Phily Cheese Steak Sandwiches

Tonight's quick dinner came from a Cooking Light Fast and Fresh recipe.  Even though the sandwich looks decadent it was actually just under 400 calories which makes it a delicious treat.  This was really a quick and easy recipe to make as well.

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches
Makes 4 servings

Cheddar Cheese Sauce (recipe follows)
3/4 pound boneless sirlon steak
Cooking spray
2 cups total sliced green, yellow and red bell pepper strips
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (2 1/2-ounce) hoagie rolls


Prepare Cheddar Cheese Sauce

While sauce cooks, cut steak diagonally across the grain into 1/8-inch thick slices. 

Heat a large cast iron skillet 2 minutes over high heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray.  Add steak, bell pepper, and onion to pan.  Sprinkle steak and vegetables with black pepper; saute 5 minutes or until meat is browned and vegetables are tender.  Drain.

Fill each roll with about 3/4 cup steak mixture.  Spoon about 3 tablespoons Cheddar Cheese Sauce over each sandwich.  Serve immediately.

Cheddar Cheese Sauce
About 3 tablespoons per serving

1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup 1% low-fat milk
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded reduced-fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder

Place flour in a small saucepan.  Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until smooth.  Cook over medium-high heat until thick (about 3 minutes), stirring frequently.  Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts.  Stir in salt, pepper,  and onion powder. 

Slightly adapted from Cooking Light, Fresh Food Fast

My rating:

Ultimate Burger

I planned these burgers for dinner tonight since I played golf this afternoon.  The afternoon temperatures were in the mid-60's with blue skies, the perfect golf weather as far as I'm concerned.  It was a fun afternoon spent outside and I'm looking forward to playing again.

I prepped these burgers this morning, so it would be easy to fire up the grill and get these cooked.  These are really great burgers with the secret to keeping them moist, (shhh) bacon fat.  I have not yet made bread in our motor home, so I bought whole wheat hamburger buns.  These would be fabulous on homemade buns.  I'll try that next time.

Ultimate Steakhouse Burger
Makes 4 servings
6 strips of bacon
1 to 2 slices of white sandwich bread, crust removed and torn into 1/2-inch pieces  (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, 85-90% lean
1 teaspooon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 large garlic cloves, grated on a microplane

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until it is browned and crisp, about 8 minutes.  Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain; set aside.  Spoon 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat into a bowl; set aside to cool.

Place the bread in a small brown, add milk, and let the mixture sit until saturated, about 5 mintues.  Using a fork, mash the mixture until it forms a smooth paste.  Break the beef up into small pieces in a medium bowl.  Season with salt and pepper, then add the garlic, bread paste, and reserved bacon fat.  Using a fork or hands, lightly knead the mixture until it is well incorporated and forms a cohesive mass.  Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and form in 3/4-inch thick patties.  Using a finger, make several dimples onto one side of each patty.  This prevents the patty from doming once cooked.

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill with a hot fire.  Grill the burgers (without pressing down!) until they are well seared on each side, about 7-10 minutes total.  Served topped with previously cooked bacon, if desired.  Enjoy!

From The Galley Gourmet

Our rating:

Vietnamese Banh Mi Sandwiches

We spent the day at my oldest daughter's house for their annual Pumpkin Carving day.  Halloween is Val and Jason's favorite holiday (right up there with Christmas) and they decided to start this tradition about 4 years ago.  Everyone brings a pumpkin and they provide the stencils and the tools for carving.  Valerie also makes very fun and spooky Halloween treats and this year asked us each to bring a haunted treat with us.  I brought Mummified Hot Dogs which were hot dog halves stuffed with a sliver of cheddar cheese before being wrapped in strips of seasoned, buttered phyllo dough.  These were very tasty but didn't quite have enough of a mummy look.  It was a wonderful day full of decadent treats and though it was a cool start to the day, it turned out to be a beautiful afternoon.

All the pumpkins

Ethan's pumpkin (aka Woody)

I had already planned these Vietnamese sandwiches for dinner since I knew we would want real food, but not something too heavy and it worked out perfectly.  It was just the right amount of food.  These sandwiches used marinated chicken breasts which were grilled for the meat component instead of slow cooked beef and although they were good, I still want to make a more traditional Banh Mi for Gerry.  He, however, did have no complaints about these sandwiches tonight.

Vietnamese Banh Mi Sandwiches
Makes 4 servings

1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 chopped jalapeno
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup hot tap water
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 carrots, sliced thin on the bias
2 daikon radishes, sliced thin on the bias
4 soft sub rolls
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 of an English cucumber, sliced thin
1/4 cup cilantro leaves (or mint)
1/2 jalapeno, sliced, for extra heat (optional)

Mix the first six ingredients in a baking dish.  Add chicken breasts to the dish, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  Longer is better!

Stir the hot tap water and sugar in a medium bowl, until the sugar dissolves.  Add the vinegar, salt, red pepper, sliced carrots and radishes.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Heat the grill to medium.  Grill the chicken breasts for 5 minutes per side.  Remove from heat and cover them with foil to rest for 5 minutes.

Open the sub rolls and grill the insides for about 1-3 minutes - until toasted.  Drain the pickled veggies.  Slice the chicken into thin pieces.

Spread mayo over the sub rolls.  Layer the cucumbers, chicken, pickled veggies, cilantro leaves and jalapenos in the rolls.

Serve immediately.

Adapted from A Spicy Perspective

My rating: