@Cerberus I have no idea how many entries they get, but I have not been overwhelmed with the creativity of the winners. This is last year's winner: makethatsandwich.com/2013-winners/grand-prize-winner.htm

Note: she used 6 Mezzetta products, I may actually end up retaking that picture so the jalapenos can be seen. Jalapenos are my 5th Mezzetta product. I'm racking my brains for a 6th that wouldn't seem like it was added for that reason.

@Jolenealaska Happy birthday again :=)

TY again :)

How is that sandwich orgy going?

Pretty good. I think I've decided just this minute to make the Mexican one again to improve the picture.

@Jolenealaska Is it just about pictures, or they are going to really taste the beast?

@Jolenealaska I like your sandwiches much better.

They'll make the ones they're interested in, so a really, really good looking picture can only help.

Is it your birthday!!

Happy birthday!!

Thank you! I'm 47 today. Damn!

@Jolenealaska One of my kids is a photographer and she worked quite a lot doing food photos. There are soooo many dirty tricks

@Cerberus Honestly, so do I. I'm almost done writing up the recipe, I'll post it in time to get feedback on that too.

Yep :) All of the good recipes (not just the winners) get added to to the website. Those are all professionally shot.

Yay!

@Cerberus I'm doing the Greek one tonight. Did you read my brilliant idea?

Mm no?

Tzatsiki on the rocks?

Haha.

feta pop-corn?

Retsina cider!

I'm doing a Greek meatball sandwich on a pita with all of the Greek salad stuff- kalamatas, pepperoncinis, tomatoes...Mezzetta makes a feta artichoke spread that I'll use as dressing...

Sounds good.

So you are sending in multiple entries?

But here's the twist. I'm making a vegetarian version making Felafel with oregano, garlic and lemon to replace the meatballs.

I have a good recipe for felafel made with a can of chickpeas

You're making me hungry.

@Jolenealaska southamericanfood.about.com/od/snacksstreetfood/r/Faina.htm

Yep. Definitely those 2 (3 if you count the veggie as 2 sandwiches)

@Jolenealaska you can bake garbanzos and make "almost" bread

Sounds fun, but not something I'll be able to perfect by Monday.

Once I have those completely done (even entered) if I still have time I'm going to work on a play on a Chinese pork bun.

@Jolenealaska Probably not,but it's worth a try some day after. Just add onions and grated cheese

Yep, I'm always up for trying something new.

@Jolenealaska fried or baked?

I'm not sure yet. I'm going to do it both ways tonight and decide which I like better. I might write up the recipe giving both options (both for the felafel and the meatballs)

The contest sponsor is the brand Mezzetta, I have to use at least 2 of their products. They like clever names. The sandwich is actually a torta: google.com/…

So I'm calling it Torta de Mezzico

Hah, they will like that.

I think so to :)

@Jolenealaska Mezzeta is the name of one of the best pizza shops here :)

Where's here?

@Jolenealaska Buenos Aires

Pure genius

Hmmm...I wonder if it stems from the same family. The products (they're out of the Napa Valley here) are the best of every kind of thing they do. As in they do the best jalapenos, the best kalamatas, the best roasted peppers...

@Jolenealaska I'm getting hungry :)

They use the same jars for just about everything, and they're convenient. I'm drinking my iced coffee out of one right now. They're great for storing leftovers and giving stuff away without worrying about getting my container back. I should gather up my whole collection, stack then up, and use them as a backdrop to my pictures :)

Actually, I think I will! I won't use the lids, that would make it noisy, but the jars are distinctive...They'll recognize them once they notice it.

@Jolenealaska Sounds like a good idea. Clean jars, an advertisement for those already in

more a wink than an advertisement

I'm going to try it right now! The sandwich is exactly where I left it, covered with a big bowl. It won't be photogenic anymore, but it'll show me how these jars look. BRB

ok!

I think it works!

@Jolenealaska Is there a way to catch the whole jars?

If you look carefully, you can see the word Mezzetta along the bottom of the jars.

@ElendilTheTall might be able to bring it out a bit more.

@Jolenealaska Yep. Sorry, I never saw one of their jars before

The thing that's cool is that it is sooo subtle, but the judges will see it :)

I would change the plate color to something like pale yellow

so the plate isn't the most prominent color in the picture

Hey I just made a Brussels sprout salad with olive oil and nanami togarashi. It's great!

The best I'll be able to to is my normal dinner plate, off-white with a blue border or an all white salad plate.

I've just started using that stuff. I love it.

I'd better take advantage of the daylight and get some pictures taken. Cya Later!

@Jolenealaska The problem with the white plate is that the bread crumb is going tolose attraction. Leave the red one then

@Jolenealaska See you!

I'll play around with it.

CYA

New, hopefully improved photos:

Whaddya think?

OK guys, help me pick! (it's going to be one of those, I'm not taking any more pictures of that sandwich. I'm sick of that sandwich! (I fed it to the neighbor's dog)

@Jolenealaska So many good photo's! I'd pick this one.

@Jolenealaska Or this one.

@Jolenealaska That is hilarious. You might not want to put it on your application form.

Heeheee

It's not that it's not a great sandwich :) It's just that it's been all consuming for 3 days!

I think I ended up making it 6 times.

The Greek one will be easier. Once I've got the meatballs and the falafel right, there's nothing left to screw up.

@Sourd'oh Are you reading me?

Hey, I'm here!

@Jolenealaska that is.

Hi sweetie!

how goes it?

Good really, I just wanted to point out the chiles were born in the New World thing, and to let you know that you can still wish me happy birthday (it's an international site) so a few hours mean little.

:)

Haha, happy birthday!

And I know that chilis are a new world thing :)

I think that green chilis would probably work great for that recipe, and be muuuuch easier to find.

I'm just a B-day whore...I can only use it once a year! Good day sweetie!

@jolenealaska if you can post the ones you've chosen I will spruce them up in Photoshop for you

I did laser clay pigeon shooting today, first time ever. Evidently I was channeling you, because I hit 57 out of 60 :)

@Jolenealaska I wanted to clarify my comment but didn't want us to have an ongoing discussion. Re the 'New World' refernence, you are totally correct about the origin of chilies. I was trying to convey something different. Sorry for any misunderstanding.

BTW, this is my first time logging in to chat. So, Happy Birthday! Best wishes!