December is here and Christmas is coming up fast, so I thought I would make a little something to get us all into the holiday spirit. Because nothing says “Christmas” to me more than ground bologna on an English muffin!
This is Christmas Sandwich!
AuthorRetroRuth
From Christmas Recipes from Consumer's Power, 1972
Tested Recipe!
[cooked-sharing]
Combine the first 7 ingredients and spread on buns. Place on broiler rack and broil about 4 inches from heat until lightly browned, about 6 minutes (*Ruth's note: Mine took 3 mins). Garnish with cutouts of cranberry jelly.
Slice canned cranberry jelly into ½ inch thick slices. Use small cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes.
Sandwiches may be arranged around the rim of a large plate and decorated with a green bow to resemble a wreath.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine the first 7 ingredients and spread on buns. Place on broiler rack and broil about 4 inches from heat until lightly browned, about 6 minutes (*Ruth's note: Mine took 3 mins). Garnish with cutouts of cranberry jelly.
Slice canned cranberry jelly into ½ inch thick slices. Use small cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes.
Sandwiches may be arranged around the rim of a large plate and decorated with a green bow to resemble a wreath.
Notes
Of course, I chose the bologna over the ham. Ham would have been a bit more Christmas-y, but since I already know what ham salad tastes like I decided to skip it. I was interested in seeing what “bologna salad” would taste like.
And I wanted to see if it felt more or less festive eating bologna rather than ham.
And this is the part that was the biggest pain in the butt. Do you know how long I had to dig through my cabinets to find appropriate-sized cookie cutters? But at least it gave me time to think about the sandwich. I mean, really think about it. Things like: Is it supposed to be party food, like an appetizer? It is something you are supposed to feed your family while they are waiting for Christmas dinner? Is it supposed to be a Christmas Eve snack?
Or is this supposed to be an After Christmas sandwich, to use up leftovers?
In the end, I didn’t come up with any answers, but I came out with some pretty okay cranberry shapes.
I forgot to take a shot of the pre-broiled sandwiches due to a hungry toddler running around my legs and begging for food, but this shot of what was left in the bowl should give you a pretty good idea of what they looked like.
So, like dog food on a bun.
All finished! What do you think? Festive?
Okay, maybe if you cut the cranberry sauce smaller so the sandwiches look like ornaments and then put them in the shape of a wreath on a large plate they might look like holiday-appropriate food.
Maybe.
They kinda just look like pizza with a star on it to me.
Merry Christmas, Tom! Have a pizza star!
“How are they?”
“Sweet.”
“Are they bad?”
“Not bad, just sweet.”
The Verdict: Not Bad
From The Tasting Notes –
The filling on these was surprisingly edible, especially if you like everything you eat to taste like sugar. The best part was actually the broiled English muffin, and since the base was good the rest of this could probably be saved with some tweaks. To make this less sweet, I would suggest using ham instead of bologna, mustard instead of ketchup, mayo instead of Miracle Whip and cranberry relish instead of cranberry sauce.
we use ground hot dogs in our family
Joanna – Does your family make this sandwich for Christmas? Or do you just make it any time of the year? I am just interested to find out! 🙂
I will always remember my grandmother announcing she was going to make her ‘”big bologna sandwiches”. It was quite a production..going to the deli for a hunk of “big bologna”, grinding the meat in her grinder, then adding lord only knows what else. I’m pretty sure it was mayo and relish. We kids loved those sandwiches. Now just thinking about them make my arteries hurt!
So, they are Elf-appropriate Christmas sandwiches? “Candy’s my favorite!”
I love that you try these things but more that Tom will play along and eat them. Chris wouldn’t touch this! =( I too love vintage cookbooks and have a ton. My recent additions are Vol 1 and 2 (complete) Cooking Magic Fabulous Foods Step-by-Step Cookbooks by Culinary Arts Institute. Excited…
Just when I think the food is getting normal, gelatin on a recycled-meat sandwich.
Why is it that I love the term “bologna salad” so much?
I don’t think I’ve ever seen Tom quite so…puzzled…before. He looks terribly, terribly confused.
I think you’re right about substituting mayonnaise for salad dressing. I think it broils better, too.
I LOVE that you guys TRY these wacky recipes. Tom’s expressions are the best part. I always anticipate scrolling down for the “wait for it, ,,,,” Tom’s reaction!
Keep up the good work!
Reading about the recipe reminded me of a recipe my dear Gramma used to make when I was little (b.1965). We would arrive at her house in Ohio, having travelled from Florida and ALWAYS there would be an oval dutch oven in the oven filled with “chicken sandwiches”.
The recipe here reminded me of it a bit as the chicken was ground up and I’m inclined to believe there may have been relish in it. Dad says they were made with the previous nights roasted chicken and the “drippings” ground into it.
She put bottom bun in dutch oven, topped it with the chicken mixture, added top bun, Covered with dutch oven lid and put in oven.
The rolls would crisp up . SOOOOOOOOOOO amazingly good.
I’d love to know if anyone has such a recipe to share. Like a fool, i did not get it from Gramma before she died. Not sure if my Dad is remembering right either.
That sounds really good, Alexandra. I would just wing it—dollars to donuts Gramma didn’t have a recipe. Keep us posted, please!
Have you ever bought canned deviled ham? Your picture of ground bologna reminded me of that product. Remembering how much I liked it as a child, I bought some a couple of years ago and it didn’t measure up to my childhood memory.