Jan D'Atri

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Egg Battered Grilled Sandwiches

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It’s National Sandwich Month, and last week I shared a recipe for the Ultimate Tuna Melt. This week, I’ve got a tasty twist on your favorite sandwich that is reminiscent of the classic 50’s favorite, the Monte Cristo Sandwich. This method will work on just about any sandwich you love, but we’re going to build the sandwich, dip it in an egg and milk batter and grill it to perfection! The outside tastes a bit like French Toast, and the inside has the delicious melted cheese and deli meats!

For a bit of background, the Monte Cristo is a variation of the French croque-monsieur (The name is based on croquer (“to crunch”) and the word monsieur (“mister”) which originated in French cafés and bars as a quick snack.)  It was once a favorite sandwich when deep frying foods was more popular. The Monte Cristo was often fried, sprinkled with powdered sugar and dipped in jelly.

My egg-battered and grilled sandwich version eliminates the deep frying, and the sandwich is dipped into the batter very quickly just to coat. I’ve made this sandwich with turkey and cheese, prosciutto, salami and cheese and even a caprese version with sliced mozzarella, tomato and slivered basil, and they are equally as delicious! Make up a batch and snack on them all week long while enjoying this month long sandwich celebration!

Watch my How To Video for Egg Battered Grilled Sandwiches here!

Ultimate Tuna Melt

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I’m not sure “a comeback” is quite accurate. That’s what social media claims is happening with the Classic Tuna Melt. I say that because I’m not sure its popularity ever went away. But perhaps it’s getting more attention these days because a lot more people are consuming canned tuna. Reddit, the aggregate of social media news, claims that references to canned tuna are up more than 60% among its nearly 19 million member food community. I’m sure it all started when the pandemic hit.  We were all a bit panicked and started filling our pantries with canned foods, and tuna was flying off the shelf. Well, what better way to use up some of those cans than by making the sandwich that’s been a favorite for decades?  Where its popularity all started is a bit unclear. Some references claim that The Tuna Melt was invented at the Woolworth’s lunch counter on King Street in Charleston, South Carolina. Other articles say that the popularity of the Tuna Melt was the work of Kraft Foods which wanted to prove the versatility of their Velveeta cheese. One way or the other, this ironic sandwich caught a wave of popularity and never let up. This particular recipe is for the Ultimate Tuna Melt, and trust me, it’s fully loaded. The Tuna mixture is a combination of creamy dressing, crunchy veggies and relish for sweetness. Then, two cheeses get added to mix; a slice of your favorite cheese and a shredded mozzarella. The bread? Entirely your call, but in order to make it Ultimate, you’ve got to spread mayonnaise on both sides of the bread, which adds a rich flavor and a beautiful deep golden brown crust. This month is National Sandwich Month! This one’s in the can!

Trifle Salad

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It’s one of the prettiest ideas for dessert. English Trifle is always a show stopper, with its layers of fresh fruit, pudding and whipped cream. Trifles go back to the 16th century. In fact, they were also called Fruit Fools, believed to have originated from the French word “fouler” which means to mash or press. That’s the fun thing about the trifle. The presentation is gorgeous, and then you just dive in and scoop up soupy, fruity spoonfuls of goodness! Well, I decided to give salad the same eye-popping treatment!
I mean, we pretty much all love a salad of some sort, but they can get a little boring after a while, especially if you eat them a lot.
With this Trifle Salad, you can combine and layer any of your favorite salad fixings in a trifle bowl (or any large clear glass bowl), drizzle with your best Italian dressing and serve it up as a main dish! The sky’s the limit on what you can add to your Trifle Salad. If you’re looking to make it ahead for a special occasion or picnic, you’ll want to choose ingredients that will hold up and not wilt. Color, texture and flavor are also considerations. You can find a trifle bowl at stores like Bed, Bath and Beyond or any kitchen supply store. If you can find the mini trifle bowls, they make perfect individual single serving salad. If you don’t have a trifle bow, a large, clear bowl makes a great substitute, especially if you place it on top of a cake stand for the ultimate presentation.

Here’s how I built my Trifle Salad. (For a large trifle bowl)

Watch my How To video for Trifle Salad Here!