Sandwiches to go . . .

Whenever we take a long journey in the car, I always make sandwiches for us to take. We always make several stops at rest stops along the way . . . and the food they have on offer in these places is always expensive and not very tasty . . .



The sandwiches are usually not very well filled, bread dry, and not very interesting or tasty. It's the same thing, time and time again . . . tuna with cucumber, lacking in flavour . . . tuna or chicken with sweetcorn, same thing . . . skimpy slices of ham with a few bits of stale salad . . . chicken and stuffing, heavy on the stuffing and light on the chicken . . . etc. it goes on and on . . .



It doesn't really take much time to make your own sandwiches and they are always alot tastier than anything you can buy on the road, and a lot cheaper too!



There are a few rules I like to follow though:

1. Spread any sandwich which is going to have a wet filling generously with butter, and right to the edges, so as to prevent any sogginess.
2. Use a sturdy bread which will hold up to the journey and standing for several hours.
3. Spread the filling generously and to the edge. Helps to prevent dry corners from being discarded in the trash later on.
4. Cut in half so that you have rectangles. This shape is a lot easier to pack and a lot easier to eat out of hand.
5. Wrap well in greaseproof paper (wax paper) or cling film to help keep them fresh and store in a sturdy container to help keep them from becoming crushed.
6. Don't forget the napkins. If you have followed my advice and generously filled them, you will quite happily need them!

Here's two of our favourite on-the-road sandwich fillings. We both enjoy these, although I do add shredded lettuce to my tuna, placing it onto the buttered bread just before I add the filling. Todd deplores salad in his sandwiches and so . . .



You guessed it. I don't put any on his. It goes without saying that if you are taking these in the car or on a picnic, they are best eaten on the day. Don't save any overnight that you haven't eaten on the day for the next day. Bad, bad idea, unless you have been brilliant enough to store them in a well chilled cooler.




*Ham Salad Filling*
Makes 2 or 3, depending on how generous you are with your filling
Printable Recipe

Savoury chopped ham, combined with some crunch, and tasty bits.

1 (200g) tin of cooked ham
(or 200g of cooked ham, chopped finely)
1 TBS good quality mayonnaise (I use Hellman's)
1 heaped tsp of Dijon mustard
(if you like extra texture, use a grainy one)
1 TBS sweet pickle relish
1 TBS chopped gerkhins
1 spring onion, trimmed and chopped
freshly ground black pepper
Bread (choose a sturdy one)
softened butter

Mix together all of the sandwich ingredients. (Ham, mayo, mustard, pickle relish, gerkhins and onion.) Taste and add pepper as required. Butter your slices of bread to the edges with softened butter. Spread half of the slices with the filling and top with the rest. Cut in half to serve.

If taking out, wrap well and then store in a sturdy container.



*Tuna Salad Filling*
Makes 2 or 3 depending on how generous you are with your filling.
Printable Recipe

Tasty tuna with some crunch and savoury bits.

1 (200g tin) of albacore tuna in spring water, drained and flaked
1 TBS of lemon pepper salad cream
1 TBS of good quality mayonnaise (I use Hellman's)
1 TBS sweet pickle relish
1 stick of celery, finely chopped
1 heaped TBS of finely chopped red onion
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Bread (choose a sturdy one)
softened butter

Mix together all of the sandwich ingredients. (drained tuna, salad cream, mayonnaise, pickle relish, celery, and red onion) Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Butter your slices of bread to the edges with softened butter. Spread half of the slices with the filling and top with the rest. Cut in half to serve

If taking out, wrap well and then store in a sturdy container.



Don't forget the napkins!