Sandwiches - Lauren's Latest

Chicken Salad Sandwich

Lauren's Latest — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 11:30:00 +0000

Leftover chicken never tasted so good! A Chicken Salad Sandwich is always my favorite way to put it to use! Shredded roasted chicken, sliced red grapes, red onion, basil, celery and chopped pecans come together in a simple mayonnaise dressing. Scoop a heaping spoonful (or more!) onto a croissant and you have the most delicious lunch ever! Pair with some Homemade Kettle Chips or my easy Fruit Salad.

Use Croissants

Everyone has their own version of Chicken Salad Sandwiches. Some use dinner rolls, some opt for the low carb option of a wrap or just eat it plain, maybe with some crackers. Croissants are my go to for many reasons. It’s obvious that they are far superior to all the other breads out there, but the buttery, flaky texture is really just the best and you cannot convince me otherwise. I love to use croissants for chicken salad because they are so soft and pretty sturdy as far as bread goes. You can really load on the chicken salad and some crunchy lettuce to finish it off.

How to Make Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Definitely one of the most simple recipes I have…the hardest part comes in the slicing and dicing of the grapes and veggies. For full recipe details, see the printable recipe card down below.

Combine All Ingredients

Combine shredded chicken, sliced red grapes, basil, chopped pecans, diced red onion, and diced celery together in large bowl. Add in Mayonnaise and salt + pepper. Stir to combine.

Refrigerate until ready to use.

Scoop onto Croissants + Serve

Add lettuce to bottom part of croissant. Scoop a heaping spoonful or two onto croissant.

What to Serve with Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Depending on how you are using these, there are lots of options for side dishes that pair well. If you’re wanting to make these for a party/gathering, try using mini croissants and serve as an appetizer. Other side dish options are:

Storing Leftovers

Store leftover Chicken Salad in an airtight container in the fridge. Chicken salad will stay fresh for 2-3 days…depending on when the roasted chicken was cooked. You will want to stir the mixture up a little before you use it, as the mayo and other juices tend to separate a little.

Make Ahead – The beauty of Chicken Salad is the longer it sits, the better it tastes! This absolutely is a great make ahead kind of recipe.

Freezing – Unfortunately freezing isn’t an option. Anything with mayonnaise in it doesn’t freeze very well and I don’t recommend it.

More Salads to Try!

This Chicken Salad Sandwich recipe is perfect for lunch or light snacking…OR throw these into mini croissants. Super cute and kind of fancy too. No one needs to know how easy it is to make.

The printable recipe card is found below. Be sure to print, save, bookmark and share this recipe to have handy! Enjoy your day, friends!

Chicken Salad Sandwich

Leftover chicken never tasted so good! A Chicken Salad Sandwich is my new favorite way to put it to use!

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword Pecan Chicken Salad

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings servings

Calories 585kcal

Author Lauren’s Latest

Ingredients

2 large roasted chicken breasts fully cooked, cooled and diced
2 cups red grapes sliced
10 large basil leaves chiffonade
½ cup pecans toasted, chopped
2 stalks celery diced
½ cup red onion diced
¾-1 cup mayonnaise
salt & pepper to taste

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Stir all ingredients together in large bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Delicious with crackers or in a sandwich with lettuce.

Nutrition

The post Chicken Salad Sandwich appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Cheeseburger Sliders

Lauren's Latest — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 18:00:00 +0000

Cheeseburger Sliders are cheesy, juicy and with a little bacon, everything you could want in a slider. These make for a lightning-quick dinner that everyone (and I mean everyone!) will love! Serve with Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries and Ambrosia Salad.

Best Rolls for Sliders

The best rolls for sliders that I have found is Sweet Hawaiian Rolls. You can find these in 12 or 24 ct packages at most groceries stores. For this recipe (unless you’re doubling the recipe) you’ll need a 12 ct package. These particular rolls make making sliders super easy. Keeping the rolls together, I like to run my knife through the entire tray of rolls, and peel back the top like opening a book. You can also use dinner rolls.

Best Ground Beef for Sliders

I like to stick with a leaner ground beef (90/10) or (97/3) fat content. You can use what you have on hand of course. Ultimately, you’ll be draining the fat and liquid before adding to the rolls anyway.

How to Make Cheeseburger Sliders

Start to finish, you’ll be sitting down to eat these in under 30 minutes! For full recipe details, see the printable recipe card down below. Here is what you can expect while making the Cheeseburger Sliders.

Preheat Oven, Prep Baking Sheet + Slice Rolls

Preheat the oven to broil (low). Line a baking sheet with foil. Place Hawaiian sweet rolls onto foil and slice entire slab of rolls across lengthwise. Open like a book and set aside.

Brown Ground Beef

In a large skillet, brown ground beef. Once it’s mostly browned, stir in green onion, garlic powder, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Continue cooking until completely browned. Drain most of the grease. Spoon ground beef overtop the bottom half of the rolls and spread evenly. Top with cheese and place under the broiler on low until the cheese is just melted. Remove from oven. Turn broiler off.

Cook the Bacon

Cook bacon until crispy and cut into smaller pieces to fit on each slider. Add bacon pieces on top of melted cheese and add the tops of the rolls.

Return to warm oven and keep warm until ready to serve. (You just want to warm the tops of the rolls a touch, about 3 minutes.

Serve Warm

Remove from oven and serve with any desired toppings.

Helpful Cheeseburger Slider Tips

To make this recipe go REAL quick, use precooked bacon that you just have to crisp up in the microwave. It’s just SO easy and it tastes good too! Of course, you can cook your own on the stove, oven or airfryer. If you do choose to cook your own bacon instead of using precooked, look for the thick cut pepper bacon. That stuff is what dreams are made of.

You can definitely form the ground beef into patties and cook them individually for each slider to make a prettier presentation. Just cover the ground beef mixture in a ton of cheese so it all stays put on the roll.

Storing Leftover Sliders

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Beyond this time, the bread either dries out or becomes soggy.

Other recipes you might like:

Crockpot BBQ Chicken Cheddar Sliders

Tuna Lemon Pepper Sliders

Sweet Potato Pulled Pork Sliders

Homemade Mini Hamburger Buns

The Best Burger Recipe

Add these to your menu this week! You’ll be glad you did. The printable recipe card is below. Have a great day, friends!

Cheeseburger Sliders

Cheeseburger Sliders are a yummy and lightning quick dinner that everyone (and I mean everyone!) will love!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword Bacon Cheeseburger Sliders

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings sliders

Calories 308kcal

Ingredients

12 ct Original Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
1 lb ground beef 97/3
2 green onions finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire
salt & pepper to taste
8 oz cheddar cheese slices or grated
6 thin slices bacon

any desired toppings:

lettuce
tomato
pickle
ketchup
mustard etc.

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Line a baking sheet with foil. Place Hawaiian sweet rolls onto foil and slice entire slab of rolls across lengthwise. Open like a book and set aside.
In a large skillet, brown ground beef completely. Once it’s mostly browned, stir in green onion, garlic powder, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Continue cooking until completely browned. Pour overtop the bottom half of the rolls and spread evenly. Top with cheese and place under the broiler on low until the cheese is just melted. Remove from oven. Turn broiler off.
Cook bacon to crisp up and cut into smaller pieces to fit on each slider. Add bacon pieces on top of melted cheese and add the tops of the rolls. Return to warm oven and keep warm until ready to serve. (You just want to warm the tops of the rolls a touch, about 3 minutes.
Remove from oven and serve with any desired toppings.

Nutrition

The post Cheeseburger Sliders appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Blue Cheese Burger Recipe

Lauren's Latest — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 18:15:00 +0000

This classic Blue Cheese Burger is big, hot and juicy off the grill and can be made start to finish in about 20 minutes! Perfect for summer barbecues. Looking for a healthier burger option? Try my Greek Turkey Burger or Ranch Turkey Burgers.

Perfect for Summer Grilling

Man, do I love a good burger and this Blue Cheese Burger (or Bleu Cheese if you’re faaaaancy) will not disappoint! Or this could be called a Blue Cheese BACON Burger if you add bacon, like me. Sometimes you just gotta give into those cravings. Speaking of bacon, have you tried cooking it in the oven? It’s one of my most loved methods for bacon. You can see How to Cook Bacon in the Oven here.

Get Juicy Burgers Every Time

Here are a few rules I like to live by in order to get and keep a juicy burger.

Start with good quality meat! This sort of seems like a “duh” tip, but it makes such a difference! For best results, use 1 pound of grass-fed 80/20 ground chuck. The fat content will add not only moisture, but great flavor as well.
Add minimal salt to your meat mixture, and then salt burgers right before they come off the grill. Salt draws out moisture, so if you salt the meat ahead of time, it will work against you!
Form even, wide patties for quick and even cooking versus smaller, thicker patties.
While grilling, don’t press on or try to flatten your burger. This is the exact reason why thermometers were invented! You are getting rid of all that moisture every time you press on your burgers! Yes, it helps you see if your burger has clear juices running through it, but it also defeats the purpose of maintaining the moisture in the meat. This digital thermometer would be good to have.
Preheat your grill to moderate heat. You don’t want your grill blazing away over the high heat. ROOKIE MISTAKE! The outside will be nearly black by the time the inside is even close to being cooked. Keep your heat even and on medium.
Use Residual Heat. Cook burgers on the one side, flip, then cook briefly on the other. Turn the grill off and let them finish cooking in the residual heat with the lid closed. It seems a little odd, but it helps keep things extra moist and that’s the whole point of this list.

Common Burger Toppings to Consider

When it comes to toppings on a good burger, the sky is the limit. I prefer the usual lettuce, tomato, mayo. This burger recipe calls for BBQ sauce in the meat mixture! Yum! Here are some other topping ideas you might try.

Grilled Mushrooms
Caramelized Onions
Pickles
Fries
Onion rings
Jalapeños

A Note About Buns

There are a ton of different hamburger buns out there. I opted for a potato bread buns, which are soft and full of flavor. Consider toasting it for a slight crunch too! If you have a favorite bun that you already use, feel free to use that instead.

How To Make Blue Cheese Burgers

This Blue Cheese Burger is really easy to whip up. It was probably 20 minutes from start to finish. Cook the bacon, cook the burgers and then put everything together. And, let me tell you that burgers are so delicious when made with BBQ sauce. Perfect for summer barbecues. You’ll find the full printable recipe card down below.

Cook Bacon

In a large skillet, cook bacon to personal preference. Remove and drain on paper towels. Pour off excess bacon grease leaving 1 tablespoon. If you want to try cooking the bacon in the oven, I highly recommend it!

Mix Ground Chuck + Onion + BBQ Sauce

In a large bowl, mix ground chuck ( I used 80/20, but use what you prefer or can find), minced onion, BBQ sauce, salt, and pepper until well combined. Divide into 6 equal patties that are 1/2 inch thick.

Turn skillet up to medium-high heat.

Cook or Grill Burgers

Cook burgers for 3 minutes then flip and top with blue cheese crumbles. Cover and cook for 2 more minutes or until the burgers have reached 160 degrees F.

If you’re grilling these burgers, see the section below about grilling the perfect burgers. You’ll never grill differently ever again!

Assemble Burgers + Serve

To assemble, spread mayonnaise on one half of the bun, and top with lettuce, cooked burger, and bacon.

How to Grill the Best Grilled Burgers

Once you try grilling burgers this way, you’ll never go back to your old ways. Promise.

Preheat Grill

Place each burger onto the preheated grill. Cook 3 minutes per side.

Add Cheese

Add blue cheese crumbles to each patty, cover, and cook 1 minute.

Turn off Grill + Continue to Cook

Turn grill off and then continue cooking another 3 minutes or until burgers register 160 degrees F.

What Should I Serve with Blue Cheese Burgers?

Here are a few ideas to serve as a side dish with Blue Cheese Burgers:

Air Fryer French Fries – have you jumped on the air fryer band wagon yet? Amazing fries every time!
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries – get crispy, perfect sweet potato fries every time!
My Grandma’s Potato Salad – cold potato salad tastes so much better on a hot day.
Caesar Salad – a cool, crisp salad is always welcome.
Macaroni Salad – classic side dish welcome at any summer BBQ.

Storing Leftover Blue Cheese Burgers

Cooked hamburger tends to last in the fridge for 4-5 days before it dries out. Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag. I’d suggest assembling these blue cheese burgers when you are ready to serve!

More Burger Recipes to Try!

I hope you love these and make them this weekend! Make these at your next get-together with friends! The printable recipe card is below. Enjoy, friends!

Blue Cheese Burger

This classic Bacon Blue Cheese Burger recipe can be made, start to finish, in about 20 minutes! Perfect for summer barbecuing.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword blue cheese burger

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings Burgers

Calories 459kcal

Author Lauren

Ingredients

1 lb ground chuck 80/20
1/4 cup onion finely minced
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
salt + pepper
6 slices bacon
1/4-1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
lettuce
tomato
mayonnaise
6 whole wheat rolls

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

In large skillet, cook bacon to personal preference. Remove and drain on paper towels. Pour off excess bacon grease leaving 1 tablespoon.
In large bowl, mix ground chuck, onion, BBQ sauce, salt and pepper until well combined. Divide into 6 equal patties that are 1/2 inch thick. Turn skillet up to medium high heat.
Cook burgers 3 minutes then flip and top with blue cheese crumbles. Cover and cook 2 more minutes.
To assemble, cut rolls in half, spread mayonnaise on one half of the bun and top with lettuce, cooked burger and bacon. Party in your mouth.

Nutrition

The post Blue Cheese Burger Recipe appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

The Best Burger Recipe

Lauren's Latest — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 17:22:00 +0000

The Best Burger is grilled hot, juicy, and slathered in secret sauce. Of course, the most classic dinner you can make on a grill is a hamburger (or cheeseburger of course)! It never gets old and it tends to taste better the hotter it gets outside. I have the best Burger Recipe out there that results in flavorful, juicy burgers every time! Not to mention, my secret sauce. Make your next grill sesh complete with some Boston Baked Beans or Creamy Potato Salad (no eggs!) with your burgers.

What Makes the Best Burger?

A good hamburger recipe is made up of a couple of different sections that all work beautifully together. One doesn’t overwhelm the other and you get a perfectly juicy and balanced burger. For the Best Grilled Burger, I’m going to break down each of these sections so you can have summer grilling success!

Looking for a healthier burger? Check out my turkey burger recipes: The Best Turkey Burger Recipe, Cheddar Ranch Turkey Burgers, Southwest Turkey Burgers, and Greek Turkey Burgers.

How to Make Burger Patties

These homemade burgers will make you never want summer to end! For full recipe details, see the printable recipe card down below.

Make Ground Beef Mixture

In a large bowl, mix together Ground Chuck or Ground Beef, Gourmet Burger Seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and BBQ sauce together until well combined. Do not over mix.

Form Hamburger Patties

Line a 4-inch wide lid with plastic wrap. Add a few spoonfuls of ground beef mixture to the lid and fold the plastic wrap over the top to press and mold the burger patty. Unwrap from plastic wrap and place onto a plate or platter. Continue this process until you have created 8 patties, about 1/4 pound each, 1/3-1/2 inch thick, 4 inches across.

Refrigerate Until Ready to Grill

Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour. (This will help the burgers keep their shape on the grill.)

Get Juicy Burgers Every Time

Here are a few rules I like to live by in order to get and keep a juicy burger.

Start with good quality meat! This sort of seems like a “duh” tip, but it makes such a difference! For best results, use 2 pounds of of grass-fed 80/20 ground chuck. The fat content will add not only moisture, but great flavor as well.
Add minimal salt to your hamburger mixture, and then salt burgers right before they come off the grill. Salt draws out moisture, so if you salt the meat ahead of time, it will work against you!
Form even, wide patties for quick and even cooking versus smaller, thicker patties.
While grilling, don’t push or press on your burger. This is the exact reason why thermometers were invented! You are getting rid of all that moisture every time you push on your burgers! Yes, it helps you see if your burger has clear juices running through it, but it also defeats the purpose of maintaining the moisture in the meat. This digital thermometer would be good to have.
Preheat your grill to moderate heat. You don’t want your grill blazing away over the high heat. ROOKIE MISTAKE! The outside will be nearly black by the time the inside is even close to being cooked. Keep your heat even and on medium.
Use Residual Heat. Cook burgers on the one side, flip, then cook briefly on the other, turn the grill off and let them finish cooking in the residual heat with the lid closed. It seems a little odd, but it helps keep things extra moist and that’s the whole point of this list.
A Lighter Recipe. To lighten up the recipe, make your burger with only one lean beef patty.

How to Grill the Best Grilled Burgers

Once you try grilling burgers this way, you’ll never go back to your old ways. Promise.

Preheat Grill + Bring Burgers From the Fridge

Place each burger onto the preheated grill. Cook 3 minutes per side.

Add Cheese to Each Burger

Add cheddar cheese slices to each patty, cover, and cook 1 minute.

Turn Off Grill + Continue to Cook

Turn grill off and then continue cooking another 3 minutes or until burgers register 160 degrees F.

My Secret Sauce

While the burgers are resting, make up the secret sauce! Whisk mayonnaise together with ketchup, pickles, pickle juice, ground pepper, and garlic powder. Place in refrigerator until ready to use.

Prep Toppings

After making the secret sauce, don’t forget to prep your burger toppings while the burgers are resting. Slice tomatoes, wash and tear lettuce, slice the onion, etc.

Other Common Burger Toppings to Consider

Now this is totally up to you because it’s your dinner! Some of my favorite toppings are lettuce, tomato, and red onions.

Mustard
Mayonaise
Mushrooms
Caramelized Onions
Bacon
Pickles
Fries

A Note About Buns

Assemble Your Burger

To assemble your burger, take a bun and add plenty of secret sauce and lettuce. Then stack two burgers together and place them on top of lettuce. Now pile on any other desired toppings and close it off with the top of the hamburger bun. Enjoy!

Side Dishes to Have with this Burger Recipe

Now that you have the perfect summer burger you’re going to need some side dishes. Don’t worry…I got you covered with these easy ideas.

Garlic Fries Recipe – this recipe takes very little prep and can be done in 25 minutes or less!
Grandma’s Best Potato Salad Recipe – cold potato salad tastes so much better on a hot day.
Amazing Pico de Gallo Recipe – serve alongside chips.
High Protein Ranch Dip & Dressing – break out the veggies with this delicious ranch dip!
Classic Coleslaw Recipe with Homemade Coleslaw Dressing – the perfect coleslaw to go with your main course.
Cucumber Salad Recipe – so refreshing!

Storing Leftover Burgers

Store leftover burgers in the fridge, in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Freezing Directions: Grilled hamburgers freeze well, while maintaining their flavor for up to 4 months! Allow burgers to cool completely. Wrap each burger individually in foil, and then place in a sealed freezer safe bag.

More Burger Recipes to Try!

This burger recipe is quite straightforward, so the photos should help send you down the right path! Plus, this recipe can be dressed up or dressed down for all your burger needs. Just be sure to print the recipe so you have it on hand

The printable recipe card is below. Have a great day, friends!

The Best Burger Recipe

The Best Burger Recipe is grilled, juicy, and slathered in secret sauce. These homemade burgers will make you never want summer to end!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword best burger recipe, burger recipe, homemade burgers

Prep Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings servings

Calories 923kcal

Author Lauren Brennan

Ingredients

for the burgers-

2 lbs. 80/20 Ground Chuck or Ground Beef of choice
2 tablespoons Gourmet Burger Seasoning
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 cup BBQ sauce

for the secret sauce-

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup dill pickles finely diced
1 tablespoon dill pickle juice
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
8 slices cheddar cheese
4 potato hamburger buns
lettuce
tomato
red onion etc.

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix Ground Beef, burger seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and BBQ sauce together until well combined.
Line a 4-inch wide lid with plastic wrap. Add a few spoonfuls of hamburger mixture to the lid and fold plastic wrap over the top to press and mold the burger patty. Unwrap from plastic wrap and place onto a plate or platter. Continue this process until you have created 8 patties, about 1/4 pound each, 1/3-1/2 inch thick, 4 inches across.
Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour. (This will help the burgers keep their shape on the grill)
While burgers are resting, make the secret sauce: stir mayonnaise together with ketchup, pickles, pickle juice, ground pepper, and garlic powder. Place in refrigerator.
Also, prep your burger toppings: slice tomatoes, wash and tear lettuce, slice the onion, etc.
To grill, place each burger onto preheated grill. Cook 3 minutes on one side and then flip. Add cheddar cheese slices on each patty, cover and cook 1 minute. Turn grill off and then continue cooking another 3 minutes or until burgers register 160 degrees F.
Stack two burgers* together and place onto hamburger buns. Add plenty of secret sauce and any other desired toppings. Enjoy!

Notes

*To lighten up the recipe, make with only one lean beef patty.

Nutrition

The post The Best Burger Recipe appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Crock Pot Sloppy Joes

Lauren's Latest — Sat, 22 Jan 2022 02:10:00 +0000

This healthier version of Crock Pot Sloppy Joes is packed with tons of veggies {hello zucchini, carrot, and squash} and lean beef! An easy and tasty meal everyone will enjoy! To round out this meaty meal try serving it alongside Garlic Fries Recipe or Pan-Fried Potatoes.

Full of Hidden Veggies

Crock Pot Sloppy Joes are a pretty typical dinner that we eat over at the Lauren’s Latest household. It looks and sounds unhealthy, but is packed with tons of veggies {hello zucchini, carrot, and squash} and lean beef. Plus, I took it a step further and served these on whole wheat buns. Oh, and it makes for an awesome crockpot meal too! My family gobbled this up and we even had leftovers. Seriously so good!

How to Make Sloppy Joes in the Crock Pot

This Crock Pot Sloppy Joes recipe is a simple one! Once you cook and drain the beef & veggies, the rest is a cakewalk. And the longer it cooks, the yummier it gets, as is the case with most crockpot meals. For the full recipe details, check out the recipe card down below!

Brown Meat + Prep Veggies

Turn crock pot to high and set it aside. In a large, nonstick skillet, brown ground beef. While meat is browning, grate onion, carrot, zucchini, and yellow squash. Drain well and spoon meat into warmed crock pot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cook Veggies

Replace pan to the heat. Place vegetables into the hot pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute until the vegetables are tender. Pour over meat in crock pot.

Cook in Crock Pot

Replace pan back on the heat. Pour in all ingredients for the sauce and whisk until smooth. Simmer then pour over ingredients in crock pot. Stir then cover and cook.

A Note about Sloppy Joe Sauce + Crock Pots

If you plan on cooking this sloppy joe recipe for longer in the crock pot than what the recipe calls for, make a sauce with a tad bit more water. You want the sauce to stay “sloppy” while cooking. If your crock pot runs hot, you may need to turn it down half way through the cook time.

Serve!

Serve over tightly toasted whole wheat hamburger or kaiser buns with any desired toppings.

Toppings

Whole Wheat Kaiser Buns – or you could use hamburger buns. Toasting your buns is always recommended!
Dill Pickles – we like dill pickles with our sloppy joes. Feel free to add what you like to yours.
Cheddar Cheese – cheese adds a great creamy texture to the sandwich.

Storing Crock Pot Sloppy Joes

Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to 5 days!

This recipe is great for meal prepping for the rest of the week.

Freezing Instructions

The beauty of this recipe is that you could even store the leftovers in the freezer for up to 4 months!

To freeze, cool completely, then transfer sloppy joe mixture into an airtight container. To use, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the crock pot or stovetop.

More Sloppy Joe Recipes to Try!

If you loved this Crock Pot Sloppy Joes recipe you’re going to love the other sloppy joes I have to offer!

Anyways, printable recipe below. Enjoy, friends!!

Crock Pot Sloppy Joes

Crock Pot Sloppy Joes look and sound unhealthy, but are packed with tons of veggies and lean beef! An easy and tasty meal everyone will enjoy!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword crock pot sloppy joes, sloppy joe recipe crock pot, slow cooker sloppy joes

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours 20 minutes

Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes

Servings servings

Calories 388kcal

Author Lauren Brennan

Ingredients

2 lbs. lean ground beef I used 90/10
1 large onion
2/3 cup baby carrots
2 small zucchini
2 small yellow squash

sloppy joe sauce:

1 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups ketchup
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tablespoon dried mustard
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
salt & pepper to taste
6-8 whole wheat kaiser rolls or hamburger buns

optional toppings:

dill pickles
cheddar cheese

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Turn crockpot to high and set aside. In a large, nonstick skillet, brown ground beef over medium-high heat. While meat is browning, grate onion, carrot, zucchini, and yellow squash using a food processor {or you can do it by hand}. Drain well and spoon meat into warmed crockpot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Replace pan to the heat.
Place vegetables into the hot pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute until the water from the veggies has evaporated and vegetables are tender about 7 minutes. Pour over meat in crockpot.
Replace pan back on the heat. Pour in all ingredients for the sauce and whisk until smooth. Simmer gently 5 minutes, then pour over ingredients in crockpot. Stir to coat everything evenly. Cover and cook 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve over tightly toasted whole wheat hamburger or kaiser buns.

Nutrition

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Macro Friendly Baked Ham and Cheese Sliders

Lauren's Latest — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 05:36:00 +0000

Baked Ham and Cheese Sliders

I'm sure you have seen versions on this recipe around online and man oh man are they loaded with butter! For my macro-friendly version, I decided to still add some butter, but a more realistic amount that keeps things buttery and delicious while not overdoing it. That paired with the dijon mustard, poppyseeds and the Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, this makes a quick and easy dinner or lunch. We devoured these.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword ham sandwich

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Servings sandwiches

Calories 209kcal

Ingredients

16 Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
18 oz sliced deli ham I used Hillshire Farm Honey Ham
4 oz grated sharp cheddar cheese I used Tillamook
2 tablespoons salted butter melted
1 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon poppyseeds
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and place entire slab of Hawaiian Sweet Rolls onto baking sheet. Using a serrated knife, cut entire slab in half without separating rolls.
Add an even layer of ham across the rolls and top with grated cheese. Top with top half of rolls.
In a small bowl, stir together melted butter, dijon mustard, poppyseeds, Worcestershire sauce and onion powder. Brush the tops and sides with this mixture.
Fold the foil up and around rolls. No need to add extra foil to cover the top. Bake 10-15 minutes or until hot and melty. Cut rolls apart and serve.

Notes

The more accurate for 1 serving (1 sandwich) are as follows: 170 calories, 7.5g F/18.3g C/9.8g P.

Nutrition

The post Macro Friendly Baked Ham and Cheese Sliders appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Crockpot Pulled Pork

Lauren's Latest — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 04:05:00 +0000

This amazing Pulled Pork Recipe is a crowd-pleasing, super simple way to cook pulled pork. You only need a crockpot or slow cooker and a few hours to cook! So delicious with my favorite homemade Macaroni and Cheese and Coleslaw.

What is Pulled Pork?

Pulled Pork is an American dish, originating from the South which uses shredded pork shoulder as the main ingredient with other regional-based sauces added on after cooking slowly over a smoker, wood fire, or in a slow cooker or crockpot.

Crockpot versus Smoker

Both a Crockpot and a smoker work beautifully for cooking pulled pork. Not everyone has a smoker, so your Crockpot or slow cooker will do. You are essentially braising this large piece of meat to get that glorious, shreddable texture. You can definitely just use a dutch oven and bake this meat low and slow in the oven as well, but I find cooking it in the crockpot is the easiest way to make this pulled pork recipe. You just set it and forget it which is my kind of recipe. If you do have a smoker, you MUST try my smoked pork butt recipe.

What Cut of Meat is Best for Pulled Pork?

Pork Shoulder, sometimes referred to as Pork Butt, is the cut of pork used for all Pulled Pork Recipes. It is some of the most tender and flavorful meat after being cooked low and slow. Partly because it’s naturally very fatty, but also because it just falls off the bone after cooking.

I used a hefty 3-pound roast that I’ve lightly trimmed. When pork shoulders go on sale, pick up one or two, and make this easy meal for your family. You will all love it! (Beware when buying from Costco; You’ll need several crockpots to cook it all!) Freezing extra raw pork is a great solution.

The Best Sauce to Cook Pulled Pork In

For this slow cooker pulled pork, I find it best to add in some cooking liquid and flavorings for maximum flavor. Here is what I like to add for the cooking:

BBQ sauce. Use a really good BBQ sauce that you love. We like KC Masterpiece. Gordon’s parents swear by Sweet Baby Ray’s. It really doesn’t matter. As long as YOU like the taste of the BBQ sauce you’re using, that’s all that matters.
Yellow Onions. I love the flavor these give off. After hours of cooking, these just melt into the sauce leaving flavor behind.
Water. This acts as the majority of cooking liquid. I didn’t love the way chicken broth or beef broth tasted, so I much prefer water.
Lots of Salt and Pepper. This helps anchor the flavor of the meat and helps create that sweet-savory mix that pulled pork is known for.

After the pork is completely cooked, I like adding in more bbq sauce, brown sugar, yellow mustard and minced garlic. Oh mama, is it good!

How to Make Pulled Pork

I love Crockpot meals on a busy weeknight! Throw everything in and forget about it until it’s done. This recipe is no different. For full recipe details and ingredient increments, see the printable recipe card below.

Add Pork Butt and Cooking Liquid into Crockpot

In a crockpot, place pork, water, bbq sauce, salt, pepper, and onion. Cover and turn crockpot on.

How Long to Cook Pulled Pork

The only thing you need when cooking large cuts of meat is time–and lots of it! For best results, cook 8-10 hours on low. If you don’t have that much time, cook for 4-5 hours on high.

Of course, you can make this in advance and keep it warm until you’re ready to serve. The beauty of a crockpot–it’s so versatile! It makes my life easy. Great for a party, too!

Pull the Pork

Remove all meat from the crockpot. Spoon off fat from the remaining liquid in the crockpot and discard. Pour out remaining cooking liquid and set aside.

Shred or ‘pull’ pork removing excess fat and gristle as you go. Return to crockpot and stir in garlic, bbq sauce, brown sugar, mustard, and more salt and pepper. Add in cooking liquid as needed to moisten. Cook another 30 minutes to 1 hour. Serve on white bread, rolls, hamburger buns or however you’d like with any of my favorite BBQ side dishes:

Homemade Rolls to make sandwiches.
Classic Coleslaw because this combo is out of this world.
Mexican Street Corn because that is just delicious.
Tangy Baked Beans…another southern side that makes my heart sing.
Homemade Cornbread that is sweet and tender
Macaroni and Cheese….a favorite you can get at any BBQ joint

How to Store Leftovers

Any leftover Pulled Pork can be saved by refrigerating in an airtight container for up to 4 days!

To reheat, simply warm in the microwave, lightly covered (to retain moisture), until heated through, stirring occasionally.

To freeze, place in an airtight freezer safe bag or container. If using a ziplock bag, be sure to remove as much of the air as possible. Pulled pork will stay fresh in the freezer for 3 months.

Love this Pulled Pork Recipe? Try These Pork Recipes:

Below is the printable recipe card. Save it and enjoy, friends!

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

This amazing Pulled Pork Recipe is a crowd-pleasing, super simple way to cook pulled pork. You only need a crockpot or slow cooker and a few hours to cook!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword pulled pork, pulled pork crock pot, pulled pork recipe, slow cooker pulled pork

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 8 hours

Total Time 8 hours 10 minutes

Servings servings

Calories 635kcal

Author Lauren

Ingredients

For cooking:

3 lb. pork shoulder trimmed
1 cup water
1 cup BBQ sauce
salt & pepper
1/2 yellow onion diced

After cooking:

3 cloves garlic minced
2 cups BBQ sauce
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
salt & pepper

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

In a crockpot, place pork, water, bbq sauce, salt, pepper, and onion. Cover and cook on low heat for 8-10 hours until very tender. (Or cook on high heat for 4-5 hours or until very tender.)
Remove all meat from the crockpot. Spoon off fat from the remaining liquid in the crockpot and discard. Pour out remaining cooking liquid and set aside.
Shred pork removing excess fat. Return to the crockpot and stir in garlic, bbq sauce, brown sugar, mustard, and more salt and pepper. Add in cooking liquid as needed to moisten. Cook another 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Serve with homemade or Hawaiian sweet rolls and coleslaw.

Nutrition

The post Crockpot Pulled Pork appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Root Beer Pulled Pork

Lauren's Latest — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 14:32:00 +0000

Root Beer Pulled Pork is the best! The mix of root beer and BBQ sauce flavored pork is smashed between two buns and eaten as a sandwich (enjoy with coleslaw on the side or even in your sandwiches)!

Root Beer Pulled Pork | Slow Cooker Recipe!

Let’s talk about this Root Beer Pulled Pork recipe that can be found in The Recipe Girl Cookbook. Lori {who is Recipe Girl} wrote her cookbook a while ago and only now have I had the chance to look through it all very thoroughly and actually enjoy some of the recipes. I liked this pulled pork so much that I had to post about it!

My husband is a bit of a pulled pork freak. He knows a good pulled pork from a bad one. And this, my friends, is a good one! I think the root beer + BBQ sauce combo is what makes these slow-cooked sandwiches so magical.

Moreover, if you have company coming into town for certain holidays this month or next, this would be a great set-it-and-forget-it easy meal. Slow-cookers to the rescue!

For more yummy recipes, check out Recipegirl.com or purchase her book here.

Main Ingredients Needed

You only need 5 ingredients and about 30 minutes of prep time to make this amazing slow cooker root beer pulled pork! Here’s what you’ll need:

Bone-In Pork Butt – also called a pork shoulder (don’t worry it’s a cut from the shoulder, not the booty). I used a 5-6 pound piece of meat, but use what will fit into your crockpot!
Onion Soup Mix – this is packaged in an envelope and is an easy way to pack a bunch of flavors into this recipe.
Salt + Pepper – don’t forget to season as you go.
Root Beer – not only does this provide a sweeter flavor but it also makes things a little sticky, yum! I would absolutely not recommend using diet root beer (you need actual sugar for this recipe).
BBQ Sauce – the pork is cooked with BBQ sauce as well as mixing it in near the end for maximum savory flavor. Use whichever BBQ sauce you like best (Sweet Baby Ray’s is a classic).
Hamburger Buns – you can use this pulled pork recipe for a variety of things but I like to make sandwiches out f it. Toast your buns for a slight crunch!

How to Make Pulled Pork with Root Beer

For full details on how to make Root Beer Pulled Pork, see the recipe card down below

1. Prepare Pork + Cook

Rub pork shoulder with onion soup mix, salt, and pepper. Place pork into a slow cooker. Top with root beer and 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours or until pork is very tender, falls apart, and shreds easily.

2. Shred with Ingredients

Remove meat from the slow cooker. Pour out and discard all but 3/4 cup juices. Use 2 forks to shred meat, discarding any extra fatty pieces.

3. Add Back to Pot + Warm

Place meat back into the slow cooker with reserved juices. Add remaining BBQ sauce and stir to combine. Cover and heat through 15-20 minutes more. Serve as desired!

How to Serve Root Beer Pulled Pork

My favorite way to serve this root beer pulled pork is between two toasted hamburger buns! My kids will gobble this right up. Serve coleslaw either on the side or even in your sandwich. Oh baby the cold crunchy freshness of the coleslaw goes so well with the pulled pork. This is heaven, friends. You can also enjoy it these ways:

on top of macaroni and cheese
on nachos
with little slider buns
in stew
on tacos

Side Dish Ideas!

If coleslaw isn’t your thing or you’re looking for more easy side dishes to have with this meal, I’ve got you covered. Try these out:

More Pulled Pork Recipes to Try!

Printable recipe below! Hope you have a better weekend that I will have. Odds are, you will!

Root Beer Pulled Pork

This Root Beer Pulled Pork recipe is the best! The mix of root beer and BBQ sauce flavored pork is smashed between two buns and eaten as a sandwich!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword root beer pulled pork

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 10 hours

Total Time 10 hours 30 minutes

Servings servings

Calories 495kcal

Ingredients

5 lb bone-in pork shoulder butt roast or 6 lb
1 oz dried onion soup mix 1 envelope
salt & pepper to taste
12 oz root beer 1 can
2 cups BBQ sauce divided
10 regular-size hamburger buns

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Rub with onion soup mix, salt and pepper. Place pork butt into slow cooker. Top with root beer and 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours or until pork is very tender, falls apart and shreds easily.
Remove meat from slow cooker. Pour out and discard all but 3/4 cup juices. Use 2 forks to shred meat, discarding any extra fatty pieces.
Place meat back into slow cooker with reserved juices. Add remaining BBQ sauce and stir to combine. Cover and heat through 15-20 minutes more. Serve on warmed hamburger buns with coleslaw, if desired.

Nutrition

The post Root Beer Pulled Pork appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Macro Friendly Reuben Sandwich

Lauren's Latest — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 17:59:00 +0000

Macro Friendly Reuben Sandwich

Incase you need a treat of a sandwich without going totally off the rails, this is a great sandwich for you! Get that amazing buttery sandwich with 1/3rd of the fat grams from the original. I'll take it!

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Servings servings

Calories 378kcal

Ingredients

cooking spray
6 oz corned beef I used Land O'Frost sliced lunch meat
4 slices baby swiss cheese I used Sargento
4 slices sourdough bread
1/2 cup sauerkraut drained

For the Russian Dressing

4 tablespoons light mayonnaise I used Hellman's
1 1/2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon creamed horseradish
1 teaspoon Frank's red hot
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

First make the Russian Dressing by stirring the mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish, Frank's Red Hot, paprika, salt and pepper together. Set this aside.
This recipe will make two sandwiches. Each sandwich will take 2 slices of bread, 1/2 the Russian dressing, 3 oz corned beef, 1/4 cup sauerkraut and two slices of swiss cheese.
Spray the exterior of each sandwich and toast in a nonstick skillet on either sides until cheese has melted. Cut in half and serve. One half of a sandwich is considered one serving.

Notes

The more accurate macros for one serving (1/2 of a sandwich) are as follows: 312 calories, 11g F/26.9g C/24.9g P.

Nutrition

The post Macro Friendly Reuben Sandwich appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

French Dip Sandwiches

Lauren's Latest — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 19:30:14 +0000

I love French Dip Sandwiches, but don’t love the time it takes to make the classic version. Enter my super speedy method! Roast Beef lunch meat and store bought Au Jus are jazzed up with a few extra ingredients to make this whole sandwich taste amazing and come together in about 15 minutes. It’s a killer dinner and so so delicious with Macaroni Salad or Potato Salad.

French Dip Sandwiches in 15 Minutes

I know that title seems a little unbelievable, but it’s true! I’ve rigged the classic French Dip Sandwich and shaved down as much time as possible to create a fast but still delicious and flavorful sandwich you are going to love. With the help of your broiler and a few store bought ingredients, you will be enjoying these French Dips in no time. Makes amazing lunches or fast dinners.

Main Ingredients Needed

Here is the really short list of grocery items needed to make these French Dips at home!

Au Jus Gravy Mix– a powdered mix when whisked together with water creates a really tasty base for our Au Jus dip. This is the Au Jus Mix I used, but feel free to use the brand you prefer.
Roast Beef– thinly sliced lunch meat. I look for the roast beef that has the least amount of fat in the deli case. That’s just my preference, though. Use a brand you like.
Garlic + Bay Leaves– used to flavor the au jus so it tastes more homemade
Hoagie Rolls– I like toasting the exterior of these rolls just a touch before opening them up and toasting the insides. The toasting is completely optional, but I do find that it helps them hold up a little better.
Butter-used to butter the inside of the toasted rolls

How to Make French Dip Sandwiches

Again, this is a speedy recipe. No special equipment or tools needed. For increments and more specific directions, check the recipe card at the bottom of this post, right before the comments.

Step 1: Make the Au Jus + Warm the Beef

Whisk powdered Au Jus together with water in the bottom of a pot or deep skillet. Mine called for 3 cups of water, but double check yours to make sure that increment of water to powder is correct. You want to make it according to package directions.

Smash two cloves of garlic and add them to the au jus. Add the bay leaves. Transfer to stove and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and add in the roast beef to warm. Keep meat warm over low heat.

Step 2: Toast and Butter Your Rolls

While au jus/meat is warming, toast your hoagie buns. I like to toast the bottoms of the rolls, and toast the insides. Watch your bread closely as you don’t want it to burn. The toasting is definitely optional but it helps keep your bread together when you add the juicy meat. Also optional, but feel free to spread butter on the exterior of the roll too. It miiiight be overkill, but man is it good.

Once the insides of the bread are toasted, spread 1/2 tablespoon of butter onto each half and rub with raw garlic clove. SO much flavor is added when you rub the bread with the garlic. Don’t skip this step! It makes such a difference.

Step 3: Assemble the French Dips

Divide the meat between each bottom half of the sandwich and add the provolone cheese, 1 slice per sandwich. (You can always add more if you like it cheesy.) Broil again briefly to melt the cheese; should take 30 seconds to 1 minute since the meat is already hot.

Add the top, cut in half and serve with hot au jus.

Favorite Sides for Hot Sandwiches

While the warm French Dip Sandwich is really filling and delicious on its own, here are a few tasty sides that would made this meal more complete:

Love French Dip Sandwiches? Try these other Favorites:

Anyways, I hope you love love love this recipe as much as my family has come to love it! It’s a simple dinner that has made our dinner menu three weeks in a row. While I love spending the time on classic recipes from time to time, sometimes its nice to have a quick recipe in your back pocket for those busy nights. Enjoy, friends!

French Dip Sandwiches

Make this homemade French Dip Sandwich recipe at home in no time. Slow-cooked flavor with a few store-bought ingredients and little effort.

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American

Keyword French Dip Sandwiches

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings sandwiches

Calories 487kcal

Ingredients

1 Powdered Au Jus Mix
3 cups water to make the au jus, check package directions
3 cloves garlic divided
2 bay leaves
14 oz Roast Beef Lunch Meat
4 Hoagie Buns/Rolls
4 tablespoons butter
4 slices provolone cheese

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Turn oven onto broil. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.
Whisk powdered Au Jus together with water in the bottom of a pot or deep skillet. (Mine called for 3 cups of water, but double check yours to make sure that increment of water to powder is correct. You want to make it according to package directions.) Smash two cloves of garlic and add them to the au jus. Add the bay leaves. Transfer to stove and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and add in the roast beef to warm. Keep meat warm over low heat.
While au jus/meat is warming, toast your hoagie buns. I like to toast the bottoms of the rolls, and toast the insides. Watch your bread closely as you don't want it to burn. The toasting is definitely optional but it helps keep your bread together when you add the meat.
Once the insides of the bread are toasted, spread 1/2 tablespoon of butter onto each half and rub with raw garlic clove.
Divide the meat between each bottom half of the sandwich and add the provolone cheese, 1 slice per sandwich. (You can always add more if you like it cheesy.) Broil again to melt the cheese; should take 30 seconds to 1 minute since the meat is already hot.
Add the top, cut in half and serve with hot au jus.

Notes

To make this more Macro Friendly, simply reduce the butter by half OR omit it completely.

Nutrition

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