Everybody's got a couple of meals up their sleeve that just make your friend's and family's eyes light up when you make it, and this is one of mine. It's really easy and delicious.

It's simply a roast beef and cheddar bagel, and the secret is all about the little extra things you do in putting it together that make it much more than just a sandwich.

Here's my ingredients list:

  • Everything bagels, from the bakery at your local grocery store. The bigger the better, cause you load them with roast beef and cheese! If you don't like all the toppings of an everything bagel, just use a regular egg bagel.
  • Deli sliced roast beef. It's up to you to get the thick or thin sliced. I prefer thin sliced cause it makes it easier to eat. A pound should be able to fill 3 bagels.
  • Sharp cheddar. This time I used shredded cheddar, but in the past I've sliced cheddar from a block of cheese. It's a little easier to work with.
  • Au jus sauce. Most of the stores have the Johnny's French Dip Au Jus in stock, and it's all I've ever used, and love it!

Start by heating up the au jus in a small sauce pan. Not too hot, but on medium heat until it's fairly hot. You pour the bottle in the pan, then fill up the empty container with water 2x and pour that in the pan as well, to dilute the au jus.

Cut the bagels in 1/2 and put butter on the flat sides, then set them on a griddle or flat top pan, letting them brown. Note: This is a key part of any hot sandwich I make. Even for hamburger buns, even hot dog buns!

After you put the bagels down, immediately use a tongs and start submerging your roast beef slices in the au jus pan. This will heat up the roast beef and pull in the au jus flavor. Don't cook the roast beef for too long, just enough to make the meat hot. Otherwise it will overcook.

At this point everything is ready to serve. Take your browned bagels off the griddle and put the cheese on them to start melting, then use a tongs to start piling the roast beef on the bottom 1/2 of the bagel. Put the top bagel on and slice it in half on a plate, and ladle some of the sauce pan au jus in a small dipping bowl and serve it up!

These make a great dinner, or cut them into 1/4's and serve them up for a party...they'll be a huge hit. You could serve them up with fries or chips to top it all off if you wish.

if you decide to make this, please take a pic and send it to me. I'd love to hear what you thought of them!

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