Sandwich Tips for Busy Moms: Creating a Delicious Dish in No Time

by Jyl Johnson Pattee on January 24th, 2011 | 1 Comment »

I love eating sandwiches for lunch. They are a great way to get protein and veggies at the same time. But after visiting the Sara Lee Kitchen as part of a Hillshire Farm's sandwich soiree, I discovered that I still had a thing or two (or three!) to learn about sandwich making. Let me share what I learned aside from the fact that food stylists and photographers can make your otherwise plain turkey sandwich look AMAZING (see pic on right... that's my creation!).

Sandwich Preparation Tips

Choose the right bread. Mix it up and get creative by using bagels, tortillas, pitas, artisan breads, flat breads, and different varieties: sourdough, rye, pumpernickel, whole grain, etc. If your sandwich is of the juicier variety (lots of condiments, tomatoes, salad dressing), choose a hearty bread like ciabatta or foccacia.
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Choose ingredients that compliment each other. For example, turkey and cranberry doesn’t just have to be coupled at Thanksgiving. From the meat and cheese combinations to fruit and vegetables and sauces and dressings you use, pair things that enhance each other’s flavors.
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Prepare and store ingredients in advance. Slicing and dicing fruits, veggies, and cheese ahead of time cuts down on sandwich-making time. Most of these items will last up to a week if properly stored in the refrigerator (34-38 degrees is the ideal temperature).

Sandwich Making Tips

Put the meat on first. Yes! You heard me right. Place the meat on top of the bottom slice of bread. And, if you want to make a beautiful, not just a delicious, sandwich, consider folding the meat (accordion style) and layering it.
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Place the moist ingredients next to the meat. When possible, dry off moist ingredients and put them next to the meat. This will keep them from getting the bread wet.
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Top the sandwich with cheese. Having the cheese on top provides yet another moisture barrier. Pairing the cheese and other ingredients, including condiments, sauces, or dressing can add just the right flavor, creating a delicious combination.

No lie, but this sandwich is up for a Hillshire Farm prize. It's delicious too! For the recipe:

Visit the Hillshire Farm Facebook Page.
Click on the "Most Wanted" tab.
Click to vote for your favorite sandwich. (Choose the "Beehive"!)

Every vote helps me get one step closer to donating $5,000 to charity. And there's something in it for you too. Voters will receive $2 in Hillshire Farm coupons for voting (limit two pairs of $1 coupon per person, email address and/or household).

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Jyl Johnson Pattee

An active part of the Mom It Forward team, Jyl primarily writes about parenting, social good, and all things travel related. In a past life, Jyl was an award-winning copywriter and designer of corporate training programs for Fortune 100 companies. Offline, Jyl is married to @TroyPattee; a mom to two teen boys and a beagle named #Hashtag; loves large amounts of cheese, dancing, and traveling; and lives in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Topping her bucket list is the goal to visit 50 countries by the time she's 50.