Cook's Challenge!

Tossing triple points at you!

It's sammie time again because we're too busy on Gather to make a full meal. Slap a slice of rye on the plate...add arugula, bacon and tomato and mayo...place second slice of rye on top. Put a pickle on the plate as a side. The cranberry sauce goes in with vanilla ice cream in the blender for a thick, cranberry custard type treat for dessert with the cranberry and ice cream whipped together until soft.

Turkey Sandwiches and Side Salads

extras: roasted turkey breast, mixed salad greens, creamy vinaigrette (pick your fave)

Stack turkey, arugula, cooked bacon strips and cranberry sauce on bread. Toss salad greens with additional arugula, crumbled bacon, tomato and vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

Mornin' Marianne!

HA! I went for salad and you went for more dessert :)

I would make a sandwich too, but no tomatoes for me until they grow safely in my own garden.

Shannon, I need think no more... yours is perfect and simple. Sounds great for lunch, by the way.

Good point, Jennifer.

THe only thing missing was a slab of cheese, Julie :)

Yes... I would probably sneak that cheese in! I'm thinking Swiss would be lovely...

Girl, I never met a cheese I didn't like. Other than maybe limburger.

Shannon, you and Rob have it just about tied up - except I won't have mayo but I WILL have a slice of cheese!
And you're right about the cheese - Limburger is out, so is Harzer, which also smells pretty strongly (notice how polite I am, lol)... But any other, YES!

Never even tried Limbuger, but as a rule, if it isn't Velveeta (cheese FOOD) I will love it.

NEver heard of Harzer- bet it's German :)

Don't you dis my Velveeta.

I won't dis it, Shannon, as long as you don't make me use it myself.

LOL!

Well, this is easy! I'd toast the bread, and put the bacon, arugula and tomato (not this week-they are poison) as a sandwich with 1)mayo Using the cranberry sauce, I'd add oranges and pecans and make a refreshing relish/salad to go with the sandwich.

There are good suggestions already. ANd I like 'em.

A BLT sorda! I love it Sue.

Mornin' Lynn!

:)

Extras Chipolte chedder cheese (love it), mayo, deli potato salad.

Same as everyone else I'd make a sandwich, and add mayo & cheese, I'd use homegrown tomatoes ;-)
serve the cranberry sauce along with potato salad as sides for the sandwich

Sweet pork loin, bread salad, and grilled zucchini.


Bard a pork loin (1) with bacon. Heat loin (1) in a crock pot with cranberry sauce and spicy mustard (2), pepper until sauce has thickened and meat is cooked through. Remove barding and allow to rest. Remove sauce to a pan and heat simmer to reduce by half. Slice and serve with sauce.

Fry up barding bacon until crisp. Do not clean pan.

Whisk together olive oil and one pureed tomato. Gently wilt arugula leaves over low heat in bacon pan. Chop tomatoes. Tear bread into bite size pieces. Toss together with warm arugula and tomato dressing, salt, and pepper. Let marinate until bread has softened.

Halve small zucchini (3). Brush with olive oil, salt, pepper. Grill until lines form and zucchini is tender crisp. Serve warm with crumbled bacon on top.

Oh yeah, John! You took this one in a whole new direction!

And I just wrote down a recipe for stuffed zucchini. I am sure we'll be getting some this summer :)

Sorry I missed yours, Elaine! That sounds awesome!

Rye-Bread Bruschetta Smorgasbord

Goat cheese
Parmesan cheese
Garlic

Make arugula pesto with freshly washed and dried arugula, olive oil, grated Parmesan and garlic. Set aside until needed.

Brush slices of bread (cut into halves or quarters as desired) with olive oil infused with a bit of garlic. Toast in oven until just crisp.

Cut Roma tomatoes into oval slices (cut them at an angle to the long axis).

Fry the bacon. Drain off some but not all of the fat; in the same pan, sear slices of the Roma tomatoes for about 30 seconds or until aromatic and just wilting.

Spread 1/2 of the bread slices with softened goat cheese and 1/2 with the arugula pesto (leave a few just plain if you like). Top the bread with an assortment of combinations of ingredients. Here are some of my ideas:
- goat cheese and cranberry sauce
- arugula pesto with goat cheese crumbles and bacon
- arugula pesto and seared tomato
- cranberry sauce on plain toast with bacon crumbles.
- goat cheese, seared tomato and fresh arugula

Or lay out all the toppings buffet style and let people make their own.

mmm, sounds yummy jonathan!

OMG Jack!!! I would try each and every one of those!!! Amazing.

Tell you what John, I'll do the appetizers and you bring that pork and bread salad over for the main course.

How could John say no to that offer?

I'd make a Thanksgiving Turkey Club - turkey slices, cranberry, arugula, bacon on deli rye. I'd put the tomato on the side as a garnish.

I'll have what Risa is making.

Got your message ... still struggling. Wish my son was here. He can usually solve all my computer problems, but he's got an internship in New York for the summer ...