Grilled Ham and Gouda Sandwich with Leftover Easter Veggies

Place a large skillet or griddle pan over low heat. Lay out the slices of bread on a work surface and spread a thin layer of mayonnaise over each one. Flip each slice over and spread a thin layer of red pepper jelly over each one. Build the sandwiches by dividing the ham and Gouda among four of the slices and closing them so that the mayonnaise is on the outside.

Place the sandwiches in the skillet and cook, turning once, until golden brown and heated through.

While the sandwiches are toasting, in a large bowl whisk together the lemon juice , preserves, dill, olive oil and some salt and pepper. Toss the green vegetables with the dressing and reserve. Cut the sandwiches on a bias and serve warm along with the vegetable salad.

Notes Cook's Notes: Be sure to keep the heat nice and low! Haunted forevermore by the " blackened outside, ice-cold inside" grilled cheeses of my youth (sorry, babysitters: you nailed lots of things, but grilled cheese was not one of them), I've learned that patience is key to a successful sammie. Slow and steady wins the race.

AWESOME TIP: One of my favorite grilled cheese tricks - passed on to me by the great and fabulous Paula Deen - is to spread the outside of your bread with mayonnaise when making a grilled sandwich. As she explained, lots of people put butter in the pan and then cook the sandwich in the butter . This is awesome for the first side because it soaks up all the butter, but that means that the flip side is dry and burns. And that's gross. When you use this trick, both sides of the sandwich get equal opportunity to have a beautiful, toasty, golden-brown crust .