Day After Thanksgiving Sandwich

Hey Everybody, it's been a while.  I have been busy!  I'm dealing with some health issues and getting ready for the holidays.  Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday!  I love to cook, eat and visit with friends and family.  It's the perfect day!  But, secretly, what I love even more is the next day.  I don't go Black Friday shopping.  I don't even leave the house.  I sit around, listen to Christmas music, decorate the house and make a day after Thanksgiving sandwich.  It is a good day.  

The sandwich is quick and simple to make, as well as customizable.  Use the leftovers you enjoy.  Here's how I like to make mine:

Warm up a few leftovers.  I like to use turkey, gravy, cornbread dressing and cranberry sauce.

Butter 2 slices of bread.  Set aside.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Place one piece of bread, butter side down, in the hot skillet.

Layer on the ingredients:  Gravy, turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce.

Place the other piece of bread on top, butter side up.

Let the sandwich sit until the bottom is toasted and golden brown.  Then, flip the sandwich over using a spatula.

Smash it down slightly and let it toast on the other side.

Voila!  It's done!

Simple, but so delicious!  I hope you enjoy your day after Thanksgiving!

   

BBQ Cheeseburger Panini

This is an easy, cheap, but delicious sandwich.  My Old School Italian husband loved it!  I really like it because you can customize it to your taste.  You can add veggies or bacon or extra cheese (or all three).  But, it's pretty good plain, too.  You don't even need a fancy panini press!  Here's how ya do it:

BBQ CHEESEBURGER PANINI

1 loaf French bread (or poboy rolls, etc)
Softened butter
1 lb ground beef
Salt and pepper
1/2 onion, diced
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
American cheese (any melty cheese will work)

Brown ground beef with diced onion and Worcestershire sauce.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Drain excess fat.

Stir in BBQ sauce and heat through.

Cut French bread into sandwich sized pieces then slice in half lengthwise.  Spread softened butter on outside of each piece of bread.  Heat a griddle over medium-high heat.  If you don't have a griddle, use a cast iron skillet.

Place bread, butter side down, on the hot griddle.  Add cheese.  Spoon meat mixture on (as much or as little as you like).  Add more cheese, then place the top piece of bread on, butter side up.

Smash the sandwiches down with a spatulta.  Then, place a cookie sheet on top of them and place a heavy skillet on top of the cookie sheet.  This is a makeshift panini press!

Let them toast up for a few minutes then remove skillet and cookie sheet and flip them over.

They should be golden and toasty.  Place the cookie sheet and skillet back on for a few more minutes.  Then they are done!  Easy and so good!

The bread is buttery and crispy.  The cheese is melty and warm.  The meat is savory.  This is one delicious sandwich!  This is a picture of a plain version (my husband and pickiest eater ever son are plain kind of guys).  But, feel free to add whatever you like.  I put fresh sliced tomatoes on mine (YUMMMM!).  Next time I think I'll add basil and mozzarella for a Caprese twist.   Bacon and avocado would be pretty fantastic, too.  Ooh, caramelized onions and peppers!  Or mushrooms!  As you can see, the possibilities are endless.  Who says you need an expensive panini press?  Make these cheap and cheerful paninis for your family and watch them disappear.

Roasted Vegetable Grilled Cheese Sandwich

I love to roast vegetables!  Roasting brings out the natural sweetness in the veggies and gives them a whole new taste.  Plus it's easy!  I tend to make more than we can eat at suppertime (probably because my son "pretends" to eat his veggies tsk tsk tsk).  But, the left overs make a mean sandwich for lunch the next day.

First, this is how I roast the vegetables:

You can roast any vegetable you like.  Some of my favorites are broccoli, carrots, onions, zucchini, tomatoes and peppers.  All you do is cut the vegetables into similar size pieces (clean and dry them first), lay them on a cookie sheet, drizzle with a little olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Using clean hands, toss them around to evenly distribute the oil, salt and pepper.  Put them into a hot oven (preheated to 400 degrees) for about 15-20 minutes or until soft and a little charred on the ends.  Easy peasy! (get it, peas-y.  Sorry, bad vegetable pun)

Anyway, if you are gonna roast vegetables, roast a lot.  That way you will have left overs.  You can throw them into pasta or rice or soup or make this grilled cheese sandwich.

ROASTED VEGETABLE GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

2 slices good bread (I like to use 12 grain bread, but french bread is good too)
a little softened butter (to spread on the bread)
a good melting cheese (whole milk mozzarella, monterey jack, American)
leftover roasted vegetables, warmed up

Heat a skillet (I like cast iron, but a non-stick works, too) over medium-high heat.  Spread softened butter on one side of each slice of bread.  Place one slice of bread butter side down into hot skillet.  Lay cheese on top.

Then, spoon on some warm vegetables.

Lay more cheese on top of the veggies, then place the other slice of bread butter side up.

Let this toast up until the bottom is golden brown.  Be careful not to burn it!  Once toasted and golden, use a spatula to flip it over.

Press lightly with the spatula to help the cheese adhere.  The cheese is like the glue that holds the sandwich together (that's why I put it on both sides of the veggies).  Once the second side is toasted and golden, it's done!  Remove from the skillet to a cooling rack.  If you lay it on a plate and walk away, the bottom will get soggy.  Gross!  You want this nice and crispy.  Once it has cooled for just a few minutes, cut it in half, if desired.  I like to cut mine in half so I can see all the gooey goodness inside!

You can throw anything on this sandwich!  Add some pepperoni or salami for an antipasto sandwich.  Add deli ham or turkey.  Add some hummus or bean sprouts or avocado.  It's the perfect medium for left overs!  And quite possibly the perfect lunch.