I'm always looking for fun lunch ideas. Lunch can get boring with the same old thing day after day, but this Monte Cristo sandwich is anything but boring! They are quick to make, and extras keep well, so they are fun to put in lunchboxes also. Sprinkled with powdered sugar and dipped in jam, these will bring huge smiles to your kiddos big and small.
Monte Cristo Sandwiches
Serves 4
4 gluten-free English muffins, hamburger buns, or slider size rolls
Sliced deli ham
Sliced baby Swiss cheese
Dijon mustard
1 egg
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
Powdered sugar
Strawberry or raspberry jam
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare sandwiches by slicing muffins or buns in half and spreading Dijon mustard on the bottoms. Top with slices of ham, then sliced Swiss cheese. Cover with muffin/bun tops. Place each sandwich on a small sheet of aluminum foil. In a small bowl, beat the egg with the melted and cooled butter. Brush egg/butter mixture over the tops of the sandwiches. Wrap each sandwich in foil or cover the tops of multiple sandwiches with foil and put on baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and unwrap from foil. Continue baking for 10 more minutes or until tops start to brown. Remove and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve with jam for dipping.
Step-by-step tutorial:
Gather your ingredients. You will need some gluten-free English muffins or hamburger buns, deli-sliced ham, Swiss cheese, Dijon mustard, an egg, butter, powdered sugar, and jam. We use the Canyon Bakehouse English muffins and they work great!
Slice your muffins in half. Spread some Dijon mustard on the bottoms. If your kiddos detest mustard (I just don't tell them it's there😂) then you can omit this.
Pile on lots of sliced deli ham.
Then top with slices of Swiss cheese. I usually buy it pre-sliced but happened to have a block of Swiss from another recipe.
In a small mixing bowl, beat the egg with the melted butter until smooth. Be sure the butter has cooled some so you don't cook the egg!
Replace tops of muffins and put each sandwich on a small sheet of aluminum foil. Brush the tops with the egg/butter mixture.
Wrap each sandwich loosely in the foil and put on a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and open up the foil on each sandwich. Return to the oven and continue baking for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is all melty and the tops are golden.
Before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with a side of jam. We love strawberry or raspberry best. Dipping is fun and the combination of savory and sweet in these sandwiches is just perfect!
Recipe Source: Recipe from Shanna's recipe box