Category Archives: Sandwiches

sandwiches

Mexican Cemita

Beans, Beef, Cheese, Ethnic, Game Day, Mexican, Sandwiches

I’ll admit that I could probably eat Mexican food every day if I could. Anything from the soups, stews, enchiladas, tacos, and heck, even a plate of rice and beans with some roasted chili toreados.  I love everything about Mexican cuisine to be honest, and to me, it has comfort food written all over it. There is yet another item I love off the Mexican restaurant menu, and that is the Mexican torta.  It’s a simple sandwich but it is loaded with amazing textures and flavor. There is however, a sibling, if you will, to the classic torta, and that is the Mexican cemita. Very similar, but a bit different in terms of a couple of the ingredients. If you are looking for a great sandwich, look no more, because this sandwich is awesome!

Mexican Cemita

Yes, that is one massive piece of beef milanesa that you see placed between a cemita roll!

Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cemita roll, halved
  • 1/2 roma tomato, thinly sliced
  • Oaxacan cheese, pulled into strands
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup roasted red salsa, or your favorite
  • 1/2 avocado, mashed
  • 1/2 cup refried beans, cooked
  • 1 piece of beef milanesa (thinly pounded breaded beef)
  • 2 cups of cooking oil

Start by adding the oil to a large skillet, and bring up to temperature, about 350 degrees. During this time, begin preparing all of your ingredients.

When the oi comes to temperature, carefully slide in the beef milanesa. Fry for about three minutes on each side, until each is a deep golden brown. Once cooked, remove and place on some paper lined plate to drain any excess oil. Season with a pinch of salt.

How to make a Mexican cemita

Now you can use something other than beef milanesa, such as shredded chicken or heck even carnitas, so you are not limited to beef milanesa, however it is a classic, and I highly recommend it.

To assemble the sandwich, take the bottom cemita roll, and lather on the cooked refried beans. Next, top with the beef milanesa, the shredded Oaxaca cheese, the cilantro, mashed avocado, tomato, and red salsa. Top with the seeded cemita bun, and get in attack mode.

It’s a great sandwich. Now granted you could go with a smaller piece of beef milanesa, but this is what was purchased from my local Mexican grocery store, so it was great biting into it, and getting a bit of the cheese and salsa, and then you get into the awesome cemita itself, and well let’s say it’s hard to put down.

The creaminess of both the beans and avocado are perfectly balanced by the heat from the roasted salsa, and well the saltiness of the cheese goes so well with the crisp and tender beef milanesa. It’s one of my favorite sandwiches, and I know you will love it! Hope you enjoy…

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Mexican Cemita
Author: 
Recipe type: Sandwiches
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 1
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cemita roll, halved
  • ½ roma tomato, thinly sliced
  • Oaxacan cheese, pulled into strands
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
  • ¼ cup roasted red salsa, or your favorite
  • ½ avocado, mashed
  • ½ cup refried beans, cooked
  • 1 piece of beef milanesa (thinly pounded breaded beef)
  • 2 cups of cooking oil
Instructions
  1. Start by adding the oil to a large skillet, and bring up to temperature, about 350 degrees. During this time, begin preparing all of your ingredients.
  2. When the oi comes to temperature, carefully slide in the beef milanesa. Fry for about three minutes on each side, until each is a deep golden brown. Once cooked, remove and place on some paper lined plate to drain any excess oil. Season with a pinch of salt.
  3. Now you can use something other than beef milanesa, such as shredded chicken or heck even carnitas, so you are not limited to beef milanesa, however it is a classic, and I highly recommend it.
  4. To assemble the sandwich, take the bottom cemita roll, and lather on the cooked refried beans. Next, top with the beef milanesa, the shredded Oaxaca cheese, the cilantro, mashed avocado, tomato, and red salsa. Top with the seeded cemita bun, and get in attack mode.
  5. It’s a great sandwich. Now granted you could go with a smaller piece of beef milanesa, but this is what was purchased from my local Mexican grocery store, so it was great biting into it, and getting a bit of the cheese and salsa, and then you get into the awesome cemita itself, and well let’s say it’s hard to put down.
  6. The creaminess of both the beans and avocado are perfectly balanced by the heat from the roasted salsa, and well the saltiness of the cheese goes so well with the crisp and tender beef milanesa. It’s one of my favorite sandwiches, and I know you will love it! Hope you enjoy…

 

 

Corned Beef Hash Quesadillas

Beef, Braising, Breakfast, Cheese, Game Day, Irish, Sandwiches

This Monday was St. Patty’s day, a day that I have pretty much grown to love, primarily for the sale of corned beef. I’ve said it from time to time on this site that my wife is not a big fan at all of corned beef. How does that make me feel? Well, pretty good, seeing that I can eat the majority of it throughout the week. Unfortunately this week, I’ve been laid up with pneumonia of all things, and on St. Patty’s day of all days. After a few days of slightly improving, and getting an appetite, I decided to use some of the corned beef hash I had made on Sunday, and turn it into a brunch item.

I had big ideas to make things throughout the week, however the pneumonia has just brought be down for the count, but I was lucky enough to at least get this one in. Hopefully next week I will be in much better shape. This is my take on corned beef hash quesadillas, and wow did they ever turn out great.

Corned Beef Hash Quesadilla

Let’s get started.

Ingredients for the Corned Beef Hash:

  • 1 Idaho potato, peeled, and cubed, and cooked until softened
  • 2 cups of cooked corned beef, sliced and diced
  • 1 large shallot, chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tbsp worchestershire sauce
  • salt, to taste
  • cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter

Ingredients for the quesadilla:

  • 4 flour tortillas, standard size
  • 4 slices of Swiss cheese
  • 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar jack cheese
  • Cooked corned beef hash, warmed
  • 2 tbsp Thousand Island Dressing
  • 1 tbsp horseradish sauce

To make the corned beef hash, add the butter to a large non-stick skillet, or use your cast iron if you so desire. Once melted, add in the potatoes, corned beef, garlic, and shallots.  Get a nice golden color on those potatoes and onions. Season with the worchestershire sauce, a bit of salt and pepper. Give a taste and season to your liking. Set aside.

Start by heating up a skillet on medium-low heat. Add two tortillas to the skillet, stacked on top of one another. Top with two slices of the swiss cheese, then the cheddar jack cheese.

Top with the cooked corned beef hash, as much to your liking, top with the the remaining two slices of Swiss cheese, then the other two tortillas.

How to make corned beef hash quesadillas

You are probably thinking, why double up on the tortillas, right? Well, in my opinion, the single tortilla does not hold up to the corned beef hash, that’s all.

Make the sauce by adding the thousand island and horseradish sauce together. Mix into a small bowl, and set aside.

Carefully look under the bottom tortilla and look for a golden brown. Once golden, carefully flip, and cook the other side until golden.

Slice, and serve with the dipping sauce.

I can’t say enough how awesome this corned beef hash quesadilla was, not only that but a little dunk in the sauce just blew my mind (and opened my airway a bit, of which I needed). If it were me, I would be serving this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It was extremely satisfying, and lifted my spirit, and appetite. Just what I needed during this time of illness. Hope you enjoy!

Breaded Sicilian Steak Sandwich

Beef, Game Day, Kids, Sandwiches

I’m not certain of the history of the breaded Sicilian steak, but I only know that I ate it when growing up. It reminds me a lot of a schnitzel, and it is essentially that; a piece of tenderized meat that gets breaded and fried. I’ve never made Sicilian steak for my family, and as I often see them stacked up, already prepared, at the butcher, I decided it was time to make my own, and make sandwiches out of them. Let’s just say my wife and kids loved them.

Sicilian Steak Sandwich

Let’s get started:

  • 2 lbs beef tenderloin, cut into 3 inch rounds
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 cups Italian bread crumbs
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • salt, to taste
  • cracked black pepper to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups cooking oil
  • Your favorite marinara sauce, heated
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, per sandwich, optional
  • Kaiser rolls, sliced

Start by getting a couple of sheets of plastic wrap out. Lay one of the tenderloin rounds on top, then place the other sheet of plastic wrap on top.

Using the flat side of a meat mallet,  begin pound the beef, until you get it to about a 1/2 inch thick, or down to a quarter inch, being careful not to tear through the beef.  Flip your meat mallet over and use the other side to tenderize it even more. Season one side with salt and pepper. Repeat with remaining beef.

Next get your dredging station ready.

To one container, add the beaten eggs and water. Mix.

To another container, add the flour and season with some salt and pepper.

To another container, add the breadcrumbs and Italian seasoning. Mix.

How to make Sicilian steak

Get a large, non-stick skillet heated on the stove on medium heat. Add your cooking oil, and let it come up to temperature, but not smoking.

Add a flattened steak to the flour, and lightly coat each side. Shake off any excess flour.

Next move that to the egg wash, and coat both sides.

Move that into the bread crumbs and once turned, gently press down on each side to get a good coating.

Cook one at a time in the oil, to get a golden brown. Once cooked, remove and let any excess oil drain on a paper lined plate.

When you are ready, take the bottom portion of your roll and slather on the heated marinara sauce, then top with the mozzarella cheese, then the cooked Sicilian beef. Add the top bun, press down a bit, and dig in.

This is a monster of a sandwich, and can be sliced in half and shared if you desire. My oldest pounded it down, and my middle man almost finished. I devoured it, and could not put it down, while my wife tackled half of it.

This sandwich had that great crunchy texture, while being super tender, and when you get that great marinara and saltiness from the cheese, well let just say it was a great bit. Hope you enjoy.

Print
Breaded Sicilian Steak Sandwich
Author: 
Recipe type: Sandwiches
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs beef tenderloin, cut into 3 inch rounds
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 cups Italian bread crumbs
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • salt, to taste
  • cracked black pepper to taste
  • 1½ cups cooking oil
  • Your favorite marinara sauce, heated
  • ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese, per sandwich, optional
  • Kaiser rolls, sliced
Instructions
  1. Start by getting a couple of sheets of plastic wrap out. Lay one of the tenderloin rounds on top, then place the other sheet of plastic wrap on top.
  2. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, begin pound the beef, until you get it to about a ½ inch thick, or down to a quarter inch, being careful not to tear through the beef. Flip your meat mallet over and use the other side to tenderize it even more. Season one side with salt and pepper. Repeat with remaining beef.
  3. Next get your dredging station ready.
  4. To one container, add the beaten eggs and water. Mix.
  5. To another container, add the flour and season with some salt and pepper.
  6. To another container, add the breadcrumbs and Italian seasoning. Mix.
  7. Get a large, non-stick skillet heated on the stove on medium heat. Add your cooking oil, and let it come up to temperature, but not smoking.
  8. Add a flattened steak to the flour, and lightly coat each side. Shake off any excess flour.
  9. Next move that to the egg wash, and coat both sides.
  10. Move that into the bread crumbs and once turned, gently press down on each side to get a good coating.
  11. Cook one at a time in the oil, to get a golden brown. Once cooked, remove and let any excess oil drain on a paper lined plate.
  12. When you are ready, take the bottom portion of your roll and slather on the heated marinara sauce, then top with the mozzarella cheese, then the cooked Sicilian beef. Add the top bun, press down a bit, and dig in.
  13. This is a monster of a sandwich, and can be sliced in half and shared if you desire. My oldest pounded it down, and my middle man almost finished. I devoured it, and could not put it down, while my wife tackled half of it.
  14. This sandwich had that great crunchy texture, while being super tender, and when you get that great marinara and saltiness from the cheese, well let just say it was a great bit. Hope you enjoy.

 

Pimento Style Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Cheese, Delicious, Events, Game Day, Sandwiches

Let me start by saying this is a variation of pimento cheese, but substituting pimentos for green olives without pimentos. Trust me, I love homemade pimento cheese, and I love everything about it. It is so simple to make and just packs in a ton of flavor. I eat it as a quick snack on a couple of crackers, wipe it onto some pretzels, or heck, I could eat a spoonful of the stuff as well. That got me thinking the other day. Why not spread it onto some bread and make a pimento style grilled cheese sandwich out of it.

Pimento Style Grilled Cheese Sandwich

If you never had pimento cheese before, it is a must. I like to add garlic to mine for a bit of a kick, but there are a variety of recipes out there. Go with what you feel, and again, I’m using olives in this one which adds that brightness, and a bit of sharpness when paired with the garlic. This grilled cheese was super delicious, and a perfect use of pimento cheese.

Let’s get started.

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Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
  • 3 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 8 large olives, no pimentos, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1 pinch of cracked black pepper
  • 2 slices of bread
  • 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter

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To make the cheese, add everything to a mixing bowl, and do just that, mix it very well. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

When you are ready to make the grilled cheese, spread the half of the butter onto one slice of bread.  Spread a generous amount of the pimento-style cheese onto the other slice of bread.

Pimento Style Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Heat a skillet on medium-low heat. Add the buttered slice of bread to the skillet, butter side down, then top with the cheese slice down. Spread with the remaining butter, and cook for a few minutes, gently lifting and looking for a golden brown. Once golden brown, flip and cook the other side until golden brown.

Place onto your serving plate, and slice in half, or not, that’s up to you.

The end result is one of the best grilled cheeses I’ve had in a long time.  It was nice and cheesey, but had this awesome kick from the garlic and olives. I was kind of giggling when eating it because it was just that awesome. So if you haven’t made pimento cheese, give it a shot, and let me know what you think.

Print
Pimento Style Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Author: 
Recipe type: Sandwiches
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 1
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup of Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
  • 3 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 8 large olives, no pimentos, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1 pinch of cracked black pepper
  • 2 slices of bread
  • 1½ tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
  1. To make the cheese, add everything to a mixing bowl, and do just that, mix it very well. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
  2. When you are ready to make the grilled cheese, spread the half of the butter onto one slice of bread. Spread a generous amount of the pimento-style cheese onto the other slice of bread.
  3. Heat a skillet on medium-low heat. Add the buttered slice of bread to the skillet, butter side down, then top with the cheese slice down. Spread with the remaining butter, and cook for a few minutes, gently lifting and looking for a golden brown. Once golden brown, flip and cook the other side until golden brown.
  4. Place onto your serving plate, and slice in half, or not, that’s up to you.
  5. The end result is one of the best grilled cheeses I’ve had in a long time. It was nice and cheesey, but had this awesome kick from the garlic and olives. I was kind of giggling when eating it because it was just that awesome. So if you haven’t made pimento cheese, give it a shot, and let me know what you think.