Makes 2 sandwiches
Ingredients
- 4 slices of your favorite sandwich bread
- butter
- lettuce
- 2 large slices of tomato
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 slices of bacon, cooked*
- 8 slices oven roast turkey
- 4 slices provolone cheese
Optional, but recommended:
- 1 box of tomato soup (I like Pacifica Tomato & Red Pepper)
- 2 dill pickles
Instructions
Begin by evenly buttering one side of each slice of bread. This will give you the toastiest, crispiest, most delicious grilled cheese effect. Lay two slices of bread, butter side down, on your work surface. Pile on the toppings – a slice of cheese, then 4 slices turkey, then 2 slices bacon, then a slice of tomato, sprinkle salt and pepper to taste, then the final slice of cheese, and the second piece of bread (butter side out).
Heat up the pan with medium heat, gently place each sandwich in, and cover. Cook until golden and crusty on the bottom slice of bread, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip each sandwich and cook until the second side is golden, about 2 minutes. Leave the lid on if your cheese is not melty enough, or leave it off, if things are looking good.
Remove sandwiches from the pan, and let them rest on a cutting board for 1-2 minutes to allow the cheese to firm up a bit.
While you wait, pour two bowls of tomato soup and heat these up in the microwave.
Gently pull sandwiches apart in the middle (they’ll naturally come apart near the tomato, and add in some lettuce. You could cook it with the lettuce in, but I like mine crunchy and cool.
Slice sandwiches diagonally, and serve up with soup and a pickle on the side.
*Cooking bacon – there are multiple ways to cook bacon, so go with your favorite. Three easy options are oven/toaster oven, microwave or skillet cooked.
Oven or toaster oven – cook a little or a lot with this hands-off method. Lay bacon strips in a single layer on a rimmed baking pan. Place in a preheated 350 oven and cook for about 8 minutes, or until done. Remove and place bacon on a paper towel-lined plate.
Microwaved bacon – Place a paper towel on a microwave safe plate. Lay strips of bacon in a single layer on paper towel. Cover with another paper towel. Microwave for 3-5 minutes. Check frequently for done-ness, because bacon will go from just right to burnt quickly with microwave cooking.
Skillet cooking – also easy, good to have a spatter screen or similar over the pan to prevent grease mess around the counter. Place bacon in a single layer into a cold skillet, the same one you’ll use for the sandwich. Turn on medium heat, and let cook for a few minutes each side until done. Pour off the oil remaining in the pan (not down the drain, into a container). No need to clean the pan, just use it for your sandwich next.
