Hi Everyone,
Happy Friday!!! So glad it’s finally Friday!! I am looking so forward to Saturday! I’m taking a food photography class and I can’t wait to learn some new things. I’m hoping to improve my picture-taking. I’m just horrible with lighting, as you can tell from yellow toned pictures. Do you have plans for the weekend?
I was rummaging through my kitchen cupboards looking for something to make for dinner and I found this, hidden in here from last year. Yes, I checked the expiration date and it hasn’t expired. I wonder if TJ’s still carries this? I better check ASAP!! I forgot how much I love this spread!
I knew as soon as I saw the Cranberry Apple Butter that I wanted to make a turkey sandwich for dinner. I went to grab my 46 calorie a slice wheat bread that I just bought from Sprouts and when I opened it, the bread wasn’t fully cooked. It was doughy and sticky. Ewww!! That would not make a good sandwich. I saw that my Husband had the Mom’s White Bread from Trader Joe’s, so I used that instead. Now this sandwich would taste awesome on cranberry walnut bread or a good seedy wheat bread, but I must admit this sandwich tasted pretty darn amazing on white bread.
Oh how rude of me, I’m talking bread (you know I get side tracked and crazy when I start thinking of bread) but I never told you what kind of sandwich I made. It’s Italian Turkey, with slices of Asian Pear and topped with Kerrygold Aged Cheddar Cheese and of course TJ’s Cranberry Apple Butter. This sandwich was sweet, but not to sweet, savory and so delicious!! I never had this combination together, but I just had to try it!!! So glad I did, it reminded me of Thanksgiving. Good ol’ hearty comfort food! Now, I’m not rushing to Thanksgiving, but I do love the food!! Believe me when I tell you I am not ready for the holidays!! Are you?? Please tell me your not.
I made my sandwich in a Panini maker, but this would be so easy to cook in a skillet, like you would a grilled cheese sandwich. I also wanted to point out that you can save yourself some calories by getting bread around the 50 – 70 calorie range. Each slice of my bread had 90 calories. Since I loved this sandwich so much, I’m going to get some wheat bread from TJ’s tomorrow and have this for lunch. I served the sandwich with some soup to make a complete dinner, but to be honest I could have just had the sandwich and been completely satisfied. It’s very filling!!!
- 2 slices bread
- 1 tbsp. cranberry apple butter or cranberry sauce
- 2 oz turkey, cooked, sliced thin
- ¼ cup asian pear, slice thin
- ½ oz aged white cheddar cheese, sliced thin
- Spray Butter
- Spread ½ tablespoon of cranberry apple butter to each inside slice of bread. Layer to make a sandwich: On one slice of bread with cranberry side facing up, top with turkey, pear and cheese. Place last slice of bread on top of the cheese with the cranberry side facing in.
- Spray the outside of the bread with butter, and place in a panini maker or grill in a skillet. Cook until lightly brown and cheese is melted, about 4 - 5 minutes
Speaking of sandwiches I wanted to let you know that my blog was chosen to be a apart of Emeril Lagasse’s Kicked-Up Sandwiches promotion in October. That means I get to make sandwiches from his new cookbook that hasn’t been released yet and share it with you. I hopped right on board when I found out it was sandwiches. I am such a sandwich freak! I just love them! I could have one at every meal if I allowed myself too, but I need to watch the bread! I allow myself one bread meal a day!! So hard!! You don’t even know how hard that is for me!!
That’s it on my end!!! Hopefully next week, I’ll have better pictures for you!!!
Have a great weekend!!
Toodles,
Jen
Sherry says
I’m pretty sure the Cranberry Apple Butter is seasonal-I think they put it out late October or early November.
Tiffany says
This looks delicious! I really should not look at your blog first thing as I’m starving before breakfast!
The Emeril book sounds interesting. I grew up next to the city he was from here in MA so I am curious if he will be sharing any local items from his heritage.
Leann S says
Looks great though i’m not a Turkey fan i’m thinking would also be good with some really great cheese. mmm Happy Friday!
Christy @SweetandSavoring says
This looks so good, I think I’ll have to make a vegetarian version.
Congratulations on getting chosen for the sandwich promotion! How cool!
Karen says
Sounds wonderful. I’ll have to replace the cranberry apple butter with apple butter since I don’t live nar a trader joes. Now I have to decie what other recipes to make with the remainder of the turkey.
Kristi @ My San Francisco Kitchen says
Have fun at your class! I wish I could take one too. Your photos are already beautiful. That is so funny, I just made a turkey avocado panini with my George Foreman grill yesterday-I haven’t bought myself an official panini maker yet, but I would definitely use it all the time!
Karen says
I made tonight but had to adapt. I didn’t have cranberry apple butter. I used my Walden Farms apple butter (0 caleries), I added dried cranberries turkey and the aged cheddar. I couldn’t find asian pears so didn’t add. It was wonderful.
Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Peppers says
So glad you like it and great modifications to the recipe!! Using apple butter is a great idea and putting cranberries in them. I’m going to try that!! I love dried cranberries!!!
Kirsten says
Jen,
This is a sandwich after my own heart. I love finding non-expired jars of yumminess in my pantry. Thanks for giving me the link to include in my upcoming Band Fruit Fundraiser Recipe Round Up! It will be published on 12/4/2013!