Here's what Cookin' in my kitchen. How about yours?

[mare]

"...ever put potato chips in a sandwich?"

Doesn't everybody?!?!?

[rose]

indigosd, thank you for the cookbook titles. I am quite interested.

CJ, that soup sounds really good!

Glen, that sandwich doesn't, but hey, I put grape jelly on grilled cheese, so who am I to talk, right?

But, while on the subject of unusual sandwich combinations, here's a recipe for those who are not chewing and swallowing impaired.

There is a restaurant in Pittsburgh, (Primanti Brothers) which started out as a truck stop diner, now they have several locations, and their sandwich is to die for. It features really great Italian bread, a meat, cheese, and vinegar based cole slaw and still hot homemade french fries. The combo of the fries with the coleslaw and cheese..... soooooo good. They still serve it up on waxed paper rather than plates. They're open all night at their original location, in the strip district, and I remember it would be packed at 2 in the morning, with patrons wearing tuxes and evening wear sitting right along side the t-shirt and blue jeans crowd.

Here's the recipe for the slaw :

1 Head green cabbage, shredded
1 onion, sliced thinly
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
6 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, and onion in a bowl. Place in refrigerator for at least an hour.
In a pot, dissolve the sugar into the vinegar and oil over low heat. Add in salt and pepper and cool. Wait until completely cool before pouring over cabbage mixture, chill in refrigerator for at least an hour.


To make your sandwich,

Use real Italian bread, and some sort of meat if you wish (we used to make them meatless or with fish fillets at home, but their meatloaf sandwich is probably the most famous, so for instructions I'll use this.

In a pan, over medium heat, add just enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add in your meatloaf, slice about 1/4 an inch thick, and heat until the meatloaf begins to crisp. After flipping, add a slice of provolone cheese and cover until melted. If you wish, you can also fry up an egg and add it as a sandwich layer....

Now it is time to prepare the sandwich. Place your meatloaf and cheese slices on the first piece of Italian bread, then place a hand full of fries on top of the meatloaf. Pile on at least half a cup of your coleslaw. Then add your sliced, fresh tomatoes. And finally, top it off with the other slice of Italian bread. Serve with a tall, cold beer, sit back, and enjoy life for a while.

This IMHO should rank on the bucket list for foods to try at least once.

[rose]

Who misses being able to eat Vegetable Thins crackers? I found tried a soup which tastes very much like them (just add more salt & pepper) It comes in a box, is made by V8. Its called Golden Butternut Squash. It has a few small lumps of potato in it, Its not very high in calories, but its nutritious. Another soup I've been eating frequently lately is Campbells condensed Green Pea. This is fairly high in calories. The thick consistency from can ~ its almost a paste ~ makes it difficult to mix the water in, so I've started dumping it into the blender, and mixing the water in that way.

[KeeKer]

Rose, that is so cruel! That sandwich sounds divine! My hubby hates anything with cabbage in it. So only have coleslaw once in a while. Have been craving it lately. He's gone for 2 weeks so I just might indulge myself.

[BethU]

The only thing cooking in my kitchen is Somebody Else.

[GlenBrittle]

Rose , MmmmMmmm meatloaf sandwiches . Its been too long.

[rose]

Beth, who's the new dog in your life??? Do your kitties know about him? (Especially Rambo)

Glen, if you're still eating regular food, this sandwich is a must.

Colleen, two weeks! Well, you've definitely got time to put this on your menu while hubby is away then.

[BethU]

Rose ... that's our dear, departed little Yogi. (He would NEVER stand for six cats in the yard!) I thought I would give equal time to other species ...

[hopeful warrior]

INDIGOSD~ Thanks so much for the cookbook titles. I need to find the blender one. (Gotta use that Vita-Mix)
I would love that sweet potato souffle recipe!

[hopeful warrior]

Rose~Thanks you for the recipes. The sandwich sounds to die for. We will try the soup recs. Love to try something new!

[indigosd]

Glennnnnn, Here is my recipe for Carmelized French Onion Soup! Not really a recipe as much as how to do it :]

First make a beef base for your broth. The best is if you have beef bones that you first bake in the oven and then boil to make the broth. Next best is use Knorr Swiss Beef Broth Granules or canned Beef Broth from Swansons. The quanity is whatever you wish. I make 3 gallons at a time and freeze it in 8 cup amounts :] I add Worcestershire and a little Maggi Seasoning to the beef base-enough so that it tastes and smells right. [how is that for helpful??!]

Next you need to slice your raw onions. I like to use a sweet onion. Cut off the root and the stem end-peel-cut in half lengthwise and then slice with the cut side down so that you have small slices that are about 1/4" thick. I do 10# to make my 3 gallons. Just remember that the onions will decrease in size to about 1/4 of the original uncooked amount. I place all the sliced onions in a gigantic roaster pan and toss them with a very small amount of Canola oil to just slightly coat. Place in a preheated 425 degree oven. Stir with a wooden spoon about every 10 to 15 min. It takes about 3 hours to carmalize 10#. Just watch and stir. Obviously a smaller amount will take less time and it just smells deeeeevine! They will begin to get limp and translucent before they carmelize-stir, stir! When they begin to turn a light carmel color, I sprinkle just a little brown sugar over them and stir it in. I cook them until they are a deep carmel color-pull out of the oven and pour white wine over them to deglaze the pan and to add flavor. You don't want them floating in wine but about 1/2 of their depth. Stir the onion/wine into the beef base-salt andpepper to taste and let simmer. Thinly slice french bread and toast in oven under the broiler. Place french bread toast on top of ovenproof bowl of French Onion-add a slice of Swiss or Provolone cheese and slip under broiler for a moment to melt and slightly brown the cheese. Yummy deeelicious. The cheese is difficult for anyone with bulbar issues but Web handles the soup/french bread toast with gusto. This also freezes very nicely. Being a Prairie Woman I always cook enough to feed a threshing crew lolol I always cook enough for at least 3 or 4 meals and freeze for later! Also, onions are suppose to be good for you :]

[brooksea]

Wow! That sounds delish Kay Marie! My husband loves French Onion soup. Will have to try your method. Thanks for sharing.

[GlenBrittle]

Yet another reason to drool.

Kay Marie, thank you for that step by step recipe.

I have a question: Do you use the purpose built soup bowls ?

Glen

[indigosd]

Yes, they need to be oven proof if you are going to put them in the oven under the broiler. The other option and much easier is to just put it in the microwave and nuke it for a few seconds to melt the cheese. Other than the slicing of onions and the stirring this is soooo simple and YUMMY!

[irismarie]

I LOVE fRENCH FRIES so recently bought a SEB Actifry. You can cook a whole panful of fries with just ONE spoongul of oil. Make fried parsnips, carrots, potatos, french beans, onions, any veg at all..........Easy , healthy, delicious