Hot Turkey Sandwiches

I used to go to my Grandma’s house every year for Thanksgiving.

The day after Thanksgiving, my family, and my aunts and uncles and cousins bundled up and went out to cut down our Christmas tree. We lived near Island Park in Idaho, where we could get a permit to cut down a pine tree cheaper than buying an already dried out one in town. Plus there was the added bonus of tromping through the snow in the middle of no where yelling happily to each other when we found a good spot. Priceless. Once we found the perfect tree, we’d cut it down, load it onto the sled and haul it back to the car. Then it was time for sledding and snowball fights. By the end of the day, we were wet, tired, and freezing. My mom didn’t let us change in the car (because she didn’t want to ride home in a wet car) so we had to strip down to just the basics by the rear hatch, toss the wet stuff into the back, and then make a run for it to the side doors. There was a thick blanket and a dry change of clothes in the car for each of us. We put on the warm, dry clothes, wrap up in the blanket, and get the heater going. Then my mom would pass out hot chocolate from the thermos and leftover turkey sandwiches, and, I kid you not, it was the best tasting food in the world. It’s crazy how good food tastes when you are desperately cold and hungry.

Now, whenever I make leftover turkey sandwiches, I feel like I should be out tree hunting in the middle of the forest. The sandwiches we made were just like these, but they weren’t warm. I figured out years later the next level that is hot turkey sandwiches.

Hot turkey sandwiches are good. That is a fact of the universe. And it is a great way to use up the leftover turkey and rolls from thanksgiving dinner.

Start by cutting a bunch of rolls in half. Here’s a hack, don’t cut the rolls straight in half, cut it into more of a u-shape. Then it’s easier to scoop the filling in.

In a large mixing bowl, cube (any kind of meat, really, but we’re talking about) turkey meat. Plan on about 1 cup of meat per 6 rolls. Then choose your cheese. I like Swiss for these, but any kind of cheese will work. Cube (or grating would probably work, too) a cup of cheese per roll and add it to the bowl with the meat. Then dice up 1/2 cup onions. (I really like using green onions, but any kind will do) Dice up 1/2 pepper per 6 rolls (again, any kind, but I like red or green bell peppers. Banana peppers would be good, I bet. Or jalepeno or cayenne peppers if you like the heat. I’ve never tried that because I am a spicy food woose.) Any other vegetables can also go into the bowl now. I’ve added chopped fresh spinach before. Water chestnuts would be good and give it a little extra crunch. Olives are good on everything, too. Look in your fridge. What else needs to be eaten?

Last thing: add 2 tablespoons of Worchestershire sauce, and 1/2 cup mayo (per 6 rolls–double this for a dozen rolls.) Give it all a good stir until everything is evenly coated. Put a a couple good sized spoonfuls into each roll and wrap the rolls in tin foil. I tear all the tinfoil I need first, then I stack them up. Then I set a roll on the tin foil stack, fill it, and roll it into the foil. Set the rolled up rolls on a cookie sheet and cook at 325 for 30 minutes.

And if, by chance, you need to take these into the forest on a Christmas Tree expedition, keep them in their foil and put them in an insulated heat reflecting bag, and they will stay warm longer. And sled down the hill once for me!