Turkey sandwich with candied bacon and caramelized onion

So I’m not typically a sandwich for dinner kind of girl. But then there are some sandwiches that really belong in a category all by themselves… and this would be that sandwich. I cannot take the credit for this one though – this one is all the hubby. He is the chef of the family, after all. He first made this for me almost three years ago when Atlanta had a snow/ice storm and we were “iced in” for a couple of days. It definitely made being stuck indoors a little more bearable.

When I decided to make soup yesterday, I had to propose it to the hubs with something else. You see, Blake doesn’t do just soup.  He’ll do quiche but not soup, go figure. So when I told him I was going to make soup, I quickly followed with… and I’ll make your yummy turkey sandwich to go along with it…. and of course this was okay.

This sandwich requires some significant prep – caramelizing onions, baking bacon and mixing up spicy mayo. Nothing too complicated, but it will take 45 minutes.  But those 45 minutes are pretty enjoyable. I think I may have stated in a previous post that pot roast is one of the best cooking smells to fill a house. I stand corrected. Caramelized onion on the stove married with brown sugar and bacon in the oven is the best smell. Ever.

Hungry yet?

Turkey Sandwich with Candied Bacon and Caramelized Onion

What’s in this sandwich:

Deli turkey meat
Fontina cheese, sliced
Candied bacon
Caramelized onion
Spinach
Spicy Mayo
Bakery buns

Here’s how to prep it:

Caramelized Onions

2 large sweet onions, sliced then cut in thirds (picture below)
1 tbsp butter
Salt

1.) In saucepan over medium heat, add onions, butter and salt.
2.) Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions turn a golden color. If they start sticking to the bottom, add a little water and keep stirring. This  will take 30 to 45 minutes.

It took 45 for me… below is the a picture every 15 minutes to show the progress.

Candied Bacon

8 slices of bacon
1/4 cup brown sugar, sprinkled evenly on top of each slice of bacon

1.) Preheat oven to 350. Place bacon on a foil lined cookie sheet or casserole dish. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until bacon starts to get a little crispy.
2.) Place cooked bacon on wax or parchment paper – not paper towels (it will stick!)

Spicy Mayo

1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp sriracha sauce (or more or less to taste)

Here’s how to stack it… from the bottom up:

Bun
Spicy mayo
Turkey
Fontina cheese
Caramelized onion
Candied bacon
Spinach
Spicy mayo
Bun

The hot onions melt the cheese – very important.

Enjoy!