Sandwich: From Ordinary to Gourmet

An afternoon quick-fixed meal couldn't be better by preparing a hot grilled sandwich made with any ingredients you have in your pantry or leftover food in the fridge. Sandwich is one of my favorite lunch menus as it is ready in no time.

Creative versions of panini: Based with store bought sliced Vienna white bread and a good piece of cheese (choose from Cheddar, Gouda, Harvati, Monterey Jack, Provolone, Baby Swiss, Colby, Brick etc. These cheeses melt well). Top it with meat such as Salami, turkey or ham deli meat, leftover Rotisserie chicken breast, meatloaf, roasted beef or pan-fried spam. Additionally, roasted red bell pepper and baby spinach complement the sandwich in a colorfully nutritious and flavorful way. The finishing touch: Spray both sides of the bread with garlic flavored butter spray and grill it until the cheese is melted.

Grilled Cheese Topped with Smoked Turkey and Gravy:

Start with cutting off smoked turkey meat (may be substituted with roasted chicken, roasted pork or beef)
Gravy Recipe:
Ingredients:

1/2 lb of smoked turkey meat
1 1/2 cup chicken broth (may be substituted with broth from chicken cube)
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
4 large white mushrooms, sliced thin and lightly sauteed
1 large onion
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons of dill or 3/4 tbsp of dried dill
salt to taste

Directions:
In a saucepan, fry onions till softened, add in chicken stock and bring to a boil.
Seasoned with black pepper and add the mushroom.
Add in the rest of ingredients and whisk into the simmering chicken broth until thickened.

Alternative 1: If a grill is not available, try toasting the buttered sandwich on a covered frying pan on low heat on both sides until cheese is melted.
Alternative 2: Replace Vienna white bread with foccacia bread for more flavors. Half the foccacia bread and grill the white part of the bread while retaining the flavored part of the bread inside.