leftovers = best sandwiches

a chart!

In anticipation of Thanksgiving, today for “I Love Lunch” I thought it would fun and helpful to riff on the sandwich chart from WHAT GOES WITH WHAT. Why? Because holiday meals = leftovers and leftovers = best material for sandwiches and sandwiches = the best lunch (math!).

Honestly, my favorite part of Thanksgiving is the sandwich the next day. I think part of why that sandwich tastes so good is because the labor of making everything for it is in the rearview mirror.

So today, in the spirit of abundance, here are some ideas for how to turn Thanksgiving leftovers into excellent sandwiches using the same formula from the sandwich chart in WGWW.

Obviously you can enjoy any of the above sandwiches anytime of year and, most importantly, you can use the formula to make any sandwich an outstanding sandwich.

…and this is the part where I remind you if you like this chart, you’ll love WHAT GOES WITH WHAT, which includes 20 charts just like this and 100 accompanying recipes!

Here are three of the sandwiches from the book, each made using the same essential parts (bread + main thing + creamy layer + crunchy layer + extra acidic thing):

From top to bottom: my favorite veggie sandwich, the best tuna sandwich ever, and a roast chicken sandwich inspired by my dad, all in WHAT GOES WITH WHAT.

And today for paid subscribers, one my favorite sandwich recipes from the book: Best Ham Sandwich. The title is not hyperbole! It’s really the best. The secret is coating the lettuce with salad dressing before adding it to the sandwich. The difference it makes is honestly surprising. Speaking of, I also give you the recipe for Creamy Mustard Dressing which is an excellent all-purpose dressing.

Below the recipes, also for paid subscribers, I also offer notes for how to make the sandwich vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, etc.

Best Ham Sandwich

BEST HAM SANDWICH
Dressing the lettuce before adding it to a sandwich is a tiny bit of extra effort that pays off big-time. Same with adding a little minced garlic to your mayo. I could eat this sandwich every day, and when we have sliced ham in our house, I do.

Makes 1 sandwich (easily multiplied)