Is It A Sandwich Or Dessert?

My dear friend Warren and I use to eat lunches together all the time when we both worked at the same medical facility.  We would go all over the hospital's neighborhood trying out different restaurants, sometimes laughing so much that our stomachs hurt and we couldn't eat, and sometimes fighting so much our stomachs hurt and we couldn't eat.

One of my favorite things to order for some odd reason was a Monte Cristo sandwich.  Whenever it was on a menu I would order one up and compare it to others I had tasted.  Warren use to be so irritated by this particular sandwich choice of mine.  It never failed that as soon as this powder sugar coated, jam accented french toast like sandwich was placed in front of me, he would say "That isn't a sandwich.  It's dessert."  These statements of his always amused me so.

I hadn't thought of that in a long time until I was planning a menu for a Sunday luncheon and The Husband suggested we have Monte Cristo sandwiches.  This too amused me as I have never seen him order a Monte Cristo before nor have I ever made them for us.  Nonetheless, I thought why not?  I will state here and now though, in honor of my friend Warren I skipped the traditional accompaniments of powdered sugar and jam so it was indeed a sandwich and not dessert.

Monte Cristo Sandwiches
(makes 3)

9 slices white bread
6 slices ham
6 slices turkey
6 slices havarti or swiss cheese
mayonnaise
Dijon mustard
3 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter
Powdered sugar and jam of your choice optional

For each sandwich, lay out three slices of bread.  Lightly spread mayonnaise and mustard on two slices.  Put a slice of cheese, ham and turkey on these slices. Place on top of each other ending with the third piece of bread.

Beat together the eggs, milk and salt in a shallow dish.  Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium high heat.  Carefully dip each sandwich top and bottom into the egg/milk mixture and place in the hot frying pan.  Fry on each side until a golden brown.  Put a lid over the pan as each side is cooking to ensure that the filling gets hot and the cheese melts.

Cut each sandwich into four triangular pieces and serve.