make THIS at home

Living in Denial, Ohio

Posted on June 19, 2019 by Sandford Schirmer | 0 Comments

 

A TV public service announcement about the opioid epidemic is airing in Central Ohio with the tag line “that doesn’t happen in the town of DENIAL.” It caused me to have an "aha moment" about The Nicer Slicer. I realized that I have been living in my own form of denial.

The other day I passed a display of Bagel Skinnies in the grocery store. I stopped to read the description, boasting of 110 calories per piece. I decided to buy a package and test it against The Nicer Slicer-- it was time to go “Game On” to compare the Skinnies against a toasted slicered bagel- one of the Slicer’s strongest recipes. Why had I walked by these displays for years and not answered the call the validate or disprove this obvious competition to the Nicer Slicer Trifecta of better taste, less calories and lower cost?

As advertised on the package, the calorie battle was being won by the skinny at 110 calories versus 130 for half a regular bagel. STRIKE ONE! Further review of the product showed the poppy and sesame seeds were baked into the skinnies and not on the surface like the regular bagel- BALL! Toasting the regular Everything bagel brings out the flavor of the seeds on the surface of the bagel…  I don’t know if that qualifies as a strike, so we’ll call it a ball… Pitch count: 1 AND 1.

Now I am worried that I will suffer a strike out of our trifecta! At home in my kitchen I courageously approach the toaster. The skinnies toast… When they emerge from the toaster I note they are lighter than a regular bagel… I am thinking they are effectively the same size as a slicered quarter bagel from our slicer. Hamburgers are on the dinner menu, and I present two burgers to my teenage boys. They are Nicer Slicer converts and won’t eat a sandwich if the bread is not toasted and slicered. They take a bite. Silence, and other bite, silence.

I  ask “So how is your hamburger?” Their replies were a lovely surprise and exposed the bagel skinnies as imposters - a weak substitute for the value proposition of The Nicer Slicer. They said, “These thin bagels are dry and bland and miss all the flavor of your normal slicered bagel bun. The seeds are baked into the bun and these are too dry. We will eat them, but please don’t serve them again!”  

Surely this is a HIT! Possibly an in-field TRIPLE given that my testers made the point that these bagels do not compare to the taste of a slicered bagel. The heart the Nicer Slicer Advantage is the inside of the bagel stays soft and gooey. Slicering the toasted bagel exposes that lovely soft interior and holds it against the crunchy, nutty caramelized exterior of the toasted bagel. Slicered bagels are great hamburger buns! So, really I had been living in DENIAL- I should have tested these skinnies long ago.  

I pull out the grocery receipt, and AHA! Now I see how we steal HOME! A package of 6 Everything Bagel Skinnies was $1.99 for 6 sliced skinnies- so you have 12 slices at 16 cents/slice. A bag of 6 normal Everything Bagels from the same store is $1.49. When you toast and slicer the bagels, you end up with 24 slices at 6 cents/slice. Bread for your hamburger bun using the Nicer Slicer works out to 12 cents/burger versus 32 cents/skinny bagel. More food for your grocery dollar, better taste… I’d say we have stolen HOME on this one!

Stick with your slicer- nothing beats it for sandwiches and improving flavor and cost! Satisfaction is improved with good taste, and the superior flavor makes the calorie issue in this case a non-event.

Happy slicering. We would love to have you reach out with recipe ideas and insights. Have a great summer.

All the best,
Sandy Schirmer
Founder, SB Schirmer Co., LLC

Posted in hamburgers, sandwiches, slicering

Skinny Burgers: Cook More, Eat Less

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Sandford Schirmer | 0 Comments

We're cooking more, eating less and, thanks to Weber’s “Way to Grill” cookbook, having a lot of fun with our grill. We modified their recipe for California Burgers with Guacamole Mayonnaise recently and loved the results! This photo story shows how we used the Nicer Slicer to stretch the ingredients, create a tasty sandwich and ensure that we’re not eating more than we need. Makes 10 sandwiches. Scroll to the bottom to download the recipe.

 

 

Grate onion, chop tomatoes and cilantro. Mash avocado and mayonnaise together. Stir onion, cilantro, tomatoes, garlic and lime juice into mayonnaise mix, taste and season with salt.

Prepare grill for direct cooking over high heat

Grill chiles over direct high heat, with lid closed (except to check progress). Turn occasionally until skin is blackened on all sides.

 Put chiles in a plastic bag, zip closed and gently rub to loosen blackened skin.Rise chiles under cold water to remove rest of skins.

Cut chiles into 1/4" dice.

In a large bowl mix chiles, hamburger, salt and pepper and shape patties.

Grill patties over high heat with lid closed (except to check progress) and cook until medium for 8 to 10 minutes.

Toast and slicer the rye bread using a sharp knife with an 8" blade. Bring patties in from grill and insert one into your Nicer Slicer.

Pull handles closed firmly, but do not squeeze the patty.

Applying gentle downward pressure, slicer through each patty.

Set aside until all patties are cut.

Assemble sandwiches using 1 slicered burger and 2 pieces of slicered rye toast and a dollop of mayonnaise.

 

These thin profile hamburger sandwiches are delicious!

Download the recipe and enjoy!

 

 

Posted in avocado mayonnaise, grilled sandwiches, hamburgers, The Nicer Slicer, toast