It's a Jersey thing....

Here in NJ we have one of the most delicious things you'll ever lay your mouth on.  In Norther Jersey we call it taylor ham, egg and cheese, in Southern Jersey they call it pork roll, egg and cheese.....it's also popularly known as TEC because this is what most delis, bagel stores, etc...write on the wrapper after they wrap it up to get it to go with your coffee, iced tea, 1/2 & 1/2 (known around the world as an Arnold Palmer, but in my parts a 1/2 & 1/2).  You can't even get taylor ham/pork roll in many parts of the USA....which is shocking to me!  Shocking that some people have never had the pleasure of enjoying this NJ delicacy.

So what IS taylor ham and pork roll?  You ask????   Well Taylor Ham is actually a brand of pork roll.....just like Q-Tip is a brand of cotton swab or Band-Aid is a brand of adhesive bandage.  Pork roll is a breakfast meat...similar to ham, but when pan-fried in a skillet or on a griddle, tastes much different.   It gets sliced (sometimes it comes sliced already) into a circle and then gets 3 or 4 slits around the circle...to prevent the finished product from curling around the edges.  

Once cut up, you put the pieces onto a hot, buttered griddle or frying pan and cook it for about 5 minutes on each side...or until it's browned.  On the other side of the pan or griddle crack open your eggs....right on the hot pan!  Cook the eggs however you like them cooked....they are usually served fully fried or over medium (yolk harder), BUT some like it a over-easy and more runny.  You can cook it however you'd like.  

Once it's almost cooked to your liking you add the American cheese and let it cook until it's melted on top of the eggs!

Once your taylor ham and eggs are all cooked...you simply layer it on top of a hard roll, a bagel,  croissant...really anything!  I prefer mine on a hard roll.   Then you can sprinkle some "saltpepperketchup" on top!    AKA...salt, pepper and ketchup...which is ALWAYS asked when you order one of these sandwiches in NJ.....and when it's asked, it's almost like those 3 words, mumbled into 1 word!    If it isn't asked, then you aren't in NJ!  Plain and simple!

I LOVE mine with just ketchup...no salt or pepper!  So the way I like mine is  "TEC K" in Jersey terms!  Most people like theirs "TEC SPK"!

There really isn't a specific recipe for this breakfast sandwich...it's really how you like it!  All you need is

Taylor Ham (pork roll) sliced
Eggs
American Cheese (sliced)
saltpepperketchup
Rolls, bagels....

And voila......THE MOST AMAZING THING EVER!

~Gianna~

Mini Meatball Soup

As the weather gets colder and our days get busier I've been trying to find recipes to warm our tummies, but don't take a lot of time (to prepare, cook or clean-up).   Both of my kids LOVE soup...pretty much any kind from tomato to escarole to chicken noodle!  So I decided this year I'm going to start making more soup!

I asked around on my message board and got a nice long list of recipes to inspire me!  And the first one up was Mini Meatball Soup.  This was super easy to make.  The most difficult part was rolling meatballs, but really that's not very hard...just tedious!  And the end result was exactly what I was hoping for!  My kids liked it, it warmed our tummies on a rainy fall day.....and it was DELISH!  I changed the recipe around a bit to fit the ingredients I had on hand, and it all worked together!  I used ground turkey...which is basically all I use when a recipe calls for ground beef or pork...it's always in my fridge or freezer and I, personally like the taste better!  I also opted to not use spinach.  I was worried if I included it, my kids wouldn't eat the soup....which is weird because they will both eat escarole...but neither will eat spinach!  So I didn't put it in this time, but maybe I'll try it next time!  I did add a can of cannellini beans just to give it a little extra substance!  Anyway if you are craving a good, hearty soup on a cold, fall day.....give this one a try!


Mini Meatball Soup

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan in a slow stream
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 bay leaves, fresh or dried 
1 can cannellini beans

1 pound ground turkey
1 egg, beaten
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 cups chicken stock or broth
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups dried pasta (I used elbows)


In a deep pot over medium heat add oil, chopped carrots, celery and onions and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Cover pot and cook veggies 5 or 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

While the veggies cook, combine meat, egg, garlic, grated cheese, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, nutmeg.
Uncover your soup pot and add broth and water to the pot. Increase heat to high and bring soup to a boil. When soup boils, reduce heat a bit and add beans.  Start to roll meat mixture into small balls, dropping them straight into the pot.  They will cook in the pot!   Cover and simmer soup 10-20 minutes.

While soup is simmering, boil a separate pot of water and cook pasta as directed on box.   Remove and drain.  

When you are ready to serve the soup, serve individual bowls of pasta and then spoon the soup over it!  If you cook the pasta in the soup pot and aren't ready to eat it when it is ready...or don't plan on finishing the whole pot of soup at one meal...the pasta will get very soft and mushy...from sitting in the chicken stock.    So my tip is to spoon the pasta into a bowl and then spoon the soup over it!

I like to add a little grated parmesan or romano cheese on my soup (something I learned from my dad)...so feel free to add a sprinkle!  :)  I also served it with delicious crusty bread and butter!  

ENJOY!!!

~Gianna~

Recipe Swap Week #5 -- Sandwiches and Paninis

This was a bit of a crazy week because it was nearing Easter and I had so much stuff to do.  We were hosting part of my family this year (17 people) and there was a lot to prepare as far as food, cleaning and then of course...playing "Easter Bunny".    So the last thing on my mind was getting creative in the kitchen for lunch!  I did manage to whip up my recipe swap recipe on Thursday (but getting around to blogging about it now) and I even made 2 batches of it.....and here's why.....

The recipe was for tuna salad......and I cannot eat tuna salad, like I really don't even like being in the same room as it.  It's one of those things that I grew out of .......and I'm not sure why.  Apparently I LOVED it when I was little........but as long as I can remember (like 2nd or 3rd grade) I haven't liked it at all!   So when I got the recipe I decided I was going to change it to chicken salad.   But when Thursday rolled around and Joe was home from work....I decided to make a batch of tuna and a batch of chicken. 

I received the recipe from Harriet and here is the link!
Tuna Salad

Joe liked the tuna very much, but being he is normally a "plain" eater......he thought there was too many flavors going on.  He did say he'd eat it again though! 
I really enjoyed the chicken salad.......my ONLY issue was....I didn't have any good bread.....I would've loved to have had it on a roll or in a wrap with lettuce and tomato, but I didn't have any of that.  The only bread I had was Whole Wheat, so I made toast and ate it on that!    All in all it was a very flavorful recipe and very simple to make!   I will def make it again when I have better bread!   Thanks Harriet! 

I ate mine with some Spicy Thai chips and some sliced avocado!  YUM!

Chicken Salad
(adapted from allrecipes.com)
Ingredients


1 (5 ounce) can white chicken, drained and flaked

6 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon curry powder

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried dill weed

1 pinch garlic powder

Directions

1.In a medium bowl, stir together the tuna, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, and onion flakes. Season with curry powder, parsley, dill and garlic powder. Mix well and serve with crackers or on a sandwich.




~Gianna~