Hot Ham & Cheese Sliders

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Ham & Cheese Sliders

These sliders. They’re one of the easiest things to put together, and also one of the most delicious – two things that usually don’t go hand in hand. I first made them for Andrew’s birthday party the year before last – the Dr. Seuss party. Everyone gobbled them up, and raved about them…so I knew I was onto something very good.

We’ve been making them since. Sometimes I make homemade dinner rolls, and sometimes I pick up a package of King’s Hawaiian rolls at the store and call it a night. Then it’s just a matter of assembling the deli ham and cheese on the buns, then drizzling them in this delicious sauce…that’s hard not to site there and eat with a spoon. Bake in the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese, and voila! I usually pair with a simple side like potato salad or sweet potato fries for an easy meal.

For lunch, dinner, or even as a munchie for game day – these sliders are always a winner that is sure to please everyone! 

Ham and Cheese Sliders

12 dinner rolls
18 slices deli ham
6 slices Swiss cheese

For the sauce:
5 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp onion, finely minced
1 Tbsp spicy brown mustard
3 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp kosher salt
poppy seeds

Slice dinner rolls in half. Pile 1 1/2 pieces of ham onto the bottom of each bun, along with 1/2 piece of Swiss cheese and then top with the other half of the bun. Place in 2 quart baking dish. Repeat with remaining rolls.

To prepare the sauce, heat the butter, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire, onion, and salt in a small sauce pan, whisking until smooth and melted.

Drizzle glaze over sandwiches and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

Cover pan with foil and bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese has melted.

Serve warm.

Source: adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride

Cherry-Merlot Pork and Egg Noodles

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Cherry Merlot Pork Tenderloin and Egg NoodlesThis time of year things get so hectic. With all our favorite Fall activities, soccer games and practices, school obligations …often I find that my meal planning falls by the wayside. So, when asked to try a recipe from the Marzetti KitchensSM website to share with you guys – I jumped at the opportunity to try something new! But, it also had to be quick and easy, to accommodate our hectic schedules these days!

So, I’m glad I hopped on over there and checked it out. Because they really do have so many great recipes! I’ve always been a huge fan of their Caesar salad dressing that’s in the refrigerated produce section of the grocery store. Can always find a bottle in my fridge, still working on finding a homemade recipe that lives up to it!

I happened to have a pork tenderloin that I needed to use, so this recipe immediately caught my eye. I adapted it a bit, mainly because I was feeling lazy and just wanted to sear the tenderloin in one piece. Then a quick sauce is made using Merlot, cherry preserves and dried cherries. The pork finishes cooking while the sauce reduces, and then at the end you whisk in butter to make the sauce thick and luxurious. Easy peasy, and so darned impressive! The flavor of the sauce was absolutely delicious, both sweet and savory. Served over a heaping pile of warm egg noodles and a side salad, it made for a hearty and filling meal that didn’t completely weigh you down.  A perfect seasonal dish that comes together quickly for these hectic fall months!

Everyone enjoyed it, and leftovers were killer made into a panini using some brie cheese. So if you’re like me, and in a bit of a recipe funk – head over to the Marzetti Kitchens page to check out all their delicious recipes! I know you’re bound to find something that will “Wow!” your family, just like this meal did for us!

Cherry Merlot Pork Tenderloin and Egg Noodles

Cherry-Merlot Pork and Egg Noodles

1 (8 oz) package egg noodles
1 pork tenderloin
1 1/2 cups Merlot wine 3 oz dried cherries, reconstituted
1 (10 oz) jar cherry preserves
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
2 Tbsp. olive oil
kosher salt
ground black pepper

Cook egg noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Season pork tenderloin generously with salt and pepper and sear in hot skillet until well browned on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside.

To the pan drippings add the wine, the cherry preserves and the cherries. Bring to a boil and return the tenderloin to the pan. Reduce heat to low and allow sauce to reduce, turning the tenderloin every few minutes to finish cooking evenly until the internal temperature reaches 160. Remove tenderloin from sauce and set aside to rest.

Meanwhile, whisk the butter into the sauce until well combined and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Slice pork into 1/2-inch pieces and serve over the egg noodles. Pour sauce over top of the pork. Serve immediately.

Source: adapted from Marzetti Kitchens

What Marzetti Kitchens recipe do you want to try? Share your favorite in the comments below for a chance to win a $100 VISA Gift Card.

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Crab Enchiladas

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Crab EnchiladasBlue crab season is winding down to a close here on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. But, it sure has been a great summer for them here at our house! My dad has a couple of crab pots at his boat slip, and he’s been gifting us with a few dozen almost weekly.

Last month I entered my crab and fresh corn chowder into the 49th Annual Hard Crab Derby Cooking Contest in Crisfield, Maryland. It came in 2nd with some stiff competition, which was more than an honor for this Maryland girl. There were actually several crab and corn soups entered. Which, got me to thinking that next year I wanted to do something really off the wall, that I was sure no one else would be making…

That’s where I came up with the idea for these crab enchiladas. These shrimp enchiladas are one of my favorite meals of all time, so it wasn’t a far leap to just replace the shrimp with crab meat. And, oh my lawd…so incredibly good! Richer than the shrimp version, but still extremely filling and different. If you have access to fresh crab meat, definitely give these a try. It’s an impressive dinner that’s sure to please. Can’t wait to enter these babies in next years competition!

Crab Enchiladas

2 Tbsp. butter, divided
1 lb. fresh crab meat, picked clean of shells
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
1/2 tsp. Old Bay (or another seafood seasoning)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
6 tbsp. heavy cream or half-and-half
1/4 cup sour cream
8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup tomatoes, seeded and diced
8-10 (8-inch) flour tortillas
Cooking spray

In a large sauté pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the diced bell pepper and onion, and cook until just tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the Old Bay, salt, and flour to the pan; stir well and cook briefly until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the heavy cream to the pan, stirring to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook just until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the sour cream, half of the shredded cheese, and the tomatoes. Add the crab to the pan, and carefully mix everything together until combined and the cheese is melted.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Scoop 1/3 cup of the filling mixture down the center of a tortilla. Sprinkle lightly with some of the reserved cheese. Roll the tortilla tightly around the filling and place seam side-down in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with the remaining filling, tortillas and cheese. Spray the tops of the finished assembled tortillas lightly with cooking spray. Bake uncovered for about 30-35 minutes, until lightly browned. Let cool at least 5-10 minutes before serving.

Spiced Apple Cake with Orange Glaze

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Spiced Apple Cake with Orange Glaze

Fall baking is now in full swing in my kitchen – how about with you guys? One of my favorite ingredients to use when baking in the autumn months is apple butter. It’s rich, it adds a ton of flavor and moisture to whatever it is your cooking. One of my best friends and her husband gifted me with a homemade jar last Christmas, they do it the old fashioned way up North – with a big pot and a party that lasts all day! As good as it was, you know it didn’t last anytime in our house. Luckily, Musselman’s makes a really tasty version that’s available in your local grocery store year round.

They were good enough to send me a fall baking gift set – with some disposable decorative liners to gift baked goods in, some great recipe cards, as well as a big jar of their apple butter. I was immediately drawn to this spiced apple cake (predictable much?) that’s topped with a sweet orange glaze. The cake is delicious and moist, without being too dense…and has all my favorite warm flavors of fall. Topped with the simple glaze that carries a punch of freshness from the addition of fresh orange juice and zest.

You can either bake as one large loaf, or do as I did and bake 4 smaller loaves to give as gifts. We have a freebie gift set to giveaway to one lucky reader too! Just leave a comment telling me what’s your favorite recipe to make with apple butter? My friend Annie posted a panini earlier this week that is next on my hit list! So many good things to do with the stuff. Contest will run today through next Thursday (10/10/13) at 11:59 PM. I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Spiced Apple Cake with Orange Glaze

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup apple butter

For the glaze:
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp orange zest
2 Tbsp fresh orange juice

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves to a medium bowl. Whisk to combine.

Cream sugar and softened butter in large bowl.  Add eggs, beating thoroughly.  Beat in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk.  Stir in apple butter.

Pour into a greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan (or 4 smaller loaf pans).

Bake in 350°F oven 55 to 65 minutes or until cake tests done (I cooked the mini-loaves for 40 minutes). Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Make orange glaze by combining powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange peel. Spoon glaze over warm cake.

Source: adapted from Musselman’s