Saturday Thoughts...A Hot Week Menu

Clockwise, Bottom Right:  Honey Whole Wheat Bread, Bacon and Egg Macaroni Salad, Kidney Bean Bowl, Garden Pasta Salad, Egg Salad Sandwich    

It was going to be a hot week; my husband had asked for sandwiches with homemade cooked dressing…I had eggs I needed to use too.

So that was the start of menu planning…I knew that I could get two main dish salads for two and sandwich filling for two from a half recipe of cooked dressing.  If you don't want to make cooked dressing (you should try it, it only takes 4 minutes to cook) the best substitute is Miracle Whip.

Here were my choices…Bacon and Egg Macaroni Salad, Egg Salad Sandwiches on Homemade Honey Wheat Bread, and Kidney Bean Bowl.  The Kidney Bean Bowl called for hard cheese like Colby or Cheddar; I added Garden Pasta Salad for later in the week that had a different dressing but also used cheese cubes.  I cut these recipes down to 2 servings.
I steam my eggs 15 minutes, let them sit in ice water 10 minutes and peel them and store them in a sandwich bag until I use them the next day.

I separated these meals with other menus so we had some wholesome variety.  Everything else for the week came from my food storage and freezer.

My grocery list for the week consisted of a fresh onion, 3 apples on sale for 88¢ a pound (the ones we didn't use in the recipe were dessert later in the week), celery, an 8 ounce package of colby cheese, a half-gallon of whole milk and 2 pounds of baby carrots for $10.13. 

No waste, all cooked from scratch, not much time spent in the grocery store.

Right now, our local Fareway store is pretty well provisioned with basics and none of the prices on my list had increased.  They appear to be sourcing things like some eggs and some meat from smaller Iowa and Missouri producers to keep the shelves full.

Sloppy Joes

This is a recipe for Sloppy Joes I have made for many years. My kids as teenagers and our whole family likes these better than any other recipe I have tried.

Simple to make and easily added to or made in a smaller amount, these are quick, delicious and well worth the small amount of time and effort to make.

The recipe is from a 1968 Campbell’s Cooking with Soup cookbook. This book has a lot of easy, quick recipes. If you see one at a book sale you would be well advised to buy it, though I have only seen them on rare occasions. 
I now make this and freeze it in portions for one so I can have just one serving and as I no longer can eat gluten I eat this over rice. Not as good as a nice toasted bun but it works for people with Celiac. I add a dash of hot pepper sauce to mine, though this is spicy enough for most people.

Sloppy Joes

6 servings

1 pound ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Dash pepper

1 can (10 3/4 ounce) condensed tomato soup

6 buns, split and toasted

Brown onion, celery and seasoning in small amount oil:

Add ground beef and brown.

Add soup: simmer to blend flavors.

Serve on toasted buns.

Grilled Cheese with Spam

This recipe is on the side of the can and also on the Spam web site. It makes a change from plain grilled cheese sandwiches, and is easy to do. I think that pan frying the Spam slices before grilling the sandwiches helps the cheese melt and the crispier meat makes a better sandwich. Again, be aware that Spam is a high sodium product and should not be over used in your daily diet. That said, enjoy.
Sue and my daughter, Amy say that Aldi's has this version of Spam and both of them like it better than Spam itself. Sue has and does freeze Spam. Slice and just cook what you want and lay the other slices out and freeze. That way when you are cooking for only one or two you don't have to keep eating it until it is gone.

Grilled Cheese with SPAM

Before cheese slice and other slice of  bread

Ingredients

• 1 can SPAM® Classic

• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine

• 8 slices white bread

• 8 slices American cheese

Directions

1. Cut SPAM® Classic into 8 slices.

2. On griddle or in large skillet, lightly fry SPAM® slices on both sides.

3. Spread butter on 1 side of each slice bread. On unbuttered side of 4 slices bread, layer 1 slice cheese, 2 slices fried SPAM® and 1 slice cheese; top with remaining slices bread, buttered-side-out. 

4. On griddle or in large skillet, brown each sandwich on both sides or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Indoor Contact Grills

George Foreman 4 serving grill; grilling chicken tenders

If you can’t have an outdoor grill, either because you don’t have a place for it, or your landlord won’t allow one because of justifiable fire concerns, or if, like us, there are only 2 of you, you might find an indoor contact grill is for you.  We love ours.

Contact grills have a top and bottom grill plate and close over the food to cook both sides at once.  The advantage of a folding contact grill is that they cook on both sides simultaneously and require less attention from the cook.  They also contain grease spatters and mess.

My favorite is a 4 serving George Foreman grill with removable plates that I only paid $30 for.  It heats quickly, cooks very well, is easy to clean, and has a floating hinge so your food isn’t squashed.  My Panini grill didn’t have the floating hinge, and limited me to just sandwiches or open grilling.  
The biggest drawback...their idea of 4 servings is more adequate for 2, which works for us.  If you actually need 4 servings, look at a little bigger version, there are several.  
The advantages, at that price, I can afford to replace it if we wear it out,   we have no grease floating around the kitchen when I cook, and the speed is unbelievable.  It's much faster than the one I bought when they first became popular, and removable plates are a big improvement; they can be washed in the dishwasher if you wish.  We use it at least once or twice a week.

So what can you grill on your indoor grill? Most anything you would outside. Indoor grills don't have the ability to drain liquids as well as outdoor grills and you don't want marinades running over your counter, so when grilling marinated meats allow them to drain first, although there is a liquid-catching tray that comes with the grill.  

To get delicious grilled flavor from protein like meat, poultry, fish, it's important to start with the right type of cut. Lean, tender pieces that aren't full of fat or connective tissue are the best choices. You'll get the best results from thinner pieces of meat, such as flank steak, pork chops or chicken breasts that have been pounded to around 3/4 inches, or thin fish fillets like tilapia or trout. The reason? The thinner the piece, the faster it'll cook. It's also helpful if the meat is relatively uniform in its thickness so that it will cook evenly.

Because you're not going to be getting the smoky flavor you would from a charcoal grill, you'll want to season your meat.  A simple sprinkling of salt and pepper is fine, but we like buying or making a spice rub. Evenly sprinkle or rub this into the meat and let it sit a few minutes before putting it on the grill. You could also use a barbecue, grilling sauce, or marinade, which can be applied about 20 minutes before you're ready to cook. The easiest way to marinate meat is to put the meat and the marinade in a large zip-top bag and maneuver it around with your fingers so that the meat is evenly coated. Store the bag of meat in the refrigerator while it's marinating, but bring it out about 20 minutes before you're ready to start cooking so it can come up to room temperature.

Make sure the grill is well heated before you put the meat on.  I let my George Foreman grill preheat 5-6 minutes.  Put your meat on the grill, at a roughly 45˚ angle to the grill lines to achieve the most attractive grill marks. 

I prefer testing my meat it with a food thermometer, and consulting a list of safe food temperatures to make sure cooked to a proper temperature.

If you're using a contact grill, be sure to close the grill gently over the food so you don't compress it and risk squeezing the juices out. Foods cooked in a contact grill will take roughly half the amount of time they'd take on an open grill, since they are being cooked simultaneously on both sides, and also since the heat is more enclosed within the top and bottom grill plates.

To clean my contact grill, I lay 3 or 4 layers of very wet paper towels between the plates, and let them soak while we eat our meal.  I simply remove the towels and wash the plates in a little sudsy water in the sink; letting them dry thoroughly before snapping them back into the grill.  They can be washed in the dishwasher, but I want to prolong the finish as long as I can.  My grill directions specifically say to avoid cooking sprays on the grill plates, because they cause a gummy residue you can’t remove.  Use non-metal tongs or spatulas to help preserve the non-stick finish.
I found I like this small hardcover cookbook to use with my grill more than others I looked at, called The Indoor Grilling Cookbook.  It's by Julie Stillman, from 2001.  I purchased it inexpensively used.

Here’s my husband’s favorite Foreman grill recipe…because the sandwiches are gooey in the middle, and the bread is crisp on the outside.

        Easy Foreman Grill Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

  2             slices  your favorite bread

  2             slices  your favorite cheese (American is the classic)

1             tablespoon  butter

I recommend a firm bread for these sandwiches…homemade is great!

Preheat your Foreman Grill for at least 5 minutes. Use medium-high setting if your grill has temperature settings. Place the cheese between the bread slices and spread the butter on the outside of each slice in a nice thin layer. Place on the grill, close lid, and check after about 3 minutes.

Some other recipes to try:

Pork Chops on the George Foreman Grill

Grilled Minute Steaks on the George Foreman Grill

Grilled Chicken Recipes on the George Foreman Grill

Tuna TV Special

The “Purity Cookbook" was printed in 1967, and I first made this recipe in junior high home economics class.  Eating in front of the TV was still a treat for kids, and this recipe was one they thought was perfect for your homemade TV lunch. 

We still like it occasionally.  I served ours on homemade Whole Wheat Mustard Buns, with Summer Cucumbers and Sweet Peppers my husband made with cucumbers that Don and Bonnie brought us from their garden, and Home Canned Boston-style Baked Beans.  Now that’s a perfect TV dinner special!

Tuna TV Special

  5           ounces  tuna in water, canned -- drained well

     3/4    cup  cheddar cheese -- shredded

  2 1/2    tablespoons  mayonnaise

  1 1/2    tablespoons  pickle relish

  1           tablespoon  onion -- finely grated

  1 1/2    teaspoons  prepared mustard -- ballpark style

  4           sandwich buns -- hot dog or hamburger buns

Preheat oven to 350º.

Combine and blend well.

Spoon mixture into partially split sandwich buns.  Wrap each roll in aluminum foil, filling side up.  Fold ends tightly to seal.  Arrange on baking pan.

Place in preheated 350° oven for 20 minutes.

To serve, fold foil down around rolls.

4 Servings

Ham Salad

 When you have a small amount of ham left over you might want to try this recipe from Cook’s Country for Ham Salad. I did some changing from the original recipe and all of us thought it was very tasty and I thought it was quite easy to make. 

 What I like was that by using the food processor I could control how coarsely chopped the ham was. I really didn’t want it to be the ham paste type of sandwich spread though that type is good also. I made these with salad dressing instead of mayonnaise as I rarely have mayo in the house. Also used Dijon mustard instead of a whole grain mustard and added a dash of salt as our ham wasn’t very salty. I would taste before adding salt though. You can make this early in the day and chill until ready to use.

Ham Salad

1 ½ cups diced ham

¼ cup salad dressing, or mayo 

3 tablespoons pickle relish (sweet or dill)

1 tablespoon Dijon or honey mustard 

¼ to ½ teaspoon of pepper

Salt to taste (if necessary, ham is salty)

 Pulse the ham in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Combine salad dressing, relish, mustard and pepper in medium bowl. Add the ham and mix, taste for salt. 

Serve chilled as a sandwich or a wrap. Makes 1 ¾ cup 

Maid Rites

For Bettie and all fans of Maid Rites (Loose meat sandwiches) I tried this recipe. Bettie says yes this is the right one and I made up a half pound of ground beef into sandwiches and froze them so she would have them for work.

Maid Rite Cafe in Eddyville, Iowa in 2016

Lyle and I are not fans of these, I really think you have to have lived in Iowa longer than we have. If you watched Roseanne Barr on TV, she bought a cafe in Iowa and served loose meat sandwiches because she thought they were so good. So for all of you that want to try them, these are simple, easy and Bettie says tasty. There are still Maid Rite Cafes in Iowa and many of them have been in business a long time.

Maid Rites
1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 ½ cups chicken broth 
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
DIRECTIONS
Crumble ground beef into a hot skillet; sprinkle with the onion powder. Cook over medium high heat stirring to break up the meat into small crumbles (they should be very fine). When brown add the broth, salt and pepper. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Serve on buns with mustard and chopped onion, add ketchup if you like and dill pickles.
*I used a potato masher to get them really fine.  
This can be made up ahead of time and reheated when ready to use. I froze the ones I made in the buns to be reheated later.

Inside-Out Cheeseburgers

We were getting ready to put our grill away last year for the season when we had a nice, warm weekend.  I still had some really good whole wheat buns, so we tried this recipe for cheeseburgers.  I pre-season our ground beef and freeze it in ½ pound portions in quart-sized freezer bags to waste less space in our little chest freezer, so I simply cut open the bag and cut the beef in half for 2 burgers, then folded them over the cheese and sealed them.  We didn’t care if our burgers were square or round.

The gruyere cheese is melty and I keep it on hand for käsespätzle; mozzarella would be good too.  We enjoyed ours with a nice macaroni salad and some fresh garden tomato, a fitting finale to our summer grilling season.  We are enjoying the same recipe this summer.             

Inside-Out Cheeseburgers

     ¼      cup  cheddar, shredded

     ¼      cup  gruyere cheese, shredded

  1         pound  ground beef

  1         tablespoon  worcestershire sauce

  1 ½     teaspoons  paprika

     ¼     teaspoon  pepper

Preheat grill to medium-high or preheat the broiler.

Combine cheddar and Gruyere in a small bowl.

Gently mix beef, Worcestershire, paprika and pepper in a large bowl, preferably with your hands, without overworking. Shape into 8 thin, 4-inch-wide patties. Mound 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture on each of 4 patties, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Cover each with one of the remaining patties. Crimp and seal the edges closed.

To grill: Lightly oil the grill rack. Grill the stuffed patties over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes per side for medium-well. (Be sure not to press the burgers as they cook or they'll split open and the cheese will ooze out). To broil: Cover a broiler pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Broil the stuffed patties in the upper third of the oven, about 4 minutes per side for medium-well. In either case, let the burgers stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Eating Well Magazine 

Yield:  "4 servings"

Everything Burgers

If you want to add a little zip to your hamburgers and cut down on the condiment mess, try this beef mixture.  My husband is a good grill chef, and these are quick and easy; we enjoyed them with a chopped salad with Honey French Dressing and my version of pineapple ambrosia, a combination of fresh or canned pineapple chunks, some maraschino cherries and a sprinkle of coconut.    I had homemade Whole Wheat Mustard Buns; one of our favorite bun recipes, in the freezer; I make them up to have on hand just for the grilling season.                 

                            Everything Burgers

  1 ½    pounds  lean ground beef

  3        tablespoons  Ketchup -- or chili sauce

  3        tablespoons  dill pickle relish -- drained

  1 ½    tablespoons  spicy brown mustard

     ¼     Teaspoon  salt

     ¼     Teaspoon  pepper

  6         slices  American Cheese Slices -- (3/4-ounce each)

  6         Hamburger Buns

             Lettuce Leaves -- optional

Heat gas grill to medium or charcoal grill until coals are ash white.

Combine all burger ingredients in bowl; mix gently to combine. Form into 6 burger patties, about 4 1/2 ounces each.

Place burgers onto grill. Grill, turning once, 5-10 minutes, as desired. Top each burger with a slice of cheese; continue grilling until cheese is slightly melted.

Place lettuce onto bottom half of buns, if desired. Top with burgers and top half of bun.

Yield:  "6 sandwiches"

Pork Bacon Burgers

 When I saw the name of the recipe, "Piggy Burgers", in the Southern Living cookbook I had to cringe. I am going to call mine pork bacon burgers. As I read the recipe it sounded much better than the name so tried the recipe on Lyle and Bettie. I did change it somewhat as I could not find the seasoning blend the recipe called for. Bettie really liked them as she is a bacon fan, Lyle and I thought they were good and a cheaper riff on hamburgers as ground beef has gotten so expensive now. I did mine in the house in a cast iron skillet but on the grill would be good also. Look for a lean mix of ground pork I got mine at the meat counter at our local Fareway Store. Serve with the toppings you would use for hamburgers or bottled barbecue sauce.

Pork Burgers

1 pound ground pork (not sausage)

4 slices thick bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 teaspoons molasses-bacon seasoning blend (I used bacon and chive)

4 hamburger buns

Favorite toppings

Preheat grill to medium high heat. Combine first 3 ingredients. If using the bacon and chive stir in about 2 teaspoons of molasses with the ground pork.  Gently shape into 4- 4 inch patties and covered with grill lid, grill 5 minutes on each side. Or until pork is no longer pink. Serve on the toasted buns with you choice of toppings.

Grandma's Ham and Egg Salad Spread

Grandma had the right idea about how to stretch meat to feed more people.  In this recipe, 4 ounces of ham and 2 eggs make enough generously-filled sandwiches for four. 

I always buy “no water added” ham for extra flavor, and I think that homemade cooked dressing makes this salad even more special.  The ingredients are simple but delicious and I always have them on hand.  I usually cook my eggs and dressing the evening before I plan to use them.  Use any leftover dressing for anything you would use mayonnaise in, it keeps several days in the refrigerator.               

Grandma's Ham and Egg Salad Spread

  1        cup  Ham -- 4 ounces

  2        Eggs, Hard-boiled -- chopped

  2        tablespoons  finely chopped celery

  2        tablespoons  finely chopped onion

  1/4    cup  Cooked Dressing - -- or mayonnaise or Miracle Whip

In small food processor, chop ham, celery, and onion.  Chop eggs (by hand).  Combine ham mixture, eggs, and dressing together in a bowl. Stir to coat. Refrigerate until serving time.

Makes 4 sandwiches, or can be served on crackers.

Yield:  "4 servings"

Per Serving, using cooked dressing: 128 Calories; 7g Fat (52.1% calories from fat); 10g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 153mg Cholesterol; 623mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

                             Cooked Dressing

  1        tablespoons  Sugar

  1        tablespoons  Flour, All-purpose or Cook-type Clear Jel

  ½       teaspoon  Salt

  ½       teaspoon  Dry Mustard

 1         large  Egg Yolk -- slightly beaten

 3         ounces  Milk (I have used skim milk, whole milk and it’s really good with half and half)

  2        tablespoons  Vinegar – mild (we like cider vinegar)

   ½      Tablespoon  Butter 

Mix dry ingredients; gradually add egg yolk and milk (I use a wire whip); cook over hot (not boiling) water until thick, stirring constantly, only about 3-4 minutes.  Add vinegar and butter; mix well and cook until thick.  Cover with plastic wrap right on the top of the mixture while cooling it.  Chill; stir before using. (Yield:  About 1/2 cup)

67¢ per cup   Only 25 Calories per tablespoon

Dressing recipe from "Betty Crocker Good and Easy 1954 or Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book 1946 and 1968"

Sausage Dogs

We love sausages, we love to grill, we love grilled peppers and onions…this is our kind of recipe!  We have a large grill “plancha” or plate that makes this recipe even easier…I mixed the oil, vinegar, sugar and seasonings in a plastic bag and then added the peppers and onions.  I mixed them up and poured them out on the plancha to cook while the sausages grilled.  If you don’t have a plancha, try cooking the vegetables in a cast iron skillet right on your grill.

With homemade buns and home-canned molasses baked beans and a crisp chopped salad we had a delicious, quick lunch.  I usually have buns ready in the freezer, and I can beans in the winter for the summer grilling season.                     

Sausage Dogs

  1           Tablespoon  Olive Oil

  1           Large  Red Bell Pepper -- thinly sliced

  1           Large  Onion -- thinly sliced

  2           Tablespoons  White Wine Vinegar

  2           Teaspoons  Sugar

     1/2     Teaspoon  Salt

     1/4     Teaspoon  Pepper

  1           Pound  Smoked Bratwurst

  4           Large  Brat Buns
               Mustard for garnish

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add peppers and onions, cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.

Stir in vinegar and sugar.  Remove from heat.

Grill sausages on medium high heat about 3 minutes per side.

Serve sausages on buns with mustard and pepper-onion mixture.

Toast Hawaii

Here’s a novelty recipe from Germany, of all places…it was popularized by Clemens Wilmenrod, a German TV chef in the 50's.  It’s simple, and the caramelized pineapple is what makes the open-faced sandwich delicious!  Having the cherry is a must!  

Good ham and good cheese make it special too…any melty Swiss-type cheese works.  I also browned my ham slices first, in our Mom’s trusty cast-iron skillet.  An easy way to use up some Easter ham.  You have to try it to see why it's still popular there with kids and grownups who were kids in the 50's and 60's.  

                               Toast Hawaii  

  4        Slices  good white bread 

  8        slices  canned pineapple 

  4        nice slices of ham 

  4        slices  Swiss cheese  (Emmentaler, Gruyere, or Fontina are extra good) 

  2        tablespoons  butter, divided 

  2        tablespoons  sugar 

  4        maraschino cherries with stems  

1. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a pan and add the sugar then the pineapple rings.

Cook for a few minutes to brown the rings and caramelize the sugar.

2. Toast the bread then butter each slice of toast, then put on a slice of ham, 2 pineapple rings (one on top of the other) and top with a slice of cheese.

3. Place under a broiler to melt the cheese and lightly brown.

4. Place finished toast on plate and top with cherries in the centers of the pineapple.

Chicken Patties

  This recipe looked like a good use of ground raw chicken. The butcher at our local Fareway store recommended the dark meat over the ground white meat so that is what I bought.

 We were quite pleased with them and I have made them a few times now, when I can buy the ground chicken on sale. I served them on buns, but croissants would be good also. Top with a tomato slice, lettuce and some mayo if you want. Very fast to get together and good warmed up the next day. I did freeze the one leftover in the bun and Bettie had it for lunch one day. It worked well and was thawed by her lunch time.

 As I want to at least be able to eat one of the patties, I use GF crumbs seasoned with dried Italian seasoning. (omit the bun). You could use your favorite seasoning with any unseasoned bread crumbs or make your own crumbs with leftover dried bread.

Ground Chicken Patty Sandwich

1 slightly beaten egg

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper

1/3 cup fine dry seasoned bread crumbs (GF crumbs are what I used)

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

1 Tablespoon snipped parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 pound ground raw chicken

2 tablespoons cooking oil

In a medium mixing bowl combine egg, celery, green pepper, onion, bread crumbs parsley, Worcestershire sauce and salt. Add the ground chicken and mix as for a meat loaf. Shape into four patties (we thought they were too large and I made the same amount into 5 patties the next time). 

 In a large skillet cook chicken patties in hot oil over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes or till no longer pink inside, turing once. Serve in bun with toppings of your choice such as lettuce, tomato, mayo. 

Reubens

 Reuben Sandwiches have long been a favorite of mine. Bettie and Lyle are also fans of them and I usually buy corned beef from the meat counter at our local Fareway store. If you are lucky enough to have some leftover corned beef from your brisket it really is so much better than the deli slices. 
This photo is from Sue as I gave her enough of our leftovers to make them. Guess it is the German in us as we are fans of sauerkraut and rye breads. Sue however makes her own rye bread, I buy mine.

 Reuben Sandwiches

Yield: 2 sandwiches

⅜ cup Sauerkraut

4 slices Rye or bread of your choice

2 tablespoons Thousand Island Salad Dressing

3 ounces Swiss Cheese slices

4 ounces Corned Beef Brisket - thinly sliced

 Drain sauerkraut well, press out as much liquid as you can. Brush the outside of the bread with butter. Spread inside of each slice with the dressing. Layer one slice of cheese, 2 ounces of corned beef, 3 tablespoons sauerkraut and a cheese slice.

Top with bread, butter side up. Grill in electric frying pan, grill or sandwich grill. Heat until bread is browned, turn over and brown other side. Cheese should be melted and sauerkraut and meat warm.

Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches

The photo is of Bettie’s plate and she likes a lot of black pepper.

 From the leftovers of the Classic Pot Roast I made hot beef sandwiches. I am not sure if this is a MidWest thing or if it is eaten in other parts of the country, though most regions have some version of a hot meat and potato sandwich. In Minnesota where we grew up they are often listed on the menus of restaurant’s as Commercials. Not sure why, but we always thought it was because they were mostly served in diners to traveling salesmen. I saw the menu for a restaurant ad in the Fairfax Minnesota paper this week and it was listing Commercials as a special on their noon lunch menu.

 This nicely used up the last of the roast. I did not have quite enough gravy left so added beef stock and some salt and pepper and thickened it again with cornstarch.

 There is not really a recipe for this meal, just directions.

 In additional broth (your own homemade or from the store) reheat leftover beef sliced thinly. Add thickener of choice and any remaining gravy to the broth.

 On the plate, lay a slice of bread, layer with the hot beef add another slice of bread on top and slice in half. Spread apart and place a serving of mashed potatoes in the middle. Cover the bread and potatoes with hot gravy and serve, 

French Onion Soup Hamburgers

Here’s a simple, but still very tasty, oldie but goodie.  I know most of you have probably had or made these, but we had them yesterday, and they were so good, you might need a reminder to try them again soon.  I had some bulk onion soup mix from the Amish store, but I have also made my own mix, which we like just as well or better; the onion soup mix recipe is here.  It works well to make up this size recipe and then I form patties and freeze those I don't want to cook; already seasoned, they are ready to grill with just thawing overnight in the fridge.

We enjoyed them in homemade Whole Wheat Mustard Buns   and Festive Bean Salad. With some fruit for dessert, it was a great grilled lunch.                      

French Onion Soup Hamburgers

  2             pounds  Ground Beef

  1 1/8      Ounces  Onion Soup Mix -- 1 envelope (about 4 tablespoons)

     1/2      cup  Water

In a large mixing bowl add the ground beef, soup mix, and water.  With clean hands mix until well combined, let set a few minutes until the soup absorbs the water.

Shape into eight patties and grill or broil until done.

Serve with your favorite toppings.

8 Servings; about 4 ½ ounces each (uncooked)

Chicken Sandwich Filling

Remember those school sandwiches with chicken salad?  Or Mom’s fancy party sandwiches?  Well, nowadays, you don’t always have to kill and cook the chicken first.  Here’s the recipe for a simple chicken sandwich filling – nothing to detract from the fresh, delicate taste of poached or home-canned chicken.  You can poach chicken breasts by cutting them in half, covering with stock, bringing to a boil, and then covering the pot and letting them stand 20-25 minutes.  

I used home-canned chicken and my little food processor for this today – our Mom used her manual meat grinder.  This makes a thick filling, not chunky, so it holds together.  We much prefer homemade “Cooked Dressing” for the genuine old-time taste, but your favorite mayonnaise or white creamy salad dressing will also work.    Make the dressing a day ahead, and use any leftovers anywhere you would use mayonnaise – it keeps at least a week in the refrigerator.   

We enjoyed ours on homemade Walnut Bread  with home canned Split Pea Soup.         

                         Chicken Sandwich Filling

  1           Cup  Cooked Chicken -- or home canned

     ½       Cup  Celery -- finely chopped

  1           Slice  Onion -- finely chopped

               Salt and Pepper -- to taste

    ¼        Cup   Cooked Dressing -- or mayonnaise

Finely chop or grind all ingredients together.  Moisten with dressing

Spread on buttered bread or toast.  Serves 4

  "Betty Crocker Quick and Easy Cook Book 1954"

                             Cooked Dressing

  2        tablespoons  Sugar

  2        tablespoons  Flour, All-purpose

  1        teaspoon  Salt

  1        teaspoon  Dry Mustard

  2        large  Egg Yolks -- slightly beaten

     3/4 cup  Milk (I have used skim milk, whole milk and it’s really good with half and half)

  4        tablespoons  Vinegar – mild (we like cider vinegar)

   1/2 -1 Tablespoon  Butter 

Mix dry ingredients; gradually add egg yolks and milk; cook over hot (not boiling) water until thick, stirring constantly, only about 3-4 minutes.  Add vinegar and butter; mix well and cook until thick.  Cover with plastic wrap right on the top of the mixture while cooling it.  Chill; stir before using.

67¢ per cup   Only 25 Calories per tablespoon   Yield:  "1 cup"

  "Betty Crocker Good and Easy 1954 or Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book 1946 and 1968"