Steak and Cheese Sandwiches

Friends is one of my all-time favorite TV shows.  Even though I have seen every single episode and have probably half of them memorized, I still watch reruns of it every day after work. (Seriously, every day- welcome to my exciting life. Hehe)

One of my favorites is when Monica and Rachel bet that they know Chandler and Joey better than Chandler and Joey know them and Ross makes it into a game show.   It turns into a crazy, rapid-paced back and forth, the stakes become insanely high.  (Spoiler alert- the girls end up losing their apartment to the guys).  In one of the many rounds, Monica gets asked what Joey’s favorite food is and without blinking, yells out Sandwiches!

I can SO relate.  I love me a good sandwich.  Every day for lunch? Turkey sandwich.  When I go out to dinner? More often than not, it’s a burger or some sort of chicken sandwich or club.  Late night snack? PB&J.  I mean, what’s there not to love about sandwiches?

And this sandwich? This sandwich is awesome. 

Steak.

Onions.

Mushrooms.

Cheese.

All on crusty bread.  It’s a sandwich-lovers dream

Ham, Gruyere, & Apple Panini

I figured since about half of you are still in a diabetic coma after that last post, I should probably do something that will bring significantly less havoc to your system due to sugar overload….

So how do you feel about a warm, hearty panini stuffed full of seasonal goodness?

I know, not quite as fun as ooey, gooey brownies, but still absolutely delicious.  (Plus this one you can eat for dinner and not feel totally guilty.  Because trust me, I ate one of the brownies for dinner this week and that was a poor life choice…..)

One of the things I love about fall is how fresh and crisp everything feels.  The air. The leaves. The apples :)  I went to the farmers market this weekend and picked up to the brightest, greenest Granny Smiths I’ve even seen.  And while I was really tempted to turn them into caramel apple goodness, I resisted.  Instead, I made a sandwich.

I know…it sounds exceptionally boring.  But wait- this sandwich is not your ordinary sandwich.  For one, it’s grilled, so I get to call it a panini which automatically makes it sound Italian and fancy.  Plus this panini calls for special cheese.  Not just any cheese. No shredded cheddar or prepackage mozzarella here.  Nope- I had to go to the specialty cheese part of the grocery store and pick up some Gruyere- that’s how you know you’re money. ;)

This Panini incorporates melty Gruyere and tart apples along with savory ham for a fantastic (quick & easy) fall meal.  Would pair great with a seasonal soup like baked potato or minestrone. 

Adapted from this recipe

What You’ll Need: (Makes 4 sandwiches)

2 Tbsp Butter, room temp

2 Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored, and sliced ¼ inch thick

1 tsp Dried Thyme

8 thick slices of Country-style Bread

½ cup Whole Grain Mustard

8 oz Gruyere, shredded

8 oz Deli Ham, sliced

What Do To:

1.   Preheat your Panini press (or in my case, the George Foreman).  In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Add apple slices and thyme, stirring occasionally until apples have slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes

2.   Spread each bread slice with 1 Tbsp mustard. Arrange 1/4 cup of cheese on 4 of the bread slices and top with 2 oz of ham. Divide the apple mixture evenly on top of the ham. Add the remaining cheese and cover with the remaining 4 slices of bread. 

3.   Brush bread with leftover butter from the apples and grill on the panini press until cheese has melted and bread is toasted and golden brown. 

Turkey Gyros

I came across a Greek Turkey meatball recipe and was so excited to try it.  I love gyros and haven't had one for years.  Plus I loved that it used ground turkey.  Unfortunately wasn't a great success.  The flavors were pretty bland and it texturally didn't work too well.  But it gave me the idea to more or less make a turkey meatloaf that I could shave and then make it into a gyro.  Granted, its nothing like Uncle Pete's Gyros (if you're from my hometown, you know what I'm talking about), but it made for a pretty decent, homemade second.  Cucumber (tzatziki) sauce recipe came from Skinny Taste.com

How Long Is This Gonna Take:
About 30-45 minutes


But Is It Good For Me:
Makes 4 gyros, 9 points+ each


What You'll Need:
For the Cucumber (Tzatziki) Sauce:
Should be made beforehand

For the Gyros:

What To Do:
1. For sauce, prepared about 1 hour before you plan to eat.  Mix all sauce ingredients together and chill for 1 hour.

 2. For gyros, preheat oven to 500F.  In a bowl, mix turkey, onion, garlic, parsley, thyme, and S&P. In a large skillet (make sure its one you can also use in the oven!), heat EVOO on medium heat.  While oil heats up, form turkey mixture into 4 thin loaves, about 1/4 inch thick.


3.  Cook loaves until brown, about 1-2 minutes on each side.  Then place skillet into the oven and bake for 6-8 minutes. (I used a meat thermometer to ensure the loaves were completed cooked).

4. Right before the loaves come out of the oven, microwave pitas for about 15-20 seconds.  Remove turkey loaves from the oven and thinly slice (I recommend a serrated knife).  Assemble your gyro and top with cucumber sauce.