 This is one of my favorite childhood sandwiches. Although I had made egg salad sandwiches for Ben and I a few times in our *almost* seven years of marriage, I never followed a recipe and just mixed some boiled eggs with a dollop of mayo and a squirt of mustard. I just threw the eggs in whole and mashed them into the dressings with a fork, which created quite the forgettable mushy egg salad. Tasted okay back then, but now my palate is a bit more refined and I can no longer take that version, and I’m sure Ben agrees. 
 Now, we enjoy this fabulous formula of not just egg, mayo and mustard, but an addition of onion, parsley, celery and lemon. It’s still very simple, but kicks up the flavor and creates a sandwich I will no longer forget to place on our lunch menu. The trick here is to dice the eggs and gently mix them with the rest of the ingredients, instead of mashing them all together.
We took these for a picnic last week during a visit to the park with some friends, and I can assure you that although our children made memories for us with their crazy rock sliding, snake chasing, and fire ant stomping adventures, this sandwich pops right into mind when reminiscing about that day.
Classic Egg Salad Sandwich
- 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons minced red onion
- 1 Tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
- 1/2 medium celery rib, chopped fine
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- black pepper, to taste
Gently mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Serve immediately or chill first (as I prefer) for at least 1 hour.
*Note: I like to eat my egg salad sandwich plain, but you can certainly serve it with a slice of tomato and lettuce.
Source: The New Best Recipe 2.0 http://penniesonaplatter.com/2012/04/18/classic-egg-salad-sandwich/ Copyright Pennies on a Platter 2007
 A-hem! Can I have your attention please? I am fixin’ to share with you (yes, I’m working on my southern drawl) one of my favorite new recipes, and you do not want to miss it. You will be skeptical at first, but don’t write it off until you try it. Really folks, this is legit.
Of course, if you absolutely dislike sweet potatoes, then I’ll grant you the exception. As for everyone else? You’re gonna love these! So, get your pen and paper ready (or your ZipList app) to create your shopping list, because I’m willing to bet you’ll add these to your meal plan next week.
 If you have ever made twice baked potatoes, this is really the same idea, but with southwestern and sweet potato flare. Sweet potato pulp is mashed up with black beans, seasoned roasted corn (yum!), onions, cream cheese (wowsa!), sour cream (heck, ya!) and more! The addition of the chipotle peppers help make this a star recipe, but if you’re scared of the heat, you can definitely leave them out. The original recipe calls for two to four peppers, but my mouth was on fire with using only the minimum. So, I tweaked it below to call for one to three, and make it more toddler friendly… you can definitely add more if you’re not as wussy as me!
The leftovers heat up beautifully in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. So that means, if you want to double this recipe, go for it! I have no idea about freezing them, though. If you do it and it works for you, please share!
(And, take careful attention to the recipe note at the end. You probably won’t use up all of the sweet potato filling, but don’t throw it away! Instead, spread it in between a few tortillas and whip yourself up a couple of quesadillas! You can thank me later.)
Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- 3 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 (15 oz) can corn, or 1.5 cups frozen corn, rinsed and patted dry
- Salt, to taste
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano (optional)
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 ounce cream cheese (light or regular)
- 1/4 cup sour cream (light or regular), plus more for serving
- 1 to 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced or pureed
- 6 Tablespoons shredded Mexican cheese (or other preferred flavor)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until fork tender. Remove from the oven and allow to set until cool enough to handle.
While the sweet potatoes are cooling, saute the corn in a dry heavy skillet over medium high heat. Sprinkle with salt, cumin, chili powder and Mexican oregano. Cook until the corn is roasted and browned (about 7 to 10 minutes). Transfer to a small bowl; set aside.
Wipe the skillet clean and heat the Tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onions and cook until just tender. Transfer to the bowl with the corn. Add the black beans and cilantro to the onion and corn. Gently stir to evenly mix.
When the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half, lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the flesh, into a large mixing bowl, leaving the skins intact. (Try leaving a thin layer of potato to help the skin hold together.)
Add the cream cheese, sour cream, chipotle pepper(s) and salt to the mixing bowl with the sweet potatoes. Mash with a potato masher or blender to desired texture. Gently stir in the roasted corn, onions, black beans and cilantro mix.
Preheat the broiler. Fill each potato skin with the mashed potato mixture*, topping each with 1 Tablespoon of cheese. Broil for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and hot. Serve immediately with a dollop of sour cream.
*Note: Any leftover filling can be saved and used later to whip up a few delicious quesadillas. :)
Source: Adapted from Pinch of Yum 2.0 http://penniesonaplatter.com/2012/04/17/southwestern-stuffed-sweet-potatoes/ Copyright Pennies on a Platter 2007
 For the past year or so, I’ve had the privilege of testing recipes from Sargento, with the permission to share with you the ones that I end up loving (read: added to our household’s recipe pool). This is how we came across our favorite burger and one of our best pizza combos.
Recently, we tried an habanero cheeseburger from Sargento’s collection. I was initially skeptical of the combination of the spices and coleslaw in this recipe, but was quickly put to ease once I took a bite of the ‘slaw after prepping it ahead of time. So much flavor is packed into just the coleslaw, that I knew the burger had to be pretty bad for this one to not turn out good!
The burger, itself, did not disappoint. The dry rub (jerk seasoning) was a surprisingly welcomed twist to how I would normally spice up my patties. I love that these are called Island Jerk Burgers because they did make me reminisce of a tropical meal. The only things missing were a margarita in my hand and my toes in the sand.
Island Jerk Burgers with Zesty Lime Coleslaw
- 2 cups shredded cabbage mixture for coleslaw (bought in a bag)
- 1/2 medium red onion, peeled, halved and sliced very thin
- 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and finely sliced
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- Zest and juice of 1 small lime
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1.5 pounds ground beef
- 4 teaspoons jerk seasoning
- 4 slices cheese (chipotle cheddar cheese preferred)
- 4 burger buns
Combine the cabbage, red onion and bell pepper in a large bowl. In a separate small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, hot sauce, lime zest and juice, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. Toss it into the cabbage mixture to coat. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, and up to 24 hours.
Heat up your grill. Shape the beef into 4 individual patties. Rub each patty with the jerk seasoning, adding additional salt and pepper as desired. Grill the burgers until cooked to desired doneness, flipping once. Lightly toast the buns of the grill. Place a slice of cheese on the bottom half of the buns and heat briefly to melt. Assemble burgers on top of the cheese and topped with a pile of coleslaw.
Source: Adapted from Sargento 2.0 http://penniesonaplatter.com/2012/04/12/island_jerk_burgers_with_zesty_lime_coleslaw/ Copyright Pennies on a Platter 2007
Full Disclosure: Although I’m in partnership to test and review Sargento recipes, I only share with you the ones that I truly enjoy and will make again. This post was sponsored by Sargento, but the opinions expressed about this recipe are my own.
 No, I’m not calling you names. The term “jerk” here is a cooking method, such as rubbing meat with a dry rub and barbecuing over a wood fire. Recently, we tried a new recipe using jerk seasoning. I had none in my pantry. But, instead of running to the store to buy it, I found that I could make it real quick with some of the spices I already had on hand. You know what else I found out? This seasoning is a great rub for any meat that you want to throw on your grill! However, save about 2 Tablespoons for a burger recipe I’ll be sharing soon!
(The recipe below is a somewhat milder jerk spice, as I haven’t been able to handle much heat since I had Judah. Weird, I know.) 
DIY Jerk Seasoning (Dry Spice Rub)
- 2 Tablespoons dried minced onion
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons ground allspice
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Place all ingredients in a small jar. Secure the lid and shake to thoroughly combine. Store in a cool, dry place until ready to use.
To use: Rub surface of meat with oil and then the seasoning. Or, use in any recipe calling for jerk seasoning.
Source: Slightly adapted from AllRecipes 2.0 http://penniesonaplatter.com/2012/04/10/diy-jerk-seasoning-dry-spice-rub/ Copyright Pennies on a Platter 2007
 It’s grilling season, folks, and I can’t be more excited! Who am I kidding? It’s grilling season year-round here. I guess I’m just more excited now because I know more of you can share in this enjoyment with me!
Using the grill means fewer nights of cooking inside…which ultimately leads to less clean up in the kitchen. It’s more opportunity for Ben and I to tag team with dinner since he’s the grill master but I still prep the meal. And, let’s face it, with the hot weather we already have in Mississippi, who wants to be inside with the oven on?
We grilled up these pork kebabs the other night and couldn’t have been more pleased with the results. The southeast Asian flavors were just what we were hoping, with a salty and zesty smack. I love kebabs because you really don’t have to fix up any additional sides, except for some rice to serve with it and then that necessary dessert you have to have with every meal, right?
If you don’t own them already, I highly HIGHLY highly recommend purchasing some reusable metal skewers and dumping those cheap wooden ones. Up until this point, we were using the wooden skewers until I finally picked some metal ones up at Target. Really wish I would’ve done this much sooner! Not only do you not have to take the additional 30 minutes to soak the over-sized toothpicks, the food slides off much easier on the metal skewers. You don’t have to worry about risking any splinters, either! (Although, I will admit I still stabbed my fingers nearly the same amount of times while threading the meat and veggies.)
And, does anyone else naturally spell kebab “kabob”? Or, is that just me? I’m not even sure of the difference, if there is any? Enlighten me, please.
Grilled Pork Kebabs with Southest Asian Marinade
For the pork:
Start with butterflying the pork by slicing each cube in the center but not cutting through completely. This will allow more surface for the marinade to flavor the meat. In a gallon-sized zipper bag, combine the oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Drop in the pork cubes and seal. Lightly shake the bag to evenly coat the pork with the oil. Allow the pork to fully season in the refrigerator for at least an hour or up until 24 hours.
For the marinade:
Combine the marinade ingredients in a large mixing bowl, whisking until the sugar is dissolved. Toss in the pork, coating it evenly with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
For the fruit and veggies:
Light up your grill (charcoal or gas, whichever your preference). Meanwhile, toss the fruit and veggies with 1 1/2 Tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large bowl, then season with salt and pepper. Brush the onions with the remaining oil and season with salt and pepper.
Assemble:
In this order, thread a pineapple chunk, onion stack, cube of meat, yellow pepper, and red pepper onto the skewers. Repeat this order one or two more times per skewer. Brush any remaining oil onto the skewers.
Cook:
Grill the kebabs, uncovered, turning each kebab one-quarter turn every 2-3 minutes until the meat is well-browned and cooked to medium-rare (about 10 minutes). Transfer the kebabs to a large clean serving platter and splash with fresh lemon and lime juice, if desired. Serve immediately over rice (optional).
Source: Adapted from The Cook's Illustrated Guide to Grilling and Barbecue 2.0 http://penniesonaplatter.com/2012/04/09/grilled-pork-kebabs-with-southest-asian-marinade/ Copyright Pennies on a Platter 2007
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