Trying to think of fun things to make with our Easter ham leftovers, my mind kept playing an ear worm from Dr. Seuss’s homage to picky eaters, Green Eggs and Ham.
I do not like them Sam-I-am. I do not like green eggs and ham.
You can’t blame Sam-I-Am’s friend. The forest green ham and eggs in the book don’t look entirely appetizing.
But what if we added one letter and a couple commas to the dish? So instead of “green eggs and ham” we have “greens, eggs, and ham”?
This is a combination that anyone could love, especially in a grilled cheese sandwich with Gruyere.
We just layer slices of ham, a fried egg, some Gruyere cheese, and for greens, baby spinach leaves between two slices of rye bread. Grill them up with a little butter, and presto!
Greens, eggs, and ham grilled cheese sandwich.
Say!
I like greens, eggs, and ham!
I do!! I like them, Sam-I-am!
And I would eat them in a boat!
And I would eat them with a goat…
And I will eat them in the rain.
And in the dark. And on a train.
And in a car. And in a tree.
They are so good so good you see!SAVE ITPRINT
Greens, Eggs, and Ham, Grilled Cheese Sandwich
PREP TIME5 minsCOOK TIME10 minsTOTAL TIME15 minsSERVING1 sandwich
Ingredients
- Butter
- 1 egg
- 2 slices rye bread
- Enough sliced ham to form a 1/4-inch layer to cover a slice of rye bread
- Small handful of baby spinach (or sliced young chard)
- A few slices of gruyere cheese
Method
- Fry the egg:Heat a couple teaspoons of butter in a small stick-free pan on medium heat. When the pan is hot and the butter foamy, crack the egg into the pan.Cook the egg until the whites are cooked and it is still somewhat runny in the yolk (or not runny at all if that’s what you prefer), and remove the egg from the pan to a plate and set aside.
- Fry one side of buttered slice of bread:Heat a cast iron pan or griddle on medium high heat. Spread some butter on one side of one slice of rye bread. Place the slice butter side down on the pan.
- Add layers of ham, spinach, egg, cheese:Add a layer of ham to the bread. Add a layer of spinach to the ham. Place the egg on the spinach. Top with a layer of cheese and finally the second slice of rye bread.
- Butter top slice of bread and flip over:Spread some butter over the top of the top slice of bread. When the bottom slice is nicely toasted, use a metal spatula to carefully flip the sandwich over to the other side. You may need to use your hands to help the flip happen without everything spilling out. If the ingredients do spill out a bit, just gently edge them back in.
- Cook until bread is toasty and cheese is melty:Press down with a spatula to help get the heat to the cheese. Cook until toasted on this second side. Remove from pan, cut in half, and eat!
Links:
Dr. Seuss Green Eggs and Ham – the video
Green Eggs and Ham (I Can Read It All by Myself Beginner Books) – the book
Picky eater in your world? Check out Stephanie Lucianovic’s Suffering Succotash: A Picky Eater’s Quest to Understand Why We Hate the Foods We Hate
