Grilled Cheese, Bacon and Apple Sandwiches

It's been a slow week in the Teeny Tiny Kitchen. It seems like we've both been so busy that we haven't had a chance to just sit. I haven't had a chance to just cook. It's really upsetting.

So what is the fall-back when life just has you running in a million different directions? Grilled Cheese.

And bacon.

Bacon really needs to be in its own food group. Everything's better with bacon. Everything.

This version of a simple grilled cheese also has thinly sliced Fuji Apples. (Feel free to use whatever apples you love, but please try Fuji's at some point. They're fab.)

I love simple food. This sandwich just has some cheddar cheese, two slices of yummy bacon, and thin apple slices. Put some butter in a skillet and brown the sandwich until the cheese is all melty and delicious.

Chicken Parm Meatball Subs

Whenever I was in elementary school, my dad had a meatball sub from Subway and that was the first time I had ever heard of a meatball sub. Meatballs are supposed to be on spaghetti, not a sandwich! I remember him getting it all over his shirt. From there on out, whenever I hear "meatball sub" I think of my dad eating that sandwich.

This recipe calls for ground chicken, but I could not find anything except for ground turkey at the Wal-Marts. Use chicken, turkey, beef...whatever floats your boat. Also, the original recipe has directions to make your own sauce. I was feeling lazy that night and used a jar. Tasted just fine, but feel free to make your own.

Chicken Parm Meatball Subs
Source: Rachael Ray

1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
1 tablespoon grill seasoning blend (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning by McCormick)
1 large egg
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
Handful of chopped parsley leaves
Extra-virgin olive oil, for liberal drizzling plus, plus 3 tablespoons, 3 turns of the pan
2 large cloves garlic, cracked from skin and split
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, a healthy couple of pinches
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, (recommended: San Marzano)
1 cup chicken stock
Salt
Pepper
8 to 10 leaves fresh basil, torn or shredded
4 (6 to 8-inch) crusty sub rolls
1 1/2 cups shredded provolone
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place chicken in a bowl and season with grill seasoning. Add egg, half of the grated cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, and a serious drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil to the bowl. Mix the meat and form 12 large meatballs. Squish the balls to flatten them a bit like mini oval meatloaves. Be careful not to form the balls wider than your bread. The flattened balls will stay put on your sub, no roll-aways! Bake the meatballs 15 minutes until golden and firm. Switch the broiler on.

While the meatballs bake, heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and garlic and cook 5 minutes then remove the cloves. Add crushed red pepper flakes then tomatoes and stir in the chicken stock. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and simmer 10 minutes, adjust seasonings and stir in the basil. Reserve a extra sauce for dipping on dinner table.

Remove the meat from oven and loosen with a thin spatula. Turn meat balls in sauce.

Cut sub rolls making the bottom a little deeper than the top. Hollow out a little bread and lightly toast the sub rolls under broiler. Fill the bottoms of the breads with flattened balls and sauce. Combine the provolone and remaining Parmigiano. Cover the subs with cheese and return to broiler to melt the cheese until golden.

Monte Cristo

If you are ever in Fayetteville, AR, you must try Hammontree's. Saturday, my mom and I went with my best friend of 18 years, Caitlin, and her mom to Fayetteville to see Legally Blonde: The Musical and also to eat at Hammontree's. They have the Ozark Monte Cristo, which is what my mom and Caitlin's mom got to eat. (I had the Parmaggedon, which will be recreated, and Caitlin had the Jack to the Future.) Eating there again peeked my interest in the Monte Cristo sandwich, because I've always wanted to try it, but always been leery of meat inside of french toast. But lemme tell you, it's fabulous.

In my house, Brian (my wonderful boyfriend) and I have a rating scale for food. It's either a Make Again, Good but needs Changes, or Never Make Again. I was scared this sandwich would rank on the Never Make Again scale, but Brian actually ate two and declared it a Make Again. Hooray!

My Monte Cristo

8 slices brioche, or whatever bread you have on hand
8 slices Honey Ham
8 slices Smoked Turkey
Peach Preserves
3 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
Pepper
2 Tbsp butter
Powdered sugar, for sprinkling

Put 1 Tbsp butter into a large skillet over medium heat to melt. Combine eggs and milk into a large dish (I used a 9x13). Add nutmeg and pepper into the egg and milk mixture. Slather peach preserves on one side of your sandwich. Assemble sandwiches with two pieces of cheese, ham and turkey. Dip 2 sandwiches into the egg and milk mixture and flip to coat both sides. Place two sandwiches into skillet and brown on both sides, abour 4-5 minutes on each side. Be careful not to burn them. Once you take those out, put the remaining butter into the skillet. Repeat with remaining two sandwiches.

Sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar before serving.