spicy meatball sandwich with pesto

One of our favorite meals from our vacation this summer was at Meat and Bread in Vancouver. We split their signature porchetta and meatball sandwiches, both of which were ridiculously delicious! I'm planning on attempting a recreation of that porchetta sometime in the future, but since Miles hasn't stopped talking about the meatball sandwich for the past month, I decided to start there first.

I made a few changes -- basil pesto rather than gremolata, a simply spicy tomato sauce rather than sambal -- but I have to say, this tasted pretty close to the original! Needless to say, this is definitely going in our regular dinner rotation.

Spicy Meatball Sandwich with Pesto
makes 4 sandwiches

you'll need:
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 egg
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup red wine
2 1/2 cups tomato puree (like Pomi)
for serving: ciabatta bread, shaved grana padano (or parmesan), basil pesto

Mix beef, breadcrumbs, basil, egg, mustard, salt, and pepper in a large bowl with a fork or your hands. Use your hands to form the mixture into small meatballs (you should end up with about 12).

Heat a bit of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the meatballs on all sides. Set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.

Wipe out the pot, then add a bit more olive oil. Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for about 30 seconds, or until the garlic is fragrant and beginning to brown. Stir in the wine and tomatoes.

Add the meatballs to the sauce and cook uncovered for 30-45 minutes over low heat, until the sauce is thick and the meatballs are cooked through.

Serve the meatballs on sliced ciabatta bread with a spread of basil pesto and shaved grana padano or parmesan on top. Enjoy!

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crockpot italian beef sandwiches

I've been failing you as a food blogger this holiday season, I know. Posts have been more sparse and lacking any seasonal awareness whatsoever (no cookie or candy recipes yet, and we're already 4 days into December?! sigh...). But, I do have an explanation!

No, I'm not pregnant.

But we are MOVING! (Insert hallelujah chorus here.) After almost 2 years in our teeny tiny, impractical, maddening loft apartment, we are moving into our first home!

All that being said, most of our kitchen is completely packed up, and we are cooking just enough to survive as we prepare for the move. And by cooking I mostly mean transferring food from takeout containers to paper plates.

So until we're in our new place, it'll be slower around here, and mainly focused on simple, easy dinner ideas. You do need to eat dinner in between all that holiday baking, right? So, another slow cooker recipe for y'all today! It's supposed to get reeeeeally cold in Dallas by the end of the week (fingers crossed for a snow day!), so meals like this one are exactly what I'm craving. This couldn't be easier to make, and it is soooooo delicious and flavorful.

Crockpot Italian Beef Sandwiches (from Iowa Girl Eats)
makes 6 sandwiches

you'll need:
3 lb. chuck roast
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
1 cup pepperoncini pepper slices + splash of juice (plus extra for serving)
1 cup Chicago-Style Italian sandwich mix (I used this one)
2 cups beef broth
shredded provolone cheese
5 hoagie buns (I used pretzel bread hoagies...amaze)

Place chuck roast into the bottom of a crockpot and sprinkle with salad dressing mix. Add peppers and a splash of their juice, sandwich mix, and beef broth. Cover and cook on low for 9 hours. Shred meat with two forks, then cook on low for 1 more hour.

To serve, split buns, then scoop the shredded meat on top. Top with provolone cheese and extra peppers. And enjoy!

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greek chicken salad sandwiches

Happy Monday, y'all!

Most of you know that I teach fifth grade. As a teacher, I have to pack my lunch every day so that I can eat with my kiddos during our lunch hour (which is really only like 20 minutes). And lunches can get a little boring. So it's super important for me to have a bunch of delicious lunch recipes that not only break up the monotony, but that I can actually look forward to eating!

This Greek chicken salad is a fantastic twist on a lunch staple. The kalamata olives and sundried tomatoes give it an amazing flavor, and the little bit of feta is just perfect. Prep this at the beginning of the week and have delicious lunches all week long!

Greek Chicken Salad Sandwiches (adapted from Cooking Classy)
yields 6 sandwiches

you'll need:
1 lb. chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 cup seeded and diced English cucumbers
10 sundried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and thinly sliced
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup diced Kalamata olives
1 cup tzatziki (store-bought or homemade)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 slices bread (I like a hearty, grainy bread for chicken salad)

In a large bowl, stir all ingredients (except bread) together until tzatziki is evenly distributed and everything is well-mixed. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. Refrigerate for at least an hour to allow to flavors to develop. Serve between slices of bread (I like to toast mine!). Enjoy!

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havarti hatch sliders

Happy Labor Day! Hope you guys are having a great long weekend! I'll keep it short today and just offer up a last minute idea for any end-of-summer celebrations you might have going on. These sliders make perfect summer party food! They have a little heat from the chiles, a tang from the soy sauce, and fabulous flavor from sharp Havarti cheese. What's not to love?!

Enjoy your day (and these sliders)!!

Havarti Hatch Sliders
makes 12 sliders

you'll need:
6 Hatch chiles
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 garlic clove, minced
4 teaspoons soy sauce
12 slider rolls (I used challah dinner rolls)
6 ounces grated Havarti cheese
about 4 tablespoons butter

Broil chiles on a rimmed baking sheet, turning as needed, until blackened on all sides. This will take about 10 minutes. Allow to cool, then peel skin and remove stems and seeds. Finely chop the chiles and set aside.

Heat about 1 tablespoon of butter on a griddle over medium heat. Mix beef with garlic and soy sauce until just combined. Divide into 12 slider-size patties.

Cook sliders in batches as needed (depending on the size of your griddle), about 2 minutes per side. During the last minute, place a bit of cheese on each patty. Set aside cooked sliders. Lightly butter cut sides of rolls and toast on the griddle for about 2 minutes.

Top each roll with a slider and some of the chiles. Cover, serve with ketchup, and enjoy!

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crockpot chicken cheesesteaks

We're backkkk! And, as it usually goes with the end of a fantastic vacation, it's a little bittersweet. So happy to be back home with our sweet Buddy and to be sleeping in our own bed, but I have to say that I would turn around and go back in a heartbeat!

Of course, I can't wait to tell y'all about our vacation - post coming Friday!

I've been in a bit of a fog since we've gotten back, just a general jet-lag situation. I didn't experience any of this going from Dallas to Paris - I was set-to-go right when we landed with no problem! I suspect most of that had to do with the pure excitement of being in PARIS for the first time, though. :)

Anyway, as happy as I am to be back in my kitchen, easy meals that require little to no thinking are right up my alley at the moment. But I never want anything boring - always big flavors! And these totally fit the bill. Look at all that cheesy goodness! As simple as these are, the flavor is insanely good. We gobbled up the leftovers of this like there was no tomorrow. So give yourself a little rest in the kitchen, whip these up, and feel like a total winner. :)

Crockpot Chicken Cheesesteaks (adapted from How Sweet It Is)
serves 4-6

you'll need:
2 green bell peppers, sliced
2 sweet onions, sliced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-2 dashes of cayenne pepper (depending on how spicy you like)
8 ounces of beer (I used Shiner)
1 cup freshly grated provolone cheese
whole wheat hamburger buns, toasted (number depends on how many you're planning on feeding)

Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne.

Place peppers and onions in the bottom of your crockpot. Sprinkle the minced garlic over the top. Place seasoned chicken on top, then pour in the beer. Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low, or 3-4 hours on high. About 15 minutes before serving, turn your crockpot to the "keep warm" setting. Use two forks to shred the chicken right inside the crockpot and toss thoroughly. Keep mixing and tossing to combine the chicken, peppers, and onions until the liquid is absorbed.

Stir in the grated cheese, mixing well. Cover for about 5 minutes, until the cheese has completed melted. Serve on toasted buns. Enjoy!

I have to say a huge thank you to my lovely ladies who guest posted for me while we were away! Y'all made this place super delicious and wonderful! Love you all!!!

In case you missed them:

• Lemon-Scented Spelt Flour Crepes from Cassie of The Clean Sheep
• Cane Syrup Pulled Pork Sandwiches from Erika of Southern Souffle
• Oreo Parfaits from Colleen of Souffle Bombay
• Compost Cookies from Jen of Milk and Honey

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cane syrup pulled pork sandwiches

Today's guest post comes from one of my biggest blog crushes, Erika of Southern Souffle. This gal is legit. Not only is she hilarious, but she cooks up some serious Southern comfort food like pecan pie granola, andouille slider burgers, and, omg y'all, spiked Arnold Palmer pops. Do you see why I adore her? So I'm pretty happy to have her today, and you should be too... I mean, check out these sandwiches...

Well Hellloooo there!

Let me start off with a big thanks to Marie for allowing me to bring my ridiculousness to her lovely blog!  This is my first guest post and I'm at a complete loss over what to say. Before that, I was at a complete loss over what to make. Fortunately but unfortunately, I made these pulled pork sandwiches yesterday. This is fortunate, because it gave me something delicious to use for this post. This is unfortunate, because in the process of devouring my sandwich, there was an incident, a mishap of spilled BBQ sauce on my favorite light blue dress.

My favorite light blue dress that I purchased at full price from Anthropologie during a moment of insanity.  At the time the purchase didn't seem crazy... No, no.. American Express gives you 30 days to come to that realization. So now I have a cute little blue dress with an abstract painting of BBQ sauce on it. But the tender, juicy, tangy-sweet tastes of these sandwiches were so worth it.

These pulled pork sandwiches, are everything that I love about food and BBQ... minus Bourbon. There should have been Bourbon.

Instead, there is Cane syrup mixed in with your basic ingredients for BBQ sauce, and what you have is a succulent piece of pulled pork that can barely be contained by 2 pieces of bread.

Cane Syrup is a sweetener, made from the concentration of cane juice that's been cooked in open kettles. It was often incorporated into a lot of dishes growing up. For as long as my memory serves me, the distinctive yellow Steen Brothers label was constantly sitting on the counter. Waiting its turn to be poured into the marinades, the cake mixes, the gingerbreads and sometimes even the cocktails.

It's truly a southern staple... sorta like Duke's mayo.

With Marie being in Texas and I in the great state of Georgia, we share a love of BBQ. So let's have a cookout, a backyard soiree. I'll bring these little beauties, Marie will bring her Coconut Banana Cream Pie, and y'all bring some napkins. Better yet -- bibs, cause this could get messy.

Cane Syrup Pulled Pork Sandwiches 

Prep Time- 20 mins Cook Time- 6 hours Yield- 12 servings 

Ingredients: 

1 pork roast, preferably shoulder or Boston butt

2 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp light brown sugar

1 tbsp dry mustard

2 tbsp kosher salt

Cane Syrup BBQ Sauce:

½ cup cane syrup (I use Steen Brothers)

3 cup ketchup

2 tbsp yellow mustard

1tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp hot sauce

2 garlic cloves, smashed

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cayenne

½ tsp freshly ground pepper

Hamburger buns

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix paprika, garlic powder, brown sugar, dry mustard, and salt.  Rub spice blend all over pork roast. Place roast in bowl or container, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

When ready to cook, whisk together all ingredients for the sauce in a separate bowl until well combined. Place pork roast in slow cooker. Pour prepared sauce over the meat, set slow cooker to high and cook for about 6 hours.

Remove the roast from slow cooker and shred with a fork. Return the shredded meat to the slow cooker mixing in with the sauce. Let sit in slow cooker on low until ready to serve.

Serve piled on a bun topped with slaw if you like.

Adapted from Food Network

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blue corn black bean burgers

I consider myself somewhat of a black bean burger connoisseur. If there's one on a menu, I'm probably getting it.

Y'all. These are the BEST black bean burgers!

These are so easy to make, you can prepare them ahead of time, and they're absolutely delicious! The key is the crushed blue corn tortilla chips and lots of sharp cheddar cheese. I mean, how can that be bad?!

This would be fabulous for a Fourth of July cookout if you wanna make them on the grill instead of the stovetop! I'd recommend putting them on a pan on top of the grill, since black bean burgers can sometimes fall apart. That will make them easy to flip and keep them together.

Blue Corn Black Bean Burgers (slightly adapted from Fitness Magazine)
yields 4 burgers

you'll need:
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup finely crushed blue corn tortilla chips (I'm obsessed with the ones from Garden of Eatin')
1/3 cup salsa, plus more for serving
1/2 sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 large egg, beaten
1 scallion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
4 toasted hamburger buns (store-bought or homemade: I used this beloved recipe)
1 avocado, for serving

In a large bowl, use a potato masher or the back of a fork to mash beans until chunky, leaving some partially whole. Stir in crushed chips, salsa, cheese, egg, scallion, salt, and pepper. Allow mixture to sit for at 10 minutes.

Use your hands to form 4 patties. Place them on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes and up to overnight.

Heat a bit of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add patties to pan and cook for 4-5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for another 4-5 minutes.

Serve burgers on toasted buns topped with slices of avocado and as much salsa as you'd like. Enjoy!

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chicken caesar club sandwiches

In the Texas summer heat, sometimes it's hard to think about standing over a hot stove with something simmering away. It's those kind of days that I love making super simple, yet super delicious sandwiches like this for a yummy lunch or dinner.

These little sandwiches - with Caesar dressing, sundried tomatoes, and pancetta - are absolutely bursting with flavor. They make a perfect summer meal, and would be fabulous packed up in a picnic! This is the kind of thing I could eat for every meal, no complaints.

Chicken Caesar Club Sandwiches (adapted from Ina Garten)
makes 3-4 sandwiches, depending on how big you cut them

you'll need:
2 cooked and shredded chicken breasts (Use rotisserie chicken for a super easy meal! Or simply bake them off at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes.)
4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta
1/4 cup Caesar dressing
1 ciabatta bread (or you can use small individual ciabatta rolls like I did)
2 ounces mixed greens
12 sundried tomatoes, in oil
3 ounces shaved Parmesan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place pancetta on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until pancetta is crisp. Set aside on paper towels to drain.

Slice the ciabatta loaf or rolls in half horizontally. Toast the bread in the oven, cut side up, for 5-7 minutes, or until desired. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

To assemble sandwiches, spread the cut sides of each piece of bread with Caesar dressing. Layer mixed greens, pancetta, chicken, shaved Parmesan, and sundried tomatoes. Place the top slice of bread on top and cut as desired.

And that's it! A super simple, super quick meal that is still so delicious!

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sweet & spicy bbq grilled cheese + 10 grilled cheeses i'm dying to try

Did you know that April is National Grilled Cheese Month? Yes, it's a thing. And now that you know, let's have a grilled cheese party!

You can really throw anything in between two slices of bread with some cheese and call it a grilled cheese. Some of my favorites? This potato-leek-mozzarella version is a total winner. Here are 10 others I am dying to try:

Grilled Mascarpone and Roasted Jalapeño Pistachio Pesto Cheese Sandwich from Bev Cooks. Oh. my. goodness.

Grilled Hatch Chile Pimento Cheese Sandwiches from Confections of a Foodie Bride. Counting down the days until hatch season for this one.

Cobb Grilled Cheese from Foodie Crush. So much beauty!

Mexi Grilled Cheese with Avocado, Pepper Jack and Refried Beans from Feed Me Phoebe. This has my name written ALL over it.

Bacon Guacamole Grilled Cheese from Closet Cooking, who, by the way, just released an eCookbook devoted to grilled cheese!

Comte and Pepper Grilled Cheese from A Cozy Kitchen. Because Comte.

Grilled Cheese with Apricot Jam and Arugula from Love and Olive Oil. Sounds like heaven.

Bacon, Egg and Hash Brown Grilled Cheese from Brown Eyed Baker. Breakfast for dinner is always a good choice.

Mini Grilled Cheese and Tomato Sandwiches from Averie Cooks. Cute food always tastes better.

Pickles and Brie Grilled Cheese from Joy the Baker. Because it sounds just weird enough to be insanely delicious.

And, chances are, if you are anywhere near Pinterest, you've seen this Sweet & Spicy Caramelized Onion BBQ Grilled Cheese from Ring Finger Tan Line. I tried it. I loved it. I've made it at least three times since. Hop on over there for the recipe!

What are your favorite grilled cheese creations?! Any you are dying to try? I'd love to hear - feel free to post links to recipes in the comments!

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bison burgers with avocado dressing + the best buns ever.

Do you cook with bison? I absolutely love it, and almost always use it for burgers rather than ground beef. I think it has a clean, hearty flavor that's just right for burgers. Plus, according to something I read from somewhere I can't remember, it's as lean as using all-white meat chicken or turkey. How can you ignore reliable information like that?!

One of life's great mysteries is why it's so dang hard to find good hamburger buns?! Are you with me here? I've been wanting to find a solution to this extremely distressing issue for a while.

I've been known to exaggerate sometimes. You decide whether or not this is one of those times.

WHY I am just now finding out about Smitten Kitchen's recipe, I do not know. But I do know that a weight has been lifted off of me. Because these are seriously fabulous and very simple.

Enough talking. Let's make burgers!

Bison Burgers with Avocado Dressing
makes 2 burgers, with leftover dressing (trust me, you'll want it)

for the dressing, you'll need:
1/2 avocado
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1/8 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
dash of cayenne

for the burgers, you'll need:
1/2 lb. ground bison
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
2 hamburger buns, toasted and buttered (I used this recipe and followed it exactly. It was perfection.)
1/4 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

Blend together all of the ingredients for the avocado dressing in a blender or food processor until smooth. Taste for seasoning and add salt, pepper and cayenne as needed. Cover and refrigerate.

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Mix together bison, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, basil, and pepper in a bowl using a fork. Form into two patties. Add to the skillet and cook until well browned. Flip and cook on the other side.

Add burgers to toasted, buttered buns and sprinkle cheese on top. Dollop as much avocado dressing as you like on top, and serve!

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crockpot spicy chicken + jalapeno cheddar buns

This meal has my name written ALL OVER IT. Easy, insanely flavorful and SPICY crockpot chicken; homemade bread with JALAPENOS and CHEESE. This was made for me.

Of course, it's totally unnecessary to make your own buns for this sandwich, but I promise you that this bread recipe is very easy, relatively quick, and SO worth it. They also freeze well, so delicious homemade hamburger buns will be just waiting for you next time you need them. And that is a great feeling.

Crockpot Spicy Chicken on Jalapeno Cheddar Buns (chicken adapted from a stovetop version at Portuguese Girl Cooks)

Recipe for the jalapeno cheddar buns HERE.

for the chicken, you'll need:
1 chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups tomato puree
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard
1/4 cup hot sauce (I use Frank's)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Mix all ingredients except chicken together in your crockpot. Lay chicken thighs on top and give a good stir so chicken is completely coated in the sauce. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.

When chicken is done, shred with two forks in crockpot, then pile onto jalapeno cheddar buns (or whatever bread you're using). Add more sauce as desired. I garnished ours with leftover coleslaw, but garnish however you like!

Hope y'all enjoy this super easy, delicious meal!

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spicy crockpot cheeseburgers

This oddball recipe is a total winner. Pinky swear.

I guess these really are more like sloppy joes than cheeseburgers, but I've always had an averse reaction to the name "sloppy joes." It conjures up hazy and negative memories of elementary school cafeterias. "Sloppy" is just not a cute word.

So I'm calling these cheeseburgers. And telling you that you need these in your life as soon as possible.

Spicy Crockpot Cheeseburgers (adapted from How Sweet Eats)
serves 4

you'll need:
1 lb. ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
couple dashes of cayenne (or more to taste)
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon mustard
a few dashes of hot sauce (I used Frank's)
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cut into cubes, plus more for topping
4 hamburger buns, buttered and toasted

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic, beef, salt, pepper, and cayenne and cook until meat is crumbly and browned, about 4-5 minutes. Add beef to slow cooker and add milk, ketchup, mustard, hot sauce, and cheese, stirring well so that everything is combined. Cover and cook for 3-4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so.

Serve on buttered, toasted buns with more cheese (always) and whatever additional toppings you like. Enjoy!

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potato leek grilled cheese

potatoes. leeks. bacon. dijon. fresh mozzarella. this is, like, me.

potato leek grilled cheese
makes 2 sandwiches

you'll need:
1/4 lb. roasted potatoes, thinly sliced (i had leftovers from this recipe. either follow that recipe to get the potatoes, or make them your own favorite way!)
1/3 cup leeks, thinly sliced
4 pieces of bacon
about 4 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced or shredded
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
4 slices bread (i like a nutty whole grain bread for this)

heat a skillet over medium-high heat and cook bacon until brown and crispy. set aside on a paper towel-lined plate. drain off MOST of the grease, but not all. we've got more cooking to do.

cook leeks in bacon grease until tender, about 3-4 minutes. set aside in a small bowl.

now it's time to assemble the sandwiches! dividing the ingredients evenly, pile sandwiches with potatoes, leeks, bacon, and mozzarella. spread dijon mustard on other piece of bread and place on top.

grill sandwiches in skillet until brown and crispy on each side, about 3-4 minutes per side. cut in half and YUM.

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greek chicken pitas

there's a greek restaurant in san antonio that has the BEST chicken pita sandwiches. whenever i go there to visit my family, i always try to work in a trip to satisfy my craving. i was seriously wanting one of these the other night, but since a road-trip seemed a little much for a sandwich, i tried to recreate it at home. :)

greek chicken pitas
makes 4 sandwiches

you'll need:
2 chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing (store-bought or homemade)
2 cups romaine lettuce, sliced
1/2 cup red onion, sliced
10 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1/2 cup kalamata olives, sliced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup cucumbers, sliced
1/2 cup tzatziki, store-bought or homemade
4 whole wheat pitas, cut in half and split open

preheat oven to 350. place chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet, skin side up. rub olive oil on tops and sprinkle with salt and pepper. cook in 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes. allow to cool. remove the skin and bone and shred chicken using 2 forks in a bowl. pour balsamic dressing over chicken and stir to coat completely.

into each pita pocket, layer chicken, lettuce, red onion, tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, and feta as desired. top with a dollop of tzatziki.

and you're done! an easy, no-fuss, super yummy meal. to make it even simpler, use rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. go greek tonight!

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slow cooker peach bbq chicken sandwiches

life is really busy right now, isn't it? it seems that things rarely slow down, but with the holiday season, things are extra hectic.

enter this meal. simple as can be. waiting on you when you come home from a busy day. this is total comfort food, and though the flavors are a bit summery, there was something nice about that on a cold night. this is one of those meals we'll be coming back to again and again.

slow cooker peach bbq chicken sandwiches
serves 4

you'll need:

1-1.5 lb. chicken breasts

1 jar spicy bbq sauce (16-18 oz.)* 

1 jar peach preserves (8-10 oz.)

1/2 onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped
8 slices of bread (i used good old sourdough)

1 avocado, for topping (optional)
coleslaw (i subbed green onions for the cilantro because that's what i had on hand), for topping (optional)

place chicken, bbq sauce, peach preserves, onion, and garlic in your slow cooker. mix well so that everything is combined well. cook for 6-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.

when chicken is finished cooking, remove it from the slow cooker, along with a bit of the sauce, and place it in a bowl. shred using 2 forks and add more sauce as desired.

to assemble your sandwiches, toast up your bread in a skillet with a bit of butter. top with chicken, sliced avocado, coleslaw, and a bit more sauce if you wanna. top with other slices of bread, and enjoy!!

*a note about the spicy bbq sauce - y'all know i like things hot, but it really is necessary for this recipe in order to cut the sweetness of the peach preserves. flavors mellow out so much in the slow cooker, so it really won't be spicy at all. promise!

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burrata + kalamata olive panini

mmmm... i think i could eat this sandwich every single day. this isn't really a recipe, it's just pretty much all of my favorite things piled together. the key here is using really good ingredients; it's worth it!

burrata is an italian cheese. the outer shell is fresh mozzarella, while the inner portion is a mixture mozzarella and cream - making it soft, fluffy, creamy, amazing. oh my goodness. if you can't find burrata, fresh mozzarella is a good substitute for this sandwich; but if you can find it, you must get it. end of story.

this is the kind of dinner i make myself when i'm home alone - miles usually always needs some kind of meat involved with dinner. :) if you want to add meat, grilled chicken or prosciutto would be delicious! 

no measurements here - it'll depend on the size of your bread, how many you're making, etc.

here's what you'll need:

ciabatta bread

kalamata olive tapenade (i had some from the market, but here is a good recipe if you want to go homemade!)

sundried tomato pesto (same as above - here's an awesome recipe!!)

arugula

burrata 

freshly ground pepper

slice ciabatta bread to desired sandwich size, then cut down the center to create 2 slices. spread tapenade on one slice and pesto on the other. layer slices of burrata and pile some arugula on top. sprinkle with pepper and lay the slice with the tapenade on top.

grill in a pan on stove top on both sides or use a panini press until the bread is lightly toasted and the cheese is just beginning to melt. pour a glass of wine, cut the sandwich down the center, and dinner is served. HEAVEN!

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