World's Greatest Sandwich

Here is my recipe for The World's Greatest Sandwich. Most of this creation is actually my husband's idea, but the end result was definitely a joint effort! It started out as a meal of meats, cheeses, bread, and salad, & wine but my husband decided to make a sandwich instead. It turned out to be his best idea in the kitchen yet!

Ingredients:

1 loaf of a good crusty bread
Extra virgin olive oil
Grated parmesan cheese
Hard salami (we usually use a couple different varieties from Trader Joe's)
Roasted red peppers (I roast fresh red peppers on the grill)
Soft mild white cheese (we use fresh mozzarella or Port Salut from Trader Joes's)
Trader Joe's Bruschetta (some of the best stuff on earth - square jar w/ a black lid)
Romainne lettuce
Balsamic vinaigrette (again. . . Trader Giotto's)

Heat the bread in the oven while preparing the rest of the ingredients. Slice when warm.

Take a few leaves of the lettuce and wash, dry & toss in some of the Balsamic Vinaigrette. Set aside.

To make roasted red peppers, clean & remove the seed from a red pepper. Brush with olive oil and put on a hot grill. Turning occasionally until the peppers are tender and the skin starts to flake off. I try to remove as much of the skin as possible, then slice about 1 inch wide.

To assemble the sandwich . . .

Take two pieces of bread, brush with olive oil & sprinkle a little grated parmesan cheese on the oil. Next, (in no particular order) add the salami or any Italian meat you choose, roasted red peppers, cheese (sliced or spread), lettuce, and a couple of teaspoonfuls of the bruschetta. Warning: this is a messy sandwich, but it tastes so good. Enjoy!

Notes:

* If you are looking for a low-fat, low-calorie meal, this isn't it! We usually treat ourselves to this very rich meal only once a month or so.

* Almost all of my ingredients come from Trader Joe's. I love that place!

* TJ's jarred bruschetta also is wonderful on pizzas. I use it as a pizza "sauce", but sparingly - a little goes a long way. It is very potent & full of flavor!

* You can also buy roasted red peppers in a jar at TJ's, but I've never used them on this sandwich. I always make fresh roasted red peppers.