It's not too early to start planning what you are going to make with your Thanksgiving leftovers. There might be items you want to pick up and have on hand for the days after the holiday. Goodness knows you won't want to head back to the market (even though it will be empty). Anyway, the Monte Cristo is traditionally a fried ham and cheese sandwich. I have always dined on them at the Blue Bayou, the restaurant that sits inside The Pirate's of the Caribbean at Disneyland. Have you been there? It has been years since I was back but I remember them fondly.
The Monte Cristo is essentially a variation of the French croque-monsieur and my version uses your leftover turkey and cranberry sauce. It's kind of like making French toast but with a sandwich. In other words, it's very easy.
I used Muenster cheese (not to be confused with Munster cheese). Muenster is a great melting variety with a mild, creamy taste. Have the deli counter person slice it as thin as possible.
This sandwich is a great way to use up leftovers, especially if you have to feed a house full of holiday visitors. I think re-purposing leftovers into a completely different meal is always a great way to use them up. No one wants to keep eating the same thing over and over again.
I can't help but wonder how these would do in a panini press? Hmmmm.
Leftover Turkey-Cranberry Monte Cristo Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 1 loaf very soft French Bread, sliced
- 1-1/2 cups cranberry sauce
- 12 oz thinly sliced Muenster cheese
- thinly sliced leftover turkey
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 4-6 Tablespoons butter
- confectioners' sugar
Directions
- Spread each slice of bread with cranberry sauce, you can add as much or as little as you like. To build each sandwich, take a slice of cheese and tear it in half. Top the bread with half a cheese slice, turkey and the other half of the cheese slice. Top with another slice of bread, cranberry sauce side down.
- In a shallow pie plate, add eggs and milk and beat the mixture with a fork until combined. Soak each sandwich in the mixture, about 30 seconds per side. You want the bread saturated but not soggy.
- Over medium heat, melt a couple Tablespoons of butter in a nonstick skillet. Add a few sandwiches and cook until the bottoms are golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Flip sandwiches and cook the other sides until golden. Add more butter as needed to cook the rest of the sandwiches.
- Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving. (Serve warm.)
Cathy owns a vineyard and winery in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. She is a food writer forDavis Life Magazine and blogs daily about wine, food and everyday living. She lives with her husband and two sons. You can visit her at noblepig.com.