There has been a recent boom of pre-packaged deli meats that are trying to compete with the freshly shaven meats from the deli. These Oscar Meyer versions of what you would typically get at the deli counter are about $7.00 per lb. where deli meat can approach $9.99 a lb. With a little extra effort, you can make this cheaper meat taste just as good as the expensive stuff.
Food You Need:
1 - Bagel (Any non-fruit flavor)
1 - Spicey Brown Mustard
1 - Veggie/Onion Cream Cheese Spread
1 - Your favorite deli cheese
1 - Good melting cheese - Swiss, Havarti, Pepperjack, etc
Cookware You Need:
1 - Toaster
1 - George Foreman Grill
Total Cost: $1.75-$3.25 per sandwich
Total Time: 4 minutes to prep/cook
Serves: 1
Left-overs: Only make enough to eat right away
To Get Started:
Plug in your George Foreman grill and let it heat up. Toss your bagel in the toaster and let it become just slightly crisped on the inside. Once your grill is heated up, throw your lunch meat (I prefer turkey but this would be great with bologna as well). After the turkey meat starts to show grill marks, flip it over and toss a slice of your favorite cheese on the meat. As the other side of the meat cooks and the cheese melts, spread your veggie cream cheese onto one side of the bagel. Put just a dash of the spicy brown mustard on the other side of the bagel. As soon as the cheese it melted, use a fork to scoop the meat onto the cream cheese side of the bagel, top, and enjoy!
This recipe is extremely simple, but the taste difference between a regular turkey sandwich or regular bagel is HUGE. It only takes a minute and is a great fast lunch for college kids on the go.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Friday, November 7, 2008
The Subway Killer, er, the Killer Sub
To be honest, I have never been a fan of cold sandwiches. There are the rare few that really can wow me, but for my money, I would rather have a hot melty delicious sandwich. The problem is that to get a decent warm sandwich, they can run $8-$10 each, which can end up being very expensive. For half the cost, you can hit your local Safeway Deli on the way home, grab less than $10 worth of items, and feed the whole family. Besides, my subs kick the crap out of Subway any day of the week.
Food You Need:
1 - "Hoagie Buns" usually come in a 6 pack, my favorite are Sourdough, NOT hot dog buns
1 - Tb. Olive Oil (optional)
1 - Your favorite deli meat
1 - Your favorite deli cheese
1 - 2 "hot" sauces to compliment your meet/cheese selection, I do not recommend mayonnaise
Garlic Salt
Cookware You Need:
1 - Sheet of Aluminum Foil
1 - Oven
Total Cost: $2.75 per sandwich
Total Time: 1 min to prep 12 minutes to bake
Serves: 1
Left-overs: Which each being portioned for 1, why have left overs?
To Get Started:
Start by setting your open to 350. Cut your hoagie buns clean in half. Take the olive oil and rub it gently along the inside of the newly cut halves until it lines the bun. (Butter can also work, but it harder to get to spread). Sprinkle JUST A DASH of garlic salt over the oiled. Lay your 2 oiled up halves on some foil, large enough to wrap around the hoagie like a blanket when you are done. Then lay cheese, meet, any veggies you may like (I do not recommend lettuce or tomato, think mushrooms, fried onions, etc.) and then finally top with your sauce. Repeat the same on both sides of the bun and then stack them together. Roll them up tight in the foil and place them directly on the rack in the oven. Set the time for 12 minutes and walk away. When you are done, you will have a just crispy enough outside, gooey inside, and the meat will be perfectly seasoned by the sauces and veggies.
There are two tricks to making an oven bake sandwich taste amazing.
Placement of the Meats - It is important to make sure that the cheese touches the outside of the bun, so the meat and sauces stay in the middle. You are almost "water proofing" the bread so it stays crispy and the cheese melts directly into the meat and sauce.
Selection of the Meats - Anyone who has had Swiss cheese out of the freezer, as well as Swiss baked over a Philly cheese steak can tell you that certain deli foods change flavor dramatically after being heated. Keep this in mind when trying to make your favorite combo. I have a list of suggestions that have worked well for me below, but experiment and try whatever you feel might work best.
Also Note: It will not become hot enough at any point for raw meat to cook properly. Bacon makes these sandwiches amazing, but make sure any chicken breast, bacon, etc. is pre-cooked before you place it in. Anything you buy from the deli will be ok, if you get it from a freezer, cook it first.
My Favorite Combos (Cheese, Meat, Sauce):
Spicy Turkey - Havarti Cheese, Turkey, Frank's Red Hot Sauce, Ranch Dressing
Ham and Cheese - Slices of Swiss, Non-Sweetened Ham, Nacho Cheese Sauce (just a dap)
Hot Italian - Provolone and parmesan, Salami, Pepperoni, Italian Sausage, marinara
French Dip - Roast Beef, Swiss Cheese, and Au Jus Sauce (Can be bought in a "Just Add Water" packet at most grocery stores)
Be creative and let me know if you the readers come up with any other ideas I have not posted here and I would be glad to post them as well.
Food You Need:
1 - "Hoagie Buns" usually come in a 6 pack, my favorite are Sourdough, NOT hot dog buns
1 - Tb. Olive Oil (optional)
1 - Your favorite deli meat
1 - Your favorite deli cheese
1 - 2 "hot" sauces to compliment your meet/cheese selection, I do not recommend mayonnaise
Garlic Salt
Cookware You Need:
1 - Sheet of Aluminum Foil
1 - Oven
Total Cost: $2.75 per sandwich
Total Time: 1 min to prep 12 minutes to bake
Serves: 1
Left-overs: Which each being portioned for 1, why have left overs?
To Get Started:
Start by setting your open to 350. Cut your hoagie buns clean in half. Take the olive oil and rub it gently along the inside of the newly cut halves until it lines the bun. (Butter can also work, but it harder to get to spread). Sprinkle JUST A DASH of garlic salt over the oiled. Lay your 2 oiled up halves on some foil, large enough to wrap around the hoagie like a blanket when you are done. Then lay cheese, meet, any veggies you may like (I do not recommend lettuce or tomato, think mushrooms, fried onions, etc.) and then finally top with your sauce. Repeat the same on both sides of the bun and then stack them together. Roll them up tight in the foil and place them directly on the rack in the oven. Set the time for 12 minutes and walk away. When you are done, you will have a just crispy enough outside, gooey inside, and the meat will be perfectly seasoned by the sauces and veggies.
There are two tricks to making an oven bake sandwich taste amazing.
Placement of the Meats - It is important to make sure that the cheese touches the outside of the bun, so the meat and sauces stay in the middle. You are almost "water proofing" the bread so it stays crispy and the cheese melts directly into the meat and sauce.
Selection of the Meats - Anyone who has had Swiss cheese out of the freezer, as well as Swiss baked over a Philly cheese steak can tell you that certain deli foods change flavor dramatically after being heated. Keep this in mind when trying to make your favorite combo. I have a list of suggestions that have worked well for me below, but experiment and try whatever you feel might work best.
Also Note: It will not become hot enough at any point for raw meat to cook properly. Bacon makes these sandwiches amazing, but make sure any chicken breast, bacon, etc. is pre-cooked before you place it in. Anything you buy from the deli will be ok, if you get it from a freezer, cook it first.
My Favorite Combos (Cheese, Meat, Sauce):
Spicy Turkey - Havarti Cheese, Turkey, Frank's Red Hot Sauce, Ranch Dressing
Ham and Cheese - Slices of Swiss, Non-Sweetened Ham, Nacho Cheese Sauce (just a dap)
Hot Italian - Provolone and parmesan, Salami, Pepperoni, Italian Sausage, marinara
French Dip - Roast Beef, Swiss Cheese, and Au Jus Sauce (Can be bought in a "Just Add Water" packet at most grocery stores)
Be creative and let me know if you the readers come up with any other ideas I have not posted here and I would be glad to post them as well.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Ravioli Pizza Bake
Essentially this is a cross between high class Chef-Boy-Ardee and Lasaugna. None the less, its cheap, easy and a personal favorite of mine.
Food You Need:
1 - Package of Cheese Ravioli (frozen or fresh)
1 - Jar of Favorite Spaghetti Sauce
1 - Package of "Pizza Blend" or Mozzarella Cheese
1 - Package of Parmesan Cheese
1 - Deli-cut slices of Provolone Cheese
1 - Package of Pepperonis
1 - Package of Hot Italian Sausage
Cookware You Need:
1 - Casserole Dish
1 - Spoon
1 - Frying Pan
1 - Pasta Pan (if you bought frozen, you'll need to thaw it first, otherwise not needed)
Total Cost: $12 (without meat) $17 (with meat)
Total Time: 5 to Prep, 35 minutes
Serves: 4-6 in proportions described here
Left-overs: Amazing, I almost prefer left-overs to actual meal
To Get Started:
Pour a thin layer of your pasta sauce along the bottom of the casserole dish. If you are using fresh Pasta, take the raviolis and lay them in a flat layer on top of the pasta. If you are using fresh pasta, boil the pasta for just a few minutes before you start prepping. Pasta should be undercooked when you place it in the pan. Take your Mozzarella cheese and layer it on top of the ravioli, then pour some more sauce over top of those two. Make sure - even though the layer of sauce is thin, that every ravioli is covered evenly because this is how the pasta will finish cooking. No sauce will result in crunchy hard pasta, not what you want. Take the pepperonis and layer them over the top. Fit them close together to try to lock in the flavors of the "bottom layer".
On top of the raviolis, create another thin layer of mozzarella cheese. Again, create another layer of ravioli, cover it with shredded cheese, another layer of sauce, then throw your COOKED Italian sausage over the top. Use the layers of provolone cheese from your grocer's deli to create a small layer of cheese over the top. Set your oven to 375 degrees and cook for 18-26 minutes. Depending on the types of ingredients you used, times will vary, so check the pasta every few minutes after the 18 minute mark. You want the provolone to have a dark "toasted" look. When it is ready, remove from the oven, let sit for about 5 minutes, and serve!
You can throw a tiny bit of parmesan in each layer, but be careful to not use too much or the dish will be very salty. I do not recommend using parmesan in the bottom layers if you are using meats.
Food You Need:
1 - Package of Cheese Ravioli (frozen or fresh)
1 - Jar of Favorite Spaghetti Sauce
1 - Package of "Pizza Blend" or Mozzarella Cheese
1 - Package of Parmesan Cheese
1 - Deli-cut slices of Provolone Cheese
1 - Package of Pepperonis
1 - Package of Hot Italian Sausage
Cookware You Need:
1 - Casserole Dish
1 - Spoon
1 - Frying Pan
1 - Pasta Pan (if you bought frozen, you'll need to thaw it first, otherwise not needed)
Total Cost: $12 (without meat) $17 (with meat)
Total Time: 5 to Prep, 35 minutes
Serves: 4-6 in proportions described here
Left-overs: Amazing, I almost prefer left-overs to actual meal
To Get Started:
Pour a thin layer of your pasta sauce along the bottom of the casserole dish. If you are using fresh Pasta, take the raviolis and lay them in a flat layer on top of the pasta. If you are using fresh pasta, boil the pasta for just a few minutes before you start prepping. Pasta should be undercooked when you place it in the pan. Take your Mozzarella cheese and layer it on top of the ravioli, then pour some more sauce over top of those two. Make sure - even though the layer of sauce is thin, that every ravioli is covered evenly because this is how the pasta will finish cooking. No sauce will result in crunchy hard pasta, not what you want. Take the pepperonis and layer them over the top. Fit them close together to try to lock in the flavors of the "bottom layer".
On top of the raviolis, create another thin layer of mozzarella cheese. Again, create another layer of ravioli, cover it with shredded cheese, another layer of sauce, then throw your COOKED Italian sausage over the top. Use the layers of provolone cheese from your grocer's deli to create a small layer of cheese over the top. Set your oven to 375 degrees and cook for 18-26 minutes. Depending on the types of ingredients you used, times will vary, so check the pasta every few minutes after the 18 minute mark. You want the provolone to have a dark "toasted" look. When it is ready, remove from the oven, let sit for about 5 minutes, and serve!
You can throw a tiny bit of parmesan in each layer, but be careful to not use too much or the dish will be very salty. I do not recommend using parmesan in the bottom layers if you are using meats.
Penne con Pancetta (Noodles with Bacon)
This is one of my first dishes I discovered that helped me understand how much I love cooking. It is very easy to make (though it does take a little while), and the results will blow people away! If anyone ever doubted your abilities as a cook, whip this dish out and silence them.
Food You Need:
1 - Box of Favorite Pasta (I prefer penne, but anything plain works, ravioli is no good)
1 - Package of Bacon
1 - White Onion (optional but recommended)
2 - Eggs
1 - Tub of Parmasian Cheese (I recommend splurging for the shredded in the tub, its worth it)
1 - Can of Chicken Broth (You can make your own with bullion cubes if needed)
Cookware You Need:
1 - Pot large enough to cook your pasta
1 - Wok or deep frying pan
1 - Lid to cover the wok/frying pan
1 - Sharp butchers/kitchen knife
1 - Cutting board
1 - Large wooden spoon/spatchula
1 - Strainer or Siv
Total Cost: $11
Total Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 3-4 in proportions descibed here
Left overs: Still good, but not nearly as good as fresh
To Get Started:
Start by boiling a large amount of water for your pasta in your large pan, and place your wok on medium heat so it is hot and ready to go after the next step.
While your wok heats up, take our your bacon, usually about half to 3/4 of the package, and begin to chop it up into little quarter size pieces. I find this is easiest when you cut through about 4 stips of bacon at a time. Be VERY careful though, using a dull knife or becoming frustrated with how elastic the bacon is can result in cut fingers. Take your time, be smart.
Once you have cut all of your bacon, hopefully your wok is warm by now. Throw the bacon into the wok and allow it to start to cook. Begin to chop up your onion into the same size as your bacon. You will want to use about half of the onion, but try to have just a few less onions than bacon pieces (personal preference, have as many or little as you want). Once these are chopped, throw them in with your bacon and keep stirring both to make sure they are cooking evenly.
Your water should be boiling strong by now, so lets get that going. Read the directions for your chosen pasta, set the Kitchen timer for 75% of the time the box tells you, we want this pasta to be "al dente". If you are playing it by ear, what you want is for the pasta to resist your spoon when you try to cut them in half, but still be flexible. Spaghetti should be bendy, but just not ready to throw at the wall and stick. For example: most pastas have a cook time of 12 minutes, set your time for 9 minutes. Keep an eye on your bacon/onions, but when the timer goes off and the pasta is still just barely crunchy, strain your pasta, then replace it back into the original pan. Pour in your whole can of Chicken Broth back into the pasta, set the temperature to low, and cover the pasta back up.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Your bacon will likely be squishy after the next step, so it is essential to make sure that you fully cook the bacon. You will not be able to tell if the bacon is raw unless you are diligent on the front end.
Your bacon should start to brown up and begin to get crispy, as well as your onions should start to look brown/black on the edges, and there is a big wok that is covered in bacon grease and fat that is full of flavor. Using the metal can from the chicken broth, pour about half of the bacon grease out of the wok, make sure to leave some in the mixture of bacon/onions and set it aside. We will just wait for this extra grease to cool, harden, and then throw it away without damaging the sink. If you have a different method, feel free. We don't need the extra grease.
You're almost done! Pour the pasta/chicken broth into the wok, stir the two batches together, cover them, and raise the heat to medium-high. Basically, the grease/chicken broth is cooking the rest of the pasta and sealing in the flavor of onions/bacon into each noodle. When you see that the chicken broth is just about evaporated, drop in two egg yolks and stir them into the pasta. Allow it to sit for a few more minutes which will cook the raw egg, as well as boil out the last of the chicken broth. Remove the lid, and pour in about half of the tub of parmesian cheese and stir.
You are finished!
Food You Need:
1 - Box of Favorite Pasta (I prefer penne, but anything plain works, ravioli is no good)
1 - Package of Bacon
1 - White Onion (optional but recommended)
2 - Eggs
1 - Tub of Parmasian Cheese (I recommend splurging for the shredded in the tub, its worth it)
1 - Can of Chicken Broth (You can make your own with bullion cubes if needed)
Cookware You Need:
1 - Pot large enough to cook your pasta
1 - Wok or deep frying pan
1 - Lid to cover the wok/frying pan
1 - Sharp butchers/kitchen knife
1 - Cutting board
1 - Large wooden spoon/spatchula
1 - Strainer or Siv
Total Cost: $11
Total Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 3-4 in proportions descibed here
Left overs: Still good, but not nearly as good as fresh
To Get Started:
Start by boiling a large amount of water for your pasta in your large pan, and place your wok on medium heat so it is hot and ready to go after the next step.
While your wok heats up, take our your bacon, usually about half to 3/4 of the package, and begin to chop it up into little quarter size pieces. I find this is easiest when you cut through about 4 stips of bacon at a time. Be VERY careful though, using a dull knife or becoming frustrated with how elastic the bacon is can result in cut fingers. Take your time, be smart.
Once you have cut all of your bacon, hopefully your wok is warm by now. Throw the bacon into the wok and allow it to start to cook. Begin to chop up your onion into the same size as your bacon. You will want to use about half of the onion, but try to have just a few less onions than bacon pieces (personal preference, have as many or little as you want). Once these are chopped, throw them in with your bacon and keep stirring both to make sure they are cooking evenly.
Your water should be boiling strong by now, so lets get that going. Read the directions for your chosen pasta, set the Kitchen timer for 75% of the time the box tells you, we want this pasta to be "al dente". If you are playing it by ear, what you want is for the pasta to resist your spoon when you try to cut them in half, but still be flexible. Spaghetti should be bendy, but just not ready to throw at the wall and stick. For example: most pastas have a cook time of 12 minutes, set your time for 9 minutes. Keep an eye on your bacon/onions, but when the timer goes off and the pasta is still just barely crunchy, strain your pasta, then replace it back into the original pan. Pour in your whole can of Chicken Broth back into the pasta, set the temperature to low, and cover the pasta back up.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Your bacon will likely be squishy after the next step, so it is essential to make sure that you fully cook the bacon. You will not be able to tell if the bacon is raw unless you are diligent on the front end.
Your bacon should start to brown up and begin to get crispy, as well as your onions should start to look brown/black on the edges, and there is a big wok that is covered in bacon grease and fat that is full of flavor. Using the metal can from the chicken broth, pour about half of the bacon grease out of the wok, make sure to leave some in the mixture of bacon/onions and set it aside. We will just wait for this extra grease to cool, harden, and then throw it away without damaging the sink. If you have a different method, feel free. We don't need the extra grease.
You're almost done! Pour the pasta/chicken broth into the wok, stir the two batches together, cover them, and raise the heat to medium-high. Basically, the grease/chicken broth is cooking the rest of the pasta and sealing in the flavor of onions/bacon into each noodle. When you see that the chicken broth is just about evaporated, drop in two egg yolks and stir them into the pasta. Allow it to sit for a few more minutes which will cook the raw egg, as well as boil out the last of the chicken broth. Remove the lid, and pour in about half of the tub of parmesian cheese and stir.
You are finished!
Buffalo Chicken Ramen
Here is another variation to straight chicken Ramen noodles. All you need to do is drop in some "Frank's Buffalo Hot Sauce" into the bowl after it is finished. It completely changes the flavor, gives it a little bit of kick, and will help you not feel like you are eating the same noodles again.
BE WARNED:
The spice from the peppers tend to get trapped in the broth, and the vinegar that gives it the tangy kick evaporates, so it may require a lot of the sauce to notice a difference in the noodles. Be warned though, the broth actually extracts the pepper flavoring, so when you drink that broth it will taste more like Tobasco sauce, even if the noodles were mild.
BE WARNED:
The spice from the peppers tend to get trapped in the broth, and the vinegar that gives it the tangy kick evaporates, so it may require a lot of the sauce to notice a difference in the noodles. Be warned though, the broth actually extracts the pepper flavoring, so when you drink that broth it will taste more like Tobasco sauce, even if the noodles were mild.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Raman Tamago Style
College students are famous for eating Ramen. It is super cheap, so you can have it every night. The problem is you can have it every night. There are great ways to update this old dish of noodles and "flavor" packets.
Ramen Tamago
What you need:
1 - Package of Ramen Noodles (I prefer "Top Ramen Chicken")
1 - Egg (use 2 if you just want the yoke)
1 - Can of Parmesian Cheese
1 - Cabinet of Spices
Directions:
Boil the water and cook the noodles for 2 minutes (1 minute short of normal). Pour out the extra water you used to boil the noodles, but be sure to leave just enough that the water line comes up to the top of the noodles. Drop in an egg, seasoning packet, and stir. Return to heat so the egg may boil. Stir the egg the whole last minute or until the egg becomes white and yellow. Remove from heat and add in the pre-packaged flavoring packet. Since the egg will absorb some of the flavoring, it may taste a little bland. I recommend sprinkling in some parmesian cheese, and maybe some extra salt/pepper/garlic salt. Season to taste and enjoy! This is a much healthier way to eat Ramen since it including protien that Ramen lacks.
This is one I was reluctant to try at first, but was amazing once I made it. Almost tasted like creamy chicken pasta. Heads up! This makes a huge mess in your pan, so remove your dinner, fit it back up with soap and water, boil it for a few minutes, then clean it out immidiately. Otherwise the boiled in egg will make you want to throw the pot away and get a new one.
1 - Egg (use 2 if you just want the yoke)
1 - Can of Parmesian Cheese
1 - Cabinet of Spices
Directions:
Boil the water and cook the noodles for 2 minutes (1 minute short of normal). Pour out the extra water you used to boil the noodles, but be sure to leave just enough that the water line comes up to the top of the noodles. Drop in an egg, seasoning packet, and stir. Return to heat so the egg may boil. Stir the egg the whole last minute or until the egg becomes white and yellow. Remove from heat and add in the pre-packaged flavoring packet. Since the egg will absorb some of the flavoring, it may taste a little bland. I recommend sprinkling in some parmesian cheese, and maybe some extra salt/pepper/garlic salt. Season to taste and enjoy! This is a much healthier way to eat Ramen since it including protien that Ramen lacks.
This is one I was reluctant to try at first, but was amazing once I made it. Almost tasted like creamy chicken pasta. Heads up! This makes a huge mess in your pan, so remove your dinner, fit it back up with soap and water, boil it for a few minutes, then clean it out immidiately. Otherwise the boiled in egg will make you want to throw the pot away and get a new one.
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