The Cheap Gourmet

Gourmet Bacon Lettuce Tomato Sandwich Recipe: BLT Never Tasted So Good!

I am a huge fan of Bacon Lettuce Tomato Sandwiches. As a child, my mom served BLT sandwiches at least once a week. She grew the lettuce and tomato in her garden and mom's BLTs were always bursting with flavor. After moving away from home it was hard to create a sandwich that tasted as good as mom's.

Yesterday, I had a craving for bacon lettuce tomato sandwiches. It's been at least a year since I last ate one and I wanted something spectacular. I'm probably one of the most frugal people you will ever meet and I can't stand waste; especially when it comes to food.

We had a few slices of leftover lunch meat and a tiny portion of Brie cheese. My mind went into overdrive as I concocted the following recipe on-the-fly. Personally, I think it's one of the best BLTs I've ever consumed. I hope you enjoy it too!

I cooked everything using a flat electric griddle. The same results can be obtained by using a skillet and toasting the bread, or by baking the bacon. If you have never baked bacon, it's super easy to do. Simply line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, place the bacon on the sheet and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 18 minutes; flipping slices halfway through.

Gourmet Bacon Lettuce Tomato Sandwich Recipe
Serves: 2
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 to 12 minutes

Ingredients:

4 slices Italian bread
8 slices Bacon
2 slices Deli Ham
2 slices Deli Pastrami
2 slices Deli Salami
1 small Tomato, sliced thin
3 Romaine lettuce leaves, chopped
3 Tablespoons Butter (or margarine)
4 slices Brie cheese, cut about 1/4-inch thick

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat electric griddle to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place bacon slices on griddle and cook for 4 minutes; flip bacon and cook 4 more minutes or until desired crispness.
3. While bacon is cooking, prepare Romaine lettuce and tomatoes.
4. Place butter in microwave-safe dish. Heat in microwave for about 30 seconds or until butter melts.
5. Using a pastry brush, coat one side of each slice of bread with butter.
6. Place 2 paper towels on a plate and transfer bacon from griddle to allow grease to drain.
7. Using a spatula, push bacon grease into the griddle's grease container.
8. Reduce griddle heat to 350 degrees. 
9. Place deli meat slices on one side of griddle. Cook for 1-1/2 minutes per side.
10. Place bread, buttered side down on other side of griddle.
11. Place 2 slices of Brie cheese on bread and allow to melt.
12. Add 4 strips bacon to each remaining bread slice.
13. Top with deli meats.
14. Using a butter knife, spread Brie cheese from edge to edge of the bread.
15. Add lettuce and tomato on top of deli meats.
16. Place brie cheese side of bread on top of the BLT sandwich.
17. Transfer to serving plate. Cut in half and serve immediately.

Serve with seasoned fries, potato chips, potato salad, cole slaw or fruit cup.

More Grilled Gourmet Lunchmeat Sandwich Recipes

I am a huge fan of grilled gourmet lunchmeat sandwiches. My favorite brand of lunchmeat is Boar's Head, but I also like Hormel's Natural Choice and Hillshire Farms Deli Select. Making grilled gourmet lunchmeat sandwiches is super simple and only requires a few minutes of time. With a few basic ingredients, you can have a mouth-watering delicacy that will tantalize your tastebuds and make your stomach smile!

Grilled gourmet lunchmeat sandwiches can be served on just about any kind of bread you like. If you're counting calories, consider using a tortilla wrap. Tortilla wraps are available in multiple flavors including whole wheat, spinach, and sundried tomato (my personal fav!).

Thomas' Bagelbread Squares are perfect for creating grilled gourmet lunchmeat sandwiches. Available in Plain, Whole Wheat and Everything (to die for!), Bagelbread Squares are cholesterol free and low fat with zero trans fat.

I used the Everything Bagelbread Squares to create the following grilled gourmet lunchmeat sandwiches. However, you can use any type of bread you prefer.

Grilled Gourmet Lunchmeat Sandwiches Recipe
Serves 2
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5-7 minutes

Ingredients:

2 Thomas' "Everything" Bagelbread Squares (cut in half)
6 slices Brown Sugar Ham
6 slices Mesquite Turkey
6 slices Pastrami
2 slices Bleu Cheese (slices should be about 1/4-inch thick)
1 Tablespoon Butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat skillet or griddle to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush melted butter on inside of each bagel.
3. Arrange meat slices in skillet or on the griddle.
4. Heat meat slices until they start to curl on the edges.
5. Once meat slices are heated, stack 2 slices of each meat on top of one another and move to the side of skillet or griddle.
6. Place bagel slices with butter side down onto skillet or griddle.
7. Once bagel slices turn light brown in color, flip them over and add meat slices on top of two bagel halves.
8. Top meat slices with bleu cheese.
9. Place the bagel top onto the meat and cheese.
10. Heat for about 30 seconds on each side.
11. Remove from heat, transfer to plate and serve immediately.

Below is a photo of how I arranged the meat slices. My husband says I am anal retentive, but I think the meat slices look pretty - don't you??

Below is a photo of the end result:

Click here for more grilled gourmet lunchmeat sandwich recipes.

Gourmet Hamburger Recipes

Gourmet hamburgers are always a big hit at Labor Day parties and I found some recipes that are sure to delight your tastebuds. Everyone has their own special style of creating gourmet burgers and there really is no right or wrong way, as long as it turns out juicy.

Although sirloin makes a tasty burger, it also tends to make a dry burger. When using sirloin add some type of liquid such as Worchershire, Soy or Dale's Seasoning to the mix. Ground beef that contains 20 to 30 percent fat will make a juicy burger, but they tend to shrink up. You can lose as much as 20 percent of the volume during cooking, so be sure to add extra meat to your patties.

Ground turkey or chicken are good choices for those who are watching their fat and calorie intake. Simply replace either meat for ground red meat in your favorite gourmet burger recipe. Make note that turkey and chicken tend to get mushy, so add a small amount of bread crumbs and an egg to provide elasticity.

When grilling gourmet hamburgers select coarse ground meat as it will hold up better over the hot coals. Finely ground meat has a tendency to turn mushy and fall apart. Adding large chunks of vegetables such as onions and green peppers can cause your gourmet burger to crumble. If you decide to add vegetables, be certain to finely chop and incorporate ingredients well.

Sargento Cheese offers a free brochure that includes a variety of gourmet hamburger recipes. Indulge in Island Jerk Burgers with Habanero Lime Coleslaw, Steakhouse Peppercorn Mushroom Burgers, Tuscan Olive Burgers, or Southwest Caesar Burgers.

In addition to gourmet hamburger recipes, Sargento Cheese offers a variety of free instant download recipes, along with an entire recipe collection at their website. To obtain your free gourmet hamburger recipes, sign up for their free newsletter, watch cooking videos and more, visit their website at www.SargentoCheese.com.

Wishing you a safe, happy and fun Labor Day!

The Cheap Gourmet

Gourmet Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches Recipe

Gourmet Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches are the perfect Hurricane Party food; particularly, if children are present. Everybody loves PB&J and it definitely ranks at the top of comfort foods. Additionally, sandwiches can be prepared a day or two ahead of time, which can come in handy if the power goes out. Wrap individual sandwiches in plastic wrap to retain freshness.

Gourmet peanut butter and jelly sandwiches can be served on just about any type of bread. Most people prefer using pre-sliced bread, but there's no reason you can't cut your own. Some people like to grill them, while others like them plain. If you decide to grill them, you'll need to have melted butter on hand.

Feel free to substitute items and create your own unique version of gourmet peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. When serving at a party, offer a variety of breads, both chunky and smooth peanut butters, and a selection of jellies and jams. Set up a buffet and include bowls of "toppings" such as raisins, chocolate chips, chili peppers, marshmallow creme, sunflower seeds, etc.

Sliced fruits are excellent to add to the toppings buffet. Bananas, strawberries, kiwis, mandarin oranges, grapes and mangoes are popular selections.

A fun way to keep guests occupied during the storm is to engage in a gourmet peanut bully and jelly sandwich creation competition. Guests create their own concoction and people vote for their favorite. Prizes are award to the top competitors. Kids are particularly fond of this game, but be forewarned -- things can get messy!

Gourmet Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Recipe

Serves 1
Prep Time: 5 minutes or less

Ingredients:

2 slices Sourdough bread
1-2 Tablespoons Dark Chocolate Dreams Peanut Butter by Peanut Butter & Co.
1-2 Tablespoons Raspberry Preserves
1 Tablespoon Macadamia nuts, chopped
1 teaspoon shredded Coconut, toasted*

*To toast coconut, melt 1/4-teaspoon of butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add coconut and mix with butter. Stir constantly until lightly browned.

Directions:

Spread peanut butter on one piece of bread and raspberry preserves on the other. Top with macadamia nuts and shredded coconut; put bread slices together and Enjoy!

Food Wishes Video Recipes

I recently found an amazing cooking blog. It's called Food Wishes Video Recipes and it's owned by Chef John. This blog features step-by-step cooking videos for American Classics, Asian and French Cuisine, Desserts, Dressings, Pasta, Poultry and much more. It truly is a feast for the eyes!

At Food Wishes Video Recipes you will find an ever-growing collection of mouth-watering gourmet recipes including. A few of the delectable creations include:

Chicken Breasts with Herbs de Provence and Mushrooms
Braised Chicken and Artichoke Hearts with Lemon, Cherry Peppers and Thyme
Mascarpone Brulee with Fresh Berries

If you love to cook, you're going to love this Food Wishes Video Recipes. Be sure to thank Chef John for sharing his cooking secrets!

Click here to visit Food Wishes Video Recipes blog.

Red, White and Blue Recipes for the 4th of July!

It's not too late to plan a bodacious red, white and blue menu for your 4th of July celebration. The Recipe Zaar offers an abundance of deliciously delightful concoctions that are certain to please your family and guests. You'll find everything from 4th of July Margaritas to Red, White and Blue Burgers and plenty of tastebud exploding desserts!

If you've never been to Recipe Zaar, you are missing out! Not only will you find thousands of mouth-watering recipes, you'll also be able to interact with other home cooks and chefs in the Recipe Zaar community, share your own recipes, and save recipes in a personal cookbook. Go check them out at www.RecipeZaar.com and sign-up for your free account today!

Photo by RecipeLink.com