Sandwich
Man cannot live on bread alone. Well, maybe he can if it's topped with tasty combos of meats, veggies, cheese and condiments. We've got tempting suggestions for every day of the month.

Sandy Gluck hosts Martha Stewart Radio's Everyday Food weekdays at 11 a.m. EST on on Sirius XM.


PORK AND BEEF SANDWICHES

1. Spread slices of rye bread with pepper jelly and top with sliced ham, Jack cheese and thinly sliced cucumbers.

2. Combine tomato-based chili sauce with mayo and spread on a hard roll. Top with sliced roast beef and goat or feta cheese.

3. A Southern friend's fave is crisp slices of bacon on toasted bread spread with peanut butter and topped with banana slices and crisp lettuce.

4. Split a ciabatta or other roll and fill with sliced pork tenderloin and a coleslaw mix dressed with lime juice, a little sugar, olive oil and chopped cilantro.

5. Make a sauce of yogurt and cucumber, slather it on a hard roll and fill with roast beef or lamb, mashed white beans and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

6. Layer chopped, cooked bacon with thin slices of roast pork on a seeded bun with a mix of ketchup and maple syrup for a double-pork extravaganza.

7. Top a split ciabatta or other roll with a combo of pesto and mayo and fill with thinly sliced flank steak and tomato.

8. Layer a hoagie roll with smoky ham, provolone and roasted red peppers and drizzle with olive oil and vinegar.

9. Stack thick slices of meatloaf, on toasted bread with mustard or ketchup, thin slices of onion, and crushed potato chips for a Blue Plate Special.

10. Split a hero roll and fill with meatballs, shards of Parmesan cheese and pepperoncini.

POULTRY SANDWICHES

11. Chop Major Grey's mango chutney and add to cream cheese along with a little diced celery. Spread on dark bread with slices of cooked chicken.

12. Mash some avocado with a little lemon juice, cumin, coriander and oregano, spread on country bread and top with grilled chicken for a Southwestern treat.

13. Spread apple butter on a hot dog roll and nestle in smoked chicken sausage to make sausage rolls at home.

14. Stir a little chipotle chile powder into mayo to add a little kick. Spread it on a hard roll and top leftover slices of fried chicken, thin sliced pickles and shredded cabbage .

15. Spread pumpernickel bread with soft brie cheese, then top with thinly sliced pear and smoked turkey breast.

16. Combine mayo with thinly sliced scallion and spread on toasted whole-grain English muffin. Top with bacon, turkey and ripe tomato slices for an easy turkey club.

SEAFOOD SANDWICHES

17. Mix oil-packed tuna with chopped cilantro, jalapeno, mayo and lemon juice and spoon onto multi-grain bread.

18. Combine chopped cooked shrimp with store-bought salsa, black beans and corn kernels. Line a wrap with romaine lettuce, fill with shrimp mix and roll up.

19. For my Aunt Ruthie's tuna salad, spread sliced bread with cream cheese, top with a mixture of tuna, chopped apple, celery and a little red onion.

20. Mix tuna, capers, tarragon and mayo with a couple of cloves of blanched garlic, and bread and butter pickle slices spread on country bread.

21. Try a shrimp sloppy joe. Toss chopped cooked shrimp with your favorite barbecue sauce, add a little diced bell pepper and spoon onto a potato roll.

VEGETARIAN SANDWICHES

22. Spread chunky or creamy peanut butter on brioche or Pullman slices and drizzle melted chocolate over the peanut butter before closing the sandwich.

23. Layer grilled zucchini, eggplant, roasted peppers, sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese on focaccia.

24. Mix ricotta with a little grated orange zest, a touch of sugar and mini chocolate chips and slather on cinnamon raisin bread.

25. Spread multi-grain bread with honey mustard and top with sliced cheddar cheese and apple wedges.

26. Toss portobello mushroom caps with a little balsamic vinegar and bake or grill. Place on a roll with mozzarella cheese and a touch of tomato sauce.

27. Chopped hard-cooked eggs, a little bit of diced red onion, curry powder and chopped mango chutney make a great egg salad on dark bread.

28. Spread focaccia or a roll with a mix of olive oil and tomato paste and top with fried eggplant, sliced tomatoes, arugula and a splash of balsamic vinegar.

VEGAN SANDWICHES

29. Saute seitan until lightly crisped, then toss with soy sauce and agave nectar on a bun with scallions and shredded cabbage.

30. Spread peanut butter on whole wheat bread, top with banana slices and sprinkle with granola.

31. Spread a hard roll with hummus, shredded carrots, shredded peppers and fresh dill.
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Sandwich Recipes and Tips

    Grilled Cheese
    Chef Vanessa Daou of the Black Cat Café makes the single best grilled cheese we've ever tasted. Her secret? She spritzes both sides of the bread with cooking spray and always heats the separate bread slices cheese side up to ensure a crispy outside and an ooey-gooey center.

    She's also not afraid to play around with the fixins. The Wild Julia, pictured, is stacked with sharp cheddar, vine-ripened tomatoes, crispy bacon, crunchy pepita seeds and a dash of hot sauce. Share your favorite add-ons in the comments below.

    Browse great grilled cheese recipes
    Visit the Black Cat Cafe

    Black Cat Cafe & Bakery

    HLT (Hummus, Lettuce & Tomato)
    It's terribly tempting to over-stuff a pita, but Chef Vanessa says to resist. More often than not, you'll just end up tearing the bread, making it hard to manage spillage.

    When she's loading up an HLT pocket, she spoons hummus into the bottom, and stacks it with cucumber and tomato slices, baby lettuce, carrot shreds and peppers. However, if she's building it on whole wheat bread, it gets another layer of hummus on top. It's a cinch to make hummus at home, but there are plenty of perfectly delicious pre-made brands available.

    Browse great hummus recipes
    Visit the Black Cat Café

    Black Cat Cafe & Bakery

    Italian Melt
    Mozzarella melds with savory pesto and vine-ripened tomatoes for an Italian twist on a classic grilled cheese. Chef Vanessa insists upon thick, sturdy bread like cibatta for a no-tear sandwich, and relies on her trusty panini grill for a beautiful, professionally pressed crust. Reliable models are a steal for under $30. Vanessa leaves the traditional walnuts out of her pesto to accommodate diners with allergies, but notes that store-bought brands are dandy for home use should you not wish to go to all that fuss.

    Browse great grilled cheese recipes
    Explore pesto recipes
    Visit the Black Cat Café

    Black Cat Cafe & Bakery

    Tuscan Chicken
    Take a tasty tip from Chef Vanessa and toast bread, no matter what sandwich you're serving. Just one minute will make it taste fresher.

    The Tuscan is all about stacking ingredients to maximize flavor and minimize sogginess. Slather the bottom slice of sturdy bread with two spoonfuls of pesto, then stack on a warm chicken breast that's been marinated overnight in lemon juice or olive oil, garlic and salt and lightly grilled. On the top slice, layer mozzarella, vine-ripened tomato slices and an artichoke heart and press it all together until the cheese is melted. Before serving, slip lettuce beneath the tomato layer. It's a cool texture treat amidst the melt.

    Browse great grilled chicken breast recipes
    Visit the Black Cat Café

    Black Cat Cafe & Bakery

    Hanger Steak
    Start with succulent grilled or pan-seared steak, and you're halfway there. Chef Alex Webster of Alex & Ika Restaurant in Cooperstown, N.Y., ditches the traditional horseradish, cheese and mushrooms and opts instead to top his with sauteed shallots and cherry peppers and a savory swipe of homemade pesto on a baguette.

    His version tweaks the traditional all-basil model and swaps half the leaves for gently peppery, nutty arugula, and picks walnuts over pignoli. The lighter taste allows the sumptuous steak flavor a starring role. Just pick your favorite pesto recipe and make the switch.

    Explore pesto recipes
    Browse great hanger steak recipes
    Visit Alex and Ika

    Alex and Ika Restaurant

    Ham & Cheese
    Don't fear the frying pan or the grill says Chef Alex. Let your bread cook long enough to build up a good, solid crunch, and make sure to select one that'll stand up to the task. Cibatta and baguettes are solid bets.

    We won't mince words -- Alex's chopped prosciutto and Gouda is the best ham and cheese sandwich in the world. Give Swiss a miss and consider a bolder, sharper cheese like Gouda, Gruyere or aged cheddar. And while you're at the deli counter, perhaps pass over the boiled ham and give a distinctive cured variety like prosciutto, coppa or capicolla a shot.

    Explore deli meats
    Browse great ham and cheese recipes
    Visit Alex and Ika

    Alex and Ika Restaurant

    BLT
    Pay attention to the quality of your ingredients, and it'll reward you with a superior sandwich, says Chef Alex. Just taking the time to roast the tomatoes in a pan or the oven, select crisper lettuce leaves or opt for a thicker cut of bacon (he prefers an applewood-smoked variety) and chewy cibatta can loft a simple lunchtime sandwich into a memorable meal. Pass on the mayo and balance the bacon's saltiness with a sweet, tangy honey mustard vinaigrette.

    Make a dressing
    Browse great BLT recipes
    Visit Alex and Ika

    Alex and Ika Restaurant

    Thanksgiving
    Since 1952, folks have flocked from miles around to savor the sandwiches at Gibby's Diner in Duanesburg, N.Y. Their Colleen's Favorite, which we've seen on various menus as a Thanksgiving, is a particular standout, thanks to the clever meld of temperatures. Cranberry sauce and fresh turkey slices are both presented cold, but nestled between is a thick, hot layer of wonderfully savory stuffing. Gobble, gobble!

    Make a perfect turkey
    Browse great stuffing recipes
    Cook up cranberry sauce

    Gibby's Diner

    Turkey or Chicken Club
    We've all seen club sandwiches before, but what makes Gibby's rendition so addictive is that they roast fresh turkeys daily, and aren't stingy with the thickness of the slices. Chances are that most folks don't have the time or wish to do that, but more and more grocery stores are offering whole or partial rotisserie birds hot in their deli section. Swing by their bakery section for a freshly baked loaf or rolls (Gibby's makes theirs daily), and you've got the makings of a sandwich that's fit for an evening meal.

    Make a roasted chicken
    Browse great club sandwich recipes
    Bake up some fresh bread

    Gibby's Diner

    Open-Faced Meatloaf
    Not every sandwich has to be handheld; some even require a knife and fork. We appreciate that everyone's got their own take on what makes an ideal meatloaf (please let us know in the comments below), but what's key in Gibby's wonderfully sloppy hot sammy here is that it's so thoroughly drenched in savory turkey gravy. Next time you're making a big bird, freeze some gravy (not to mention stuffing), so when you're craving an open-faced feast, you can just pop a portion in the microwave.

    Make meatloaf tonight
    Browse great gravy recipes
    See our favorite mashed potato recipes

    Gibby's Diner