Category Archives: Burgers & Sandwiches

Barbecue Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich & Giveaway Winner!

Posted on April 20, 2010 by Veronica

Yes, it’s true. This sandwich has cheese. It has barbecue sauce. It has bacon. And it’s wonderful! I came up with it last fall as an excuse to incorporate some of the Flatlanders Spicy Barbeque Sauce that I love so much into my lunch. Don’t you just love it when desperation leads to inspiration?

One of the comments on the giveaway announcement, in response to “what’s your favorite thing to make with barbecue sauce?”, was using it as a dipping sauce for grilled cheese! So you see, great minds think alike! My other favorites include putting it on baked potatoes with nothing else (I can vouch for this idea–I’ve done it and it’s fabulous!), mixing it with ranch for a dipping sauce, making grilled tofu with it, and using it as a sauce on sweet potato fries! As you can tell, I’m not a huge meat lover and my favorites reflect that.

I do, however, have quite an affinity for bacon. Which leads me back to this sandwich. It has bacon on it. And you should make it. ‘Nuff said.

Barbecue Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Printable Recipe

Yield: 1 sandwich

2 slices Texas toast
2-3 T barbecue sauce
2 oz sliced sharp or smoked cheddar cheese
4-6 slices cooked bacon
1 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Butter or margarine

Heat a skillet over medium. Spread the barbecue sauce over the bread slices, then over one slice arrange cheddar cheese slices, bacon over that, then sprinkle the Monterey Jack over the bacon. Top with remaining bread slice. Melt some butter or margarine in the skillet and place the sandwich on top of the puddle, scooting it around until the bread absorbs the butter. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until cheddar looks melted, then remove and melt more butter in the pan, flip the sandwich and cook additional 4 minutes and serve hot.

Veronica’s Notes: Your sandwich will require several minutes less cooking time if you use regular bread. Also, the Monterey Jack isn’t necessary but I like to glue the bacon, cheese and bread all together by putting cheese on both sides. Change it up as you desire!

OK, you’ve been patient and now I’ll get to the real reason you’re reading this post. :) It was so much fun hosting my first giveaway and thank you all so much for participating–I really enjoyed reading about your favorite things to make with barbecue sauce! Congratulations to Suzie, commenter #19, you’ve won the set of three Flatlanders barbeque products! Suzie, I’ll email you to get your address and get them out to you!

21 Comments

Posted in Announcements & Awards, Burgers & Sandwiches, My Favorites and tagged bacon, barbecue, grilled cheese. Bookmark the permalink.

Guacamole BLT & An Award

Posted on March 30, 2010 by Veronica

This is a simple lunch or dinner idea from Faith of An Edible Mosaic that comes together quickly, and is quite healthy, filling, and delicious. I think Faith described it perfectly so I’ll quote her summarization here: “The salty, crispy bacon and the smooth, creamy avocado pair perfectly, and the tomato and lemon juice really help to brighten the avocado’s flavor.” It’s truly wonderful!

Guacamole BLT
recipe from An Edible Mosaic
(Yield: 1 sandwich)

2 slices multigrain bread (or any bread you like)
2-3 slices turkey bacon, cooked
2 large leaves lettuce, washed and dried
1/4 avocado
1/4 c cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 tsp lemon juice
Dash salt and pepper

Toast the bread. Mash the avocado and stir in the lemon juice, salt, and pepper; then mix in the tomato and scallion. Spread the avocado mixture on one slice of bread, then top with the lettuce, turkey bacon, and the remaining slice of bread.

Faith recently passed on the Sunshine Award to me. Isn’t she a sweetheart?! Thank you, dear Faith!

The Sunshine Award is awarded to bloggers whose positivity and creativity inspire others in the blog world. I would like to pass this award onto the following bloggers:

1. Laura Flowers of The Cooking Photographer

2. Sarah of If These Curls Could Talk

3. Glenn of Tupper Cooks!

4. Sophia of Burp and Slurp (though I’m sure she’s already gotten it before!)

16 Comments

Posted in Announcements & Awards, Burgers & Sandwiches, Lighter Fare, Main Dishes and tagged guacamole blt. Bookmark the permalink.

Falafel Pita Pockets

Posted on February 23, 2010 by Veronica

It’s been several weeks since we had this meal but I swear, when I close my eyes, I can still smell and taste it. I love it when I find a vegetarian recipe that doesn’t rely on gobs of cheese to taste wonderful and this one really delivers in the flavor department without being high in fat. My mouth was watering while the falafel balls baked up and the smell of cumin laced with garlic and onion filled the air. I could scarcely wait to pop them in the pockets, douse them with the dill dressing and gobble them up. They are seriously delicious and the recipe is now saved in my permanent “Favorite Recipes” binder. I only put the recipes I know I’ll use again in it. Do you have one of those?

Falafel Pita Pockets with Dill-icious Yogurt Dip
recipe from Hungry Girl
Ingredients:

For Falafel Pockets
2 1/2 whole-wheat or high-fiber pitas
One 15-oz. can chickpeas, well-drained
1 onion, very finely chopped
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3 tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tbsp. chopped garlic
1 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tbsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. paprika, or more to taste
black pepper, to taste
Two 2-second sprays olive oil nonstick spray

For Dip
6 oz. plain fat-free yogurt
1 Persian cucumber, peeled and chopped (or another small cucumber, peeled, deseeded, and chopped)
1 tsp. dried dill
3/4 tsp. crushed garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
black pepper, to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place all ingredients for falafel (except for the pitas and nonstick spray) in a large bowl, and give them a good stir. Using a potato masher, mash well. Mixture should remain slightly chunky, not smooth.

Spray a baking sheet thoroughly with a 2-second spray of olive oil nonstick spray.

One at a time, take spoonfuls of mixture in your hands and form 15 balls, each about the size of a ping-pong ball, and gently place them on the baking sheet. Spray the top of each ball with olive oil nonstick spray, for a total of about a 2-second spray.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine all ingredients for dip in a blender or food processor, and pulse until just blended. Season to taste with black pepper and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Remove baking sheet from the oven, and carefully turn each ball over, gently reshaping if the bottoms have flattened. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10 – 15 minutes, until golden brown and slightly crispy. Allow to cool and set for at least 5 minutes.

Cut the whole pitas into halves, toast or warm all pita halves slightly, and then fill each with three falafel balls and 3 tbsp. dip. Enjoy!

MAKES 5 SERVINGS
PER SERVING (1 pita pocket with 3 falafel balls and 3 tbsp. dip): 198 calories, 2.25g fat, 863mg sodium, 37g carbs, 8.5g fiber, 5g sugars, 10g protein — POINTS® value 3*

HG Alternative! Enjoy your falafel ‘n dip pita-free (wrapped in lettuce, over a salad, or straight from a plate!). A pita-less serving has 139 calories, 2g fat, 718mg sodium, 24g carbs, 6g fiber, 5g sugars, and 7.5g protein (POINTS® value 2*). Woohoo!

5 Comments

Posted in Burgers & Sandwiches, Lighter Fare, Main Dishes, Vegetarian & Vegan and tagged dill yogurt dressing, falafel, pita pockets. Bookmark the permalink.

A Healthier (Vegan) McRib Sandwich

Posted on January 10, 2010 by Veronica

Though it tastes almost nothing like the original, this sandwich is healthier and very tasty in it’s own right. And it’s vegan! Always a plus in my book. (I’m not a big fan of meat.)

Morningstar Farms’ Hickory Barbecue Riblets are made from soy & wheat protein, have a meaty texture, and are smothered in yummy hickory barbecue sauce. The wonderful flavor of the sauce combined with the texture of the “riblet” totally tricks my mouth into thinking I’m eating meat while my mind can remain happy that I’m not. I love these things, but I do know people who don’t so go out and buy a package for yourself to see if you will or not. This sandwich is a good excuse to try it!

Sassy Saucy Ribwich
Recipe from Hungry Girl

Ingredients:
1 Morningstar Farms Hickory BBQ Riblet (found in the freezer aisle)
1 Arnold Select/Oroweat Sandwich Thins roll or Pepperidge Farm Deli Flats roll (or alternative below)
3 hamburger dill pickle chips
3 thin slices onion

Directions:
Prepare Riblet according to package directions. Meanwhile, split roll in half and lightly toast.

Stack Riblet, pickles, and onion on the bottom half of the roll. Finish it off with the top half. Now chew!

MAKES 1 SERVING

Serving Size: 1 sandwich
Calories: 335
Fat: 4.5g
Sodium: 1,299mg
Carbs: 60.5g
Fiber: 10.5g
Sugars: 28g
Protein: 22g

POINTS® value 6*

HG Alternative! For a lower-carb swap with less sodium, enjoy this with crispy lettuce leaves in place of a roll, and nix the pickles — that version has 240 calories, 3.5g fat, 815mg sodium, 39.5g carbs, 6.5g fiber, 25.5g sugars, and 19g protein (POINTS® value 4*). Hooray!