They say you can always talk about the weather when chatting with strangers because it’s the one thing we all have in common. But you know what else is a great universal topic of conversation? Three things: bread, cheese and bacon.

It would be useful for parties in situations where you’re talking to a stranger and you’ve run out of things to say. Just pick up a piece of bread at the appetizer table and say something like, “Man, if there’s one thing I can’t live without, it’s some good bread and cheese.” I can only imagine their eyes will light up in agreement and they might even say, “And bacon!” Then you will be friends for life! Unless of course the person is vegan, allergic or obviously lame.

This Brie, Bacon & Chicken Sandwich combines the three things that most people love to eat. Grilled onions are added as the veggie ingredient but I sauté them shamelessly in bacon fat. The flavors from the meat and onions are cooked together in a cast-iron skillet which then doubles as my makeshift panini press. Once I place my assembled sandwiches on the grill, I smoosh them with the weight of the skillet on top. The brie slowly melts and melds with the other ingredients, while the bread gets hot and toasty. If I’m lucky, some of the brie will ooze out onto the grill and I’ll have some crispy cheese bits attached to the bun. It’s the best part.

And speaking of parties, this would be great party food. Just slice it into small pieces and you’ve got an instant appetizer.

Brie, Bacon & Chicken Sandwich
Serves 2

2 ounces brie cheese
2-3 ounces chicken breast or tenders
3 slices smoked bacon
1/2 onion
baguette, halved and sliced into 2 sandwich portions

1. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Slice bacon into approximately 2-inch pieces and cook in skillet until crispy.
3. Meanwhile, slice onions and cut chicken breast/tenders into small bite-size pieces.
4. When the bacon is crispy, place them on a towel-lined plate and set aside.
5. Remove excess bacon fat in skillet. Lower heat to medium and sauté onions.
6. Add chicken pieces and cook until no longer pink and the onions have softened. Set-aside.
Now you’re ready to assemble the sandwich!
7. Heat a griddle over medium-high heat.
8. Place brie pieces, bacon, chicken and onions on bottom half of each baguette. Put the top half on and set both sandwiches on griddle.
9. With an oven mitt, take the cast-iron skillet (careful, it’s hot!) and place it on top of sandwiches.
10. Once the cheese is melting and the bottom is toasted, remove skillet and gently flip the sandwiches over to toast the other side. Again, place skillet on top.
11. The sandwich is ready when both sides are hot and toasty.

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“The bacon jam is coming today, I know it! It should only take two days to arrive from Seattle. I thought I saw the mail truck in front of the building but there’s no package at the front door? Have you checked the mail? Did you see a note outside our mailbox?”

I was like an excited puppy waiting anxiously for a doggy treat the day that my jar of Bacon Jam from Skillet Street Food was supposed to be delivered. I had everything planned out days in advance. All the ingredients for the hamburger were ready for dinner and I just needed was for the star of the show to arrive. To my relief (and my boyfriend’s), it finally showed up. Phew!

My fascination with bacon jam began when I read about it at Matt Bites. He jokingly wrote that it conjured up memories of “a full on addiction to crack cocaine”. The jam is made of quality bacon that is rendered down, mixed with onions and spices then simmered for 6 hours. Immediately after I read his post, with my mouth watering from all the imagery, I ordered a jar.

As I was getting the hamburgers ready, I snuck a taste of the jam and was struck by how sweet it was. It sort of reminded of Honey Baked Ham. I slathered it on the buns and took a bite of my burger piled with mozzarella cheese and arugula. Meh. It was a little too sweet for me but I was still intrigued. What else could I do with this jam?

A few days later, I spread it on a couple pieces of toast, scrambled some eggs and made a breakfast sandwich. It turned out to be much better than the burger because the eggs seemed to  tone down the sweetness of the bacon jam. But I wasn’t satisfied. What else? Where else do I like bacon? Aha! Bacon Fried Rice!

My idea was to take a basic fried rice recipe and mix in spoonfuls of bacon jam. Now I hope I’m not committing a culinary crime here, but the soy sauce combined with the jam totally worked! You know when you get those late-night cravings for something hearty, sweet and salty? You know what I’m talking about – burgers & milkshakes, pancakes & eggs, fried chicken & waffles? Well, you can add Skillet Bacon Jam Fried Rice to your list of fourth meals. I can’t think of anything better in the AM than a bowl full of carbs with sprinkles of sweet bacon. Ridiculous and indulgent? Oh yes.

Skillet Bacon Jam Fried Rice
4 cups of yesterday’s leftover white rice
2 eggs
2 tablespoons Skillet Bacon Jam
3 tablespoons chopped carrots
3 tablespoons chopped green onions
2-1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1. Heat oil in a wok or skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add in carrots and cook for about a minute. Then add green onions and cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds.
3. Crack eggs into pan and quickly stir it around with your spatula until scrambled.
4. Add in rice and toss it all together. Once combined, spread the rice out in the pan and let it heat up for 1-2 minutes.
5. Drop in Skillet Bacon Jam and stir.
6. Drizzle soy sauce all around the rice and mix until it is evenly distributed.
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the fried rice sit for a bit until it’s nice and hot! Serve.

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Why is it a manly sandwich you ask? Only because I stumbled upon the recipe in Esquire magazine’s website flanked between a picture of some half-naked woman and Scarlett Johansson giving me a come hither look. Maybe it’s another one of those subliminal messages telling you that this sandwich will attract the ladies. You could say it worked because that sandwich sure got me! Oh, that was bad.

I had one piece of rib-eye steak in the freezer and I was in one of those moods where the idea of eating it plain just felt… too meaty. But for some reason a steak sandwich sounded less heavy and more like a well-rounded meal. A quick Google search led me to Lee Hefter’s steak sandwich and as the executive chef at Cut steakhouse, I figured the man must know how to do it right. It’s also one of his favorite sandwiches so of course I had to try it out for myself.

I know it's hip to be medium rare but I like mine medium.

Surprisingly, Chef Hefter’s recipe isn’t overly gourmet or complicated at all especially when one of the ingredients is good old A1 steak sauce. It sounded strange at first but it created a pretty impressive glaze when I poured it over the sautéed mushrooms and onions. Who knew A1 had so much potential?

There are a lot of components involved that I even omitted a couple of ingredients from the original recipe but once that sandwich is assembled, I promise it will be worth it! There are so many great flavors and textures going on in there. You get a nice crunch from the toasted bread combined with the gooey cheese and a kick from the garlic spread. The steak is juicy and flavorful and blends well with the bitterness from the arugula and with lots of tart from the vinaigrette and A1 sauce. It’s delicious and messy to eat! Kind of like those Carl’s Jr. commercials with scantily clad celebrity girls eating burgers all weird.

I suddenly feel like part of the boys now that I’ve made a sandwich from Esquire magazine under the category “Recipes for Men”. I will have to pair it with one of my favorite beers while I relax on the couch so I can feel all macho. Now where is that remote woman! I have to get my ESPN on.

Manly Steak Sandwich
Adapted from Lee Hefter’s Steak Sandwich via Esquire
Serves 2

6-8 oz. rib-eye steak
1/4 cup onions, sliced into half moons
1/2 cup sliced white mushrooms
1 Tbsp steak sauce (like A1)
French roll, cut into 2 sandwich portions and split horizontally
Garlic mayonnaise (see below)
2 slices Vermont white cheddar (about 2 oz)
Arugula, dressed with balsamic vinaigrette
Unsalted butter

1. Cook steak using your preferred method. Since I don’t have an outdoor grill, I use Alton Brown’s recipe and it works great! (Open the windows. There will be a lot of smoke.)
2. For the garlic mayonnaise: peel 1 garlic clove and mince. Combine with 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise. Set aside.
3. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter on a skillet over medium heat until slightly brown.
4. Saute onions until softened, about 2 minutes.
5. Add mushrooms until cooked through, about 2 minutes.
6. Pour in 1 tablespoon of steak sauce into skillet – I use A1 sauce. Let it simmer to a glaze and coats the onions and mushrooms nicely. Season with salt and pepper.
7. As you are sauteing the vegetables, butter both sides of bread and lightly toast in an oven or grill pan.
8. Once the steak has finished resting and the vegetables are cooked, spread garlic mayonnaise and then the cheese on bottom sides of toasted bread.
9. Place bottom sides of bread on foil-covered pan and broil in the oven until cheese is melted.
10. Meanwhile, slice steak thinly and toss arugula with a touch of balsamic vinaigrette.
11. Assembly: Place steak slices on top of melted cheese. Top with glazed onions and mushrooms and dressed arugula.

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