Ingredients:
1 pound hamburger
1 medium onion, sliced
3-4 fresh mushrooms sliced (Optional)
2 Tablespoon butter
12 slices of bread
softened butter or butter spread
6 slices of cheese

Directions:
In a skillet over medium heat melt butter and add the onions, mushrooms and a pinch of sugar. Saute until golden brown, stirring occasionally  It takes about 20 minutes.  Remove from heat.

While onions are cooking, form your hamburger in to patties to fit the size of your bread.  Season with salt and pepper. Cook patties in a separate skillet until they are cooked through.

Butter one side of each slice of bread.  On medium heat use a clean skillet.  Place the butter side of the bread facing the pan, add the slice of cheese, a bit of the onion mixture, the hamburger patty and the other slice of bread with the butter side facing out.  Grill until golden brown and then flip and toast the other side.  Cook until the cheese is melted and bread is toasted.

Made 6 medium size sandwiches

Recipe Source - Once Crazy Cookie

Serve this hearty sandwich with a salad fruit.

Ingredients:

Marinade-

• 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt

Other-

• 1 boneless skinless chicken breast
• 4 slices of bacon (cooked until crispy)
• 4 slices whole wheat bread
• 4 slices mozzarella cheese
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Directions:

1. In a sealable plastic bag or coverable bowl combine 1/3 cup Dijon mustard, vinegar, honey, lemon juice, thyme, paprika, pepper and salt. Add the chicken breast. Seal or cover and place into the refrigerator and allow to marinade for 1 hour.
2. Add the bacon strips into a large skillet. Heat the pan to medium heat and cook the bacon until crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
3. Lightly grease the grates of an outdoor grill. Heat the grill to medium-high heat. Remove the chicken breast from the marinade. Place the chicken breast onto the grill and cook for 10-15 minutes per side or until the chicken is fully cooked (the internal temperature has reached 165 Degrees F.). Remove from the grill and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Slice the chicken breast into strips.
4. Butter one side of each slice of bread. Take one of the bread slices butter side down and spread a layer of Dijon mustard onto the top. Place 1 slice of cheese on top of the mustard. Layer on half of the chicken and half of the bacon. Top with an additional slice of cheese. Place the other bread slice over the cheese, butter side up. Repeat with remaining sandwich.
5. Heat a large skillet or griddle to medium-high heat. Add the sandwiches to the skillet butter-side down. Cook until the sandwiches are golden brown on the bottom (about 2 minutes). Turn and cook for another 2 minutes on the other side. Cook until golden brown and the cheese has melted.

Recipe Source - Blog Chef

I would modify this recipe by using much less butter and go a little lighter on the cheese. This filling would also be good on a panini. 

Ingredients

1 loaf (8 ounces) unsliced French bread
1/2 cup butter, divided
1/3 cup chopped green onions
6 cups fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Cut bread in half lengthwise; spread cut sides with half of the butter. Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook onions in remaining butter over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until tender. Add the spinach, garlic powder and hot pepper sauce; cook and stir 3 minutes longer or until spinach is tender.

Spread over bottom half of loaf; sprinkle with cheeses. Replace bread top. Wrap in foil; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Open foil; bake 5 minutes longer or until golden brown.

Yield: 6 servings. 

Recipe Source: Taste of Home

This is my son's original burger creation. He loves Tex-Mex stuff and he loves burgers, so he combined the two to make this fun recipe for the grill. When he wants them a bit spicier, he adds a small can of chopped green chiles to the meat before making the patties. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef, divided into four patties
Homemade Taco Seasoning
Salsa (here's our favorite, but you can always use store-bought if you prefer)
chopped lettuce
cheddar jack sliced cheese
hamburger buns (can use store-bought or make your own)

Guacamole Ranch Sauce:

1/2 cup reduced fat ranch salad dressing
1/4 cup Wholly Guacamole (or you can use half of a mashed avocado)
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
Juice from 1 lime

1/8 t cumin 

(To make the sauce, mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl and refrigerate to let the flavors meld.)

Directions:

Form the ground beef into four patties. Sprinkle both sides of each burger with the taco seasoning. Grill to desired doneness.

Make Guacamole Ranch Sauce according to above directions.

To assemble the burgers, place a burger on a hamburger bun, top with cheese, salsa, and lettuce. Spread sauce on the bun top. Eat and enjoy!

I've been trying to use less pre-made mixes (too much sodium, etc.) and to find homemade versions of simple recipes. I tweaked a bunch of different sloppy joe recipes to make this one, and it really is scrumptious.

Ingredients:

2 lbs lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery ribs with leaves, chopped
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes (pureed in the blender)
4 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

Directions:

Puree the chopped onion and chopped celery in the blender or food processor so that you don't have large chunks of vegetables (I added about a 1/4 of water to the blender so that mixed smoothly).

Pour onion and celery mixture into a large nonstick skillet and heat through to get rid of some of the water and to soften the vegetables. Add the two pounds of ground beef and cook until the meat is brown. Drain.

Puree the can of crushed tomatoes in the blender to get rid of the chunks. Add to the meat mixture in the skillet. Mix in the brown sugar, vinegar, garlic powder and ground mustard.

Simmer uncovered for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve on hamburger buns.

This is a great item to make and freeze for future use.

This stromboli is easy to make and uses a no-rise whole wheat dough. You can use whatever fillings you like. It makes two stromboli rolls. I made one with ham and cheddar and one with pepperoni and mozzarella.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 T instant dry yeast
1 cup + 1 T warm water (110-115 degrees F)
2 T canola oil
2 T sugar
3/4 t. salt
3 cups whole wheat flour *
Toppings of your choice (i.e. ham, pepperoni, veggies, etc.)
Shredded cheese of your choice
Olive Oil
Oregano

*You can use half whole wheat flour and half white whole wheat flour. Or, you can use half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour (that's what I did as I was out of white whole wheat). 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425.

Combine the warm water and yeast in a mixer bowl. Add in the sugar, salt and oil. Let it sit about 5 minutes until yeast begins to foam.

Add in the flour and mix with dough hook until combined. Knead the dough for 5 minutes using dough hook on mixer at medium speed until dough pulls clean away from the sides of the bowl.

Cover the bowl with a towl and let it rest for 5 minutes.

Divide the dough into two parts. Roll out each half on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle. Add toppings on top of dough, covering most of the surface. Just leave a little space on the edges. Starting on the long side of the rectangle, roll up the dough jelly-roll style. Pinch ends closed and seal the seam with a little water. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano.

Place seam side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at  425 degrees F for 20 minutes.

Slice and serve with sauce of your choice (i.e. marinara, ranch, etc.).

Recipe modified from Finding Joy in My Kitchen

Easy hearty sandwich that makes a great lunch or dinner.

Ingredients:
2 cups Heart Smart Bisquick Baking Mix
1 cup skim milk
1 T mustard
1 egg
1 package (6 oz) thinly sliced roast beef
6 slices Sargento Thin Sliced Swiss Cheese
ground pepper

Directions:

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Spray an 8 x 8 baking pan with no stick spray.

Mix together the Bisquick, milk, mustard, and egg until blended. Pour half of the batter into the baking dish. Top with half the roast beef and the slices of cheese. Top the cheese with the rest of the roast beef. Spread the remaining batter over the roast beef. Sprinkle with pepper if desired. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until golden brown and center is set.

Note: I used a 9 inch baking pan, and only needed to cook it for about 25 minutes.

Recipe Source - Full Bellies, Happy Kids

These were very tasty burgers. Be careful when you make them as they are very juicy and tend to want to fall apart.

Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
4 oz shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
4 slices Oscar Meyer Center Cut Bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 T fat free sour cream

Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Form meat mixture into 4 patties. Grill until done.

A different twist on the traditional sloppy joe sandwich.

Ingredients:
1 pound Italian turkey sausage
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup spaghetti sauce
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
4 slices provolone or mozzarella cheese
4 hamburger buns (or other roll of your choice)

Directions:

Remove sausage from casings and break up in large skillet. Brown sausage with onion over medium heat until cooked through. Drain. Add the spaghetti sauce and spices. Heat through. Serve on toasted hamburger buns (even better if you toast them with a little butter and garlic powder so they taste like garlic bread) and top with a slice of cheese.

This is a nice, basic sloppy joe recipe. It makes about 16 servings, so it's a great one to use when stocking up the freezer.

Ingredients:

1 onion, finely chopped
2 pounds lean ground beef
15 oz can no salt added tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1 T lemon juice
2 t Worcestershire sauce
1 t salt
1 t vinegar
1/2 t dry mustard

Directions:
Cook onion in large non-stick skillet until soft. Add ground beef and cook through. Drain any fat. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer on low for about 20 minutes. Cool and freeze in two portions (I used old cool whip bowls, but freezer bags work fine as well). On serving day, thaw in microwave or on the stovetop in a saucepan.

Makes about 16 servings

I've been enjoying different twists on BLTs this summer. I had some extra French bread and some extra chipotle chiles I needed to use up, so this was the perfect way to use those extra ingredients. My boys really liked these mildly spicy sandwiches.

Ingredients:
10 slices French Bread (1 inch thick)
Olive Oil Spray
Cumin
Chile Powder
10 slices center cut bacon
1/3 c low fat mayo
1/4 c salsa
1chipotle chili in adobo sauce
5 slices Reduced Fat Sargento Pepper Jack Cheese
Chopped romaine lettuce
1 Tomato, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place French bread slices on a baking sheet sprayed with olive oil spray. Spray the top of the bread slices with olive oil. Sprinkle each slice with chili powder and cumin.

In a blender, mix the mayonnaise, salsa and chipotle pepper until well combined. Spread the sauce on top of each of the bread slices.

Cut the cheese slices in half, and place half a slice on each piece of bread. Toast in the oven about 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

While the bread is in the oven, place the bacon slices in a glass baking dish lined with paper towels, and microwave 3-4 minutes or until bacon is cooked to desired doneness. Cut the slices in halves.

Remove bread from oven and top each slice with two bacon halves, chopped lettuce, and chopped tomatoes.



Makes 5 servings of two slices each.

Our family's favorite show is not a television show, but rather an audio podcast. I know, we're weird. But, weird is good. :) We started listening to Two Gomers Run a Half Marathon (now called Two Gomers Run a Marathon) a couple of years ago. The podcast is basically these two regular guys who talk about their journey of trying to run a marathon. They are absolutely hysterical, and often talk about pop culture and their favorite fast food restaurants. One of the places they mention several times as being a favorite is In-N-Out Burgers. Now, being from the Midwest, I had never heard of this restaurant. It is a west coast burger chain that is apparently very popular. When we traveled to California for vacation last year, we decided to take the Gomers' advice and check it out. Well, they were right! The burgers are a huge, greasy, saucy, wonderful mess. :) The key to the burger is the special sauce. Since we aren't going on vacation this summer, I thought I would reminisce this week and make some In-N-Out Burgers at home. If you really want to be true to the experience, be sure to have a chocolate shake with your burger. :)

Special Sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
2 teaspoons finely minced white onion
dash of salt
dash of pepper

Mix all these ingredients in a bowl, cover, let sit in the fridge for a couple hours to let the flavors bind together.

Burger Ingredients:

Hamburger buns
Grilled hamburger patties
Slices American cheese
Tomato slices
Iceberg lettuce leaves
Special Sauce (see above)


Grill your burgers to your desired level of doneness, and top with the cheese to melt. (In-N-Out actually fries theirs, but grilling is simply better.)

You do have assemble the burger in the correct order to really have a true In-N-Out burger:
1. Spread the special sauce on the bottom half of the bun.
2. Add the tomato slices.
3. Top with iceberg lettuce (don't use shredded or other types of lettuce).
4. Add the grilled, cheese-covered patty.
5. Top with the other half of the bun.

Eat and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Full Bellies, Happy Kids

The saucy tomato topping really makes these burgers.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
1 Tbsp. Miracle Whip Light
1/4 cup A.1. Thick & Hearty Steak Sauce, divided
1 French bread baguette (16 to 20 inch)
1 lb. extra-lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onions
4  2% Milk American Singles

Directions:
Heat grill to medium-high heat.

Combine tomatoes, dressing and 1/2 tsp. sauce. Cut baguette lengthwise in half, then cut crosswise into 4
pieces.

Mix meat, onions and remaining steak sauce. Shape into 4 (1/2-inch thick) oval patties.

Grill 4 min. on each side or until done (160°F); top with cheese. Add baguettes, cut-sides down, to grill. Grill 1 min. or until baguettes are lightly toasted and cheese is melted. Fill baguettes with cheeseburgers; top with tomato mixture.

Makes 4 servings

Recipe from Kraft

I was looking for a way to make a healthier sloppy joe that still tasted good, so I decided to try chicken. I make shredded BBQ chicken quite often, but I wanted the taste of regular sloppy joe sauce. This version is pretty much what I wanted. It has MUCH less sodium than using the packages of sloppy joe mix that I traditionally use when making them with ground beef. This would freeze very well.

Ingredients:
8 oz no salt added tomato sauce
1 T brown sugar
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1 t yellow mustard
1 t cider vinegar
1 T dried minced onions
12 oz. cooked shredded chicken breast

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in a medium saucepan on the stove. Heat through. Serve on hamburger buns (not included in nutrition info).

Serving Size: Makes 3 servings

These are great for parties or family get-togethers.

Ingredients:

2 pkgs King's Hawaiian Honey Wheat Rolls
1 pound 96% fat free shaved deli ham
6 slices Sargento Reduced Fat Swiss Cheese, cut into fourths
3 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T mustard
2 T brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted


Directions:


Cut the rolls in half and line the bottom of a sheet cake pan with the bottoms of the rolls. Evenly divide the ham and place on each bun and top with a fourth of a slice of cheese. Place the tops of the buns back on the sandwiches.

Mix together the melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, brown sugar and onion powder. Use a basting brush to liberally coat each sandwich until all sauce is used (you can just pour it over the tops if you wish).

Cover the pan tightly with foil and place in the refrigerator to marinade anywhere from 4-24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bun tops are golden.

Makes 24 sandwiches

This is a nice fast dinner or hearty lunch option.

Ingredients:  
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 T Wondra flour  
1 oz sherry (could also use brandy or whiskey) 
1 cup Health Valley Fat Free No Salt Added Beef Broth 
18 slices Great Value Deli Sliced Roast Beef
3 Sunbeam Lite Wheat Hamburger Buns 
3 slices Sargento Reduced Fat Provolone Cheese

Directions:

In a large, nonstick skillet, saute onion until softened. Add flour and whisk together. Add sherry and beef broth and whisk until smooth. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Add the roast beef slices to the skillet and heat through.

Place hamburger buns on baking sheet and put oven on broiler setting. Pile six slices of beef on each hamburger bun. Top with a slice of cheese. Place in oven on broiler setting and heat until cheese is melted.

Serve with remaining sauce for dipping.

Makes 3 servings.

Adapted from Full Bellies, Happy Kids

This is another recipe that you really don't need a "recipe" for, but it's nice to have it in the list.

Ingredients:
5 oz. can tuna in water
3 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup Miracle Whip Light

Directions:

Drain tuna and dump into small mixing bowl. Add in chopped hard boiled eggs and Miracle Whip. Stir together and serve on sandwich bread.

Number of Servings: 3

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef (93/7)
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp onion powder
3 ounces low-fat mozzarella, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Hunts Pasta Sauce Garlic & Herb
4 Sunbeam Lite whole wheat hamburger buns

Directions:
Preheat grill.

In a large bowl, mix the meat and the spices until well combined. Divide into 4 portions and shape into patties.

Grill to desired doneness. About 1 minute before they are done, divide the cheese among the burgers and melt on top.

Heat sauce in microwave for 30-60 seconds. Place a burger on the bottom piece of each bun. Spread sauce on each bun top, and place on the burgers to serve.

Number of Servings: 4

If you've ever eaten at White Castle, these little burgers will remind you of theirs. This is a horrible picture. I forgot to take one until we were almost finished eating and the lighting was terrible. Trust me, they taste better than the picture looks.

Ingredients:
2 lbs lean ground beef (93/7)
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Ground Black Pepper
1/2 cup dried onions
6 reduced fat American cheese slices 2% milk
2 pkgs King's Hawaiian Honey Wheat Rolls

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Evenly spread dried onions in bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish (I spray mine with no-stick spray first since I use pretty lean meat).

Press ground beef on top of onions in an even layer (you are basically creating one giant patty).

Sprinkle meat with garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.

Bake in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Blot any excess grease from top of meat with a paper towel.

Top with cheese and return to oven for 2 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut into 24 squares.

Slice open rolls. Place one patty on each roll, onion side on bottom half of roll. Serve with a dill pickle slice if desired.

Number of Servings: 24

Well, this one was a failure. None of us liked the sauce. I think we wanted it to taste like beanie weenies.

Ingredients:
1 pkg hot dogs, cut into small slices (I use fat free)
1 can tomato soup
¼ c firmly packed brown sugar
3 T water, 3 T vinegar
2 t Worcestershire sauce
1 T lemon juice
1 small onion, finely chopped
Hot dog buns, toasted


Directions:
In large skillet, brown hot dog pieces. Stir in tomato soup, brown sugar, water, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and onion. Cover; simmer hot dogs in sauce 10 min. Serve in split toasted hot dog buns.