Back in the years of living single & carefree, I had a Summer when I barely had enough money to buy eggs, bread, and and a few vegetables.  Somehow, I look back on that time as the best time of my single life. Anyhoo.  Remember when I shared the Cheesey Zucchini and Squash recipe and told you that I would eat cheesey zucchini & squash when I grew tired of egg salad sandwiches?  Well here's my the egg salad sandwich I lived on.  I decided to call it Deviled Egg Sandwiches because I prep the egg in the same way I enjoy deviled eggs.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES TO MAKE ONE SIMPLE SANDWICH

• 1 boiled egg, chopped
• 1 to 2 teaspoons yellow onion, finely chopped
  
• 2 teaspoons mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon spicy mustard
• pinch of salt
• dash of pepper
• 2 slices bread & butter pickles, either on the side or chopped into the filling
• 2 slices of sandwich bread

Mix all the ingredients together, except the bread of course.  Spread onto to bread and EAT UP!

One egg can make a pretty thick sandwich.  And like a tuna sandwich, it's filling and will hold you a while.  It's the perfect budget friendly and still healthy for you meal that takes a while to grow tired of eating.  Trust me on this one.

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

I'll bet you've never eaten a Tex-Mex Sloppy Joe before?  Me either.
It's pretty good!

The kids didn't know what to think of this sandwich at first.  After I made them, I mean, I asked them to try it, they were pleasantly surprised.  My picky eater wasn't crazy about the tomatoes, but I knew that would happen.  The slice of Monterey Jack cheese really makes it for the kiddos.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

• 1/2 pound extra lean ground beef
• 2 to 3 tablespoon finely chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon mild chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 cup diced tomatoes, I used canned
• 1/2 cup cooked black beans
• Monterey Jack cheese slices
• whole wheat buns or bread, toasted

Over medium heat, cook beef and onions until the meat is cooked through.  Add chili powder, cumin and tomatoes, then simmer covered for 10 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  Add in black beans and warm thorough.

Toast your buns *snicker* and fill with meat filling, top with a cheese slice.
You're ready to eat!

This made a great hot lunch with a healthy side salad.

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

Even if you don't own an outdoor grill, don't let it stop you from having a good burger. I made up a great tasting batch of burgers using a grill pan and a heavy cast iron skillet. The burger shown above had a chunk of goat cheese in the center...ooh baby was it GOOD!

HERE'S ALL YOU NEED TO DO

• 1 pound of lean ground beef
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• goat cheese for filling
• cheddar or American cheese slices
• a small bag of frozen crinkle fries

Preheat oven according to the directions on the crinkle fries bag.
Heat up a large grill pan, sprayed with high heat non-stick spray, on medium high.

In a medium bowl, mix the seasonings, not the goat cheese, into the ground beef, then shape into large thin patties. I've learned to make the patties an inch larger than the diameter of the bun. The patties always shrink up to just the right size.

Place patties on hot grill pan then reduce heat to medium or medium low. You'll get some smoke & popping at first so stand back. To get good even cooking and grill marks, set a cast iron skillet on top of the patties and cooked for 4 to 6 minutes on each side.

While you're waiting for that second side to cook, start baking the crinkle fries. Finished patties can be put in a small roasting pan, covered with foil and kept hot in the oven until it's time to eat.

For the grown ups, put a large spoonful of goat cheese in the center of a patty, and give it a sprinkle of fresh ground red pepper flakes then top it with another patty. Press the edges together so the cheese doesn't ooze out while cooking.

With the cheese filled patties, cook them on medium low heat and cover with the cast iron skillet turned upside down over them. Make sense? Use the skillet like a lid cover and not a pressing tool.

After cooking them for 5 minutes on each side, press down on the patty with a spatula to make sure the juices run clear. I don't know about you, but we like our burgers fully cooked around my house.

The fries should be finished by now, so take them out and set aside. On the kid's patties, lay on a cheese slice to start melting while the bread was toasting.

Toasted whole wheat sandwich bread slices work just fine in place of burger buns.  Set out your favorite condiments, pickles and such and you're ready to eat!

My kids love this simple home cooked happy meal. Come to think of it, I've NEVER had to bribe them with a toy to make them eat it all.
Hmm, that's interesting. Good food doesn't need a toy.

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

The super easy, simple, breakfast the kids and I have been enjoying this week.

HERE IT IS

• 2 slices whole wheat toast
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 8 banana slices per sandwich
• a glass of orange juice

We have had to hurry out the door everyday this week. Making these breakfast sandwiches made it easy to eat on the go and kept us satisfied until lunch time.

What do you eat on the go?

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

We had roast for Sunday lunch, yesterday. It was goood! I'll write about it tomorrow.

Today, I simmered up my own barbecue sauce and chopped up the leftover roast to make tangy and sweet sandwiches for dinner tonight. I had to make a sandwich, so I could show you how yummy they look. (mouth full...I gan't wait fer thinner!)

HERE'S WHAT I DID

• 3 cups of chopped roast, approx.
• 3/4 cup ketchup or catsup
• 1/3 cup root beer soda
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 cup onion, thinly sliced slivers
• 4 hamburger buns, toasting optional

In a medium sauce pan over medium low heat, simmer all the ingredients together until the onion is cooked tender, 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, remove any fat from leftover roast, then chop into 1/2 inch pieces. Add meat into sauce pan, stir to coat evenly.

You can easily make this ahead of time. Simply store barbecue meat in airtight container and refrigerate. When you're ready to eat, reheat on medium low heat or microwave on 80% power until hot. Divide barbecue meat among buns and serve immediately.

I'm serving these tasty sandwiches with a side of chips, bread-n-butter pickles and there's leftover chocolate pie in the frig.
Mmm, I can't wait!

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

I heard of Nutella for the first time, about a year ago.  I had watched some program about International Chefs cooking in fancy restaurants, but still having to offer condiments that are below Foodie par.  There was an Italian chef in California who offered Nutella on toasted baguette slices.  He said, "Nutella to Italy is what Peanut Butter is to America."  I was intrigued.  

I hunted down a small jar and asked my family to try it with me.  We were instantly hooked! If you're not familiar with Nutella, it's ground hazelnuts with cocoa powder mixed together.

Ms. Adventures in Italy is hosting this delicious event and there's loads of mouth watering recipes all using Nutella.  I highly recommend checking out her AWESOME blog.  She taught me the meaning of Food Porn. 

HERE'S HOW WE ENJOY NUTELLA 

American + Italian = Pure Love

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

When trying to decide what to make for lunch, sometimes the simplest foods are easily overlooked.  The grilled cheese sandwich isn't cutting edge, but it is total comfort food. 

HERE'S WHAT MY KIDS LOVE 

• 4 slices whole wheat bread
• 1/2 to 2/3 cup finely shredded Cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese blend
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened

Heat up the griddle pan on medium heat.  Toast bread on pan until it's lightly brown.  On one side for each slice, distribute butter evenly; turn buttered side down on pan.  Toast for maybe one minute.  Turn one buttered side slice back up, quickly top that slice with 1/4 cup cheese.  Make sure to get cheese all the way to the crusty edges.  Top with other toast slice, buttered side on the cheese.  Lightly press with spatula and flip over.  Turn off heat and cook one more minute, until cheese has melted.

Cooking Tip
It helps to have the cheese and butter at room temperature.  They melt faster without over toasting the bread.

Next time you're stuck for something to fix, don't forget this hot favorite that's simple, quick and always kid friendly. 

We took a family road trip to Pauls Valley, Oklahoma to visit The Toy & Action Figure Museum.  If you're ever passing through Pauls Valley, it's worth stopping to check out.  For the grown ups, Pauls Valley is home to Bedre Fine Chocolates.  Bedre gives tours Monday-Friday, 10am-3pm.  

Back to the yummy sandwich pictured above. I felt it was fitting for my family to eat Super Hero sandwiches before we went inside the museum.  They were so much healthier and less expensive than eating fast food.  

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED FOR YOUR SUPER HERO 

• whole wheat rolls
• smoked ham
• turkey pastrami
• provolone cheese slices
• baby sweet lettuce
• fresh spinach leaves
• grape tomatoes, halved
• mayonnaise
• spicy mustard
• salt & pepper

Spread mayonnaise on the inside bottom slice and spicy mustard on the inside top slice.  On the bottom, lay down 3 slices smoked ham, 3 slices pastrami, 1 slice provolone, top with baby lettuce and spinach leaves, and tomatoes.  Season with salt & pepper. 

Sometimes, these super simple ideas are forgotten, at least around this house.

HERE'S HOW I BUILD A BLACK BEAN BURGER

• whole wheat buns
• Morningstar Black Bean patties
• chopped green onions
• mild cheddar slices
• green leaf lettuce
• spicy brown mustard

Preheat the oven and heat up a batch of frozen fries.  Then, heat the patties and buns on a large griddle on medium heat 7-10 minutes.  Prep the lettuce, onion and cheese.  Assemble the burgers and enjoy!

Be on the look out, I have a Lemon Dessert to pass on.  It's chillin' in the frig now.

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED FOR SLOPPY JOES

• 3 cups precooked ground beef
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• salt to taste
• 2-3 dashes Tabasco
• 6 hamburger buns, toasted

Cook over medium heat all the ingredients, excepts the buns, 10-15 minutes, until the sauce has thicken.  Remove from heat, allow to set for a few minutes before serving.

If you have them, heat up some Tater Tots in the oven while you're cooking the Sloppy Joes.  They should finish up about the same time.

Enjoy!