Soups, Salads and Sandwiches - Recipes to Satisfy Your Soul
There's little more satisfying than a bowl of soup on a cold, wintery night or more refreshing than a salad of fresh greens on a hot summer day. And both are even better when paired with a sandwich. These recipes for soups, salads and sandwiches "kick it up a notch."
Sandwiches
If I was forced to live the rest of my life on a single food, I would choose sandwiches - not least because sandwiches can involve pork or turkey; lettuce or slaw; mustard, ketchup, chili sauce, and mayo. Sandwiches are the ultimate cheat.
If I was forced to live the rest of my life on a single food, I would choose sandwiches - not least because sandwiches can involve pork or turkey; lettuce or slaw; mustard, ketchup, chili sauce, and mayo. Sandwiches are the ultimate cheat.
Buttery Popovers: Light, Airy, Luscious
Popovers are a great quickbread suitable for breakfast with some jam, conserves, or marmalade but also make a great quick and fancy roll for a dinner menu. Makes 6.
Popovers are a great quickbread suitable for breakfast with some jam, conserves, or marmalade but also make a great quick and fancy roll for a dinner menu. Makes 6.
Buttermilk Banana Bread: Tender, Moist, Yummy!
Is there any quick bread better than banana bread? Nevermind, the question was rhetorical because clearly there isn't. Tender, moist and not overly sweet it beats zuchini bread, pumpkin bread and all the other sweet quick breads hands down. Makes 1 loaf.
Is there any quick bread better than banana bread? Nevermind, the question was rhetorical because clearly there isn't. Tender, moist and not overly sweet it beats zuchini bread, pumpkin bread and all the other sweet quick breads hands down. Makes 1 loaf.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are finally flooding the farmers' markets ranging from bite-size Tiny Tims to the ugly but delicious Cherokee Purple. In fact almost every farmer at the market has tomatoes and my favorite tomato lady, Donna, finally has all eight of her varieties ripening. Donna is justly famous for the quality of her tomatoes and there's always a long line of people in front of her stand.
Tomatoes are finally flooding the farmers' markets ranging from bite-size Tiny Tims to the ugly but delicious Cherokee Purple. In fact almost every farmer at the market has tomatoes and my favorite tomato lady, Donna, finally has all eight of her varieties ripening. Donna is justly famous for the quality of her tomatoes and there's always a long line of people in front of her stand.
Burger Bonanza
I have a tremendous fondness for burgers and so, like out-of-season tomatoes, I detest bad ones. The best way to avoid a bad burger is to make your own and these are both unusual and delicious.
I have a tremendous fondness for burgers and so, like out-of-season tomatoes, I detest bad ones. The best way to avoid a bad burger is to make your own and these are both unusual and delicious.
White Bread: Susan's Farmhouse White Sandwich Bread
All bakers need a good recipe for a white bread. A bread suitable for everything from PBJ sandwiches to toast. This sandwhich white is outstanding. Makes 1 Loaf.
All bakers need a good recipe for a white bread. A bread suitable for everything from PBJ sandwiches to toast. This sandwhich white is outstanding. Makes 1 Loaf.
Picnic Sandwiches
The most common food at my childhood picnics was a sandwich. Sometimes we'd simply stop at a supermarket, pick up the fixings and make the sandwiches standing there around the station wagon's open tailgate. At other times my mother or father would make sandwiches in advance.
The most common food at my childhood picnics was a sandwich. Sometimes we'd simply stop at a supermarket, pick up the fixings and make the sandwiches standing there around the station wagon's open tailgate. At other times my mother or father would make sandwiches in advance.
Name that Sandwich
Sandwiches, in their various forms, are popular around the world whether it's a Gyro in Greece, a Mufaletta in New Orleans, or a Bahn Mi in Vietnam. What's your favorite sandwich and where's it from?
Sandwiches, in their various forms, are popular around the world whether it's a Gyro in Greece, a Mufaletta in New Orleans, or a Bahn Mi in Vietnam. What's your favorite sandwich and where's it from?
Sandwich Rye: A Reuben's Best Friend
A good sandwich rye should be somewhat soft, but not at all mushy. It should have a distinct rye flavor and, ideally, a hint of sourness. It's hard to find a bread meeting these criteria, so I decided to produce my own. Makes 1 loaf.
A good sandwich rye should be somewhat soft, but not at all mushy. It should have a distinct rye flavor and, ideally, a hint of sourness. It's hard to find a bread meeting these criteria, so I decided to produce my own. Makes 1 loaf.
Hot Cross Buns: Just Sweet Enough
Hot Cross Buns are a slightly sweet yeast roll containing currants or raisins and traditionally eaten in the UK on Good Friday, but great any time. Makes 12 buns.
Hot Cross Buns are a slightly sweet yeast roll containing currants or raisins and traditionally eaten in the UK on Good Friday, but great any time. Makes 12 buns.
Reuben Braid Bread How-to
This Reuben Braid makes a truly impressive display for a casual buffet party (Super Bowl, anyone?) and can be made the day before.
This Reuben Braid makes a truly impressive display for a casual buffet party (Super Bowl, anyone?) and can be made the day before.
Cuban Bread: A Sandwich Star
Cuban bread is similar to what American's consider Italian bread except for the high fat content, which produces a moister and more richly flavored loaf. It's particulary well-suited for sandwiches. Makes 2 loaves.
Cuban bread is similar to what American's consider Italian bread except for the high fat content, which produces a moister and more richly flavored loaf. It's particulary well-suited for sandwiches. Makes 2 loaves.
Dill and Beer Quick Bread
This dill and beer quick bread recipe couln't be easier to make and is dynamite paired with a bowl of soup or stew. Makes 1 loaf.
This dill and beer quick bread recipe couln't be easier to make and is dynamite paired with a bowl of soup or stew. Makes 1 loaf.
Cheddar Cheese Quick Bread
This recipe featuring chunks of cheddar cheese and sour cream can be made in no more than an hour and a half. Makes 1 loaf.
This recipe featuring chunks of cheddar cheese and sour cream can be made in no more than an hour and a half. Makes 1 loaf.
Senate Bean Soup
Senate Bean Soup is served daily in the US Senate cafeteria. This version adds a bit of country ham to the mixture making it even more savory.
Senate Bean Soup is served daily in the US Senate cafeteria. This version adds a bit of country ham to the mixture making it even more savory.
Tips: Better Burgers
If the last burger you ate was in a fast food joint, then you short-changed yourself. A well-made homemade burger is not only far superior to what you can buy, but it's a great choice when cooking for two. They're easy to make and, because burgers freeze well, you can make up half a dozen and freeze four for a later meal. Here are a few tips for creating outstanding burgers.
If the last burger you ate was in a fast food joint, then you short-changed yourself. A well-made homemade burger is not only far superior to what you can buy, but it's a great choice when cooking for two. They're easy to make and, because burgers freeze well, you can make up half a dozen and freeze four for a later meal. Here are a few tips for creating outstanding burgers.
Beet Salad with Feta
This recipe for beet salad with feta presents a great collection of tastes: sweet, salty, and tart, with peppery notes from the arugula. Serves 2.
This recipe for beet salad with feta presents a great collection of tastes: sweet, salty, and tart, with peppery notes from the arugula. Serves 2.
Pork Burgers: Something Different for the Grill
This recipe for pork burgers is, without doubt, one of the best recipes I've ever come up with. They're amazingly good combining ground pork with bacon, onion, and parmesan cheese. Makes 3 burgers.
This recipe for pork burgers is, without doubt, one of the best recipes I've ever come up with. They're amazingly good combining ground pork with bacon, onion, and parmesan cheese. Makes 3 burgers.
Cold Summer Soups
Cold summer soups are particularly welcome at cookouts, barbeques, and even picnics where you're outside in the summer heat. I thought a collection of recipes for cold soups might be a nice addition to the holiday. So I've posted a few of my own recipes and included some of the favorites of other About.com guides.
Cold summer soups are particularly welcome at cookouts, barbeques, and even picnics where you're outside in the summer heat. I thought a collection of recipes for cold soups might be a nice addition to the holiday. So I've posted a few of my own recipes and included some of the favorites of other About.com guides.
Muffaletta: A Taste of New Orleans
The key ingredient to a muffaletta recipe is the Olive Mix (you'll find a link to that recipe here). Ideally you want to make the sandwich an hour or two before eating it so the juices from the olive mix can soak into the bread, which makes this a perfect picnic sandwich.
The key ingredient to a muffaletta recipe is the Olive Mix (you'll find a link to that recipe here). Ideally you want to make the sandwich an hour or two before eating it so the juices from the olive mix can soak into the bread, which makes this a perfect picnic sandwich.
Stuffed Tomatoes: A Perfect Summer Meal
This recipe for stuffed tomatoes in unusual in it's inclusion of feta cheese ad capers. But a stuffed tomato is hard to beat however it's made. Makes 4.
This recipe for stuffed tomatoes in unusual in it's inclusion of feta cheese ad capers. But a stuffed tomato is hard to beat however it's made. Makes 4.
Gazpacho: Light, Lucious, Lusty
My recipe for gazpacho is somewhat untraditional, but it's rich, lucious, and packed with the bright flavors of summer - everything one could ask for in a gazpacho recipe. Serves 4.
My recipe for gazpacho is somewhat untraditional, but it's rich, lucious, and packed with the bright flavors of summer - everything one could ask for in a gazpacho recipe. Serves 4.
Gyros - A Greek Classic
Gyros are a classic Greek sandwich. Traditionally made of slices of marinated lamb, packed on a spit, and then roasted in front of a fire, the gyro is an impossible to beat sandwich. Makes 4.
Gyros are a classic Greek sandwich. Traditionally made of slices of marinated lamb, packed on a spit, and then roasted in front of a fire, the gyro is an impossible to beat sandwich. Makes 4.