July 1, 2010

BLTE and Smoked Cheddar & Chicken

Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, and Egg
(recipe for 1 sandwich)
2 slices whole grain bread
1 oz cheddar cheese
lettuce
2 tomato slices
2-3 slices of bacon (if it is cut in half) (we use maple bacon)
1-2 tsp mayonnaise
1 egg*

Cook bacon and pat off grease. Toast 1 slice of bread; put mayon on that slice and top with tomato, lettuce and bacon. Put cheese on the other slice of bread and get ready to broil it. Start cooking egg in pan; you want to cook the egg to over easy. Right before the egg is done start broiling the cheese; broil until it is bubbly and melty. While that is broiling finish cooking egg and put the egg on top of the bacon. Immediately put the cheese slice of bread on top of the egg. Slice the sandwich in half and let it sit for a minute before you eat it. This way the egg can finish setting up as it comes down the sandwich. Enjoy!

*Yes, that is right, an egg. If you substitute turkey bacon for the bacon it is good.

Smoked Cheddar & Chicken
(recipe for 5 sandwiches)
2 large chicken breasts, sliced into 3rds, uncooked
4 oz Smoked Cheddar Cheese, sliced- it has to be smoked
5 Italian hoagie or sub sandwich bread
1/2 jar of roasted red bell peppers or roast 1 red pepper yourself
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp or less of flour
3 tbps of parmesan

To make an easy job of slicing chicken breast so thinly, take the thawed chicken breasts and put them in freezer, flat, for 5-10 minutes. It will be easier to slice and it won't be so frozen that you can't use it to cook it. Cook the chicken in a pan or on a grill. Do not salt and pepper it. While the chicken is cooking make the rest of the sandwich.

Cut the bread in half and lightly toast in toaster oven. (Don't over toast it because you will be toasting again soon) This light toasting will keep the bread from getting soggy when you put on the sauce.

If you jar of bell peppers have been in the fridge then warm them up in a saute pan.

In another saute pan, melt butter. Add flour and whisk. Slowly add cream and simmer. Also add the parmesan cheese. You want it to thicken a bit, but don't make a gravy.

Now, take the bottom of the toasted bread and spread some of the sauce on it. Take the cooked chicken and lay it over the sauce. Top with a bell pepper. Spread a little more sauce on top of that. Place the cheddar cheese on of the side of the bread and broil just until melted. Put sandwich together and enjoy.

Submitted by Shasta: Since it is the summer and it gets really hot and humid here, I don't really like to use the oven much. I use my toaster oven a lot. I know it sounds like these sandwiches should take a really long time to make but I can make the BLTE in about 15-20 minutes. The Smoked Cheddar & Chicken took me about 20-25 minutes to make. I hope you enjoy these sandwiches as much as we have.