Top 10 Soups, Sandwiches and Breakfast Dishes of 2015

#1 Ranch Taco Soup

I'm a sucker for taco soup and the ranch takes the flavor of this soup up to another level.

#2 Rise and Shine Breakfast Bagel Sandwich

You might think this is a simple breakfast sandwich, but it's not.  The cream cheese is the secret ingredient and it makes these super tasty. 

#3 Ham, Bacon and Cheese Bagel Snacks

I can eat these for breakfast lunch and dinner! They are fantastic.

#4 Cheesy Vegetable Soup

My family loves this cheesy, veggie loaded, soup. 

#5 Baked Sausage, Spinach and Egg Breakfast Taquitos

This is another breakfast dish, that I sometimes find myself making for dinner.  They are so easy and everyone loves them.  

#6 Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal with Cinnamon Crumbles

Every.single.thing about this oatmeal is mouthwatering.  Pumpkin oatmeal, cinnamon crumbles, cream cheese icing and whipped cream - yes, please!

#7 Layered Cheesy Breakfast Casserole

#8 Easy Ham and Broccoli Quiche

#9 Mini Puffed Oven Pancakes

#10 No Bake Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Rise and Shine Breakfast Bagel Sandwich and a Giveaway

This breakfast bagel sandwich is inspired by my favorite breakfast bagel I get from my local sandwich shop.  My homemade version might even be better . . . just saying :)  You can have this ready in less than 15 minutes, which is less time than it would take you to get dressed and drive to that sandwich shop.

I could eat this sandwich every single day for breakfast.  I crave this all the time.  A toasted bagel, topped with melty American Cheese, smoked ham, medium-cooked eggs and velvety smooth cream cheese.  Breakfast of Champions right here.    

I used none other than Eggland's Best Eggs!  I feel so good when I eat Eggland's Best Eggs, because I know they are packed with so many nutrients and they have 25% less saturated fat than ordinary eggs. 

Click HERE to read more, to get the delicious recipe and to enter the GIVEAWAY.

My Top 10 Soups and Sandwiches of 2014

#1 Ham, Turkey and Bacon Croissant Melts

#2 Easy Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup

#3 Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

#4 Shredded BBQ Chicken and Swiss Sandwiches

#5 Chicken Florentine Red Pepper Sandwiches

#6 White Bean, Ham and Wild Rice Chowder

#7 20-Minute Cheesy Roast Beef and Pepper Sandwiches 

#8 Sloppy Janes 

#9 Grilled Ham and Pimento Cheese Burgers 

#10 Tex-Mex Chicken Salad Sandwiches 

Shredded BBQ Chicken and Swiss Sandwiches

This is one of my EASY dinner recipes.  Anytime I make something during the week that involves hamburger buns, I always plan this shredded chicken dish too.  We never finish the entire bag of buns with one meal, so a super easy 2nd meal is a must. 

I switch up what I serve on the side.  Sometimes I serve a side salad, sometimes I serve french fries with bacon salt or sometimes I serve chips.  Whatever you decide will taste great next to these sandwiches.

If you aren't a fan of Swiss cheese, you can really use any type of cheese, Cheddar, Pepper Jack and Monterey would all be delicious.  I just really happen to love the flavor of Swiss with the BBQ sauce.
   

You might also like:

Two-Ingredient BBQ Chicken

Smokey Mesquite BBQ Bacon Burgers

Easy BBQ Pulled Pork

Oven-Baked Steak Fries

Baked Beans

Shredded BBQ Chicken and Swiss Sandwiches
From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

3 large chicken breasts
desired seasonings  
  (I use lemon pepper, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic powder)
salt and pepper
BBQ sauce (I use Sweet Baby Rays or Famous Daves)
4-5 hamburger buns, toasted
4-5 slices Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place chicken breasts into a 9x13-inch casserole dish.  Top with desired seasonings.  I always add lemon pepper, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning and garlic powder.  I add between 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon of each seasoning to each chicken breast.  Add a little salt and pepper.  Cover tightly with foil and bake until chicken registers 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.  I always use frozen chicken breasts and they take about 45-50 minutes until they are done.

Remove from oven and shred chicken.  Add as much BBQ sauce as desired and stir to coat.  Divide shredded chicken between toasted hamburger buns and top each with a slice of Swiss cheese.  Place sandwiches on a baking sheet and place in the warm oven for a few minutes or until cheese is melted.  Remove from oven and serve.  Serve with additional BBQ sauce, if desired. Makes 4-5 sandwiches.         

Linked up at Weekend Potluck!

Kitchen Confidence Cookbook Review and Sloppy Janes

I have been a fan of Kelsey Nixon ever since I watched her on The Next Food Network Star.  She didn't win, but was still given her own cooking show on The Cooking Channel.  I watch every episode of her and her pretty red fingernails (anyone else noticed that?).

It was about time she came out with her own cookbook :)

So, what do I think of the cookbook?

I really like it.  My favorite section is surprisingly the "Sides" category and I want to try almost every recipe in that section.

There are quite a few recipes in this book that I grew up eating, except she has added her own "twist" to them.  Like taking chili that everyone loves, but introducing us to a new ingredient, like hominy.   Or like using sweet potatoes to make scalloped potatoes.  Or even adding a thinly sliced Granny Smith apple to a grilled bacon and Cheddar cheese sandwich.  Some of the recipes might seem a little "fancy", but not so much that you wouldn't ever try them.  I am convinced to step out of my comfort zone and try these new variations.  Not every recipe has a picture, but the ones that do are absolutely gorgeous.

As soon as the weather cools down, her Roasted Tomato Soup is at the TOP of my list of things to make.  Some others I can't wait to try are Chicken and Poblano Stew, Carnitas Tacos, Essential Stove-Top Mac and Cheese, Meatball Parmesan Heroes, Roasted Root Vegetables, Blueberry Muffins and her Chocolate Chip Cookies.

I did make her Sloppy Janes and they taste nothing like my go-to Sloppy Joe recipe, but they sure were delicious.  I remember watching the episode of The Next Food Network Star when Kelsey made these and served them to Martha Stewart and I have always wanted to try them.  Not sure why it took me so long?  Don't be afraid of the ground turkey.  I use it all of the time instead of ground beef and when mixed with all of the other ingredients, I bet no one would even notice the difference.

A few of Kelsey's other recipes that I have tried are her Rapid Rise Rolls and her Orange Rolls.

To find out more about Kelsey or to purchase Kitchen Confidence, click HERE.

Sloppy Janes

adapted from: Kelsey Nixon
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

1 Tbl. olive oil
1 1/2 Lbs. ground turkey
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
salt and pepper
1 green bell pepper, ribbed, seeded and chopped
1/2 c. finely chopped onion
1/2 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
2 Tbl. packed light brown sugar
1/2 c. ketchup
1 Tbl. Dijon mustard
splash of apple cider vinegar
1 Tbl. Worcestershire sauce
5-6 hamburger buns, toasted
Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the ground turkey, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.  Cook, breaking up with the back of a wooden spoon until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.  Add the bell pepper and onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add the crushed tomatoes, brown sugar, ketchup, Dijon mustard, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens, about 10-15 minutes.  Serve on toasted hamburger buns with Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise.  Makes 5-6 sandwiches.  

Jenn's Notes: My turkey came in a 1.25 Lb. package and that is what I used.  Kelsey serves these as sliders, but we opted for regular-sized sandwiches.   

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review, but all opinions expressed herein are my own.

20-Minute Cheesy Roast Beef and Pepper Sandwiches

This is another one of my lazy night dinners.  It comes together so darn fast and tastes so darn good.  I normally make this with a green bell pepper, but the store was completely out.  I guess someone messed up on their inventory and said they had 1200, but really had zero?  Oops.   Rather than drive to another grocery store, I decided to spend double and get a red and yellow bell pepper, since I had something else planned later in the week that also used peppers.   

I like to chop up the pepper and onion ahead of time and keep in an air-tight container and then I can just grab them out of the fridge and throw right into the hot skillet.  

Since this is such a fast meal, I need something fast to serve on the side and I love to stop at the corn stand on my way home from work and pick up some fresh corn on the cob.  Raise your hand if you like fresh corn on the cob as much as me :)  Or, if I make these on Sunday when I do have some extra time, I like to serve Roasted Ranch Veggies on the side.   

20-Minute Cheesy Roast Beef and Pepper Sandwiches
From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

1/2 Lb. deli roast beef, sliced as thin as possible
1 tsp. olive oil
1 bell pepper, any color, ribbed, seeded and diced
1/3 c. finely chopped onion
sliced Cheddar and/or Monterey cheese
2 oz. cream cheese, softened 
4 hamburger buns, toasted

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the diced pepper and chopped onion and saute for about 5 minutes or until tender.  Add the sliced roast beef and toss together with the peppers.  Allow to cook for about 2 minutes until heated through.  Top with sliced cheese (as much as you like); turn off heat and cover skillet with a lid or a large plate and allow the cheese to melt.  Spread cream cheese over half of each toasted bun.  Top with beef, pepper and cheese mixture and serve.  Makes 4 sandwiches.  

Jenn's Notes: Make sure to get the deli roast beef sliced as thin as possible.  When I use thicker roast beef, it tends to get a little tuff after cooking for a few minutes.  

Linked up at Weekend Potluck! and Time to Sparkle!

Tex-Mex Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Who knew it was so hard to stream videos unless you have the latest and greatest gadgets?  Up until a few months ago, I still went to the video store and rented videos, but since they all closed down I was forced to find another way.  Yes, I realize I was probably one of the last people to convert.

I still have an old-school big screen T.V.  The kind that are giant and stand on the floor.  Who cares, it still works great.  So, since we have an X-Box 360, we figured the easiest thing to do would be to buy a wireless connector and X-Box Live and stream videos that way.  The next thing we know, our X-Box has the "Red Ring of Death".  A few internet searches later, we find a fix involving Q-Tips.  Very high-tech, I know :)  That worked for a little while, but the X-Box is officially dead.   

So, we head to Costco and pick up a Blu-Ray player with built in Wi-Fi, except the only problem is our old-school T.V., that still works just fine, doesn't have and HDMI plug.  Sheesh. . . so, now we've gotta get an HMDI plug converter.  Maybe I should just give in and buy a new T.V. with built in Wi-Fi?

How do you guys stream your videos?

Anyway, while I was at Costco, I picked up one of their amazing rotisserie chickens and decided to make some chicken salad sandwiches, but I wanted to add a little Tex-Mex flair.

They turned out delicious and are a perfect and easy meal to enjoy while watching old episodes of One Tree Hill on Netflix :)  

Tex-Mex Chicken Salad Sandwiches

From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

2 c. cooked and shredded chicken (rotisserie works great)
1/4 c. mayonnaise (I use light)
salt and pepper, to taste
taco seasoning, to taste
1 roma tomato, diced
2 green onions, minced
1 roasted poblano pepper, peeled, seeded and chopped
    or you can use 1 can of diced green chiles
3 Tbl. chopped cilantro, opt.
1/2 c. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
3 ciabatta buns, toasted

Combine shredded chicken, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, a little taco seasoning (I would start with 1 teaspoon and add more if needed), diced tomato, green onions, roasted poblano, cilantro and cheese.  Stir together until well combined.  Taste and adjust any ingredients, if needed.  Serve on toasted ciabatta buns.  Makes 3 sandwiches.  

Linked up at Time to Sparkle! and Weekend Potluck!

Ham, Turkey and Bacon Croissant Melts

It has been such a nice weekend.  I visited my swimming pool for the first time this season and it was so nice and relaxing.  Then, I cleaned my house really well and pretty much ate popsicles the rest of the day.  I would have made myself some Frothy Sunrise Punch, but I didn't have any orange juice on hand.  

But . . . now I am HUNGRY.  This sandwich is exactly what I want right now.  Croissants have got to be one of the best things ever created and when you bake them, they get EVEN BETTER.  It's true, check out these Baked Ham and Cheese Croissants to see why :)

This Croissant Melt really is so DANG GOOD.  Hello . . . it has ham, turkey crunchy bacon, Pepper Jack cheese and honey mustard, all served on a buttery, flaky, croissant.  Add an egg and make it a breakfast sandwich.  To-die-for!  

You might just find yourself making these on a weekly basis.  

Ham, Turkey and Bacon Croissant Melts

From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

4 large croissants
1/2 lb. deli ham, sliced thin
1/2 lb. deli turkey, sliced thin
8 slices bacon, cooked
4 big slices Pepper Jack cheese

Honey Mustard
1/3 c. Mayonnaise (I use light)
1 Tbl. mustard
1 Tbl. Dijon mustard
1 Tbl. honey
1/2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
a few dashes of Worcestershire, opt.
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Slice croissants in half.  Spread honey mustard on each half.  Top the bottom half of each croissant with a few slices of deli ham, deli turkey, two slices of bacon and a slice of cheese.  Cover with tops and place on a baking sheet.  Bake for 4-5 minutes or until cheese is melted and croissant is slightly toasted.  Serves: 4

For the Honey Mustard: Stir together all ingredients.  Taste and adjust ingredients, if needed.  

Jenn's Notes: I used Black Forest ham and Cajun turkey.  

Linked up at Saturday Night Fever!

Grilled Ham and Pimento Cheese Burgers

Do you remember when I posted a recipe for Bobby Deen's Lighter and Leaner Grilled Pimento Cheese Sandwiches?  Well, I LOVE that sandwich and I eat it often.  Last time I made them, I had some pimento cheese leftover and there was NO WAY I was going to throw that goodness away.

Fast forward to the next night when we were making hamburgers for dinner.  I had this idea of topping my burger with the leftover pimento cheese instead of regular cheese.  Then, I thought about how good ham and cheese are together, so I threw some of that on there too.  That is how this Grilled Ham and Pimento Cheese Burger was created.

I have eaten it a few times and you can never have too much of that pimento cheese.  I know it sounds strange, but don't be afraid of it.

This, my friends, is a GOOD burger.

Grilled Ham and Pimento Cheese Burgers 

From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

3/4 lb. ground beef

1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. Johnny's Garlic Seasoning (or garlic powder)

1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash Original (yellow lid)

salt and pepper

1 Tbl. ketchup

1/2 tsp. hot sauce

1 tsp. Worcestershire

1 Tbl. chopped green onions

3/4 Lb. thinly sliced deli ham

1 batch Lighter and Leaner Pimento Cheese 

4 hamburger buns, toasted

Combine ground beef, Italian seasoning, Johnny's Garlic Seasoning, Mrs. Dash, salt, pepper, ketchup, hot sauce, Worcestershire and chopped green onions and mix together until combined.  Divide into four even portions and form into patties.  Cook on a preheated grill until done (outdoor grill or a George Foreman).  Grill the ham for a minute until it's warmed through and you have a few grill marks.  Top each bun with grilled ham, a cooked hamburger and pimento cheese.  Makes 4 hamburgers. 

 

Serve with:

Crispy Cheddar Baked Fries

Chicken Florentine Red Pepper Sandwiches

This sandwich is soooooo GOOD.  It is loaded with flavor.  I adapted this awesome marinade recipe from these Sweet Dijon Pork Chops for this chicken and it is so flavorful.  We served with our favorite Roasted Ranch Veggies.

This sandwich filling is delicious, but you don't have to stop at sandwiches.  It is so versatile. You could make it into a pasta dish, a quesadilla filling, a salad topping, a creamy soup, a pizza topping and a grilled cheese.  Or, how about adding artichokes and cream cheese to make an amazing dip?  

Chicken Florentine Red Pepper Sandwiches
From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

2 chicken breasts, marinated
2 Tbl. olive oil (I used Avocado oil)
1 roasted red pepper, chopped (from a jar or homemade)
2 heaping cups fresh spinach, chopped
1/3 c. finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 Tbl. crumbled Feta cheese, for serving
2 sandwich buns (I used Ciabatta), buttered and toasted

Sweet Dijon Chicken Marinade
juice of one orange (or lemon)
3 Tbl. Dijon mustard
1 Tbl. soy sauce
1/4 c. light brown sugar
a few dashes Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbl. chopped green onions

For the marinade: Whisk together all ingredients and pour over chicken.  Allow to marinate as long as possible, preferably overnight.

To prepare:  Heat two medium skillets over medium heat.  Add one Tablespoon of oil to each of the pans.  To one pan, add the marinated chicken breasts, discarding the marinade.  Cook until internal temperature registers 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, flipping halfway through.  You will want to get some good color on the chicken.  

To the other pan, add the roasted red peppers and onion and saute until onion is tender.  Add the spinach and garlic and heat until spinach is cooked down.  Reduce heat to low.  Chop up the cooked chicken and add to the pan with the red peppers and spinach.  Stir to combine.  Serve on toasted buns and top each with some Feta cheese.  Serves 2.  

Jenn's Notes: You could add another chicken breast or two to the same marinade recipe and not have to double it. 

My Top 10 Soups and Sandwiches of 2013

#1 Baked Italian Sandwich

#2 Copycat Olive Garden Chicken & Potato Florentine Soup

#3 Leftover Turkey Cheesesteaks

#4 Copycat Denny's Moons Over My Hammy

#5 My Go-To Sloppy Joes

# 6 Fresh Garden Tomato Chili

#7  Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

#8 Smokey Mesquite BBQ Bacon Burgers

#9 Cajun Sliders

#10 Creamy Turkey and Bacon Wild Rice Soup

Linked up at Link Party Palooza!