A few years back, I was on a plane to Colorado, traveling home with a friend to visit my family for Thanksgiving. I remember during the flight, we came to the realization that Halloween had the corner on the market when it comes to good holiday jokes and that there are no really good Thanksgiving jokes. We spent that two hour flight thinking up, what I consider, some of the greatest Thanksgiving jokes of all time!
Here’s a small preview of our comedic genius:
Q. What did the sweet potato use to start the car? | A. A TurKEY!
Q. What are the streets on a turkey farm made of? | A. Gobblestone
Q. What do you get when you cross a Turkey with a Peach Pie? | A. Peach Gobbler
I know. I know…ROFL…you can’t bear any more of these high quality jokes…so I’ll spare you the ones that didn’t make the cut….like the one about the Jello mold. Thankfully, I’ve forgotten that one.
It was around that time, though, that I got the inspiration to create my Drunken Turkey Sandwich. My dad loved to make Beer Bread, which is one of the best breads to make a sandwich out of…so dense, flavorful and it’s got a wonderfully crispy crust.
Growing up, leftover turkey sandwiches were a staple after Thanksgiving. I always looked forward to them. And I still have a vivid memory as a kid first biting into one of these sandwiches. We were in Texas at the time…I must have been only about 5 or 6 years old. It was a classic turkey sandwich…leftover turkey, mayo, iceberg lettuce on soft, delicate Wonderbread (of course, in my mind it was Wonderbread…in reality, it was the store brand). I digress.
This may sound weird, but one thing I remember most about that sandwich, other than it sticking to the roof of my mouth, was the taste of pepper that my dad put on the sandwich. It tasted soooo good and I thought he was a genius for thinking of that.
So, in the spirit of creating a new twist on holiday jokes, I endeavored to create a new twist on the classic leftover turkey sandwich. Voila! The Drunken Turkey Sandwich is born!
I love this sandwich because it takes some of the classic elements of Thanksgiving and transforms them into something novel and exciting. The Beer Bread really sets this sandwich apart so I highly recommend you taking an hour to bake up a loaf of that most incredible bread. It’s so easy to make…there are really no excuses.
Topped with fresh dill, a sweet ‘n’ spicy cranberry relish, some cheese and fresh leaf lettuce, this sandwich will make you wish Thanksgiving was year ‘round. But don’t let the fact that it isn’t dissuade you from trying this sandwich. At most anytime of the year, my local grocery store sells a roasted turkey breast in the deli area. I bet yours does too. Just slice it up yourself…and it will work great on this sandwich. If you can’t find turkey or don’t have any leftovers, a rotisserie chicken can be used as well!
So where does this sandwich get its name? I named it a Drunken Turkey sandwich because of the Zip Zip I add to this sandwich….if you know what I mean?!? A little beer, a little orange liqueur, like a Grand Mariner or Cointreau. Delish! That’s all I have to say about that.
Whether its Turkey time in your house or not, you’ve got to try this sandwich. It might just be your new favorite!
Drunken Turkey Sandwich
Ingredients
SO WHAT YOU'RE GONNA NEED
- 4 slices Beer Bread
- 1 Turkey Breast (or Thanksgiving leftovers)
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Dill
- 2 Slices Cheddar Cheese
- 2 Leaves Green Leaf Lettuce
- To taste Pepper
- 1/4 Cup Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
- 2 shakes Tabasco
- 1/2 Teaspoon Grand Marnier
YOU'LL ALSO NEED
Instructions
- Toast the beer bread to preferred toastiness.
- Create cranberry relish by combining cranberry sauce with orange liqueur and a couple of shakes of Tabasco sauce. Set aside.
- Roughly chopped fresh dill.
- Once bread is toasted, butter each slice. On one slice, stack lettuce and turkey. Shake some pepper on the sandwich. Continue building the sandwich with cheese, cranberry relish and dill. Top with another slice of bread.
Nutrition
Please leave your comments below, tell us your best Thanksgiving day joke and, as always, send me pix of your Tiny Kitchen Big Taste creations! I love to see what you create!
[…] Bread is one of the great things in life! And this one is sure to be one of the top go-to recipes on your list. It’s great on its own, but also pairs well with chili or as a substitute to corn bread. It’s great for breakfast with some butter, honey or fruit preserves on it and it makes a fantastic Grilled Cheese Sandwich….not to mention it is a key ingredient in our Drunken Turkey Sandwich. […]