I really look forward to the leftover Thanksgiving sandwiches that come around just once a year. Last year we had these leftover sandwiches with stuffing soaked in gravy (adapted from Ross Geller’s “Moistmaker”), which were absolutely to die for. But because we only had leftover turkey this year, we decided to try this new sandwich recipe from Pioneer Woman. It’s made with leftover turkey and cranberry sauce that’s mixed in with some chopped pecans, some dijon mustard, a bit of jam for that hint of sweetness, and of course, melted swiss cheese. Does it sound as amazing as it seems? YES! It’s beyond amazing. It’s beyond delicious. It’s out of this world. Really.

The boyfriend took one bite into it and even before he started chewing, I could hear him say “Mmmmmmmmm….so amazing.” We devoured our sandwiches in 5 minutes (okay maybe it was more like 3 minutes). We didn’t even have time to chat so we just sat there silently gobbling up our sandwich like there was no tomorrow.

Leftover Turkey and Swiss Panini (adapted from Pioneer Woman):

Yields 4 servings

  • 1/2 cup leftover Cranberry Sauce
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 8 slices sourdough
  • 2 tablespoons fig or apricot jam (I used orange marmalade. Mmmmm.)
  • 4 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 cup leftover turkey, shredded
  • 8 slices Swiss cheese
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat the sandwich grill.

In a small bowl, combine the cranberry sauce and pecans; set aside.

Place the bread slices on a work surface and spread 1 side of each with the fig jam and dijon mustard.

On each of the 4 slices, layer one-fourth of the turkey, one-fourth of the cranberry-pecan mixture, and 2 slices of swiss cheese.

Place the remaining 4 bread slices on top and press to pack gently; brush both sides with olive oil (softened butter works well too).

Place the panini in the grill, close the top plate, and cook until the bread is golden and toasted and the cheese is melted, about 3-5 minutes.

Slice each panini in half and serve immediately.