Hearty Tail-Gating French Bread Sandwich Melts Recipe

Categories: Recipes


Sinkology is proud to present Emily Schuermann, our food-loving guest blogger who runs Food for a Year. Emily is here to share some recipes she has created exclusively for the Sinkology blog that reflect her view of a copper sink: simple, timeless, affordable, and beautifully rustic.

It’s hard to believe football season is already here! But summer is almost over and kids are back in school & that can only mean one thing :: Football. I don’t know about you, but for me – living in a college town means we experience 5 seasons in a year :: Spring, Summer, Football, Fall & Winter. Really.



Ingredients on a striped cloth: cream cheese, shredded cheese, mayonnaise, chopped onions, seasoning, and a loaf of bread.


Our weekly schedule changes, our grocery store trips change, we plan birthday parties and weddings — all to accommodate home and away games. On top of all of those adjustments – the types of food we eat & serve changes as well. Yes, that’s what life looks like when living in a small town occupied my a big university (Boomer!)



A bowl containing shredded cheese, chopped onions, cream cheese, and seasoning, with a spoon inside. A bowl of mayonnaise is visible in the background on a striped cloth.
A bowl of mixed cheese, onions, cream cheese, and mayonnaise.
A loaf of bread next to bowls containing cheese mixture over chopped meats and sliced peppers.


The trick with game day food is to keep it yummy ((meaning more than slightly indulgent)) and warm all the while managing to watch the entire game. And with many recipes, that is a nearly impossible trick to pull off. But, these French bread sandwich melts check off every single one of the “game day recipe” requirements effortlessly.

So, let’s talk details.

Start off with a loaf of fresh French bread. My local supermarket sells loaves for just $1, making this recipe affordable as well! In addition, you’ll need shredded Monterey Jack cheese, mayo, cream cheese, ½ cup of finely diced onion, and a few dashes of steak seasoning.

From here, select your toppings – as you can imagine, the combinations are limitless, but I’ll share with you my two favorites:

  1. Spicy Veggie  
  2. Ham & Salami

Other topping possibilities include:

  • Supreme (loaded with all your favorite meats & veggies)
  • Cheesy Taco (with taco meat and all of the fixin’s)
  • Chicken & Sun-dried Tomato (rotisserie chicken is the key for this one)
  • Pepperoni (a classic crowd-pleaser)
  • Hawaiian (pineapple & Canadian bacon are a match made in heaven)
  • Cheeseburger (pickles, ketchup, mustard & all)

I could keep going!



A loaf of bread next to bowls of chopped meats and sliced peppers.


Once you select & chop your toppings you are minutes away from getting these sandwich melts into the oven.

First, slice the bread in half horizontally and set it aside. Then, in a large mixing bowl, combine the cheeses, mayo, onions, and seasoning. Then, select your add-ons, mix them into the cheese mixture, and spread it evenly across the sliced sides of the French bread.



A loaf of bread on a baking sheet next to bowls of mixed cheese, meats, and peppers.
Bread topped with a mixture of cheese, mayonnaise, and chopped meats on a baking sheet.
Bread topped with a mixture of cheese, mayonnaise, chopped peppers, and onions on a baking sheet.


Toast in a 400° oven for 25 minutes until the cheese is melted & bubbly and the top is golden brown in color.



Two baked breads topped with melted cheese, meats, and peppers.


Slices of bread topped with melted cheese and chopped meats, with two drinks in the background.


You can either serve these sandwiches immediately or put the top and bottom back together, wrap in foil and head to your tailgate party. Slice and serve – it can’t get much easier. (And certainly can’t be more delicious!!)



Slices of bread topped with melted cheese, peppers, and olives, with two drinks in the background.


Hoping your team wins all of their games – unless they are playing against my team! Aren’t you ready for some football?!

Hearty Tail-Gating French Bread Sandwich Melts

Serves 10

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

25 min

Ingredients

  1. 1 loaf French bread
  2. 1 c mayonnaise
  3. 1 lb Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
  4. ½ c white onion, finely diced
  5. 2 t steak seasoning blend

Spicy Veggie Melts

  1. 4-5 sweet & spicy pickled red peppers, chopped
  2. ½ c pepperoncini peppers, sliced & chopped
  3. 6 jumbo green olives (mine were stuffed with jalapeño and pickled garlic)

Ham & Salami

  1. 1½ c thick sliced deli ham, chopped (2-3 slices)
  2. 1½ c salami lunch meat, chopped (approximately 10 slices)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°.
  2. Slice the bread in half horizontally and set it aside. Next, in a large mixing bowl, combine the cheeses, mayo, onions, and seasoning. Then, select your add-ons, mix them into the cheese mixture, and spread it evenly across the sliced sides of the French bread..
  3. Line two baking sheets with foil and spray with non-stick coating. Next, place the cheese-topped bread, cheese side up, on the lined baking sheets and put them into the oven. Toast for 25 minutes until the cheese is melted & bubbly and the top is golden brown in color.
  4. You can either serve these sandwiches immediately or put the top and bottom back together, wrap in foil and head to your tailgate party. Slice and serve – it can’t get much easier. (And certainly can’t be more delicious!!)



You Might Also Like:

Holiday Ham & Cheese Party Sandwiches Recipe

Oven Roasted Lemony Shrimp Recipe: Day 2 – 5 Simple Party Foods in 5 Days

Open-Faced Toasted Reuben Sandwich Melts

Ham and Cheese Stuffed Pretzel Rolls Recipe


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