Buffalo Turkey Open Faced Sandwich

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Buffalo Turkey Open Faced Sandwich

It has been two days since Thanksgiving. And after multiple trips to the treadmill, a few jaunts around downtown on foot, and the occasional visit to the bathroom I am starting to feel normal again. 

I know, I know. Eating that double wide slice of cheesecake just hours after the main event wasn't the "most smartest" thing to do. But damn I needed some emotional support as I binge watched my post-apocalyptic teen movies that night. Nothing says "being thankful" than watching a bunch of super pretty young adults try and set a new social standard while fighting off the bad guys in perfectly pressed couture.  

Which brings me to today. The Saturday after Thanksgiving. Normally I would be in the throes of creativity and despair trying to figure out how to use the remaining 10 pounds of turkey, metric ton of mashed potatoes, and the now self aware cranberry Blob like creature living on the top shelf of the ice box. 

But instead I was sent home with a (double wide) slice of cheesecake, a generous slice of Hummingbird Cake (see my post on that here), and about 1 pounds worth of white meat in a Panda Express To Go box. The hostess was able to buy 1000 of these to go boxes for $.50 at the flea market three years ago. That is not an exaggeration. 

And because I never seem to have anything worth shaking a stick at (or a desire to use my car to get to a grocery store) I fell back to the classic game of chance and used only what was in my larder. I suggest you do the same. It's amazing what one can make when pushed to the limits of laziness.  

Please note this is one of those recipes that has no exact amount. Add cautiously and then generously as you see fit. 

Buffalo Turkey Open Faced Sandwich

RECIPE INSPIRED BY LAZINESS (ME)

***Note 1. Texas Pete did not sponsor this. It is just my hot sauce of choice and is always in my swag bag. 

***Note 2. This recipe is not specific and hopefully can be used as inspiration for any of the ingredients left over from Thanksgiving. Don't like Sourdough? Use White or Wheat. Don't like Muenster Cheese? Use a nice sliced Mozzarella or Cheddar. Don't like open faced sandwiches as they openly mock everything that is SANDWICH? Put another slice on top. 

NEED MORE REASON TO CLEAN OUT YOUR ICE BOX? CLICK BELOW!

CHOCOLATE CAKE AND 'MAN'OPAUSE

FRANKENSTEIN CAKE AND JOHN CANDY

ZUCCHINI OH SO MANY WAYS

Roasted Acorn Squash with Fennel Sausage and Apples

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Roasted Acorn Squash with Fennel Sausage and Apples

It's been one of those weeks. 

Things I Learned This Week While Living In The South: 

1. Dusting off talking points from your youth to validate your fear of being persecuted based solely on your sexual preference or religious beliefs and explaining these to your more conservative Southern friends drives one to seek solace in failed fudge that is housed in your 3AM snack box (otherwise known as my refrigerator).  

2. While calmly examining suspicious moles you find a sense of great relief comes over you when you realize that it is not an oddly shaped mole. But it is in fact just a speck of the above mentioned fudge that has somehow managed to secure itself to your abdomen.   

3. There is a soon to be opened amazing burger place in downtown Winston Salem that due to friends of friends you were able secretly hang out in while binge eating nachos, drinking beers, and watching someone across the table act out "crack whore" in a new adult mash up of Pictionary and Charades. 

And because it is Fall and that requires Fall like foods I found myself this morning roasting squash and watching my stories on the tv.  

Roasted Acorn Squash with Fennel Sausage and Apples

Side note: Fennel Sausage was bought at my local grocery store - Lowes Foods. Find the amazing list of sausages available here. I used the No. 2 The Godfather for this recipe. It's a pork sausage seasoned with fennel, anise, salt and pepper. 

Roasted Cauliflower with Texas Pete Whipped Feta

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Roasted Cauliflower with Whipped Feta

Things I Learned This Week Living In The South: 

1. There is a Mennonite woman in Chuckey Tennessee who goes by "Auntie Ruth" and makes a donut the size of my head that could launch the second Trojan War. I drove one hour for one of these donuts and would do it daily if my scale wouldn't judge me. 

2. I found a profound sense of relief knowing that one of my backup hairdressers can handle herself, while 7 months pregnant, on the laser tag field against an army of teenager boys from the local youth group. "Die mutherf*ckers!" was screamed as her hair (as close to God as it can get) didn't move. 

3. Though Beyonce was referencing a baseball bat, I have started to actually carry hot sauce in bag swag. About a year and a half late I have brought Texas Pete into my home. Thankfully they make bottles in all shapes and sizes. So no, I am not happy to see you. That is a bottle of Texas Pete in my pocket. 

Pictured above - roasted cauliflower wedges with a trio of whipped feta. From right to left. Ranch, Texas Pete, and classic with black pepper.  

Tomato Sandwich

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Tomato Sandwich

Things I Learned This Week Living In The South: 

1. If you find yourself in a cab with no way to pay the fare, you can pay with a pair of panties. And it's not dirty if you make the driver turn his head and not watch you take them off. Just leave them in door with the gum wrappers.  

2. Tomatoes are held in high regard here. Like false god status. I wish I were kidding but I am not. With tomato season comes tomato sandwiches, which I at first scoffed at, but have now had three in two days. 

3. Tomato sandwiches are best eaten with Bunny or Merita White Bread (think Wonder Bread but 1000 times better), Duke's Mayonnaise, and a garden fresh tomato. Salt and pepper to taste.  

Braised Okra

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Braised Okra

There are few things that one seems to skirt around when living in The South. Race, religions other than anything Christian based, and select foods. Namely okra. People either love them or hate them. 

I personally love them. Fried. Sauteed. Charred. They are all good to me. Hands down fried is the best though. Let's be real. It's really a superfood in my eyes. Loaded with potassium, fiber, vitamin C, and calcium it's really the best thing you can possibly fry up. 

When poorly done, Okra can become slimy. Which is the largest thing it has going against it. And the one thing you always hear from okra's opponents. Nothing slimy in life is good.

So this week when okra showed up in my CSA I was rather pleased. Now my challenge was 1. how little I received and 2. how can make this healthy and tasty while wanting nothing more than to slice, bread, and fry the shit out of it. 

Naturally with one quick sesh with The Google I was able to find a recipe that looked like it could get me through the next round of Men's Gymnastics at Rio 2016.

BRAISED OKRA

RECIPE BY PETER G AT SOUVLAKIFORTHESOUL