French Dip Sliders

French Dip Sliders

My dream is to make this blog a full-time thing. I read other cooking blogs with a slight bit of envy. If only I had…what? More time, energy, drive? Whatever it requires, I need more of it. In my day job, I am a high school psychology teacher. I have 3 different classes, two of them without texts and because one of my classes is in an accelerated magnet program, I grade about 108 essays a week. So, sadly, sometimes, this hobby of mine takes a backseat. One day…

You didn’t come here to read complaints. You came here for a recipe. French Dip Sliders will not disappoint. Making them is as easy as making yourself a sandwich. You can serve them individually as appetizers or give each of your guests three of them for a meal.  I used a can of Campbell's’ Condensed Beef Consommé for dipping, but you could buy a packet of Au Jus mix. I put a little red wine, butter and a marrow bone along with the can of water in the soup when I was boiling it. Then I strained it into the serving bowls. It wasn’t any more work and made the soup taste homemade.

Servings: 12 sliders

Time:  Active time 5 minutes; Cook: 25 Minutes, Sandwiches in 35 minutes

Hardware:  A cutting board and large, serrated knife, measuring cups, a microwave safe bowl, pastry brush, cookie sheet, foil, toothpicks (optional)

Ingredients

• A package of King’s Hawaiian Rolls
• 1 pound roast beef cold cuts (I used Boar’s Head London Broil)
• 2 cups shredded Gruyère (or any white cheese)
• ⅓ cup melted butter
• ⅔ cups French-fried onions (I used French’s Caramelized Onions)  
• Prepared can of Beef Consommé

 

Step 2

1. Allow the cold cuts to rise to room temperature. Pre-heat the oven to 350˚. Melt the butter in the microwave.
2. With a large, serrated knife cut the rolls in half horizontally. Don’t separate the rolls. You want one large top and one large bottom. (See photo)
3. Lay a large piece of foil on the cookie sheet. Place the bottom of the bread on the foil. Brush the bottom with a good bit of butter. Layer the meat over the bread. Make sure to place it evenly over the whole slab, as it is easy to pile it toward the middle. Layer the cheese over the meat, again making sure that it is spread evenly. Then top with the other ‘half’ of the bread. Pour the rest of the butter over the whole thing. Use the pastry brush to make sure everything is evenly covered. It is okay if butter pools around the bottom. Seal the whole sandwich up in the foil and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
4. Open the foil and sprinkle the French-fried onions over the sandwich. You can crush them up a little if needed.
5. Return the sandwich, uncovered, to the oven and turn the broiler on for 1 to 1 ½ minutes or until the top of the bread is toasty. Watch carefully or it will burn.
6. Allow it to rest for 2-3 minutes and then slice into 12 sliders. You can hold the sliders together by inserting a toothpick into each one if you wish.
7. Serve warm. Provide your guests with a small bowl of warm consommé for dipping. 

Southwest Rice Bowls

I was craving margaritas this Friday. Tequila, limes, salt….So that we wouldn’t just sit around the house and drink, I made Southwest Rice Bowls to complement our adult beverages. This was so good and that isn’t the tequila talking. The flavors melded perfectly and the dish was sumptuous looking. I am going to serve this at a dinner party soon.

I realize that at first glance this recipe appears daunting. 17 ingredients? However, this is actually a recipe for 4 dishes: beans, rice, peppers and onions, and steak. The way I have given these instructions, you are cooking everything at the same time. If you aren’t there yet in your cooking skills, you can cook everything separately and keep the individual components warm. I would cook the onions and peppers first, then the beans, then the rice and meat.

This is a complete dish. You don’t need any sides. The squeeze of lime before eating is necessary for a splash of acid and brightness. The next day, there were a few leftovers. I put everything but the steak in a sauce pot with chicken broth, tomato paste, and leftover chicken. I stirred in chili powder and dropped in a bay leaf. That soup was delicious, too.

Servings: 6-8

Time:  Active time 30 minutes; Cook: 30 Minutes, Rice bowls in about 40 minutes

Hardware:  Measuring spoons and cups, a cutting board and knives, a gallon Ziploc bag, 2 deep skillets, a large sauce pot, a small sauce pot, a strainer, a plate, a can opener, tongs, many wooden spoons and serving bowls

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1-15 ounce can of black beans
• 2 teaspoons dry oregano
• 1-12-ounce steam-in-the-bag, frozen, super sweet corn
• 1 large onion-at least 8 ounces
• 1 large green pepper-at least 8 ounces
• Cooking spray
• Oil to fill your large skillet half way
• 1½ pounds top round cut into thin strips
• 1 + 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 cup corn starch
• ¼ cup corn meal
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Sour cream, salsa and ¼ lime for garnish, optional-slices of avocado and pickled jalapeño

Southwest Rice Bowl

1. Put the chicken stock and chopped cilantro on to boil. As soon as the stock begins to boil, add the rice. Boil for 20 minutes and strain. Taste and adjust the salt.
2. While the rice is boiling, slice the onions into rings. Don’t slice them too thin or they will burn rather than caramelize. Slice the green pepper into long then strips. Spray one pan liberally with cooking spray. Add the onions and peppers and cook over medium. Keep an eye on them and toss when necessary to keep from burning. When they have cooked to the texture you prefer, remove them to the plate. Keep them warm in the oven on the lowest setting.
3. Put the black beans and oregano in the small sauce pot to warm
4. Microwave the corn using the package directions
5. Salt and pepper the steak. Also, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the cumin over it and rub it in.
6. Place the cornstarch, corn meal, the rest of the cumin, the cayenne pepper, and ½ teaspoon of salt in the plastic bag. Seal and shake. Then add the steak and shake. Make sure all the steak is coated. 
7. Fill the other skillet half way with oil and heat on high. When the oil is very hot, shake as much cornstarch off as possible. Drop the steak into the hot oil. Do not crowd the meat. You may need to cook it in batches. The oil should be hot enough that the meat crisps up immediately. You should cook each slice for no more than two minutes. Extra thick pieces may take another minute, but no more. As you finish, remove the meat to the plate with the onions and peppers. Beware, this method splatters.
8. To create the rice bowls, fill each bowl with rice. Then visually divide the bowl into quarters. Fill one quarter with beans, one with corn, the 3^rd with peppers and onions and the 4^th with meat. Place a tablespoon of sour cream and a tablespoon of salsa in the center. Give each guest a quarter of a lime to squeeze over their entire bowl.