This is one of those recipes that I’ve been thinking about all summer long, and finally took time to try out this week. . .yummm! I love my crockpot in the winter for delicious soups, roasts, and simple meals, but in the summertime it’s just as good to keep my heat form overheating by turning the oven on,.
I found the idea for this recipe over at the Big Red Kitchen, and tweaked it a little to fit a meal that our family would enjoy. What I loved is that it was so simple to adapt for everyone, so while my hubby and I enjoyed a spiced up meal, the kids got plain ole’ ham and cheese . . .which made them very happy. I was a little concerned that the bread would get soggy, but only found a few tiny bits that did seem a little more moist, but they still tasted delicious! Here’s how to make it at your house. . .
Slow Cooked Ham & Cheese Melts
adapted from Big Red Kitchen
Ingredients
- 1 large round Artisan Loaf
- provolone or swiss cheese Publix Swiss Cheese on sale $2.99, use
- ham or turkey
- onion slices
- sweet banana peppers (drained well) Mt. Olives Sweet Relish or Pickles BOGO $2.39 at Publix, use
- olive oil
- Italian Seasoning (optional)
- salt and pepper (optional)
- 1/4 cup water (for bottom of slow cooker)
Directions
- Slice bread 11 – 13 times (you will need a very sharp knife for this!) Do not slice completely through the bread, instead leave a small amount unsliced at the bottom of the loaf to keep the sandwiches together.
- Ball up a few pieces of aluminum foil and place in the bottom of the crockpot to keep your bread up off the top of the slow cooker. Add 1/4 cup water to the bottom of the slow cooker.
- On countertop, layer cheese and slices of ham or turkey, then add banana peppers and onion slices. Sprinkle with Italian Seasoning and salt and pepper.
- Place each layer in between two slices of bread. (Be sure to drain the banana peppers so that they don’t make the bread soggy.)
- Wrap tightly in aluminum foil and cook for 2-4 hours on low. (We baked ours for about 4 hours and they were perfect!)
- Remove from foil and slice into sandwiches.
- Drizzle olive oil or add a little mayo to the inside of each sandwich if you’d like, and enjoy!
A big thanks to Big Red Kitchen for the wonderful recipe idea! Visit I Heart Publix for more coupon matchups, and check out $5 Dinner Mom for more bargain meal deals! If you need a little more menu inspiration, go HERE.
In a cooking class in California, learned to do something similar for the grill. Using a loaf of Italian bread, slice it as described in your blog post, not all the way through, and cover the sides of the bread with a spread you make from butter, garlic, and a dash of hot sauce, then stuff your favorite shredded cheese or cheese slice between the pieces. Wrap in foil or parchment paper (I prefer parchment paper) and throw on the grill.
That sounds absolutely fantastic Penny – what a wonderful idea! We may have to try that next … I think my hubby would have enjoyed the extra garlic and butter too!