PORTLAND, Maine — Cookbook author Allison Hill doesn't consider herself a chef.
She's a mother who, during the COVID-19 pandemic, found herself spending more time at home with her family, and she wanted to give back.
The result, "Feeding Family, Feeding America," is the cookbook she and her family put together to benefit Feeding America. The book is full of simple recipes that come together quickly.
Best Turkey Sandwich Ever
Ingredients:
- Favorite hearty bread slices (we like sourdough)
- Caramelized onions
- ½ pound turkey, 2-3 slices per sandwich
- 8 slices creamy cheddar cheese slices, 2 per sandwich
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon (heaping) horseradish
- 8 pieces of bacon, 2 per sandwich
- 1 pat butter or more!
Creamy, gooey, and yummy is how to describe this hearty sandwich. Putting a light layer of the cream sauce on the outside creates a crusty, flavorful outside to the bread too. Serve with a light salad or our favorite is the crunch of BBQ Cape Cod chips.
Cream Sauce:
Mix sour cream, mayo, and horseradish in a small bowl. Do a taste test to make sure it has a little kick. Once it is combined with the other ingredients, it will lose its punch a bit. Spread a light layer on both sides of the bread.
Sandwich:
Melt butter in the pan over medium-low heat (the more butter, the crispier). Once the butter is melted, toast the bread for 1 minute on each side. Build your sandwich on both sides. Add one cheese slice per bread piece and then top one side with two slices of turkey and the other side with two slices of bacon and a spoonful of caramelized onions. Cover the pan to melt the cheese, but leave it cracked so it doesn’t steam the bread vs. creating that yummy crunch. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Put the two pieces of the sandwich together and then continue to cook until brown and golden on both sides. Even my daughter who hates onions was surprised how much she loved this. Let sit for a couple of minutes before cutting so the sandwich stays together.
Carmelized onions are delicious on so many things. We like to make a big batch at the beginning of the week to add to recipes. Cut onions to the desired shape -- half-moons, diced -- and then saute over medium-low heat in butter, salt, and pepper until translucent and slightly browned. The longer you cook the onions, the more sugars are released and sweeter they become.