Throwback Patty Melts

Some nights you are just not going to feel like cooking--maybe even most nights--but you gotta eat! So, make it worth even the littlest effort you are willing to put forth...might as well be good, right?

Let's take a look at the quick-fix-TV-dinner-era for some inspiration, ie the '70's, but let's make it better. Specifically, let's talk about the infamous patty melt!! 

Essentially this is just a hot, open-faced sandwich with melted cheese--thats really all there is to it--the limiting factor here is only your creativity!

Ready? Here are a few classic, obvious and novel options:

1. Pizza Patty Melt

2. Cheeseburger Patty Melt

3. Classic 70's Tuna Melt

Pepperoni Pizza Patty Melt

Equipment:

Toaster oven or regular oven

Cookie sheet or metal tray

Ingredients:

Turkey Pepperoni

Low-Fat Organic Mozzarella Cheese

Marinara or Pizza Sauce

Dried oregano, thyme, basil

Red Pepper Flakes

English Muffins, halved

Olive oil

Salt & Pepper

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands. 

2. Toast muffin halves with a splash olive oil, salt & pepper.

3. Add 1 Tbls marinara.

4. Add dried herbs.

5. Add layer of cheese.

6. Add pepperoni.

7. Repeat cheese and meat. 

8. Finish with splash of cheese, herbs and red pepper  flakes.

9. Heat in 350F degree oven x 5-10 min.

10. Broil x 30 sec or until golden brown.

Cheeseburger Patty Melt

Ingredients:
1 lb ground hamburger, seared and browned
Sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Ketchup
Mayo
Mustard
Pickles

Instructions:
1. Wash your hands.
2. Brown your meat.
3. Toast your muffins.
4. Add ketchup, mustard, mayo.
5. Add ground meat.
6. Add pickles (optional)
7. Add cheese

70's Classic Tuna Melt

Ingredients:

1 can of tuna

1/2 cup mayo

1 medium onion, finely diced

Salt & Pepper to taste

Sharp cheddar cheese

Hard-boiled eggs, chopped or whole slices (optional)

Pickles / Relish

Instructions:
1. As above--get your muffins toasted.
2. Combine all of the ingredients into a bowl.
3. Add a scoop on top of your toasted muffins.
4. Add some grated cheddar on top.

Spicy Sausage Penne

As a college student I remember being limited on equipment, time, and cash to really make all of my mom's recipes.  I was playing varsity tennis and soccer while carrying a full 16 hour load, including Organic Chemistry--but living off-campus with a reduced meal card forced me into making simple dishes with leftovers.

I hit the local Good Will to get a decent, second-hand 5-qt saucepan and I invested in a large, decent Teflon skillet at the time. Why? Because you can pretty much use them for anything--boiling water, making rice, searing hamburgers, sautéing onions, making soup or spaghetti sauce, boiling ramen--you get my drift!

What's even better is when you have a recipe that is either completely made within one piece of kitchen equipment, i.e. one-pot cooking...or, maybe two, as in this case. The idea is to keep things simple and contained with high yield in flavor, friends and leftovers!

Check this out! Really, no more than 30 - 40 minutes from the minute you walk in the door!
(Adapted from Tyler Florence's Dinner At My Place cookbook)

Spicy Sausage Penne 

Equipment:
5-qt saucepan
Dutch Oven or large skillet
Cookie sheet

Ingredients:
4 Hot Italian Sausages, cut 1/4" diagonally
1 lb of dried penne
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbls olive oil
1 28 oz can San Marzano Crushed Tomatoes
1/2 - 1 tsp of red pepper flakes
1/4 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup half-and-half
1 cup peas (optional)
1/2 cup grated parmesan + extra

Instructions:
1. Wash your hands.
2. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. (when you walk in the door)
3. Roast your 4 sausages on the cookie sheet at 350F degrees x 15 minutes. Turn x 5 min. Cool and slice diagonally. (start heating your salted water for the pasta )

4. Fill 5-qt saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Cook your pasta. Drain your pasta as instructed.
(use the down-time while pasta boils & sausage roast to prep your other ingredients)

5. Prep your other ingredients while pasta boils, i.e. onions, garlic, grated cheese, basil, and peas.

6. Heat 2 Tbls of olive oil over MEDIUM heat and sauté onions / garlic until translucent and fragrant.
(in the time you boiled / roasted / prepped, maybe 20-25 minutes have passed. throw it together now)

7. Add tomatoes and basil. Season with salt and pepper.

8. Simmer x 15 minutes on LOW heat.
9. Add cream and continue to cook until smooth and creamy.

10. Add sausage, peas, and parmesan. Stir until combined for 2-3 minutes.

11. Add your pasta and serves this up with additional basil / sprinkle of cheese.

Fantastic for left-overs and enough to go around!

Basic Couscous

Throwing in a super easy side dish recipe because this a great go-to side in 10 minutes. I add a few extras for flavor, and I use chicken broth in place of water.

Make the Chicken Souvlaki and Creamy Cucumber Salad for a crazy-delicious meal!  

Equipment:

3-qt saucepan with lid

Ingredients:

1 Tbls butter

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

1 cup chicken broth 

1 tsp salt

1 cup couscous

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands.

2. Prep green onions

3. Bring butter to simmer over medium heat.

4. Add green onions and salt.

5. Add broth.

6. Bring to a boil. 

7. Add couscous stirring constantly.

8. Cover with lid and remove from heat.

9. Set aside for 10 minutes. 

10. Add feta or Cotija cheese. Or toasted pine nuts if you have them.

11. Use a fork to fluff. Serve immediately.

12. Easy meal with chops, souvlaki, salad! Call your friends.

Quick-Fix Taco(s) Salad

Tacos are perfect for any college kid who needs volume and substance. Variations are endless. Just put out the fixin's and let everyone do their own thing: salad, soft taco, hard-shell...whatever!

Equipment:
1. 10-12" Non-stick skillet
2. Lots of bowls for condiments

Ingredients:
1. 1 lb Ground Beef, browned
2. 1 bottle Ortega Medium Taco Sauce,
3. Hard-shell Taco Shells
4. Soft Tacos
5. Tortilla Chips

Instructions:
1. Crumble the meat into the skillet and let brown as seen in picture before flipping or browning the rest
2. Once meat is almost browned, add 3/4 bottle of the taco sauce.
3. That's the hard part.  If the meat is done, you are golden.

Alternatives:
A.  Leave out meat altogether.  Substitute black beans or refried beans.

B.  Brown a diced jalapeño with the meat.  Add garlic powder, Tajin Classic Seasoning, salt and pepper for a more savory option. Finish off with squeezed lime.

Fixin's:

*Lettuce
*Tomatoes
*Sharp Cheddar, shredded and lots of it
*Salsa
*Sour Cream
*Jalapeños, fresh or pickled
*Onions
*Re-fried Beans or Black Beans
*Guacamole
*Olives

The Assembly Line--any which way you like it:

Dig in! Oh yeah...you can't, it's just a picture.  You will need to get cookin', I guess.
Don't tell me your roomates won't love you if this is served tonight!