An Inspired Cook

An Inspired Cook
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  • Category: Sandwiches & Paninis

    • Philly Cheesesteak

      Posted at 12:47 pm by NativeNM, on June 20, 2025

      Here’s another Blackstone Griddle recipe that took only a few minutes to make. The prep work was minimal and in no time I had a couple of Philly Cheesesteaks ready. I am having fun with this new griddle which heats so fast and much hotter than a grill. It doesn’t have a temperature gauge so I ordered an infrared thermometer laser gun to instantly read the temp of the griddle. It’s a must have to monitor the temperature.
      These cheesesteaks are more traditional with thinly sliced steak, sliced white American cheese, onions, mushrooms and Anaheim chiles seasoned with a simple Verde seasoning. Joe and I don’t like green bells so we always substitute a green chile of some variety in place of the green bell peppers. Feel free to make it your own as I do. Whatever you enjoy on your cheesesteak is easy to add or eliminate ingredients based on your taste buds. And toasting the steak rolls on a griddle is also a bonus, the toasted buttered roll has that slight crunchy texture but is still soft. The steak and veggies were so tender and everything tasted so good with the melted cheese holding it all together. Don’t have a griddle . . . just make these cheesesteaks in a cast iron skillet or a wok.

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      Posted in Blackstone Griddle, Recipes, Red or Green, Sandwiches & Paninis | 0 Comments | Tagged Anaheim Chiles on a Philly Cheesesteak, Blackstone Griddle, Blackstone Griddle Philly Cheesesteak, Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich, Steak, Traditional Philly Cheesesteak
    • New Mexico Inspired Cuban Sandwich

      Posted at 9:58 am by NativeNM, on August 11, 2023

      When you look at this sandwich I realize it really doesn’t look nearly as good as it tastes. I hope you can get past the photo and imagine how this sandwich will taste with all the flavors that are packed within it. The story of this sandwich began in late spring when I got together with my sister Kat for a day out on the town. When we get together it doesn’t matter what we plan for the day, it always includes a lunch date. After some debate we decided on Range Cafe, a local favorite here in Albuquerque. They have a seasonal menu that they change, well . . . seasonally, so if you find something that sounds really good, you’d better order it because next time it might be gone. Their “Spring Features” menu included a Cuban Grilled Cheese that sounded intriguing. It was layered with Pork Carnitas with a Red Chile and Coffee Rub, Green Chile Mustard, Swiss and Cheddar Cheese with Ham and Pickles on a Crusty Baguette pressed panini style. All it took was one bite and I knew this was the one for Joe who loves a good Cuban sandwich. A year ago I made smoked carnitas that featured a red chile and coffee rub so the first order of business was to smoke another pork butt. The green chile mustard did not have roasted green chile but rather was spiked with dried ground green chile. This sandwich is so delicious, it’s been one of our favorite new sandwiches over the summer.

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      Posted in Burgers, Sandwiches, Paninis and Wraps, Recipes, Red or Green, Sandwiches & Paninis | 2 Comments | Tagged Cuban Sandwich, Green Chile Mustard, New Mexico Inspired Cuban Sandwich, Panini Pressed Cuban Sandwich, Red Chile and Coffee Rubbed Pork Cuban Sandwich
    • Chimichurri Meatballs stuffed with Cheese

      Posted at 9:19 am by NativeNM, on April 14, 2023

      If you ever have a craving for some giant meatballs stuffed with herbs and cheese, look no further than these chimichurri meatballs. They have so many flavors packed inside and the warm stringy mozzarella cheese makes them even tastier. I wish my boys were here to try them; meatballs never lasted long when they were around. But my audience of one (Joe) loved them. The chimichurri is made with parsley, cilantro and chives along with garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes salt and olive oil. It makes any meatball so moist and flavorful. We found these giant meatballs so filling that 2 were enough for a plate of spaghetti and sauce and also meatball hoagies. This one’s a keeper, plan on putting some up in the freezer. They make an easy meal over the summer when you don’t want to turn on the oven.

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      Posted in Burgers, Sandwiches, Paninis and Wraps, Dutch Oven and Cast Iron, Entree, Recipes, Sandwiches & Paninis | 4 Comments | Tagged Chimichurri Meatballs, Chimichurri Meatballs stuffed with Cheese, Meatball Sandwich, Meatballs Simmered in Sauce, Meatballs stuffed with Cheese, Rao's Pasta Sauce, Spaghetti and Meatballs
    • Banh Mi Pork

      Posted at 10:43 am by NativeNM, on March 16, 2023

      Joe and I recently visited a Vietnamese restaurant here in Albuquerque and tried a Bahn Mi sandwich. It was good but it didn’t have the explosion of flavors that I’ve always heard a great Banh Mi should have. I did a bit of research and came up with a recipe that I think captures the flavor that I was expecting. Banh Mi is a Vietnamese sandwich made with a crusty roll or a baguette, loaded with a marinated protein such as pork, chicken or beef, seasoned pickled vegetables and a tangy spicy dressing. One bite, and I knew this sandwich had exceeded my expectations by far. There are so many layers from the tangy salty flavors to the sweet and spicy tones. There are 3 preps that you need to do a few hours ahead to marinate the meat, brine the veggies and mix the sandwich spread. When it’s time to put it all together, you only need to stir fry the meat and lightly toast the baguette before building it. I hope this version of the Banh Mi Pork sandwich appeals to you as much as it did me!

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      Posted in Burgers, Sandwiches, Paninis and Wraps, Entree, Recipes, Sandwiches & Paninis | 3 Comments | Tagged Banh Mi Pickling Brine, Banh Mi Sandwich Spread, Pork Banh Mi, Pork Banh Mi Marinade, Vietnamese Banh Mi Sandwich
    • Creamy Egg Salad Sandwich with Roasted Red Chile

      Posted at 10:49 am by NativeNM, on February 25, 2022

      I haven’t had an egg salad sandwich in the longest time. I used to make a basic salad with boiled eggs, mayo, green onion, salt and pepper. Recently I came across a recipe online that sounded so good I had to give it a try. I altered the recipe just a bit to fit our taste buds and it turned out better than expected. The creaminess comes from whipped cream cheese mixed with mayonnaise. For years I’ve been adding whipped cream cheese to scrambled eggs and it made sense that it would taste good in egg salad. The grated cheese with roasted red chile provided another layer of flavor which reminded me a bit of my roasted red chile cheese spread, only with boiled eggs. We enjoyed it on toasted potato bread topped with crisp bacon and a side of hash browns. Perfect for a light lunch!

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      Posted in Recipes, Red or Green, Sandwiches & Paninis | 7 Comments | Tagged Creamy Egg Salad Sandwich with Roasted Red Chile, Creamy Egg Salad with Roasted Red Chile, Egg Salad Sandwich, Egg Salad Sandwich with Bacon and Roasted Red Chile
    • Grilled Chicken Gyros

      Posted at 12:41 pm by NativeNM, on September 18, 2020

      Some of the best gyros I’ve ever tasted were from our time in Detroit and Kansas City.  We moved to from Albuquerque to Detroit in 1990 where I got to see where Joe grew up in the great state of Michigan.  At that time we had two little boys under the age of 3 years old and didn’t get to eat out much.  One time Joe surprised me with tickets to go see the Detroit Red Wings play hockey.  Growing up in New Mexico I knew nothing about hockey but the experience was thrilling and I immediately became a fan.  Joe Louis Arena was located downtown and we would park and ride the people mover transportations rails to get to the arena.  Greektown which had some amazing food was located on one of the people mover stops so we would park there and grab a bite to eat before heading over to the game.  If you are ever in Detroit and need a great place to eat, visit Olga’s Kitchen or any one of the great restaurants in Greektown.  We also had some great Greek food in Kansas City.  I loved the gyros at Mr. Gyros which was one of our frequent haunts in KC.  One thing about Mr. Gyros is that the servings are huge and everything tastes fresh.  This year has been challenging at best to find those those “little known” restaurants here in Albuquerque, especially not being able to sit down and experience a meal indoors.  We rarely go out except for takeout and I haven’t found a great Greek restaurant yet to recommend here in ABQ.  I’m sure it’s out there, I just haven’t found it!  Sorry for the long story but I have been craving a gyro which always brings back memories.  I went with grilled chicken gyros which tasted so good with homemade warm flat breads wrapped around Greek and lemon seasoned chicken. The marinade made the chicken tender and juicy.  With some tzatziki sauce and freshly sliced tomato and red onion it was one of the tastiest wraps I’ve ever had.  I’m a tough critic when it comes to gyros and this one is one of the best!
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      Posted in Bread, Burgers, Sandwiches, Paninis and Wraps, Recipes, Sandwiches & Paninis | 2 Comments | Tagged Chicken Gyro Sandwich, Chicken Gyros, Grilled Chicken, Grilled Chicken Gyros, Hand Held Chicken Gyro, Lemon and Greek Marinade, Tzatziki Sauce
    • Thanksgiving for Two

      Posted at 9:29 am by NativeNM, on November 20, 2018

      For the first time in many years Joe and I will be spending Thanksgiving by ourselves.  In years past we always spent the day with Joe’s mom.  Our boys would also be there to feast on the traditional turkey and stuffing.  This year has been a transitional year, Joe and I moved back to New Mexico about 6 month’s ago.  Josh spent a year “down under” for the adventure of a lifetime traveling throughout Australia.  He spent 6 month’s working at an observatory near Coonabarabran, which he called his second home.  He met so many folks from all over the world and along the way made some lifelong friends.  Cameron remains in the Kansas City area and is now part of the management team at Monster Mountain where he continues to share his love of rock climbing indoor and outdoor.  He maintains and creates routes for the wall and coaches a group of young climbers that he is so proud of.  We have a lot to be thankful for.  Josh arrived back in the states on Halloween just in time to pass out candy and stayed with us for the past couple of weeks.  He made plans to spend the holiday in California, but before he left for “The Golden State” he wanted us to share a Thanksgiving feast with all the trimmings.  I just couldn’t see cooking a turkey with all the side dishes for just the three of us so we cooked up a smaller version that tasted just as good as having a traditional meal.  It’s pretty simple and takes way less time to make.  We layered slices of toasted artisan bread with baked chicken or (sub turkey breast) layered with stuffing, gravy and a dollop of cranberry sauce.  Of course I had to have mashed potatoes and gravy on the side.  It is the most delicious meal to make if you want to make a feast for just 2 or 3 people.  Also this would be a great way to use any leftovers for those who have a traditional roasted turkey with all the trimmings.  Whether you are entertaining for two or want a way to make your leftovers taste just as good as your Thanksgiving meal, give this layered open faced sandwich a try.  Happy Thanksgiving!!
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      Posted in Condiments and Sauces, Recipes, Sandwiches & Paninis, Side Dishes | 2 Comments | Tagged Atchafalaya Seasoning, Chicken Stuffing Gravy and Cranberry Layered Open Face Sandwich, Stove Top Stuffing, Stuffing Gravy, Thanksgiving Dinner for Two, Thanksgiving leftover Open Faced Sandwich
    • Grilled Veggie Panini with Balsamic Glaze

      Posted at 9:12 am by NativeNM, on October 4, 2013

      Veggie-Panini-20 - Copy

      It’s been gorgeous weather this week and I decided to pick up some veggies and make panini’s for dinner.  I sliced and assembled my veggies and went outside to set up the grill.  It was sunny and in the upper 70’s, just perfect outside but I noticed that the wind was picking up.  I drizzled my sliced veggies with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper and began grilling.  Everything was going well but the wind was just wicked.  About the time I finished, I realized that big clouds were rolling in.  I had just enough time to let the grill cool and get everything inside before it turned dark and started pouring rain.  The veggies turned out perfect and I piled them together between sourdough bread with some fresh mozzarella cheese, spinach pesto and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.   It was just the perfect combination!
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      Posted in Burgers, Sandwiches, Paninis and Wraps, Condiments and Sauces, Recipes, Sandwiches & Paninis | 4 Comments | Tagged Grilled Veggie Panini, Portabella Mushroom Balsamic Glaze, Spinach Pesto, Vegetarian, Zucchini
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