Muffuletta Sandwich

Jacob and I were road trippin' it on Friday, making the long drive from Salt Lake City to Newburry Park, California. I hate fast food. (Not really, but if I say it enough I am hoping to make it true.) In order to avoid the usual multiple fast food stops I planned ahead. It wasn't just about buying all of our favorite snacks at the grocery store the night before, though I did that. I also wanted to make something that would be so delicious and filling that there wouldn't even be room left for a small order of french fries. Muffuletta Sandwich, mission accomplished. And after I ate my half I had so much energy! Usually I am so tiered the entire drive, and Jacob always makes me drive the second shift.

Recipe by: The Neely's (Foodnetwork.com)Ingredients:

- 3/4 cup mayonnaise

- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 red onion, diced(I used half, and that was PLENTY)
- 1 cup diced carrot
- 1 cup diced black olives
- 1 cup diced green olives
- 1/2 cup diced marinated artichoke hearts
- 1 cup diced piquillo peppers(I used a half cup of pepperoncini peppers, it was yummy)
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 1/3 cup freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Kosher salt
- 1 muffuletta or round Italian loaf (10 to 12 inches in diameter)
- 2 ounces each thinly sliced Genoa salami, hot sopressata, mortadella, and smoked turkey
- 2 ounces each thinly sliced imported Swiss cheese and aged provolone

Directions:

Whisk together the mayonnaise, olive oil, vinegar, honey, lime juice, red pepper flakes, oregano, and 1 teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl. Add the onion, carrot, olives, artichoke hearts, peppers, celery, and parsley; toss, and season to taste with salt. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the salad to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Slice the bread in half, and pull some of the interior from the middle of the roll to make room for the other ingredients.

Spread a generous amount of the olive oil salad on each half. (You will probably have some salad leftover; it holds for 2 or 3 days in the refrigerator.)

Layer the meat and cheese on the bottom half, alternating layers of each meat with thin layers of cheese. Cover with the top half of bread, press gently, slice into wedges, and serve.