Get Cooking!

Recipes, Kitchen Gadgets, Cookbook Reviews, Gluten Free Recipes...

You are here: Home / Archives for sandwiches

sandwiches

150 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Cookbook

By

Is anyone even half as ready for autumn and winter as I am? Don’t get me wrong, I love a lot of things about summer – baseball, fresh produce, songbirds at my bird feeders that aren’t there in cold weather, grilling out, and so on. Summer’s awesome in every way… but, having said that, autumn and winter are super special.

As a foodie, the cooler months make me think of soup, stew, chili, casseroles, chai tea lattes, and (of course) Halloween goodies, Thanksgiving dishes, and Christmas baking… how could a foodie NOT love this time of year???

I may be one of the biggest soup fanatics in the world, which is one of the reasons I’m excited about a new cookbook I was sent to review: 150 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.

Naturally, grilled cheese sandwiches are perfect all year. We certainly eat them year-round in our house. In fact, we’ve been known to enjoy grilled cheese sandwiches at all times of the day and night.  Talk about a delicious comfort food.  Cheesy deliciousness that comes together pretty darn fast – sign me up.

150 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches is a perfect guide to getting extra creative with this wonderful comfort food.  Although the modern version of the grilled cheese sandwich dates back to 1920 (when it became popular during the great depression, for obvious reasons), these delicious and inexpensive delicacies are currently a popular trend in cooking.  I think one of the reasons is the fact that they aren’t expensive to pull together.  I think the popularity of food trucks has also helped revive this wonderful sandwich.

Some people are even calling the grilled cheese sandwich the “new burger.”  The fact that so many people are eating less meat is another reason these sandwiches are so wildly popular.

From the Back Cover: A grilled cheese sandwich is classic comfort food and it’s enjoying an incredible resurgence in popularity. These fabulous recipes all begin with the grilled cheese we all know and love, and then from there, creative twists showcase just how incredibly versatile this sandwich can be.  The recipes reflect an almost endless and delicious variety of choices that include simple and timeless as well as gourmet and artisanal. From breakfast to dessert, there’s something for everyone in this book.

Another reason grilled cheese sandwiches are so popular is, let’s face it, they’re fast and easy to make.  You can have a warm, delicious, and comforting meal in a matter of minutes. This is one of the reasons they’re so popular with bachelors, college students, and beginner cooks.

Whether you enjoy your grilled cheese sandwiches with soup (one of my favorite meals), chips, or alone, nothing beats a great grilled cheese sandwich.

As I’ve probably mentioned on the food blog, when I had to totally give up wheat and gluten a number of years ago (health reasons), it threw my cooking persona into a tailspin. Imagine everything you are accustomed to cooking and baking for your family and yourself thrown out the door. Then finding yourself having to start over, pretty much, and discover a whole new way of both cooking and eating.

BUMMER!

It’s a hideous predicament for anyone but for an avid cook and food blogger who was extra keen on homemade breads, cornbread, cakes from scratch, pies, etc.. it knocked me on my backside for a bit. However, I (honestly) found out that many aspects of gluten-free food are actually as good as their gluten-y counterparts and some are even better in many ways.

For example, for whatever reasons, gluten-free fried catfish is actually better.  Don’t ask me why (please), but the combo of rice flour and yellow cornmeal makes the best fried catfish in the world. Trust me, this is a personal favorite and something I’ve been cooking since I was allowed to touch the stove.

Grilled cheese sandwiches have been another pleasant surprise (along with French Toast, for that matter). Gluten-Free bread, in my opinion, makes them even better. I think it’s because they’re denser and, sometimes, thicker, than regular bread. Then again, Texas Toast is a great way to go with grilled cheese sandwiches.

150 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches includes so many creative, fun, and delicious recipes you won’t stop until you’ve made them all.  The cheese combinations, along with the additions of complimentary ingredients will boggle your mind.  I cook every single day (and have for years) and consider myself to be really creative in the kitchen, but even I found myself saying, “Ooooh, I would’ve never thought of that...”  One of the combinations that was wildly new to me was the one given in the recipe below.  I wouldn’t have ever invited Muenster Cheese to a grilled cheese party, but this recipe has me slapping myself for the oversight.

The recipe below is from the cookbook and is outstanding. I love it alongside tomato soup or chili and have been known to have it simply with a large dill pickle and Funyons.

I know how to live, after all.

Classic Grilled Two Cheese

Author: Alison Lewis
Serves 4

8 slices white or whole-grain bread (1/2 inch/1 cm thick slices)
2 TBS butter or margarine, softened
4 oz Muenster cheese, thinly sliced
4 oz Cheddar cheese, thinly sliced

Instructions

  1. Brush one side of each bread slice with butter.
  2. Place on a work surface, buttered side down.
  3. Top 4 bread slices equally with Muenster and Cheddar cheeses.
  4. Cover with remaining bread slices, buttered side up, and press gently.
  5. Place sandwiches on preheated panini grill or in a large skillet over medium heat and cook, turning once if using a skillet, for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown and cheese is melted.
  6. Serve immediately.

When it comes to grilled cheese sandwiches, you have to really be careful with cheese combinations. Make the wrong move and the result will be thisclose to gross. You also have to be careful with what fillings you add and how you treat the bread. Again, the wrong move can leave your taste buds borderline depressed.  In this wonderful and fun cookbook, Alison Lewis has done all of the hard work for us and taken all of the guess work out of our hands.  We’re left with a ton of delicious recipes and combinations that’ll make us the Queen or King of Grilled Cheese.  Whether you use a Panini or Sandwich Press or a favorite skillet, you WILL use these recipes again and again and again.

Below are just some of the recipes included in 150 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches:

  • Roast Beef with Asiago and Watercress
  • Grilled Steak and Blue Cheese
  • Italian Tomato-Basil Bread
  • Hot Bacon Swiss Crostini
  • Havarti and Cucumber Sandwich
  • Grilled Spinach, Pepper Jack, and Bacon
  • Warm Peanut Butter Power Wrap
  • Italian Salami Panini
  • Sweet Pepper Relish
  • Hummus
  • The Pilgrim
  • And many, many, many more.

See 150 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches for more information and to order your copy today… just in time for soup season!


Leftover Turkey on Rye Sandwiches

By

6 slices rye bread, toasted
turkey, thinly sliced
1 large avocado, peeled and sliced
1 cup Hellman’s Mayonnaise
Sargento’s Provolone Cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Squeeze a little fresh lemon juice on the avocado slices as soon as they’re exposed to the light of day. (brown avocado is just gross) Slather Hellman’s on 3 pieces of toasted rye bread and top with turkey, provolone, and avocado. Top with the other 3 slices of bread.

Serve with leftover Green Bean Casserole!

You can, of course, add dark leafy greens to your sandwich – but, personally, the flavor blend of Hellman’s, provolone, and avocado is so special – I hate for anything else to vie for my taste buds’ attention.

Another Leftover Turkey Idea:
Combine turkey, dressing, and cranberry sauce in pita pockets. Delicious!

Thanksgiving Leftovers, Meet Bobby Flay

By

My family and I always have this discussion before Thanksgiving:

Me: I’m going to buy a turkey…

Them: Ewwww… get a ham instead..

Me (through clinched teeth): I’ll get both.

I’m a traditional kind of gal.  I want turkey on Thanksgiving and ham where it belongs – on Christmas and Easter.  But the majority of my family members simply don’t care that much for turkey. Go figure.

H-O-W-E-V-E-R, with the help of Hellmann’s Mayonnaise and Bobby Flay – I think I have them right where I want them.  Once they see this recipe, they’ll INSIST on turkey, for the leftovers, alone.

Ah, sweet success.

The recipe, below is from the collection of Bobby Flay recipes on Hellmann’s website. Each is, as you’d expect extraordinary.  To watch Bobby Flay make these Reubens, head over to the website for the video: Bobby Flay Makes a Turkey Reuben… and Saves Joi’s Traditional Thanksgiving.

Bobby Flay Turkey Reuben With Thousand Island Coleslaw

1/2 cup Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped dill pickle
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 cups coleslaw mix
8 slices rye bread
8 slices Swiss cheese
1 lb. sliced cooked turkey

  1. Combine 1/4 cup Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise, pickle, ketchup, vinegar and mustard with wire whisk in medium bowl. Season, if desired, with salt and pepper. Stir in coleslaw mix; set aside.
  2. Top 4 bread slices with cheese, turkey, coleslaw mixture, then remaining bread slice. Evenly spread outside of sandwiches with remaining 1/4 cup Mayonnaise. Cook sandwiches, in batches, in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, turning once, 8 minutes or until golden brown.

Celebrate National Panini Month with Sargento Cheese for Delicious Results

By

Heavenly Sargento Vermont White Cheddar CheeseJoi’s Newest Obsession: Vermont White Cheddar Cheese from Sargento

As you know, I have an admitted obsession with Paninis AND cheese – and I’m delighted by the fact that the two hook up so beautifully. Come on,really, does anyone even approach a panini that isn’t wearing cheese?!?! If they ever did, it was probably just to laugh.

Thanks to the economy and the fact that we all want to serve our family more healthy meals, Paninis are hugely popular. With nearly 82% of consumers listing natural cheese among their favorite filings in hot grilled sandwiches/panini, Sargento has declared August as National Panini Month.

As part of the celebration, Sargento has partnered with Jason Denton, professional chef and author, to offer consumers new panini recipes for each day in August with an online National Panini Month Calendar at www.sargentocheese.com.

I preach so much about buying quality ingredients that many people mention it in e-mails. One cook from Louisiana recently told me about a cookie mishap she had. In part of the note, she said, “You’re going to want to pinch me, but I used the cheapest shortening (instead of Crisco) and I used 79 cent vanilla extract.” I told her that, first of all, I wouldn’t pinch her – I’m a kicker – but that I owed her a huge kick in the seat of her pants for the cheap-o vanilla.

You see, if you want superior results, you almost always have to use superior ingredients. There are exceptions, of course, but when in doubt and when possible – go with the better quality ingredients. It makes SUCH a difference – in most foods, especially chocolate, coffee beans, vanilla, shortening (unless your bricking your house and need mortar), butter, and MOST DEFINITELY cheese.

Sargento Cheese tastes like deli cheese. It’s unbelievably smooth and delicious. I guarantee you’ll be able to taste and even feel the difference.

I recently tried the newest varieties Sargento has to offer:

  • Sargento Sharp Provolone sliced cheese is aged 60 days and boasts a bold taste, along with a smooth and creamy texture
  • Sargento Reduced Fat Pepper Jack sliced cheese is the only national brand of sliced cheese available in dairy cases nationwide to combine the great bold flavors of both jalapenos and habaneros
  • Sargento Vermont Sharp White Cheddar sliced cheese was a former “Limited Edition” cheese that has been reintroduced to grocery stores nationwide as a permanent item as a result of popular consumer demand for its creamy texture and naturally aged full bodied taste

I love each one but would walk across glass with bare feet for just one tiny piece of the Vermont Sharp White Cheddar cheese.  It is so incredibly delicious, I can’t even BEGIN to describe it.  My oldest daughter fell head over heels in love with the also delicious Provolone.  The Reduced Fat Pepper Jack was also a huge hit in our household – no one ever suspected that this cheese had lost weight.  It’s as delicious as ever and a roast beef panini isn’t the same without it on board.

I’ve used the Provolone Cheese on ham and turkey and the White Cheddar is perfect for every meat imaginable. It’s also perfect RIGHT OUT OF THE BAG.   Sometimes I try to make myself feel a little classier by putting some on a Ritz Cracker (SO good!), but late at night, I can be found grabbing a slice right out of the bag and noshing away happily like a cat with  salmon.

My daughter Brittany is a vegetarian, so these amazing cheeses make perfect paninis for her – so much flavor and variety.  Sauteed mushrooms, onions, and red peppers combine deliciously with just about any variety of Sargento cheese.  I love to combine the cheeses for extra special paninis and Britt LOVES to see Pepper Jack and Cheddar team up.  The contrasting flavors are sheer Heaven.

Be sure to visit http://www.sargentocheese.com/ during August for a new Panini recipe each day.  You know I’ll be there with my printer purring and my mouth watering.

Cracked Pepper Turkey Breast Panini With Basil Pesto

By

I’m not even going to lie, when it comes to kitchen appliances and gadgets, I’m like a kid in a roomful of toys or a teenage girl in a roomful of mirrors. G- to the i- to the -ddy. Giddy!

One of my favorite toys is my Cuisinart Panini and Sandwich Press. I absolutely delight in finding new combinations that work. I love to bring home bags of bread, vegetables, cheeses, and meats from the grocery store and set to work finding the best combinations. Avocado, pesto, and stone ground mustard are also items that can kick a sandwich to new heights. Not only is it incredible, creative fun, it’s also a healthy way to eat.

Since I use a lot of wheat bread, olive oil, vegetables, cheese, turkey, and chicken – my paninis turn out to be as healthy as they are delicious.

Yesterday, I broke out some of my favorite staples: Sara Lee Whole Grain White Bread, Sara Lee Cracked Pepper Classico Traditional Basil PestoTurkey Breast, slices of Mozzarella cheese, Classico Traditional Basil Pesto, Olive Oil, my pepper mill, coarse-ground mustard, and Miracle Whip. (Note: This isn’t at all an advertisement for any of these companies or brands – they’re simply brands I use and use and use and use…. In fact, I’m naming my next pet Sara Lee.)

Classico Traditional Basil Pesto is something that you should keep on hand.  I love the stuff to distraction. It’s heavenly on garlic toast and, obviously, paninis.  But one of my favorite things to use it on is Boca Burgers and other protein patties.  Boca Burger has a few new varieties that are just perfect with pesto.

I heated my Panini Press. I poured a little olive oil into a small plastic tray and ground black pepper on top. I used my beloved silicone brush to slap some of the pepper-y olive oil onto the press.  Check your grocery aisles for flavored olive oils – I use them frequently as well.

Then I layered each sandwich like this:
First slice of Bread
Thin layer of Miracle Whip
Slice of Mozzarella cheese
A generous layer of Basil Pesto
Slices of the cracked pepper turkey
A thin layer of coarse-ground mustard (I use the Wal-Mart brand, I like its attitude)
Another slice of Mozzarella
Another thin layer of Miracle Whip
The second slice of bread

After I cooked the little beauties on the Panini Press, I finished each one with a layer of sliced tomato. The basil pesto, cracked pepper turkey, Mozarella, and tomato combination made me glad to be alive.

Creole Mustard from ZatarainsSomething I saw recently that I’m DYING to take for a Panini test drive is Creole Mustard. The mind boggles at the possibilities.

If you don’t have a panini press yet, I strongly urge you to pick one out.   The one I link to below is the one I swear by. Get jazzy with it – try out different cheeses (You’ll never go wrong with Provolone, Swiss, or Mozzarella ), meats, vegetables (tomatoes, onions, avocados, thinly sliced cucumbers, thinly sliced red peppers, etc), and spreads. Come up with combinations that put smiles on the faces you love.

Another favorite around our house is Chicken Bacon Ranch paninis. with slices of grilled chicken breast, Swiss Cheese, bacon, tomatoes, and Ranch Dressing. Mmmmm.

Cuisinart GR 2 Griddler Express Panini and Sandwich Press

Cuisinart GR 2 Griddler Express Panini and Sandwich Press

Marinated Starkist Tuna Burgers

By

1 (6.4-oz.) pouch or 2 (2.6-oz.) pouches StarKist Chunk Light or Albacore Tuna
1 (4-oz.) cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Non-fat Peppercorn Ranch salad dressing
1 Tbsp. Olive oil
1-1/2 cups Bread crumbs, divided
1 Egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup Green onion, sliced
Marinated Tuna Burgers From StarkistIn a medium bowl, combine tuna, 3/4-cup bread crumbs, cheese, egg, salad dressing, and onion.

Form six patties; coat each side with remaining 3/4 cup bread crumbs.

Heat oil in non-stick skillet over medium heat.

Cook patties 3-5 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 6-10 minutes
Serves: 6

What a delicious and healthy alternative to burgers! Most people are trying to cut back on red meat and hamburgers is one of the hardest areas to cut back on. That’s where healthy alternatives come in handy – you can simply replace one delicious meal with another one. The only difference is, zero guilt afterward.

See Starkist.com for more healthy recipes.