I'm pinching pennies and trying to save on groceries, I turn to this cheaper version of my fave.

It has all the flavor of savory meat, zippy onions and melty cheese but a little less expense. Oh, you'll still get the messiness of a Philly cheesesteak. It's a sloppy joe, after all. But my kids actually like this better - maybe the meat is less chewy?

Here's what you'll need:

1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
3 TBSP steak sauce
1/4 cup beef broth
Sliced provolone cheese
Crusty sandwich buns

In a skillet, brown the ground beef. Add the onion and green pepper while the meat is still cooking so they soften. Drain.

Stir in the steak sauce and beef broth. Simmer for 10 minutes until the liquids reduce a little.

Slice the sandwich buns in half. Spoon the meat mixture on to the bottom buns, then top with a slice of provolone cheese. Lay on a baking sheet and pop into a 400 degree oven for a few minutes until the cheese melts. Put the bun tops back on and enjoy!

Tilapia Po'boys

My family loves tilapia, so I'm always trying to come up with new ways to prepare it. I thought, why not in a sandwich? This po'boy-style sandwich with Creole slaw fits the bill perfectly.

The first thing you need to do is make the slaw. It needs a few hours to sit so the flavors can blend. You'll need:

1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 TBSP cider vinegar
1 TBSP milk
2 teas Creole seasoning (I use homemade, see the recipe below)
1/4 teas celery seed
2 cups cole slaw mix

Blend the dressing ingredients in a bowl. Stir in the cole slaw mix and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

For the tilapia fillets, you'll need:

4 tilapia fillets
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 TBSP Creole seasoning
2 eggs, beaten
coconut oil for frying

In a shallow dish, combine the flour, cornmeal and Creole seasoning. Place the beaten eggs in another shallow dish. Dredge the tilapia in the flour mixture, then dip into the eggs, then back into the flour mixture. Allow to rest on a baking sheet for about 10 minutes.

Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet. Fry the tilapia fillets for 3-4 minutes on each side until done. You can tell if they're done if the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Drain on paper towels.

Assemble the sandwiches on crusty French rolls. I placed the fish fillets, then tomatoes and pickles, then a generous helping of Creole slaw.

To make homemade Creole seasoning just blend together:

2 TBSP paprika
2 TBSP garlic powder
1 TBSP onion powder
1 TBSP black pepper
1 TBSP dried thyme
1 TBSP dried oregano
1 TBSP sea salt
cayenne pepper to taste, up to 1 TBSP

Individual Deep Dish French Bread Pizzas

My family loves pizza, but occasionally I like to change things up and serve it in a different way. I was inspired by this recipe I found on Pinetar Press to make individual French bread pizzas. I changed up the recipe to suit our tastes, as I usually do with most recipes. The results were fantastic and left my family wanting more.

Here's what you need:

4 French bread rolls
1/2 lb bulk sausage
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
20 slices pepperoni, quartered
1/2-3/4 cup pizza sauce
1 cup (or more, depending on how cheesy you want this)shredded mozzarella cheese

Cut all around the edges of the French rolls without going all the way through. Scoop out the bread, leaving a 1/4 inch shell all the way around. Use the scooped out bread for another use, like making bread crumbs or croutons. Set the hollowed out rolls aside.

 
Brown the sausage in a skillet and drain. Add the mushrooms, pepperoni and pizza sauce. Cook until the mushrooms are softened. If you don't like mushrooms, substitute with another pizza topping like green peppers or onion.

Divide the sausage mixture among the rolls.

Sprinkle with the shredded cheese.

Place on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes until the rolls are a little crisp and the cheese is melted.

The easiest way to eat these is to cut them in half.

If you want to freeze these pizzas for later, it's very simple. Wrap each unbaked pizza in foil or plastic wrap. Place inside a Ziploc bag and freeze. To reheat, allow to thaw on the counter for 30 minutes or so. Pop into a 350 degree oven until the cheese is melted and the pizza is heated through. It took my oven about 15 minutes.

Southwest Chicken Wraps

Earlier this summer, we ate at a local deli and I had a delicious southwest chicken wrap. I knew I could probably recreate it at home much cheaper, and I was right. And the best part is, you can make up a big batch of these yummy wraps and freeze them for later!

Here's what you need:

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups shredded chicken
1/2 cup salsa or taco sauce
1 TBSP lime juice
1 teas chili powder
1 teas cumin
1/2 teas garlic salt
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
8 burrito-sized tortillas (I use homemade)

In a bowl, mash up the black beans until about half of them are mashed. Add the remaining ingredients, except the tortillas.

Divide the filling among the 8 tortillas.

Roll up like a burrito - sides in first, then roll from the bottom and fold over as you go.

To serve, heat up a panini press or an indoor grill, like a George Foreman. You can also do this in the oven, but they won't be as crispy. Try it at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Brush the wraps with a little butter or olive oil. Grill until the tortillas are golden brown and the edges are crispy-looking.

Slice diagonally and serve warm. You can serve with sour cream or salsa if desired.

Look at all that melty cheese oozing out! Yum!

For a sweeter Southwestern flavor, substitute 1 cup of the shredded chicken for 1 cup sweet corn. You could also use 1 cup of brown rice in place of some of the chicken to reduce the amount of meat.

To freeze, place wraps on a Ziploc bag and squeeze as much air out as possible. Thaw in the fridge overnight or for at least a few hours before reheating.

Homemade Chicken Patties

When I saw this recipe on Heavenly Homemakers, I knew I had to try it. Chicken patty sandwiches were a staple at our school cafeteria, but no one really knew for sure what was in them. Well, thanks to this recipe, you will know exactly what is in your chicken patties and be assured the ingredients are healthy!

The original recipe called for 6 eggs, but I experimented and dropped that amount down to 4, mainly for texture. Six eggs was too "eggy" in my opinion. My family agreed. They frequently ask for these chicken patties for lunch. Since I make them up ahead of time and freeze them, it only takes about 15 minutes to get lunch on the table.

Here's what you need:

3 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 cup shredded carrots
2 teas garlic powder
1 teas black pepper
1 teas sea salt
4 eggs

In a food processor, grind the chicken, onion, carrots and seasonings together until no big chunks remain. Add the eggs and mix well. The mixture will be gooey and orange. Don't worry, it will brown as the chicken cooks. Transfer from the food processor to a bowl. It will be much easier to scoop this way.

Heat coconut oil in a skillet until very hot. I used about 1/2 cup coconut oil. Using a 1/4 cup measuring spoon, scoop mixture into hot oil.

The mixture will spread a bit, so be careful not to overcrowd the pan. Brown on one side, then carefully turn over so the other side can cook. I had to use two spatulas to do this, otherwise the half-cooked patty would slide off and make a huge mess.

Because the chicken is not as dense, it won't take long to cook, maybe 3 or 4 minutes on each side. When the patties are cooked through, drain on paper towels. Use sandwich or hamburger buns to make chicken patty sandwiches.

I usually get about 12 patties from this recipe. If I'm not serving them right away, I freeze them in Ziploc bags after they've completely cooled. To reheat, remove from the freezer and bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes until heated through.

Meatball Sliders

When I make Italian meatballs, I like using leftovers for meatball subs. The downside for me is that the long hoagie bun often gets soggy before I can finish eating it. And I don't like soggy buns. I know. I'm weird.

The perfect solution is taking the concept of a meatball sub and turning it into individual sandwiches that can be eaten in a few bites - sliders! I use my Italian meatball recipe, but I make them slightly bigger to fit the sandwich roll. Nobody likes meatballs rolling around and slipping off their sandwiches! You can purchase dinner rolls at the grocery store or make your own small sandwich buns. Either way is delicious!

Now, here's what you need for the meatballs:

1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 TBSP Italian seasoning
1 teas garlic powder
1 teas sea salt
1/2 teas black pepper
1 egg, slightly beaten

You'll also need:

Small sandwich buns like dinner roll size
Spaghetti or marinara sauce
Fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

In a large mixing bowl, combine the meatball ingredients. Form into large balls. I got 9 meatballs from this recipe. Place on a broiler pan.

Slightly flatten the meatballs with your hand. This will help them fit the bun better.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Heat up the spaghetti sauce in a large pan. Nestle the meatballs (though technically by now they're meat patties) into the sauce. Simmer for 30 minutes.

When you're ready to make the sliders, split and toast the sandwich rolls. These are the rolls I used. Next time I will make my own.

Scoop out a meatball along with some sauce and place on a roll. Top with a slice of cheese. You can pop them under a broiler for a few minutes if you want the cheese to be gooey and melty, but we liked ours this way.

Just the right size and no soggy buns!

Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches

If I had to choose my favorite sandwich of all time, it would be a Philly cheesesteak. Charles laughs at me because if we go into a sandwich or sub place to eat, I almost always choose a Philly cheesesteak. I love the combination of meat and cheese, onions and maybe some peppers on a crusty roll, dripping with butter. Not good for the waistline, but oh so good!

And they're easy to make at home, too. You can control how much butter, if any, you wish to use to cut down on calories and fat. But don't ever leave out the onions. Ever.

Here's what you need:

1 lb thinly sliced round steak, cut into strips
1 onion, sliced into rings
seasoned salt
2 TBSP worchestershire sauce
4 slices provolone cheese
4 crusty sandwich rolls
butter

After you slice the meat into small strips, sprinkle with seasoned salt and set aside. This is the seasoning I use, Emeril's Baby Bam Seasoning. I'll post the recipe below.


Melt some butter in a pan and cook up the onions until they're soft and brown. I like them really browned!

Add a little more butter to the pan and fry up the sliced steak.


Cook until no longer pink. Stir in the worchestershire sauce, making sure all the meat gets coated.

Split the sandwich rolls and spread a little butter on both sides. Pop into a 400 degree oven for a few minutes until the butter is melted and the buns are a little crisp. Load up with meat.


Layer the onions and provolone cheese on top. Stick back into the oven until the cheese is melted and gooey. This will only take a few minutes.

These are so yummy! Even the kids like them, though Mr. Lego has me leave off the cheese for him. He has this thing about no cheese on sandwiches.

Here's the recipe for Emeril's Baby Bam Seasoning. I use it on fries, all kinds of meats, even baked potatoes. It's really flavorful.

Combine the following:

3 TBSP paprika
2 TBSP coarse salt
2 TBSP dried parsley
2 teas garlic powder
2 teas onion powder
1 teas dried oregano
1 teas dried basil
1 teas black pepper
1/2 teas celery seed

Store in a small bowl or jar.

Bacon Cheeseburger Roll-up

We like cheeseburgers around here. Especially with bacon. Doesn't bacon make everything better? Except for your cholesterol! This recipe combines everything you like about cheeseburgers and wraps it up neatly into a yummy sandwich.

Here's what you need:

Dough for one pizza - I use my own homemade version or you could buy refrigerated dough like Pillsbury
1 lb ground beef or turkey, cooked and drained
2 TBSP ketchup
1 teas prepared mustard
1 teas pickle relish
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 teas onion powder
1/2 teas garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Combine the cooked beef or turkey with the ketchup, mustard, relish, bacon and seasonings.


Roll the pizza dough out onto a greased jelly roll pan. Spread the meat mixture over the dough, then sprinkle with the shredded cheese.



Starting with a long side, roll the dough up, tucking the sides in as you go.


Pinch the seams closed. Carefully turn the entire roll over so the seam side is down.


Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.


Slice diagonally into 8-10 slices.