Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese

How I ironic is this? April is Grilled Cheese Sandwich Month! I love jalapeno poppers, heck I love jalapeno's in general! Then I got the old noggin churning and thinking that it would be so easy to make a Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese. It was really simple and it tasted exactly the way I wanted it to! This just might replace my grilled cheese making forever because it was that good. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 jalapeno, medium dice
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 Slices of bread, whatever gets you going
• Margarine 
• Cream Cheese, softened
• 4 Slices of sharp cheddar

Directions

Heat olive oil in a small saute pan and saute the jalapeno's until softened, about 3-5 min. While the jalapeno's are cooking, butter one side of the bread slices. I actually microwaved the cream cheese for like 15 seconds, so it was nice and soft so it didn't rip apart the bread. Put the bread butter side down on a work service and apply cream cheese on all slices of bread. Once jalapeno are soft, evenly distribute them onto each slice of bread. Top with 2 slices of sharp cheddar and grill until golden brown. Cut, plate and enjoy!

 

Cooked bread and cheese is an ancient food, according to food historians, popular across the world in many cultures; evidence indicates that in the U.S., the modern version of the grilled cheese sandwich originated in the 1920s when inexpensive sliced bread and American cheese became easily available. The cheese dream became popular during the Great Depression.

It was originally made as an open sandwich, but the top slice of bread became common by the 1960s. U.S. government cookbooks describe Navy cooks broiling "American cheese filling sandwiches" during World War II. Many versions of the grilled cheese sandwich can now be found on restaurant menus across the United States.

According to Woman's Day, April is "Grilled Cheese Sandwich Month."

Happy Valley Cheesesteak

Well call up Pat and Geno down in Philly and let them know that there is a new cheesesteak in town. Then also let them know it was made by a diehard Pittsburgh Fan (LETS GO PENS!!). This is a pretty classic cheesesteak, but I did have to give it some of my own personal touches. I used some thinly sliced Delmonico Steak, sauteed onions, peppers, jalapeno (for good measure) and I made a Beer and Cheddar sauce. Of course, if I'm going to make a Pennsylvania sandwich, I better use some Pennsylvania Beer to make the sauce...probably my favorite cooking beer, Yuengling. I was really pleased with how this turned out...of course if I wanted to make it out of this world, I would have to give it the Pittsburgh touch by adding french fries and coleslaw...but I figured I'd just keep it simple. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 cup beer, preferably a lager
• 2 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 rounded tablespoon of all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
• Few drops of Worcestershire sauce
• Few drops of hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 Vidalia Onion, halved & sliced
• 1 Red Pepper, halved & sliced
• 1 Green Pepper, halved & sliced
• 1 Jalapeno, seeded, halved & sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 lbs Delmonico Steak, thinly sliced
• Salt and Pepper
• 4 hoagie rolls

Directions

Heat beer in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. In a separate bowl mix the cheddar cheese with the flour. Then whisk in shredded cheddar & flour mixture, spicy brown mustard, worcestershire sauce and hot sauce into warmed beer. Whisk until cheese is melted and smooth. Keep warm on low.

Melt butter in a large sautee pan over medium heat. Add in onions, peppers and jalapeno and sautee until caramelized, stirring occasionally for about 12-15 min.

For the beef, I asked the butcher at the grocery store to slice the delmonico steak as thin as possible (If they don't sell delmonico's, get a ribeye). Don't be afraid to tell them what you're using it for, that will give them an idea for how thin to make it. While the butcher did a good job, I actually ended up slicing the sliced steak into strips. 

Heat the olive oil in a large sautee pan, or use a griddle if you have one, over medium high heat. Add in the beef and sautee until cooked through about 7 min. Season the beef with salt and pepper.

Slice open the rolls and evenly distribute the beef into them. Add the caramelized onions, peppers and jalapeno and then top with a generous amount of the cheddar beer sauce. Have plenty of napkins on hand!

Since it's that time of year, I figured I'd post my favorite hockey goal of the season so far. GENO!! GENO!! GENO!!

Chicken Salad

I was thinking last night when I got home from work that I don't post enough basic stuff. Food that I make on a regular basis when I get home from work and school. Why not? I mean, I am running a food blog here. Might as well post stuff that is easy, cheap and good...even if it is basic. This is pretty much as basic as it comes and I'm sure most of you know how to make a chicken salad, but this is just how I like to do it.

Ingredients

• 2 boneless chicken breasts
• Masterpiece Caribbean Jerk Sauce
• 1 bag salad mix, or chop up your own
• 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup croutons of your choice
•  Dressing of your choice

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Again, this is a very basic chicken salad and you can add or subtract anything you want. This is just the stuff I had on hand. I actually ended up buying thinly sliced chicken breasts, but usually I buy just regular ones. Take your chicken breasts, lay them on a piece of parchment paper, fold the parchment paper over top the chicken breasts and pound the chicken thin. Try to get them the same thickness to help them cook evenly. I like thin chicken breasts because they cook quicker, more evenly and sometimes when you have a thick piece, the outside dries out before the inside is done.  

This is probably my favorite store bought chicken marinade, it's so freaking good! I always have a bottle on hand for those quick meals. Place your chicken in a bowl or ziplock bag, add in some of the Caribbean jerk sauce and toss to coat. Place some aluminum foil on a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Place the chicken on the baking sheet and bake for about 15 min (depending on thickness of chicken) or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

While the chicken is baking, wash your salad mix, get it as dry as possible and place in a bowl. Add in your dressing of choice (I like ranch) and toss the salad to coat. Place salad on a plate, sprinkle with cheddar cheese, croutons and whatever your little heart desires. Whenever chicken is done, slice it up and place on top your plated salad. Enjoy!

Kitchen Tools

If you don't already own a kitchen thermometer, do yourself a favor and go pick one up. They are inexpensive and they will deliver pin point accuracy of the doneness of whatever you're cooking. Sure there are other ways to determine doneness, but these will just help you be more accurate. Here is a doneness temperature chart: 

Take particular note to the pork temperatures, please....PLEASE stop overcooking your pork people! There hasn't been an outbreak of trichinosis caused by pork in like 30 some years. It's ok to cook your pork to medium! I usually shoot for 140 degrees F when cooking pork. Get yourself a kitchen thermometer and I promise you, your cooking will benefit from it!