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Sandwiches with a twist put turkey to good use (Aleta Watson, 11/22/06, San Jose Mercury News

The weeks of planning, shopping and cooking are over. Happily stuffed family and friends have pushed away from the table and freshly washed pots are sitting on the drainboard. Now comes the unsung blessing of Thanksgiving -- a refrigerator full of leftovers.

With a long weekend stretching ahead, there are few better feelings than the satisfaction of knowing most of the heavy lifting already has been done in the kitchen. Those leftovers are the cook's ticket to go shopping, hit the hiking trails, catch a movie or just hang out with friends.

After all the T-Day indulgence, it feels good to eat simply. My family is usually content to merely warm up the bounty for at least one meal. Then we turn to sandwiches.

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Toasted turkey sandwiches with caramelized onions (San Jose Mercury News, 11/23/06)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 hand-cut slices of whole grain bread ( 1/4-inch thick)
6 ounces turkey breast, sliced
3 ounces provolone cheese, sliced
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

In medium skillet over medium-low heat, warm olive oil. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes, or until golden brown and very soft. Transfer onion to bowl, but do not clean skillet.

Spread a generous amount of the onion on two bread slices. Top with turkey and cheese. Lightly spread mustard on the remaining 2 bread slices. Cover each sandwich with 1 bread slice, mustard-side down.

Place the sandwiches in the same skillet you used to cook the onion and set over medium heat. Cook sandwiches, turning once, about 4 minutes per side, or until sandwiches are browned on both sides and cheese is melted.

Remove sandwiches from skillet, let stand a few minutes, and cut in half or into quarters.

``Toast,'' by Jesse Ziff Cool

Posted by Orrin Judd at November 23, 2006 7:40 AM