Eat This: Cookie Sheet Sandwiches

Because of my weird sugar-and-refined flour allergy, sandwiches are kind of off of my radar.  Which, of course, means that I am jonesing for them.  These sandwich recipes are almost as weird as my sugar-and-refined flour allergy, but weird in a good way.  Weird factor #1:  both recipes are designed to yield multiple sandwiches, made assembly line-style.  Weird factor #2:  both recipes involve cookie sheets.  Recipe #1 requires you to put the cookie sheet in the freezer, so factor in the size of your freezer (and your available freezer space) when selecting a cookie sheet.  Recipe #2 calls for two cookie sheets.  You put the sandwiches on one, spray the bottom of the other with cooking spray, plop the second cookie sheet on top of the sandwiches - voila, a poor man's (very large) panini press.

Oh, and adding to the weirdness:  you dip sandwich #1 in a gooey mushroom soup mixture and roll it in potato chip crumbs before freezing.  It's yummy, I promise.  I used to make both of these recipes all of the time, before bread became the enemy.

[Sigh.]

CHICKEN LOUISA SANDWICHES


1 whole cooked chicken
½ small onion, minced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
½ cup cold milk, separated
2 cups potato chip crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, well-beaten
12 slices bread, crusts removed
½ cup sliced almonds

Combine chopped chicken and onion. Mix together mushroom soup and ¼ cup cold milk. Beat in mixer until smooth and creamy. To chicken mixture, add 2-4 T of mushroom soup mixture, plus salt and pepper. Add beaten egg and other ¼ cup milk to mushroom soup mixture. Spread chicken mixture on 6 slices of bread, top with remaining bread, dip until thoroughly coated in mushroom soup mixture, then in potato chip crumbs, and then in sliced almonds. Place sandwiches on cookies sheet, cover with foil, and freeze at least overnight. When ready to use, remove from freezer, discard foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot. Yield: 6 servings.

SOUTHERN REUBEN MELTS (recipe and photo courtesy of the March 2003 issue of Southern Living)

1 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup ketchup
1-2 T sweet pickle relish
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
3 cups coleslaw mix
8 rye bread slices
1 (6-oz.) pkg. Swiss cheese slices
12 ozs. thinly sliced ham
Butter-flavored cooking spray

Stir together the first 4 ingredients. Stir together coleslaw mix and ½ cup mayonnaise mixture. Spread 1 T mayonnaise mixture evenly on 1 side of each bread slice; top 4 slices evenly with cheese, ham and coleslaw mixture. Top with remaining bread slices. Place sandwiches on a baking sheet coated with butter-flavored cooking spray. Coat bottom of another baking sheet with cooking spray, and place, coated-side down, on sandwiches. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes until bread is golden and cheese melts.