Wacky Sandwiches: Don't Knock Them 'Till You've Tried Them

Now that the children have headed back to school, we'll all be making more sandwiches.  We try to venture away from the daily sandwich, sometimes sending some basil hummous or edamame dip with fresh veggies or pita.  I have a couple of other easy lunch recipes in the works, and you may get a few other ideas if you click on the "lunch box" tab on the left.  But right now I have sandwiches on the brain. 

Many of our favorites are mundane, such as cheese with mustard or mayo, peanut butter and jelly, or cream cheese and jelly.  And then there are others that we love, but don't often send in for lunches because we worry that they will get the bread soggy, like vegetarian BLTs, cream cheese and tomato, or egg salad. 

A couple of our favorite sandwiches are downright strange, and I thought, I can't write about them, they're too weird.  But now I'm thinking that if I tell you about them, maybe you'll share your favorite sandwiches too, and we will all get some new ideas for the upcoming school year.  So here goes.

Oscar's favorite is cheese--usually cheddar, although another mild cheese like Gouda will do--and jelly.  He suggested it one day and I was reluctant to make it because I thought it would be another one of those things that my kids begged for, only to leave on the plate.  But he loved it and has been eating it regularly for a couple of years now.  Chloe will occasionally eat cheese and jelly, too, but the rest of us are not fans.

One of my all-time favorite sandwiches is peanut butter, cucumber, and mayonnaise.  I know it sounds bizarre, but it is delicious.  Although peanut butter often has tons of added sugar, peanuts aren't really sweet.  Pairing peanut butter with mayo and something crunchy (lettuce will also do in a pinch) is fabulous.  And with their high water content, the cucumbers help cut the stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth quality of peanut butter.  My mother loved this combination and once I got up the courage to try it, I was hooked.  Olivia is the only other one I've managed to win over in this house, although the others haven't been willing to try.

Another favorite of mine that is perhaps not so wacky is cream cheese and olive.  The mildness of the cream cheese with the tanginess of the olive are a great combination.  The only other olive eaters in this house are Olivia and Chloe, and I haven't tried this on them in a while.  I think it's time to give it another go.

What sandwiches are popular in your house? 

Comments

[Karen]

Muffalettas are a huge hit at our house, despite the fact that both my children will not touch olives. It is a carnivore option, though you could omit the meat. It consists of capicola & mortadella hams, genoa salami, provolone cheese, and olive tapenade on a good loaf of Italian bread. Because the bread is so thick, this can be made the day or 2 before and it still won't be soggy.

[Patti]

As a kid, I would only eat peanut butter sandwiches. My mother - in an attempt to introduce some variety into my lunches - created different and weird combinations. The ones I recall lovingly, include
**PB and cottage cheese (sounds bad, tasted great - but I will admit that I haven't had it in close to 50 years)

**PB and honey (still a favorite)

**PB and bacon (and yes, everything is better with bacon but this is another sandwich I will surely never consume again)

[laura]

Some pretty great ideas. Unfortunately, with our big one she is a stickler for the tried and true (and that means the basics) but Simon has already been requesting cream cheese and peanut butter on his bagels. I have not yet tried it (not sure how that would be) but he would probably like some of your other ideas! Very creative.

[Alicia]

Hey Margy,

As I said I love your site. My dad loved peanut butter, lettuce and mayo sandwiches. I haven't had one in years but loved them too. Thanks for taking me back - I am going to make one soon and try cucumbers too.

[Sarah]

I stink at creative ingredients, so I go for cutting silly shapes into the sandwiches. Many days it is just a wiggly line instead of straight, but if I am feeling creative, I will try to make something recognizable. As my older son has been on a Harry Potter kick, I have tried a broom stick, the sorting hat, or whatever i can dream up. At the end of the day, we have a game to see if he had any idea what I was trying to do!!

[Margy]

Karen: I love the idea of a vegetarian muffaletta. I definitely have to work one up.

Patti: I think Chloe would love the peanut butter and cottage cheese option. Gabe wants to try PB with (veggie) bacon.

Laura: Isn't it great when they come up with their own creative taste combos? Go, Simon!

Alicia: I can't believe your dad loved the PB-mayo combo, too! I had never met anyone who had tried this, let alone liked it!

Sarah: What a great idea. I have done cookie cutters, but never free form carving.

Thanks to you all for sharing your ideas and sandwiches! I love hearing from you. I also thought of another of my favorites: avocado and tomato.

Now I'm thinking of instituting an occasional "wacky sandwich day" for the kids' lunches to get them to explore new combinations.

Margy

[Chronicles of Momnia]

not that wacky, but cream cheese and tomato. maybe even a little salt and pepper sprinkled on top. YUM!

[Margy]

Chronicles -- a delicious idea for those last-of-summer tomatoes.

[Rob]

Hey Margy...

Genoa salami and a sweet(er) cole slaw.

People think it's goofy, but it's great. And best with a good Genoa and cheap slaw.

-- Rob

PS - Trying the Trinidadian chick pea recipe tonight with a Malaysian Curry that I have. I'll report back.

[Margy]

Rob -- I love the idea of slaw on a sandwich. I'll have to think about how to adapt that one. I love the idea of a Malaysian-Trinidadian dinner!