Mini Grilled Cheese and Tomato Sandwiches

I love finger foods for new years eve. One of our favorite foods here is grilled cheese This recipe I found will I believe please everyone. I may have to omit the tomato in some because of those picky more conservative individuals but for the most part I am hoping these tiny sandwiches will be a top hit

Mini Grilled Cheese and Tomato Sandwiches

 

 

   

1 French baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds (each tomato will yield about 5-6 slices)
Kraft Singles Cheese, 1 slice per sandwich, cut or folded into sixths
butter, about 1 tablespoon per sandwich

Prepare a large non-stick skillet by spraying it with cooking spray. Butter one side of bread and lay it buttered-side-down into the pan. Top with the cheese squares by staggering them slightly when placing them onto the bread rather than stacking all the squares exactly on top of each other (this will create height to the finished sandwich). Top with one tomato slice.  Butter another piece of bread and place it on top of the tomato slice, buttered-side-up. Repeat for as many sandwiches and you wish to make.

When all your sandwiches are in the pan, turn the stove to medium or medium-high heat and cook sandwiches for about 3 minutes on the first side. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes on second side, or cook until both sides are browned to desired level. Serve immediately.
Consider serving with ketchup, ketchup + hot sauce, salsa, three cheese ranch salad dressing (shown in photos), mustard, mayo, or any desired dip.
Tip: To encourage cheese melting, use a pan with a lid as the trapped heat and steam will help encourage the cheese to melt. Otherwise you run the risk of the bread browning too fast before the cheese has melted.

recipe source here

Not Just Any Fries

I love a good steak and fries and while the burger has so many ways to spice up this recipe offers you a delicious tasty way to make up some steak fries. Some sweet potatoes steak fries that go great with a delicious tasting steak The savory note of coriander and mustard balance out the taste of blue cheese and saltiness.    

• 2 8-10 Ounce New York strip steaks
• 2 yams, peeled (try to find evenly shaped yams)
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed and finely diced
• 1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 2 tsp unsalted butter
• 5 tsp sharp blue cheese
• 1 tsp finely chopped thyme
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• coarse salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat your oven to 400 and set the upper rack about 8″ from the top. 
2. Using a mandolin or v-slicer, julienne the yams.  You’re looking for thin strips, about 1/8″.  If you don’t have a slicer, you’ll spend the next 2 hours doing this by hand.  Oh well, it’s fun, right?
3. Toss the yams with olive oil and garlic to coat.  Salt generously and spread in an even layer on a baking sheet.  Bake at 400, tossing often to prevent burning.
4. In a mortar and pestle or small food processor, combine the coriander seeds, mustard power, white pepper, 3 wrists of black pepper, about 1 tsp of coarse salt and about 4 tsp of olive oil.  Blend until the coriander seeds are relatively small.
5. Coat the steaks with the coriander mixture and set aside. 
6. Preheat a very heavy skillet over high heat.  Seroiusly, get this thing hot.  Once it is smoking (literally) add the steaks and sear each side until a delicious crust forms, about 2 minutes per side.  Remove the steaks to a plate and let them rest for 5 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, combine the butter, blue cheese and half of the thyme in a small bowl.  Remove the yam fries from the oven and toss with the remaining thyme. 
8. Plate the steaks and fries.  Place a generous dollop of blue cheese butter atop the steak and watch it melt in a ballet of buttery flavor

Quick and Easy Chili

When the holiday leftovers are all gone and over the menu will then turn to winter meals and also quick meals as the day is shorter and the work days may be longer as I like to work over time when I have the chance and it does not cut into my fun time. Thus I am always on the search for good delicious meals that are quick and easy and filling. Check out the one I share with you today


Quick and Easy Chili

1 pound ground beef

2 29 ounce cans of pinto beans

1 15 ounce can of black beans

1 15 ounce can of light red kidney beans

1 15 ounce can of diced tomatoes

1 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes

chili powder

salt

worcestershire sauce

Cook ground beef in skillet with a few dashes of worcestershire sauce.

While the meat is cooking - empty the cans of beans and tomatoes in a large pot and heat on medium high.

Drain the grease from the beef and add beef to the pot of beans and tomatoes.

Add chili powder and salt. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer on medium.

 

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Holiday Leftover Shepherds pie

HOLIDAY LEFTOVER SHEPHERD’S PIE

Use your leftover meat (turkey, chicken, duck, roast beef, pot roast, roast lamb or pork) and vegetables (mashed, roasted, steamed) in this delicious pie. I used roasted cauliflower to make the mash for the topping but you could use mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes or a mixture of vegetables.
– 4 cups leftover turkey, roast beef or other poultry or meat, finely chopped
– 1 cup leftover gravy*
– 1½ cups diced roasted carrots, squash or parsnips
– 1 cup frozen peas or edamame
– 2½ cups mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cauliflower or combination of the above**
– 1 tbsp melted butter
– ½ tsp paprika

1. Combine turkey with gravy and pat into the bottom of a buttered 8- or 9-inch square casserole dish.
2. Sprinkle carrots on top. Place peas in a strainer and pour boiling water over the top to defrost them. Pat dry. Add to carrots.
3. Season mashed vegetables and spread over the top. Brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle with paprika.
4. Bake in a preheated 400F oven for 30 minutes until heated thoroughly and lightly browned.
* If you do not have leftover gravy cook 2 tbsp butter with 3 tbsp flour for a few minutes in a small saucepan. Whisk in one cup chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cook a few minutes until thick. Season with salt, pepper and 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage.
** If you do not have leftover mashed potatoes, mash 4 cups roasted or cooked vegetables to get 2½ cups mash. Makes 6 servings

recipe source here

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Reindeer Bites Cookies

Looking for a goodie to treat santa and his reindeer with?? Well while you might think that the reindeer love carrots there is this special little reindeer cookie that they love as well. These cookies are easy to make and taste great with goodies like coconut, graham cracker crumbs, caramel bits and chocolate chunks.

Reindeer Bites Cookies
recipe from Six Sisters Stuff

 

1/2 c. butter flavored shortening (Picky Apple Note: I substituted real butter for this!)
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. coconut extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 c. caramel bites
1 c. coconut
1 c. chocolate chunks
1/4 c. graham cracker chunks

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Beat shortening, butter, and sugars until fluffy. Beat in baking soda, salt, coconut extract and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each. Slowly add flour and graham cracker crumbs. Stir in caramel bites, coconut, choc chunks, and graham pieces. Drop by rounded teaspoon onto a cookie sheet. Bake 10-13 minutes. Let stand on the cookie sheet for a few minutes after removing from oven. The caramel on the bottom needs time to set up before you can remove them. Store in an airtight container.

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Snowmen Cupcakes

whether you are a fan or have a fan of frozen in your house or not it seems that everyone loves snowmen. These super cute snowmen cupcakes would be a fun treat to make as part of the holiday fun or even after as I know there is still plenty of winter left here after the holidays

 Snowmen Cupcakes
Source: Cupcakes Take the Cake via Pinterest

Batch of Cupcakes (any flavor)
White Icing (any flavor)
1 cup Sparkling White Sanding Sugar
Chocolate Chips (2 per each cupcake)
Mini Chocolate Chips (5–6 per each cupcake)
Orange Sprinkles (1 per each cupcake)

Bake cupcakes and let cool. Ice the tops with white icing.
Dip the tops of the icing into the sanding sugar until covered.
Press 2 chocolate chips for eyes, 1 orange sprinkle for a nose, and 5–6 mini chocolate chips for a mouth into each cupcake.