Ham and Swiss Sliders

These scrumptious Ham and Swiss Sliders are so melty and gooey, yet easy to make for all your gatherings.

Ham and Swiss Sliders

It's the season of summer gatherings; graduation parties, baby showers, pool parties, picnics, game day, potlucks and BBQs.  Sliders are the perfect finger food that can be an appetizer, or the main meal, and work for any gathering.

Ham and swiss are iconic flavors and when you serve it hot and I'm in heaven with that melty cheese.  So these are right up my alley.  I've even made these for lunch on the weekend, (adjusting the quantity) just for me and my husband (pictures are from our weekend lunch).  You've gotta change up the plain old sandwich sometimes!

This one has a mix of spicy brown mustard and mayo to accompany the ham and cheese, and it's served on dinner rolls that are topped with a savory butter, garlic mixture.  The topping takes these slider over the top with flavor!  Easy to assemble and then pop them in the oven to melt the cheese and heat up that topping.  Yum!  I'm ready to make another batch just thinking about them.

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• dinner rolls
• spicy brown mustard
• mayonnaise
• sliced deli ham
• sliced Swiss cheese
• butter
• poppy seeds
• garlic

Substitutions and Variations

• Use Hawaiian Sweet rolls

• Use any sandwich condiment you like, or try adding some horseradish to the mayo

• Switch up the cheese, try pepper jack, provolone, or Monterey Jack

• Change the meat to turkey or roast beef

• Use the topping for any slider, try Italian cold cuts with provolone etc.

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Make sure to cut the rolls in half horizontally without separating the rolls.  It will make assembly so much easier.

• You will need aluminum foil to cover the sliders when baking.

• Taking the aluminum foil off for the last 5-10 minutes will help them get brown and a little crustier on the top.

• Make as many slider as your want to fit the situation or number of people you are serving.

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Ham and Swiss Sliders

makes 12 sliders

1 package of 12 dinner rolls

spicy brown mustard
mayonnaise

1 pound sliced deli ham
6 slices Swiss cheese, halved
4 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced

Preheat your over to 350 degrees.

Without separating rolls, cut rolls in half horizontally and then place bottom halves of rolls in a baking pan. Spread bottom rolls with spicy brown mustard, and the tops with mayo.  Layer with ham and cheese, then place on the tops.  

In a small bowl add melted butter, poppy seeds, and minced garlic.  Stir to combine.  Brush the tops of the rolls with the butter mixture making sure to get the garlic and poppy seed that tend to go to the bottom of the mixture.  Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake, covered, 20 minutes. Uncover and bake another 5 minutes.  Serve hot.

Hot Ham and Swiss Pockets

Ham and Swiss cheese just go together, but put it in a flaky puff pastry pocket and you have one hot delectable lunch!

Hot Ham and Swiss Pockets

I have another wonderful lunch idea for you that easy to put together.  I love my lunchtime sandwiches and even better is when it is a hot sandwich.  This one is the ultimate flavor combination of scrumptious ham and Swiss cheese, hot and melty, and baked inside a delicate puff pastry pocket.  Yum!  A take on a classic hot Ham and Swiss sandwich, but soooo much better!

This sandwich is very easy to put together with the help of store bought puff pastry, deli ham and sliced Swiss cheese.  You really just need to cut out some squares for the crusts and assemble.  Throw them in the oven to bake and your sandwich will puff into heavenly goodness!  We served these for lunch but they would make a great dinner item, or make them tiny into bite size appetizers.  They are fabulous any way  you serve them.

How do you serve them?

• For lunch with a side salad and fruit
• As a light dinner with a bowl of soup and a side salad
• As an appetizer, just make the pockets into smaller sizes

What Ingredients do I need?

• Puff pastry (I use a 5x5" pastry squares that I found at a Middle Eastern Market - see picture.) Pepperidge Farms are readily available.

• Spicy Brown Mustard
• Deli Ham slices
• Swiss Cheese slices
• Egg

Substitutions and Variations

• Use Honey Ham or Black Forest Ham
• Use Turkey instead of Ham
• Use Pastrami instead of Ham
• Use Gruyere Cheese
• Use Dijon Mustard
• Use Mayonnaise instead of Mustard
• Mix Spicy Mustard and Mayo together
• Add in some spinach
• Add in tomato slices
• Make a turkey, mushroom, Swiss pocket

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• NOTE: The recipe doesn't have amounts for the ham and Swiss cheese.  I bought 1/2 lb of ham and a package of sliced Swiss.  I used 2-3 slices of ham and 1-2 slices of cheese per sandwich.  Estimate what you would like, but keep in mind if you stuff them too much you will have more difficulty sealing them and the possibility of the filling oozing out!
• Use a pizza wheel to easily cut the pastry dough
• I used 5x5" squares, you can use any size you want.  
• You can also take on pastry square and place the filling on half and fold it over for triangle pockets
• Make small triangle appetizers
• Another method would be to leave a large puff pastry sheet whole, layer on the ingredients, place the top sheet over and bake.  Once baked then you can cut squares or slices to your liking.
• Watch the puff pastry when it's baking so that it doesn't get too brown or burn on top.
• To make an egg wash just add a little water to an egg and beat together.

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Hot Ham and Swiss Pockets

1 package frozen puff pastry, defrosted 
Spicy Brown mustard
deli ham, sliced
Swiss cheese, sliced
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. 

Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.

Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured board.  Cut in to squares about 5x5".  Cut 2 squares per sandwich and make as many as you like.  Place the bottoms on the sheet pan and brush the center with the mustard, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Place several slices of ham and then 1-2 slices of cheese, also leaving a 1-inch border. 

Brush the border with the egg wash using a pastry or silicone brush.  Place the second sheet of puff pastry square on top, lining up the edges.   Crimp the edges together using the fork tongs.  Brush the top with egg wash and cut two small slits in the top of the pastry to allow the steam to escape.  

Bake for 18-20, or until puffed and golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes, slice on the diagonal and serve.

Food to Go: Spicy Hot Ham & Swiss Croissants

Yum

We are going on a picnic this weekend!

MGG and I found a wonderful place to relax and have a picnic in Griffith Park.  It's a beautiful area with lot of shade trees, flowers, and a huge grassy area perfect to laze away the afternoon and have a picnic with great food.

On the menu will be some favorites of our such as my Garden Fresh Pasta Salad, Fruit Salad with a Red Currant Raspberry Sauce  , Orange Ice Tea, and Banana Pudding Jars, but the star of the show will be these outstanding sandwiches. 

Steamy hot sandwiches fresh from the oven that are so mouthwatering, and travel like a dream!  One of my favorite sandwiches is a Hot Ham & Cheese.  I've upped the anti on these by making a spicy condiment and placing it all on a hot flaky croissant.  Heaven!

SPICY HOT HAM & SWISS CROISSANTS

These sandwiches are bursting with flavor.  Melty Swiss cheese is the perfect compliment to the delicious deli ham.  The spicy mustard sauce bumps up the flavor and gives them that extra POW that takes these to the next level!  

Oh! and they travel soooo well.  Wrapped up in aluminum foil and hot from the oven just pop them in a bag.  They will stay warm until you reach your destination which could be a park, beach, potluck party or a pool party. We've even taken them to an outdoor concert and they were easy to eat and they taste outstanding.  

These sandwiches will change the way you look at Food to Go....they are a game changer for sure!

Enjoy!




Spicy Hot Ham & Swiss Croissants

serves 4

4 Tbls Spicy Brown Mustard
2 Tbls Mayonnaise
8 slices of Swiss Cheese
1 lb of deli sliced ham
4 Croissants
Aluminum Foil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl add the mustard and mayonnaise and mix well.
Split each croissant and spread the mustard mixture on each side.  Add 1/4 of the ham to the bottom slice and top with 2 slices of cheese.  Place the top of the croissant on the sandwich.  Repeat with remaining croissants.

Wrap each sandwich with aluminum foil and place them on a baking sheet.  Place in the oven and cook for 15 minutes.  You want to heat the ham and melt the cheese really well.  Remove from the oven and serve, or pack and take to your destination.

Derby Day Celebration Menu Ideas

It’s "run for the roses" time at the Kentucky Derby.  Each year the first Saturday in May marks the Kentucky Derby.  My family has always been great horse racing fans, and I’ve grown up loving the sport myself.  The excitement from the race is so palpable it makes my heart flutter thinking about it.

We are so lucky to live near several race tracks so that we can go as often as we like. Why, not long ago we spent a wonderful sunny day at the races and had a grand ole’ time! We even saw some women in big hats…which were a little out of place since this wasn't at Churchill Downs.  But it was fun to see as they got into the spirit of things.

Each year we watch the big race, called the fasted 2 minutes in sports.  So true, but also just so exciting.  My mom was a big horse race fan, following the horses and their trainers.  Me? I just like to watch and see if I can pick a winner. 

But we also like to have a little get together and have some good food.  So I thought I would share some of my favorite recipes for Derby Day that are around the internet.  Each is perfect for the celebration and pretty easy to make. 

Here’s what we have:

A classic sandwich created in Louisville Kentucky at the Brown Hotel, in the roaring 20’s as a late night ‘after party’ snack.

Come try this winner of a sandwich for Derby Day!

-           Cooking Light's - The Classic Hot Brown

A spin on a traditional southern drink the Mint Julep, try a variation for the great race!

-           Coastal Living's – Mint Julep Iced Tea

The best way to end Derby Day?  With some sweets.  Serve a rich and creamy pie that’s packed with pecans, chocolate and let’s not forget the bourbon!  Easy to put together using a pre-packaged pie crust.  You’ll love this recipe!

-           Southern Living's – Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pie

Enjoy the fastest 2 minutes on sports with a great meal.  For a perfect side dish try this.

-           Southern Living's – Spring-on-a-Plate Salads

For extra main courses try:

Ham and Biscuit sandwiches with mustard blends - just search for my buttermilk biscuits and slice some country ham or deli ham.  They make wonderful sandwiches!

Enjoy your Derby Day!

Note: All pictures curtesy of MyRecipes.com

Grilled Turkey, Ham, and Swiss

Hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day!

Well, another weekend has passed and it's time to go back to work.  Boy, how I dislike Monday's.

It's sooooo hard to get back in the groove when you've had such an enjoyable weekend off.  Don't you think?

But before the work week starts I have a simple and mouthwatering sandwich for you.  I've told you so many times how I love to make sandwiches on the weekend for lunch because they are quick, filling, and taste so dang good!  This one won't disappoint. 

 
The combination of Swiss cheese and deli meat like turkey and ham is a winning combination.  Add some grainy mustard and heat the whole thing up and you have a fantastic lunch.

This is a great kid friendly meal.  The fact that you are getting a hot sandwich makes the meal feel more substantial.  Serve it with a side salad or some fruit and you are good to go!

Enjoy!

Grilled Turkey Ham and Swiss

Serves 1

2 slices of country white bread

2 T grainy mustard

2 slices Swiss cheese

3 slices deli sliced roasted turkey

3 slices deli sliced ham

1 T butter

Lay two pieces of bread flat on work surface.  Cover each slice with 1 tablespoon of mustard.  Lay the cheese slices on top of one slice of bread.  On the other slice of bread layer the turkey and ham slices.  Place bread and cheese slice on top of meat slice. 

Spread butter on both outsides of the sandwich.  Heat skillet over medium-high heat.  Add sandwich with butter side down.  Cover and cook until browned, about 2 minutes.  Flip and cook the other side another two minutes covered.  Slice and serve.

Ham and Gruyere Omelet

We all know that breakfast is an important start to your day.

Sometimes, though we don't have enough time to cook something that may be a little too involved for breakfast.  I usually eat something quick on the go before work during the week.  On the weekends, I enjoy having a leisurely breakfast.  Maybe making some muffins, or biscuits and whatnot. It's my time to slow...down.   However, there are times even on the weekend when I need a quick start to my day.  Last weekend was a full weekend for me, working, cooking, cleaning, classes, and getting ready for company.  All added to up not much time for a relaxed breakfast.  

Omelets are a fast and easy dish that can be simple or hearty.  Just enough to fuel your body for hours to come.  Omelets cook up quickly and most likely you already have all the ingredients on hand.  What's better than that?  This is what I turn to when I need something substantial, but quick.  

Don't be afraid of an omelet...  They are rather quite simple, and very forgiving.  My motto is you can always turn them into a scramble if things don't work to your liking!

Most Omelets are traditional with a cheese filling, however, you can add just about anything to an omelet and turn it into a hearty meal.  I decided on sliced ham and Gruyere cheese. YUM!

Kitchen Tip:  There are two ways to fold an omelet.  You can do the more traditional way by folding it in thirds, like a letter.  Or choose the diner style, by folding it in half.  Your choice!  Just do what is easiest for you.  The trick to a tender Omelet is to cook it over medium heat.  Cooking eggs too fast can make them tough.

Here are some variations to try as well:  *Sauteed asparagus and Gruyere cheese.  * Caramelized onions, bacon or pancetta, and thyme.  *Spinach and mushrooms.  *Goat cheese, thyme, and shallots.

So the next time you are in a pinch for breakfast but want something more than a frozen waffle, try an Omelet!

Ham and Gruyere Omelet

serves 1

1/2 T butter
2 eggs
salt & pepper
splash of 2% milk
1/4 c shredded Gruyere
2 slices of deli ham, sliced into strips

Preheat an 8" skillet over medium heat.

Add butter to the skillet and allow to melt.  

In a small bowl whisk together eggs, salt & pepper, and a splash of milk (about 1- 2 T.).  Whisk until light and frothy.

Swirl melted butter around skillet covering bottom.  add eggs to the skillet and allow them to sit for 30-60 seconds.  Edges will begin to set.  Using a silicone spatula move one die of the egg to the center and tilt the skillet allowing the uncooked egg to flow to the bottom.  

Add the cheese and ham down the middle third, and allow to cook about 1 minute more.  Fold a third of the omelet over the filling.  Lifting the skillet, shake gently to move the omelet up on over the side of the skillet onto a serving plate, folding the last third at this point.  Serve immediately.  

Ham and Bean Soup

I grew up with my mom making what she called "Bean Soup".  We had pinto bean soup, great northern bean soup, navy bean soup...lots of bean soup.  And we loved it!

So I woke up Sunday to a very cold and wet Southern California day and thought, hmmmm...bean soup!

So MGG was coming over for dinner later that day and he loves soup.  He is a soupaholic...but not quite used to the southern bean soup my mom always made.  So I switched it up a little by making a more brothy bean soup.  Sort of like a Minestrone flavor with beans and ham!  A good southern favorite. 

You'll need to get yourself one of those bags of 15 bean soup mix. An onion, chicken broth, bacon, or a ham hock, a can diced tomatoes, italian seasoning, and a bay leaf.

Here's how you make it:

Put about 1/2 the bag of beans in a colander and sort and rinse, pulling out any broken or ugly looking beans.  Throw the seasoning packet away.
 

In a dutch oven or large soup pot add beans, bacon or ham hock (I used bacon cause that's what I had, but ham hock is really better at flavoring the soup).  Add about 4 cups of chicken broth and enough water to cover the beans by about 2 inches.

Place on the sotve and bring to a boil.  I add pepper at this point, as I layer the seasonings.
(sorry for the steamy photo!)

Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 2-3 hours.  You don't want to let the broth all boil away, but if it does, just add more water to keep the bean covered and turn the fire down a little.

Make sure to stir the beans during this time which will allow some starch to deevelop in the broth.

Add onions, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, and more pepper (salt if needed).  Simmer, stirring occasionally, for another hour.

Fish out the bacon and/or ham hock, bay leaf and toss.  Add tomatoes and simmer another 1/2 hr. then add chopped ham (I used left over ham from a baked ham I made the other night) and simmer until heated through.

Enjoy!

Ham and Bean Soup

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

½  (20-ounce) bag 15 bean soup

1 (32-ounce) cartons chicken broth

Water

3-4 bacon slices or 1 ham hock
½ medium onion chopped
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 bay leaf

salt

black pepper
1 14.5-oz can of diced tomatoes
1 cup chopped cooked ham
 

Directions

1. Sort and rinse dried beans pulling out any broken or ugly looking beans.  Through seasoning packet away.   In a dutch oven or stock pot add beans, bacon/ham hock, broth and water to cover 2 inches above beans.
2. Add black pepper.  Bring pot to a boil.  Turn down to a slow simmer and cook for about 2 -3 hours.
3. Make sure not to boil away all the water/broth mixture.  If you do lose some add more water to keep bean well covered.  
4. Add onions, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, and more pepper.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, for another hour.  Fish out the bacon and/or ham hock, bay leaf and toss.  Add tomatoes and simmer another ½ hour then add chopped ham simmer until heated through.