This delicious sandwich is basically a fancy tuna melt. The addition of roasted red peppers, red onions and a little fresh lemon juice all piled inside a grilled Italian roll makes for an exciting variation on a lunch-time classic. The recipe calls for tuna packed in olive oil, a more flavorful variety than water-packed tuna.  

Since I didn’t have hot cherry peppers, I substituted a chopped pepperoncini pepper to the tuna mixture. Husband wolfed his sandwich down in no-time and heartily voiced his approval of the recipe. I will definitely be making these sandwiches again soon!!!

Grilled Swiss Cheese, Tuna and Red Pepper Sandwiches
-recipe from epicurious.com

Yield: Serves 2

1/4 cup minced drained bottled roasted red peppers
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
a pinch of ground cumin
a 6 1/2-ounce can tuna packed in oil, drained well
1 hard boiled large egg, minced
1 hot cherry pepper, seeded and minced
two 5-inch-long soft Italian rolls
1/2 small red onion, sliced thin
4 slices of Swiss cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil

In a bowl whisk together the roasted peppers, the mayonnaise, the lemon juice, and the cumin, add the tuna, flaked, the egg, the cherry pepper, and salt and black pepper to taste, combine the mixture well. Split the rolls, divide the mixture between the bottoms, and top each portion with half the onion, 2 slices of the Swiss cheese, and the tops of the rolls. In a large skillet heat the oil over moderate heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it cook the sandwiches, pressing them with a spatula and turning them, for 8 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.

Tags: hard-boiled egg, lemon juice, mayonnaise, red onion, roasted red peppers, soft Italian rolls, swiss cheese, tuna

Here’s a hearty sandwich that will make a meat-lover happy! However, my favorite part was the Chimichurri Mayo, a delicious combination of chopped parsley, red onion, garlic, red wine vinegar and mayonnaise. Yumm!

I pretty much followed the recipe except for substituting red onions for the shallot in the chimi mayo. To slice the cooked steak, I used my Cuisinart Electric Knife to carve thin slices…much faster and easier than using my regular carving knife. For the sandwich, I took the Test Kitchen’s advice and layered some roasted red peppers between the mayo and steak (a delicious addition). I served the sandwich open-faced with a knife and fork, which was still a little messy but, hey, that’s what napkins are for.

Steak Sandwich with Chimichurri Mayo
-recipe from America’s Test Kitchen 30-Minute Suppers (Winter 2010)

The tangy, herbal mayonnaise complements the full, beefy flavor of the flank steak. Serves 4.

1 small flank stead (about 1 pound)
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
8 slices thick-cut crusty bread
Pat steak dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large skilled over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook steak until well browned, 3 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes.

Whisk mayonnaise, parsley, shallot, garlic, and vinegar in bowl. Spread mayonnaise mixture over each slice of bread. Slice steak thin against grain. Arrange steak on bread to make sandwiches. Serve.

Test Kitchen Note: Add a slice of tomato or roasted red pepper for a more colorful and flavorful sandwich.

Tags: chimichurri, mayonnaise, roasted red peppers, sandwich, steak

We’ve all had grilled cheese sandwiches before. But have you ever had a Grilled Cheddar, Tomato and Bacon Sandwich? If not, you’re in for a treat! Bacon takes the humble grilled cheese to new heights! It’s true, you know…everything is better with bacon!!!

Because this is a simple sandwich, top-quality ingredients are very important. The recipe calls for using sharp cheddar cheese, which is aged longer and has a more pronounced cheddar flavor and tang than medium or mild cheddar. The tomatoes will be the hardest to find since we’re out of prime tomato season, so buy the best looking hothouse or on-the-vine tomatoes you can get your hands on.

And then we have the bacon. I suggest splurging on a gourmet bacon like Nueske’s Thick Sliced Applewood Smoked Bacon. Just the mere mention of Nueske’s bacon makes Husband happy. It’s leagues better than ordinary grocery store bacon and makes a great gift for a bacon lover. Fortunately for us, we’re able to buy it at the little gourmet grocery store that I shop at. If you can’t find Nueske’s then try another top-quality brand…it’s worth every penny!

Now on to the bread. I don’t care for my mouth getting ripped to shreds by thick-sliced grilled artisan bread so I use pre-sliced sourdough bread, which has a sturdier texture and more flavor than a soft sandwich bread but is more managable to eat than a thick slice of artisan bread. There you have it…my notes on the making of an incredible Grilled Cheddar, Tomato and Bacon Sandwich. Enjoy!

Grilled Cheddar, Tomato and Bacon Sandwiches
-recipe from epicurious.com

Spreading a little mayonnaise over the outside of the bread before grilling adds golden color and delicious crunch. Makes 4 servings

8 thick-cut bacon slices
8 slices country-style sourdough bread or batard (cut on deep diagonal into 5x3x1/2-inch slices)
2 cups (packed) grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces)
8 tomato slices, seeds removed, slices drained on paper towels
4 tablespoons mayonnaise

Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until brown and crisp, turning occasionally, about 6 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels and drain. Wash and dry skillet.

Place 4 bread slices on work surface. Press 1/4 cup grated cheese onto each slice. Top each with 2 tomato slices. Sprinkle with pepper. Place 2 bacon slices atop each, breaking into pieces if necessary to fit. Press 1/4 cup grated cheese over bacon on each. Top sandwiches with remaining bread slices, then spread 1/2 tablespoon mayonnaise over top of each sandwich. Heat 2 heavy large skillets over medium heat. Add 2 sandwiches, mayonnaise side down, to each skillet. Place plate atop both sandwiches to weigh down. Cook sandwiches until bottom is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Spread top of each sandwich with 1/2 tablespoon mayonnaise. Turn sandwiches over, mayonnaise side down. Top with plates and cook until golden brown on bottom, about 2 minutes. Transfer sandwiches to work surface. Cut sandwiches crosswise in half and serve.

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Tags: applewood-smoked bacon, bacon, grilled cheese sandwich, sharp cheddar cheese, tomato

If you like Buffalo Chicken Wings, you’re going to love these sandwiches! They’re easy to make, delicious and way more satisfying than those scrawny little chicken wings. I love the spicy red pepper sauce that coats the tender chicken breasts, and the tangy, extremely flavorful blue cheese spread that gets slathered on the bun tops. Basically, this sandwich ROCKS!

I pretty much followed the recipe except I grilled the chicken instead of cooking it in a skillet. Also, I substituted a few tablespoons of mayonnaise for sour cream in the blue cheese spread, which actually added to the overall flavor. The crumbled Gorgonzola that I got at Trader Joe’s worked perfectly in the spread. I didn’t bother serving the sandwich with red onions since the blue cheese spread had green onions in it.  For extra texture and flavor, I toasted the inside of each bun. The sandwich is a little messy so serve with plenty of napkins.

Hot Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
- Rachael Ray recipe from foodnetwork.com 

Makes 4 sandwiches.

4 pieces, 6 ounces each, boneless, skinless chicken breast
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon sweet paprika, 1 /3 palm full
1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/3 palm full
A drizzle extra-virgin olive oil

Sauce for chicken:
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup, 4 ounces, cayenne pepper sauce, preferred brand Frank’s Red Hot
Bib or leaf lettuce leaves
4 crusty rolls, split
2 cups sour cream
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 pound blue cheese, crumbled
Small red onion, thinly sliced
8 ribs celery, cut into sticks
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into sticks

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt, pepper, paprika and chili powder. Drizzle breast with a little extra virgin olive oil to coat. Pan grill chicken breasts 5 minutes on each side.

Heat a metal or oven safe glass bowl over low heat and melt butter in the bowl. Add hot sauce to the butter and combine. When the chicken breasts are done, remove from pan and add to the bowl and coat evenly with hot sauce mixture.

Place chicken breasts on bun bottoms and top with crisp lettuce. Combine sour cream, scallions and blue cheese and slather bun tops with blue cheese sour cream. Affix bun tops on sandwiches and serve with remaining sauce for dipping your veggies. Arrange Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches on dinner plates with red onion, celery and carrot sticks.

Tags: blue cheese, buffalo chicken sandwich, Chicken, Frank's Red Hot Sauce

I love this spicy, southwestern-inspired sandwich!  The toasted onion rolls are a creative foundation for the sandwich, while the chipotle mayonnaise adds heat and tons of flavor. I slathered a little chipotle mayo on the cut side of each bun half and used only 2 slices of cheese per sandwich, one on the bottom bun and one on the top bun. I had one sandwich leftover that I refrigerated and ate cold the next day…it was just as delicious as the hot version (just without the crunchy texture). I used my electric panini press to grill the sandwiches, but the recipe has instructions on how to cook them in a frying pan, too. Serve with a big salad or cut veggies.

Roast Beef and Two-Chile Grilled Cheese on Onion Rolls
-recipe from Sunset Magazine, July 2009

We love how spicy this sandwich is, but if you prefer less heat, cut back on the chipotle mayo and the green chiles.

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chiles (about 4 small chiles)
4 onion rolls
About 2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 pound pepper jack cheese, thinly sliced
1/2 pound thinly sliced rare roast beef
4 canned mild green chiles, seeded, split, and dried with paper towels

Stir together mayonnaise and chipotles and set aside.

Preheat a panini press* to 350° (medium heat). Brush the outsides of rolls with oil. Split rolls. Spread bottom halves with 1 1/2 tsp. chipotle mayo each, then top each with 2 slices cheese; 2 or 3 slices roast beef; 1 chile, opened up flat; and 2 more slices cheese.

Spread top halves of rolls with 1 1/2 tsp. chipotle mayo each and place on tops of sandwiches. Grill sandwiches 2 at a time until crisp and bubbling, 3 to 4 minutes. Repeat with remaining 2 sandwiches. Let sandwiches cool slightly, then slice with a serrated knife and serve.

*If you don’t have a panini press, use two pans to achieve the same effect: Cook your sandwiches in a frying pan or cast iron skillet and weight them with a heated cast iron skillet.

Tags: chipotle mayonnaise, green chiles, onion rolls, panini, pepperjack cheese, roast beef, sandwich

If you’re hankering for a tasty new sandwich then you must try this recipe. Don’t let the sweet onion marmalade scare you away because it’s an easy-to-make, sweet and savory condiment that is really delicious. Also, the marmalade can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to use (it keeps for 2 weeks). For best results, rewarm the refrigerated marmalade a bit before making the sandwiches.  

I used black sourdough rye bread from Trader Joe’s as the foundation for the sandwiches. I suggest using a generous amount of the whole-grain mustard to balance out the sweetness of the onion marmalade. I used sliced Swiss cheese instead of grated (although grated will melt faster). Husband gave this recipe two thumbs up. In fact, he inhaled two whole sandwiches in one sitting. I’d say that’s a seal of approval!

Grilled Pastrami, Swiss, and Sweet Onion Marmalade on Rye
-recipe from Sunset Magazine, July 2009

Make the marmalade ahead so you can whip these babies out in just a few minutes. Leftover marmalade is terrific on pork chops and roast beef.

Onion Marmalade
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium red onions, thinly sliced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup red-wine vinegar
1/2 cup dry but fruity red wine, such as Zinfandel or Grenache

Sandwiches
4 slices extra-sour rye or caraway rye bread
2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
4 thin slices pastrami, uncured if available
4 ounces coarsely shredded Swiss cheese
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

Make marmalade: Melt butter with oil in a large heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper, stirring well to combine. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions have softened and browned, about 20 minutes. Add vinegar and wine. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has been absorbed and onions are soft and sticky, about 10 minutes. Let marmalade cool slightly.

Make sandwiches: Evenly spread one side of each bread slice with 1/2 tbsp. butter. Spread unbuttered side of 2 slices with 1 1/2 tbsp. marmalade each, then top with pastrami and cheese. Spread mustard on unbuttered side of remaining 2 bread slices and place each, buttered side up, on pastrami- and cheese-topped slices.

Heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add sandwiches and cook, turning once, until golden brown on both sides and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes total.

Make ahead: Marmalade keeps up to 2 weeks, covered and chilled.

Tags: pastrami, rye bread, sandwich, sweet onion marmalade, swiss cheese

Here’s a hearty sandwich that is quick, easy and way more exciting than your typical ol’ turkey sandwich: pesto slathered on a sandwich roll layered with turkey, a slightly spicy tomato sauce and smoked cheese. Mmmm! It’s amazing how a few extra ingredients really jazzes things up!

The store I went to today didn’t have smoked mozzarella so I bought some sliced smoked gouda and some sliced provolone to try instead. I made the sandwiches with both cheeses—a few with the smoked gouda and a few with the provolone. The smoked gouda didn’t melt very well but it tasted good in the sandwich. The provolone (in photo) melted fine and made for a much more attractive sandwich. Next time I’ll hunt down the smoked mozzarella and try the sandwiches again.

Draining the tomatoes well before cooking them in the sauce will cut down on the cooking time. The tomato “sauce” needs to be dry chunks of tomatoes (not soupy) so that your sandwich doesn’t get soggy.  My first sandwich fell apart because the sauce was too saucy. I then cooked the remaining tomato sauce longer until the liquid was cooked off. Other than that, the sandwich is very straight forward. I served the sandwiches with salt & pepper thick-cut potato chips.

Toasted Turkey Subs with Smoked Mozzarella
-recipe from Cook’s Country Magazine

Store-bought pesto and a quick fresh tomato sauce enliven deli turkey in these Italian dinner sandwiches. But we also envision these substantial sandwiches as perfect game-day fare. Fresh mozzarella can be substituted for the smoked mozzarella. Line your baking sheet with foil before baking the sandwiches—you’ll save yourself the hassle

Serves 4.

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil  
6 garlic cloves, minced 
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes  
2 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes  
2/3 cup basil pesto  
 Table salt and ground black pepper  
4 (6-inch) sub rolls  
1 1/2 pounds deli turkey , thinly sliced 
12 ounces smoked mozzarella cheese , sliced into thin rounds 

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Heat oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in large skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook until mixture is dry, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in 2 tablespoons pesto and salt and pepper to taste.

Spread remaining pesto on insides of each roll and layer each roll with turkey, tomato mixture, and sliced cheese. Place sandwiches on baking sheet, with open sides facing up. Bake until edges of bread are golden and cheese begins to melt, about 5 minutes. Serve.

Tags: pesto, sandwich, smoked mozzarella, subs, turkey

Oh my, these are good sandwiches! Basically, Spiedies (pronounced speedies) are marinated and grilled chicken served in a sandwich roll with a drizzle of lemony-garlicky sauce. Now I know they don’t look like much but they are really delicious and a cinch to make! The chicken is flavorful but it’s the sauce that makes the sandwich. Toasting the inside of each sandwich roll on the grill adds flavor to the roll and a crunchy texture to the sandwich. Yumm!

Chicken Spiedies
-recipe from Cook’s Country Magazine

These grilled sandwiches are upstate New York’s best-kept secret. To help the marinade flavors penetrate the chicken, we pricked the raw meat all over with a fork before marinating. We next cut the chicken into small cubes to expose more surface area to the marinade. Adding lemon zest to the marinade boosted flavor. A bit of mayonnaise whisked into the dressing gave it body and helped it cling to the chicken. You will need six 12-inch metal skewers here. To prevent sticking, preheat the grill, covered, for 15 minutes (5 minutes if using charcoal) and scrape and oil the cooking grates before grilling.

Serves 6.

1/2 cup olive oil  
2 garlic cloves , minced 
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil  
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano  
2 teaspoons grated zest  plus 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon 
1 teaspoon salt  
1/2 teaspoon pepper  
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes  
3 tablespoons mayonnaise  
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar  
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts  (about 1 1/2 pounds) 
6 (6-inch) sub rolls , slit partially open lengthwise 

MAKE SAUCES: Combine oil, garlic, basil, oregano, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes in large bowl. Transfer 2 tablespoons oil mixture to separate bowl and whisk in mayonnaise, vinegar, and lemon juice; refrigerate. (Sauces can be refrigerated, covered, for 2 days.)

PREP CHICKEN: Following photos 1 to 3, prick chicken breasts all over with fork, cut into 1¼-inch chunks, and transfer to bowl with remaining oil mixture. Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.

GRILL CHICKEN: Remove chicken from marinade and thread onto six 12-inch metal skewers. Grill chicken over hot fire, covered and turning frequently, until lightly charred and cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to sub rolls or bread, remove skewers, and drizzle with mayonnaise mixture. Serve.

Tags: Chicken, Grilling/BBQ, sandwich, spiedies

It only takes a little extra effort to turn a sandwich from boring to great. Such is the case with these turkey wraps. A simple chipotle mayonnaise is a cinch to make and is flavored with lime, cilantro, and you guessed it, chipotle peppers. The chipotle adds a wonderful slightly smokey flavor and just a bit of heat to the sandwich. 

I added a small clove of garlic to the mayo and used my food processor to blend all the mayonnaise ingredients together instead of just stirring them in a bowl. Also, I added some crumbled queso fresco cheese, seeded/chopped tomatoes and sliced avocado to each wrap. Instead of romaine lettuce, I used a bagged salad blend that had romaine, iceberg and red cabbage (for added color and crunch). Regular deli turkey would be good, too, if you can’t find smoked turkey.

Turkey Wraps with Chipotle Mayonnaise
-recipe from epicurious.com 

Look for canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in the Latin American foods section of the market. Serve the wraps with purchased salsa and an avocado, grapefruit and red onion salad with oil and vinegar dressing. Complete the menu with chocolate wafer cookies and coffee ice cream.

Makes 2 servings; can be doubled

1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 green onion, minced
1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle peppers in adobo
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
2 10-inch-diameter flour tortillas (plain or flavored)
8 ounces thinly sliced smoked turkey
2 romaine lettuce leaves, center rib cut away

Combine mayonnaise, cilantro, green onion, chipotle chilies and lime juice in small bowl; stir to blend. Season chipotle mayonnaise with salt. Arrange tortillas on work surface. Spread each with half of mayonnaise; top with turkey and lettuce. Roll up tortillas tightly, enclosing filling. Cut each wrap in half.

Tags: chipotle mayonnaise, sandwich, turkey, wraps

I made this panini for lunch recently. Basically, a panini is just a glorified grilled cheese sandwich filled with any combination of cheeses, meats, and/or vegetables…crunchy on the outside, oozing with melted cheese on the inside. Yumm! Paninis are usually made with a panini press (electric or stove-top) but I say you can still make these delicious sandwiches without the fancy cookware just as you would a regular grilled cheese. Just cook the sandwich in a pan on both sides until golden.

I love the combination of flavors in this particular sandwich: creamy, nutty-flavored fontina with peppery salami and roasted red peppers. DELICIOUS!  I used pre-sliced sourdough bread because thicker sliced artisan bread can rip your mouth to shreds if served on a grilled sandwich. I also used regular olive oil instead of making the rosemary oil. I’m sure it’s good but I didn’t take the time to make it (too hungry). I also didn’t measure out the ingredients (1 ounce of this or that). Instead, I  just put the amount on each sandwich that looked right to me — enough cheese to cover the bread, a few slices of salami, 3-4 strips of red pepper, a drizzle of olive oil here and there, some freshly ground pepper, etc. If you can’t find fontina, I think provolone cheese would be an acceptable substitute. Serve with mixed greens and you’ve got an easy meal in minutes.

Salami, Fontina and Roasted Bell Pepper Panini
-recipe from Williams-Sonoma Kitchen

Makes 1 sandwich.

There are countless combinations of delicious fillings for panini. For a vegetarian version, try grilled eggplant, fresh mozzarella cheese and arugula.

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Leaves of 1 rosemary sprig
2 slices sourdough bread, each 1/2 inch thick
1 oz. thinly sliced Tuscan salami
1 oz. sliced fontina cheese
1/4 cup sliced roasted red bell peppers

In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the rosemary and fry until just fragrant, about 20 seconds. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Preheat an electric panini maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Brush one side of each bread slice lightly with the rosemary oil. Lay a bread slice, oiled side down, and arrange the salami and cheese on the bread. Add the bell peppers and top with the other bread slice, oiled side up.

Place the sandwich on the preheated panini maker and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions until the sandwich is hot throughout, golden and crispy.

Transfer the sandwich to a cutting board and cut in half. Serve immediately.

Tags: cheese, fontina, panini, Quick Cooking, roasted red peppers, salami, sandwich