Epic Sandwich Party!

Planning a party is usually one of two potential things: it’s really fun or it’s really stressful. There’s a lot to do and never enough time and dealing with the food aspect is usually the biggest source of stress. I wasn’t sure what to do for my recent 30^th birthday, but when it became an Epic Sandwich Party, all stress went right out the window - right along with my 20's!

Epic Sandwich of stacked proportions!

The rules of the Epic Sandwich Party are just like those that govern general sandwich creation: there are no rules! Any kind of sandwich can be created with a few key ingredients and this creative freedom brings out the fun – and sometimes weird – tastes of your guests.  Plus having your guests make their own sandwich masterpieces takes all the cooking pressure off you, the host, so you can spend more time mingling and partying with your people!

Three Major Reasons Why Epic Sandwich Parties Rock:

1-You can’t please everyone, but everyone can please themselves:

The dollop of grainy mustard makes this sandwich epic!

Let’s face it – if you try to plan your party’s menu so everyone is consistently happy, you’re in for a disappointing evening. People’s tastes are too different and with so many different eating styles (vegetarian, vegan) and/or food restrictions (gluten-free, allergies, etc.), coming up with something that everyone can eat is pretty near impossible. But an Epic Sandwich Party empowers everyone to please themselves. If you provide variety in meat, bread, veggie and side options (I’ll get to the Shopping List in a moment), you are appealing to broad tastes and letting your guests get more specific for themselves. You might not think that toasted rye bread with raspberry jam and sharp cheddar tastes good (it really does, just so you know!), but you don’t have to because your guests will think up their own food and everyone’s happy because they take care of themselves.

It's enormous! Or is it...?

2-Epic Sandwich Parties are Very Kid-Friendly:

There are lots of kids in our circle of friends and family and I wanted them to feel welcome. An Epic Sandwich Party is a fun and super easy way to include the little ones in the festivities.  Kids love sandwiches!  And getting to make their own can appeal to even the pickiest of eaters. My six-year old nephew made the first sandwich of the party and he was so excited to have that honor. I pointed out the different choices he had and he considered each one thoughtfully before putting together a Roast Beast (beef), Cheese and Ketchup Sandwich. It was just what he wanted! All the kids at our party seemed to have fun building their own sandwiches, which made their parents happy and able to have fun too!

3-The prep is so minimal, it’s hardly prep!

Just stock up on sandwich essentials, add some general party junk food, chill the drinks and you’re good to go! Have some napkins, plates and cups standing by and let everyone be inspired to create their own sandwich greatness.

You can’t go wrong with this basic Shopping List for your Epic Sandwich Party:

So many tasty ingredients!

Bread: 3-4 different kinds, such as:

Basic Sourdough

Rye (dark and light)

Multi-grain

Buns (my Dad brought his special homemade buns and they did not last long!)

Meat: Variety is key!

Turkey breast, like Lilydale’s seasoned and roasted turkey breast slices

Roast Beef

Montreal Smoked Brisket

Spicy Capocolo

Smoked Prosciutto

Bacon

Turkey, sliced applies and sharp cheddar!

Veggies/Fruits:

Lettuce (spinach and mixed greens)

Tomatoes

Peppers

Onions

Mushrooms

Granny Smith Apples, thinly sliced

Sprouts

Avocados

Cheese:

Sharp Cheddar

Mozza

Jalapeno Havarti

Goat Cheese

Grilled roast beef, mushrooms, and 3 kinds of cheese!

Condiments:

Mustards (plain yellow, spicy, grainy, Dijon, Honey, Cranberry)

Mayo (plain and Dill)

Butter

Pickles

Banana Peppers

Ketchup

Hummus

Sides:

Potato chips (your favorite kinds!)

Veggies and Dips (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower)

Grapes

Potato salad

Drinks:

Root Beer

Orange Pop

Coke

(just add ice cream for floats!)

...and don't forget real beer for the adults!

Special Equipment:

Skillet/Grill for those who want a grilled sandwich experience

This party wouldn't have been complete
without an Epic Sandwich Birthday Cake! 

Dessert:

Cupcakes

Ice Cream

...and Epic Sandwich Birthday Cake!

Convinced now? I hope so! Our guests had fun building their own epic sandwiches and we did too! For your next gathering, forget the planning stress and throw an Epic Sandwich Party instead!

Portobello Fun on a Bun

Where’s the meat? 

Not here…not this time!

This is a big deal because there once was a time when sandwich meat was the be-all for me; maybe I’d have some lettuce, but that was the extent of me eating vegetables on sandwiches.  The year I lived in Res at U of A, I ate a lot (a lot!!) of Subway but after my third or fourth Cold-Cut Combo in a row, it was getting old, so I slowly added more vegetables…some tomatoes, some cucumbers, etc.  Nothing really that adventurous but it was the beginning of a scrumptious turning point…

The first time I tried spicy banana peppers, it rocked my world - who knew??

Red peppers – so sweet, fresh and crunchy! 

Avocados - just like tree-butter – brilliant!

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper on a thick, juicy tomato slice – where had it been all my life?!

An abundance of vegetables on sandwiches adds beautiful colour, texture and flavor.   They can be chopped and added as-is, or grilled, spiced, or sautéed, depending on the sandwich’s needs and your own desires.  And finally, they are just plain good for you!  The Canada Food Guide recommends that women between the ages of 19 - 50 consume 7-8 servings of fruit and vegetables a day; men are recommended to consume 8-10 servings a day, so packing your sandwiches full of vegetables can help you get in some of those servings.  For more info, check out the Canada Food Guide website.

Gorgeous colours! 

Eating enough vegetables is still something I’m working on because at my core, I am truly a carnivore and my go-to strategy when sandwich pondering is to choose a meat and build the rest around it.  It’s a good tactic that’s worked well for me for a long time, but in keeping with my New Year’s goals to experiment, create and write about new, interesting and appetizing sandwiches (not just the same old meat and standard lettuce/tomato combos) and to eat more vegetables, I’m very excited to share one of my favorite all-vegetable sandwiches, the Portobello Mushroom, Veggie and Feta Bunwich.

You will need:

2-3 Portobello Mushroom caps, sliced

1 tbsp Minced Garlic

1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar

Calabrese Dinner Rolls, split

3 Large Carrots, grated

2 Red Peppers, sliced

A handful of sliced Grape Tomatoes

Big handfuls of Baby Spinach per bun

Crumbled Feta Cheese, a large spoonful per bun

Fresh Ground Pepper

Recommended condiments: lime mint jelly, spicy red pepper jelly, dill mayo, mustard, baba ghanoush, tzatziki

Portobello or Portabella?  Spelling doesn't count! 

Creation Tips: 

1- Sautée the mushrooms in the garlic and vinegar over medium heat for 3-5 minutes.

2-Slice and grate the peppers, tomatoes and carrots, respectively.

3-Spread your chosen condiment on the bun and pile on the mushrooms and peppers. 

4-Sprinkle a spoonful of feta and top with the grated carrot to keep the cheese in place.

5-Top with tomatoes, fresh ground pepper and spinach. 

6-For a slightly tidier eating experience, I recommend slicing the entire bunwich in half.  Or if you like it messy, just give’r!

Portobello packed and stacked just like a burger!

This extremely filling bunwich can please all sizes of appetites – hence how I ate one and my husband ate three.  The great thing about Portobello mushrooms is their meaty texture and taste, which is no surprise since they are commonly used as a substitute for meat. Even The Works Gourment Burger Bistro of a few posts ago offers a Portobello cap as one of its many patty options. The trick with sautéing mushrooms is not to go overboard with the vinegar so that they still retain some of their original earthy, mushroom flavor. The feta also gives a tangy, salty flavor to the overall bunwich and the piled-on veggies adds satisfying crunch and vibrant color.  

The possibilities of different condiment combos are also very exciting.  I tried the Lime Mint jelly for something slightly sweet and different and I want to keep changing it up the next few times. I have a sneaking feeling that baba ghanoush and tzatziki will be excellent…

Here’s to many more healthy and exciting sandwich creations in 2014! 

Happy experimenting and leave me a comment on how yours progresses!