There are a few recipes in my files that I’m extremely proud of. I make an awesome cranberry raspberry pie. My trays of holiday cookies are works of art. And my crème brulee? Killer. But it is my perfect turkey sandwich that consistently amazes my friends and dinner guests.

I think it’s because sandwiches seem so pedestrian, so unassuming. How magical could they be? They are, after all, just condiments and protein slapped between two pieces of bread, right? Making a sandwich doesn’t even count as cooking, and it certainly doesn’t need instructions.

But this turkey sandwich. . . it is superlative. It is stunning in its flavor combinations – a perfect blend of salty, sweet, creamy and crunchy and the best use of leftover Thanksgiving or Holiday turkey ever created.

Start with marbled rye – it’s bread with attitude, with depth of flavor and an artistic flair. Toast it, or not. This is up to you. Either way, it is the greatest foundation for your mind-blowing turkey sandwich.

On one piece of the bread, spread cranberry mustard. (You can buy various versions at grocery and specialty food stores.) If prepared cran-mustard is not available for some reason, you can also mix leftover whole berry cranberry sauce with good quality Dijon mustard. The result should be sweet, tart, spicy and gorgeous – a beautiful burgundy color. Apply liberally.   

Layer thin sliced turkey breast on next. Make sure you don’t overload the sandwich here – the amount of turkey should not exceed the sum of the other filling ingredients. Balance, as in all things, is key.

Next comes bacon. Oh yes. Three to four pieces of lovely, smoky, salty fried bacon. No you can’t use turkey bacon to substitute. No you can’t leave it off the sandwich because of the calorie count. Commit to running an extra hour on the treadmill and enjoy these crispy slices of pork heaven. They are not optional.

Lastly, the most temperamental ingredient — top the bacon with quarter-in thick slices of perfectly ripe avocado. Now I know what you’re thinking: avocados are only perfectly ripe for approximately 60 seconds in their life cycle. They seem to morph from granite hard to brown mush in an afternoon, and unless you live in California, they are out of season for most of the year. Never mind all that. Pinch every avocado at your supermarket until you find one with no blemishes, and just the right amount of give to the touch. Then rush home and assemble your sandwich. There is no time to lose!

At this point some people would add sprouts. I would not. Some would add a thin layer of mayo. But it’s not necessary if your avocados are appropriately luscious and creamy.

Cut in half. Serve with sweet potato chips (again, perfect sweet, salty, crispy, crunchy counterpoint). Enjoy. And give thanks all over again that there’s lots more leftover turkey in the fridge.

You’re welcome.

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts and can be redeemed for any Brand whole Turkey, at virtually any Grocery Store in the U.S. 

gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with a variety of easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and free Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.
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What a pity. Some of the best meals we have all year make good use of Thanksgiving leftovers. But the best of the best – and why I will year after year roast, grill or otherwise cook a Thanksgiving turkey – are the fantastic turkey sandwiches.

More people use leftover turkey and other Thanksgiving fixings in sandwiches, making them into treasured gourmet meals.

In honor of favorite Turkey Sandwiches all, we present our picks for the Top Turkey Sandwiches of all time.  It’s a virtual Hall of Fame of favorite sandwiches made to be served for lunch or dinner, some hot some cold.

1. Hot Turkey: An open-faced sandwich using the favorite bread of your choice (we like top-quality rye) accompanied by leftover mashed potatoes and/or stuffing. The entire plate is smothered in gravy.
2. Homage to Thanksgiving Monte Cristo:  We alter this All Recipes version using a layer of leftover stuffing in between two generous layers of turkey surrounded by bread, pan fried in Panko Bread Crumbs. Yum.
3. Turkey, Brie & Pear: We usually have a cheese board at our gathering with Brie. I fell in love with this delicious sandwich combo last year and it quickly became a favorite. If you find yourself with leftover Brie, I can’t think of a better use for it.
4. Turkey Picadillo: This is a version of Turkey Barbecue that will feed a family. Substitute leftover turkey for the ground turkey and let it simmer a slow cooker.
5. Gourmet Turkey Sandwich: It’s so much fun using fresh cranberry sauce (this year’s version courtesy the Barefoot Contessa), in sandwiches. Years ago, we discovered what a great sandwich condiment cranberry sauce makes. Add the cream cheese and grainy mustard  and it’s a truly gourmet sandwich.
6. The Leftover: As demonstrated by this recipe on wikiHow, people put all manner of leftovers together to create the perfect concoction. Stuffing is great. We also like to do sweet potatoes as a layer (cranberry sauce, turkey and sweet potatoes). Experiment with what you have left over and Viola! You have your own new favorite.
7. Turkey Cheddar Apple: We like to serve this grilled. Grilled or not, you can not go wrong pairing tart apple with tangy cheddar and turkey!
8. White Bread -n-Mayo: This version is done with Hellman’s on Challa bread. I add iceberg lettuce for a distinct crunch.
9. Turkey Bacon Swiss: A variation on the BLT. Serve it grilled if you like your sammies warm.
10. Turkey, Pesto and Provolone: Adapted from Emeril and posted on the Big Fat Sandwich site. Pesto as a condiment is vastly underrated, and pairs very well with turkey, whether you decide to press the sandwich (as in this recipe) or not.

Customize by using your favorite bread, but always choose quality bread for the best leftover turkey sandwiches. Add  your favorite fresh veggies, too. Don’t have leftover turkey? No problem. Roast a small turkey. That’s what my friend who ate Thanksgiving at a restaurant did!

It’s grilling season! Here in the Upper Midwest, the floods are finally receding and the grills are coming out. Every evening I smell neighbors cooking outdoors…and it makes my mouth water.

At gThankYou, we are turkey fanatics — and we sell a lot of Turkey Gift Certificates. So, we’re always excited when we can introduce great new recipes to our customers.

We’ve found five recipes for turkey burgers and turkey sandwiches we think you’ll love. In a week or so, we’ll post them to our website Recipe Section where you’ll find another dozen or so turkey burgers, too.

Enjoy!

And be sure to post your comments along with your favorite turkey burger and sandwich recipes right here.

• Grilled Turkey Burgers With Barbecued Onions, with a gThankYou! to Carol Mighton Haddix, the Chicago Tribune.

• Turkey Burgers with Caramelized Onions, with a gThankYou! to Taste of Home.

• Another Riff on Turkey Burgers, with a gThankYou! to Picky Fingers.

• Apple Swiss Turkey Sandwiches, with a gThankYou! to Taste of Home.

• Turkey on Bagel with Sprouts, with a gThankYou! to Big Oven.

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