Make-Ahead Dagwood Sandwiches

You’ll be the hero when you bring these stacked-high wedges to a gathering.

Prep: 40 min | Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

2 loaves herb-flavored or cheese-flavored bread, such as Focaccia, ciabatta or Asiago cheese bread (1 pound each, about 1 inch thick)
1 (6.5 ounce) container garlic-and-herbs spreadable cheese
1 pound thinly sliced smoked turkey
8 ounces sliced provolone cheese
8 ounces thinly sliced salami
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
8 slices bacon, cooked
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced, separated into rings
3 small plum (Roma) tomatoes, sliced
4 cups lightly packed torn arugula
1/2 cup basil pesto

Instructions

With long serrated knife, cut bread in half horizontally.
Spread cut side of each bread bottom with half of the spreadable cheese.
Overlapping slices, arrange remaining ingredients except pesto in order listed over each bread bottom.
Spread cut side of each bread top with half of the pesto, and place over arugula.
Place each whole loaf in large food-storage plastic bag; seal and refrigerate topped with cast-iron skillet or other heavy weight up to 24 hours.
When ready to serve, cut each loaf into 6 equal sandwiches. Secure sandwiches with wooden picks or small skewers.

Notes

Tailor-make this sandwich to suit personal tastes. Replace the tomato slices with sun-dried tomatoes or roasted red pepper strips. The salami can be replaced with pepperoni.

If no heavy item is available to weigh down the loaf, wrap the sandwich very tightly in plastic wrap.

Nutrition

Per 1 sandwich: Calories 20 Calories from Fat 270 Total Fat 30g Saturated Fat 11g Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 65mg Sodium 1710mg Total Carbohydrate 40g Dietary Fiber 2g Sugars 3g Protein 23g

% Daily Value*: Vitamin A 15% Vitamin C 6% Calcium 20% Iron 20%

Exchanges: 2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1/2

Other Carbohydrate: 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 3 Fat

Carbohydrate Choice 2 1/2

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: Betty Crocker