Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Sunday, March 29, 2026
Endless Sandwich Combos
Here is a list of creative ways to transform a basic sandwich into something new and exciting!
CHANGE YOUR BREAD – put sandwich contents on or in:
Instead of white try rye, wheat, pumpernickel | Put it on a french bread loaf |
A pita pocket | Serve your sandwich open-faced |
A tortilla to make a wrap, burrito or quesadilla | Try a bagel or English muffin |
A lettuce leaf | Try cornbread or sourdough or artisan breads |
Hamburger buns or hoagie rolls | Brioche or Challah or Baguettes |
Try slider buns or pretzel buns | Use garlic toast instead of plain bread |
Slice tortilla into pinwheels or remove some of the bread from a hoagie or bun and stuff with your sandwich contents | Use a flatbread like Naan which can be cut like a pizza or into squares |
CHANGE THE METHOD OF YOUR SANDWICH
Change from cold to hot or hot to cold | Eat it like a meal instead of a sandwich |
Grill your sandwiches like a grilled cheese | Chop it, mash it or slice it differently |
Use a panini press or smashed | Grill some of your vegetables but not all |
Chop your ingredients extra fine or chunky | Crumble your ingredients or slice everything |
Bake it in the oven or air fryer | Put your bread in a toaster |
Microwave - wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave 30–45 sec for a soft, steamed sandwich (great for pita or tortillas). | Open-face broil spread filling on bread, top lightly, broil 2–4 min. |
SWITCH UP OR ADD TO
Swap meat for tuna, chicken or fish or tofu | Add bacon or prosciutto |
Add or remove some veggies | Add hard boiled eggs |
Try adding two meats together like tuna and chicken | Add fresh basil, cilantro, arugula, spinach, or sprouts for freshness |
CHANGE UP YOUR CHEESE
Use sharp cheddar instead of mild | Switch cheddar to goat cheese |
Use Swiss, provolone, feta or pepper jack | Try cream cheese instead |
Melt the cheese or leave it a cold solid piece |
ADD TEXTURE AND CRUNCH
Toasted nuts – walnuts, almonds or pecans | Add crispy veggies – cucumber, carrot, radish |
Add pickles, coleslaw or apple slices | Add cereal – any variety |
Add mashed potatoes, stuffing or refried beans to add a soft texture | Add a layer of potato chips or crackers – any variety |
Add something juicy like tomato, pickles or sauerkraut |
PLAY WITH SPREADS AND SAUCES
Mayo with sriracha or pesto | Try curry powder or other herbs in mayo |
Try hummus, olive tapenade, tzatzili or roasted red pepper spread | Try honey mustard, Dijon, spice brown mustard or a garlic aioli |
Add ketchup, BBQ sauce or ranch dressing | Try Italian dressing or any dressing you have |
Try a creamy sauce like sour cream or yogurt | Try an oily base like garlic oil or olive oil |
A sweet sauce can be jam, honey or sweet relish | For tangy try vinegar or pickles |
For spicy try hot sauce or chili crisp |
TRY A GLOBAL FLAVOR
Try Mediterranean with olives, feta, sun dried tomatoes and/or tzatziki | Try Asian with pickled veggies, hoisin sauce or wasabi mayo |
Try Mexican with guacamole, salsa, jalapenos and pepper jack cheese |
CHANGE TO SWEET AND/OR NUTTY COMBOS
Add fruit like apple slices, grapes, pear slices or dried cranberries | Drizzle a little honey or use some fig jam for sweetness |
Try using almond butter, peanut butter or cashew butter for a nutty flavor |
ADDITIONAL CHANGES
Put your filling on a plate and eat it with a knife and fork. You can still use the bread if desired | Cut your sandwich in half and then in half again so you have four small pieces |
Wrap your sandwich in tin foil or parchment paper to give you a fast food vibe |
I hope this list gives you hundreds of new ideas for your sandwiches and takes them from boring to exciting again!
💗 Jo
Build a Perfect Sandwich
To build a perfect sandwich there is an eight step formula, so let’s begin.
Step One: the foundation of any sandwich starts with the BREAD. Try pairing a soft bread with soft toppings and a crustier bread with crunchy tough fillings.
Step Two: is the MOISTURE SHIELD OR BARRIER. This is generally some kind of fat like mayonnaise, butter or pesto. Be sure to spread it completely to the edges of both slices of bread to help prevent sogginess.
Step Three: the star of the show… PROTEIN. A thinly sliced or shaved meat will allow for better texture and less slippage. The suggested ratio is 1:4 meaning; 4 parts protein to 1 part cheese.
Step Four: CHEESE! I love cheese! It adds a creaminess to your sandwich as well as helps to bind ingredients together.
Step Five: is all about TEXTURE AND CRUNCH. Try raw onions, pickles, lettuce or even crispy bacon. Think of anything that has a crunch… cereal, potato chips or raw bell peppers. The list can go on and on, just don’t skip this as it provides the vital contrast in your sandwich.
Step Six: TANGY ZIPPY FLAVOR. Mustard, vinaigrette, balsamic vinegar, pickles, BBQ sauce, even ketchup it’s all designed to wake up your palate.
Step Seven: a FRESH CREAMY ELEMENT like avocado, roasted peppers or tomatoes for freshness.
Step Eight: SEASONINGS. Salt and pepper go a long way to make a sandwich delightful. But consider herbs or other spices like Italian seasoning, curry powder, garlic powder or even onion powder. Think about the herbs you put on tomatoes or other veggies and add them to your sandwiches.
Optimal Layering Structure
On the BOTTOM is your bread with a FAT BARRIER followed by the DENSE HEAVY INGREDIENTS like cheese and meat.
The MIDDLE layer is your MAIN PROTEIN. Be sure to layer the protein so it extends all the way to the edges of your bread and slightly beyond.
Finally the TOP layer is where your WET INGREDIENTS live. These are things like tomatoes and cucumbers. Next you add your GRIPPY INGREDIENTS like lettuce and finally you have your FAT BARRIER on your TOP BREAD.
Additional Tips
- Using thin slices of vegetables and/or shaved meat helps prevent the filling from sliding out of your sandwich.
- Season as you go meaning season your tomatoes and greens directly instead of on the top of the sandwich.
- Compress your sandwich by wrapping the final sandwich tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil for a few minutes to set the structure you have just built.
Enjoy your perfect sandwich!
💗 Jo
Friday, March 27, 2026
Sandwiches List 6
This wraps up our sandwiches list. I hope you have enjoyed it. Next we will be moving on to some lunch recipes so stay tuned!
Ham Salad Sandwich
1 cup chopped canned or fresh cooked ham
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon relish
4 slices bread
To make: mix ham, mayonnaise, relish; spread on bread.
Tomato & Basil Sandwich
4 slices bread
Tomato slices
Fresh basil leaves
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
To make: layer tomato and basil, drizzle with oil, season.
Cottage Cheese & Tomato Sandwich
4 slices bread
1/4 cup cottage cheese
Tomato slices
To make: spread the cottage cheese onto your bread, add your tomato slices and close it up.
Chopped Salad Wrap
1 cup chopped salad mix – I’d suggest buying a kit so you get your dressing as well
2 tablespoons dressing
2 tortillas
To make: toss salad with dressing, wrap in tortillas. If you purchased a salad kit you could add the unused packages from the kit to you sandwiches if you desire like cheese, croutons (smashed), etc.
Cucumber Cream Cheese Sandwich
4 slices bread
1/2 cucumber – sliced
2 tablespoons cream cheese
Optional: Dill
To make: spread cream cheese on to your bread and sprinkle lightly with your dill seasoning if using. Layer on the cucumber and close
Philly CheeseSteak
2lbs thinly shaved beef – ribeye is recommended but I just use the Steak-Umm’s
1lb provolone cheese slices – I have used mozzarella cheese in a pinch
1 large onion
Salt & pepper
2 tablespoon oil, butter or margarine for frying
Optional: 2 green bell peppers or 1lb mushrooms – thinly sliced ( could use both if desired)
6 hoagie rolls
To make: Slice your steak into thin strips cutting against the grain of the meat. Cut your pepper if using into long thin strips and your onion into half rings. If you are using mushrooms, cut them into bite-sized pieces. Get your oiled skillet onto the stovetop and let it get hot before adding your onions, peppers and mushrooms. Cook them until they are nicely golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Remove the veggies and up your beef into the same skillet. Season your meat with salt and pepper. Cook until the meat is cooked then add back in your veggies and stir. Add your cheese to the top of your mixture and let the cheese melt. Put this mixture into a hoagie roll that you can toast if you desire
Cream Cheese Sandwiches with:*
Everything Bagel Seasoning - savory and flavorful.
Jelly – sweet and creamy option.
Chives - herbaceous.
Olives - chopped olives mixed with cream cheese.
Dried Cranberry - sweet and tangy.
Bell Pepper - creamy with a fresh crunch.
Walnut - creamy with a nutty crunch.
Sun-Dried Tomato - tangy and savory.
Pineapple - sweet and tangy.
Leftover Sandwiches:*
Meatloaf – sliced cold meatloaf on to bread
Pulled Pork – shred leftover pork and mix it with a touch of BBQ sauce
Meatball – put meatballs with a little sauce onto bread or into pita bread
Stuffing – just pile the Thanksgiving style stuffing onto your bread and eat up
Turkey/Chicken Gravy – simple way to use it up just pour over bread and eat
Canned Sandwiches:*
Vienna Sausages – mash sausages, add a little of the juice from the can and eat
Corn & Mayonnaise – just mix your corn into mayonnaise and pile it on your bread
Green Beans & Mayonnaise – a unique creamy veggie sandwiches
Salmon Salad – mix mayonnaise, salmon and salt & pepper
Chili – warm the chili and put on top of your bread, perhaps add some cheese
Artichoke Hearts & Mayonnaise – chop the artichoke hearts and mix with mayonnaise
Spam Sandwich: slice spam and fry it in a frying pan
Shrimp – mixed with mayonnaise and put on bread
Misc:*
Sugar Sandwich - butter or margarine bread and sprinkle with sugar
Salami & Mustard Sandwich - simple deli meat with a kick
Fried or Scrambled Egg Sandwich - you can add bacon and cheese if desired
Imitation Crab – mixed with mayonnaise. Served on bread
Cheese Whiz Sandwich – I love cheese whiz on honey wheat bread with margarine
💗 Jo
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Sandwiches List 5
We only have one more after this, so enjoy!
Greek Salad Pita
1/2 cup diced cucumber
Tomato
Feta cheese
Black olives
2 pita breads
To make: mix veggies and feta, stuff into pita. If this is a little dry you could make a simple dressing by mixing extra virgin olive oil and some red wine vinegar together.
Vegetable Sandwich
4 slices bread
Cucumber slices
Tomato slices
Lettuce
Cream cheese
To make: Spread cream cheese onto your bread and then layer on your veggies.
Roasted Veggie Wrap
1 cup assorted roasted veggies like peppers, zucchini, onions, etc
2 tortillas
2 tablespoons hummus
To make: spread hummus, add veggies, roll up.
Carrot & Raisin Sandwich
1 carrot – grated
2 tablespoons raisins
2 tablespoons cream cheese
4 slices bread
To make: mix carrot, raisins, cream cheese. Spread on bread.
Spicy Bean Wrap
1 cup canned black beans – drained and rinsed or cook your own black beans if desired
2 tablespoons salsa
2 tortillas
To make: mash beans, mix with salsa, spread on tortillas and roll up.
Black Bean Burger Patty Sandwich
2 veggie black bean burger patties – cooked
4 slices of bread or 2 hamburger buns
Optional: ketchup and/or mustard
To make: put your cooked burger on to your bread or buns.
Roast Beef & Onion Sandwich*
4 slices bread
4 slices roast beef – sliced leftovers
Thinly sliced onion
Optional: horseradish sauce
To make: Layer beef and onion, add horseradish sauce if desired. You could leave out the onion and instead use any leftover gravy you have. Just put the gravy on top of your meat and close up your sandwich.
I love to use leftover roast beef to make french dip sandwiches. I use Artisan Hearth french rolls, shred up the roast beef and pile it into the roll with a little margarine. I make a packet of au jus according to the packet directions and put it in a small dish beside the sandwiches for dipping.
Guinea Grinder popular Iowa State Fair Food
1lb Italian sausage (Graziano’s brand if available)
1lb ground beef
8-15oz can of pizza sauce or tomato sauce – or do half and half if you have leftover sauces
1 tablespoon minced onion
Shredded mozzarella cheese or provolone cheese
French bread or hoagie rolls
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes – for heat
Optional Topping: sliced banana peppers
To make: start by browning your meats in a large skillet over medium-high heat, making sure to break up the meat into small crumbles. Drain off any grease before adding your sauce, onion and seasonings. Simmer on low heat for 5-15 minutes until all the flavors combine. Toast your bread slightly in the oven or under the broiler before spooning a generous amount of meat mixture onto the bottom half of the bread. Top with a heavy layer of cheese and banana peppers, if desired. Finally wrap your sandwiches in foil and put into a 350 degree preheated oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Cabbage Slaw Sandwich
1 cup shredded cabbage
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon vinegar
4 slices bread
To make: mix cabbage, mayonnaise, vinegar; spread on bread.
Falafel Pita
4 falafel balls - store-bought or homemade
Lettuce
Tomato
2 pita breads
Tahini or yogurt sauce
To make: stuff pita with falafel, veggies, drizzle with sauce.
💗 Jo