Susan's Big Wonderful Picnic Sandwich

Susan Branch has the most delightful books (and illustrations) filled with the most interesting recipes and home-making ideas. This recipe comes from her "Summer" book, with a few of my own personal changes. Feel free to switch ingredients, more or less, to suit your own tastes. Cooking time is "pressing" the sandwich.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 8-10
• Yields: 1 HUGE sandwich

Ingredients

• 1  loaf  French bread
• 1⁄2 cup mayonnaise
• 2  garlic cloves
• 1  tomatoes, sliced thinly, divided
• 4  slices provolone cheese
• 4  leaves lettuce
• 1⁄4 cup  roasted red pepper, slices
• 1⁄2 cup  grated carrot
• 4  slices  deli turkey (deli-style)
• 1  medium red onion, sliced

Directions

1. Slice loaf horizontally, separate.
2. Mix mayo and garlic; smear 1/3 over one of the bread halves.
3. Layer half of the tomato slices over the mayo.
4. Add cheese, lettuce, pepper slices, turkey, 1/2 of remaining dressing, carrots, onion, and remaining tomato slices.
5. Spread remaining dressing over remaining bread.
6. Put the bread back together, wrap tightly in plastic wrap or wax paper.
7. Place wrapped sandwich on a bread board, put a plate on top of it, and something heavy on top of that--I use a cast iron frying pan (and press it down real firmly, too).
8. PICNIC IDEA: Put sandwich in the bottom of your cooler, and weight it down with picnic stuff -- this will achieve the same results!