Tag Archives: Sandwiches

Turkey, Smoked Gouda, and Raspberry Chipotle Jam Sandwich

May 4, 2020

I have so many fond food memories of Chicago. We lived there for 2 years while Dustin completed his pediatric dental residency and have been back a couple times since we moved away almost 6 years ago. One of my favorite lunches in Chicago was from a bakery in Uptown, just down the street from our second apartment, that no longer exists but had the most amazing bread and sandwiches. The best of all their sandwiches was the turkey and smoked gouda with raspberry chipotle jam layered on their fresh baked ciabatta. I still crave it to this day. And so I’ve figured out how to make my own!

The secret to this sandwich is using the best bread you can find. A good ciabatta is thick and chewy yet fluffy with nooks and crannies to soak up the mayo on one side and spicy jam on the other. Arugula adds a fresh peppery bite. Smoked gouda is a must. It’s got so much flavor you can’t skip it. I’ve looked and never found a raspberry chipotle jam in a store, but it’s so easy to make your own. Take some good raspberry preserves and mix in some minced up chipotle pepper in adobo (the kind that come in a can- they are just smoked jalapeno peppers in a sauce). I haven’t included any amounts for this recipe (except a suggestion on the chipotle pepper to jam ratio) because I don’t measure when I make a sandwich. I just layer it all on like I like it! I promise this sandwich will make you a fan.

Turkey, Smoked Gouda, and Raspberry Chipotle Jam Sandwich

INGREDIENTS

ciabatta, sliced in half
raspberry jam (Bonne Mamam is the best store bought brand)
chipotle pepper in adobo (from a can), minced
oven roasted or smoked turkey breast, thinly sliced
smoked gouda, sliced
mayonnaise
arugula
tomato, sliced

DIRECTIONS

  1. To make the raspberry chipotle jam, in a small bowl stir to combine the raspberry jam and chipotle pepper. (I use 1 Tbsp. minced chipotle in adobo per 1/4 cup raspberry jam for a mild/medium kick. It will taste less spicy on the bread so you can add more chipotle if you like a lot of heat!)
  2. Spread the prepared jam on the top half of the ciabatta and mayonnaise on the bottom half. Layer the bottom half with turkey, smoked gouda, tomato and arugula, and top with the top slice of bread. (The sandwich can be served cold or warmed in the oven until the cheese is melty and the outside of the bread crisp.)

Inspired by a sandwich at the former Baker and Nosh in Chicago.

Egg in a Hole Grilled Cheese

April 7, 2020

Breakfast for lunch or dinner happens often around here. Eggs make a great meal any time of day and there are so many ways to eat them! This recipe puts a fun twist on egg in a hole by making it into grilled cheese. We added thinly sliced ham, sharp Cheddar, and for those who are fans, some mustard. Grill until the bread is crisp and the cheese is oozing out. (You can leave the egg yolk runny- we like ours just set.) Slice in half and devour. Then repeat.

Egg in a Hole Grilled Cheese

INGREDIENTS

crusty white or wheat bread, sliced (French or sourdough loaves are really good here)
butter
cheese (sharp cheddar, Colby/Pepper Jack, or Swiss, etc.), grated or thinly sliced 
egg
thinly sliced ham or cooked bacon or Canadian bacon
mustard or honey mustard (optional)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Cut a hole from the center of one slice of the bread. Melt a bit of butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. When it foams, place the cut slice of bread and the round in skillet and toast lightly, about 1 minute.

  2. Crack an egg into the hole and season with salt and pepper, and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes.

  3. Flip the egg bread, sprinkle cheese on bread and top with ham. Spread mustard (if using) on second piece of bread and close sandwich. Cook until well browned and bottom part of cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute more. Flip whole sandwich and cook until all cheese is melted, about 2 to 3 minutes more. Serve warm.

Adapted from Food Network

Turkey Bacon Panini (or Burger) with Sun-dried Tomato Aioli

March 31, 2020

Today I not only have a recipe to share, but my site has a new look! I was forced to update because of some outdated features of the old design but I’m excited about the new modern/minimalist look. Thank you to Natalie and Blogzilla for the template and installation help- I highly recommend them!

This sandwich/burger and aioli recipe has become a favorite around here. I’ve made it many times now both ways. The secret is the sun-dried tomato aioli, which is just a fancy name for mayo. But not ordinary mayo- no, this one is jazzed up with oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and lemon juice. I used to live a couple miles from Whole Foods and would often pick up lunch there when we were grocery shopping or out for the day. I almost always went for the sandwich bar where you could custom create a massive sandwich (enough for me + toddler) for 8$. They had the best sun-dried tomato mayonnaise and when I moved away (sadly my nearest Whole Foods is a 35 + minute drive now) I had to figure out how to make my own! This recipe is spot on.

For a panini, I like to use crusty white bread, arugula, bacon if I have some, and either provolone or Havarti. When I make turkey burgers, I skip the bacon and add some sliced tomato and red onion. It’s all up to you! (BTW this makes A LOT of aioli, so if you’re not cooking for a crowd you can halve the recipe or save some for later… you’ll want to!)

Turkey Bacon Panini (or Burger) with Sun-dried Tomato Aioli

INGREDIENTS

Panini (or Burger):

crusty bread, sliced (or hamburger buns)
arugula (or baby spinach)
bacon, cooked until crisp (optional, but delicious)
smoked or oven-roasted turkey, thinly sliced (or ground turkey for a burger)
cheese, sliced (smoked provolone or Havarti are my favorites on this)

Sun-dried Tomato Aioli:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. minced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. granulated sugar (optional, but recommended)
freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Sun-dried Tomato Aioli:

  1. To make the aioli, mix the mayo, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon juice, garlic, sugar, and pepper in a small bowl. (If you prefer your aioli to have a smoother texture you can pulse them in the food processor.)

Panini:

  1. Spread aioli on one or both slices of the bread. Layer arugula, bacon, turkey, and cheese. Top with the second slice of bread.
  2. Preheat a panini press or pan on the stove to medium heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray or butter to help the sandwich crisp and brown. Grill sandwich, flipping halfway through if necessary, until both sides are toasted and the cheese has melted. Cut and serve.

*If you don’t have a panini press, you can use a plate, spatula, or second pan to press the sandwich down on the pan on the stove to get the “pressed” panini result.

Burgers:

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the ground turkey with a bit of the aioli (1-2 Tbsp. per pound of turkey) and season with salt and pepper. Form into patties and grill until cooked through.
  2. Place burgers on a bun and top with cheese, aioli, bacon (optional), and aioli.

Panini adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe and burger/aioli from Fine Cooking.

Pork Meatball Bahn Mi

October 19, 2012

I found this delectable sandwich during my hunt for dairy-free recipes. I didn’t get around to trying it until just recently. But I wish I hadn’t waited. It was insanely delicious. If you’re not familiar with the bahn mi, essentially it’s just a Vietnamese sandwich. “Bahn mi” literally means bread or baguette, which, as I just learned, was introduced to the country by French colonists. The chewy-soft rolls are commonly filled with meat, picked vegetables, cilantro, and finished with a spicy mayo. This version is stuffed with plump pork meatballs, along with the traditional fixings. The meatballs were warm and juicy, bursting with basil, garlic, and chili flavors- the perfect contrast to the sweet pickled carrot and radish and creamy hot mayonnaise. If you want to lighten things up, try using ground chicken or turkey. And if you’re feeling extra lazy, you could simply use thinly sliced or shredded roasted chicken breast- you’ll still have an awesome sandwich.

Pork Meatball Bahn Mi

INGREDIENTS

Pork Meatballs:
1 lb. ground pork (or chicken or turkey)
1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
1 Tbsp. hot chili sauce (such as sambal oelek or sriracha)
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Pickled Vegetables:
2 cups carrot, coarsely grated or julienned
2 cups daikon (japanese radish) or regular radish and/or cucumber, coarsely grated or julienned
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. sesame oil

Hot Chili Mayonnaise:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)

1 Tbsp. sesame oil
4+ french rolls or pieces sliced baguette
cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced (if you didn’t pickle it)
jalapeno, thinly sliced into rings (optional, I’ve used pickled jalapeno as well)
fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS

1. To prepare the meatballs: Gently mix all ingredients in a large bowl and form into 1-inch meatballs (should yield about 24). Place on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to use. (Can be made up to a day ahead of time.)

2. To prepare the pickled vegetables: In a medium bowl dissolve sugar in rice vinegar and season with kosher salt. Toss with carrot, daikon, and onion. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour (or refrigerate if made farther in advance).

3. To prepare the hot chili mayonnaise: Stir to combine mayonnaise, green onion, and chili sauce in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (Can be made up to a day ahead of time.)

4. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. (You may want to divide the meatballs up and cook them in two batches.) Add meatballs and saute until browned and cooked through, about 10-15 minutes. Lower the heat if the meatballs are browning too quickly. (Already cooked meatballs can be kept warm on a baking sheet in a 300 F oven.)

5. To assemble the sandwiches: Slice rolls in half and remove enough bread out of the center so you have a 1/2-inch thick shell. Spread with hot chili mayo. Arrange cucumber, jalapeno (optional), and cilantro on the bottom halves. Top with meatballs and pickled vegetables and serve.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

(Adapted from Bon Appetit)

Pineapple Pulled Pork Sandwiches

March 7, 2012

This was the main event in our family dinner Sunday. Something I could throw together the night before and have on the table with the littlest of effort the next day. My sister declared it her favorite pulled pork ever. And I’d have to agree that the flavors here are pretty perfect. Just a bit smokey. Ever-so-slightly sweet. Even spicy if you up the pepper flakes (I was conservative in this regard because baby-on-the-way doesn’t appreciate heat). Served with this salad and these sweet potatoes.

Pineapple Pulled Pork Sandwiches

INGREDIENTS

3-4 lbs. pork shoulder (Boston butt), cut into 2-inch cubes
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. sweet paprika
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. crushed red pepper (or more to taste)
20 oz. can crushed pineapple

soft wheat sandwich rolls, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients in a large slower cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours until tender.

2. Remove the pork from the liquid and let the liquid cool before skimming the fat off the top. Meanwhile, remove the bones and gristle and shred the pork with two forks. Return the pork and some of the juices to the slower cooker to keep rewarm. Serve on soft wheat sandwich rolls.

Serves 6-8.

(Adapted from What’s Gaby Cooking)