Free Recipe Wednesday! (Monte Cristo Poppers)

Welcome everyone to another Free Recipe Wednesday. I hope everyone is ready for the upcoming holiday and has done all of their shopping already. Today I bring you a recipe that would be a nice little treat for holiday dinner, maybe as a pre-dinner appetizer. These are bite-sized appetizer versions of the classic Monte Cristo Sandwich, which should be a hit at any holiday gathering. A Monte Cristo Sandwich, for those who might be unaware, is basically a ham and cheese sandwich that has been dipped in batter and deep fried. It’s then dusted with powdered sugar and served with jelly. I believe the cheese originally served on Monte Cristo Sandwiches was Emmental or Gruyere but most of the time when I find them in restaurants or diners they’re made with Swiss cheese. You could also use different types of meat if you were so inclined and this recipe actually uses two different kinds. Now of course these are most certainly not the healthiest thing in the world but they’re definitely delicious. Give these a try and let me know how they went over at your holiday dinner in the comments below.

Monte Cristo Poppers

• 1 qt Oil, or as needed
• 2/3 cup Water
• 1 Egg
• 2/3 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1 3/4 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 8 slices White Bread
• 4 slices Swiss Cheese
• 4 slices Turkey
• 4 slices Ham
• 1/8 tsp Ground Black Pepper
• 1 Tbsp Powdered Sugar, for dusting
• Jelly, for dipping

1. Heat 5 inches of oil in a deep-fryer or deep pan to 365 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and water.
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper and then whisk into the egg mixture until a smooth batter forms; set aside in the refrigerator.
4. Remove the crust from the slices of bread and gently flatten them with a rolling pin or heavy plate.
5. Assemble sandwiches with a slice of turkey, a slice of cheese, and then a slice of ham; cut sandwiches into quarters, and secure with toothpicks.
6. Dip each sandwich quarter into the batter making sure that all sides are coated and gently drop them into the hot oil; fry until golden brown on all sides.
7. Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain.
8. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving; serve with jelly on the side.