Foodie Friday: Next Level Sandwich Recipes & Cooks' Tools

For many of us it is back to school or back to work, which makes me think of lunch. Sandwiches are something I am known for, at least in the mind of "Mr. Shop This." This is funny since I haven't had one in probably 20 years or more. I just believe in elevating everything, especially something as mundane as two slices of bread. With the right ingredients, creativity, and lots of love, you too, can take your sandwiches to the next level. Here's inspiration.

HERE: 24 Recipes & Cooks' Tools

Cheddar Cornbread Waffle BLT with Chipotle Butter

I have not had a BLT yet this season. Mainly because I just never eat bread. These cheesy cornbread waffles change everything though. The green isn't just lettuce, it is arugula! The tomatoes are heirloom. OMG!

Half Baked Harvest

Open Face Steak Sandwich With Avocado Horseradish

This recipe had me at Avocado Horseradish. And you will love the rest of the ingredients, too.

How Sweet It Is 

Grilled Avocado Caprese Crostini

Have you ever grilled an avocado? I did for the first time this Summer. They are delicious! These are made with crunchy sourdough bread, and finished with a balsamic glaze. Yum!

Cafe Delites

High Maintenance Egg Salad Sandwich

This sandwich begins with homemade mayo. It really isn't that "high maintenance," but it involves more love than boiling a few eggs. Give this one a try!

A Beautiful Plate

Brisket And Brie Sandwich

Presentation is key in everything, especially food! Isn't this a good looking plate?

Bakers Royale  

Sandwich Wrap Trio
A plastic bag is so passé.  These washable wraps get the job done in style!
Food52

Peach, Prosciutto, And Lemon Goat Cheese Tartine
A little sweet, a little salty, and a whole lot of deliciousness. Perfect for lunch on the patio.
Ace Bakery 

Meatball Sandwich With Tomato Sauce And Fontina
These mini meatballs are made in a similar fashion as mine, by soaking your bread (not bread crumbs) before mixing with meat. The recipe calls for water, but I use milk. This sammy is just irresistible.
  Gourmet Traveller

Cauliflower Crust Grilled Cheese
{ Gluten Free }
This sandwich is not without sin, but it is a healthier version for those with gluten intolerance. I think it looks pretty uh-mazing! One grilled cheese yields 374 calories, 29 grams of fat, 8 grams of carbs and 23 grams of protein. But who's counting?
The Iron You  

Grilled Sandwich Basket
Now we can make sandwiches in the great outdoors. On sale and genius for upcoming tailgate parties.
Williams Sonoma 

Doughnut Monte Christo Sliders
Oh this sounds and looks like a winner! Swiss Cheese and Ham smothered in jam. It's almost like eating dessert first. What's not to like? 
Jelly Toast Blog 

Niçoise Salad Sandwiches
This sandwich is popular street food in France. It's basically a salade Niçoise on a bun. Nothing wrong with that!
Williams Sonoma 

Kentucky Hot Brown Sandwiches on Jalapeño Cornbread Biscuits with Honey Bourbon Bacon
At the base of this fabulous recipe is turkey.  But that's incidental to the bourbon, bacon, sirarcha and homemade biscuits. Dear God!
Half Baked Harvest

Stainless Sandwich Cutters
Fill their lunch box with fun! Kids will love their sandwiches shaped into butterflies, soccer balls, airplanes or flowers. 
Pottery Barn Kids

Chicken Pesto Sandwich
Because pesto makes everything tastier and prettier! This recipe calls for shredded chicken breast, so it can be made ahead of time.
Damn Delicious 

Cobb Grilled Cheese
You read that right. It's a grilled cheese with all of the fixings of a cobb salad. California style. 
Foodie Crush

Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken Grilled Cheese
This is a taste of Taiwan. If you love fried chicken, this recipe is for you.
Curious Nut

Smörgåstårta
A sandwich work of art. It's a beautiful cake that really is a tricked out tea sandwich. Genius!
Ms. Critique

How To Build A Better Sandwich
And if you need even more inspiration, here's a delicious and terrific tutorial.
Foodie Crush

Chipotle Pulled Portabello Sandwiches With Feta Cilantro Topping
Yes folks, this is a mushroom sandwich. How unique. The cilantro adds the brightness.
Artful Desperado

Asparagus, Crispy Prosciutto and Brie Grilled Cheese

This is a very flexible recipe, but in my mind, all recipes are. I really never follow one to the "t." The star ingredient is the fresh asparagus. It's beautiful as an open face sandwich, or cut into small squares as appetizers. Your guests will love them!

Heather Christo 

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Panini
Panini Sandwiches are easy and great fun. This recipe uses five simple and fabulous ingredients. See the pine nuts?
The Live In Kitchen

Breville Panini Duo Press
You'll find a million reasons to use this handy machine. Great for college students, too.
Sur La Table 

Raspberry Cream Cheese Paninis 
with Chocolate Ganache Dipping Sauce
 This recipe is silly easy, and kids of all ages will love it!
Sprinkle Bakes



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Destination Wedding Welcome Gifts

{ Via: Inspired By This }

In a perfect world, you would like to meet your guests the minute they arrive at your destination wedding. That's not always possible, so greet them with a welcome gift in their hotel room. Though this nicety is not absolutely necessary, I highly recommend it. After all, your friends and family have travelled and gone to expense to honor you.  In my mind, a thank you is required.  Here's inspiration, big and small, for making your guests feel welcome on your wedding day.

   

HERE: 13 Ways To Gift Your Guests

Map Favor Boxes With Personalized Tag
Play up your global theme with these vintage inspired mini boxes.  Terrific at the table or in the welcome bag.
Beau-Coup

Wedding Door Hangers

A fun addition to any welcome bag! You'll provide the wording and font. These will make your guests smile at the end of the evening.

Designed By Me

Custom Wedding Maps
What a fabulous addition to the welcome bag. Guests want to know where and when to go. These are so creative and well done.
Feathered Heart Prints

Floral Welcome Gift Bags

Even if you are welcoming your guests with a small surprise, presentation is key. Fill these with personalized M & M's, nuts, or cookies. 
Pure Cotton Packing at Etsy 

Wedding Welcome Stamp

A little DIY is good for the soul and quite the money saver. You will find so many uses for this stylish stamp.

Southern Paper & Ink

A Cuba Libre Welcome

Who doesn't love a rum and coke? If you are planning a Caribbean wedding, treat your guests to some local rum or an interesting bottle from Mouth, and rum filled candy. Your guests will be happy all weekend.

Sugarfina

Wedding Wine Labels

A nice bottle of wine is the perfect destination wedding guest gift. It will always be a welcome surprise in any hotel room. Of course one could add nuts, chocolate, etc., but a bottle really does stand on its own, and will be used! These labels are so well done.

Label With Love

Customized Wedding Welcome Boxes

You may know that pineapples are the symbol of hospitality. Make your guests feel right at home with these. They are great for holding splits of wine, mini water bottles, chips, cookies, etc. Keep that color palette going with many different colors available.

Gracious Bridal

Celebrate Welcome Bag

Get the party started with this fun tote and terrific tassel. Each are sold individually, and just the right start for any party weekend. Best yet, "each purchase empowers artisans at Corr Jute in Bangladesh."

The Little Market

Welcome to Chicago - Printable Bag Tag

You can't have too many labels, signs, or monograms. These tags are modern in black and white. Just add tissue and a white or black bag.
HH Paper Co. at Etsy

City Specific Goodies
It's nice to treat your guests to a taste of the city they have travelled to for the wedding.  Paper Source has a lovely collection of boxes in all sizes and colors. Get the scoop on this gift box at
Martha Stewart Weddings

Curated Gift Boxes
If you just want to purchase the best boxes ever, without the fuss, these are your answer. I follow these ladies on Instagram. You can trust that the products they are currently curating are high quality, creative, and beautifully presented in wooden boxes. Not quite ready to ship yet, but hopefully in time for your wedding. Get in touch at
Cosinger.com  @cosingerinabox

Snacks On The Run

Impress your guests with a little something from the best in New York.  These terrific tins are filled with an assortment of candy, chocolates, and nuts. Perfectly packed for your gift bags and boxes! One or two of these in each welcome bag would be a sweet treat.
 Dean and Deluca

Destination Beach Bags

The perfect gift for your tropical wedding is a beach bag. These are fabulous and so much fun with tassels and wooden add ons. Fill them with sunscreen, flip flops, bottled water and more. Made in Mexico but shipped world wide. Cancun chic, don't you think?
La Paso Bien

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Cosmic Chic

( Via: Etsy }

Since we all just experienced one of the biggest cosmic events ever, let's keep the party going for another day. After all, the sky is the limit when it comes to our curiosity for fabulous finds and new products. Today's roundup features moonflowers, the sweetest little dress, Sunday Riley skincare and more.

HERE: 13 Out Of This World Finds

Maison Margiela Dancing On The Moon
Eau De Parfum
Don't you just love the name? The Replica line features fantasy fragrances, unlike anything you have now. "Dancing on the Moon illuminates an accord of the mysterious night blossom, moonflower, and the narcotic floral jasmine— a luminous and mineral composition"

Barney's New York 

Universe Bath Bomb
They say that we should always leave a little glitter wherever we go. This bath bomb will turn your bath into a deep, dark blue/purple pool with shimmering gold glitter. I suggest using it in a bathtub you do not have to clean yourself!

KiyiKiyi  

Creative Mary Core Chandelier
Avant-garde and pretty awesome. This light fixture (two are shown here) is really out of this world!
AHAlife 

FORNASETTI

Theme & Variations Plate No. 39

I have long been a fan of this Italian brand. Pretty fabulous isn't it?

Barney's New York

Leather Crescent Moon Celestial Hair Combs

These will never go out of style! I am just a little over the moon about them.

HaKNik at Etsy 

CHANTECAILLE
Poudre Lumiere Sunlight
This Limited Edition highlighter powder will keep the Summer glow going into Fall.
Beautyhabit 

Gold Stars Dress
Mini me glam and ever so celestial chic!
Childrensalon

Diamond Moon Art
A highly finished series of photographs that are available in the size of your choice. 
AHAlife   

Sunday Riley Blue Moon Cleansing Balm
The eclipse may only happen once in a blue moon, but your skincare should be a daily concern. It's a luxurious balm-to-milk, soft blue cleansing cream that effortlessly removes makeup and impurities. This product is without much of the usual bad toxins. 
Nordstrom

Charisma Ring Set

Give her (or yourself) the sun, the moon and the stars. This little set is so much fun with a dose of cosmic chic. 
Bauble Bar 

Packable Visor
Just like yesterday, one should never look at the sun without proper protection. This sale hat gets it done with style, and for less than $10
Free People

Betsey Johnson Moon & Star Earrings
Charming for day or night!
Zappos

C Wonder With Floating Charms
A fun find that will help you remember the time you had at the eclipse of the century. Perfectly priced and presented for gifting.
QVC

{ Via: Vogue }



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