Chicken-Veggie Wrap with Peanut Sauce
Serves 6
This is one you’re lucky eaters will be talking about for days (assuming they don’t have much else going on in their lives.). And if you stick to the recipe – RED onion slices, BROCCOLI slaw – they’ll also talk about how beautiful it was.
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3 Tbsp soy sauce
3 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp minced garlic, from a jar
6, 8 or 10-inch flour tortillas
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp pepper
12 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast strips for stir-frying
1 Tbsp cooking oil
4 cups packaged shredded broccoli (broccoli slaw mix)
1 medium red onion, cut into thin wedges
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
For peanut sauce, in a small saucepan combine sugar, peanut butter, soy sauce, water, the Tbsp cooking oil, and the garlic. Heat until sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently. Set aside.
Wrap tortillas in foil and heat in a 275 degree F oven about 10 minutes until heated and softened
Use that 10 minutes to toss the chicken around in a bowl with the garlic salt and pepper, then stir-fry it in a large wok or skillet with the Tbsp of oil for 2 or 3 minutes.
Remove chicken, add broccoli, onion, and ginger to the wok and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove from heat.
Now let’s put it together (see, I didn’t say, “Let’s make it a wrap.”), Spread each tortilla with about a Tbsp of the peanut sauce and lay on the chicken-veggie mixture. Roll up each tortilla, securing with a wooden toothpick.
Serve immediately with the rest of the sauce.
Click here for more quick and easy chicken recipes
Beef ‘n Cheese Panini Sandwiches
Serves 4
No panini maker? No problem. Just put the sandwiches in a hot skillet, lay a heavy pan on them and heat until browned on one side, flip ‘em and brown the other side. But, really, I bought one for $15 at my local WalMart and it makes sandwich life much easier.
1 large onion, sliced thin
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup creamy horseradish sauce
8 slices whole wheat bread
1 lb deli roast beef slices
4 Cheddar, Swiss, or Provolone cheese slices
1 Tbsp melted butter
Saute first 3 ingredients in a lightly greased skillet over medium-high heat 8 minutes or until onion is tender.
Spread 1 Tbsp horseradish sauce on each of 4 bread slices; top evenly with roast beef, sauted onion, and cheese. Top with remaining bread slices and brush both sides with melted butter
Cook in a preheated panini press 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown (or use the poor-man’s method above).
Pesto-Crusted Grilled Cheese
Serves 4
If you don’t own one please pop for a big electric gridlle – about 40 or 50 bucks – and you can easily make 4 of these at once.
Notice there is no butter in this one; you’ll get plenty of great flavor from the pesto sauce.
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp jarred pesto sauce
8 sourdough bread slices
4 (1-oz.) Provolone cheese slices
4 (1-oz.) Cheddar cheese slices
Stir together mayonnaise and pesto sauce and spread evenly on 1 side of each sourdough bread slice. Lay them, pesto sides down, on wax paper.
Place on them 1 Provolone slice and 1 Cheddar slice and top with remaining bread slices, pesto sides up.
Cook them on a medium-hot griddle or in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, gently pressing with a spatula, 2 or 3 minutes per side or until golden brown and cheese becomes nice and gooey – m-m-m-m-m--BOY!.
White Bean Avocado Club
Serves 4
This is a very pretty double-decker with mucho nutritional items. Please don’t screw it up by using white bread instead of multigrain or whole wheat. And if you’re in such a hurry that mashing the beans is a problem you might substitute store-bought hummus.
2 15-oz cans white beans, rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
12 slices multigrain bread
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cucumber, preferably hothouse (seedless), thinly sliced (peeled, if desired)
1 4 or 5-oz container ypur-favorite-sprouts(
2 barely ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and thinly sliced
In a medium bowl, combine the beans, oil, salt, and pepper. Use a fork to mash it to a pulpy texture.
Place 8 of the bread slices on a work surface. Spread the mashed beans on all the slices & top with the onion, cucumber, sprouts, and avocado. Stack the open-faced sandwiches on top of one another, avocado-side up, to make 4 double-decker sandwiches.
Top with the remaining 4 slices of bread. Slice each sandwich in half, if desired, and serve.
Smoked Mozzarella & Salami Sandwich
Serves 4
The cheese should definitely be smoked to ensure that its flavor will match the strength of the salami and the sauce. Provolone also works well with this quick & easy sandwich.
4 to 6 Tbsp butter, melted
8 slices sourdough bread
8 oz smoked mozzarella, thinly sliced
4 oz spicy dried salami
1 cup of loosely packed baby arugula leaves, about 24 leaves
Pepper Sauce (optional):
3 hot pickled cherry peppers, stemmed
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil>P>
Puree the peppers in a blender, slowly adding the olive oil to emulsify & set aside.
Brush butter evenly on one side of each slice of bread. Place the slices buttered side down. Spread 1 Tbsp of the pepper sauce evenly across one side of half of the slices. Cover the pepper sauce with half the amount of cheese slices, about 1 oz per slice of bread, followed by a quarter of the salami for each sandwich. Place a quarter of the arugula on top of the salami for each of the sandwiches, followed by the rest of the cheese (1 more oz per sandwich). Lay the other slice of bread over the cheese buttered side up.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, add 1 Tbsp butter and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add 2 of the sandwiches, reduce heat to medium-low and cook about 2 or 3 minutes, flipping halfway through and rotating to brown evenly, until both sides are lightly browned, adding more butter if necessary. Now put these in a warm oven while you make the other 2 sandwiches,
Sloppy Joes with a Kick
Serves 6-8
These aren’t your store-bought sloppy joes, they’r made from scratch – sort of. I know, “bottled bbq sauce”., “catsup”, “bottled jalapenos” – not 100% scratch but as close as you’re gonna get in less than half-an-hour.
1 & 1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 & ¼ cups catsup
1/2 cup bottled barbecue sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp chopped pickled jalapenos
1 Tbsp liquid from pickled jalapenos(optional)
8 hamburger buns, toasted
Cook ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until beef crumbles and is no longer pink; drain off the juice(fat). Return cooked beef to skillet and stir in next 4 ingredients, and, if you're up to it, jalapenos and liquid.
Reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 minutes or until thickened. Serve on toasted buns.
A Wrap of Many Colors
Makes 8 Melts
If you so choose you can make these up to 4 hours in advance and refrigerate – they’re good cold or room-temp.
1 (8-oz) container spreadable cream cheese
2 Tbsp buttermilk
1/4 tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp onion powder
1 (4-oz) package crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
8 (8-inch) tortillas
1 Granny Smith apple, very thinly sliced
4 cups baby spinach leaves
Stir together first 4 ingredients until blended; stir in blue cheese, pecans, and cranberries. Spread about 1/3 cup of this good mixture evenly over each tortilla, lay apple slices and spinach on top and roll ‘em up. Use toothpicks to secure - try not to eat the toothpick.
Herbed Tuna Melts
Makes 4 Melts
Really easy but you'll make one of the best sandwiches your lucky eaters have ever enjoyed.
1/3 cup mayonnaise
3 Tbsp snipped fresh Italian (most flavorful) parsley
2 Tbsp snipped fresh chives
1 to 2 Tbsp snipped fresh tarragon (or 2 tsp dried)
1 tsp finely shredded lemon zest(peel)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon-style mustard
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 12-oz can solid white tuna (in water) drained and flaked
8 1/2-inch slices sourdough bread
8 to 12 thin tomato slices
4 oz. sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
2 Tbsp butter, softened
In a medium bowl place first 8 ingredients; stir until well combined. Stir in tuna, breaking up any large pieces with a fork.
Place 4 bread slices on work surface and lay on the tuna mixture. Top each with tomato and cheese.
Spread one side of the remaining bread slices with half the butter & place them, buttered side up, on the cheese. Place sandwiches, buttered side down, on a large nonstick griddle over medium heat or 2 at a time in a large nonstick skillet. Carefully butter top bread slices.
Cook sandwiches for about 3 minutes per side until cheese is melted and bread is golden. Serve warm and start making more, someone is sure to want seconds.
Panini at the Ranch
Makes 6
Try to find rolls made specifically for panini or ciabatas, but sourdough bread will certainly make a delicious and easy sandwich, too.
If you use rolls butter the top and bottom and when cooking lay a cookie sheet weighted with another heavy pan to squash them a bit.
Avocado Ranch Dressing (recipe below)
3/4 pound thinly sliced cooked deli turkey or chicken
12 slices crisp bacon, broken in half
1 large tomato, sliced
6 1 oz slices Co-Jack cheese (a blend of colby & Monterey jack)
12 slices sourdough bread, 1/2 inch thick or rolls
3 tablespoons butter softened
1/4 cup ranch dressing
1 small avocado, mashed
Make Avocado Ranch Dressing.by mixing the ranch dressing with the mashed avocado.
Layer turkey, bacon, tomato, cheese and dressing on 6 slices bread. Top with remaining bread slices. Spread butter on top slices of bread.
Place sandwiches, butter sides down, in largest skillet.you own or, better, a large electric griddle – with that you can do all 6 at once.
Cover with foil and cook over medium heat about 2 minutes per side. until bread is crisp and cheese is melted.
Now set them out and stand back from the stampede.
Beef Sandwich - Philly Style
Serves 4
Pick up the sliced beef from a supermarket deli department or a real deli, if you're lucky enough to have one.
2 Tbsp butter(or margarine,if you insist)
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 & 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
4 kaiser rolls, split
3/4 lb thinly sliced cooked roast beef
4 1 oz slices provolone cheese
Melt butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion, mushrooms and bell pepper in butter about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.
Set oven control to broil. Place bottom halves of rolls on ungreased cookie sheet. Top with vegetable mixture, beef and cheese.
Broil with tops 4 to 6 inches from heat for 2 or 3 minutes until cheese is melted. Add tops of rolls, plate them, add some good chips and serve.
That's a Wrap, Reuben
Serves 4
The old favorite Reuben sandwich retains its delicious appeal but even quicker and easier in this exciting version.
4 8-inch flour tortillas
1/4 Cup mayonnaise
12 Slices deli corned beef
6 Slices swiss cheese
12 oz. package sauerkraut
4 Thin red onion slices
Spread tortillas with dressing & top each with 3 slices corned beef. Add 1-1/2 slices of cheese to each plus some sauerkraut and an onion. slice.
Roll up the tortilla, wrap in a damp paper towel and nuke it(microwave, that is) on high for 4 minutes.
In 6 or 7 minutes lunch is ready.
Turkey Lettuce Wrap
Serves 1
This is ridiculous! No gluten, hardly any calories or carbs - and it still tastes really good.
1 Large leaf green lettuce
2 slices of deli turkey breast(REAL)
2 slices tomato
1/2 tsp. diced red onions
1/4 tsp. mustard
1/4 tsp. mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste
Lay the lettuce leaf flat. Place turkey slices on first, then add red onions.
Spread mayo and mustard and place tomatoes on top.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste,
tightly roll up the lettuce leaf and think how healthful it is while you crunch.
Summer Sandwich
Serves 4
So simple and so delicious, this old favorite is great not just in summer but all year round. Of course, if you live in the northeast or midwest summer is when tomatoes are really good and
cheap.
8 Slices bakery whole-wheat bread
Mayo or salad dressing or whatever you like best
2 Large ripe tomatoes, sliced
1 Cucumber, thinly sliced
Salt & freshly ground pepper
For each sandwich, spread 2 slices of bread with your chosen spread. Place 2 or 3 slices of tomato on one slice of bread. Top with 4 or 5 slices of cucumber.
Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, slap on the second slice of bread, cut in half (or quarters for tiny mouths) and enjoy it.
A Tuna Salad
Sandwich
Serves 4
We call this "A" tuna salad sandwich because there are just too many other wonderful quick and easy recipes for this old stand-by floating around. Maybe you already have found or created your favorite. We'd love to have you share it with us.
2 6 oz. cans water-packed whitemeat tuna, drain
1 Cup diced celery
1 Cup shredded carrots
1 Cup diced tomato
1/2 Cup plain nonfat yogurt
1/4 Cup thinly sliced scallions
2 Tbsps. reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
8 Slices whole-wheat bread,toasted
Flake the tuna with a fork, add remaining
salad ingredients and mix until blended.
Tomato Avocado Wrap
Serves 6
A really quick and easy
recipe for a delicious and very healthful lunch or light dinner - and no cooking!
3 avocados, mashed
1/4 Cup chopped red onions
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
1/4 Cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 small jalapeno,finely chopped (optional)
6 8-inch corn tortillas
Combine the avocado, onion and garlic.
Spread over corn tortillas. Sprinkle with some of the chopped tomato, cilantro and, if you choose, jalapeno.
Roll up, securing with toothpicks, if desired and serve.
