Terrific sandwich ideas for the gourmet lunch box
When you've made what seems to be a zillion sandwiches, do you sometimes feel you're just fresh out of new sandwich ideas? Do you get stuck in a rut of the same old, same old? Your husband loves a ham sandwich above all others. How do you put a new twist on this old favorite? Here are some great new sandwich ideas to help you fill that lunch box with tasty new versions that you'll enjoy making and your family will love.
The first ingredient of a great sandwich is, of course, the bread. Why keep using that spongy white bread that produces a soggy-by-lunchtime sandwich. Creative sandwich ideas start with a good bread. Try a hefty sub roll, pocket bread or whole-grain breads. That beloved ham sandwich is made all the better on a sub roll. Stuff it with thinly sliced red onions and fresh tomatoes, lettuce and slices of smoked cheddar. Pocket bread is a favorite with kids. Fill that pocket with tuna or chicken salad, sliced olives and tomatoes. Whole grain breads are perfect sandwich ideas that stand up to alfalfa sprouts and avocados, along with some farmer's cheese and a couple of slices of roast beef.
Perfect sandwich ideas require an inventory of sandwich meats. Watch the sales and stock up on deli meats as you can. Portion out a sandwich amount of meat and freeze the individual portions in waxed paper. Remove all the air from a zip sealed bag and freeze until needed. You can take the frozen meat and place it in the sandwich in the morning. By lunch time, it's perfect.
Sandwich ideas that win applause always include freshly sliced, imaginative veggies. Cucumbers, hot peppers, mushrooms, sprouts and avocados are just a few examples. A great sandwich needs the freshest veggies you can find.
Dressings are the icing on the sandwich idea cake. Instead of the usual ho-hum mayo and mustard, try some ranch dressing or another of your favorite salad dressings. Horseradish and roast beef make an eye-opening sandwich combination. If you like pesto, spread the inside of a pocket bread with this delightful concoction, then load it up with tomatoes, garlic and onions for a vegetarian gourmet treat. Add some fresh tarragon to a shrimp salad and lay on leaves of hearts of romaine and Spanish onions for a taste treat.
Cheeses add to both nutrition and sandwich glamour. Add these to your sandwich repertoire as you find them on sale. Cheeses generally suffer when frozen, so try to keep a fresh stock.
The secret to great sandwich ideas lies in your imagination and the contents your family loves. Put on your thinking cap and deliver fresh new tastes and combinations. Bon Appetit!
