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Philly Cheesesteak Grilled Cheese Sandwich

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Combine the best of Philly into one ultimate sandwich! A Philly Cheesesteak and a Philly Soft Pretzel collide to create the best Philly cheesesteak recipe – the Philly Cheesesteak Grilled Cheese Sandwich!

Growing up, we had cheesesteaks occasionally.  My dad would pull out these frozen sheets of meats and quickly whip them up until something delicious came of it. Or so I thought at the time. I always thought they were yummy, but I never got the hype of “The Philly Cheesesteak”. I mean…Don’t get me wrong, they’re good, but not something that you have to be known for if you’re one of the biggest cities in the country.

Then…I  moved…

A few years ago, Andrew and I moved to New Jersey. Well, he moved back, I moved here for the first time. One of the first places we explored together was South Street in Philly. He took me to Jim’s and it wasn’t until that moment that I got the hype. What I had grown up used to as a Philly Cheesesteak was NOTHING in comparison to the real thing.

Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches are now a favorite in our home, not only for Andrew and I, but for our children as well. We knew when we were discussing our grilled cheese sandwich series that we had to do a spin on a Philly Cheesesteak. In our opinion, this may be the best Philly cheesesteak recipe that you can make at home. It’s such a fun spin on a family favorite! The entire family will love this Philly Cheesesteak Grilled Cheese sandwich.

What are the ingredients on a Philly Cheesesteak Grilled Cheese?

We wanted to combine two Philly favorites – the Philly Cheesesteak and the Philly Pretzel to create this insanely delicious Philly Cheesesteak Grilled Cheese sandwich. We use a pretzel hot dog bun that we found at our local Amish market for the bun. It resembles a traditional cheesesteak bun, with the same delicious taste of a Philly pretzel. If you can’t find buns locally to you, then you can create your own pretzel buns at home or slice a soft pretzel in half for a close alternative.

Then, we seared up onions and ribeye steak in the traditional Philly way, added grilled red, green, and yellow peppers, and finally used both provolone and American cheese.  We skipped the whiz, but if you are a whiz traditionalist, feel free to add it to your Philly Cheesesteak Grilled Cheese sandwich!

What are good sides dishes for Philly Cheesesteaks?

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Philly Cheesesteak Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 

Combine the best of Philly into one ultimate sandwich! A Philly Cheesesteak and a Philly Soft Pretzel collide to create the best Philly cheesesteak recipe - the Philly Cheesesteak Grilled Cheese Sandwich!

Course: Lunch, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 650 kcal
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 1 lb ribeye steak, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 green pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • 8 slices sharp cheddar cheese
  • 4 slices Provolone cheese
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 pretzel buns (or other bun)
Instructions

  1. Season thinly slice ribeye with garlic powder, black pepper, and smoked paprika. 

  2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet. 

  3. Add onions and peppers and saute for 3-5 minutes of until onions are translucent. 

  4. Remove from skillet and place on a plate. Set aside. 

  5. In the same skillet, head remaining oil. 

  6. Add the seasoned ribeye.

  7. Cook for 2-3 minutes, chopping up along the way. 

  8. Season with salt if desired. 

  9. Flip and Cook another 2-3 minutes or until steak is cooked through. 

  10. Add the onions and peppers back to the skillet and combine well. 

  11. Remove from heat. 

  12. Spread butter on inside of both sides of buns. 

  13. Place face down in skillet for approximately two minutes or until golden brown.

  14. Layer each sandwich with two slices of cheddar and one slice of Provolone, along with 1/4 of the meat mixture. 

  15. Repeat with remaining sandwiches. 

  16. Preheat oven to 300 degrees and bake sandwiches for 7-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

  17. Serve!

Recipe Notes

**Nutritional facts are just estimates. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. 

*Top round steaks can be used in place of ribeye. Or if necessary you can use the frozen steak sheets in your grocery freezer section as a last resort. 

*Ask butcher to thinly slice your meat. 

Nutrition Facts
Philly Cheesesteak Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Amount Per Serving (1 sandwich)
Calories 650 Calories from Fat 441
% Daily Value*
Fat 49g75%
Saturated Fat 24g150%
Cholesterol 147mg49%
Sodium 674mg29%
Potassium 535mg15%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 44g88%
Vitamin A 1435IU29%
Vitamin C 60.3mg73%
Calcium 630mg63%
Iron 2.9mg16%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Chicken and Waffles Grilled Cheese Sandwich

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This chicken and waffles grilled cheese sandwich is the ultimate chicken and waffles sandwich. No matter, if you’ve had the infamous chicken and waffles (with hot sauce or gravy depending on your location), you’ll want to dive into this grilled cheese sandwich immediately! 

It’s Gourmet Grilled Cheese Week here on our site and we know you are ready for more deliciousness.  We are so excited to jump right into giving you another mouthwatering grilled cheese recipe too.  Today, we present the chicken and waffles grilled cheese recipe.

Now, depending on where you live, you may have chicken and waffles served with hot sauce, or a spicy syrup, or you may have it served with mashed potatoes and gravy. Either way you prefer it, it’s all delicious.  And, if you’re on the fence about trying it, just stop.

Chicken and Waffles may sound like an odd combination, but really it’s not. Sweet bread and deliciously fried chicken go hand in hand. Even syrup drizzled across the chicken is a delicious idea…I PROMISE…I would never lie to you guys.

HOW TO MAKE A CHICKEN AND WAFFLES GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH RECIPE

This chicken and waffles grilled cheese recipe takes two Belgian waffles (we use this waffle maker) and cooks them in a skillet with butter for a few minutes. Then, in between them layers a copious amount of mozzarella cheese, fried chicken tenders, crispy bacon, lettuce, and our own honey mustard BBQ sauce. Once layered, we put this grilled cheese in the oven and bake until it’s all warm and has melty, gooey, cheese. After that, you want to cut it in half down the middle, making two sandwiches. Serve alongside maple syrup for dipping. It was so delicious and a must try for everyone.

What is a good side dish for chicken and waffles?

While we believe that this grilled cheese sandwich could be served entirely on it’s own, we know some may want some ideas for sides that would be great on this!

No matter what you decide to serve alongside it, this is one of the best grilled cheese recipes that you are going to find around.

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Chicken and Waffles Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 

This chicken and waffles grilled cheese sandwich is the ultimate chicken and waffles sandwich. No matter, if you've had the infamous chicken and waffles (with hot sauce or gravy depending on your location), you'll want to dive into this grilled cheese sandwich immediately! 

Course: Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 2 sandwiches
Calories: 1099 kcal
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 Belgian waffles
  • 4-5 chicken fingers, cooked
  • 1/2 cup shredded lettuce (or one large iceberg lettuce)
  • 4 slices bacon, cooked
  • 6 slices Mozzarella cheese
  • 1/8 cup Honey Mustard BBQ Sauce
  • syrup (optional)
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. 

  2. Spread butter across one side of both of the waffles. Cook in a skillet over medium heat until that side is golden brown (2-3 minutes)

  3. Remove from heat and layer 3 slices of cheese, remaining ingredients, and remaining cheese. 

  4. Place sandwich on a baking sheet and place in oven for 7-10 minutes or until warmed and cheese is melted. 

  5. Remove from oven and slice in half to make 2 sandwiches. 

  6. Serve.

Recipe Notes

*Nutritional facts are only estimates.  Please use your own ingredients to get a more definite amount. Syrup not included in estimates. 

Nutrition Facts
Chicken and Waffles Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Amount Per Serving (1 half)
Calories 1099 Calories from Fat 567
% Daily Value*
Fat 63g97%
Saturated Fat 27g169%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 209mg70%
Sodium 1577mg69%
Potassium 682mg19%
Carbohydrates 74g25%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 13g14%
Protein 55g110%
Vitamin A 1090IU22%
Vitamin C 1.7mg2%
Calcium 435mg44%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Supreme Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwich

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This Supreme Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwich is everything that you want on a pizza in grilled cheese form! It’s the ultimate pizza sandwich recipe! 

Growing up we had a bowl of soup and a grilled cheese sandwich at least once a week. As a mom now, I get that it was a cheap meal. Because of the frequency of this meal, it became something I have fond memories of now. I love making grilled cheese sandwiches for my girls, even though we don’t have them as often as I did growing up.

After we created a peanut butter and jelly grilled cheese, Andrew and I had an idea to create a series about gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. This pizza grilled cheese is the first in a series of gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches we’ll be doing and we guarantee that by the end of the week, you’ll discover one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches you’ve ever had.

How to Make a Supreme Pizza Grilled Cheese

This pizza grilled cheese sandwich has all of your favorite supreme pizza toppings. There’s sausage, pepperoni, and ham for meats. Then, for toppings, we included red onions, 5 types of peppers, spinach and mushrooms. Of course, there’s cheddar and mozzarella cheese, as well as marinara sauce.

We start by buttering up two skinny sandwich rounds and browning them in a skillet. Next, we layer all our ingredients and then put the grilled cheese in the oven until the cheese is melted. It cooks up beautifully and is so much fun.

The reason we cook the pizza grilled cheese in the oven versus all on the stove is because of the amount of ingredients.  It would be hard to get them all warm in a skillet before the bread burns, even when cooking on a low setting, so grilled cheese in the oven is the best option.

What sides to serve with a pizza grilled cheese sandwich?

This is a large sandwich by itself, but we know you’d love some side dish ideas for this grilled cheese recipe.

Any of these will pair perfectly with this pizza grilled cheese sandwich!

Pizza Grilled Cheese Recipe

5 from 2 votes
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Supreme Pizza Grilled Cheese
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 

This Supreme Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwich is everything that you want on a pizza in grilled cheese form! It's the ultimate pizza sandwich recipe! 

Course: Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 2 sandwiches
Calories: 805 kcal
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 4 skinny sandwhich rounds
  • 1 italian sausage, cooked
  • 2 oz pepperoni, sliced thick or thin
  • 1/8 cup spinach
  • 1/8 cup mushroom slices
  • 1/4 red pepper, sliced into two rounds
  • 1/4 green pepper, sliced into two rounds
  • 1/4 yellow pepper, sliced into two rounds
  • 1/4 orange pepper, sliced into two rounds
  • 1/8 cup banana peppers
  • 4 slices Mozzarella cheese
  • 4 slices Cheddar cheese
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees

  2. Cut cooked sausage in half lengthwise and then in half again. Set aside. 

  3. Spread butter on one side of each of the skinny sandwich rounds.

  4. Heat a skillet over medium and brown the sandwich rounds butter side down until a golden brown is reached (2-3 minutes). Remove from here

  5. On the none buttered side, layer all your ingredients. 

  6. Repeat with remaining sandwich. 

  7. Place both sandwiches on an oven safe baking sheet and cook for 7-10 minutes or until cheese has completely melted and ingredients are warmed. 

  8. Remove and serve. 

Recipe Notes

*This recipe uses raw peppers and mushrooms for the sandwich, feel free to cook before hand if desired. 

*Nutritional values are estimates. Please double check your own products before using. 

Nutrition Facts
Supreme Pizza Grilled Cheese
Amount Per Serving (1 sandwich)
Calories 805 Calories from Fat 603
% Daily Value*
Fat 67g103%
Saturated Fat 33g206%
Cholesterol 191mg64%
Sodium 1625mg71%
Potassium 477mg14%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 42g84%
Vitamin A 2340IU47%
Vitamin C 85.3mg103%
Calcium 706mg71%
Iron 1.7mg9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Zesty Summer Pasta Salad

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This zesty summer pasta salad is the perfect dish to take to all your upcoming summer get-togethers and outings.  It’s a cold pasta salad with zesty Italian dressing and sure to be a big hit!  

Vegan Pasta Salad

There are certain recipes that will remind you of happier times. Like summers ago with your entire family around a grill, jumping in and out of the pool all day, and running around without a care in the world. It’s up to you whether your children will have those same magical memories now. Though it seems like a big feat at times, sometimes food elicits memories of what made it special. By focusing in on those memories, you can remember how to make it special for your own littles. 
This homemade pasta salad is one of those recipes for me. To me, it’s the best pasta salad because of those memories. It’s one very similar to what my aunt used to make at every single summer cookout we had. This easy pasta salad recipe is also one of the few ways my mom could get me to eat vegetables as a child. Since moving to New Jersey though, I see my family less, so I needed to learn to make this Italian pasta salad myself.
cold pasta salad recipe

How to make homemade Italian pasta salad 

For this delicious cold pasta salad recipe there’s just 5 ingredients + the Italian salad dressing. You can choose to buy bottled zesty Italian dressing or we share our zesty pasta salad dressing recipe below. For this vegan pasta salad you need cooked pasta (we use angel hair), cherry tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, and zesty Italian dressing. 
The most difficult part of this entire dish is cooking the pasta for 8 minutes. So, if you can cook pasta, you can make this recipe. Add everything to a big bowl and stir, stir, stir, until everything is mixed together well. Refrigerate and done! It’s really that simple to make this summer pasta salad.
homemade summer pasta salad

Summer Pasta Salad Recipe 

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Zesty Summer Pasta Salad
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
8 mins
Total Time
18 mins
 

This zesty summer pasta salad is the perfect dish to take to all your upcoming summer get-togethers and outings.  It's a cold pasta salad with zesty Italian dressing and sure to be a big hit!  

Course: Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 16 people
Calories: 188 kcal
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 1 lb angel hair pasta
  • 2 cups homemade Zesty Italian Dressing (recipe below)
  • 1/2 cup carrots, grated (approximately 4-6 large carrots)
  • 1 1/2 cups broccoli, finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups cauliflower, finely chopped
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
Instructions

  1. Cook pasta according to the boxed instructions.

  2. Drain and transfer pasta to a large bowl. 

  3. Add remaining ingredients, except the tomatoes. 

  4. Stir until very well combined. 

  5. Add in the halved cherry tomatoes and give a quick toss (not too much, you don't want to over work the tomatoes). 

  6. Chill in the refrigerate at least 2 hours or until ready to serve. 

  7. Refrigerate any remaining pasta salad for up to 5 days. 

Recipe Notes

Zesty Italian Pasta Salad Dressing Recipe

In a large bottle or bowl, combine the following, shake or stir very well. Then, ready for use. Refrigerate any leftovers. 
  • 1 cup olive oil 
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • juice from half a lemon
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/8 cup red onion, finally chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Nutrition Facts
Zesty Summer Pasta Salad
Amount Per Serving (0.5 cup)
Calories 188 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Sodium 305mg13%
Potassium 222mg6%
Carbohydrates 27g9%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 875IU18%
Vitamin C 19.6mg24%
Calcium 21mg2%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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zesty italian summer pasta salad - cold pasta salad - vegan pasta salad
This post was originally published on 5/21/2014.  Same great recipe but our photography skills have greatly improved.  Here’s some of the original photos. 
cold pasta salad recipes from scratch
easy pasta salad
easy pasta salad recipe

Dairy Free Baked Chicken Quesadillas

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These dairy-free baked chicken quesadillas as so insanely delicious, they’ll have you forgetting that you’re even missing any dairy. Try out these delicious stuffed quesadillas today! 

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ProgressIsPerfection #CBias #CollectiveBias

Even though I loved dairy, when we had our first baby, Larisha had to go dairy free. Obviously, she wasn’t going to cook multiple meals when it was just her, I and a tiny newborn, so subsequently I went dairy free also. I was surprised how easy this little switch could be. I thought it was going to be miserable, but it was really quite simple. One of our favorite meals quickly became chicken, bean, and avocado quesadillas. Surprisingly, the avocado actually binds the tortilla shells together like cheese would do and it’s absolutely delicious!

How to make a dairy free baked chicken quesadilla?

First, we start by soaking the chicken in Silk Unsweetened Almond Milk for 30 minutes.  After that, we dredge the chicken in a combination of flour, bread crumbs, and taco seasoning. We then baked the chicken for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Then, it’s time to put the quesadilla together. The topping possibilities are endless, but the basic of this recipe is a 10″ tortilla, avocado, chicken, and black beans. Other toppings may include: salsa or tomatoes, jalapeños, corn, cilantro, onions, and more.

This one dairy-free recipe seriously made my transition to a healthier lifestyle of much easier! It’s a must have recipe. If you are also gluten-free, you can try this on a corn tortilla, but just be extra careful when flipping since corn tortillas never hold up as well as flour.

Making Life Easier

Another thing that has made parenting easier recently is learning about Walmart’s online grocery pick up. It’s completely free as long as you purchase at least $30 in groceries. I was able to easily choose everything I needed and schedule a time and day for my pickup. It’s available everyday from 8am-8pm at my location (check your location to verify hours). Once I arrived at Wal-mart, I found the large orange pick-up sign and pulled into a parking spot designated for pick-up. Once there, I was able to call and say that I was there and they brought all my items out to my car for me.

For our Dairy-free baked chicken quesadillas, we use Silk Unsweetened Almondmilk. It’s both dairy-free and lactose-free and has a great wholesome taste that our whole family loves. Feeling and eating healthier doesn’t have to be hard, and Silk’s Progress to Perfection helps along the way.  We’ve always touted our “semicruchyish” journey, where we believe everyone can make small steps towards a better, healthier, more eco-friendly lifestyle and that’s just what this Silk program aims to accomplish.  That small victories are still victories. So start by swapping out your milk and you’re one step closer!

For our Wal-mart Online Grocery Pick-up we were able to get unsweetened almondmilk for our quesadilla recipe, along with dark chocolate almondmilk and Silk Vanilla Almond Dairy – Free Yogurt Alternative, which pairs great with fresh fruit on top!

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Dairy Free Baked Chicken Quesadillas
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 

These dairy-free baked chicken quesadillas as so insanely delicious, they'll have you forgetting that you're even missing any dairy. Try out these delicious stuffed quesadillas today! 

Course: Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 4 quesadillas
Calories: 501 kcal
Author: Andrew
Ingredients
  • 2 cups Silk Unsweetened Almondmilk
  • 2 boneless chicken breasts, cubed
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbsp homemade taco seasoning
  • 4 10" flour tortillas
  • 2 avocados
  • 1 cup black beans
Optional Toppings
  • 1 cup corn
  • 1/2 cup red onions, diced
  • 1/2 cup salsa (or diced tomatoes)
  • 1 jalapeno, sliced thin
Instructions

  1. Soak cubed chicken in almond milk for 30 minutes. 

  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

  3. In a bowl, mix together the flour, breadcrumbs, and taco seasoning. 

  4. Drain any remaining almondmilk from the bowl after 30 minutes. Dredge the chicken cubes in the flour mixture and placed on a lightly greased baking sheet. 

  5. Baked chicken for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and reaches a temperature of 165 degrees. 

  6. Remove from oven. 

  7. Using a fork, smash the avocados until no large chunks remain. 

  8. On one tortilla, spread 1/4 of the smashed avocados across the entire tortilla. 

  9. Add 1/4 of the baked chicken and 1/4 of the beans onto one side of the tortilla. 

  10. Add any optional toppings you may want. 

  11. Fold tortilla in half. 

  12. Place tortilla in a large skillet over medium low heat. 

  13. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Or until golden brown. 

  14. Remove and repeat the process with remaining ingredients. 

  15. Serve alongside a side of salsa. 

Recipe Notes

*Nutritional facts are only estimates and do not include any optional toppings. 

Nutrition Facts
Dairy Free Baked Chicken Quesadillas
Amount Per Serving (1 quesadilla)
Calories 501 Calories from Fat 180
% Daily Value*
Fat 20g31%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 36mg12%
Sodium 593mg26%
Potassium 938mg27%
Carbohydrates 56g19%
Fiber 12g50%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 24g48%
Vitamin A 225IU5%
Vitamin C 11.1mg13%
Calcium 233mg23%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Ultimate Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly

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The ultimate grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwich will blow your mind.  Combining the traditional peanut butter and jelly sandwich with grilled cheese using perfectly melting gouda cheese and adding in bacon for the ultimate decadent peanut butter and jelly sandwich. 

grilled peanut butter and jelly

Sandwiches were a huge part of my childhood. They were really basic though. Grilled cheese. Peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Ham and cheese.  You get it. Basic. As I grew up, and explored more in the kitchen, I decided to get more creative.  I used to creative these really random things that somehow just always went together.  One was a grilled cheese peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

peanut butter and jelly sandwich ideas

I know what you’re thinking. Peanut Butter and jelly sandwich with cheese doesn’t go together. But what’s the old saying, “Don’t knock it til you try it!” If you’ve never tried a grilled cheese peanut butter and jelly sandwich then you must. But wait. It gets better. Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich with cheese ANDDDD bacon. I promise it’s delicious.  Plus, it’s a great alternative to making your kids the same thing over and over again.

grilled cheese peanut butter and jelly

Does Peanut Butter and Cheese Go Together?

Absolutely peanut butter and cheese go together.  I’ve found it best to use a honey roasted or honey added peanut butter.  My favorite cheese to use is gouda, however, a sharp cheddar or brie is great too depending on what kind of cheese you like.

grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwich

How do you make a Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly?

Luckily, it’s insanely easy to make with grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwich with cheese and bacon. Take two slices of your desired bread. Spread peanut butter on one side and jelly on one side of second slice. Then, add sliced cheese and cooked bacon. Put two slices of bread together. Next, spread softened, unsalted butter on one outside side of the sandwich. Lay sandwich, butter side down, on a skillet over medium low heat. Now, butter the non-buttered side that is facing up.  When the bottom side gets golden brown, flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes until that side is also golden brown.  Serve immediately.

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Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly with Bacon
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 

The ultimate grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwich will blow your mind.  Combining the traditional peanut butter and jelly sandwich with grilled cheese using perfectly melting gouda cheese and adding in bacon for the ultimate decadent peanut butter and jelly sandwich. 

Course: Lunch, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: American
Servings: 1 sandwich
Calories: 844 kcal
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 2 slice cinnamon raisin bread
  • 2 tbsp grape jam
  • 2 tbsp peanut butter
  • 1 slice cooked bacon broken in half
  • 1 slice gouda cheese
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter softened
Instructions

  1. Take two slices of your desired bread. Spread peanut butter on one side and jelly on one side of second slice. 

  2. Then, add sliced cheese and cooked bacon. Put two slices of bread together. 

  3. Next, spread 1 tbsp butter on one outside side of the sandwich.

  4.  Lay sandwich, butter side down, on a skillet over medium low heat. 

  5. Use remaining butter and spread on the non-buttered side that is facing up. 

  6. Cook 2-3 minutes. 

  7. When the bottom side gets golden brown, flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes until that side is also golden brown. 

  8. Serve immediately. 

Nutrition Facts
Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly with Bacon
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 844 Calories from Fat 522
% Daily Value*
Fat 58g89%
Saturated Fat 26g163%
Cholesterol 109mg36%
Sodium 734mg32%
Potassium 405mg12%
Carbohydrates 61g20%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 25g28%
Protein 22g44%
Vitamin A 880IU18%
Vitamin C 3.5mg4%
Calcium 258mg26%
Iron 2.3mg13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Pin this Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich with Bacon today! 

peanut butter and jelly grilled cheese with bacon

The Best Homemade French Fries

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If you’ve ever wondered how do you make homemade french fries, the wait is over. Try out easy homemade french fries recipe in the air fryer or oven, including a homemade french fry seasoning blend.  

best french fries recipe

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. You shop the same but we earn a small commission from sales. 

I really can’t believe that it took me more than 25 years to figure out, but since making homemade french fries for the first times, I’ve made them dozens of times since.  We actually prefer this homemade french fries recipe over store-bought fries. Our whole family devours them every time we make them!

Since we’ve began trying to make more and more of our foods from scratch, these easy homemade french fries are one of our favorite recipes.  Not only does it save me a ton of money overall, but I know exactly what ingredients are in my food, which for me feeding two growing kids, this is very important to me.  I’m determined to make better choices for our family on a daily basis with each day being better than the day before.

how to make homemade french fries

How do you to make homemade french fries?

Homemade french fries are incredible easy, almost too easy.  It’s a great recipe to make with kids in the kitchen to learn their way around too. To make the best homemade french fries recipe, you need to simply slice potatoes into your desired size.  Smaller for shoestring french fries and larger for steak fries.  The key is that you want to get them all the same size so they cook evenly.

We make our homemade french fries in the air fryer; however, if you want to make know how to make homemade french fries in the oven we’ll explain that below as well. We prefer the air fryer for the best homemade french fries because there’s no preheating oven, no greasy mess, you have the crispiest, most delicious french fries ever.

french fry seasoning

What is the best homemade french fry seasoning?

We have a delicious all-purpose seasoning that started out as a homemade chicken spice rub, but has morphed itself into an everything seasoning.  This seasoning blend combo is the best homemade french fry seasoning you’ll find around!

how to make french fries in an air fryer

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Best Homemade French Fries
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 

If you've ever wondered how do you make homemade french fries, the wait is over. Try out easy homemade french fries recipe in the air fryer or oven, including a homemade french fry seasoning blend.  

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 87 kcal
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
Instructions

  1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into strips approximately 1/4 inch wide (size depends on how large you want your fries - fatter fries take longer to bake).

  2. Add potatoes, olive oil, and seasoning mix to a bowl and stir until well combined.

  3. Add your seasoned potatoes to the basket of an Air Fryer*.

  4. Cook for 30-35 mins at 392 degrees F, flipping every 10 mins.

Recipe Notes

Larger cut fries will need additional time.

**If you do not have an Avalon Bay Air Fryer - you can cook these in a single layer on an oven sheet following the same directions above.  

Nutrition Facts
Best Homemade French Fries
Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
Calories 87
% Daily Value*
Sodium 57mg2%
Potassium 464mg13%
Carbohydrates 14g5%
Fiber 3g13%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 10IU0%
Vitamin C 12.1mg15%
Calcium 32mg3%
Iron 3.5mg19%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

We hope you love this easy homemade french fries recipe just as much as we do! While you are making the best homemade french fries recipe, don’t forget that you can work on zero waste! Instead of throwing away the peels from the potatoes, throw them into a skillet about an inch high with vegetable oil over medium heat.  Fry them for approximately 7 minutes.  Remove to a paper-towel lined plate and sprinkle with some course salt. Delish crisp “potato chips” skins! The kids go crazy over this!

zero waste potato skins

What is the best French Fry Dipping Sauce?

We are obsessed with dipping our homemade french fries in our homemade honey mustard BBQ sauce.

french fry dipping sauce

We also love regular homemade bbq sauce.

french fry dipping sauce

For a spicy kick and non-traditional alternative, this homemade avocado dip is delish with fries!

french fry dip

Pin the Best Homemade French Fries Recipe for later: 

easy french fries recipe

This post was originally posted on 3/4/2015. Same great recipe, but our photography has greatly improved. Old images below!

homemade french frieshomemade fries

Homemade BBQ Sauce (Vegan Option)

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This homemade BBQ sauce recipe is quick and easy to make. You’ll never want to buy another bottle of Barbecue sauce when you realize how to make BBQ sauce is so easy.

homemade bbq sauce 

I used to buy all my sauces in bottles.  It just seemed so much easier.  Then, when I really started getting into cooking, I would always see recipes for various sauces and remember thinking, why make my own homemade bbq sauce when I can just buy it in the bottle? Wasn’t cooking supposed to be easy? This was well before my days of even a remotely “semicrunchyish” life, so processed foods were life for us at the time.
Then it happened, I ran out of BBQ sauce and I needed some for the chicken recipe I was making for the night.  I freaked.  I didn’t have time to run to the store so I looked up a few different recipes on how to make bbq sauce, mixed them together, and was amazingly surprised at how incredibly easy it was to make homemade bbq sauce.  Not only that, the taste was amazing. Over time, we’ve perfected this recipe and it’s the best bbq sauce recipe around! So much better than any bottled bbq brands I’ve tried.  Whats even better is that it was lower in sugar and sodium, too.  Lastly, most people will have most, if not all, of these ingredients already in their home.  After we make, we store in glass containers in the fridge.

how to make bbq sauce

How can you make Homemade BBQ Sauce?

A homemade BBQ sauce recipe isn’t difficult.  The base is ketchup. Use a salt-free ketchup for even lower sodium. You mix in apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, honey, and maple syrup. The apple cider vinegar helps aid in the sweetness that is being heightened with the other sweeteners. Then, to give that savory taste of the best BBQ sauce you’ve tried, you add in spices.  We add in garlic and onion powders, smoked paprika, black pepper, chili powder, and ground cinnamon. Stir everything together and you’re done.  This easy BBQ sauce is so simple that you’ll wonder why you haven’t done it before.

easy bbq sauce recipe

How to Make BBQ Sauce?

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Homemade BBQ Sauce
Prep Time
5 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 

This homemade BBQ sauce recipe is quick and easy to make. You'll never want to buy another bottle of Barbecue sauce when you realize how to make BBQ sauce is so easy.

Course: Condiments
Cuisine: American
Servings: 11
Calories: 69 kcal
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tbsp raw honey (use agave if vegan)
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp smoke paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients in a bowl.  

  2. Mix until well combined. 

  3. Store in an air tight container in the fridge up to 3 months.

Recipe Notes

For heated sauce: Place all ingredients in a skillet or pan. Mix together until well combined. Turn heat on low and cook until heated through. 

Nutrition Facts
Homemade BBQ Sauce
Amount Per Serving (2 tbsp)
Calories 69
% Daily Value*
Sodium 202mg9%
Potassium 85mg2%
Carbohydrates 17g6%
Sugar 15g17%
Vitamin A 195IU4%
Vitamin C 0.9mg1%
Calcium 12mg1%
Iron 0.2mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

What can I use Homemade BBQ Sauce for?

Possibilities are endless for how to use this easy bbq sauce recipe, however, here’s two of our favorite ways!

honey mustard bbq sauce recipe

Make this delicious Honey Mustard BBQ Sauce.  It’s the perfect sauce for so many amazing things and uses our homemade bbq sauce to make it.

Homemade BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

These amazing Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches!  So simple and delicious! Perfect for any night or big crowds!

Pin this delicious Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe to save for later!

best bbq sauce recipe

This post was originally posted on 7/14/2012. Same great recipe, but our photography has greatly improved. Old images below!

homemade barbecue sauce recipehow to use bbq sauce
quick bbq sauce recipe
simple bbq sauce recipe

Hatfield Calzones

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These Hatfield ham and sausage calzones are delicious homemade calzones perfect for any time of day! Endless possibilities with this calzone recipe!

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HatfieldEaster #CollectiveBias

ham and sausage calzones

Growing up, pizza wasn’t really a staple in our home. Curry, jerk, exotic to Americans fruit…those were the staples.  We didn’t have sausage and ham often, and homemade pizzas never happened. Rarely, we maybe had pizza take-out. Growing up Jamaican, we didn’t have a lot of traditional American foods. When I went away to college at West Virginia University, I didn’t have anyone to cook for me.  American styled foods were the norm. Between dorm food and fast food, it’s pretty much all I had.

College is also where I tried my first calzone.  It was great because I could walk and eat it without worrying about toppings falling off.  When I met Larisha and she knew how to make these from scratch, I didn’t believe her. Then, she showed me and we’ve made endless varieties since then.

Homemade calzones are great for breakfast, lunch, dinner, after school snack, and quick dinners on the road! You get the point. There’s really not a time that a calzone wouldn’t be good ever.

how to make a calzone

What is a calzone?

A calzone is pizza dough that has been folded over and baked after ingredients have been put inside of it. Typically, it’s filled with meat and cheese. Sauce is always served on the side of calzones and never inside of it.

These particular ham and sausage calzones are combined with peppers, garlic powder, and cheese. The flavor impact from these few ingredients is insanely delicious. It makes for an amazing recipe after Easter if you have leftover ham!

We make our ham and sausage calzones with Hatfield Recipe Essentials Sweet Italian Ground Sausage and leftover Hatfield Original Ham. Hatfield Recipe Essentials are simple, flavorful, pork that add flavor to your dishes. The Hatfield brand character is high quality, trustworthy, knowledgeable, family oriented, American-owned, value-based company.

ham and sausage calzone recipes

How do you make a calzone?

If you are wondering how to make a calzone, you’ve come to the right place.  The first step is to make homemade pizza dough or grab some store bought.  Separate it into equal pieces and then rolls into a ball.  Once you have balls, you want to roll them out into approximately 6″ circles.  Note: calzones can be any size but 6″ is the perfect handheld size for on the go. It’s vital that your dough is even and not thin in any one place or you risk your dough breaking.

Then, places your ingredients on one side of your circle. Afterwards, fold the empty side over and using a fork, seal the edges together.  Next, brush with butter and bake in an oven for 20-25 minutes. Serve alongside sauce.

ham calzones after easter recipes

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Hatfield Ham and Sausage Calzones
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 

These ham and sausage calzones are delicious homemade calzones perfect for any time of day! Endless possibilities with this calzone recipe! 

Course: Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 8 calzones
Calories: 435 kcal
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 1 pizza dough
  • 3/4 lb Hatfield Sweet Italian Ground Sausage, cooked
  • 3/4 lb Hatfield Original uncured ham, diced
  • 1 cup bell peppers, mixed colors
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

  2. In a bowl, combine sausage, ham, peppers, garlic powder, and pepper. 

  3. Separate pizza dough into 8 equal balls. 

  4. Roll out one ball into a 6" circle. 

  5. Place 1/8 of the mixture on one side of the circle. 

  6. Fold empty side over and using a fork seal the edges of the calzone. 

  7. Place on a baking sheet and repeat with remaining ingredients.

  8. Once all calzones have been made up, brush melted butter across all of them.

  9. Place in oven and cook for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. 

  10. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. 

  11. Serve alongside honey mustard bbq sauce.

Recipe Notes

Do not roll out more than one ball at a time or the dough will stick to the surface. Make one at a time.

Honey Mustard BBQ Sauce is not included in nutritional facts.

Nutrition Facts
Hatfield Ham and Sausage Calzones
Amount Per Serving (1 calzone)
Calories 435 Calories from Fat 234
% Daily Value*
Fat 26g40%
Saturated Fat 12g75%
Cholesterol 85mg28%
Sodium 1361mg59%
Potassium 290mg8%
Carbohydrates 25g8%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 24g48%
Vitamin A 955IU19%
Vitamin C 24.1mg29%
Calcium 217mg22%
Iron 2.7mg15%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Hatfield Recipe Essentials come in the following varieties: Hot Italian Ground Sausage, Sweet Italian Ground Sausage, Ground Pork, Chorizo Ground Sausage and Country Ground Sausage, Tex-Mex Pork Strips and Simply Pork Strips. Grab them at your local store today!

hatfield recipe essentials

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easy calzones recipe

How to Make Mango Salsa

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If you’ve ever wondered how to make mango salsa, this easy mango salsa recipe is for you! We use all fresh ingredients for the best mango salsa recipe you’ll find! 

how to make mango salsa

Growing up, all our salsa came in a jar. It was always mild, even though everyone in the house that ate salsa, would have preferred a bit more heat. My mom thinks black pepper is too spicy, so nothing “too spicy” was ever allowed in our house.  True story: Whenever we went to a Mexican restaurant growing up, she ordered pizza and french fries off the kids menu because everything else was too spicy. ::insert eye roll::

mango salsa recipe

It actually took me going to college before I would really be able to venture out on my own and try new things, flavor combinations, and ethnic cuisines.  I learned things I did and did not like during this time. Thankfully, all this prepared me for the wonderful and amazing dishes that I would become accustom to eating with Andrew’s family. Delicious recipes like jerk chicken, oxtail, and curry goat became the norm for me. One day Andrew’s mom made salmon with mango salsa. It was amazing. I couldn’t get enough of it. Since then, I’ve put mango on a ridiculous amount of things and every time I wonder why I don’t make it more often.

best mango salsa recipe

What Is Mango Salsa?

Mango Salsa is similar to a traditional easy salsa recipe, but swapping the tomatoes for mangoes.  In this fresh mango salsa recipe we combined diced mangoes, red onion, jalapeños, cilantro, red peppers, and lime juice. It is the perfect mango salsa recipe for fish, including our own fish tacos with mango salsa and avocado lime sauce. 

fresh mango salsa recipe

How Do You Make Mango Salsa?

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How to Make Mango Salsa
Prep Time
10 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 

If you've ever wondered how to make mango salsa, this easy mango salsa recipe is for you! We use all fresh ingredients for the best mango salsa recipe you'll find! 

Course: Condiments, Sauces
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 16
Calories: 21 kcal
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 3 cups mangoes, diced (~2 whole mangoes)
  • 1/2 red onion, diced finely
  • 1 jalapeño, deseed and diced finely
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (just the leaves)
  • 1 juice of lime
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, diced finely
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
  2. Stir until very well combined.
  3. Place in fridge until needed.
Nutrition Facts
How to Make Mango Salsa
Amount Per Serving (0.25 cup)
Calories 21
% Daily Value*
Potassium 69mg2%
Carbohydrates 5g2%
Sugar 4g4%
Vitamin A 495IU10%
Vitamin C 18.3mg22%
Calcium 4mg0%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Ready to try this recipe? Grab our Fish Tacos Recipe with Mango Salsa and Avocado Lime Sauce 

fish tacos with mango salsa

 Pin this Mango Salsa Recipe for later!

mango salsa easy recipe

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