By Jacob Mathias

Hello, fellow eaters. I have a great solution this week for leftovers.  

Nothing makes me sadder than eating the unsavory remains of a previous day’s delicious meal.

Unfortunately portion control is not a really my thing- I learned how to cook for large groups when I was young, and today I typically up with enough leftovers to feed most of my neighbors.

But eating leftovers for lunch the next day can kill productivity, so today we’re working some items together which makes for a fantastic reheated sandwich.

The sausage and broccolini grilled sandwich made today makes a great leftover. It won’t become soggy in the refrigerator overnight, it reheats well in a microwave (or better yet, a toaster oven) and it’s mighty tasty.

You will need:

4 hoagie buns
1 lb. bulk Italian sausage formed into bun length patties
1 lb. broccolini, rapini, or broccoli rabe.
Olive Oil
Red chili flakes
8 slices mozzarella cheese
Salt and Pepper

On a griddle or frying pan, cook the sausage patties on both sides until cooked through. Remove from pan and set on paper towels to drain.

Add the broccolini to the pan with a little olive oil and season with salt, pepper and chili flakes. Cook the broccolini for about 5 minutes, until it starts to soften and brown a little on the edges.  Remove from pan.

Next, build your sandwiches. Start by placing two slices of mozzarella cheese on the bottom bun; top with the sausage followed by the broccolini. Close the sandwich and brush top and bottom buns with some olive oil.

Place sandwiches on a medium hot skillet, griddle or panini press and place weight on top of sandwich. You can use another pan, or even a brick as a press.

Grill sandwiches for about 3 minutes on each side, or 5 minutes total if you have an actual panini press.

This is a pretty rich sandwich so I would serve it with a side salad or vegetable with a vinegar dressing. It also goes really well with a light beer. Save the extras for lunch the next day, and remember, Live to Eat!