A meatball club, packed with raspberries and red bell pepper strips

I don’t know why the traditional club sandwich is such a special thing, but there is something about a triple-decker sandwich with that extra piece of toast in the middle that just seems so darned novel.  I’m not much of a sandwich girl myself, but there are certain times when, for me, nothing but a turkey club will do.  Just recently, it struck me that there’s no reason that the same old turkey-bacon combo has to be the only way to make one of these triple-stacked suckers.  So I dug around in the fridge and found the perfect answer.

Leftover mini-meatballs — without sauce, of course — make a sort of cross between a club sandwich and a burger when you layer them on toast with the requisite sliced tomatoes and crunchy romaine lettuce leaves.  It’s a big, substantial sandwich, perfect for bigger kids and teens, or for little ones like P. who appear to be preparing for a career in competitive eating.  The best part is that, when you stick them in a sandwich with fresh veggies, cold meatballs go from being boring to being something really special.

Meatball Club Sandwiches

6 miniature meatballs (of course you could also use 3 regular-sized meatballs)
2 slices fresh tomato
Romaine lettuce leaves
3 slices whole-wheat toast

Cut the meatballs in half to help them lay flat on the sandwich.  On top of one piece of bread, layer some lettuce leaves and the sliced tomato.  Sprinkle the tomato with a little salt and pepper.  Add a second piece of toast, then more lettuce, then the meatball halves, and the final piece of toast.  If your kids like mayonai