Italian Slow Cooker Beef Sandwiches with Giardiniera Aioli

If need a bib, drop cloth, tarp or half a roll of paper towel to eat a sandwich, I know it’s a great sandwich. The messier, the better and these Italian slow cooker beef sandwiches with Giardiniera aioli are true to the rule. The beef is delicious. Moist and tender and packed with flavor, you could eat it by itself. The giardiniera aioli is different, wonderful, and definitely something I”ll be using on other sandwiches and for sure, po boys! I add a bit of slaw to bring a bit of crunch and a nice vinegar hit to offset the sweet tender beef. This is the sandwich of kings!

Italian Slow Cooker Beef Sandwiches with Giardiniera Aioli

One Outstandingly Good Sandwich

These Italian slow cooker beef sandwiches with giardiniera aioli are great made just like the recipe states. You don’t have to change a single thing and you’ll have great sandwiches. But, if you want a bit of an extra kick to your sandwich, well, you came to the right place. Add some spicy pepper rings to the beef as it cooks low-and slow in the slow cooker. And substitute spicy giardiniera for the ‘regular’ stuff. That’ll satisfy your need for spicy, for sure!

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Also try my slow cooker beef debris sandwiches.

Italian Slow Cooker Beef Sandwiches with Giardiniera Aioli
Print Pin
4 from 1 vote

Italian Slow Cooker Beef Sandwiches with Giardiniera Aioli

If need a bib, drop cloth, tarp or half a roll of paper towel to eat a sandwich, I know it’s a great sandwich. The messier, the better and these Italian slow cooker beef sandwiches with Giardiniera aioli are true to the rule.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword beef, crockpot, Italian, slow cooker
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Assemble time 15 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 856kcal

Ingredients

For the Italian Beef

For the Aioli

For the sandwich

  • 4 loaves French bread halved crosswise, split and lightly toasted
  • Delta slaw or your favorite vinegar-sauced slaw

Instructions

  • For the Italian beef
  • Combine the chuck, bell peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, salt and pepper in a slow cooker.
  • Cook on the low setting for 8 hours.
  • Use a ladle to remove some of the excess fat from the surface, then coarsely shred the beef with two forks.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
  • Remove the meat from the cooker and shred.
  • Return to the sauce in the slow cooker and keep warm until ready to use.

For the aioli

  • Place the egg, garlic and Dijon into a food processor and pulse until combined.
  • With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil and vegetable oil until they are blended.
  • Add the giardiniera and pulse a few times. Do not over process. You want it just chopped, not liquefied.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the sandwich

  • Spread 2 tablespoons (or more) of the aioli on both sides of the bread
  • Divide the beef between the bottom bread halves.
  • Add some slaw.
  • Top with the bread tops and serve.

Notes

Have plenty of napkins on hand!

Nutrition

Calories: 856kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 69g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 180mg | Sodium: 2360mg | Potassium: 1013mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1418IU | Vitamin C: 65mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 6mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Crab Cakes with Shrimp

Crab cakes are one of those things where I have absolutely zero self-control. I cannot get enough of them. These crab cakes with shrimp are no exception, that’s for sure. The addition of chopped shrimp to the Cajun-flavor-packed crab mixture really makes for a different twist on a crab-only cake. I found myself loving these even more than ‘just’ crab cakes. It did not surprise me when my wife proclaimed these to be the best things we’ve made.

Crab Cakes with Shrimp

Perfect Heat

The cakes do have a bit of a spiciness to them, thanks to a jalapeno pepper. I found them to be fantastic. They’re not overly spicy, not at all. Every bite is a fantastic mix of flavors that I just hoped would never end.

I recommend that you peel your celery first. For this and any other dish that calls for celery. It only takes a second and it makes your celery much more tender.

I almost always use Blue Plate mayonnaise in the dishes I make. I think it is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.

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A chilled Creole remoulade sauce was perfect for dipping these crab cakes. You can also make appetizer-sized cakes, but I’d make extra because they’re going to go fast.

Crab Cakes with Shrimp
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5 from 1 vote

Crab Cakes with Shrimp

Crab cakes are one of those things where I have absolutely zero self-control. I cannot get enough of them. These crab cakes with shrimp are no exception, that’s for sure. 
Course Appetizer or Main
Cuisine American
Keyword crab cakes, shrimp
Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 519kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine the crab and shrimp in a medium bowl.
  • In a large bowl combine the crackers, mayonnaise, onion, celery, jalapeno, mustard, pepper, Creole mustard, Creole seasoning, onion, and garlic powder.
  • Fold in the crab and shrimp.
  • Form into 6 5 1/2 ounce patties. For appetizers, make 2-3 ounce patties.
  • Wrap cakes in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes to 1 hour.
  • Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil.
  • Once the oil is hot, working in batches add the patties and brown for about 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate or rack to cool and drain.
  • Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. We prefer a nice Cajun remoulade!

Notes

I love serving these with a nice spicy Cajun remoulade.

Nutrition

Calories: 519kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 175mg | Sodium: 1175mg | Potassium: 215mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 239IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 145mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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House Sub Sandwich

A quick sub sandwich is my favorite lazy weekend lunch. Nothing fancy, but made fresh in just minutes. The stars of my house sub sandwich are the meats and the spicy dressing. I almost always include sandwich pepperoni on my subs, though sometimes it is a bit hard to find. It’s like pizza pepperoni only bigger and sliced thinner. It adds great flavor to any sandwich. The dressing mix really amps up the sandwich. No plain-ole mayonnaise here, that’s for sure. This is nothing but flavor!

House Sub Sandwich

Wake Your Sandwiches Up!

If you’re more in the mood for an oil and vinegar for your house sub sandwich, try my Italian hoagie dressing. It’s really really good, if I say so myself. It isn’t spicy like the dressing on these subs, but you can remedy that by adding a few spicy banana peppers on top.

I almost always use Blue Plate mayonnaise in the dishes I make. I think it is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.

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Instead of pre-mixing the sauce with the lettuce, you can transfer the sauce to a squeeze bottle and just squirt away on top of the sandwich just before you serve it!

I store my homemade sauces in squeeze bottles. If refrigerated, I set them out thirty minutes to an hour before using so they come to room temperature. You don’t want to put cold sauce on hot food!
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You’ll also love my copycat Jersey Mike’s sub sandwich.

House Sub Sandwich
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5 from 1 vote

House Sub Sandwich

A quick sub sandwich is my favorite lazy weekend lunch. Nothing fancy, but made fresh in just minutes. 
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword sandwich, submarine
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 1 sandwich
Calories 1102kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

For the sandwich build

  • 4 ounces deli sandwich meats or more your favorite
  • dash Cajun seasoning
  • 2 slices Swiss cheese
  • 6 inch sub roll sliced horizontally. A half loaf of French bread works great too.
  • â…” cup dressing mix from below
  • 2-3 slices tomato

For the dressing mix

Instructions

For the sandwich build

  • Heat a griddle or skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Sprinkle the sandwich meat with the Cajun seasoning.
  • Add to the pan and heat on both sides. Remove.
  • Add cheese and meat to the bottom slice of the French bread.
  • Add the dressing mix and sliced tomato, bread top, and serve.

For the dressing mix

  • Whisk together all but the lettuce. 
  • Place lettuce in a small bowl.
  • Add dressing and mix.

Notes

Cajun seasoning on a sub may seem odd, but it’s quite good. 

Nutrition

Calories: 1102kcal | Carbohydrates: 102g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 13712mg | Potassium: 587mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1005IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 309mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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White Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

There’s a scene in the movie Chef where the star, Jon Favreau, makes a grilled cheese sandwich. It was the perfect grilled cheese sandwich. Perfectly toasted on both sides. And it crunched, oh how it crunched, when he sliced it. I have to admit, I’m still working on my grilled cheese toasting skills. But I sure do enjoy a great grilled cheese sandwich for lunch. These white pizza grilled cheese sandwiches have a great pizza-ish herby flavor to them, with ooey-gooey melted mozzarella and a little Parmesan to boot. Very good, and a little different.

White Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

No Wimpy Bread Need Apply

I prefer to use Texas toast for my grilled sandwiches. It holds up and holds up well to just about anything you want to pile up on it. No one likes a grilled cheese that just dissolves once you get past the crust. Nope, you need a bread that will be there till the end, and for me that’s Texas toast. Oh, and I love to make smoked paprika and garlic croutons out of any leftover pieces of Texas toast I might have.

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The Griddler is a champ at making grilled cheese sandwiches, like my muffuletta grilled cheese, grilled caramel apply cheese, grilled spinach and artichoke cheese, and pepperoni pizza grilled cheese.

White Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
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5 from 1 vote

White Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

These white pizza grilled cheese sandwiches have a great pizza-ish herby flavor to them, with ooey-gooey melted mozzarella and a little Parmesan to boot. Very good, and a little different.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword grilled cheese, sandwich
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 6 sandwiches
Calories 321kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Turn on your Griddler to the griddle setting and 350 F, or heat a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Mix the ricotta and oil together in a large bowl.
  • Stir in the garlic, basil, oregano, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese.
  • Mix in the mozzarella cheese. The mixture will be thick. Don’t be afraid to use your hands to mix it well.
  • Lightly butter each slice of bread on one side.
  • Working in batches, place slices of bread butter-side down on the Griddler or into the skillet. Top with the cheese mixture, spreading out evenly.
  • Add the top piece of bread butter-side up.
  • Cook until the bottom bread is golden brown. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown.
  • Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Use thick bread for the best results.

Nutrition

Calories: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 724mg | Potassium: 170mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 393IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 371mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Beef and Bean Burritos

These are our go-to beef and bean burritos. Nothing fancy and not  complicated. They taste fantastic and have just the right spice balance. The recipe makes a big huge batch of burritos. Leftovers freeze well and are perfect warmed up for a quick and easy lunch.

Beef and Bean Burritos

Easy. And Delicious.

Now, don’t let the fact that I used canned sauce and beans throw you off. I grabbed the good stuff at the store when I picked up the ingredients for these beef and bean burritos. It makes a big difference.

Freezing Leftovers

If you’re going to freeze the leftovers, I suggest wrapping them tightly in wax paper. The enchiladas will absorb a lot of the sauce. That’s why I like to make a little extra on the side for dipping or drizzling. If I’m freezing them I always grab a can or two extra of sauce and heat it up at the same time I heat up the burritos.

I highly recommend that you shred or grate your own cheese at home. Don’t buy the pre-shredded or pre-grated stuff. It has stuff added to it to keep it from sticking together. That ‘stuff’ affects how the cheese melts. Shred it yourself and use the good stuff.

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The best side dish for these? Fiesta corn, of course.

Beef and Bean Burritos
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5 from 1 vote

Beef and Bean Burritos

These are our go-to beef and bean burritos. Nothing fancy and not  complicated. They taste fantastic and have just the right spice balance. 
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword beans, beef, burrito
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 632kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 170 F.
  • Heat a splash of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the onions and cook until soft.
  • Add the ground beef and cook until done, breaking up the meat as it cooks.
  • Add the cumin, chili powder, oregano and salt. Stir.
  • Add 2 cans of the enchilada sauce. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • In a medium saucepan over low heat add the refried beans and cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Remove from heat.
  • Heat tortillas in the oven for a few minutes.
  • Divide bean and cheese mixture between the tortillas, spreading out evenly.
  • Divide meat between tortillas, spreading out evenly down the center of the tortillas.
  • Fold sides of the tortillas in the roll. Transfer to a large baking dish, seam-side down. Sprinkle with the cheese.
  • Cover with foil and transfer to the oven until warm.
  • Meanwhile, warm the remaining enchilada sauce.
  • When ready to serve, drizzle with warmed sauce and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

Notes

Reheat in a 350 F oven for 10-15 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 632kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 706mg | Potassium: 558mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 267IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 203mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Quick Fix Taco Salads

It was one of THOSE days. Not enough time to even think about dinner. But, a quick glance in the fridge and pantry and I was able to throw together a plan. Quick fix taco salads it would be. And you know, they turned out great! Crunchy shells, crunchy lettuce, and all of our favorite salad toppings.

Quick Fix Taco Salads

Nice And Easy. And Delicious.

I used chopped grilled chicken to top these salads, but any cooked meat (or no meat for that matter) would be great too. Like chilled cooked shrimp. Or warm taco beef crumbles. Just because these taco salads are quick to fix doesn’t mean that they are low on flavor.

I highly recommend that you shred or grate your own cheese at home. Don’t buy the pre-shredded or pre-grated stuff. It has stuff added to it to keep it from sticking together. That ‘stuff’ affects how the cheese melts. Shred it yourself and use the good stuff.

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Also try my quick fix shrimp tacos.

Quick Fix Taco Salads
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5 from 1 vote

Quick Fix Taco Salads

Just because these taco salads are quick to fix doesn’t mean that they are low on flavor.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword salad, taco
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 231kcal
Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

Suggested toppings

  • cheddar cheese shredded
  • black olives sliced or chopped
  • meat cooked chicken, beef taco meat, or shrimp
  • cilantro chopped
  • sweet corn kernels
  • tomatoes diced
  • avocado diced
  • green onions sliced
  • tortilla strips

Instructions

  • Place chopped salad into a large bowl.
  • Drizzle with dressing.
  • Add desired toppings and toss lightly to coat.
  • Spoon into taco salad shells and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 231kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Sodium: 165mg | Potassium: 1mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 7mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Grilled Creamy Shrimp and Mushroom Pasta

It was one of those almost-stormy evenings. I was in the mood for grilling, but as a backup, I needed to pick something I could cook inside in case the skies opened up. Well, they didn’t, so I was able to grill the fantastic shrimp for this grilled creamy shrimp and mushroom pasta. If it had stormed, I would’ve roasted the shrimp in the oven and still enjoyed a great dinner. But grilled shrimp, well, that’s just better.

Creamy Grilled Shrimp and Mushroom Pasta

Easy And Fantastic

The cream sauce and mushrooms in this grilled creamy shrimp and mushroom pasta are fantastic. The entire dish is incredibly easy to put together. If you don’t want to fret with the shrimp just use pre-cooked frozen shrimp from your grocery store. Just defrost them ahead of time and you’ll be good-to-go.

No Worries

Don’t be surprised when you start making the sauce that the cream cheese doesn’t melt and get creamy. Once you add the hot water from making the pasta the cream cheese will dissolve and make a fantastic sauce.

Beware Of Flare-Ups

When grilling the shrimp, the butter and oil in the marinade may cause flare-ups on your grill. Be prepared to move the skewered shrimp to another place on the grill until the fire dies down. And by all means, don’t burn yourself!

I recommend that you use a grill basket when making this dish if you don’t have skewers. It makes cooking easier and you don’t have to worry about anything falling through the grates. And cleanup is easier too!

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Also try my creamy Cajun sausage ravioli and my Caribbean shrimp pasta.

Creamy Grilled Shrimp and Mushroom Pasta
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4 from 1 vote

Grilled Creamy Shrimp and Mushroom Pasta

Don’t be surprised when you start making the sauce that the cream cheese doesn’t melt and get creamy. Once you add the hot water from making the pasta the cream cheese will dissolve and make a fantastic sauce.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword creamy, mushroom, shrimp
Prep Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 635kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

For the grilled shrimp

For the mushrooms and pasta

  • 8 ounces angel hair pasta or fettuccine or linguine
  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
  • 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 ounces cream cheese cubed
  • 2 tablespoons parsley chopped, plus a bit more for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 cup water from the cooked pasta, you may not need the entire cup

Instructions

For the grilled shrimp

  • Combine all but the shrimp in a medium bowl.
  • Add the shrimp and toss to coat.
  • Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  • Remove from fridge and let set at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  • Fire up your grill.
  • Thread shrimp onto skewers and place on grill.
  • Brush with remaining marinade (caution: flare-ups can occur) and cook for 3-4 minutes.
  • Flip, brush with more marinade and cook another 2-3 minutes or until the shrimp are done.
  • Remove from grill.

For the mushrooms and pasta

  • Cook the pasta per package instructions, reserving 1 cup of the water from the pot.
  • Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet.
  • Add the mushrooms and saute for 10 minutes or until golden brown and soft.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Remove the mushrooms and reserve.
  • Add remaining butter to the skillet and melt.
  • Add the garlic, cream cheese cubes, parsley and basil. Whisk to combine. Note: The sauce will not be creamy.
  • Add 2/3 cup of the reserved pasta water and whisk. The sauce will come together and get creamy.
  • Add the mushrooms, grilled shrimp, and pasta. Stir to combine. If too thick add a bit more of the pasta water and stir.
  • Serve garnished with freshly chopped parsley.

Notes

I throw the shrimp onto the grill while the mushrooms are sauteeing.

Nutrition

Calories: 635kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 33g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 430mg | Sodium: 1352mg | Potassium: 565mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2230IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 245mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Easy Kicked-Up Tomato Soup

You have those cans of tomato soup just sitting there in the pantry. It’s not bad soup. But those cans have been sitting there for a reason. That soups needs a little something. A little help to make it into great soup and not ‘just’ a can of soup. This easy kicked-up tomato soup is just that. Just add a few pantry and fridge ingredients and boom, great tomato soup for a cold day!

Easy Kicked-Up Tomato Soup

Canned Soup Re-Imagined

The diced tomatoes add a nice texture and freshness to this easy kicked-up tomato soup. You can definitely leave them out. At least here in the midwest US good fresh tomatoes are impossible to find this time of year.

I like a little crunch to my soup to give it even more texture, so I added a few homemade croutons. Optional, but yummy.

I like to use my good ole trusty Dutch oven to make this soup and pretty much darned near anything like it on my stovetop. It’s nice and big and sturdy. That extra weight helps it maintain and distribute heat perfectly. As an added bonus, it’s actually pretty easy to clean up too!

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Also try my creamy cheese and tomato soup.

Easy Kicked-Up Tomato Soup
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5 from 1 vote

Easy Kicked-Up Tomato Soup

You have those cans of tomato soup just sitting there in the pantry. It’s not bad soup. But those cans have been sitting there for a reason. That soups needs a little something.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword soup, tomato
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 177kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3 cans tomato soup 10.75 ounces
  • ¼ cup sherry
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons pesto
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan grated, plus more for garnish
  • ½ cup tomatoes diced
  • olive oil

Instructions

  • Add soup to a pot over medium heat along with 3 cups of water.
  • Stir and heat.
  • Stir in the sherry, cream, pesto and Parmesan.
  • Heat through.
  • Serve sprinkled with the tomatoes, a drizzle of oil and more Parmesan.

Notes

I also like to add a few croutons.

Nutrition

Calories: 177kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 656mg | Potassium: 872mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 990IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Blackened Fried Shrimp

I could probably eat a ton of these blackened fried shrimp. I was already badly addicted to fried shrimp. Then along came these beyond-delicious treats and my addiction somehow got worse. I didn’t even think that was possible. Yummy crunchy batter that has a great light spiciness to it. The batter isn’t too thick. It isn’t too thin. You really just can’t stop eating them.

Blackened Fried Shrimp

More Seasoning, More Better!

For a little extra kick, sprinkle the blackened fried shrimp with more of the seasoning just after you remove them from the hot oil. You have to do it when they’re still so hot so that the seasoning adheres.

Sure, You Could Use Store-Bought Seasoning…

Why go thru the trouble of making the blackened seasoning from scratch? That store-bought stuff is just way too salty for me. But you’re certainly free to use it. I bet by now there’s a low-salt store-bought version available somewhere!

If I’m cooking for a crowd, I’ll break out my big deep fryer. But, if it’s just the two of us, I’ll fire up my Fry Daddy fryer. It’s the perfect size for both of us. It fries everything perfectly. And as an added bonus, it doesn’t use a lot of oil, which saves me money.

I get out my big deep fryer when it’s time to fry a large batch of food. It comes to temperature quickly and it maintains that temperature perfectly. It has a built-in oil filter and storage unit so I can re-use the oil several times.

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Also try my Cajun fried shrimp and my beer battered shrimp and fries.

Blackened Fried Shrimp
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5 from 1 vote

Blackened Fried Shrimp

I could probably eat a ton of these blackened fried shrimp. I was already badly addicted to fried shrimp. Then along came these beyond-delicious treats and my addiction somehow got worse.
Course Appetizer or Main
Cuisine American
Keyword deep-fried, shrimp
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 203kcal

Ingredients

For the blackened seasoning (may make a bit more than you'll need)

For the flour station

For the dipping station

  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce

Instructions

  • Place shrimp into a large bowl. Season with two teaspoons of the blackened seasoning and toss well.
  • Combine the flour and blackened seasoning. Dip the shrimp into the mixture and coat well. Transfer to a plate and place into the freezer for five minutes. Reserve the flour mixture.
  • Heat 3-4" of oil to 350 F in a deep fryer or Dutch oven.
  • Whisk together the egg, milk and hot sauce in a pie plate or shallow dish.
  • Dip the shrimp into the egg mixture and then return to the flour mixture to coat.
  • Shake off excess flour and fry 3-4 minutes or until golden brown, turning once.

Notes

Serve with your favorite tartar sauce or cocktail sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 203kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 333mg | Sodium: 1778mg | Potassium: 177mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 374IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 198mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Memphis-Style Muffuletta

Muffuletta sandwiches are what I would have on a deserted island if I could choose only one food. I’d even go through the ‘trouble’ of making my own olive salad. When I first ran across this idea for a Memphis-style muffuletta I made a weird face. Huh? Why are you messing with my favorite? The answer was soon obvious: because this is really, really good. Similar to a muffuletta in many ways, but different too.

Memphis-Style Muffuletta

A Totally Different Olive Salad

The creamy olive salad in this Memphis-style muffuletta is totally different than a traditional muffuletta mix but it has many of the same flavors. The artichoke hearts are a totally different twist and quite honestly I might find myself adding them to my homemade muffuletta olive salad too.

Memphis-Style Muffuletta

I almost always use Blue Plate mayonnaise in the dishes I make. I think it is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.

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The olive salad mix is also great on grilled hot dogs. If you prefer the original, try my more traditional muffuletta sandwich.

Memphis-Style Muffuletta
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Memphis-Style Muffuletta

When I first ran across this idea for a Memphis-style muffuletta I made a weird face. Huh? Why are you messing with my favorite? The answer was soon obvious: because this is really, really good. 
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword sandwich
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 277kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Whisk together the mayonnaise and salad dressing.
  • Fold in the olives, artichoke and celery.
  • Season with the pepper.
  • Slice bread horizontally. I like to remove some of the insides of the bread, but that’s optional.
  • Spoon half of the olive mixture onto the bottom half of the bread.
  • Add the cheese and meats.
  • Top with the remaining olive mix and top bread half.
  • Wrap tightly in foil or plastic wrap.
  • Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.

Notes

Stir again before using.

Nutrition

Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 977mg | Potassium: 73mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 230IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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