PERFECT recipe for sharing!!

Hawaiian Bread picture borrowed from their website - they are not paying me!!

Big Wheel Sandwiches

My friend, Angela, shared this recipe with many of us during a women's conference years ago.  It has become a family favorite at our house and every time I serve it, someone asks for the recipe.  I thought I would share it this week along with a new slaw recipe (later).

Ingredients:

Hawaiian bread

Sliced turkey - 1/4 pound

Sliced roast beef - 1/4 pound

Sliced ham - 1/4 pound

Swiss cheese  - 4 slices

American cheese - 4 slices - I use a good cheddar

Bacon - about six slices - pre-cooked - either by you or purchased that way

Onions & tomatoes

Mustard & mayo

Butter

DIRECTIONS: 

Slice loaf of bread horizontally into 6 or 7 layers (I use my electric knife ESPECIALLY if I'm making lots of sandwiches - I have also used my long-bladed serrated bread knife - it takes about three hours to make 12 of these sandwiches).  If I am making multiple sandwiches, I set up an assembly line.  I cut several loaves of bread and then move down the line with each loaf filling each layer and wrapping.

Bottom layer – bacon (cooked)

Next layer – swiss cheese

Next layer – roast beef

Next layer – American cheese

Next layer – turkey

Next layer – ham

Next layer – tomatoes and onions (I either slice the onions as thin as humanly possible or zap them a second or two in the microwave)

 

(In reality, the order of meat/cheese does not matter.  I do ALWAYS put the bacon on the bottom and the onion/tomato on top and I always put cheese between meat layers)

I use a little mayo and mustard on a couple of the layers – very small amount – but you do need some (even folks who hate one or both can’t seem to taste them after it is cooked).  I don't usually tell people this is one of the ingredients if it is their first time to eat it BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T LIKE EITHER MUSTARD OR MAYO, they won't try the sandwich and you CANNOT taste either.

Put top "slice" of bread on and “ice”  or dot with softened butter (I use Land O' Lakes)

Wrap tightly in foil

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven – if sandwiches are cold, they will take at least an hour to warm.  If you will be putting them right into the oven, it will take about 40-45 minutes.  Cheeses need to melt.  You can make these sandwiches ahead and they freeze well.  I wrap in heavy duty foil and put back into the original bread wrapper.  If I am going to freeze, I omit the tomatoes.  I remove the sandwiches from the freezer the night before I want to serve them.  It takes about an hour and a half to two hours at 350 for them to heat all the way through if they are cold - be very careful or the bottom of the sandwich will burn.

As you can see from this side view, the roast beef is toward the top on this one and this was the last sandwich out of twelve and so this sandwich has more than 1/4 pound of roast beef!!

 

Cut sandwich into pie shaped wedges after heating and serve warm. Each sandwich serves six large wedges or eight smaller wedges.  Do not be shocked when some people eat two or three wedges. I usually serve with slaw and chips and dip. You may also serve with baked beans and potato salad. Wonderful for tailgating !!!!