Southern Protocol

I can already taste the mouth-watering, sage-filled Thanksgiving turkey and creamy, mushy mashed potatoes. And I still have T-Minus three weeks til the big day! We all love the holiday bird, but what do you do with it afterwards?

There are so many boring, go-to options for the leftovers, the most popular choice being the sandwich. The turkey, the mayonnaise, the swiss, the leftover rolls. I’m snoring. The leftover turkey should be just as delicious the day after as it was during it’s glorious debut! So I did some research on my favorite foodie site – foodnetwork.com – and found this gem…

Turkey, Cranberry and Fontina Panini, serves 4

8 slices whole-grain bread
6 ounces thinly-sliced Fontina cheese
8 ounces sliced leftover turkey
1/2 cup leftover cranberry relish
1 cup arugula leaves
Extra virgin olive oil

For each sandwich, lay 2 slices  of bread on a work surface. Lay about 3/4 ounce cheese on one slice of bread; top with 2 ounces turkey meat, 2 ounces cranberry relish, about 5-6 arugula leaves, and an additional bit of cheese. Top with the other bread slice. Repeat with other sandwiches.

Brush the top of the sandwich with olive oil; heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Put the sandwich, oiled-side down, into the pan. Place a small heavy pan on top of the sandwich to press it down. Cook until bread is golden and crisp and the cheese is melted – about five minutes. Repeat on the other side and for all the other sandwiches!

Delish. I am so hungry.

Tags: leftovers, sandwich, taste of the month, turkey