Today’s recipe is a winner on summer evenings when it’s too hot to cook. It requires some specific ingredients, which you can experiment with to get a taste you like. But the really secret ingredient is the 1950s era Sunbeam electric skillet picked up at a garage sale over 25 years ago.
My kids say perfect grilled sandwiches and pancakes require this specific skillet. My mother had a Sunbeam skillet, and her kids thought it was the best skillet ever – which explains why I snapped up my nearly identical one at that garage sale years ago. It also explains why Anne claimed her grandma’s old skillet when Mom broke up housekeeping a few years ago. (Sorry, you can’t borrow either one, but there’s hope for those who like eBay and garage sales.)
With all these disclaimers, you might be thinking about ignoring the recipe, but that would be a big mistake. Everybody who tastes these babies wants the recipe. It’s that good.
Grilled Turkey-Pesto Sandwiches
1 loaf Costco roasted garlic bread, sliced butter
1/4 – 1/3 cup basil pesto
sharp cheddar cheese, sliced
sliced smoked turkey, sliced (call Hiram if you need the recipe)
Heat the electric skillet. Cut the bread into thin slices. Butter one side of a slice. Spread the other side with pesto. Place the slice, buttered side down in the skillet. Layer cheese and turkey on the bread. Butter one side of another slice of bread. Layer it on top of the cheese and turkey, butter side up. Repeat the steps for more sandwiches. Grill until they’re golden brown on the bottom. Flip the sandwiches and grill until bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
