Top Shelf Talk

SERVES 8 (change servings and units)
Ingredients
1-8 ounce cream cheese, softened
1-4 ounce diced jalepenos
1 lb sausage, cooked & crumbled (your choice of medium, spicy or hot)
1 (8 ounce) package crescent rolls
Directions
1Preheat oven according to crescent rolls packaging.
2In mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese, cooked sausage and chopped green chilies. Mix well.
3Open crescent rolls and unroll dough, place heaping tablespoon on each triangle on the widest end. Roll up and tuck ends under shaping into large oval.
4Place on lightly greased (cooking spray works well) baking sheet and bake according to crescent roll package.

Chili’s Southwest Egg Rolls

This is a copycat recipe from TSR and it is so good. This is great to make ahead and have ready on hand. Prep time for this recipe is the freezer time.
SERVES 5 (change servings and units)
Ingredients
EGGROLL
1 chicken breast fillet
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons minced red bell peppers
2 tablespoons minced green onions
1/3 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup canned black bean, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 tablespoons diced canned jalapeno peppers
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 dash cayenne pepper
3/4 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
5 seven inch flour tortillas
DIPPING SAUCE
1/4 cup smashed fresh avocado (about half of an avocado)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon dried parsley
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1 dash dried dill weed
1 dash garlic powder
1 dash pepper
GARNISH
2 tablespoons chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped onion
Directions
1Preheat barbecue grill to high heat.
2Rub the chicken breast with some vegetable oil then grill it on the barbecue for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until done.
3Lightly salt and pepper each side of the chicken while it cooks.
4Set chicken aside until it cools down enough to handle.
5Preheat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat.
6Add the red pepper and onion to the pan and sauté for a couple minutes until tender.
7Dice the cooked chicken into small cubes and add it to the pan.
8Add the corn, black beans, spinach, jalapeno peppers, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt, and cayenne pepper to the pan.
9Cook for another 4 minutes.
10Stir well so that the spinach separates and is incorporated into the mixture.
11Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheese.
12Stir until the cheese is melted.
13Wrap the tortillas in a moist cloth and microwave on high temperature for 30 seconds or until hot.
14Spoon approximately one-fifth of the mixture into the center of a tortilla.
15Fold in the ends and then roll the tortilla over the mixture.
16Roll the tortilla very tight, then pierce with a toothpick to hold together.
17Repeat with the remaining ingredients until you have five eggrolls.
18Arrange the eggrolls on a plate, cover the plate with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours.
19Overnight is best.
20While the eggrolls freeze prepare the avocado-ranch dipping sauce by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
21Preheat 4-6 cups of oil to 375 degrees.
22Deep fry the eggrolls in the hot oil for 5-6 minutes and remove to paper towels or a rack to drain for about 2 minutes.
23Slice each eggroll diagonally lengthwise and arrange on a plate around a small bowl of the dipping sauce.
24Garnish the dipping sauce with the chopped tomato and onion.

Top Secret Recipes
version of
Maid-Rite®
Loose Meat Sandwich
by Todd Wilbur

It’s been an Iowa tradition since 1926 and one of our long-time requested items at TSR. Even TV comedienne Roseanne and her Iowa native ex-husband Tom Arnold spoke many salivating praises of Maid-Rites when they shared a home together in the state. There are now 83 Maid-Rite stores located throughout Iowa and seven other Midwestern states. Although the sandwich is not much more than a traditional hamburger with the ground beef arranged uncompressed on the bun, the product has a huge cult following. And since the meat is loose, the sandwich is served with a spoon for scooping up the ground beef that will inevitably fall out. This Top Secret Recipe isn’t so much about ingredients as it is about technique. You want to be sure to chop the ground beef thoroughly as it cooks so that you get tiny rice-size pieces. Then when you build your sandwich, you firmly press the beef into a 1/2-cup measuring cup. Dump the meat onto the bottom of plain hamburger bun; add your choice of mustard, onions, and pickles; ready a spoon, and dig in.

1 pound ground beef
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash ground black pepper
4 plain hamburger buns
yellow mustard
minced onion
dill pickle slices

1. Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium-low heat. As the meat cooks use a wooden spoon (or a potato masher) to chop the meat into fine, rice-size pieces. Drain fat.
2. Add salt and pepper and continue to stir over low heat for 5 more minutes.
3. Build each sandwich by pressing the hot ground beef into a 1/2 cup measuring cup. Dump the meat onto the bottom of a plain hamburger bun. Add mustard on the top bun, along with pickles and minced onion if desired. Top off the sandwich, then heat it up in your microwave oven for 10 to 15 seconds to warm the buns. Serve with a spoon as they do in the restaurants.

From: http://www.topsecretrecipes.com

Makes 4 sandwiches.