Chop Sandwiches

Several years ago Nathan fixed lunch for the two of us and made up these sandwiches. Ever since we've had them often and called them "chop sandwiches".

Start with sliced deli meat. I used a mixture of turkey and ham for this batch. Slice into small squares. Put meat in small frying pan and fry on high heat. I use a non stick pan and no oil.

Fry until all edges are darkened. Remove from heat.

Place slices of cheese on top of the meat. Let cheese melt and mixture cool for a bit. It is easier to transfer to the pita bread cooled a bit.

Transfer to pita bread. Serve with pickles if desired. Enjoy!

A European Twist on Toasted Cheese Sandwich

I had the most amazing sandwich today. It was heaven on a baguette and now I want to make it at home. This is a fresh and deliciously yummy summer meal that is both simple and light in fare. However, rather than wait until I can obtain the ingredients I snagged a photograph off the Internet to show you what I'm talking about. It doesn't do the sandwich justice, but it's the closest image I can find.

French Quarter Baguette

Ingredients:

* French Baguette

* Fresh tomatoes

* Brie cheese

* Fresh mixed greens

1. Take the bread and slice down the middle like a sub. The length can be anywhere from 4-12" depending on the amount of sandwich you wish to have. Toast lightly.

2. Slice tomatoes and brie cheese. Layer in between the bread.

3. Serve with mixed greens on the side or tucked in with the tomatoes and cheese. Extra twist is to add a very light vinaigrette to the greens.

* Note the hotter the bread and the longer you let the cheese sit will allow for some melting or softening of the cheese.

Bon Appetite!

My New Favorite Sandwich

A month or so ago Nathan and I had to eat at the food court in the mall while out shopping. We ended up having these grilled sandwiches that were tasty enough that Nathan decided to recreate them the other night. They were very easy to make and yummy, too, so I thought I'd share.

The original sandwiches were thinly sliced raw meat grilled with cheese and kind of "mashed" by the spatula into pieces. We "cheated" and used the deli meat we had on hand. We also made ours with pita bread instead of french bread.

Slice any deli meat (turkey breast, chicken, ham, roast beef....) into small squares/pieces. Then "grill" the meat in a skillet until the edges are a little brown. Top with cheese and let it melt. Scoop into a pita pocket.

Nathan fixed me a turkey and cheddar cheese pita with dill pickle, but I'm sure you could use any combination of meat, cheese and veggies to make a very tasty sandwich.

Vegetarian Wrap

This is for my own benefit more than anything else. I stumbled upon this while picking out the menus for some upcoming workshops I'm planning and it sounded tasty (and healthy). I'm posting it here so I'll be able to find it again. :-P

If anyone gives it a try let me know how it turns out.

Vegetarian Wrap
Hummus, shredded carrots, red onion, cucumber, lettuce and pine nuts wrapped in a flour tortilla.

Thanks for Lunch

This weekend we made tomato soup and grilled cheese for lunch. (I forgot to buy cocoa, so couldn't make the brownie pudding.)

I've detested canned tomato soup ever since my daycare days, but Rachelle gave me the courage to try it again. I am pleased to say that it turned out marvelously good. I sauted onions and celery, and seasoned the soup with garlic, corriader, and something else I forget now. As my brother would say, it was plumb edible.

Darren did the grilled cheese, and we added cream cheese, as the Queen suggested. It was very rich, but so good that Darren says he might leave off the cheddar next time. :)

So thanks for the ideas. I wouldn't ever have tried tomato soup otherwise. -- SJ

Do Not Do This: Onions in Ziplocs

In an (as it proved, unnecessary) attempt to save space in my cooler of food to have on hand during electioneering activities, I decided to put the red onions in a ziploc. They're mild, right? They'll be fine.

Wrong. By the time we took them out of the cooler and ate them, the odor in the cooler had achieved toxic proportions. Bleck.

Nonetheless, the pita pockets I had intended to make with them turned out exceedingly well, even if we didn't have time to eat them until we got home late that evening. Next time, though, I'll put the filling in tupperware.

Red State Pita Pockets
1 lb. round steak
2 T. olive oil
2 T. apple cider vinegar
1 t. salt
1 t. cumin
1 t. chili powder

Trim steak and slice thin. (Note: this is easiest if the steak is slightly frozen.) Mix other ingredients and sautee steak strips until cooked through. Chill. Serve in pita pockets (whole wheat are good) with:
sliced red onions
sliced red pepper
sliced red tomato
lettuce
monterey jack cheese