Peanut-butter, Pineapple, & Mayo And other Unusual Sandwiches To Try With Your Children This Summer
AmericanMom Team |
What’s more fun than experimenting a little? This summer, as you run out of activities to occupy your days, consider branching out a little, maybe trying something totally new. Like a recipe or two! “Vintage” recipes are often rooted in the concept of using what you have on hand, making the best of what you have and stretching every penny to feed big families in both prosperous and rough economic times. Well, that meant jello molds, cakes with no expensive ingredients (like eggs), and even slightly unusual sandwiches.
In homage to our ancestors, here are some fun, unusual sandwiches to try with your children this summer! (Here’s hoping you have adventurous children!)
Peanut-butter, Pineapple, & Mayo
Yes, this is a real sandwich (and the inspiration for this article). Originally suggested as part of a marketing collaboration between Skippy and Hellmann’s, this sandwich includes exactly what the name suggests: peanut-butter, pineapple, and mayo. Simply spread one slice of bread with peanut-butter, then a layer of mayo, and top with thinly sliced pineapple pieces. Sandwich with another slice of bread and, voila! You have a strange sandwich to add to your lunch menu!
The Elvis Sandwich
Made famous by the singer as one of his most requested (and, I believe, last) meals, the Elvis sandwich also uses peanut-butter, and is probably one of the stranger concoctions you will put together in your kitchen.
In addition to your favorite sandwich bread slices, grab some peanut-butter, a banana, bacon, honey, and butter. Generously spread one side of each piece of bread with peanut-butter, then top one of them with banana slices, cooked bacon slices, and a drizzle of honey. Put the other slice of peanut-butter bread on top and fry in a pan on the stovetop like a grilled cheese. Serve and enjoy!
Apple and Cheese
A grilled cheese variation, the apple and cheese sandwich is fairly simple and, unlike some other options in this article, sounds pretty appetizing! You’ll need bread (with or without the crust), mayo, American cheese (or your mild-flavored cheese of choice), apple slices, butter (or margarine if you’re an historical purist), bacon, and brown sugar.
Spread one side of each bread slice with mayo and place a slice of cheese on each. Then add an apple slice or slices brushed with the melted butter and sprinkled with brown sugar to one piece of the bread. Top with the cooked bacon slices and close the sandwich with the other slice of bread. Then place under the broiler, or fry like a grilled cheese until the cheese is melted.
Easter Sandwich
Never to be reserved for Easter day, this sandwich is a cousin of the simple egg-salad sandwich. Start with lettuce. Though the recipe we found does not specify what type of lettuce, we assume romaine will do the trick. Generously spread the lettuce with mayo and place it on a slice of buttered bread. Then, load the lettuce up with slices of hard-boiled egg and add a dash of salt and pepper to taste. This can be left open face, or you can add another piece of buttered bread to the top.
Sandwich Crowns
Bon Appetit magazine can be credited with, if not the invention, then the popularization of this sandwich fad in 1988. The sandwich crown is an entire round loaf of bread filled with various sandwich ingredients. This sharable sandwich is best served as a picnic lunch since it is assembled and then supposed to be cut “like a cake.”
What you’ll need:
- 6 red bell peppers
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 small garlic cloves, minced
- 2 1 1/2 pound rye or pumpernickel loaves
- Honey mustard or Dijon mustard
- 12 hard salami slices
- 1/4 pound spinach leaves, trimmed
- 12 provolone cheese slices
- 12 thin red onion rings
- 12 thin slices cooked turkey
Assembly instructions from Bon Appetit:
Char peppers over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Wrap in paper bag and let stand 10 minutes to steam. Peel and seed peppers. Rinse if necessary; pat dry. Cut into 3/4-inch-wide strips. Combine oil, vinegar, and garlic in medium bowl. Add peppers and turn to coat. Marinate at least 1 hour at room temperature. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate.) Drain peppers.
Using serrated knife, cut tops off loaves and reserve. Remove insides of loaves and tops, leaving 1/2-inch shells. (Reserve removed bread for another use.) Spread insides of loaves and tops with thin layer of mustard. Place 1/2 of salami and spinach in each loaf. Add 1/4 of peppers to each. Top with cheese and onion rings, then remaining peppers. Cover with turkey. Replace loaf tops. Wrap each in plastic and foil. Refrigerate overnight. Cut each into 6 wedges before serving.
Roll Up Sandwiches
Roll up sandwiches are not exactly novelties since we have pin-wheel sandwiches a plenty on grocery store shelves. However, you can make a variation of these sandwiches using a charming recipe from none other than Strawberry Shortcake. Found at midcenturymenu.com, the roll up sandwich is simple (and might just become a favorite of your kids).
You’ll need sandwich bread (with crusts cut off), and an assortment of peanut-butter, jelly, pickles, cream cheese, parsley, bacon bits, banana, pickles, and any other sandwich filling favorites depending on the type of roll up you want to make.
Using a rolling pin, flatten the crustless bread slice. Then top the bread with your ingredients of choice and roll like a jelly roll. Use toothpicks to both keep it rolled up and secure green olives on top.
Jelly and Cream Cheese
The jelly and cream cheese sandwich is fairly straightforward and variations of it can be found on tea menus. So maybe it’s not totally unusual, but it’s still probably not the first sandwich to come to mind when your stomach rumbles for lunch. Essentially, you are making a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich just with cream cheese instead of peanut-butter.
As always, use your favorite sandwich bread and spread one piece generously with your jelly of choice (apparently a lighter jelly like strawberry is best), and the other piece with cream cheese. Sandwich together and toast if desired.
If not a hearty meal, we hope these sandwiches produce some experimentation and giggles this summer as you try new things with your children!
Enjoy!
