Steak, Caramelized Onion, Mushroom and Brie on Foccacia

I love making sandwich's for dinner...they are fast , yummy, and you can really pack a lot of flavour into them. This is one of my favourites (and Hubs too!!) because really...who doesn't like steak sandwich's!

Steak, Caramelized Onion, Mushroom and Brie on Foccacia

 Take 1 Large Spanish Onion and thinly slice. Add to a saucepan on high heat with a drizzle of Olive Oil. Once the onions start to sweat a bit, turn the heat down to low and allow the onions to slowly caramelize (about 30 minutes)

 I like to add a splash of beer every so often to the onions while they are cooking. Gives them so much extra flavour. Once the onions are pretty brown, add 2 minced garlic cloves. Let them cook with the onions for about 5 minutes or so.

 In a second pan add about 2 Cups sliced cremini mushrooms with 1 tsp butter (medium high heat)

 Cook the mushrooms until they are nicely browned. Set these aside with your caramelized onions.

 Now for your steaks...since I wanted a quick (cheap) weeknight meal I used fast fry steaks. They are thin, cheap, and fast to cook. Great for sandwich's! Season the steaks with Salt, Pepper and Garlic Powder.

 Heat up your pan on high with 1 tsp of butter.

 Add the steaks and fry quickly on both sides.

 I cooks these to a medium rare. Which is pretty fast since the steaks are so thin.

 You are now ready to assemble the sandwich. I like to use a rosemary foccacia, and since this bread is so dense, I only use 1 slice and make it an open faced sandwhich.

 Slice your bread on half and layer on the ingredients starting with the brie cheese. If I have it, I sometimes spread a little homemade garlic butter on the bread...but it doesn't really need it.

 Layer the Brie, Steak then top with the onions and mushrooms. Throw the whole sandwich under the broiler for a couple minutes to melt the cheese and toast the bread.

Serve with simple mixed greens and good quality balsamic vinegar. Super messy sandwich, perfect for eating with a knife and fork!

Breakfast Sandwich!

So yeah...its officially sandwich week as the only 2 posts that I came up with have been sandwiches. Not to say that sandwiches are bad...they are easy, fast and filling.
You just wait until next week...the recipes coming out of my kitchen this weekend will have you screaming for more ;)

My Cottage Style Breakfast Sandwich

Take two slices of whole grain bread and toast them. You can add a little butter to your toast.

 Top with fresh sliced tomato and very ripe avocado

 Fry up 1 egg, over easy. Season with salt and pepper

 Fry up a few slices of bacon too and add to the bread

 Top with the fried egg

There you have it. Super easy yummy sandwich!

Tomato Basil Mayo Sandwich

I have just returned from a week of relaxing at my in-laws cottage. It really was a whole week of doing nothing but float around in the lake on an inflatable raft and drinking beer. So obviously not a lot of fancy cooking happened, and the fancy cooking that did occur were repeat recipes already on the blog. So today I have something super simple, yet refreshing after a week of empty carbs!

 My first inspiration for this sandwich was my garden. After coming home from our vacation I was greeted by perfectly ripened yellow tomatoes and huge bunches of basil.

 In a bowl combine 1 heaping tbsp light mayo with 1 minced garlic clove and about 7-10 leaves of basil, minced. Season with salt and pepper.

 A dash of fresh lemon juice would have been lovely in this as well..but I didn't have any lemons :(

 Slice up your tomato

 Toast 2 slices of whole grain bread and spread some of the basil mayo on it...the more the better.

 Top with your gorgeous sliced tomato

Slice in half and devour. Yum!

Beef Dip Sandwiches

This past week has been so incredibly busy for me! Friends and family will know that I have been training for a 10K race that just happened this past weekend (Finished in 1:00:09!). Most of my evenings have been spent hitting the pavement, carb loading, practicing yoga or sleeping. Hence the lag since my last posting. But I promise..this recipe is a goodie. It was the perfect meal that needed no time to prepare and trust me when I say this..you can't screw it up! Here is my recipe for Beef Dip Sandwiches for Dummies!

Get yourself a nice Beef Brisket..Something big enough to fit in your slow cooker. Mine was frozen still but it didn't matter.

Now to the slow cooker add 1 chopped onion, 1 cup red wine, 1/2 Cup orange juice, 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste, 2 Tbsp Soya Sauce, 2 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar, some fresh chopped garlic, 1 Tsp Red  Chili pepper flakes, 1 Tsp Salt, some Fresh Ground Pepper and 2 Tsp brown sugar. Turn the roast over a couple of times to make sure that all sides have some of the spicy liquid on it. Now turn your slow cooker on low and leave it for 8-10 hours (I cooked mine for 10 since it was frozen)

After the cooking is complete turn off the slow cooker and start shredding the meat with 2 forks. Leave it in the juices. Now I cooked my roast overnight and shredded it in the morning..leaving it in the fridge marinating and getting even more tender in the juices until dinner time. Then when I got home I put the slow cooker on high and let it come up to temperature.

Now get a nice soft bun and slice it in half.

Add some of the beef to it...

And some pickled hot peppers..

Then top it off with a couple of slices of provolone cheese!

Pop it under the broiler until the cheese starts to melt.

Now remember all those beef juices in the slow cooker? Spoon a few tablespoons into a small dish!

Look at this wonderful easy dinner!! So yum!

Beef dip goodness!

Grilled Sandwich

If there is ever a leftover grilled chicken breast in the fridge, and my husband hasn't proclaimed that it belongs to him, I make grilled sandwiches. They are fast, tasty and healthy! Here is my take on a Italian grilled chicken sandwich.

Take two slices of your favourite Artisan Bread (I like Whole Grain with Flax Seed) and generously spread some pesto on it. This is store bought pesto since my basil hasn't even been planted yet.

Next add some of that grilled chicken

Some beautiful sliced hot house tomatoes

and whatever else floats your boat. I added fresh baby spinach, avocado and fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese

now heat up your panini grill to the hottest setting. This thing is a godsend in the cold Ontario winter months when the barbecue is under 2 feet of snow.

Add a little olive oil to the grill

and place your sandwich on the grill.

 Lightly drizzle the top of the sandwich with olive oil as well...this will make it super crispy and tasty

And grill for about 5 minutes...flipping the sandwiches halfway

yumm!!!

Once the cheese is all melty and gooey, remove from grill and serve. You will be thanking me later