Sweet & Spicy Mustard Sauce

Struggling with what to do with those Easter Ham leftovers?  Well, here is a tasty idea:  Sweet & Spicy Ham Sandwiches.  The mustard is amazing by itself, but combine it with the ham and a Hawaiian roll . . . .your taste buds will go into satisfaction overdrive :)

Sweet & Spicy Mustard Sauce

Makes about a 1/2 Cup prepared

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Dijon Mustard

2 TB Brown Sugar

1 TB Mayonnaise

Ham (to serve)

Hawaiian Rolls (to serve)

Step 1:  Prepare the sauce by adding the mustard into a small, microwavable bowl.  Add the sugar and stir to combine.  Then add the mayo and stir to combine . . .don't worry if it's a little lumpy.

Step 2:  Place the bowl into the microwave and nuke for about 25 seconds.  You just want to get it warm enough to melt the sugar.  Remove from the microwave and stir until well blended (notice how the lumps of mayo have now disintegrated!).  Store leftovers in the fridge.

To Serve:  Split your rolls and brush each side with some of the mustard.  Add the ham and close the sandwich.  Eat the sandwich.  Best.Leftover/Snack.Ever.

Healthy Pancakes

Pancakes.  I cannot lie.  They are a family compromise for us.  My hubby and daughter love french toast.  I really, really dislike french toast.  Waffles.  I'm all about waffles.  And typically, that's what I make - but my waffle iron died a while back and Santa did not bring me one for Christmas. Mind you, that was my second waffle maker that died on me in 6 years. PANCAKES.  That's our compromise.  Have you ever seen The Family Guy skit on pancakes?  HIL.AR.I.OUS.  Our little guy loves pancakes - which is probably why that episode makes me laugh so much.  Any how, back to the actual food . . . .

Pancakes - warm, buttery, comfort food all the way.  But what about when your hubby decides to go low-carb?  That's when you make these.  I haven't run the recipe through a calorie counter, but I imagine the nutritional information is pretty amazing.  At the very least, they TASTE amazing.  I'm always skeptical on all these healthy recipes you see . . .especially when they contain banana.  Not everyone loves banana or coconut people!  Sheesh.  But these pancakes, wow - I couldn't believe how good they were.  They really tasted like pancakes.  We ate them plain with a side of bacon.  No butter.  No syrup.  They didn't even need them.  They were that yummy without.  I actually thought they would be good with a dollop of applesauce on top (but we were without any in the pantry).   As well, they didn't even taste like banana or peanuty . . .just pancake-y!Give them a whirl, you won't be disappointed!

Healthy Pancakes

Makes approximately 24 Silver-Dollar sized Pancakes

Ingredients

1 Large Banana (or two small) - preferably very ripe

2 Large Eggs

1/2 Cup Oatmeal

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 Tablespoon Peanut Butter

Step 1:  In a bowl, mash up the banana.  Add the eggs and mix well (I recommend using a fork). 

Step 2:  Add the remaining ingredients and thoroughly combine.

Step 3:  Cook like a regular pancake on a hot griddle.

Step 4:  Enjoy :)

Please note:  You could easily make these using a food processor or blender.  I used my mini-food processor and it ground up the oatmeal so fine that no one would even know that it was in there.  Yum.

BBQ Black Beans

Versatile = Black Beans.  Gotta love them. Firm, mild flavor, nicely sized.  Delish.  I like to buy the canned variety, specifically Wild Harvest brand.  They come out of the can not-too-sludgy and are still whole and have a very nice creamy texture when you eat them.  Not all brands tend to be that way.   

This recipe is one of my favorite ways to eat them.  It can be eaten as a meal, a side dish, or an appetizer.  Meal - serve along with some fruit (this is what I'm having for lunch today) or wrap it up in a flour tortilla for a bbq bean burrito.  Side Dish - would be yummy with a thick slab of meat on the side.  Appetizer?  Serve along with your favorite corn chips for dipping.  It's a little sweet - but the green onion helps to offset it.  As well, the sweetness is very dependent on the BBQ sauce that you use.

BBQ Black Beans

Serves 4 as a Side Dish

Ingredients:

1 (15-oz) Can Black Beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 Cup BBQ Sauce

1/2 Cup Cheddar or CoJack Cheese

3 or 4 Green Onions, cleaned and sliced

Step 1:  Place the black beans in a microwave-safe bowl and mix in the BBQ sauce.  Place the bowl in the microwave, covered with a paper-towel, and cook on high for 2 minutes.

Step 2:  Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave and stir the beans.  Sprinkle the cheese on top of the BBQ beans.  Return the bowl to the microwave, place paper-towel on top again.  Heat on high for 1 minute.

Step 3:  Remove the bowl from the microwave, sprinkle the beans with the sliced green onions and serve.

Mini Stuffed Peppers

I ran across these at the grocery store the other day and had.to.have.them.  

Luckily, they weren't too spendy either.  SO CUTE!!!!  They are small bell peppers - not spicey ones! I love stuffed jalapenos, but my family isn't too crazy about them.  So these are a good compromise.  And my little guy couldn't get enough of the peppers stuffed and unstuffed.  He just loved them.  I hope you will too.

Mini Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

6 Mini Bell Peppers (orange, red, yellow)

4 oz Cream Cheese

1 TB Chopped Bacon

1 TB BBQ Sauce

Pepper to taste

Step 1:  Rinse the peppers and cut in half lengthwise (be sure to leave the stem on - don't remove it).  Remove the seeds.

Step 2:  In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, bacon and bbq sauce.  Taste.  Add pepper as desired.

Step 3:  With a small spoon, fill each mini bell pepper half with the cream cheese mixture and place on baking sheet.

Step 4:  Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes, until hot, bubbly and starting to brown on top.

Serve as an appetizer or side dish.