Wife Approved Recipes - Picnic Sandwiches

 It's a 2fer blog post today: sandwich recipes plus a concert video of troubadour Aimee Mann.

My Wife Approved Recipes have been road tested, so you know they will satisfy. And these tasty sandwich treats are perfect for your summer picnics.

My wife and her mother sometimes take tea at a local parlor, and I heard her talk about what they had to eat. Well, the sandwiches served sounded good and actually cheap to make, especially the cucumber ones.

Check it all out below - how to dine in style with an outdoor concert picnic.

 

Nothing goes better with a free concert by a folk-rocker in the park than delicious picnic sandwiches by The 99 Cent Chef.  My wife didn't have to drag me to Marina del Rey's picturesque Burton W. Chace Park to see songstress Aimee Mann -- especially when all we had to pay for was parking and a few picnic ingredients.

We hit the freeway for a show that spanned a beautiful summer evening from sunset to full moon. At an outdoor stage in the marina's waterside park, we found a hilly spot right there, and laid out my sandwiches on a blanket, then opened our first bottle of wine. The crowd was a local mix of families and hipsters. Aimee started right on time (7pm). She played a great show, with a sliding, tuneful, lead vocal, while strumming amplified acoustic guitar, accompanied by her band. The show inspired me to film and edit a recipe video underscored by her live performance.

For our picnic, I easily assembled the sandwiches from ingredients from my local 99c only Store and Latin market. For my first sandwich recipe I made a Salami and Dijon on Sourdough. The 99c Store has recently been stocking higher-end 3.5 oz. packages of Hormel Genoa and Hot Sopressata Salami. I especially like the Sopressata -- it's lean ground with white flecks of marbling. I also picked up a great Country Dijon by Morehouse. This condiment is rough ground whole mustard seeds -- popping with tangy flavor. I served it all on sourdough bread, but you could use any bread or roll you have on hand.

I would guess that Aimee Mann is more vegan than carnivore. So for my next sammy it's a Cucumber and Cream Cheese Sandwich. I found dark Russian bread, which has a nutty flavor, but you could also use pumpernickel for a traditional tasty tea-time finger food. I like to peel off about half the cucumber skin so the bitterness is reduced. This is a creamy and crunchy refreshing bite between two slices of bread. To go totally vegan, you could substitute hummus for cream cheese (my basic hummus recipe is here.)

And finally, my most controversial picnic basket addition: a French Ham Sandwich. You can be sure Mr. Ludobite (the 5 star Beard awarded French celebrity chef Ludo Lefebvre) would flip his beret and scream profanities if he saw what I use for ingredients in his homeland's namesake sandwich (click here to see Chef Ludo throwing a hissy fit.)

 A typical French Sandwich is simply made with butter, ham, cheese, and crusty French bread.  I would normally make it that way too, but since this is a blog for cheapskates, I used imitation butter and slices of Farmer John's "Ham Roll !" Now, was it as good as a Parisian sidewalk cafe classic? Of course not, but no one in our party complained. You can make it with expensive ingredients to impress your  foodie friends, if you have the dough.

So for your next summer outdoor concert, feel free to make any, or all, of my Picnic Sandwiches. And if you like this musical recipe video, be sure to also check out my video of conductor Gustavo Dudamel leading the L.A. Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl. His "Rhapsody in Blue" becomes the soundtrack while his namesake hot dog is assembled at Pink's, L.A.'s most popular fast food joint. To view it, just click here.

Picnic Sandwiches with Aimee Mann - Video
 
Play it here. The video runs about 7 minutes.

To view or embed from YouTube, click here.
Aimee Mann's website: http://www.aimeemann.com/

Directions for Salami and Dijon on Sourdough Sandwich
On 2 slices of bread, spread Dijon mustard. Layer on slices of your favorite salami. I used thin-sliced, so about 6-8 slices per sandwich. Slice into quarters and fasten with a toothpick.

Directions for Cucumber and Cream Cheese on Russian Bread (or Pumpernickel)
Smear cream cheese thickly on Russian or pumpernickel bread. I like to peel off half the skin from my cucumbers. I also slice them pretty thin (see photos.) I used about 4-6 cumber slices per sandwich. Layer on the slices. Cut sandwich into four rectangles and hold together with toothpicks.

Directions for a French Sandwich
I spread a thick layer of margarine on a couple of slices of French Bread -- you can substitute with real butter (room temperature.) I often pick up real ham slices at my local dollar store, but this time I used 2 slices of a Ham Roll by Farmer John (surprisingly, quite good.) Again, slice sandwiches into quarters and fasten with toothpicks. I left out cheese, but a good addition would be a slice of Swiss cheese.

If you are making your sandwiches ahead of time, make sure to store in the refrigerator. They will come to room temperature by the time you reach your destination.

99 thanks to Aimee Mann and her groovy band -- they made our  picnic a summer highlight.

Warm Artichoke Dip

This Mad Man era party dip is best served accompanied with a cool dry martini. Surround this bowl of warm creaminess with your favorite chips, crackers or fresh cut veggies. Almost anything goes with this classic party appetizer, Warm Artichoke Dip.

There's nothing to it. Just drain a can of artichoke hearts or bottoms, and add it to some room temperature cream cheese, dried parmesan, garlic powder, mayo and chopped green onion. Mix well and finally pop it in the hot oven for about half an hour.

Plus it's easy to reheat in the microwave, so go ahead and make my Warm Artichoke Dip way ahead of time. Store the Dip in the refrigerator until ready to heat up, and serve.

You can keep it fairly low calorie with reduced fat cream cheese and mayo. I usually find cans of artichoke hearts or bottoms at my local 99 cent Only store. Now, they also sell jars of marinated artichoke hearts, but don't use those as the vinegar and oil marinade is quite strong and too sour for my taste. (Marinated ones are best used in a pasta sauce or salad, or on a plate of dried meats, olives and cheeses.)

Artichoke hearts from the can are tender, although the small leaves have a little texture; while artichoke bottoms are more tender, as soft as room-temperature cream cheese.

If you are looking for a tasty party dip, look no farther, give my old school Warm Artichoke Dip a go.

Ingredients (enough appetizer for a small party)

• 15.5 ounce can of artichokes - I used "bottoms," but it's okay to use artichoke "hearts." Don't use marinated artichokes (usually in a small jar.) The vinegar in marinade is too sour.
• 8 ounces cream cheese - I used low calorie. Okay to add even more, if you like.
• 1 cup mayo - I used light mayonaise. Okay to use your favorite kind.
• 4 tablespoons of parmesan - I used dried, but you can also use fresh grated. Save one tablespoon to sprinkle on finished dip just before you put it in the oven.
• 1 teaspoon dried garlic - powder or granulated.
• 1 teaspoon  Worchestershire sauce - optional.

(No salt needed as cheeses and canned artichoke have plenty.)

Directions
Chop one green onion into small pieces, green stem included.

Bring cream cheese to room temperature. Put it into a large bowl. Also add 1 cup of mayo.

Drain can of artichokes, either hearts or bottoms. They will be soft so you only need to roughly chop them. Add artichoke to cheese and mayo.

Finally mix in chopped green onion, garlic powder, and Worchestershire Sauce.

Take a fork or spoon and mix all ingredients together. If cream cheese is room temperature it will mix fairly easily. No need to overmix it, just do it for 15 seconds or so. It will all melt together once it's baking.

Set oven to 350 degrees. Add Artichoke Dip to a baking dish. Sprinkle on a tablespoon of parmesan cheese.

You want the dish small enough so the Dip will be about 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep. If the dish is too big then the Dip will spread out too much and may overcook and dry out.

Bake Artichoke Dip uncovered for about 30 minutes. Check every once in a while to make sure the cheese doesn't burn.

 Remove Artichoke Dip from the oven and let it cool down enough to eat warm, about 2-4 minutes.

You can prep chopped veggies or crackers while the Dip bakes.

My Artichoke Dip heats up fine in the microwave, so you can tote it to a party and share.

Clam Dip - Party Appetizer

My latest groovy party appetizer is a hand-me-down one from the 1950's, when Beat poetry, beehive hairdos and martini lunches were in vogue. And while it may look bland, my Clam Dip is actually quite flavorful -- loaded with clams, swirled into seasoned cream cheese. Just lay out a bowl with celery, carrots or your favorite cracker, and watch the crowd close in. (I made this for my Oscar party and received a standing ovation...okay, a bevy of compliments.)

The ingredients list is short, the preparation is simple, plus The 99 Cent Chef's Clam Dip recipe can be made well ahead of time, when refrigerated. I got a can of minced clams, a block of cream cheese, onion, Worchestershire sauce, mayo and garlic from my local 99c only Store. So this appetizer is certainly cheap enough.

I'm always looking for an excuse to use canned clams. They are perfect in a pasta, creamy chowder or topped on a pita pizza (click on names for recipes.) Although fresh clams are the best, this tinned seafood still retains it's pleasingly pungent mollusk flavor.

So for all you swinging Mad Men and Women out there, cook up a retro Space Age era Clam Dip by the cool cat 99 Cent Chef.

Ingredients (enough for 2 couples)

• 1 can of clams - about 6.5 ounces. Drain but reserve a tablespoon of clam juice.
• About 8 ounces of Philadelphia Cream Cheese - softened to room temperature.
• 2 tablespoons of mayo - light or regular. I've tried it with sour cream as well.
• 1 teaspoon of Worchestershire Sauce
• 1 green onion - optional. Chopped, including the green stem. Okay to substitute with 2 tablespoons of chopped white, yellow or red onion.
• 1 teaspoon of chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon clam juice
• Pepper to taste - clams are salty enough for me.
• Serve with toast, crunchy veggies or favorite chips.

Directions
Chop one green onion, including green stem, but discard the root end and any wilted or brown stem parts. Mince garlic or use chopped garlic from a jar. Chop clams if they are whole. (I used minced clams from a can.)

In a bowl add softened cream cheese. Next blend in mayo, clams, 1 teaspoon clam juice, onions, garlic and Worchestershire Sauce. Mix well and finally season with pepper to taste (optional.)

Refrigerate until ready to serve. I baked some bread wedges to serve (drizzle on olive oil and some minced garlic for extra flavor,) but you could also use any favorite cracker, chip, or browned bread from your counter-top toaster.

Veggies like celery, carrots, broccoli, bell pepper or any favorite crunchy veggie is a healthier way to use the 99 Cent Chef's Clam Dip.

And for a large party you can easily double or triple the recipe ingredients. For our Oscar party I used half cream cheese and half sour cream (instead of mayo) -- was very good and creamy.

Jewish Scrambled Eggs

The Chintzy Chef hatches a delicious breakfast scramble that will please his Kosher abiding visitors. Jewish Scrambled Eggs are a riff on a favorite of mine: lox with cream cheese. The main ingredients are cheaply bought canned salmon, cream cheese and eggs. And since I am a miser, it is the perfect breakfast budget recipe!

I always find cans of cooked salmon at my local 99c only Store. Of all the cheeses out there, cream cheese is one of the cheapest. Eggs are inexpensive, and my other budget ingredients are red onion and tomato.

 It's quick to do: just saute the salmon, onion, and tomato for a few minutes, then blend in your favorite egg scramble. And finish up with a dollop of cream cheese. It's a hearty way to start your day, but still lighter than a typical breakfast of eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast.

For my Jewish friends, make sure to open eggs in separate bowls, in case any have a spot of blood in the yoke, thus rendering them non-kosher! And if you like bagels in the morning, then my Jewish Scramble Eggs goes great between two split and toasted slices.

And, click on the following recipes for more lox and cream cheese 99 Cent Chef creations: The Loxaco Video and A Salmon Schmear.

Ingredients (one serving)

• 2 - 3 eggs, depending on egg size.
• 1 tablespoon of salmon - or a few chunks. I used canned, but if you have fresh, use it.
• 1 tablespoon tomato chopped
• 1 tablespoon red onion chopped - okay to use white or yellow onion.
• 1 tablespoon cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Add teaspoon of oil over medium heat in your favorite omelet pan. Add chopped onion, tomato and salmon. I like to taste chunks of salmon, so stir gently for about 2 minutes, until onion is soft and everything is heated through.

Prepare eggs for scrambling your favorite way. Do you like a little milk whisked into your eggs? Or do you beat the eggs first? Or, God forbid, do you use an egg substitute? Hey, do it your way. I like to crack open eggs right into the pan, and do a sloppy scramble -- I like to see, and taste,  the difference between white albumen and yellow vitellus.

Cook and scramble eggs until almost firm, about 2 - 4 minutes. Just before done (with a few wet spots,) add tablespoon of cream cheese. Blend all together for a minute or until cheese is melted. Serve with your favorite accompaniment, or toast a bagel and make a Kosher Breakfast Sandwich!

You can experiment with adding, or subtracting, the amounts of cream cheese and salmon. Some may like it less fishy -- although, I think salmon is mild tasting. How cheesy do you want your eggs? You may want to add twice as much as I do. Same goes for onion and tomato; don't worry about exact measurements, it will still be scrumptious.

Also, this recipe is easy to expand for more servings, just double everything for a guest.

And if you have any leftover flakes of salmon it's freezable; so you can make my Jewish Scrambled Eggs any morning.

Picnic Sandwiches with Aimee Mann - VIDEO

 

Nothing goes better with a free concert by a folk-rocker in the park than delicious picnic sandwiches by The 99 Cent Chef.  My wife didn't have to drag me to Marina del Rey's picturesque Burton W. Chace Park to see songstress Aimee Mann -- especially when all we had to pay for was parking and a few picnic ingredients.

So last Saturday, we hit the freeway for a show that spanned a beautiful summer evening from sunset to full moon. At an outdoor stage in the marina's waterside park, we found a hilly spot right there, and laid out my sandwiches on a blanket, then opened our first bottle of wine. The crowd was a local mix of families and hipsters. Aimee started right on time (7pm). She played a great show, with a sliding, tuneful, lead vocal, while strumming amplified acoustic guitar, accompanied by her band. The show inspired me to film and edit a recipe video underscored by her live performance.

For our picnic, I easily assembled the sandwiches from ingredients from my local 99c only Store and Latin market. For my first sandwich recipe I made a Salami and Dijon on Sourdough. The 99c Store has recently been stocking higher-end 3.5 oz. packages of Hormel Genoa and Hot Sopressata Salami. I especially like the Sopressata -- it's lean ground with white flecks of marbling. I also picked up a great Country Dijon by Morehouse. This condiment is rough ground whole mustard seeds -- popping with tangy flavor. I served it all on sourdough bread, but you could use any bread or roll you have on hand.

I would guess that Aimee Mann is more vegan than carnivore. So for my next sammy it's a Cucumber and Cream Cheese Sandwich. I found dark Russian bread, which has a nutty flavor, but you could also use pumpernickel for a traditional tasty tea-time finger food. I like to peel off about half the cucumber skin so the bitterness is reduced. This is a creamy and crunchy refreshing bite between two slices of bread. To go totally vegan, you could substitute hummus for cream cheese (my basic hummus recipe is here.)

And finally, my most controversial picnic basket addition: a French Ham Sandwich. You can be sure Mr. Ludobite (the 5 star Beard awarded French celebrity chef Ludo Lefebvre) would flip his beret and scream profanities if he saw what I use for ingredients in his homeland's namesake sandwich (click here to see Chef Ludo throwing a hissy fit.)

 A typical French Sandwich is simply made with butter, ham, cheese, and crusty French bread.  I would normally make it that way too, but since this is a blog for cheapskates, I used imitation butter and slices of Farmer John's "Ham Roll !" Now, was it as good as a Parisian sidewalk cafe classic? Of course not, but no one in our party complained. You can make it with expensive ingredients to impress your  foodie friends, if you have the dough.

So for your next summer outdoor concert, feel free to make any, or all, of my Picnic Sandwiches. And if you like this musical recipe video, be sure to also check out my video of conductor Gustavo Dudamel leading the L.A. Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl. His "Rhapsody in Blue" becomes the soundtrack while his namesake hot dog is assembled at Pink's, L.A.'s most popular fast food joint. To view it, just click here.

Picnic Sandwiches with Aimee Mann - Video

Play it here. The video runs about 7 minutes.

To view or embedd from YouTube, click here.
Aimee Mann's website: http://www.aimeemann.com/
And she plays the Hollywood Bowl tonight in a Joni Mitchell tribute, info here.

Directions for Salami and Dijon on Sourdough Sandwich
On 2 slices of bread, spread Dijon mustard. Layer on slices of your favorite salami. I used thin-sliced, so about 6-8 slices per sandwich. Slice into quarters and fasten with a toothpick.

Directions for Cucumber and Cream Cheese on Russian Bread (or Pumpernickel)
Smear cream cheese thickly on Russian or pumpernickel bread. I like to peel off half the skin from my cucumbers. I also slice them pretty thin (see photos.) I used about 4-6 cumber slices per sandwich. Layer on the slices. Cut sandwich into four rectangles and hold together with toothpicks.

Directions for a French Sandwich
I spread a thick layer of margarine on a couple of slices of French Bread -- you can substitute with real butter (room temperature.) I often pick up real ham slices at my local dollar store, but this time I used 2 slices of a Ham Roll by Farmer John (surprisingly, quite good.) Again, slice sandwiches into quarters and fasten with toothpicks. I left out cheese, but a good addition would be a slice of Swiss cheese.

If you are making your sandwiches ahead of time, make sure to store in the refrigerator. They will come to room temperature by the time you reach your destination.

99 thanks to Aimee Mann and her groovy band -- they made our  picnic a summer highlight.

Stuffed Squash Blossoms with Herbs & Cheese

Free is better than 99 cents any day. And the main ingredients in this week's recipe proves it! Squash plants with bright yellow blossoms are everywhere in my small garden this summer, and I didn't pay a cent for the plants.

All year I compost my veggie scraps in a 4 by 4 foot square of dirt. By the Spring I have enough rich earth to replenish my fallow garden. One of the problems, or in this case, benefits, are the compost seeds that sprout everywhere. Usually it's just some tomato plants, but this year squash plants have sprung up everywhere. 

When one is given lemons, you make lemonade -- or in this case, when you get squash blossoms, make Stuffed Squash Blossoms with Herbs & Cheese. I am also getting a bumper crop of herbs. So the only main expense was a small tub of Cream Cheese, and half a can of PBR (cheap beer) from my local 99c only Store. I always have eggs and flour around.

This delicate dish uses a light batter for frying, so the tender and mild squash flavor comes through. Surprisingly, the squash flowers hold up quite well to frying. And the herb-studded cheese is a scrumptious creamy bite.

You don't need a lot of cash for The 99 Cent Chefs latest high-end  recipe -- just some free garden squash blossoms, herbs, and a light sauteing touch. For all you gardeners out there, this recipe is for you.

Ingredients (serves 2-4)
1 dozen squash blossoms
1/2 small container of cream cheese, ricotta, or any favorite cheese -- soft or shredded.
Handful of chopped herbs  - I used parsley, oregano and sage from my garden. Okay to use a 1/2 teaspoon of dried.
1/4 cup of oil - just enough to cover the bottom of your frying pan.
A tasty addition would be to add some sauteed and chopped soft mushrooms into the cheese mixture.

Frying Batter Ingredients

• 1/4 cup of flour
• 1/4 cup of corn starch - this makes a lighter coating, but you can substitute for an equal amount of flour.
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder - optional
• 1/2 cup of beer - okay to use bubbly water, like soda or sparkling.
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper to taste.

 Directions
Allow cheese to reach room temperature. Chop herbs and mix into softened cheese. If you use a harder cheese like cheddar then grate it and mix with herbs.

Cut off long stems of squash blossoms, but stop at green base. Be careful not to clip a hole into bottom - you don't want melting cheese to leak out too much. Stuff each blossom with about a teaspoon of cheese mixture, depending on the size of  each squash blossom.

Mix all the batter ingredients in a shallow bowl for dipping the Stuffed Squash Blossoms. It should be thinner than pancake batter. You are going for a light coating, it can be on the thin side. It's all about tasting the delicate blossoms. The batter coating will help hold in the melting cheese/herb stuffing.

Next add veggie oil to sauteing pan or pot, over medium/low heat. Test heat oil in pan with a drop of batter -- it should bubble and fry when added.

Dip Stuffed Squash Blossom into batter, coating all sides. Pick up coated blossom and let excess batter drain off; then add each Stuffed Squash Blossom into pan as you coat them. 

 

Turn over each Stuffed Squash Blossom when edges just start to lightly brown -- you don't want a dark "Fried Chicken" brown, more of a "Japanese Tempura" light color. Be careful as blossoms may sputter and splash some grease, because of the melting cheese -- that is why pan heat is medium/low.

Drain on paper towels or a metal rack. Be careful of the first bite -- it will be deliciously melting hot!

This dish combines well as a topping for a favorite pasta entree, like my John Cassavetes Red Pepper, Olive Oil, Garlic & Pasta; Fettuccine Alfredo; or Spaghetti alla Carbonara with Bacon Bits -- just click on a name for the recipe. Stuffed Squash Blossoms also make impressive party hors d'oeuvres.