Open-face ham & cheese melts topped with fresh pineapple salsa, crispy bacon, and jalapeños. It’s ham and cheese… with a kick!
I’m not exactly sure how it happened, or why it happened, or when it happened….but somewhere along the line, we became water park people. And by water park people, I mean that we started frequenting them on breaks and getaways and every chance we got. In fact, we just came back from a 2-day stay at one to kick off the girls’ spring break week!
Water parks are interesting places, especially in Wisconsin. Because in Wisconsin, it’s too cold 9 months out of the year to actually swim outdoors…..so that great outdoor section that’s attached to all of them? It’s never open! In fact, the thought of setting foot outside in a swimming suit is enough to make you shiver. Good thing the endless skywalks make it so we don’t have to…..?
I’m pretty sure that no matter where you are, water parks are interesting places. Overcrowded with people of all shapes and sizes and ages and background, all vying for the same tables and towels and inner tubes. All eating $8 mozzarella sticks and drinking $6 sodas. And do you know what I saw this time? Giant $25 margarita glasses! With $15 refills. No joke.
Undoubtedly, out water park experience is even more “interesting” than some other people’s…..given the fact that we have 4 kids who all want to be doing different things. Our oldest wants excitement and adventure, our second wants a lesser version of that, our third wants slow and safe, and the baby? Well, she just wants to sleep. Preferably, in a crib, instead of in our arms at the Wild Waterdome!
Let’s just say I’m not so sad that our water park adventure was cut short by a business trip this time around. Actually, I’m kinda thinking it might be time for us to branch out. Try camping or something…..you know…..experience the world outside the walls of a water park? I’m sure we could find a place where we could all have just as much fun (possibly even more!?!?!?!) and find margaritas for under $25. Just sayin’.
Open Face Ham & Cheese Melts
Ingredients
Sandwich
- 1 sandwich roll cut in half
- 1/2 pound deli ham
- 2 pieces provolone cheese
- 2 pieces bacon cooked until crispy and crumbled
- 1 fresh jalapeño sliced
Pineapple Salsa
- 1/2 cup chopped pineapple
- 1/4 cup chopped purple onion
- 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro
- lime juice
Instructions
- Top each half of sandwich roll with ham and cheese.
- Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes; then broil 2-3 minutes.
- While in the oven, prepare pineapple salsa by combining all ingredients in a small bowl.
- Top melts with 2 Tablespoons salsa, 1 piece crumbled cooked bacon, and 4-5 jalapeño slices.
Cathy! You have so outdone yourself this time!! Wow! I am loving all of the elements in this, especially the pineapple+jalapeno combo!
Thanks so much, Annie! The flavors really worked well together!
My hubby would so love these!! We love waterparks too…although I’ve never been to an indoor one before. And yes, the $6 drinks are the pits!
I grew up in a family with 4 kids and I remember my parents saying no to everything…..now I see why! It’s all so expensive!!!
Woah Cathy! Your photos are so gorgeous! What kind of camera and lens do you use?!! I’m so hungry!!
Awww thanks so much, Beth! I use a Nikon D3100 and a 35 mm lens with a tripod. A little atypical I think….but I didn’t want to shell out the money for a 50 mm at the time! 😉
These look super yummy, love the layers of flavors! Your water park story is funny – isn’t it hysterical how having kids change your perspective on what a vacation looks like? Sounds like a fun getaway, especially when you know the girls are having a blast in the pool! (The margaritas? I mean, how perfect was that?!)
Having kids changes your perspective on so many things! I never in a million years would have seen myself as a water park person….until I had kids! (Thanks a lot, ladies!) 😉
I love open faced sandwiches like this! I’m drooling over this, Cathy! Looks absolutely gorgeous and perfect for lunch!
I love open face too, Gayle! Who needs that extra piece of bread, anyway?? 😉
Now that is a sandwich! And we have a indoor water park here in KC and I secretly wanting to take my nieces and nephews just so I can play!!
You must go, Meg! They will love you forever!!!
Oh my gosh …. you’re killing me with all this yumminess lately! Can I just have dinner at your house?!
Can you believe we’ve never taken our kiddos to the waterparks?! We lived so close to the beach for the longest time that it was our default spot! 🙂 Now that we’re out in the middle of the desert, well, we haven’t figured out a great place! LOL. It’s almost always too hot to do anything outside!
I love all the tropical goodness going on here — these are like Hawaiian pizza open faced sandwiches! Delicious!