Smart Food: Buffalo Melt ala Vlasic Pickle Style! (Plus win $1000 for a Pickle idea!)

Ever wonder what’s another way to use the yummy Vlasic Stacker Pickles in your fridge? I’m sure!  Well here’s a recipe for a glorified meatloaf sandwich I came across and I couldn’t stop drooling!  As the recipe stands, it wins no award for great nutrition, however a few tweaks and it can turn into a great, healthy meal.  In purple I’ve made some healthy adjustments.

BUFFALO MELTS
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds, ground BUFFALO MEAT (ground turkey or lean ground beef)
2 EGG YOLKS (1/2 cup of egg yolk)
1 small ONION, chopped
SALT and PEPPER to taste
1/2 cup, TOMATO SAUCE
4 slices SOURDOUGH BREAD (whole grain bread)
1 jar, VLASIC® STACKERS PICKLES
4 slices CHEESE ( reduced fat cheese)

DIRECTIONS:
1.      In a large mixing bowl, mix the ground meat, egg yolks, onion, salt and pepper well. Use your hands!
2.      Stuff mixture into a bread pan or deep baking pan.
3.      Add tomato sauce on top, spreading evenly.
4.      Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until cooked through. When done, let cool and cut into one inch slices.
5.      Build Melt: Lay the bread slices flat, add sliced meatloaf, then pickle slices and top with cheese.
6.      Bake in toaster oven or oven until cheese is melted.

Do you have a Vlasic Pickles recipe to share? I would love to try it out!  Please share!  Even better, share your idea on Vlasic.com (click on contest banner) and you could win $1000 for the most creative idea!

Fine Print:

Through August 31, 2010, pickle lovers from across the United States are invited to share how they use Vlasic pickles to elevate a dish. Whether you like a Vlasic Stacker wrapped in ham, a chopped up Kosher Dill pickle to add some zest to a cold salad or something way outside the box, Vlasic wants to hear about it! One Grand Prize Winner will receive $1,000 cash and 10 Finalists will each receive $100 cash. Winning entries will be based on creativity and adherence to theme.

Entering is easy! Go to www.vlasic.com and click on the contest banner. Be sure to read the Official Rules, then fill out the submission form and, in 100 words or less, share what your favorite kind of Vlasic pickle is and describe how you use it to zest up a dish. Submitting a photo of the creation to accompany your entry is optional but recommended. You can also send your entry to: “What Does a Vlasic Do for You?” c/o BHG, 546 Valley Rd., Upper Montclair, New Jersey 07043. All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. EST on August 31, 2010. No purchase is required to enter or win. Must be 18 or older and a U.S. resident (excluding Puerto Rico and U.S. territories) at time of entry.  Odds of winning depend on number of entries received.  For official rules and a full list of Vlasic products, go to www.vlasic.com.