Monte Cristo Sandwich

Until a couple months ago, I had never had a Monte Cristo sandwich, except when I made them at home the way Martha Stewart taught me. One day when my husband and I were running some errands, we stopped for lunch at a chain restaurant. We had never been to the place but it was conveniently located and we decided to give it a try.

When I saw the Monte Cristo sandwich on the menu, I thought it sounded good and ordered it. Boy was I surprised when my order came! The sandwich had been quartered, battered, and deep fried. I could barely make it through one of the quarters and didn't care for it at all. Martha's way is more like stuffed French toast. And according to my Food Lover's Companion, Martha's way is the traditional way. But a quick Google search informed me that there are many fans of the battered and deep fried version.

I bought a square loaf of sour dough bread to make my sandwiches and sliced it at home. Use any sturdy bread you like. I also used 2 eggs for two people--adjust the quantities, as you would for French toast, according to how many sandwiches you are making.

Monte Cristo Sandwiches
2 slices of bread per sandwich
Sliced turkey
Swiss cheese
Sliced ham
2 eggs
2 - 3 Tbsp. milk
Salt and pepper, to taste
Butter

Put slices of turkey, cheese, and ham between slices of bread. Whisk together the eggs and milk. Dip sandwiches into egg mixture, flip over to dip the other side. Saute gently in butter, until browned and the cheese is melted.

Serve with maple syrup or your favorite fruit preserves.