Gooey Cheesy Ham Sandwiches with Onion Butter



This has become one of my favorite quick meals.  It is so gooey and cheesy and full of flavor.  The onion butter just puts it over the top.  I had to make extra to use on other sandwiches.  I don't know if I'll ever need mayo again.  :) 

I think I'll make these for our next family get together and these will be on the Superbowl menu for sure!  Because they are so easy, I've starting keeping the fixin's in the fridge so I can have them any time the craving strikes!

Gooey Cheesy Ham Sandwiches with Onion Butter

Serves 8

Sandwich:

8 wholeSandwich Rolls (or 16 Dinner Rolls)
1/2 poundsHam, Any (sliced Thin Or Chopped)
1/2 poundsCheese, Any Variety That Melts Well (I used cheddar and Monterrey jack)

Onion Butter:

8 Tablespoons salted butter
1/2 cup finely minced onion
3 Tablespoons prepared mustard (I used Dijon)
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

To make the onion butter, combine ingredients in a small sauce pan and heat gently just until the butter is melted and all the ingredients are well combined. Cool to a spreadable consistency.

To prepare sandwiches, place roll bottoms, cut side up on a sheet pan. Spread some onion butter evenly onto each of the halves (use about half of the onion butter for this step), top with 1/2 the cheese, next add all the ham, now add remaining cheese, and end with the rest of the onion butter. Top with the roll tops, cover pan with foil, and heat in a 300F oven for 10-15 minutes until the sandwiches are heated through and the cheese melts.

Sandwiches can be assembled up to 2 days in advance, but store them in an airtight container to control the smell of raw onions in your fridge.

Source:  Photo and Recipe from Tasty Kitchen

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Bacon Wrapped Lil' Smokies

Lil' Smokies are a weakness of mine.  I love 'em!  They were on sale over Christmas and I bought 18 packages of them.   They are in the freezer right now just waiting for me to eat them.  There are so many things you can do with them.  My kids' favorite way to eat them is in Piggy in a Blanket form.  (Those will also be on my Superbowl Menu.)  But they can be slow cooked in a pineapple BBQ sauce or my favorite, wrapped in bacon and smothered in BBQ sauce.

Bacon Wrapped Lil' Smokies
About 64 smokies
2 (14 oz) packages of Lil' Smokies

1 package bacon

1/4 cup bbq sauce

2 tablespoons water

3/4 cup brown sugar

Mix together the bbq sauce, water and brown sugar and coat all the Lil' Smokies in the sauce. Cut each bacon slice into fourths and wrap around the little smokies. Bake on a foil lined baking sheet at 375 for 45 minutes or until bacon is fully cooked. Serve with more bbq sauce. 

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Secret Ingredient Chili

My family absolutely loves chili.  It is my favorite snowy day meal.  There are so many different versions that there's no reason to ever get bored with the same old chili.  But this recipe is my favorite.  The "secret ingredient" is one that no one ever guesses, but that adds a new level of flavor.  Its cinnamon.  Yep, the same cinnamon that you put on your toast in the morning tastes great in chili.  It doesn't take much to deepen and enrich the flavor of the chili.  I serve this out of bread bowls as a main dish on Superbowl Sunday.  If I'm feeling really ambitious, I'll also whip up a pot of  Smokey Chipotle Chili for those that like it HOT!

Secret Ingredient Chili

Serves 12-15

2 lbs. ground beef

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves minced garlic

2 quarts diced tomatoes

2 cans tomato sauce

1 4oz can diced green chilies

2-4 Tsp. chili powder or to taste

1-2 tsp. cumin or to taste

2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. pepper

cinnamon  (start with 1/4 tsp. and then add more to taste)

2 15 oz cans kidney beans, drained

1 15 oz can chili beans, undrained

Cook the ground beef, onion and garlic until meat is no longer pink.  Then add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chilies and spices. I started with 1/4 tsp. of cinnamon, and ended up using just shy of 1 tsp. Simmer the chili 1 1/2-2 hours. Add the beans and simmer until they are heated through.

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Fiesta Bean Dip

This is one of those dips that everyone has a recipe for.  I've seen and tried several different versions, but I always come back to this one.  It's always a hit and I always come home with an empty dish.  Now I have to confess, I'm not a huge sour cream fan.  I cook with it a lot, but I really don't like when its a dominant flavor in any dish.  I solved that problem by mixing taco seasoning into the sour cream to disguise it a bit. 

I like spicy Mexican food, and this dip is no exception.  You can easily spice it up by using jalapeno refried beans and spicy taco seasoning.  This dip is a Superbowl tradition at our house.

Fiesta Bean Dip

Serves 15-20

2 (15 oz.) cans refried beans

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1 1/2 cups guacamole

Shredded cheddar or Monterrey jack cheese

Sliced black olives

Diced tomatoes

Spread the refried beans in the bottom of a 9 x 13 in pan.  In a bowl, combine the sour cream and taco seasoning and mix well.  Spread over the beans.  Spread the guacamole over the sour cream.  Sprinkle with shredded cheese, olives and tomatoes.  Chill for 2 hours before serving.  Serve with tortilla chips or Frito's.



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Cheesy Bacon Ranch Dip

Since the Superbowl is only a week and a half away, I thought I'd share some ideas for party food.  I love to have an excuse to have friends and family over for some good food, good company and of course a little football thrown in.  I usually try to keep the menu simple and do as much ahead of time as I can.  The menu includes both finger foods and something hearty like my Secret Ingredient Chili (I'll share that recipe soon).  Today we'll start with my favorite dip.

A local grocery store makes a version of this dip that I absolutely love!  But it is super expensive so I never buy it.  I just put my blinders on as I walk through the deli section, but I can still hear it calling my name.  Since I obviously can't live without it, I just had to recreate it.  I happened to find a container that was marked down for quick sale so I snatched it up, took it home and created my own version.  Which for the record is better than the store's.  It would be great to serve on New Year's Eve, Super Bowl Sunday or on Tuesday!  So give it a try!

Cheesy Bacon Ranch Dip
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 Tbs. dry ranch dressing mix
5 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 green onions with tops, sliced
1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese

In a bowl, mix the sour cream and ranch dressing mix.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.  For best results, refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to let the flavors blend.  Serve with crackers or veggies.

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