Nothing But Love :: golf blogger

Let's Talk About Sandwiches

"Sandwich" is a dirty word now that everyone and their brother is on the Atkins Diet, but it has always been a food item that has been anathema to the J-Dogg's eating philosophy. He has never had a burger on a bun or a ham-and-cheese on rye. He has always eaten hot dogs with a fork; in fact, that's how we found out that he was left-handed when he was a year old. He did not eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or grilled cheese sandwiches.

Now that he has his draft card and has registered to vote, Stacey and I figured it was time to entertain ourselves. We devised the sandwich plan.

It started with cocktail weiners, those little inch or inch-and-a-half long hot dogs that Hebrew National puts out. We got a pop-open tube of breadstick dough and wrapped each little frankfurter in half a breadstick. We baked at 375 F. until golden brown. We served them with chili. He ate the cocktail weinies in the little buns.

Next, we decided to move on to hamburgers. Patty melts. We bought cocktail rye, those little square pieces of bread. You can get twelve little burgers out of a pound of ground round. Stacey sauteed onions and chopped them up and mixed the onions with the ground beef. Grill the little burgers until done -- it doesn't take long.

While Stacey is grilling the burgers, I, and I open myself up for criticism here, cut the cheese. It must fit on the little pieces of bread. It is my custom to throw the pieces that are left over after cutting the American cheese to the dogs. Sheba catches them no matter where I toss them. Scout, new at the game, allows the cheese to smack her in the head. Then I butter 24 of the little slices of cocktail rye.

Once the burgers are done and the other ingredients are ready, we assemble the patty melts on the grill -- bread butter side down, cheese, burger, cheese, and bread butter side up. Flip the sandwich over when browned on one side, which is easier said than done. They're done when the other side is browned.

We served these with chips. The J-Dogg ate them.

Next on the menu -- tiny fried bologna-and-cheese sandwiches. Thereafter, we will begin to increase the size of the hot dogs, burgers, and sandwiches. He'll never know what hit him.

Posted by Bill at February 12, 2004 07:24 PM