EGG SALAD SANDWICH WITH ARUGULA AND TOMATO

It's Food Matters Project Monday today! This weeks host is Sophie of Biographiedemafaim. Sophie chose Mark Bittman's recipe for Tofu Mayo and/or Bread-and-Nut Mayo.

I'm on vacation and traveling but I whipped up a quick batch of the Bread and Nut Mayo before I left and used it in this Egg Salad Sandwich. I loved this mayo. In fact it was more like a spread that tasted great with pita chips. In my mayo I used walnuts which gave it a great nutty flavor. The mayo made my egg salad a little brown but still delicious.  I added arugula, tarragon and tomato to the sandwich.

I don't have my cookbook with me so I don't have the recipe but I will share when I return home. For all the other members take on this recipe click here.

OPEN FACE PATTY MELT

Remember Patty Melts? Back in the 70's they were everywhere. Grilled beef on grilled rye bread, spread with Thousand Island dressing and topped with Swiss cheese and grilled onions. You can still find them on the menu in some diners. 

I had a pound of ground beef. I didn't want a traditional  burger. I just stared into the fridge for what seemed like forever. Then I spotted some rye bread. Who has rye bread hanging around in their fridge? Maybe after St. Pat's day for Rubens but that's about it. Ron bought it. When he shops he always comes home with random things. I call them Rondom things.

Then I thought about Patty Melts, and caramelized onions..and Havarti cheese. Oh YES! This was great.

I started out by caramelizing my onions in a cast iron skillet. Then I grilled an oval shaped beef patty for just about 5 minutes.

 Turned it over and topped it with Havarti cheese and caramelized onions. I put the lid on the grill and let the cheese melt. I buttered one side of the rye bread and toasted it in the cast iron skillet. It picked up a lot of flavor from the onions. When the bread was nice and toasty I spread some Thousand Island dressing on it and topped it with the grilled beef.. This was amazing.

I don't think a recipe is necessary here. It's pretty straight forward. If you need one let me know in the comments.

BEEF DIPS

Beef dips are one of our favorite meals when we have leftover beef.

Start with this, a large grilled tri-tip, or any cut of meat. Cook enough for leftovers. Refrigerate for a day or two. Cut leftover meat into thin slices.

Buy a package of Au Jus mix and combine it with water. Heat until hot.

Purchase some French Sandwich Rolls. Butter them, top and bottom, and broil just until lightly browned.

Dip sliced beef into Au Jus and lay on the bottom of the French roll. Cut each roll in half and serve with Au Jus for dipping.

Prepared Horseradish is also good mixed into the Au Jus for a little zip.

PULLED PORK SLIDERS

These were the best sliders. I used the pulled pork recipe (under pork in the recipe category) and warmed it with some BBQ sauce. Piled it on to some toasted  slider buns and topped with sliced dill pickles.
 Next time I'll add some cole slaw to the slider for some extra flavor and crunch.

REUBEN PANINIS

Reuben Paninis....uh huh...isn't that why we cook Corned Beef? That's why I cook it. Once or twice a year I indulge in these scrumptious sandwiches. But, OH NO...I forgot to buy sauerkraut! These were super tasty anyway.

I melted butter and spread it on the outside of the Rye bread. Spread Thousand Island Dressing on the inside, added some thinly sliced Corned Beef, topped it with some sauerkraut (not) and some shredded Swiss Cheese. Seven minutes in a pre-heated Panini Press and I have my Irish-ish delight. If you don't have a Panini Press just put it in a grill pan or cast iron skillet and top it with another pan that is fairly heavy and grill for 3-4 minutes per side.

I made these again and used Gruyere Cheese instead of Swiss and it was just as good if not better. I like the consistency of the melted Gruyere a little better.

STEAK SANDWICH WITH CREOLE SPREAD

I had some leftovers in the fridge from last weeks meals so I decided to combine some of them for a scrumptious sandwich.

I toasted some bread, spread some of the dressing leftover from my Mardi Gras meal (CREOLE ANCHOVY DRESSING) added some lettuce, avocado, salt and pepper and nice slices of leftover grilled flat iron steak. Great combination. The dressing is more like a mayonnaise with a tang. The dressing put this sandwich over the top.