Sauteed Pork Sandwiches with Mustard Sauce

Sauteed Pork Sandwiches with Mustard Sauce
Recipe from: Family Feasts for $75 a Week by Mary Ostyn

2 pounds pork loin, trimmed of fat
2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large yellow onion, cut into long thin shreds
2 cups sliced mushrooms (we didn't use - since we don't like mushrooms!)
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 hoagie rolls, toasted

1. Cut pork loin across the grain into 1/4 inch thick slices; cut slices into 2-to-3 inch long strips.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot and butter melts. Add onion and cook, without stirring, 2 to 3 minutes. Don't stir until you start to see some browned bits. Add mushrooms and cook 2 to 3 more minutes, stirring once or twice. Remove onion and mushrooms to a separate bowl.
3. In the same skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat until hot and butter melts. Add half of pork and cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until it's the way you like it. Transfer to a bowl and cook remaining pork in the same way. Set aside pork and keep warm.
4. In the same skillet, quickly whisk together broth, mustard, soy sauce and cornstarch while broth is still cold. Heat mixture over medium heat until bubbly and starting to thicken. Return pork, onion, and mushrooms to broth mixture in skillet. Mix well and heat through. Serve spooned over toasted hoagie rolls.

Our verdict: This was ok. Surprisingly, the sauce had ZERO flavor! And I had actually doubled the amount of mustard! It was strange! The sauce smelled great cooking, and then once I put it all on the rolls, there was no flavor to it. So, we put some dijon mustard on our sandwiches, and then it was pretty good! :) Not sure I'll go to the trouble of making the sauce next time, or if I'll just saute some pork medallions and onions and toast some rolls and put dijon or deli mustard on the rolls!

Creamy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheddar Basil Sandwiches

We LOVE tomato soup - especially with grilled cheese sandwiches! I have been trying to recreate the Tuscan Tomato Basil Bisque from Safeway, and this was the closest I've gotten so far! I will add some red pepper flakes next time, and see if that does the trick! :) The grilled cheese sandwiches with fresh basil on them were awesome!! :) Enjoy!

Creamy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheddar Basil Sandwiches
Recipe from Muir Glen

Soup

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 2 cans (14.5 oz each) muir glen® organic or meridian ruby™ diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Sandwiches

• 1/4 cup butter, softened, or olive oil
• 12 slices white bread
• 12 slices aged cheddar cheese (6 oz)
• 12 large fresh basil leaves

1. In 4-quart saucepan, heat olive oil, onion and garlic over medium heat 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion is soft and translucent.
2. Reduce heat to low. Add tomatoes; heat 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; add remaining soup ingredients. In blender, place soup mixture. Cover; puree until smooth. (I used my immersible blender, it's easier! Once I put hot soup in the blender, and even though I was holding the lid on - the steam built up pressure inside the blender and exploded the lid off - and I had a HUGE mess of salsa chicken black bean soup all over the kitchen!)
3. Spread butter on 1 side of each bread slice. Arrange 6 slices bread, buttered side down, on work surface, and place 2 slices cheese and 2 basil leaves on each bread slice. Top with remaining 6 bread slices, buttered sides up. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook 2 sandwiches at a time over medium heat until golden brown and cheese just melts; repeat for remaining sandwiches. Serve with soup.

Italian Sausage Sandwiches

This is one of our favorite go to recipes. It's really easy and SO yummy!! I have a hard time eating pork or beef sausage - but we love either the chicken sausage from Trader Joes or Al Fresco. We buy a variety of them when they're on a good sale (especially when I have $1/1 coupons!! and they sometimes go on a really good sale at Fred Meyer!) and keep them in the freezer. The chicken sausage has REALLY good flavor and doesn't upset my stomach like beef and pork sausage does. We use them in all sorts of meals, pasta and sometimes just throw them on the grill for a quick dinner. Anyway...back to the recipe. I've made this for company and everyone really enjoys it! Hope you do too!!!

Italian Sausage Sandwiches
Recipe from Taste of Home

• 6 Italian sausage links (4 ounces each)
• 1 bottle (14.9 ounces) dark beer or nonalcoholic beer
• 2 cups julienned green peppers
• 1 cup sliced onion
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 6 brat buns, split
• 6 slices provolone cheese, halved

• Place sausages in a large saucepan; add beer. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until meat is no longer pink.

• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute green peppers and onion in oil until tender. Add garlic, cook 1 minute longer. Add the tomato, salt and pepper; heat through.

• Drain and discard beer.

• Grill sausages, covered, over direct medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until browned, turning occasionally.

• Serve on buns with green pepper mixture and cheese. Yield: 6 servings.