EIGHT-FOUR & EIGHTY-FIVE : ROASTED VEGETABLES

JANUARY 2 2012

EIGHTY-FOUR : ROASTED VEGETABLE SALAD
EIGHTY-FIVE : ROASTED VEGETABLE SANDWICH

Making the roasted vegetable salad was super simple because I had a bunch of leftover veggies I roasted for NYE. These were tossed with a simple balsamic dressing and the salad was done. And it totally rocks! Also, as the Frankies promise, it makes a great breakfast "after a night of heavy eating or drinking."

yummy veggies

SEVENTY-SIX : SAUSAGE & BROCCOLI RABE SANDWICH

DECEMBER 18 2011

Man I love sandwiches! Such a perfect food. I really, really love bread and stuffing it with delicious things makes it that much better. In fact, stuffing it with Italian sausage and sauteed broccoli rabe is almost magical!

sandwich fixings from heaven

SIXTY-FIVE : EGGPLANT MARINARA W/ MOZZARELLA SANDWICH

NOVEMBER 19 2011

It's probably so predictable that once I spend most of the afternoon baking a big dish of eggplant marinara from page 137, I will then take the leftovers and make the eggplant marinara sandwiches on page 58. Duh! Especially since there were only two of us taking on 6 huge servings so we had tons of leftovers.

Per my amazing plan, after watching multiple hours of football (the Beavs actually won!), I refueled us with a couple big, hot, delicious sandwiches. So easy too! Just chop up a cup of marinara per sandwich and warm it in a skillet. Once it's "too hot to the touch", it's heaped onto the ciabatta rolls and the whole hot mess is covered with a thick topping of fresh mozzarella. That's it. Eat it!

SIXTY-TWO : SOPRESSATA WITH PROVOLONE SANDWICH

NOVEMBER 11 2011

FANTASTIC!!

Not much to say except... BEST. SANDWICH. EVER.

FORTY-NINE : MOZZARELLA, TOMATO & RED PEPPER SANDWICH

OCTOBER 8 2011

With my supply of big, beefy garden tomatoes dwindling rapidly, I was anxious to make this recipe. It's the last one that really hinges on having fresh, delicious tomatoes.

This sandwich layers up tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, sliced red pepper and arugula into a behemoth of a bite. But the biggest surprise is that it has absolutely no condiments or seasoning. I am not instructed to salt & pepper the tomatoes (a shame, really) and for once there isn't a thick spread of mayo. I kinda wish one of those were included. I mean, it is a really good sandwich but it could have used a little zip... maybe balsamic vinegar or a sprinkle of black pepper. I can't really complain though with my amazing Mortgage Lifter heirlooms front and center :)

mozzarella, tomato & red pepper sandwich

the perfect cross-section of flavor. yummmm!

FORTY-SEVEN & FORTY-EIGHT : MEATBALL SANDWICHES WITH TOMATO & AVOCADO SALAD

OCTOBER 5 2011

FORTY-SEVEN : TOMATO, AVOCADO & RED ONION SALAD
FORTY-EIGHT : MEATBALL MARINARA SANDWICH

Only good things can come from having leftover meatballs. And one of them is a meatball sandwich... sooooo gooooood! I knew they would be rich and hearty so decided to serve them with a refreshing tomato, avocado & red onion salad. Both are dead easy!

For the salad, the veggies are simply sliced and dressed with olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and black pepper. Just the kind of salad I love that highlights the fresh, lovely ingredients and the perfect way to enjoy the last of the garden-fresh tomatoes.

simple garden-fresh salad

Then on to the sandwiches.

FORTY : SICILIAN TUNA

SEPTEMBER 5 2011

The high quality ingredients really make this sandwich something special. My usual reaction to tuna sounds something like "meh", but this tuna sandwich was actually quite delicious. The only deviation I made from the recipe was to use a lovely local Albacore tuna instead of Sicilian tuna (I just couldn't resist!). I am confident that it was still just as good :)

local tuna for the TLT sandwiches

THIRTY-SEVEN : PROSCIUTTO & PECORINO SANDWICH

AUGUST 26 2011

For lunch today I made us the Proscuitto with Pecorino Sandwiches. This is a really, really simple sandwich. Bread, prosciutto and pecorino. That's it. It specifically states not to use mayo or mustard as "they just don't add to the experience". I knew it would be important to have super good ingredients so I stopped in at Pastaworks and got some $28.50/pound Italian prosciutto and fresh ciabatta bread.

Each sandwich gets a little less than 2 oz each of the meat and cheese so I weighed out each portion and assembled the sandwiches.

a little less than 2 oz of each topping. 1-7/8 oz to be exact :)

THIRTY-FOUR : BACON, LETTUCE & TOMATO SANDWICH

AUGUST 20 2011

I had one ripe tomato from my garden and I knew exactly what I was going to do with it... BLT's!!! Following the advice of a friend very familiar with The Frankies, I baked a batch of no-knead bread for the sandwiches because "fresh bread is key!". My bread came out pretty dang good. Slightly flattened with a chewy crust and soft interior.

no-knead ciabatta with huge air bubble!

Next, I baked the bacon as directed. It was supposed to have "a little chew to it". But, after assembling the whole thing, I was a little grossed out by the "chew" to the bacon so threw it under the broiler for a few more minutes until it wasn't totally rubbery.