So it turns out that March 21st is French Bread Day. That’s our idea of a culinary holiday. You celebrate by swinging by a bakery and buying a loaf of French bread. Maybe pick up an extra one for the birds who are still waiting for Spring to finally start. Sadly, not every mom at ModernDayMom has our flexible work ethic. So we decided, okay, how about one of those massive sandwiches for dinner piled high with meats and cheeses that’s a little bit nicer and homemade than what people buy when they’re hosting a Super Bowl party? [photo via flickr]
And that sounded like enough work to give us something to write about on French Bread Day. This sandwich is still a lot of fun, though. You’ve probably already figured out that a sandwich recipe gives you a lot of leeway in choosing your family’s own favorite toppings. Throw in olives or green peppers or anchovies or whatever food your kids are obsessing over this week. This sandwich is even big enough to accommodate added ingredients in the individual pieces. So here’s the recipe, but make it your own, baby…
Ingredients
1 loaf French bread
Salad dressing or mayonnaise
Lettuce
Tomato, sliced
Onion, sliced
Sliced cheese (your favorite kinds)
Assorted cold cuts from the deli
Whatever else your kids are into nowadays
Directions
Split the French bread lengthwise and toast if desired. If you want a completely warm sandwich, you can add your favorite meats and cheeses first and then place in a 350º oven for a few minutes until the cheese is melted. Top the sandwich with lettuce, tomato, onion and salad dressing and cover with the top of the loaf. Use skewers in the sandwich to hold it together and slice into individual servings. Garnish each serving with an olive on top of each skewer.
This recipe serves approximately six people, depending on how big you cut the individual servings. Mix and match these toppings to create different sandwiches for everyone’s taste. Serve with potato chips or a pasta salad for a real deli treat.