Afternoon Tea Avocado & Bacon Sandwiches
It’s still Afternoon English Tea Time here at Tiny New York Kitchen. Here are some delicious Avocado & Bacon Sandwiches to snack on with your 4 o’clock tea.
INGREDIENTS
1/4 Pound Bacon Slices
1 Ripe Avocado
1/2 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
3 Tablespoons Softened Butter
4 Large Slices of Either White Bread or Whole Wheat Bread
Coarsely chop the bacon and put into a skillet over a medium heat. Cook until the bacon is crisp. Remove from the heat and drain on paper towels. Peel the avocado but make sure not to remove the nice bright green flesh just inside the skin. Cut in half and remove the seed. Mash the avocado in a small size bowl and stir in the lemon juice. Add the kosher salt and pepper. Butter the bread and then spread the avocado mixture onto the buttered sides of two of the pieces of bread. Sprinkle the bacon over the avocado. Cover with the other two pieces of the buttered bread (buttered side down). Press the sandwiches together and with a knife cut off the crusts. Cut each sandwich into 4 triangles or into horizontal fingers and arrange them on a serving plate. Makes 8 tea sandwiches.
Lamb Meatball Sliders
These sliders are delicious. If you’re having trouble finding slider buns then just use dinner rolls for the buns. I like using a good potato roll.
INGREDIENTS
Meatballs:
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 Diced Yellow Onion
3 Chopped Garlic Cloves
1 Tablespoon Fennel Seeds
1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Rosemary
1 1/2 Pound Ground Lamb
1/2 Cup Breadcrumbs
2 Large Eggs
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Sauce:
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 Diced White Onion
3 Diced Garlic Cloves
28 Ounces Crushed Tomatoes
1/2 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Teaspoon Oregano
1/2 Teaspoon Herbs de Provence
To make the meatballs heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 4 minutes. Stir constantly. Add the fennel seeds and rosemary. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and transfer to a medium size bowl. Set aside. In a large size bowl add the ground lamb, eggs and breadcrumbs, kosher salt and pepper. Add the onion mixture that was set aside. Mix all of the ingredients with your hands. Form the lamb mixture into 10 golf ball size meatballs. Place the meatballs back into the large sauté pan and cook for 5 minutes on each side. You will want the meatballs to be slightly browned on each side. Remove from the sauté pan and place onto a large plate.
To make the sauce heat the olive oil in a large pot over a medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook for 1 minutes until soft. Add the tomatoes and their juices. Stir in the red pepper flakes, kosher salt, pepper, oregano and herbs de Provence. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the meatballs to the sauce and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes until cooked through.
To assemble the sliders just place 1 meatball on each slider bun or dinner roll and add extra sauce. Place the top on and repeat until you have assembled all of the sliders. Serve the extra sauce on the side. Makes 10 sliders.
Homemade Country White Bread
I made a turkey pasta soup with leftover turkey and needed a nice hearty bread to go with it. This bread recipe isn’t hard. It just takes a bit of time is all. It’s worth the time and effort.
INGREDIENTS
6 Cups Unbleached Bread Flour or Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 Package Active Dry Yeast
2 1/4 Cups Buttermilk or Sour Milk
2 Tablespoons Sugar
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
In a large size bowl combine 2 1/2 cups flour and the package of yeast. Set aside. In a medium size saucepan combine the buttermilk, sugar, salt and butter. Heat just until it the buttermilk mixture gets warm and the butter almost melts. You will want the buttermilk mixture to be in the 120º to 130º F. range. Slowly add the milk mixture to the flour mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can. Don’t worry if you cannot get all of the flour mixed in. Stir until the dough looks ropey and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a stiff dough, but is smooth and elastic. Again, don’t worry if you don’t use all of the flour. Knead for six minutes by pushing the dough with the heel of your hand. Turn the dough over and do push with the heel of your hand. Shape the dough into a large ball and place into a lightly grease d bowl. Turn the dough to grease both sides of the dough. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise for 1 hour in a draft free place. After 1 hour punch the dough down. You will know when the dough is ready to punch down when after poking your fingers into the dough the indentations stay. To punch the dough you just punch your fist into the center of the dough. Now turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Cover the dough the dough and let it sit for 10 minutes. Grease two loaf pans (8×4 inches). After sitting for 10 minutes shape each dough half and place into the prepared loaf pans. Place the two loaf pans in the same warm, draft free place and cover with the same clean kitchen towel. Let rise again for 45 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350º F. Bake for 40 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when lightly tapped. Remember that not all ovens are created equal and heat differently from the next so set your timer for 35 minutes to check for doneness. Remove from the oven and immediately remove from the loaf pans. Cool completely on wire racks and serve. Makes 2 loaves. 
French Dip Sandwiches With Cheese
Sandwiches are more about choosing good ingredients than about mastering complicated techniques.
INGREDIENTS
1 Large Sliced Onion
2 Cloves Minced Garlic
1 Tablespoon Butter
14 Ounces Beef Broth
1/2 Teaspoon Thyme
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
12 Ounces Cooked & Thinly Sliced Roast Beef
8 Pieces Provolone Cheese
4 French Rolls Split
Preheat your broiler. In a large saucepan cook the onion and garlic in the hot butter until tender. Stir in the broth, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add the beef and return to boiling. Reduce the heat and simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove the beef and the onion from the broth mixture. Arrange the beef and onion on the French rolls. Place two pieces of provolone cheese on top of each sandwich and place on a broiler pan. Broil 4 inches from the heat for 1 minute or until the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven and place the tops on the sandwiches. Pour the beef broth into 4 small bowls for dipping. Makes 4 sandwiches.
Green Onion Meat Loaf
The weather is getting more and more fall like. This is when I like to make a tasty meat loaf. My Green Onion Meat Loaf is a great weekend meal as well as making weekday sandwiches from the leftovers.
INGREDIENTS
2 Beaten Eggs
1/2 Cup Bread Crumbs
1 Large Bunch Chopped Green Onions
5 Tablespoons Ketchup
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
5 Minced Garlic Cloves
1 Pound Ground Sirloin
1/2 Pound Ground Veal
1/2 Pound Ground Sweet Italian Sausage
1/2 Cup Ketchup
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley
Preheat your oven to 350° F. In a large bowl combine the eggs, bread crumbs, green onions, kosher salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and 5 tablespoons ketchup. Add the ground sirloin, veal and sweet Italian sausage. Mix well and then lightly pat the mixture into a 9×5 inch loaf pan. For the glaze pour the1/2 cup ketchup over the top and scatter the dried parsley over the top of the meat loaf. Bake the meat loaf for 90 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Use two spatulas to transfer the meat loaf to a serving platter. Cut into 8 slices. Serve with mashed potatoes. Serves 8
Bastille Day Croque Monsieur
Hey, it’s Bastille Day! Don a beret and some tricolor clothes and make a croquet monsieur to celebrate.
INGREDIENTS
4 Slices French or Italian Loaf Bread
2 Teaspoons Dijon Mustard
1 1/2 Cup Grated Gruyère Cheese
2 Slices Ham
2 Tablespoons Butter
Preheat your oven to 350° F. Spread 1/2 teaspoon of the Dijon mustard over each slice of the bread. Place 1/2 cup of the grated Gruyère cheese on top of the two slices of bread. Next, place the ham on top of the grated cheese. Finish with the remaining cheese on top of the ham. Place the other slice of bread on top. In a large skillet heat the butter over a medium heat until the butter is foaming. Carefully add the sandwiches and fry for 2 minutes on each side until they are golden brown. Transfer the sandwiches to a baking sheet and put into the oven for 5 minutes until the cheese has fully melted. Remove from the oven and place the sandwiches on a serving plate. Slice each sandwich in half and serve immediately. Serves 2
Celebrate All Things French!
Banana Nutella Sliders
Tomorrow is Bastille Day so I made these Banana Nutella Sliders. A combination of French and American…think banana and peanut butter sandwiches. Elvis would have loved these. Seriously, these sliders are addictive.
INGREDIENTS
4 Croissants
13 Ounces Nutella Spread
2 Sliced Bananas
Powdered Sugar
On a serving plate carefully slice the 4 croissants horizontally. Set the tops aside. Heat the Nutella spread until it is warm, but not piping hot. Divide the Nutella between the 4 croissant bottoms. The best that you can evenly spread the Nutella so that it covers the croissant. Arrange the banana slices on top of the Nutella. If you want more bananas then slice an additional banana. Carefully place the croissant tops on top and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve immediately. Serves 4
Chicken Asiago Burgers
These burgers are absolutely EXCELLENT! A nice change of pace, but still satisfies the burger urge.
INGREDIENTS
2 Pounds Ground Chicken
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Cup Grated Asiago Cheese
4 Hamburger Buns
Mix the ground chicken, salt, pepper, garlic powder, olive oil and Asiago cheese in a large size bowl. Form the mixture into 4 patties. Place the patties on a plate. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Preheat your grill. When you are ready to grill the burgers remove from the fridge and let sit out for 10 minutes. You want to take the chill off of the meat before putting on the grill. Cook the burgers on the frill for 5 minutes on each side until well done. Place one burger on the bottom half of each bun. Garnish as you like. Serves 4
Tuesday’s Chicken Salad
Chicken Salad was first served by Town Meets in Wakefield, Rhode Island in 1863. The original owner, Liam Gray, mixed his leftover chicken with mayonnaise, tarragon and grapes. This became such a popular item that the meat market was converted to a delicatessen which still stands to this day. Everyone likes their Chicken Salad different ways with the main ingredient being chopped chicken. I like to use chicken breast. Other common ingredients include mayonnaise, hard boiled eggs, celery, peppers, peas and a variety of mustards. Here is my Tuesday version.
INGREDIENTS
1 Large Cooked Chicken Breast
1 Chopped Jalapeño Pepper
½ Chopped Carrot
3 Chopped Scallions
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
¼ Cup Mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 Tablespoon Chopped Parsley
Dice the chicken breast into bite size chunks and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the chopped jalapeño pepper, chopped carrots, chopped scallions, salt, pepper, mayonnaise, mustard and parsley. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve on bread of your choice (I like to use a crusty Italian bread) or serve over lettuce and tomato. Serves 4
Brown Sugar Corned Beef
Most people boil corned beef. I tried baking mine encrusted in mustard and brown sugar. Slow cooking it in the oven really
seals in the flavor. I like this corned beef hot, but also makes great leftover sandwiches.
INGREDIENTS
5 Pound Corned Beef Brisket
1 Cup Dijon Mustard
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Minced Garlic Clove
Preheat your oven to 350 F. Rinse the corned beef and throw away the spice package if it comes
with the brisket. Cover a baking sheet with a large piece of aluminum foil. Spread the mustard on the corned beef. Sprinkle with the minced garlic and then the brown sugar. Tightly wrap the brisket in the foil. Put the wrapped corned beef on the baking sheet and put in the oven. Cook for 3 hours. After 3 hours of cooking turn on the broiler and unwrap the top of the foil. You will want to broil the top of the corned beef just long enough for the crust to brown. Remove from the oven and serve. Makes great sandwiches too! Serves 4
