Chicken Sandwiches with Ham and BBQ Sauce

These Chicken Ham and BBQ sandwiches are great for a busy weeknight or when you want a really good satisfying lunch. The chicken patties are crispy and layered with cheese, ham and topped with your favorite bbq sauce then nestled between soft hamburger buns.

I used frozen chicken patties and cooked them in the air fryer so they cooked up nice and crispy, not to mention it saves a lot of time. I prefer heating them in the air fryer because it takes less time than in the oven. I did a post on heating frozen chicken patties in the air fryer a few years back. You can find it here: Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Patties. You can heat them in the oven if you prefer. I also used oven roasted deli ham. You can choose your favorite variety of ham as well as the BBQ sauce; use your favorite kind that comes in a bottle or a nice homemade one. Let’s not forget the cheese shall we. I used a cheddar blend but there are other blends that would taste great as well, such as fontina and mozzarella. In fact, I would love to try that blend the next time I make these sandwiches. After all of these mouth watering ingredients are put together, the sandwiches are heated in the oven so the cheese melts and all of the flavors start to mingle. It’s definitely a sandwich worth trying.

Here’s What You Need To Make Your Own:

*frozen chicken patties

*shredded cheddar cheese

*deli ham slices

*BBQ sauce

*hamburger buns

Heat the chicken patties according to package directions.

If you prefer using the air fryer, you can go here for directions: Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Patties.

Preheat the oven to 400°

When the chicken patties are done, place them on the bottom half of the hamburger bun.

Next, sprinkle on the cheese.

Then layer two slices of the ham over the cheese.

Spoon some of the BBQ sauce over the ham.

Top with the other half of the bun and place on a baking sheet. Heat for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Serve with chips, fries or veggies.

Enjoy!

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Black Bean and Cheese Tostadas With Tomato Salsa and Guacamole

These crispy tostadas are loaded with refried tasty black beans, melted cheese, tomato salsa and guacamole. These are so delicious and easy to make. These make great appetizers or pair it with street corn or rice to make it a meal. Just be sure to make plenty because you can’t just eat one.

Tostadas are fried tortillas that are topped with some of your favorite taco fillings. I’ve made them with chicken, beef or as my mother in law would make, just a red sauce and cheese. These are topped with Guatemalan refried black beans that we get from a can. This is are our favorite brand Ducal.

I admit that I had never had refried black beans until my hubby introduced me to them (they eat these a lot in Guatemala where he is from). I prefer these over the regular refried beans, but you can use either. The red salsa (sauce) is a tasty sauce made from canned tomato sauce with chopped sautéed tomatoes, onions, garlic and a few spices. The guacamole is homemade, but you can also find some really good ones that are already made. Then there is the cheese. This is loaded with Monterrey and Colby Jack cheese that’s piled on top of the black beans then the tostadas are put in the oven for a few minutes so the cheese get all melted and delicious.

It’s a good thing that the pre packaged tostadas come with so many because these are very addictive. So you can taste them for yourself, read below how you can make your own:

Here’s What You Need:

For The Red Sauce:

*3 roma tomatoes, diced

*15 oz. can tomato sauce

*2 garlic cloves, minced

*1 small onion finely chopped

*1 tsp. cumin or more to taste

*1 tsp. coriander or more to taste

*1/2 tsp. garlic powder or more to taste

*1/2 tsp. salt or more to taste

*olive oil

For The Tostadas

*pre packaged tostadas

*1 can of black refried beans

*shredded cheese; I used a combination of Monterrey and Colby Jack

*guacamole; homemade (click on the link for the recipe) or pre packaged

Heat a small sauce pan to medium heat and add in the olive oil. When the oil is hot add in the onions and the garlic.

Cook for about 2 minutes while stirring frequently. Add in the tomatoes and continue cooking for about 5 more minutes or until the tomatoes and the onions are soft; stir occasionally.

Add in the spices and cook while stirring for another minute then add the tomato sauce.

When the sauce begins to gently boil, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Taste the sauce and add in any more of the spices if needed.

Pre heat the oven to 400°.

Heat the black beans according to the directions on the can; set aside.

Prepare the guacamole . Cover well and set aside.

Place the tostada shells on a baking sheet and spread a layer of the black beans on the bottom.

Sprinkle on the cheese on top of the black beans.

Spoon some of the sauce over the cheese.

Place in the oven and heat for 5 to 10 minutes are until the cheese is melted.

Take out of the oven and top with the guacamole.

Serve and Enjoy!

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Breakfast In A Jar

Have you ever tried one of those Just Crack An Egg breakfast cups? I haven’t until recently and I’ve got to say, it’s pretty tasty. This is my version of one of those. It has fluffy scrambled eggs, potatoes, bacon and cheddar cheese all served in a handy jar. They are super easy to make and the microwave does all of the cooking so these are done in less than 2 minutes. These are perfect for those busy weekday mornings when you want a satisfying breakfast, but don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen.

Everything can be prepped in advance and stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. I used frozen diced potatoes and just thawed them out by heating them in the microwave. The bacon you can cook ahead and crumble or use the prepackaged real bacon pieces. I have found that either one work well. The ingredients are layered in small glass jars so all you have to do is grab one, crack an egg into it, stir and microwave and you are on your way to a yummy breakfast. If you don’t have small glass jars, you can store the ingredients in zip top bags. Just dump them into a microwavable container and add in the egg when your are ready to eat.

Another great thing about these tasty little jars, is that you can customize them to you liking. You can add ham, peppers and onions. If you like your veggies a little softer, just sauté them a little during the prep time. Whatever you choose, you can enjoy a delicious breakfast in minutes.

So pull out those glass jars you have stored in the pantry and read below to see how to make your own.

Here’s What You Need:

This is for 1 breakfast jar

*1/3 cup frozen diced potatoes thawed

*2 slices of bacon cooked and crumbled or 2 TBS real bacon pieces

*1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

*1 egg

Place the potatoes at the bottom of the jar, then add in the bacon and cheese.

Crack the egg into the jar.

Stir well to combine the egg with all of the ingredients.

Place in the microwave and cook for 40 seconds. Stir and cook for an additional 30 to 40 seconds or until cooked through. The glass jar will be hot so use caution.

*Note*

Depending on your microwaves wattage, cooking time may vary.

Cool slightly and serve.

Enjoy!

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Guacamole

I don’t know about you, but for hubby and I taco night isn’t complete without guacamole. Whether it’s for chip dipping or slathering it on a taco (or go wild and use it for both) it’s always a must. This guacamole recipe uses simple ingredients and doesn’t take long to make. Not to mention it’s super easy.

I’ve made this so many times over the years and it’s always a crowd pleaser (and a hubby pleaser). It’s creamy, chunky and fresh with just the right amount of onions, cilantro, salt and lime. Some variations have jalapenos and tomatoes, feel free to add those if you want, but I like to keep it simple with the avocados being the star.

Guacamole isn’t just great for those crunchy tortilla chips or those insanely delicious tacos, but it can take a simple hot dog (Hot Dogs with Guacamole and Bacon) or cheeseburger ( Chorizo Cheese Burger with Guacamole) and turn it into a flavor bomb.

So if your ready to make your own, grab a bag of your favorite tortilla chips and here’s what you need to make your own ( you might find yourself having to double it because it’s hard to stop eating it.):

*2 large avocados

*3 TBS, onions, minced or more to taste

*1/4 cup chopped cilantro or more to taste

*1/4 tsp. salt or more to taste

*juice of 1/2 of a lime or more to taste

Cut the avocados in half lengthwise and remove the pit. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon and place into a bowl and add in some of the cilantro. With a fork, mash until desired consistency.

I like to add in a little of the cilantro while I’m mashing the avocado because to me it gives it a little extra flavor rather than mixing it all in whole.

Add in the onion, the remaining cilantro, salt and the lime juice.

On a side note, I use one of these handy mini choppers for the onions. It does a great on getting the onions to the perfect consistency.

You can always do it by hand of course, but I like the onions to be well minced.

Mix all of the ingredients together. Taste and add more if needed.

Keep covered with plastic wrap before serving. The plastic wrap should lay against guacamole as well as covering the bowl. This keeps it from turning brown.

Serve as a dip for tortilla chips, as a topping for your favorite Mexican dishes or anything else that your taste buds might want liven up with this delicious guacamole.

Enjoy!

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Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup

Now that the days are getting warmer here in the South, I know some might think soup is just for cold weather, but I enjoy soup in any season. For me, it’s total comfort food all year around. I’ve made potato soup several times, but I’ve always made it by peeling and dicing potatoes, which takes some time. While it’s very tasty, there are many days when I’m just not able to spend that much time in the kitchen. I wanted to find a way that didn’t take as much time to prep as my traditional recipe that I had used for several years, but still taste just as good. This did not disappoint. It turned out ridiculously delicious. It tastes like a loaded baked potato smothered in a rich, creamy broth. Potatoes, cheese and bacon in a warm creamy soup? Yes please.

This recipe is pretty much a dump it all in the slow cooker and let it do most of the work. Instead of peeling and dicing potatoes, I used frozen diced potatoes, which is also known as southern style has browns. This saved so much time but definitely did not skimp on the flavor. I also used canned cream of chicken soup to help thicken the soup instead of having to use and stir in flour. The only thing that took the most time was chopping and sautéing the onions. The one thing I will caution is because there are some ingredients that contain salt, don’t try salting anything before this cooks. Chances are you might not need to add any salt at all at the end .

This recipe is so easy and simple to make. Even if you are not one who likes to spend lot of time in the kitchen but sometime crave that warm, comforting bowl of soup, this one is for you. This loaded potato soup with little chunks of potato and bits of bacon and cheese all snuggled in a creamy broth, is indeed a bowl of potato heaven.

So now that you are probably wanting a bowl for yourself, read below to see what you need so you can make your own.

Here’s What You Need:

*frozen diced potatoes (southern style hash browns); thawed

*1 small onion, chopped

*1 TBS butter

*1 can cream of chicken soup

*4 cups chicken broth (I use Better than Bullion)

*cracked pepper to taste

*1 cup half and half or heavy cream

*1 1/2 cups shredded cheese; or more to taste (I used a blend of cheddar and Colby Jack) plus more for topping

*2/3 cup chopped cooked bacon; or more to taste( I used the precooked kind but you can cook your own or use real bacon pieces that are sold in those little bags) plus more to serve on top

*chopped scallions, garnish (optional)

In a small sauce pan, melt butter over medium high heat and add the onions. Cook stirring occasionally until the onions start to soften.

In the slow cooker add in the potatoes, cream of chicken soup, onions and cracked pepper.

Pour in the chicken broth; stir to combine all of the ingredients.

Cook on low for 4 hours.

With an immersion blender, blend the ingredients together until partially smooth but leave desired amount of potatoes whole.

If you don’t have an immersion blender, take out some of the soup and blend in a blender; add back into the slow cooker.

Stir in the cheese, bacon and the cream.

Continue to cook on low for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Serve in bowls with extra cheese and bacon on top. Garnish with chopped scallions if desired.
Enjoy!

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American Chop Suey

Have you ever heard of American Chop Suey? I have to be honest, I had never heard of this dish before. Lately hubby has been craving meals that he hasn’t had in a long time and this was one of those dishes. The only chop suey dish I had ever had was the Asian version. So of course I had to look this one up. It’s a pasta dish made with ground beef and tomatoes in a seasoned tomato sauce. It’s popular in the New England area (where hubby grew up and lived until he met this sweet Southern belle….ok, yeah, that might have been a bit much). Everywhere else it’s called American Goulash.

After looking a bit online I got the idea of how it’s made, of course I had to add a few of my own spins to it as well. It’s really an easy dish to put together. But not only is it easy to make, it’s really tasty as well. Let’s just say we both ate way more than our share. It was that good. This is definitely pure comfort food.

Not only is it super easy to put together, but it’s all done in one pot. It has seasoned ground beef and macaroni simmered in a delicious tomato sauce. Most recipes that I found had tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato juice. I wanted to add a little more depth of flavor so I added chicken broth instead of the tomato juice. Hubby absolutely loved it so that’s an A+ in my book. I can describe the flavors all day day for you, but this is a meal that if you were a guest at my house, I’d grab you a plate (or bowl if you prefer) and just let you experience it for yourself.

So if you are ready to dig into total comfort food, look below to see what you need to make your own.

Here’s What You Need:

*1 Ib. ground beef

*1 onion chopped

*2 garlic cloves, minced

*2 tsp. garlic powder

*1 1/2 tsp. dried Basil

*1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

*cracked pepper to taste

*salt to taste

*1 TBS. Worcestershire sauce

*3 TBS. tomato paste

*14 ounce can diced tomatoes; undrained

*15 ounce can tomato sauce

*2 1/2 cups chicken or beef broth (I use Better Than Bullion)

*2 cups elbow macaroni

*grated parmesan cheese (optional)

*parsley garnish (optional)

Heat a large pot to medium high. Add the ground beef, onions and garlic. Brown the beef breaking it up into small bits as you cook it; drain if needed.

Stir in the seasonings, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste. Cook for about 1 minute.

Pour in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and chicken broth, then stir in the macaroni.

Cover and cook on medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until the noodles are cooked through stirring occasionally.

Top with parmesan cheese and parsley if desired.

Serve and Enjoy!

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Shortcut Oven Roasted Potatoes

I am a huge fan of the potato. I love them mashed, oven roasted, fried, cheesed up and lovingly dolloped with butter and sour cream. Potatoes are one of my go to side dishes for so many meals. But what I’m not a fan of, is waiting for those oven roasted potatoes to cook through and crisp up nicely in the oven. It takes a good 30 minutes or more to get those suckers done. Don’t get me wrong, there are times when the main meal takes a while to prepare so I don’t mind if said potatoes take their sweet time in the oven, but on some days, they need to get done already.

Enter the microwave. I know, I know….some have a look of horror at the mention of cooking with the microwave. Yes, they are great for rewarming and for cooking certain frozen foods, but the ye old microwave can be a hot topic for some. But I found, quite by accident, these little guys that make my oven roasted potatoes cook so much faster.

These little bagged potatoes are cooked in the microwave bag and all. How easy is that. Now granted, these are supposed to be cooked and served straight from cooking them in the microwave, but I do love how potatoes get when roasted in the oven. So instead of cooking these completely in the microwave, I cook them about 2 minutes less than the package directions, then cut them in half (or bite sized pieces if they are a little bigger), drizzle with olive oil, add some tasty herbs to season them and finish cooking them in the oven. So that means that dinner is on the table in half the time and I’m not so hangry….which my hubby does appreciate. These potatoes still come out crispy on the outside but soft on the inside and oh so tasty.

If you can’t find any prebagged microwavable potatoes, don’t fret because you can still use this same method with ordinary potatoes.

Here’s What you need to make these Shortcut Oven Roasted Potatoes:

* one bag of microwavable potatoes; my store only carries this brand Tasteful Selections but you can use any brand. If you can’t find any that are prebagged, just grab your desired choice of potatoes and wash them.

*olive oil

*salt to taste

*cracked pepper to taste

*1 tsp. dried sage or more to taste

*1 tsp. dried Thyme or 1 TBS. fresh Thyme or more to taste

*1/2 tsp dried dill or more to taste

*1 tsp. garlic powder or more to taste

Pre heat oven to 400°.

Microwave bagged potatoes 2 minutes less than package directions; let cool some until they are easy to handle. Take out of the bag and cut into bite size chunks.

For Potatoes That Are Not In A Microwavable Bag:

cut into bite size chunks and place in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 12 to 15 minutes tossing occasionally until potatoes can be pierced with a fork but not fall apart.

Place potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil then add the herbs and seasonings; toss to coat.

Place in the oven and cook for 15 to 20 minutes stirring occasionally until the potatoes are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. If the potatoes start to dry out while cooking, add more olive oil.

Serve with you favorite meal and Enjoy!

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Skillet Tortellini Bake

This Skillet Tortellini Bake is perfect when you want an easy, comforting meal. It’s also really good to have when you have friends or family over for dinner. I used 2 packages of the refrigerated tortellini, so trust me, it makes a lot. It’s got everything that you want in a hearty pasta bake. It has cheese tortellini baked in a meaty marinara sauce that’s topped with cheese. It’s a pasta lovers dream.

Who can resist that?

This recipe is not only super easy, but you can play around with some of the ingredients, for instance instead of just using ground beef, half ground beef and half sausage would be divine as well (that’s probably what I’ll try next time I make this). Try using different cheeses and you can even substitute a mushroom filled tortellini instead of the cheese variety. Whatever you choose, I’m sure you and your whole family will even go back for seconds.

So what are you waiting for? Read below to see what you need to make your own.

Here’s What You Need:

*2 packages of the refrigerated cheese tortellini or 1 frozen bag.

*1 pound ground beef

*2 garlic cloves, minced

*2 tsp. dried Basil

*2 tsp. dried oregano

*salt to taste

*2 jars marinara sauce or 4 cups homemade

*2 cups shredded cheese; I used a Monterrey Colby Jack blend

*fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 400°

Boil the tortellini according to package directions; drain and set aside.

Heat a large oven proof skillet to medium high heat, add the ground beef, garlic, basil, oregano and salt. Break up the beef as it browns; drain if needed.

Turn the heat down to medium and stir in the marinara sauce, then gently stir in the tortellini.

Then sprinkle all of that lovely cheese on top.

Place in the oven and bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly.

Carefully take out of the oven and sprinkle with parsley.

Serve and Enjoy!

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Cheese Toast with Bacon

Original Date: April 21, 2020 Revised Date: April 15, 2023

When I was a little girl, my mom would often make me cheese toast. It was something simple, but something I looked forward to. There was something comforting….not to mention down right tasty….to eating a slice of buttered bread with a slice of cheese (it was always American cheese at that) that had been toasted until the cheese turned all melty with those little brown edges.

To this day I still make it for myself from time to time. I say for myself, because hubby doesn’t quiet get the idea of cheese toast. Who can resist melted cheese on crispy toast? Not to mention there are so many different variety of cheeses that would make it even more tasty. I did revamp that humble, bring-me-back-to-my-childhood treat by making what I call grown up cheese toast. I like to switch out the sliced bread with something a little sturdier such as sourdough or a semolina bread that has been coated in butter. I added bacon….yes bacon….then top it with a blend of cheddar and Colby Jack. It’s all placed under the broiler for a few magical minutes that turns that toast into bread that is crispy around the edges, but soft on the inside and that glorious cheese blends together and melts to cover the bacon like a hug. This cheese toast is definitely something to sigh about. I know I do every time I take a bite.

I do still enjoy that same simple cheese toast that I loved as a kid. But I admit, I do love this version as well. So no matter when you choose to make some cheese toast, whether for breakfast, brunch or any time of day as a treat, you can use any kind of bread or cheese that makes you sigh with that same swoon worthy guilty pleasure.

So go grab your favorite cheeses and read down below to see what you need to make your own.

Here’s what I used:

* bread, any kind ( I used semolina) sliced to your desired thickness

* spreadable butter

* 2 slices of cooked bacon per slice of bread

* grated or sliced cheese; I used grated a cheddar Colby Jack blend

*parley (optional)

Preheat the broiler.

Spread some butter onto the bread.

Place bread slices onto a baking sheet.

Place the bacon slices onto the buttered bread.

And lastly, layer on the cheese.

Place under the broiler for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread is toasted. Just stay close by to watch that the bread does not burn.

Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Enjoy!

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Asian Inspired Chicken

This Asian inspired chicken makes a quick weeknight dinner and is packed full of flavor. I wanted something a little bit lighter than some of the chicken dishes I get at my local Asian restaurants. So instead of battering and frying the chicken, I pan fried it in a small amount of oil and made a flavorful sauce made from a combination of soy sauce, honey, ginger, garlic and sesame that bathes the chicken pieces as it cooks. You can sauté a few of your favorite vegetables with it as well to make this an even heartier meal. It’s even better served over rice.

To make this dish even quicker for those busy weeknights, make the sauce ahead of time and pre cut the chicken into bite size pieces. You got this! You’re almost on your way to a one quick and yummy dish. Just look down below to see what you need to make your own:

Here’s What You Need:

*2 to 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

*2 TBS. canola oil

*1 TBS. sesame seeds

*1 to 2 TBS. scallions chopped

*pinch or salt (don’t add too much because the soy sauce will add salt as well)

*white pepper

For The Sauce:

You can add more or less of the ingredients to fit your taste.

*1/4 cup soy sauce

*1 TBS. Shaoxing cooking wine (you can substitute with dry sherry or Mirin)

*1/2 tsp. fish sauce

*1 tsp. sesame oil

*1 TBS. honey

*1 clove garlic grated or minced

*1/8 tsp. ginger

In a small bowl, mix together all of the ingredients for the sauce; set aside.

Cut the chicken breasts into bite size pieces.

Heat a cast iron skillet to medium high heat and add in the oil. When the skillet is hot, add in the chicken pieces. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the pieces over and cook for another 3 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle.

Turn the heat down to medium and add in the sauce and sesame seeds. Cook stirring occasionally until heated through.

Toss in the scallions and give a quick stir.

Serve over rice if desired.

Enjoy!

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