Chopped Pork Sandwich

Lunch is not my favourite thing to make, but sometimes inspiration hits. And using up some fridge leftovers helps. You can also use my Meal Prep Chicken in this recipe instead of pork. Here's the link to the recipe:

https://www.hotandcoldrunningmom.ca/2024/08/meal-prep-chicken.html

Ingredients:

4 slices (or about 4") cooked pork tenderloin, sliced thin

1 small tomato, diced

6" piece of celery, thinly sliced

a handful of thinly sliced iceberg lettuce

1 tbsp mayo

1 tbsp BBQ sauce (I used original Sweet Baby Ray's)

2 - 6" sub buns

Just mix everything together, stuff into sub buns and enjoy!

Serves 2

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Halifax Donair and Donair Pizza

This spiced ground meat sandwich may look like a gyro but the spices are a little different and it's made with beef not lamb. The thing that really makes it distinctive is the sweet donair sauce. I don't think there is anything like it! This meal is best prepared the day before. And don't forget to scroll down to the end of this recipe for a donair pizza tester.

Ingredients:

1 lb beef 

1 1/2 tsps coriander

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp oregano

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsps pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne powder 

 

Donair sauce:

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup white vinegar

1 tsp garlic powder (or more to taste)

1/8 tsp salt

 

pita bread

chopped tomato and onion

 

Yes, that sauce ingredient IS sweetened condensed milk! I was skeptical at first, but it does make a unique and interesting sauce for the donair. Mix the sauce ingredients together and store in the fridge until ready to use, preferably overnight.

For the donair itself, add all the ingredients to a mixer bowl and mix on medium speed for 5 minutes or until it's smooth and somewhat gummy.

Line a loaf pan with parchment. As you can see this is a half loaf recipe. It can of course be doubled. Pack the meat in so that there are no air pockets.

Bake in a 350°F oven for 90 minutes. Cool then refrigerate overnight.

Once chilled the meat can easily be sliced thin then given a quick fry in a pan with vegetable oil or bacon fat before assembling the donair. Steam or microwave pitas to warm then add the meat slices, tomato and onion. Give them a good drizzle of donair sauce (or spread sauce on the pita first) them wrap 'em up!

Serves 4

This donair recipe was adapted from theeastcoastkitchen.com

And since there was a considerable amount of sauce left I thought I'd try it on pizza. (I just tried it on one small section, but now that I've had it I could've done a whole pizza!) Spread some donair sauce on the pizza dough. Add some oregano and garlic powder, onion slices, strips of donair and mozzarella. Bake your pizza as usual. I do 510°F for 10 minutes.

And those Air Fryer Potato Wedges were great too! Here's the recipe link:

https://www.hotandcoldrunningmom.ca/2024/03/air-fryer-potato-wedges.html 

 

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Italian Sausage Pizza Sub

Easy pizza sub for lunch or dinner. Delicious whether you fold it up and bite in or knife and fork it!

Ingredients:

1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed and chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 medium red pepper, thinly sliced 

1 tsp minced garlic

1/4 cup pizza sauce 

1 tsp dry oregano

Red pepper flakes to taste

1 cup shredded mozzarella

Fresh chopped parsley

2 -10" sub (or hoagie) buns

Heat oil in large skillet.  Sauté peppers and onion on medium heat 4-5 minutes. Then add garlic for 1 minute before removing everything to a plate. Add chopped sausage to the skillet and cook, breaking it up as it browns, for 5 minutes on medium high heat. Add the oregano and red pepper flakes.

Slice rolls in half lengthwise but not right through. Open them like a book arranging on a foil lined baking sheet. 

Spread pizza sauce on the cut sides then layer the veggies, sausage and cheese to top. You can add a sprinkle more oregano if you like.

Pop in a 450°F oven for 5-10 minutes then garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Serves 2

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Cheddar Cheesesteak Sandwich

This easy, cheesy twist on a classic sandwich is stuffed with tender beef, caramelized onion and red pepper and of course, cheese! It ain't pretty, but it's pretty tasty!

Ingredients:

1-2 tbsp butter

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 tbsp butter

1 tsp olive oil 

1/2 lb Chinese fondue beef, or other very thinly sliced beef

Old Bay or seasoned salt to taste

Garlic powder to taste

2 tbsps worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp sriracha sauce

2-4 tbsps Cheese Whiz

2 slices marbled jalapeño cheddar

2 hamburger or sub buns 

Heat 1-2 tablespoons butter in a skillet on medium high. Add onions and peppers and sauté 6-8 minutes until golden. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Season the sliced beef with Old Bay and garlic powder. Using the same skillet as the onion and pepper, add 1 tablespoon of butter and olive oil and cook the beef on medium heat for about 1 minute per side. Add the worcestershire sauce and sriracha and stir together for 30 seconds. Return the onions and peppers to the pan.

Divide the mixture in half in the pan then add a dollop of Cheese Whiz to each half. Top with a slice of cheddar, turn heat off and cover until cheese starts to melt.

Lightly toast the hamburger buns then lift the juicy, tender beef with onions, pepper and cheese onto the buns to serve. Oh, and don't forget to add the pan juices either poured over the meat or in a small bowl for dipping.

Serves 2

Follow hotandcoldrunningmom on Pinterest. You can scan the pincode seen here with your phone if you're on a desktop. If you're on a phone just screenshot it, go to the Pinterest app, click camera. Then instead of taking a pic use the option to use one of your photos. Click on the screenshot you just took and go right to my Pinterest profile where you can follow me 🙂

Chicken Avocado Wrap

I love having leftover cooked chicken in the fridge. There are so many things to make with it.

Like this...

3 - 6" whole wheat tortilla wraps

1 cup cooked chopped chicken
1/2 avocado, mashed
2 tbsps caesar dressing
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper

lettuce leaves

Combine chicken, avocado, dressing, lemon juice, red pepper, garlic powder, salt and pepper. 

Lay a lettuce leaf on each wrap and spread the filling. Roll up. 

Leave whole or slice on the diagonal. That was easy!

Rotisserie Chicken Salad Sandwich

Leftover chicken from last night's supper becomes tomorrow's yummy lunch.

1 cup chopped rotisserie chicken
2 tbsps chopped celery
1 finely chopped radish
2 tbsps dried cranberries
1/4 tsp celery seed
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsps mayo

Just mix everything together. I left the cranberries whole but you might like them chopped.

Makes enough for 2 or 3 sandwiches.

Meatball Sub

When you have leftover meatballs all you need is:

Italian panini buns
Tomato sauce
Onions 
Olive oil
Butter
Balsamic vinegar
Shredded Mozzarella
Parmesan


Sorry, no quantities for this recipe, it all depends on how many meatballs you have and how many subs you want to make.  I was only making 2 here so I started with 8 Italian meatballs.

Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray. The buns will stand up nicely in it.

Heat the meatballs in your favourite tomato sauce.
While that is simmering, heat a frying pan and add a tablespoon or 2 of olive oil and butter. Fry up some sliced onions and de-glaze the pan with a splash of balsamic vinegar.

Split the buns, but not all the way through.  Fill with meatballs, fried onions and tomato sauce.

Top with some shredded mozzarella and sprinkle some parmesan on too if you like.

Bake them in the oven at 400 F until cheese is melted and the bun is warm and crispy.

A salad on the side finishes this quick meal off right.

Turkey Veggie Salad Sandwich

This'll make lunch a little more interesting.

6 slices cooked turkey or chicken breast, not deli
1 small radish
a piece of cucumber
2 strips of red pepper
1 tbsp relish
2-3 tbsps mayonnaise
Salt, pepper and onion powder to taste

Chop the turkey and finely chop the veggies.
Mix everything together. Lunch is served.

Smorgastarta or Sandwich Cake

These sandwich cakes are a beautiful addition to any buffet table, be it for a sweet sixteen birthday, graduation, bridal or baby shower. Or just because.

Butter crustless slices of bread on both sides, use any sandwich filling you like such as egg salad, tuna, chicken or salmon.  And use different fillings/colours in each layer. Stack the sandwiches as high as you like and side to side as long as you like.

Now for the cake "frosting"
Whip 2 cups whipping cream until stiff.  Fold in 1  1/3 cups mayonnaise and frost your cake!
Garnish with cucumber or radish roses, egg slices, shrimp or whatever you fancy.

Best thing about these cakes is that they can be made up to 8 hours before serving.

Wish I'd taken a picture after it was sliced : (

Salmon and Dried Cranberry Sandwich

Always looking for something new to take in your lunchbag? Try this.

1 small piece of cooked salmon, chilled  (or canned salmon)
1 heaping tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp dried cranberries
shake or 2 of lemon pepper
pinch of paprika (looks like more than a pinch in the photo)

Mash together and spread on your bread.
Garnish with spinach leaves.