Praise Be to a Glorious Tuesday!

Today we celebrate Quiche Lorraine and Pick Strawberries Day. As part of our Easter Brunch, I made mini Quiche Lorraine. While Hubby refused to try even one bite, (real men don’t eat Quiche) Kiddo devoured more than his share.

That said, I won’t be making Quiche Lorraine anytime soon unless I’m serving it up as a light supper one night when Hubby is gone on business. Yeah, a Quiche, a Arugula Salad and a glass of crisp, late harvest wine. Oh that sounds delicious.

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As for Strawberries – the local farmer’s market that we once got our strawberries from has a big sign out front that the property is for sale. The entire strawberry patch has been taken over by weeds. So sad. However; there are several other wonderful growers, just means a longer drive up the road. So I’m not going to try to time strawberries and blogging.

I don’t know if we’ve talked about this before, but I am a diabetic. While I still take insulin, it isn’t much – more of a maintenance thing compared to all the testing and adjustments with highs and lows that were out of control in the beginning. One of the things I do need to have done each year is an eye screening to check for damage caused by diabetes. Knock on wood – I have yet to see any damage. Anyway, when the doctor called to set up my screening, I said “Let me check my schedule” as though I actually do anything. I don’t drive, so during the week I’m a home body. What I was actually doing was checking my Meal Planner. The first available appointment did not work for me because I was cooking something Asian, and that required some prep work with very little down time to be having my eyes examined. However; the following week was perfect. I could see on the menu that I was making Sub Sandwiches and Macaroni Salad. I could make the salad in the morning, have my eyes tested in the afternoon and make the sandwiches fresh at dinner time. The appointment time worked for Hubby as well since he has been my chauffer for a while now.

Why don’t I drive? A while back, I had a heart attack due to four arteries that were almost completely blocked. Something happens to you when there’s a big health scare. For one thing, you appreciate everyone and everything in your life just a little more. Simple things like holding your husband’s hand become big events.

While I have no medical training, I think something happens to our brains as well. I have never liked talking with strangers. Strangers scare me – or at least they did. Now I will walk up to anyone at any time and just start talking. That’s a blessing, in my opinion. But with every blessing there is a trade-off. I get lost anytime I leave my own little neighborhood. For the longest time I actually argued with my husband, insisting he was going the wrong way to the grocery store or to church. It took a while, but with repeated trips, I can find my way to familiar places. I no longer get lost on walks, and that’s a good thing. But I would not feel comfortable getting behind the wheel of a car. So he drives while I enjoy the scenery.

Anyway, where was I before wandering off? Sandwiches! I love this time of year, when cold cuts really hit the spot, don’t you?

Dressed Italian Subs for Four
Italian Dressing
2 Garlic Cloves
1-1/2 teaspoons dried Italian Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes or to taste
Kosher Salt to taste
White Pepper to taste
1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 cup Olive Oil

Peel and press garlic into a medium size Mason Jar or Salad Bottle with a tight fitting lid. Add Italian Seasoning, salt, pepper, vinegar and oil.

Shake vigorously, let sit on the counter while the flavors play around together and mingle. Shake again before each use.

Note: If you happen to own one of those “Magic Bullets” just dump everything in there and give it a whirl.

Subs for Four
1/2 Red Bell Pepper
1/2 Yellow or Orange Bell Pepper
1 cup shredded Lettuce
1/2 Red Onion
1 large Tomato
1 loaf French or 4 Sub Loaves
1/4 lb Genoa Salami
1/2 lb deli Turkey
3 oz Mortadella or 3 oz Capocollo
4 slices Monterey Jack Cheese
4 slices Smoked Provolone Cheese
4 tablespoons Mayonnaise
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste

Note: Meats and cheese from the deli counter are best. Have everything sliced thinly.

Stem each bell pepper, remove seeds. Cut peppers in half, reserving half for another use such as a salad. Thinly slice remaining halves. Stack lettuce, wrap tightly and slice into thin shredded ribbons. Cut onion in half. Reserve half for another purpose, peel and thinly slice remaining half. Slice tomato into 4 thick rounds, cut each in half to fit the bread better.

To assemble: Cut bread into 4 portions if using a full loaf. Cut each portion in half lengthwise, leaving one side “hinged”. Set bread aside.

Beginning with salami, on a cutting board lay out a quarter of the salami overlapping to form a line of meat the length of the bread. Repeat until 4 lines are created. Top salami with turkey, then Mortadella. Top with slices of tomato, red onion and bell peppers.

Cut four slices of butcher paper. Roll each sandwich filling onto the butcher paper, meat side up. Cut cheese slices in half, top the meat with the cheeses. At this point the makings for the sub could be wrapped in the butcher paper, packed away for a picnic and assembled just before serving.

Spread mayonnaise inside each sub roll. Roll filling into the sub, veggies now on top. Shake dressing vigorously to emulsify. Scatter shredded lettuce over the top of the sandwiches, drizzle with dressing then season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with pickle spears or stuffed olives and your choice of deli salads such as Macaroni or Pasta Salad. Enjoy!

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Let all Your works give You thanks, O LORD,
and let Your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of Your kingdom
and speak of Your might.