Breakfast Panini…How do you like yours?

It is the last Sunday of the month…which means…we eat!

I made these….

Breakfast Paninis and Monte Cristo Sandwiches!   So easy and quick and since there is such a variety at our Sunday Breakfasts, I cut mine in to quarters so that everyone could partake of everything!

Make your Breakfast Panini and flavor yours with your favorite breakfast items.   These seem to be a hit.

Bacon and Egg Paninis

(serves 4 or if you quarter them like I did, a SS class!)

4 eggs

4 egg whites

2 Tbsp cream

1/4 to 1/2 tsp garlic salt – to taste

6 slices of bacon (but I actually used more to make sure I filled them up – I actually had 4 half slices on each panini so 2 whole slices per panini)

3/4 cup shredded cheddar (I didn’t measure – just piled some on each one but not overpiled)

4 refrigerated Grand biscuits, sliced in half through the thickness of the biscuit)

Fry bacon till done – (I like to do mine in the oven!)

Once biscuit is sliced in half through the center, roll biscuit halves out on lightly floured surface until thin.

Mix eggs, egg whites, cream and garlic salt.  Scramble eggs until light and fluffy and just cooked through.

Fill one side of flat biscuit with 1/4 egg, strips of bacon and about 2 Tbsp. cheese and top with other half of flat biscuit.

Spray panini press; cook until done.  Watch and don’t let burn.  Here is one that is all done with another one ready in the background to go on the panini press.

Yummy!

The Monte Cristo Sandwich was not made in the panini press but was just as equally easy.   Since it calls for thick sliced baked ham, I decided to use the Carving Board brand Ham and it worked great plus made for a pretty hefty filling sandwich.  I also cut this sandwich into fourths.

Monte Cristo:

2 eggs

4 slices bread (sturdy)

2 Tbsp mustard

2Tbsp mayonnaise

1/2 lb thick sliced baked ham (I used one pkg carving board ham and the bread I used was large sliced

Gruyere Cheese, shredded (I used about 1/2 of an 8 oz. pkg grated)

2 Tbsp Butter

Beat eggs with salt and pepper, to taste.

Assemble sandwich with mustard, mayo, ham, cheese, salt, pepper.  Compress sandwich.

Over medium heat, melt butter in skillet.  Dip sandwich in egg. (see my little line-up in the pic?  Sammy, egg to dip in? and skillet to throw them in!)

Brown till crisp on one side, turn and crisp on the other side.  (I added a smidgen more butter after I flipped mine but it may be because I used my gynormous skillet and my butter went all over the place). Serve and enjoy.

And here’s my platter of paninis and sammies!

Nice and crispy and warm and ready for Sunday School.   Make something different this week.  Maybe even throw a panini in there somewhere.    Have a great week!

Krystal Burgers…..make them yourself

I came across this recipe in one of my cookbooks and am making these little scutters!  I am making one recipe the regular way with ground beef and one recipe using ground turkey (my choice of meat!).  When I read the method of preparing this tasty little burger, I knew it was just like eating a Krystal, only better.  

So get ready, oh you brave souls at work! You will be taste testing these little beauties sometime in the next week or so.  I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait.  And if you are watching carbs, have it served as a lettuce wrap – using your lettuce as your bun!  

Sorry for the side view – I could not for the life of me get this photo to turn around!

Petite Party Burgers

1 1/2 lb ground beef (or 1 1/2 lb ground turkey)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup finely cup chopped onion

paper towels

1 – 20-count package party rolls (small size rolls)

1/3 cup mustard

20 dill pickle slices

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Flatten the ground beef on a 13 x 9 x 1 inch cookie sheet to 1/4 inch thickness.  Season the beef with the salt and pepper.  Press the chopped onion into the meat.  Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and using a spatula, place the beef on paper towels to absorb the grease.  Cut the beef into 20 little burgers, or cut to the size of the buns.  Split the buns in half, spread one side with mustard, top with meat, and pickle slice and top with other bun.  Enjoy!

If you need to, you can wrap these individually in aluminum foil and refrigerate until time to reheat.  

How easy is that?  Man, could you feed a hungry crowd of teenagers, or a youth group with these!  And I don’t even want to think about taking these tailgating and just throwing on the grill to reheat! Man, oh, man!

Have some extra sides for those who just want extra stuff on theirs – there you go!  

Try these – I think you will like them.

 

Eggplant Parmesan…..the healthy way

I love Italian dishes….especially Eggplant Parmesan.   But when I came across this healthier version, I was a little skeptical.  Would the eggplant get crispy without the frying method?  Would the flavor be lost that you get with the true Italian version?  No to any of the above.  This is a great version of the original recipe.   We love to make it and the flavor is great.  Give it a try, and see what you think!   I haven’t tried it in an Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich but I know it would be great. Or even an Eggplant Parmesan Panini! Oh my!

 

Eggplant Parmesan..the healthy way

Ingredients:

3 eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced

2 eggs, beaten

4 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs

6 cups spaghetti sauce, divided (I try and find the heart healthy version and have from time to time found a “carb smart” version for diabetic hubby)

1 (16 ounce) package mozzarella cheese , shredded and divided

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Dip eggplant slices in egg, then in bread crumbs.  Place in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes on each side.

In a 9×13 inch baking dish spread spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom.  Place a layer of eggplant slices in the sauce.  Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.  Repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with the cheeses.  Sprinkle basil on top.  

Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.  Let sit at least 5 minutes prior to serving.  If you have fresh basil, it is good to chop and sprinkle a small amount on top prior to serving.  Enjoy with a side fresh salad!

Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes….incredible!

These Turkey Sloppy Joes were so good.  They had such depth of flavor, and were so easy.   You can make them with or without a crock pot, so it depends on the amount of time you have or don’t have.   Serve them as a lettuce wrap and forego the bread/bun and save on carbs!  Just as good!  Just make them….and soon.

 

Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes (can use Slow Cooker to make)

1 lb ground turkey (could use ground beef if you rather)

1 onion, diced

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced (if you like a little more heat, leave in some seeds to taste)

2 stalks celery, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 8-oz tomato sauce

1/2 cup ketchup

2 Tbsp mustard

1 Tbsp Splenda brown sugar (I love this stuff – it rocks!)

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp. Smoked paprika – (can I say if you have never tried the “smoked paprika,” get some and try it – it will become your best friend)

 

Directions:  

In a large skillet, add turkey, onion, celery, and green pepper, along with jalapeno and cook until turkey is no longer pink.  (if you are using the crock pot, add it to the slow cooker sprayed with non-stick cooking spray at this point) 

Add tomato sauce, ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar along with seasonings to ingredients in skillet (or slow cooker) and stir together.

Simmer on low for 30 minutes in skillet stirring occasionally (may need to add a little water if it looks like it is getting too thick but only do this to your liking) – if you are using the slow cooker, cook on low for 4 hours and keep on warm until serving.   Serving on buns, bread, toast, or as I like, as lettuce wraps.   

This stuff is addictive, the flavors are just right.   Next time I plan on keeping more of the heat from the jalapeno.   I like to spice things up a bit!.

Enjoy!  And Happy Football Friday!