Things that make me feel badass:

1. Motorcycling to New Jersey from Brooklyn. (Never mind that it was for a salsa dancing pool party, which is decidedly un-badass but very decidedly fun. Also never mind that I will never be the Super Badass driving the thing, but alas always the eye candy holding on tight. Ah, how hard the life, being eye candy… JOKES.)
2. FINALLY buying a motorcycle jacket, which is good for all seasons, not made of leather, not a gazillion dollars, and has great padding and is almost sexy (note above comment about eye candy). Plus, persons at said salsa pool party said I looked like I was from the Matrix and/or Battlestar Galactica. I will take that as a compliment.
3. Making incredibly delicious and fattening and filling vegetarian sandwiches. Just because there isn’t any meat does not mean we are sacrificing flavor or calories here, people.
4. Having my roommate tell me, after consuming above-mentioned delicious and fattening and filling sandwich, that I should open a sandwich shop because this was sooo gooood. She took a picture of the sandwich and sent it to a boy on Tinder and pretended she made it, so that’s probably a pretty good sign too.
5. If I had a sandwich store it would definitely be called a SHOPPE, because letsbereal, those are always the best and most legit.

This is how Daniel would’ve written this blog entry, according to a late-night gchat where I kvetched about not knowing what to say:

Daniel:  Ok: “I MADE SANDWICHES NOM NOM NOM NOM NOMMMMMMM” the end.

Simplicity is key.

He has a point. I know you want to nom nom on a sandwich now.

Smokey Beet Reubens, or “Ruebeets” if you think you’re cute
Makes 3 sandwiches
adapted, barely, from Food and Wine magazine

2 beets
smoked salt (we used Hickory Smoked Sea Salt from The Spice and Tea Exchange)
ground coriander
1/4 cup mayo
1 T ketchup
2 t fresh lemon juice
s&p
6 slices rye bread
softened butter
sauerkraut
6 slices Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle beets with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and rub in until evenly coated. Wrap individually in foil and cook for about 1 hour, until easily pierced with a fork. Let cool. Peel off beet skin and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices. Sprinkle slices with smoked  salt and ground coriander.

To make Russian dressing: Mix mayo, ketchup, lemon juice, s&p.

To assemble sandwiches, preheat broiler. Spread butter on all the bread slices and broil for 3ish minutes, or until slightly toasty. Set aside 3 slices toast, and flip over the remaining 3 on broiler pan. Top each slice with a healthy schmear of Russian dressing, a pile of sauerkraut, a layer of smoked-salted-beets, and 2 slices of cheese. Return to broiler for one minute, or until cheese is melted. Top with buttered bread and dig in while still piping hot! Have a pile of napkins nearby.

Sandwiches were delicious with a side of mustardy potato, kale, and green bean salad!