Category Archives: Recipes

Sausage, Pepper and Onion Sandwiches

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Last night we bought an 8 pack of sandwich buns since we needed rolls for our yummy salmon burgers.  We knew that we’d have lots of rolls left over so we planned another sandwich-centric meal for tonight with some of my favorite grilled ingredients: sausage, peppers, and onions!  It was still 70 degrees at dinnertime so we built a fire in our fire pit and spent the evening sitting out on the patio.

Sausage, Pepper and Onion Sandwiches

You will need…
1 Red Pepper, cut into thin strips
1 Yellow onion, cut into thin strips
Olive Oil
2 Sausages (Matt had Kielbasa, I had Hot Italian Sausage)
4 Sandwich Buns, sliced in half lengthwise

Directions:
Place the red pepper and yellow onion on a bowl together and drizzle with olive oil.  Toss to coat.  Transfer the peppers and onions to a grill pan and place on a preheated grill.  Cook for approximately 10 minutes until the peppers and onions are tender.  When we cook peppers and onions (or any small veggies that benefit from a good “toss” as they grill) we use a stainless steel Grill Chef’s Pan with a removable handle.

Uncooked Peppers and Onions in the Chef's Grill Pan

While the veggies cook, place the two sausages on the grill.  If you have the ability to control the heat on the sausage side of the grill, increase it to high heat (but leave the veggies at medium).  Cook the sausages over high heat for approx. 6 minutes per side (or longer if you’re using medium heat).

Sausage, Peppers and Onions Grilling

If desired, lightly toast the buns on the grill by placing them cut face down over medium heat.  Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn!

In order to fit the sausages neatly on our round sandwich buns, we sliced the cooked sausages in half and then sliced each piece lengthwise.  Place the sausage on the buns and top with grilled pepper and onion mixture.  Enjoy your completed sandwich while lounging outside by a fire pit if at all possible… it makes it taste even better!

Salmon Burgers with Dill Sauce, Asparagus, and Fries

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Daylight savings time has begun!  In southeastern PA our first week of daylight savings also happens to be the most beautiful week of March weather that we’ll probably ever see (65-70 degrees and sunny every day!) so we are taking full advantage of our extra hour of daylight by doing huge amounts of yard work.  Today after work Matt dug up the last of two enormous boxwood bush stumps while I cut up the boxwood branches into manageable trashcan-sized pieces.  By the time we were done our outdoor work we were tired and not in the mood to make a crazy, involved dinner.  We went to our favorite grocery store (The Fresh Market in Glen Mills) and picked up a few ingredients to make this yummy, fancy-looking meal!  (Well, I think it looked fancy… maybe it was just the rectangular plate!)

Salmon Burgers with Dill Sauce, Grilled Asparagus, and Oven-Baked Waffle Fries

You will need…
1/2 Bag of “Family Size” Alexia Waffle Fries
2 Premade Salmon Burgers (from The Fresh Market or your favorite grocery store)
Asparagus Spears (Thin, tender spears are the best!)
Olive Oil
Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder to Taste
2 Hamburger-sized Sandwich Rolls, cut in half lengthwise (we used The Fresh Market’s Sandwich Rolls, sold in an 8 pack)

For the Sour Cream Dill Sauce…
3 Tablespoons Sour Cream
2 Teaspoons Dried Dill
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions:

Spread half of the fries out on a cookie sheet and place in a preheated 400°F oven for 28 minutes (or use whatever temperature and time your oven-baked fries need).

Place a flat grill pan on your grill and preheat the grill to medium heat.  This year we’re trying out a Weber Grill Pan and so far we’ve been very happy with it.  (The Kitchenaid pan that we bought from Target didn’t hold up very well last summer.)  Place each salmon burger carefully on the preheated grill pan.  Grill the salmon burgers for approximately 7 minutes per side.

Asparagus and Salmon Burgers cooking on our Weber Grill Pan

Wash the asparagus spears and then toss them in olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Spread the asparagus spears out on the grill pan next to the salmon burgers.  Grill the asparagus for approximately 10 minutes (longer if you have thicker asparagus).

While the burgers and aspargus are grilling, assemble your sour cream dill sauce by mixing the sour cream, dill, salt, pepper, and garlic powder together in a small bowl.

Sour Cream Dill Sauce

When the grilling is complete, place your burgers on the sandwich rolls and top with a dollop of sour cream dill sauce.  Add your asparagus and waffle fries to the plate and voila! you have a beautiful Monday-night-of-daylight-savings meal.  Enjoy!

Cilantro-Lime Rice

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In this recipe, simply adding some cilantro and lime can transform a mundane frozen package of Trader Joe’s white rice into a fancy-tasting side dish.  Try this with Tequila Shrimp or substitute it in for normal rice in your favorite burrito recipe.

Cilantro-Lime Rice

You will need…
2-3 tablespoons of chopped Cilantro
2 tablespoons Lime Juice
Lime Zest from one small Lime
1 pouch of frozen Trader Joe’s White Rice

Directions:
Place the Cilantro, Lime Juice and Lime Zest in a serving bowl.  Cook the packet of rice according to the package instructions (for TJ’s white rice, microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes).  Add cooked rice to serving bowl and stir to combine.

Tequila Shrimp

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We’ve had an unusually warm Winter this year.  Usually January and February are characterized by nightly (and sometimes daily) below-freezing temps, salt-brined roads, and melting snow piles in parking lots.  This year, it has hardly dipped below freezing at night and we’ve gotten a grand total of around 2 inches of snow.  It’s not all bad though because the warm temperatures mean that we can use our grill to make yummy meals like Tequila shrimp!  This recipe is from our Weber Book of Grilling with a few additions from me.

Tequila Shrimp

You will need…
1/3 cup Tequila
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Lime Juice
3-4 cloves of Minced Garlic
1 fined chopped Jalapeño Pepper
2 tablespoons chopped Cilantro
1 teaspoon ground Coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground Black Pepper
1 pound Shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions:
Place the first 8 ingredients (Tequila through Black Pepper) in a large resealable bag and ‘mix’ by squeezing/shaking the bag gently.  Add the shrimp to the bag and coat them with the marinade.  Put the bag in the fridge for approx. 30 minutes.

Preheat your grill and grill pan (we have a large wok-shaped skillet with small holes it in but a flat grill ‘tray’ works well too).  Remove the shrimp from the fridge and slide them out of the bag onto the hot grill pan.  Grill over direct heat for 3-5 minutes until they turn nice and pink.  Serve warm!

Tequila Shrimp with Cilantro-Lime Rice, Corn con Salsa Salad, and a Margarita

Delicious Sides to Serve with your Tequila Shrimp:

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

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When you hear “slow cooked pulled pork” do you think about state fairs and BBQ joints in the deep south?  I love pulled pork and when I learned that we could make our very own version of this delicious summer treat with only a crock pot, apple cider vinegar, and a bottle of BBQ sauce I was thrilled!

This is probably one of the easiest and most rewarding recipes that I’ll share on TheLittleGSP.  We put the pork in the crock pot before work and come home to the aromas of slow-cooked meat.  5 minutes of “pulling” later and the pork is ready to enjoy on a nice soft sandwich bun.  This recipe is adapted from instructions that I found on about.com.


Slow-Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
(makes 6-8 sandwiches)

You will need…
3-4 lbs. “Pork Butt” (also called “Boston Butt” or Pork Shoulder)
3/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
Salt and Pepper
A Bottle of BBQ Sauce (our current favorite is Sticky Fingers Carolina Sweet)
6-8 Sandwich Rolls (we love the burger rolls from The Fresh Market)

Directions:

Trim any excessive fat off of the pork and place the meat in your slow cooker.  Season the pork with salt and pepper on both sides.  Pour the apple cider vinegar into the slow cooker around the pork (don’t pour it directly over the top of the pork or you will wash the salt and pepper off).  Set the slow cooker to High and put the lid on.  Allow the pork to cook for approximately 10 hours.

Pork Butt ready to be cooked for 10 hours

After 10 hours have elapsed, use two forks to transfer the pork to a plate (it will be falling apart at this point so you may have many little pieces of pork already).  Dump the apple cider vinegar and juices out of the slow cooker, then return the pork to the pot.  If your pork butt had a bone, locate and discard the bone.  Use the two forks to pull the pork apart into several large pieces (but don’t completely shred the pork yet).

Add the bottle of BBQ sauce to the pork.  If your piece of meat was on the smaller side you may want to only add about 3/4 of the bottle first (you can always add more later if you want a wetter sandwich).  Use the two forks to mix the BBQ sauce into the pork and pull the pork until it reaches your desired texture.

BBQ Sauce Added and Pork Pulled!

Slice open the sandwich rolls.  If you want, broil them face-up in the oven for 3-4 minutes until golden brown.  Place a heaping mound of pulled pork onto your roll and enjoy!

Best Sides to Eat with your Pulled Pork Sandwich:

  • Baked Beans (I recommend Bush’s Southern Pit BBQ Baked Beans)
  • Corn and Black Bean Salad (I’ll post the recipe next time I made this!)
  • Corn on the Cob
  • Macaroni and Cheese
  • Apple Crisp

More Pizza: Tomato, Goat Cheese and Pesto Pizza!

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Tonight I experimented with pizza dough that I picked up at Whole Foods over the weekend.  The Whole Foods dough was good but we found it to be much breadier and chewier than Trader Joe’s dough.  Next time I make this I’ll probably go back to TJs!


Tomato, Goat Cheese, and Pesto Pizza
(makes two generous individual-sized pizzas)

You will need…
1 package of fresh pizza dough (Trader Joe’s preferred!)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 oz. herbed goat cheese
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
15 oz. can of whole peeled tomatoes, drained
Pinch of dried thyme
6 heaping tablespoons of pesto
 2 teaspoons (approx.) grated parmesan/romano cheese
salt & pepper to taste
olive oil

Ready to go in the oven

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 425° and allow the pizza dough to sit out at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.  In a frying pan, heat up approx. 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil and sauté the minced garlic until just browning.  Remove the garlic from the pan with a spoon and place in a small bowl.  Add the herbed goat cheese to the minced garlic and mix well.

Add the sliced shallots to the frying pan and sauté until they start to soften.  Add the (drained) whole peeled tomatoes and cut them into small pieces (quarters or smaller).  Stir to combine then let the tomato mixture simmer at medium heat for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the thyme, salt and pepper to the tomato mixture and remove from heat.

Remove the pizza dough from the bag and split it into two balls.  If you want, you can lightly dust your hands and/or work surface with flour when working with the dough if you want to but it’s not a necessity.  Flatten one of the dough balls between your palms and then start to slowly stretch the dough out by squeezing the outside edges evenly.  When you get the dough stretched out the size and shape that you like, place it onto a cookie sheet.  Repeat the stretching procedure with the other dough ball.

Scoop two heaping spoonfuls of pesto onto each pizza and spread the pesto out with the back of the spoon.  Next, sprinkle some Parmesan cheese (about 1 teaspoon per pizza, or more if you want!) over the pesto topping.  Lightly salt and pepper the pizzas.  Spoon the tomato mixture onto each pizza and distribute evenly.  Spoon (or use your fingers) the goat cheese/garlic mixture evenly onto each pizza.

Cook the pizzas in an oven at 425° for 12-15 minutes.  The pizzas are ready when the crust is starting to brown.  Enjoy!

Pizza with Pesto, Fire-Roasted Tomatoes, & Mozzarella

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Individual-sized pizzas are one of my favorite things to make.  I always use Trader Joe’s fresh pizza dough as my base and then I have fun experimenting with different toppings.  You can take just about any ingredients that you’d put together on a sandwich or pasta dish and put them on a pizza for a delicious dinner.  I’m sure that I’ll end up writing about some of the interesting combinations but for today I’m going to describe how to make a pizza featuring the classic combo of tomato, basil, and mozzarella.

Homemade Pizza with Pesto, Fire-Roasted Tomatoes, and Mozzarella
Pizza with Pesto, Fire-Roasted Tomatoes, and Mozzarella
(makes two generous individual-sized pizzas)

You will need…
1 package of Trader Joe’s fresh pizza dough (a bag with a ball of dough in it, not the pre-cooked stuff)
4 heaping tablespoons of pesto
 2 teaspoons (approx.) Grated Parmesan/Romano Cheese
15 oz. can of Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes, drained (or normal tomatoes if you prefer)
12 Marinaded Mozzarella Balls (also from TJ’s; each ball is approx. 1″ in diameter)
Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper to Taste

All ready to go into the oven

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 425°.  Allow the pizza dough to sit out at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.  After it has warmed up, remove the pizza dough from the bag and split it into two balls.  If you want, you can lightly dust your hands and/or work surface with flour when working with the dough if you want to but it’s not a necessity.  Flatten one of the dough balls between your palms and then start to slowly stretch the dough out by squeezing the outside edges evenly.  Wehn you get the dough stretched out the size and shape that you like, place it onto a cookie sheet.  My cookie sheet has a non-stick surface so I don’t grease it at all — you may need to lightly grease a pan that doesn’t have a non-stick surface.  Repeat the stretching procedure with the other dough ball.

Hurray!  The hard part is over and now you get the fun of putting toppings on your pizzas.  Scoop two heaping spoonfuls of pesto onto each pizza and spread the pesto out with the back of the spoon.  Next, sprinkle some Parmesan cheese (about 1 teaspoon per pizza, or more if you want!) over the pesto topping.  Spoon the drained tomatoes onto each pizza and spread them out.  Slice up the 12 mozzarella balls and divide evenly between the pizzas.  Lightly dust the top of the pizza with garlic powder and add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the pizzas in an oven at 425° for 12-15 minutes.  The pizzas are ready when the cheese has melted and the crust is starting to brown.  Enjoy!

Margaritas on the Rocks

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Here’s another delicious summer-inspired recipe: Margaritas!  I never liked tequila very much until our neighbors, Jack and Julie, invited us over for a BBQ last summer.  While we chatted Jack whipped (well, shook) up some wonderful margaritas and served them to us in salt-rimmed glasses.  What a great summer drink!  Afterwards we looked for our own margarita recipe and came up with these.  I can’t remember exactly where I found the recipe online but it may have been from the Nellie and Joe’s Key Lime Juice web site…

Margaritas on the Rocks  (makes 2 drinks)

You will need…
5 oz. Silver Tequila
1.5 oz. Triple Sec
3.5 oz. Lime Juice (you can juice fresh limes or just use Nellie & Joe’s Key Lime Juice)
3.5 oz. Simple Syrup (this is 1/2 part sugar and 1/2 part water; boil them together and allow to cool.  I keep a bottle of homemade SS in the fridge.)
Lime Wedge, to garnish
Salt for Glass Rims, if desired

Directions:
Pour the liquid ingredients in a shaker with a few ice cubes.  Shake thoroughly and pour into glasses filled with ice (and rimmed in salt if desired).  Garnish with a lime wedge and enjoy!

Basil Pesto

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Last summer Matt and I grew basil in our vegetable garden.  We had six plants that completely took over the whole front of the garden and blocked the sunlight to the rest of the garden — this summer the basil will be going in the back!  I’m looking forward to planting basil again so that we can make homemade pesto whenever we want.  Here’s the recipe that we use (from Matt’s Mom’s recipe box).

Basil Pesto

You will need…
2 1/2 cups Fresh Basil Leaves
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan (or Parmesan/Romano) Cheese
3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 cloves of Garlic
1/2 cup Roasted Pine Nuts
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Directions:
Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend!  Add more olive oil if the Pesto is too thick.

What can you do with Pesto?

  • Put Pesto on a Burger with some Mozzarella and a Slice of Tomato
  • Use Pesto instead of Tomato Sauce as your base for a Little Pizza
  • Make Pesto Pasta.  Yum!
  • Spread it on Rustic Italian Bread (as a snack or part of a sandwich)
  • Spoon it into an Ice Cube Tray and Freeze It to Use Later!  (you can bag the pesto cubes once they have frozen solid)