Top Ate…Sandwiches

Happy Day-After-Thanksgiving! In my house, it is most definitely not the unmentionable opposite-of-white, day-after-Thursday shopping nightmare day.  Don't get me wrong, I adore shopping and I love a good deal, but I am not willing to wait hours (or days?) in line and battle insane crowds to save a couple more bucks. So instead,  Happy Day-After-Thanksgiving!  This is one of my favorite days of the year for a couple reasons.  Reason one: we often spend Thanksgiving with my dad's side of the family and THEY ARE SO FUN! We eat like kings, we drink fantastic wine, and we pee our pants laughing!  We also like to throw in some highly competitive Scrabble and maybe a hike to get some air.  Reason two: The Sandwich. I ADORE my Thanksgiving Sandwich and I could not be more excited to introduce to Quinn this year! Read on about The Sandwich as well as my other Top Ate Sandwich recipes.

1. Thanksgiving Sandwich: Do you remember that episode of Friends in which one of Ross's colleagues ate his sandwich?  If not, watch a clip here.  It captures my feelings about The Sandwich perfectly.  My Uncle Jason is an extraordinary chef.  Years ago, he taught me how to make this perfect Thanksgiving Sandwich!

2. Grilled Peanut Butter, Banana and Apple Sandwich with Honey: Oh. My. Goodness.  Never would you expect this, but it's really heaven on a plate.

3. Grilled Cheese with Apple Onion Compote: I have loved grilled cheese for as long as I can remember.  My dad used to make it as a special treat for my brother and me on Friday nights during the winter. I got the tuna can technique from him, but, honestly, I am DYING for a panini press; maybe one day. <big sigh> This recipe is like grilled cheese on steroids with an apple onion compote.

4. Balsamic Glazed Portobella on a Bun: Everyone loves the 20 page menu at The Cheesecake Factory.  It's evident by the two hour wait on any given evening.  I would order the same thing every time, Portobello on a Bun.  It was juicy, cheesy and had the best aoili on it. It was a sad day for Jen when I sat down to order and they had taken it off the menu! I actually had dessert only for dinner that night because I was too overwhelmed to decide on a different entree. I created this recipe to ease my portobello pain.

5. BBQ Chicken Panini: My husband ordered a version of this sandwich from Little Sister's Grilled Cheese Truck at the Coventry Farmer's Market. It made such an impression on him that I felt compelled to make it at home.  He seriously talked about it for days.

6. Sausage and Egg on a Bagel with Spinach and Goat Cheese: This recipe came about accidentally on purpose.  I had made this egg recipe for brunch one day.  My husband, in his infinite genius, decided to put in on a bagel and take a picture.  I was so impressed that I decided it was worthy of a Top Ate Sandwich!

7. Grilled Pesto and Artichoke Chicken Sub: Any recipe with pesto as a star ingredient must be good, right?  When artichokes and cheddar are added to the mix, it just gets better!

8. Healthy Pepper and Onion Turkey Burgers: These turkey burgers are a staple in our weeknight meal rotation.  Because of the diced veggies that I incorporate into the meat, they are also juicy and never come out dry!  In the summer, we grill them.  In the winter, I pan-fry them with a teensy bit of olive oil.  This recipe perfectly combines great flavor with healthy ingredients.  Serving suggestion: roasted red peppers