Ed's Lazy Philly Sliders.

Actual Lazy Sliders made the other day in my kitchen. Nom.

This Recipe is a simple sandwich that can also double as an appetizer, if you so desire. I'll keep it as a sandwich, though... very easy to make, and delicious to eat!

You'll need:

1 pkg split top dinner rolls
1 lb shaved deli roast beef (garlic roast beef is best)
2 medium onions, finely sliced lengthwise
1/2 each red and green peppers, thinly sliced
horseradish mayonnaise or home made Horseradish Aoli
1 pkg. Provolone cheese

I was in the store the other day, hankering for a little something from home. Then I saw these:

Not the same brand , but identical rolls.

I got an idea. Phillies. Not in the normal sense - I didn't have time for all that. But this tasted damn good once I made it. You will agree, I guarantee it.

First, heat a pan and add oil - olive preferably - and saute until tender. Add beef and heat it, chopping with a spatula as you go, about two to three minutes. remove from heat.

Just before the oven - Kim's, on the left, mine on the right.
 She prefers Swiss to Provolone. The heretic.

Preheat oven to 350°, Take a cookie sheet, place a layer of parchment paper on it, and slice open the dinner rolls. Add some mayo or aoli to the inside, stuff each roll with the meat/peppers/onions combo, and add a 1/2 slice of provolone to each sandwich. Heat in the oven until the cheese melts into the filling, about 5-10 minutes.

Fresh, hot, and melted! Sooo good...

Take the pan out, let it sit a minute, then enjoy!

Southwestern Spring Rolls

  Borrowed image, but this is it, including Kim's Cilantro Lime Sauce.

So we were down in the states and found something new... a variant of a food we always loved. Spring rolls. Except this time it wasn't in a Chinese or Vietnamese restaurant. And after the first bite, I was determined to recreate the best of the flavor. Kim and I got to work. We did some trial and error - don't even bother with tortillas, it just comes out heavy. Mind you, the measurements are subjective... adjust to your own taste.

You'll need:

3 skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half lengthwise
2 cups cheese (we use a mix of pepper jack, mozzarella, cheddar, and smoked gouda)
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 small bag of frozen corn, preferably roasted corn.
1/2 chopped red bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped fresh spinach
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 1/2 tbsp, chili powder
1 1/2 tbsp. smoked paprika
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp. chipotle pepper powder
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. parsley
1/4 tsp. cayenne (if so desired)
2 tbsp, Cholula or other hot sauce
1-2 pkgs. large wonton wrappers or 4 small ones (depending on the size roll you want)
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper
oil
Keep a liter of chicken broth or stock on hand.

Heat a large deep pan with approximately 3 tbsp. of oil till just shy of smoking. Put cornstarch in a shallow bowl and dredge the chicken in it, shake off excess, and place into the pan. Cook until lightly browned and juices run clear; approximately 8-10 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add a little more oil to the pan and once hot, toss in peppers, onions, and saute at med-low heat for a few minutes. Add spinach, beans, corn, and cilantro.

While cooking, cut chicken into small cubes and add to mix in pan. Add remaining seasoning and a couple of splashes of chicken broth. Adjust seasonings to your taste. Once broth cooks out, remove from heat and add cheese. Stir the cheese in till it's melted in.

Example of the proper rolling technique. (Borrowed) 

Take a wonton wrapper and lay filling along diagonally along any corner. (Hint: wonton wrappers dry out quickly . to avoid that, simply cover them with a slightly damp paper towel.)  Wrap the corner over the filling; press to ensure no air stays in wrapper. Roll wrapper tightly. When you're about halfway through rolling it, fold the two ends in and roll it the rest of the way. Brush a little water on the remaining corner to seal the end. Repeat this until you are out of filling, laying them all on a cookie sheet (put parchment paper down on cookie sheet - keeps them from sticking.) At this point you can freeze some or cook them all.

Rolled and ready to go!

Using a deep fryer or pot with about 2" of heated oil, ease the spring rolls into the oil and cook until light brown and crisp. Do it in small batches of 4-5 to maintain oil temperature, otherwise you'll have greasy spring rolls. Place on a separate paper towel covered pan to drain and keep warm in the oven at 225°.

Cooking up nice!

First ones out... and man, were they good!

Serve with your choice of dipping sauce, But I recommend Kim's Cilantro Lime Sauce. Great for game day or any day!

Appetizer... Smoky Deviled Eggs.

Smoky Deviled Eggs. They never last...

These ain't your momma's deviled eggs... they have the tartness, but an underlying smoky flavor that people love. I've never had them last long, and they won't for you, either!

You'll need:
(Mind you, most of the measured amounts are starting points - texture is key.)
An immersion blender is helpful, too.


13 boiled eggs (the 13th is so you can make a "taste test" pair of eggs)
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup brown mustard
1 tbsp. yellow mustard
2 tbsp. dill pickle juice (I prefer kosher garlic)
1 tsp liquid hickory smoke
1 tsp smoked paprika - keep the jar aside, though.

Shell eggs and cut in half lengthwise, dropping yolks into a large bowl. Mix in the remaining ingredients until they form a smooth paste (you may need a little more may and mustard, and this is where the immersion blender comes in handy. Makes it real smooth, real fast.)

Here's my trick for making this easy:

Place the egg halves laid out on a pan or tray. Get a freezer bag and fill it with the egg mixture, forcing it to one corner like a piping bag and let the air out. Seal the bag, roll the free plastic tight, and cut the corner off the bag. You now have a way to pipe the filling into the eggs.

Once all the eggs are filled, sprinkle them with a little additional paprika and finely chopped chives for color. For additional smoky flavor, add a touch of finely chopped cooked bacon to the top of the eggs. Enjoy!

Makes 24 eggs... or so.

Salad... Antipasto.

Just some of the ingredients you can use.

One of the many foods that were common in almost any pizza place, sub shop, or Italian restaurant in New Jersey was antipasto. Every place made it a little different, and as with most any salad, you have flexibility in how it's made. The great thing is that it's easy to make, takes little to no cooking, and can be eaten as an appetizer or a meal. My recipe uses just the ingredients listed, but you can include almost anything, including pasta.

3 cups asparagus, blanched and cut into approx. 2"pieces
1lb. mushrooms, quartered
3/4 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup cubed ham
1 1/2 cups cubed mozzarella
1 cup sliced black olives
1 large can artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 cup salami (Genoa or Calabrese) - sliced, diced

Marinade:
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. sugar
5 cloves crushed garlic

Mix all marinade ingredients. Combine all the other ingredients, add marinade, and if so desired, grate in some fresh Parmigiano Reggiano. Mix well, cover, and place in refrigerator for at least two hours. Hint: the longer it sits, the better the flavor melds. Mangia!

Appetizer... Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites.

Simple and delicious. Good for any party.

This is not totally my own recipe - the internet has a lot of variants. But I will guarantee you'll love it, and it's pretty easy to make. The rub is my own, and I also use it on ribs.

First, you're going to need a simple rub. Try this: Ed's Rub

Also:
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into approximately 1" chunks
1 pound sliced bacon, slices cut in half
round toothpicks (easily available at any dollar store)

Preheat oven to 350°. Put some rub in a low flat bowl, set aside. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

Wrap each chunk of chicken with a bacon slice and secure it with a toothpick. Roll each piece of wrapped chicken in the rub, coating it evenly; place them on the cookie sheet. Bake for 30 minutes (test one to ensure chicken is not pink.) Enjoy!

Makes about 20
Total prep/cook time: 45 minutes