Branching out

I love to bake, and I love to eat, but as for the food preparation in my own kitchen, I'm not typically very adventurous. I can follow a recipe, and the kind with just six ingredients or less are just my speed.

I also have two relatively choosy eaters under my daily care, which often makes me steer clear of anything but the norm. My kids both eat a pretty good variety for their ages, but they are kids, and they generally like to stick to what they know.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?

Needless to say, when it comes to lunch, I don't like to be a short-order cook, so we generally all eat the same things each week: shells and cheese, quesadillas, PB&J, grilled cheese, and deli sandwiches (turkey and cheese with mustard and sometimes cucumbers).

But this weekend I felt somewhat inspired when I dragged out the sandwich fixings, and I reached for a few extras. Here was the result:


I started with honey wheat berry bread and spread it with ranch dressing, then sprinkled crumbled bacon before adding shaved turkey. Then I covered it with colby jack cheese and toasted the whole thing. Topped with thinly sliced cucumbers, it was warm, crisp, and a welcome change to my mundane lunch routine.

I can't say I've ever taken a photo of a sandwich I've made before, but I felt this very small victory in my personal life and wanted to document it.

I know. You don't have to tell me. I need to get out more often...