I love sandwiches, but it’s all too easy for me to get stuck in a sandwich rut, only mixing up the cheese type and a vegetable or two. Most lunches consist of turkey, cheese, sprouts, tomato, sometimes cucumber and/or bell peppers, on some sort of sandwich bread or roll. Tired of having the same old thing over and over, I recently hauled out my cookbooks in search of inspiration. Well, I found it.

In this case, it’s a sandwich I’ve actually made (and enjoyed) several years back, before I’d even heard of food blogs.

I took a big shortcut, having a jar of roasted red peppers just begging to be used. I also made a trip to Trader Joe’s, as I really enjoy their ciabatta. I find that too often, grocery store versions look a little sad. TJ’s ciabatta looks rustic from the outside, and when sliced has all of the nooks and crannies I want in my bread.

And then there’s the goat cheese. Frankly, I adore the stuff. I will happily slather it on pretty much any piece of bread you put in front of me. It’s tangy, creamy, and provides such an interesting flavor contrast to so many ingredients.

The original recipe calls for several large basil leaves, but I’m not a fan of raw basil, so I substituted parsley. I knew the parsley wouldn’t overpower the other ingredients, like basil would to me.

This sandwich is perfect for a gathering, but also works for a bag lunch if you cut the bread into individual portions first, adding just enough cheese and filling for your serving.

Note: it’s best to let the peppers and dressing sit for a few hours for the flavors to meld. Preparing this part of the recipe the night before would work well.

Roasted Pepper & Goat Cheese Sandwiches
adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home

Print Recipe

1 jar roasted red peppers or 4 colored bell peppers
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 loaf ciabatta
1 11-ounce (312 grams) package plain goat cheese, at room temperature
10-12 parsley leaves
3 thin slices red onion
salt & pepper

If roasting peppers, heat oven to 500F/260C. Place peppers on baking sheet and roast for 30-40 minutes, turning twice, until skins are charred and wrinkled. Place peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 20 minutes to loosen the skins.

While peppers are cooling, combine oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

Remove roasted peppers from bowl. You should be able to pull the skins off rather easily. Discard skins, then remove the stems and seeds. Quarter the peppers and add to the bowl with the olive oil. (If using jarred peppers, quarter the peppers and add directly to the bowl with the oil/vinegar mix.) Stir gently, then cover bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Cut the ciabatta in half horizontally. Spread the goat cheese on the bottom of the bread and top with the peppers, then the parsley. Spread with onion rings and season with salt and pepper. Cover with the top half of the bread, then cut into individual servings.

This year, I’ve finally joined a Community Sponsored Agriculture (CSA). In the past, I usually started my search for one to join a bit too late, and they’d all be full. This year, on the other hand, I was ultra-prepared. In fact, I was the first person of the year to join my CSA.

I’m splitting a half share with B, as we both want a steady flow of produce and want to try new things we wouldn’t otherwise give a second glance to. At the top of the list for me? Radishes. I haven’t tried them in years, but I remember not liking them when I was younger. Probably not all that surprising, considering the bite they have; children often don’t like stronger-tasting vegetables. However, I haven’t been a child in a really, really long time, so it was time to act like the adult I am, and try something (mostly) new. I recall that sliced radishes are often served on buttered bread, and a quick search of the Internet confirmed this memory.

So for lunch one day, I picked up a demi baguette, packed up the radishes and some microgreens (also from our CSA), and headed over to B’s for a lunch of open-face radish sandwiches.

Am I now a radish-lover? Well, no. I won’t go out of my way to buy them, but when they’re available, I might toss a thinly sliced one into a salad for some crunch.

Open-face Radish Sandwich

Print Recipe

1 bunch radishes
good quality bread (I used an artisan baguette)
unsalted butter
salt
chopped fresh parsley or microgreens for garnish (optional)

An hour before serving, clean and trim the radishes and transfer to a bowl of very cold water. Let them sit for an hour; this crisps them up again if they’ve gotten slightly soft.

Slice and butter your bread. Thinly slice the radishes and cover the bread with radishes, overlapping slightly. Sprinkle with salt and garnish, if desired.

After considering a dozen various dessert recipes for my parents’ Memorial Day weekend cookout, it was my three year old niece who inadvertently made the decision for me.

When I made my red velvet birthday cake, I sent leftovers throughout the family, so everyone could have some. I’ve never seen K turn down cake before, and considering her love of blueberries, I can’t say I was shocked to hear that she liked this cake.

Well, about a week later, she asked for cake. Confused, my sister-in-law and mom looked at each other, then explained there wasn’t any cake. And K insisted, “I want some of Sara’s cake!” (I wasn’t there, I’m paraphrasing what my mom told me, as well as what my dad told me. But we all get the gist of it, right?)

So, a pint-size toddler made the decision for me – I will be making red velvet cupcakes, from one of the recipes I’ve already posted here. Because I’m not doing something new, I thought I would share some of my favorite patriotic holiday/cookout recipes of all types prior to the weekend.

Coriander Carrot Slaw

Grilled Baby Potatoes

Chicken & Fruit Salad

Sesame Chicken Pasta Salad – this dish tastes better when it’s made a day ahead of time

Pre-baked Pizza Crusts – top with your favorite pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings, then grill until cheese melts

Grilled Chicken

Bacon Jam – the perfect condiment to add to burgers, sandwiches, and even hot dogs

Steak Sandwiches – simply grill the vegetables and steak, slice, and serve in sandwich form

Soft Pretzels – great for parties

Red Velvet Cake – can easily make into cupcakes – keep the blueberries and raspberries for a festive touch

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with White Chocolate Buttercream – a food-coloring free option

Tres Leches Cake – get some fruit with your cake

Salted Peanut Butter Cupcakes – chocolate + peanut butter = all-American favorite

Key Lime Cupcakes – they may not be red, white, and blue, but they use limes that only grow in the Florida Keys, making them truly all-American

Party Cookies – an all-time favorite recipe

Chocolate Chip Cookies (with nuts) – the addition of finely chopped pecans makes these cookies taste extra buttery

Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies (NY Times recipe) – start the dough a day or two ahead of time!

Cherry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Millionaire’s Shortbread – my runner up for the cookout

Fudgy Brownies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Bars – everyone of all ages will love these

Lemon Bars – end the meal with a sweet-tart finish

Frozen Key Lime Pie – for cookouts close to home

Crumble Apple Pie – easily turn this into a double crust pie, for a less messy alternative (simply double the ingredients for the crust)

Apple Tartlets

Fruit Tartlets

Our projected high for the day is a good 35 degrees cooler than it was just a couple of days ago. It seems we can never find the happy medium that would make a perfect spring day.

But, I have to confess, I’m okay with the cooler temperatures right now. The near-record highs we experienced this week…well, I’m just not ready for that, yet. Though “normal” weather right now would be my preference, I don’t mind getting to make a few more “cool weather” meals.

This sandwich is the perfect “grilled ham & cheese” for such weather: it’s filling, it’s satisfying, and a crisp salad rounds it out perfectly. A glass of wine wouldn’t hurt, either. Just sayin’.

If you’ve been reading this blog for awhile, no doubt you are well aware of my love affair with Gruyere. Add a little Parmesan, and I’m in heaven.

Though I could do without the ham (I would love to substitute turkey – ham is just too salty for me), I adored this sandwich. If you’re a cheese lover, you must try it.

Croque Monsieur
adapted from Barefoot in Paris

Print Recipe

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups hot 2% milk (I use lactose-free)
1 teaspoon salt*
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
12 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
16 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed**
Dijon mustard
8 ounces baked Virginia ham, sliced

Preheat oven to 400*F.

Melt butter over low heat in a small saucepan. Add the flour, stir with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly add the hot milk, whisking constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup Gruyere, and the Parmesan.

Toast bread (either in a toaster, or by placing on a baking sheet for 5 minutes in the oven, then flip slices over and bake 2 more minutes).

Spread a thin layer of mustard on half the toasts, then a slice of ham, and a sprinkle of Gruyere. Top each with a plain toast and slather the sandwiches with the cheese sauce. Sprinkle the sandwiches with the remaining Gruyere. Bake for 5 minutes, then place under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned.

Serve immediately.

*I find ham to be extremely salty, so a teaspoon of salt in the cheese sauce was too much for me, especially considering Parmesan is a salty cheese. Use caution when salting the sauce!

**Ina recommends Pepperidge Farm sandwich bread for this recipe. Unsure if I’ve ever purchased white sandwich bread in my life, I took her advice and was happy I did – the slices are small – perfect for a rich sandwich.

Broccoli sprouts are my new favorite addition to my diet. I admit, I’ve been enjoying them regularly since last summer, when I learned about their extraordinary nutritional value.

Well, and because I’ve always been a sprout person.

Up to that point, my sprouts love affair was solely with alfalfa sprouts. These days, I’m more of a bigamist. I still love my alfalfa sprouts and enjoy them nearly every time I order a sandwich from a sandwich shop.

But when it comes to the sandwiches I make at home, you only see broccoli sprouts in my kitchen. So what makes these little things so great for you, anyway? I mean, why not just eat broccoli?

Well, there’s nothing against broccoli. We all know it’s great for us, and I’ve loved plain steamed broccoli as long as I can remember. In high school, a friend and I would dump an entire bag of frozen broccoli on a cheese pizza before popping it in the oven. Clearly, I like my broccoli.

What drew me to the sprouts was sulforaphane, a chemical identified in 1992 that in short, helps your body either fight cancer, or reduces its risk of developing cancer in the first place. Back in 1997, they discovered the sprouts of broccoli are far more potent than the mature stalk.

We’re talking 20-50 times greater concentration of sulforaphane than mature broccoli! (Sulforaphane is found in all members of the cabbage family, including cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, and turnips, just to name a few.)

I’ve read both about the benefits of raw broccoli (which I can’t stand), as well as the benefits of steamed broccoli. Originally, the sprouts were my way of consuming raw broccoli.

But wait! It gets better, especially as allergy season approaches for many of us. Early research has shown that these tiny little sprouts may help fight allergies and/or asthma. After an absolutely miserable spring last year, I am indeed hoping that my sprout consumption now will help me out in a few weeks.

I tend to be a skeptic when it comes to the latest scientific research, especially as it’s skewed by the media (here in the US, anyway). But when it comes to the crucifers, I do believe that consuming more will only help us, and these little sprouts add an interesting twist to my favorite sandwiches.

And for the sandwich shown in this post, it’s relatively simple:

2 slices oatmeal bread
1 slice aged swiss
2 slices maple-honey turkey
Thinly sliced seedless cucumber
Sliced Roma tomato
Bunch of broccoli sprouts

That’s it! I generally just pile on whatever veggies I have on hand.

As I mentioned yesterday, the first leftover transformation probably isn’t the most exciting, because many of us are used to making sandwiches from Thanksgiving leftovers. Then again, I look forward to sandwiches made from Thanksgiving leftovers all year, so perhaps you do, too.

This sandwich isn’t exactly like holiday leftovers, but it bridges the gap between ordinary sandwich and holiday sandwich. The best part is that neither meal takes much effort. The longest task of making the sandwiches involves bringing the cheese to room temperature.

I didn’t have any available at the time, but I think some thinly sliced tart apples (such as Granny Smith) added to this sandwich would add some nice crispness, both in taste and texture.

Meal #2 from Braised Turkey Thighs (serves 4)

Leftover braised turkey thighs and apples
Wheat sandwich buns
Dijon mustard
Brie (room temperature)
Dried cranberries

Slightly warm through the turkey and apples in the microwave, about a minute each. The apples will now be more of an applesauce-texture.

Spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard on the base of the bun. Top with brie, turkey, a drizzle of applesauce, and some dried cranberries.

Freeze leftover applesauce for a future meal.

Each year, I anxiously await garden-fresh tomatoes. Unfortunately, the weather has not cooperated the past two summers, and my tomato plants have had a rather rough time. Two years ago, we had a drought up until the month of August, then so much rain that there was widespread flooding.

And still, the rain was too little, too late for my tomatoes. I managed to get a few ripe little orbs, but not many.

Last summer, Mother Nature decided yet again that she did not feel like being cooperative. We had heavy rains during the early part of the summer, terrible flooding (a nearby lake had so much water that it drained by opening its own path to get to a large river, taking out a highway, houses, and anything else that got in its way), then another drought. August came and went, no ripe tomatoes. September came and went, still no ripe tomatoes. By the middle of October, I frantically searched the Internet for ideas to try to at least start the ripening process before the first freeze, so I could finish the tomatoes in paper bags if need be. I did a lot of pruning of my plants, hoping that would give the plants enough energy to start ripening the tomatoes.

It worked!

But just in case the weather is again nasty this summer, and my tomato plants do not flourish like they did years ago, I’m happy to have the slow-roasted tomato recipe under my belt. The very first meal I incorporated the tomatoes into was a panini; I’d gotten fresh mozzarella on sale, so it seemed the perfect match. Usually I wouldn’t dream of making a meal out of tomatoes at this time of year, but these are really that good.

With quality ingredients, recipes really do not need to be complex. If you take the time to slow roast tomatoes on a weekend, you just may want to give this panini a shot – it’s a fast way to get dinner on the table during a hectic week. Even better, one bite will make you think you’ve just picked tomatoes out of your own garden.

Simple Mozzarella and Tomato Panini

Serves 1

1 whole wheat roll or bread of your choice
fresh mozzarella
2 slow roasted tomatoes
basil leaves
good quality extra-virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

For this sandwich, you’ll want to start by lining one half of the roll (or a slice of bread) with basil leaves. Top with two slow-roasted tomatoes, followed by two generous slices of fresh mozzarella. Top with pepper and additional basil leaves. Drizzle the other half of the roll/slice of bread with good olive oil (I use a bottle of the “good stuff” that I only bring out for salads, or any time I want the flavor of the oil to really shine through). Assemble the sandwich and place in a panini press until the cheese is melted.

This is a simple sandwich with few ingredients, so you really taste each component. Use good quality bread and good olive oil, and it will taste anything but simple.