Egg Salad BLT Sandwiches

Lately I've been trying to come up with different lunch ideas to play things up a bit. Neal has been coming home for lunch more often lately and I think we both get tired of the same boring options every day. So one morning I cooked up a dozen hard boiled eggs and decided to make some of them into egg salad! Then I added bacon, lettuce and tomato and piled them all onto whole wheat toast. Yum! It was definitely a great change from our usual lunches and would also make a great quick and easy dinner. Over the next couple of days I'll be posting some more lunch recipes and ideas for any of you who are also in a "lunch rut." Enjoy! (Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites)

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 Tbsp. thinly sliced green onions
• 3 Tbsp. sour cream
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• Dash of pepper and salt
• 8 hard boiled eggs
• 4 rolls
• 8 bacon slices, cooked
• 4 slices tomato
• 4 large lettuce leaves

Combine mayo, onions, sour cream, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir to combine well. Coarsely chop eggs and add to mayo mixture. Stir gently to combine. Top each bread slice with about 1/2 cup egg mixture, 2 slices bacon, slice tomato and one large lettuce leaf and top half of roll. Serve sandwich immediately.

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

I'm a huge fan of butternut squash soup in the Fall. I love the sweet/salty flavor and especially the creaminess it adds. A few weeks ago I bought a huge butternut squash from the Farmer's Market and wanted to try to make something different with it. Almost every blog I hop on to look at recipes has so many unique and different ways to use the gourd! Already having a deep love for homemade mac and cheese (I love basically anything that has cheese in it..), I couldn't resist trying out this recipe with the addition of squash. I was very surprised at the ending flavor and how it all turned out! Neal tested it before the final result of the added spices and thought it was just okay, but once I added a bit of salt and herbs, he loved it. Result of the story: Don't forget your spices!

Please don't be skeptical about adding in squash to mac and cheese! It makes the dish so creamy and slightly sweet and I absolutely loved. I roasted the butternut squash before pureeing it which brought out all of the best flavors. For the cheese I used a combination of sharp cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese and added in some garlic powder, rosemary, chili powder, nutmeg and pepper to add some extra flavor. If you have the extra time, I also think adding breadcrumbs to the top and baking it for a few minutes would add an amazing texture and crunch. This is definitely going to be a fall favorite from now on! (Recipe and picture courtesy of Two Peas and Their Pod)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 lb. elbow macaroni
• 2 1/2 cups milk, divided
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 5 strips cooked bacon (optional)
• 1/2 cup green onions, diced (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place butternut squash chunks on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast for 20-30 minutes or until tender, turning once.

While the squash is roasting, cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain well and set aside.

Add butternut squash to food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Add in 1/2 cup milk to thin out the squash, then puree again.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and add in the spices. Cook for 2-3 minutes, whisking constantly, until the flour mixture begins to smell nutty. Add in the remaining cups of milk gradually (1/2 cup at a time), whisking constantly until smooth and flour is dissolved. Turn heat to high and to a boil while continuing to whisk. After sauce has thickened turn heat to low and whisk in half of the butternut squash mixture. Taste and continue to add in the other half until it tastes creamy enough to you (all up to your personal preference). Add the sauce and the shredded cheese to the cooked macaroni noodles and stir until cheese is melted. Crumble the cooked bacon and green onions over the top (optional). Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Optional: pour After cheese is melted, pour macaroni into a 2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup bread crumbs and bake for 20-30 minutes or until cheese is bubbling.

Cheesy Sausage, Broccoli and Mushroom Casserole

Sometimes when I think of the word "Casserole" I get a little anxious and unsure. I guess it's because it's what you always picture at a church potluck or funeral, but maybe that's just me! Anyway, I really did love this particular casserole for several reasons. It's a super easy meal that can literally be thrown together in 30 minutes and it also has your meat, noodles, vegetables and sauce all thrown into one container! It's definitely not fancy, but it's hearty, warm and flavorful and also very versatile depending on the kinds of vegetables you like. Oh, and it feeds a LOT of people - around 8-10 if you have a couple of other sides. Or you can serve it to 4 or 5 and then eat it for lunch over the next couple of days! Anything to get out of the old sandwich routine. :)



Ingredients:

• 1 jar (16 oz.) Alfredo sauce (I love Classico brand, but anything works)
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled
• 1 package (9 oz.) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
• 8 oz. diced mushrooms
• 1 red pepper, finely diced
• 8 oz. egg noodles, cooked and drained
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine Alfredo sauce and milk until smooth. Stir in sausage, broccoli, mushrooms, red pepper and noodles. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish and spread mixture evenly into pan. Sprinkle with cheese, cover with aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes or until heated through.

Brown Sugar Pork Chops with Peach Barbeque Sauce

A few weeks ago I had my first Georgia peach I've ever had. I was actually a little skeptical when I saw peaches in the grocery store becaue it seemed so early! Growing up in Utah our peach season didn't usually start until late summer so I thought surely they would be tart and hard. But what started with a single Georgia peach turned into literally dozens within just a couple of weeks. I can't get enough of the sweet juicy taste that each peach holds! Peaches are by far my favorite fruit. I even dressed up as Georgia Peach for Halloween one year, with a satin peach colored hoop skirt and white sandals. I cannot even begin to tell you how amazing this recipe was with fresh summer peaches. The June 2012 issue of Southern Living had an entire section dedicated to peach recipes and this was the first one I tried. I'm planning to try each and every one of them, by the way...

Back to the recipe: The pork chops are marinated in a brown sugar ice water and they pick up just a hint of sweetness that pairs perfectly with the peach barbeque sauce. The flavors of the barbeque sauce mesh together wonderfully: ginger, garlic, and onions are lightly sauteed, then mixed together with a mixture of ketchup, peach preserves and peaches that makes for a sweet and tangy sauce. This is the perfect summer recipe and makes for a unique and delicious twist on your basic grilled pork chops, or even chicken! Next time you have a bbq try this sauce out. I promise you won't be disappointed! And for all you fellow peach lovers, don't worry - there are many more peach recipes to come! (Picture and recipe courtesy of Southern Living)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup salt
• 2 cups boiling water
• 3 cups ice cubes
• 4 bone-in pork loin chops (about 2lbs.)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp. ginger
• 1 1/2 cups ketchup
• 1/2 cup peach preserves or jam
• 2 large peaches, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
• 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add boiling water, stirring until sugar and salt dissolve. Stir in ice cubes to cool mixture. Add pork chops; cover and chill 30 minutes. Meanwhile, saute onion in hot oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat 2 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and ginger; cook, stirring constantly, 45 to 60 seconds or until fragrant. Add ketchup, peach preserves and peaches. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes or until sauce thickens. Add vinegar; season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

Remove pork from the brine. Rinse pork well and pat dry with paper towels. Preheat grill to 350 to 400 degrees (medium high) heat. Pour half of peach mixture into a bowl; reserve remaining mixture. Grill pork, covered with grill lid, 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chop registers 145 degrees. Baste pork occasionally with peach mixture in bowl. Remove pork from grill. Serve with reserved peach mixture.

Smoky Bacon Pork Chops (or Chicken)

When I moved to Tennessee a couple of years ago I was nervous and anxious about a lot of things such as living among complete strangers and environments, being away from my family and friends, finding a good job that would support Neal and I while Neal finished school, and finding a good grocery store. I know, I'm such a nerd.. but grocery shopping is very important to me! I look forward to my weekly trips and finding new ingredients and recipes to try. When we moved here I tried 3 or 4 different stores that were close to where we lived and finally settled on Kroger for the majority of my shopping. Overall, it's a great grocery store and has everything I need and want at a good price. Then a few months ago, we moved to a town home a few miles down the road and all my grocery store options changed. The nearest Kroger was now completely out of the way and I absolutely hated the layout of the store and the lack of items that they carried. It's funny how two of the same stores can be so different.
So, from the recommendation of my mother-in-law, I tried Publix which was literally 1/2 a mile from our new home. Tried it and loved it!! I'll spare you all of the reasons why I'm addicted to shopping there, but one of the things I love is that they have one similar characteristic to Costco. Any guesses? Free samples! They have a mini kitchen type of set-up near the front of the store where they cook 2 or 3 new items every week for you to try out. There's also a rack of recent recipes they've made that you can look through for ideas and get all the ingredients while you're in the store. These smoky bacon pork chops were one those recipes that I tried while looking at the cereal aisle. I took the first bite and walked right back to the recipe rack to grab the recipe card and gather the ingredients. Neal loved it and scooped the leftover topping out of the bowl with a spoon. The pork chops or chicken breasts are topped with a creamy, cheesy and smoky sauce that adds fantastic flavor to the meat. It's a cinch to throw together and it can easily go from a quick weeknight meal to a Sunday dinner with guests. No, it's definitely not the healthiest dish (at all), but try substituting turkey bacon and light mayonnaise and you won't feel nearly as guilty. Served with a green salad and some warm bread and you've got yourself a quick and easy meal! (Picture and recipe courtesy of Publix) (And sorry for the lengthy description.. It really is delicious! :) )

Ingredients:

• 3 oz. pepper jack cheese, shredded
• 3 green onions, finely diced
• 1/4 cup chopped bacon pieces
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. Tabasco Chipotle hot sauce
• 2 tsp. McCormick GrillMates Mesquite seasoning
• 4 pork chops or chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lbs.)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Season pork chops/chicken breasts with mesquite seasoning and place on baking sheet. Combine cheese, onions, bacon, mayonnaise and hot sauce in a small bowl. Spread cheese mixture evenly over the meat. Place on middle rack of oven. Cook pork chops 8-9 minutes, or chicken 20-25 minutes, or until no longer pink. Increase oven heat to broil and broil 2-3 more minutes or until cheese is lightly browned (Be careful to watch as you broil the meat so nothing is burned). Serve warm from the oven.

Sausage Quiche Lorraine

I'm one of those girls who loves breakfast for dinner: waffles, pancakes, omelettes, biscuits and gravy... I'm game for any of these on any given night. This quiche fits right in with my breakfast cravings and makes for a delicious and easy meal. I always make my pie crust from scratch using the basic Taste of Home recipe. It is very light and flaky and has a wonderful flavor. But if you are short on time, a pre-made pie crust from the store will work just fine. This recipe is extremely versatile because you can put any ingredients in that you have at home to make a variety of quiche flavors. This particular version is my favorite (and my husband's favorite) because it is hearty and comforting. (Picture courtesy of The Perfect Pantry)

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup shortening (I use softened butter)
• 5-6 Tbsp. water

Mix the flour and salt together. Cut in the shortening or butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water in one tablespoon at a time and toss with a fork until it begins to stick together. (I usually use around 7-8 tablespoons before it starts to stick together. The dough will not be sticky like a bread dough. As soon as you can pick it up and mold it into a slightly-crumbly ball, stop adding water.) Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes so it is easier to handle. Roll out with a floured rolling pin until wide enough to easily fit inside a pie pan. Spray pie pan with cooking spray and lay the dough inside, fluting the edges around the edge of the pan.

Tip: Spray your rolling pin with cooking spray to reduce the stickiness of the dough. It makes a huge different and allows the dough to spread a lot easier!

Quiche:

• 1/2 lb. sausage
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• handful spinach (optional)
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or milk
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• dash of pepper

Cook the sausage in a large saucepan until cooked through. Reserve 1 tsp. of the grease and lightly saute the onion over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until slightly softened. Layer the sauge, onion, mushrooms, spinach and cheese on the bottom of the pie crust. In a separate bowl mix together the eggs, cream, salt, nutmeg and pepper until combined. Pour over the top of the quiche. Bake at 375 for 40 minutes or until eggs are set. Serve with salsa and ketchup on the side.