patty melt

Great with tater tots!

2 slices firm bread
burger patty, shaped like the bread
1/4 to 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
dressing
cheese, sliced or grated

Fry the onions in oil, covered, on medium heat, stirring often, til caramelized (ca 5 to 10 min). Set aside. (Note: To help with caramelization, near the end sprinkle with a little sugar, brown sugar, booze, or balsamic vinegar.)

Season the patty, and fry, on medium heat, til done.

Butter the bread on one side, and spread the other with dressing. Assemble the sandwich with bread (butter sides out), patty, onions, and cheese. Fry on medium low until lightly toasted.

Classic left coast: sourdough, thousand island, cheddar, beef

Classic right coast: dark rye, mustard and mayo, dill slice, provolone, beef

Brucios: whole grain sourdough, aioli (or mayo, crushed garlic, olive oil, seasoning), pizza cheese mix, turkey

Brucios veggie: As above, with veggie patty

Your special version: ?!?

Brucio’s sandwiches

The sensation that started it all!

Lay a split sandwich roll face up on a cookie sheet. Add sauces to both halves; more than one is OK. Add fillings to the bottom half, cheeses last. Sprinkle both halves with Italian herbs (like basil, oregano, marjoram, sage, rosemary), and broil, briefly, to make it toasty. After broiling, add any cold fixin’s, and assemble the halves.

Sauce ideas …

French or Russian dressing
thousand island dressing
ranch dressing
bleu cheese dressing
vinaigrette
aioli
mayo with crushed garlic
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
chili sauce
pesto
teriyaki sauce
pasta sauce
honey mustard
mayo laced with something spicy (like steak sauce, taco sauce, hot sauce, worchestershire)

Filling ideas (all sliced) …

cheeses
meats
cream cheese
ricotta
fried eggplant
fried tofu
cooked bacon
grilled veggies (like yellow squash and zuchini)
sun dried tomatoes
pickled red peppers
mushrooms, fresh or sauteed
onions, grilled or fresh
sliced tomatoes
sliced pickles
grilled chicken
grilled steak
hummus
mashed beans (like white, kidney, canellini)

Fixin’ ideas …

shredded lettuce
sprouts
fresh herbs
guacamole
sliced olives

easy-peasy lazy dishes

pasta and jarred sauce (look for sauce on sale at $2 per jar)

tuna melt … grilled cheese with added tuna

hot dogs

brats … simmer, covered, in 1/2 in beer til not pink, then drain, pierce, and saute til golden on medium low

ramen with extra stuff … leftovers, thin-sliced veggies

mac and cheese

breakfast burritos

frozen tater tots, hash browns, fries

nuked taters, stuffed with anything (like half arabiata and half peanut butter, or chili or pizza fixins), optionally topped with cheese and nuked or broiled

egg in a nest

pancakes from mix, with fruit or bacon

ham steak fried, with apple or cranberry sauce

precooked turkey breast

frozen chicken breasts in Foreman grill about 10 min (get the really thin ones)

grilled chicken breast, topped with warm pasta sauce and mozzerella, broiled to melt cheese

fresh veggies with a Tbs of H2O, covered and nuked 3 to 6 min

pasta salad (easy, but takes a while to prep all the veggies)

bean burritos … refried beans, cheese, taco sauce, lettuce, beans

recipes on the back of pasta boxes

omlettes

cobb salad

Hormel pot roast (Safeway often has them for 1/2 off) with nuked taters or noodles

fried Spam … really! pure pork shoulder!

store-roasted chicken

stovetop stuffing

speedy mashed taters … nuke them, then mash with butter (milk optional)

french toast … dip bread in a mix of egg and a little milk before frying on medium to medium low heat; vanilla optional

fried or nuked kielbasa, optionally in pasta sauce, or with caramelized onions

grate some parsnips and fry with butter, salt, and pepper, on medium high for a few minutes; or use carrots instead

slice a tomato in half and broil, cut side up and sprinkled with salt, pepper, and parmesan

brown a pound of hamburger in really big chunks (to simulate mini meatballs) on medium high, add a jar of pasta sauce and simmer for a bit; serve on subs or pasta, parmesan optional (Arabiata sauce is extra spicy)

pizzawich

sourdough slices
pasta sauce
cheese

Warm some oil over medium low heat. Add a slice of bread, some pasta sauce, some sliced or grated cheese, and another slice of bread. Drizzle with a little oil. Cover and grill a few minutes, ’til toasty, then turn and do the other side.

Notes: Instead of oiling the pan, the outside of the bread can be buttered. I like to add a fried egg, before the sauce.