This summer has been a long one. And, if you've been reading my blog for a while, you've probably noticed that I haven't been doing much cooking lately. I've made cold gazpacho and smoothies and slushies, and even developed a no bake treat. My poor oven must think I don't love it anymore.

Fear not, the cooler temperatures have arrived. At least, the cooler temperatures teased us here in Ohio for a few days before it shot back up to 80°F. But I'll take that. I enjoyed those few cool days more than I can say, relished the excuse to don a hoodie and jeans, and even enjoyed the massive thunderstorms that the cold front dragged in behind it.

Although summer is taunting us with sunshine and warmer temps once again, I'm doing my part to usher in fall. I'm starting with this perfect summer-fall transition dish. It's a hearty sandwich, reminiscent of summer picnics, but it's built around that ubiquitous fall favorite, the sweet potato. I roasted the sweet potato to bright out its sweet, caramelized flavors and paired it with a crisp, semi-sweet apple to balance the textures. Drizzled on top is my homemade "Honey" Mustard Poppyseed Sauce, which works perfectly to bring this summer sandwich right into the lap of fall.

Roasted Sweet Potato Sandwich with "Honey" Mustard Poppyseed Sauce
Yield: 2 sandwiches

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 tsp olive oil
2 hoagie or ciabatta style rolls
1 apple, thinly sliced (I used a Gala variety)
2 handfuls of arugula or other greens

"Honey" Mustard Poppyseed Sauce
1 Tbsp spicy brown mustard
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp agave nectar
1 tsp poppyseeds
pinch salt

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Toss sweet potato slices with olive oil and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.
3. Bake 20-22 minutes, turning slices over after 10 minutes. 
4. While your sweet potato slices are roasting, whisk together ingredients for "Honey" Mustard Poppyseed Sauce and set aside.
5. Build your sandwich: cut (and optionally toast) your sandwich rolls, then layer with greens, sweet potato slices, apple slices, and spoon sauce on top. Press slightly to allow the bread to absorb some of the sauce. 
6. Use leftover sauce to dip your sandwich in, or for salad dressing or veggie dipper. 

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