After returning from a recent vacation, the last thing I wanted to do was cook. At the same time, we were tired of eating at restaurants and wanted some homemade comfort food. The day before we left, I received a coupon for a free 8-ounce container of Hillshire Farm deli lunch meat, so it was a no-brainer to whip up some sandwiches.
I scanned the list of available Hillshire Farm deli lunch meat selections and the instant I saw Deli Select Ultra Thin Roast Beef I knew I had to make Roast Beef Manhattan sandwiches. Most people I know refer to these as open faced beef sandwiches, but I stick to the term my mom used. Besides, the name alone makes you feel like you’re eating something special.
What I love about these sandwiches is they are hardy, filling, and comforting. It had been at least a year since I made one because the beef preparation process I’ve used in the past has been rather time-consuming. Years ago, when my husband and I were still in our newlywed phase, I used to make Beef Manhattan sandwiches at least once a month. He was impressed by my cooking skills and said the name reminded him of an old Hollywood movie. We refer to it as our ‘romance’ sandwich.
After becoming a food blogger, I rarely cook any dish more than once or twice a year. I’m always busy trying to come up with something new and have lost sight of my roots. Recently, I’ve found myself returning to family favorites and have developed a new fondness for soups and sandwiches.
Since we had gone to Vegas, the land of wedding chapels, along with the fact we will soon be celebrating our 10 year anniversary, I decided it was time to surprise my travel-weary husband with one of his all-time favorite comfort foods – the Beef Manhattan sandwich served with homemade mashed potatoes topped with brown gravy.
This sandwich took a total of 20 minutes to prepare and that included making homemade mashed potatoes. It could be made even faster using instant potatoes. In the past, this sandwich required a day of standing near the stove. Now, my husband and I can enjoy our ‘romance’ sandwich any time we want.
Hillshire Farm Roast Beef Manhattan Sandwich
Servings: 2
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
2 medium potatoes, skin removed
1 Tablespoon butter
1/4 cup Half-and-Half
2 hoagie rolls
1 (8 oz) container Hillshire Farm Deli Select Ultra Thin Roast Beef
1 (6 oz) jar beef gravy
1 teaspoon dried parsley
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. Cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Place in medium saucepan and cover with water. Over high heat, bring potatoes to boil and cook until fork-tender; about 12 to 14 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice hoagie rolls in half lengthwise. Wrap in foil and place in oven for 5 to 6 minutes.
3. Arrange roast beef slices in large skillet. Heat over medium-low heat; turning slices every 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Drain potatoes in colander and transfer to mixing bowl. Add butter and 1/8 cup of half-and-half. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Using handheld mixer, beat potatoes until creamy; adding remaining half-and-half until desired consistency is achieved.
5. Place hoagie buns on individual plates. Divide roast beef slices equally and arrange on bottom half of bun. Top with mashed potatoes. Place top of hoagie bun over potatoes and cover with gravy. Sprinkle with dried parsley and serve immediately.