Loose Meat Sandwich

An old-school, terrible sounding thing – but oh crap is it fricking good!

Makes 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 yellow onion, diced or thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lb approx. ground beef (I feel the packages are closer to 1.3 pounds for some reason theses days – but anything close will do)
• Salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
• ½ teaspoon each onion powder & garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
• 4 -6 of your favorite buns, even hot dog buns will work nicely you’ll just need more of them
• ½ cup French Fried Onions

DIRECTIONS

1. Soften onions in pan with oil over medium heat about 5 minutes
2. Put in the ground beef and cook until most of the pink is gone
3. Add seasonings, stir well to combine and cook a couple minutes
4. Add broth & Worcestershire and let simmer about 15 minutes or until the broth has just evaporated
5. Toast buns lightly, add some of the meat, then the crunchy onions, the top bun and… eat.

Sausage & Mixed Pepper Flatbread

Makes 4 flatbreads

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound hot Italian sausage
• One each red & yellow or orange bell pepper, cut into thin, 1 inch pieces
• 1 large clove garlic
• 5 ounces baby spinach
• 4 Naan bread, flat bread or whatever (instead of pizza) aaprox 4x 8 inches each
• ½ cup basil pesto
• Shredded mozzarella
• 1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Cook sausage until almost done and add peppers – allow to soften
3. Add garlic, and when fragrant after about a minute add spinach
4. When spinach has wilted, add salt & pepper to taste and remove from heat
5. Spread ¼ of the pesto on each naan, add some mozzarella, the sausage mixture, more mozzarella and finely the Parmesan
6. Bake until crispy,  melty and gorgeous – about 15 minutes

 

WATCH SAM MAKE THIS...

BAKED CHEESY RATATOUILLE

Serves 4

The reason for having a really good tomato sauce at the ready is way obvious with this crazy good little baked vegetable dish.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 red pepper, 1/2'' diced
• 10 asparagus spears, 1'' pieces
• 1/2 large red onion, 1/2'' diced
• 1 japanese eggplant, 1/2'' semi circles
• 1 zucchini, 1/2'' semi circles
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed
• 2 cups my homemade tomato sauce
• 1 large mozzarella cheese ball, sliced
• Kosher salt and pepper for seasoning

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat broiler
2. Heat oil in wok on med/high, throw in red pepper, asparagus, red onion, eggplant cook for 7 minutes, keep it moving regularly
3. Add zucchini and garlic cook for 2-3 minutes, season with Kosher salt and pepper add dash of oil
4. Heat homemade tomato sauce in separate pan, add cooked vegetables
5. Layer mixture into cast iron skillet or oven proof dish, top with the cheese
6. Cook under the broiler (about 5 inches from heat) for 5 minutes or golden and bubbling. 

Lobster Pasta

Serves 3-4

Yum

Ingredients

• 2 lobster tails, uncooked
• 1/2 large yellow or white onion, diced
• 1 small green pepper, diced
• 1/2 pound shell type pasta
• 1 large clove, or 2 small cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons butter
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
• 1/3 cup cup parsley, minced
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Extra virgin olive oil, for finishing

Directions

1. Steam lobster tails about 12 minutes or until done, let cool slightly, remove meat and cut into bite size pieces
2. Cook pasta until done
3. While the lobster steams, cook onion and green pepper in a little oil until softened
4. Put in garlic, and cook about 1 minute
5. Add red pepper, butter, lobster and season with salt & pepper
6. Stir well then put in parsley & lemon zest
7. Combine and heat through, then finish with a drizzle of olive oil

Italian Sausage Burger

Makes 2

Jeez, we all really love this. Just make it – no questions...

Ingredients

• 1 large red pepper, diced
• 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
• 3/4 pound hot Italian sausage
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 large basil leaves, chopped fine
• 1 big clove garlic
• 2 slices provolone cheese
• 2 Ciabatta rolls

Directions

1. Heat non-stick pan, add red pepper, onion, 1 tablespoon olive oil & salt and pepper – cook until well softened, 6-7 minutes – keep warm
2. Mix sausage well with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt & pepper – form into 2 patties
3. Cook until done on both sides (145 degrees is fine), and add cheese when you flip
4. While it cooks, combine mayo, basil & garlic – stir well and set aside
5. Grill or toast bun and build: bottom bun, basil/mayo, burger, pepper/onion mix, top bun
6. Oh damn...

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Ahi Slider

Makes 2 sliders

It's a small burger with giant flavor.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

• 2 tablespoons Kewpie (Japanese mayo) or Miracle Whip

• 1 tablespoon Chili Paste

• 1/4 cup Jicama, cut into matchsticks

• 3 green onions, white & light green parts shredded lengthwise

• Approx 6 ounces fresh ahi - cut into 2 small fillets

• 2 King's Hawaiian Rolls

• Kosher salt

• Fresh black pepper

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Half an avocado, in thin slices

Directions

1. In a medium bowl combine hoisin, mayo & chili paste - mix well and set aside

2. Mix jicama and green onion - set aside

3. Pre-heat a griddle or non-stick pan or fire up the grill outside to medium

4. Lightly oil ahi, season with Kosher salt and pepper, cook or grill until 1/4 of the way done up the side, then flip and repeat – this will keep it rare in the middle

5. While it cooks, slice Hawaiian rolls, lightly oil and grill until brown on both sides

6. Build: grilled bun, hoisin mix, avocado slices, ahi, jicama slaw and top bun, enjoy!

Spicy Sausage Pasta

Serves 6

Love it, love it, love it. What more can I say? Delicious. That's all. Ok, smooth and creamy too. There - I'm done.

5 slices raw bacon, diced fairly small

4 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound spicy Italian sausage, (casings removed if in sausage form)

1 pound penne pasta

4 cloves garlic

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

• Add bacon to a non-stick pan, and cook until just getting crispy - remove to a paper towel to drain

• Remove bacon grease, leaving about a tablesppon, then add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the pan and when melted and add bread crumbs - stirring often over medium high heat until golden brown then add back in the bacon, stir well to combine and remove to a small bowl - set aside

• Heat oil in medium hot pan, add sausage & break apart to crumble

• Cook until no longer pink and stir in garlic - cook another minute

• Add cream - simmer on low about 10 minutes

• While it cooks, add pasta to boiling water - when the pasta's ready, so is the sausage

• Drain pasta and add to sausage

• Add remaining butter, Parmesan cheese & parsley - mix well

• Serve topped with the bacon/bread crumbs

Warm Butternut Squash & Crispy Bacon Salad

Serves 4

The title kinda says it all doesn't it?

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• 2 cups butternut squash, cut into a 3/4 inch dice
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1/2 pound bacon, diced
• One 4-5 ounce bag salad greens

Directions

1. Combine syrup, vinegar and oil - whisk well, season with salt and pepper and set aside
2. Put squash in a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of water, cover with plastic wrap (making a couple small knife slits in the plastic) and microwave until softened but not mushy, approximately 4 minutes
3. Cook bacon in a non-stick pan until just getting crispy, remove excess oil and add squash -  cook until squash just begins to brown, remove from heat
4. Put greens in a bowl, add squash & bacon and toss with some of the dressing - plate

Tomato Egg Stir Fry

Serves 4

Eggs and tomatoes never tasted so good.

Ingredients

• 5 eggs, beaten
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
• Olive oil, peanut oil, whatever oil
• 4 vine ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Green onions, chopped fine for garnish

Directions

1. Heat a wok or large non-stick pan well over medium heat
2. Add enough oil to coat the bottom and sides, and add eggs, and season with salt & pepper
3. Roll pan around to spread eggs into sort of a large pancake
4. Cook on both sides until done - but not too try and remove to a cutting board
5. When it cools slightly, roll it up like a cigar and cut into 1/2 inch ribbons
6. Put wok or pan back on the heat, add more oil and then tomatoes and sugar
7. Cook tomatoes until they start to break down a bit, then add back in the eggs
8. Stir everything until well combined and heated through - about 2 more minutes then serve
9. Top with green onions

Pork & Shrimp Potstickers

Makes about 30

These might be a little work, but they're certainly worth it.  Delicate little dumplings that will have you wishing you made more - or that you didn't share them.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/2 pound raw shrimp, peeled & deveined
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled
• 4 green onions, white & light green parts only with root cut off
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 30 round won ton wrappers
• vegetable oil for frying

DIPPING SAUCE:

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon hot chili oil

Directions

1. In a processor, combine first 7 ingredients (or chop all finely by hand and mix well)
2. Put some of the pork mix in the middle of each wrapper, dip you finger in water and lightly moisten the wrapper edge
3. Fold in half and seal shut
4. Heat oil in a pan and cook gyoza until lightly browned on bottom, 3-5 minutes
5. Add water carefully (it'll steam & splutter) and cover with a lid
6. Steam until cooked through, approx 5-8 minutes
7. Remove, plate and mix sauce ingredients for dipping

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Potato/Leek Flatbread

Makes one 7"x12" flatbread

Flatbread pretty much just means very thin crust pizza - and this is a delicious one. Many supermarkets now sell balls of raw pizza dough - or you can make your own. Either way you'll like this.

Ingredients

• 1 large leek
• Olive oil
• Salt & Pepper
• 1/2 ball store bought pizza dough
• Soft garlic & herb cheese, like Alouette
• 3 or 4 small red potatoes, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Cut off root end and bright green tops of leek
3. Slice what's left (the white & light green middle) in half lengthwise, rinse under cold water to remove any dirt and dry
4. Slice each half lengthwise into thin match sticks and saute in a non stick pan with a little olive, salt & pepper until softened (about 3 minutes), remove from heat
5. Lightly oil baking sheet and spread out dough into about a 7x12 oval
6. Spread with garlic & herb cheese, potato slices, sauteed leeks and finally the Parmesan
7. Bake until crispy & golden brown, 10-12 minutes