That’s Some Spicy Meatball Sub!

I have no good reason for getting fixated on meatball subs.

I’m not a big sandwich fan, nor a big sub fan. I enjoy them from time to time.

But I got a craving for a meatball sub.

So I thought about what it should taste like.

And then I created one.

And we had them, and we ate until we could eat no more, and we still had half of each one left. So be warned!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 sub loaves, or hoagie rolls, or small baguettes slice nearly in half, and pressed open.
• 12 slices of your favorite Italian meat. I used Sopressata, but Genoa, pepperoni, or any other is fine.
• 10 meatballs commercially purchased or homemade
• 1 recipe of marinara sauce, again, purchased or homemade
• 1 c shredded mozzarella

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place the rolls, cut side up on a baking sheet and place under the broiler until toasted. Remove and shut off oven.
2. Heat your marinara sauce, and place the meatballs in the sauce to warm with it.
3. When ready, place six of the sliced salami on each roll, overlapping.
4. Spoon out five meatballs on top. Spoon additional sauce over, about 3 tablespoons in total
5. Put 1/2 c of the mozzarella on each.
6. Place back in oven and let the cheese melt from the reserved heat.

Serves: 2

NOTE: The recipe for the meatballs makes many more than just 10 of course. Slip unused ones into a freezer bag and pop in the freezer. I had mine already in the freezer, so this dish was fast for me. The marinara sauce is way more than you will use for this dish. This also freezes wonderfully and will also hold in the fridge for a good week, should you wish to make some spaghetti! You could make a much smaller amount of course, but heck, who doesn’t like a freezer full of almost made meals?

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March Madness Insanity Sub Sammie

It’s unseasonably warm for this time of year, and we are deep in the thralls of March Madness.

So what better thing than to create a truly unique sammie for sittin’ around and watching some basketball. Teamed with a pasta salad, it’s more than a meal–it’s a happening!

The ingredients are only mildly unusual, and you can substitute home-made buttermilk dressing if you wish.

But do give it a try and see if it suits your “to die for” sub sandwich.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 hoagie rolls, splitting each, but not cutting through
• 1/3 c of buttermilk dressing (homemade or commercial)
• 1/4 c mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 6 slices any type of salami, Genoa or some other
• 4 slices deli ham
• 1 sweet pepper of any color
• 1 med onion
• slices of pepper jack cheese
• 1 c of shredded swiss cheese
• pickled jalapeños

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place your rolls cut side up on a baking sheet under the broiler, until just lightly toasted.
2. Add as much mayo as needed to the buttermilk dressing to make it quite thick. Add the mustard and stir.
3. Brush on the dressing onto both sides of the hoagie rolls, until well covered.
4. Layer three slices of the salami on each roll, down the center.
5. Add two slices each of the ham.
6. Slice the sweet pepper into strips, and slice the onion into slices. Saute in a hot pan with some EVOO, charring and cooking until al dente, softened but with some bite still.
7. Divide the pepper and onions between the two hoagies.
8. Cover with the slices of the pepper jack and then sprinkle on half of the grated cheese. Top with the pickled jalapeño slices.
9. Pop back into the oven, turn it off, and leave until the cheese has melted.

Serves: 2

NOTE: You can vary the ham as to type, and the salami of course. The cheese can be anything you desire. Cheddar, pepper jack, mozzarella, or any other. The combination of Monterey Jack and swiss worked nicely for us. We ate with a knife and fork but you could fold it up and try to eat it in hand. I would suggest wrapping the lower part in some foil to keep the insides from slipping out the end.

Muffulatta Madness

I’m not sure where this sandwich originated, but this version is Italian. I’m pretty sure it is similar to a PoBoy in New Orleans. I’ve seen reference to San Francisco versions as well.

Which all goes to mean that the innards aren’t that particular.  So swap out what you don’t like for what you do. I suspect you could make SouthWestern versions as well as New England.

I think what makes it is the Olive Salad which is essential for this version at least.

This is the kind of sandwich designed for a group, and it is excellent for picnics and for tailgating and that sort of thing. It really does well if made a day in advance.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lg loaf of round bread, or a long Italian type (the round version is classic, but frankly I see no difference)
• About 2 ounces each (enough for 2 layers) of a Genoa salami, mortadella, cappicola (ham), or any others you like
• 2 oz (enough for 2 layers) provolone and fresh mozzarella each.
• 1 c of olive salad

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. While you choices of meat and cheese are your own, the method here is pretty much required, so pay attention.
2. Slice the loaf in half and tear out most of the bread, leaving a thick “shell” of bread.
3. Brush both shells with EVOO.
4. Layer the meats and then the cheese, then the meats and then the cheeses (2 layers of each)
5. The temptation is great to just stuff it, but frankly I think it makes it all untenable. You will have plenty of stuff as it is.
6. Spoon a cup of the olive salad into the other shell, and spread out evenly. Then bring them next to each other and flip the meat-cheese side over onto the olive side. You should be all intact, the olive salad all inside.
7. Take a long sheet of Saran wrap and (it helps to have 2 persons), fold your loaf over carefully and as tightly as you can. If using a long loaf, the ends will be exposed. That’s okay, fold over a copy of time, pulling the wrap tight. Then use another long piece to go end to end, just to enclose them.
8. Now, go in search of a very heavy and flat object. If it weighs twenty pounds, you are about right. Place the sandwich in a baking dish and then the weight on top and press down hard. Refrigerate like this if you can for several hours-eight would be good, but this sandwich is good for a couple of days. (An unheated garage in cold climates is fine. Just make sure it’s out of reach of any critters.
9. When ready to eat, remove the end piece of wrap and slice through the Saran wrap into slices. No more than an inch of sandwich is usually enough for most people.

Serves: 6-8 with ease

Note: Premium Italian meats and cheese can get expensive. You won’t miss a huge lot if you substitute regular ham, smoked turkey, a decent quality salami, and some good swiss and mozzarella. Smoked chicken, cheddar, Monterey Jack and a host of other meats such as Pastrami and corned beef are also fine, along with roast beef. The Olive Salad is the key to this.

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Buffalo Wing Hoagie Sandwiches

This sounded so good when I saw this recipe over at JustaPinch, that I had to save it and make sure I made it sooner rather than later.

And today was the day, and we darn near foundered on these and the great salad that I made to accompany it. (That recipe will come tomorrow!)

If you like buffalo wings you will most surely like this. It just combines all the great tastes of hot sauce, chicken and blue-cheese in one luscious combination.

So you should thank Kelly Williams from JustaPinch for this great recipe and one superb meal.

And don’t forget, tomorrow I’ll post the great pasta salad that I made to go with it. That also came from JustaPinch.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 hoagie rolls (note a ciabatta bread would be great for this as well), split open
• 1 stick butter softened
• 1 very large clove of garlic or enough to make a good tbsp of minced garlic
• 2 tbsp  fresh parsley, minced
• 1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders (she used already cooked ones, but I made my own)
• 2 tbsp my southwest spice mix
• 3 tbsp canola oil
• 1/2 c hot sauce, (Frank’s or Sriracha which is what I used)
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp your favorite barbecue sauce
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• slices of your favorite among Muenster, mozzarella, or provolone (about 8 slices)
• shredded lettuce or lettuce leaves for each sandwich
• tomatoes, diced, or whole and sliced for each sandwich
• chopped celery to sprinkle over each
• plenty of blue cheese dressing

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. If you are starting with raw chicken tenders, pour the canola oil into a large skillet. While that heats, salt and pepper your meat. Add to the pan and then sprinkle with the southwest seasonings. Cook, turning as needed until meat is done.
2. Add the 4 tbsp butter, hot sauce and chili powder and bbq sauce to the skillet and mix with the chicken, until chicken is covered and then keep on low to keep warm.
3. Blend your softened stick of butter with the garlic and parsley until well mixed. Spread on the inside of all the hoagie rolls. Place in the oven on 300° until nicely melted, then turn on the broiler, and watching carefully, lightly toast the buns.
4. Remove the buns from the oven and place chicken pieces down the center, then add slices of cheese to cover. Place back in the oven, now set at about 400°, and leave just until melted.
5. I placed the rest of the stuff at the table in bowls to add as one wishes. Lettuce, celery and tomatoes and then a couple of nice plops of the blue-cheese dressing. We ate ours with forks!

Serves: 4

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Rippin’ Good Reuben Sandwich

A good Reuben is worth its weight in gold.

A bad Reuben is simply awful. I mean really awful.

So, don’t buy some Kraft, Hormel or similar packaged corned beef. Get some real deli corned beef.

Same for the rest of the ingredients.

If you make your own sauerkraut, my you are the best. I don’t so I fudge on that.

And take the time to make it correctly.

And then whimper and moan as you eat it, because it will make you do that, I promise.

INGREDIENTS

• 2/3 lb of good deli corned beef
• 1/3 c of homemade 1000 Island Dressing
• 1 c of sauerkraut, drained
• slices of an excellent swiss cheese, such as Ementhaler to cover the top
• 4 slices of Jewish rye

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Line a broiler pan with foil and place all four slices of bread, buttered in it. Place under a broiler (from middle rack) until butter has melted and bread is lightly browned. Remove
2. Turn two slices over to the untoasted side.
3. Slather with a tablespoon or more of the dressing.
4. Top with 1/3 lb of the corned beef
5. Top with about 1/2 c of sauerkraut
6. Top with the cheese
7. Turn off the oven and then place the two sandwiches back in the oven to let the cheese melt
8. Remove and slather the other two slices of bread with the dressing and place it atop each sandwich. Cut in half and plate.

Serves: 2

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