Mid-Week Minute: It's a Deee-licious Sandwich!

Paul and I looove to eat out. We love to try new restaurants and compare them with others we've been to. We also love to find great restaurants and keep going back to them over and over. Basically, we just love to go out to eat no matter what. However.... with Paul being a student and me not working right now we're definitely on a budget. Also, with a new baby it's a lot more difficult to go to restaurants. (Although we did suck it up and successfully take Wilder to Souplantation on Saturday, mmmmm!) Anyway, a few weekends ago after taking Wilder to the park, we were starving and ran across Grant's Marketplace in South Park. It's a cute little local grocery/deli with a great neighborhood feel, awesome wine selection, and some of the most delicious sandwiches. We love the place but for two sandwiches and a bag of chips it ends up costing almost $20. OK, yes, the sandwiches are delicious but like I said... budget... so I decided to try to replicate the sandwich we both always order here at home. Paul has declared it the best sandwich I've ever made so I thought I'd share the recipe with you. 

The Californian

Two slices of sourdough bread

Deli turkey (or sliced grilled chicken is also good)

Two strips of crispy bacon (see recipe here)

Pepper-jack cheese

Guacamole

Lettuce

Tomato slices

Mustard

You can use whatever bread you like best and whatever other condiments you choose. Also, bean sprouts would probably be great on this. BUT, whatever you do, don't leave off the guacamole and pepper-jack! The cool of the guac plus the hot of the pepper-jack are what takes this sandwich from ordinary old turkey sandwich to the best sandwich you'll ever make. Oh, and I usually like to make my own guacamole but I found an awesome pre-made brand at Target the other day -- Wholly Guacamole. Sooo good and so convenient when your avocados are either too ripe or too unripe like mine always seem to be. 

(Yeah, I was so excited about it I accidentally took a 

couple of bites before I remembered to take a picture, haha)

Oh, and I learned a new technique for chopping onions the other day while watching Restaurant: Impossible (love that show!). I've always cut the ends off the onion first thing but then when I go to chop it the slices won't stay together and it makes it so much more difficult to cut up. You all probably already do this and, if so, I wish someone would have told me about it before now! Thanks a lot! What you do is quarter the onion leaving the spots where the roots and greens were attached and then proceed to slice it like the pictures below. The ends of it hold the slices together while you cut it crosswise. So simple but so smart! I'm sure right now you're thinking it sure doesn't take much to impress this girl, but hey, if something saves me any amount of time/frustration/severed digits, then by golly I'm impressed.

(And yes, I took pictures of myself slicing an onion. I mean, I'm at Wilder's beck and call all day long so after he goes to bed I guess I go a little crazy with the free time.)

Alright folks, have a great rest of the week and I'll see you back here on Friday for Wilder's 19-week update including video evidence that my child believes he is a pterodactyl.