Turning Over a New Leaf and Weekday Meals: Sandwich Edition

Happy Autumn!  I'm so excited it's officially autumn.  After the longest and hottest summer in the United States,  I am more than ready for cooler weather.  And along with the season change, I'm changing as well.  For everyone who read my rant yesterday, thank you.  I didn't realized how frustrated I was with things until they started spilling out onto the page.  As justified as I think my frustrations are, they're probably not healthy in the long run.  So starting today, I'm getting my routine back in order and back where I can get my frustrations out before they spill onto the inter web (i.e. in the yoga studio).  I did manage to get some sleep last night so that has helped immensely.  But enough of that...let's finally get back to what I do best...or at least moderately well.

Weekday Meals: Sandwich Edition!
I haven't always loved the sandwich.  Perhaps it's memories of those sad sandwiches you find in school cafeterias.  You know the pieces of white bread, some unidentifiable meat, and a piece of processed cheese sandwhich?  Yeah, it's no wonder I wasn't a huge fun of the sandwich.  But, as it turns out, with a little love and some better ingredients, you can whip up a sandwich that is delicious and filling.  And in case you don't believe a sandwich can make a meal, Jeff Mauro "The Sandwich King" has an entire tv series dedicated to doing just that.  The Food Network really should start paying me for all of the free plugs I give them.  :)

Here's a pretty common line up of what you'll find a one of my sandwiches.  And here are some tips I've gleaned along with way to the perfect sandwich.

Don't use plain-o mayo and mustard.  Total snooze fest.  Branch out a little.  Live it up.  We just started buying the olive oil mayo with cracked black pepper.  Infinitely better than the original.  But don't stop there.  I almost always add some fresh herbs (almost always basil) into my mayo.  Cut a couple leaves up and you won't believe how delicious your mayo will taste.  I also highly recommend stone ground mustard.  It's pretty awesome.

Buy your meat at the deli.  Don't opt for the packaged stuff.  There are so many nitrites and nitrates and preservatives, there's no way it taste like the stuff at the deli.  And if your deli man is as cool as mine, he'll give you some slices to nibble on while you're waiting.  I'm currently obsessed with Kobe beef sandwich slices.  Out of this world delicious.

Get some good bread and some cheese.

Now doesn't that look much tastier than regular ole' mayo?

The perfect sandwich stacking order: bread, meat, cheese, mustard, diced tomatoes, lettuce, bread.  Why do i say this?  It keeps all the wet stuff that could get the bread soggy tucked away in the middle.

Yes, I have considered sandwhich construction this heavily.

Drizzle the top with a little olive oil and sprinkle with some herbs de provence.

Slap that baby on a panini grill and toast until it's lightly brown.

Serve with some fruit and watch as those cafeteria memories fade away.

And although not related to sandwiches, here's the best sous chef a girl could ask for.