Copycat Panera Bread Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich

 I miss my girl sometimes.

And although I love my son-in-law and grandson to pieces, sometimes I just need a little girl time with my daughter.  But she's a busy wife and mom now, and our hanging out time together is not as often as I'd like.  We're due for a day out together, a day for window shopping and real shopping, laughing until we can't breathe, texting each other from across the store to say "OMG! COME AND SEE THESE SHOES!" and eating just what we want to with no men to turn their noses up at our restaurant choice.

We love Panera Bread.  The guys in our life, not so much.  They're more Five Guys Burgers people.  "Panera Bread?  Meh."  That's what they say.  But my girl and I love it and we're crazy about the Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich, so I came up with a copycat recipe for when we are stuck at home.  This did not disappoint.  Nice and healthy and full of flavor, thanks to the cilantro-jalapeno hummus.

Dear Amber,

Let's go shopping soon.

Love,
Mom

Here are my notes:

-I think the biggest lesson I learned from making this sandwich is that the hummus really needs to be made in a food processor, not a blender.  But a blender is all I have, so I made it work, but not without a lot of smoke and weird sounds.

-I used potato bread for this, because I couldn't find a tomato-basil bread like Panera uses.

-This sandwich just screams summer to me.  Love it.

-No peppadew peppers here, so I substituted with an Anaheim chili.

-You could totally adjust the heat of the cilantro hummus by increasing the amount of jalapenos or by leaving the seeds in.  I am a wimp so I just used  a single jalapeno with no seeds.

-The amount of cilantro can be adjusted too.

Cilantro-Jalapeno Hummus

Printable Recipe

6 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons water

2 garlic cloves

2 (15.5-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste)

1-2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped (leave seeds for more heat)

1/4 to 1/3 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

Place ingredients in order listed in a food processor and blend until smooth.  Add more water if necessary to thin out to spreadable consistency.  Store in fridge.

Copycat Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich from Panera Bread

Potato bread or tomato-basil sandwich style bread

Cilantro-Jalapeno Hummus

Feta cheese crumbles

Tomato slices

Cucumber slices

Red onion slices

Peppadew or Anaheim chili slices

Lettuce leaves

Spread one side of a bread slice with the hummus.  Sprinkle with feta cheese, then add veggies and top with another slice of bread that has been spread with hummus.

Simple Summer Vanilla-Peach Cooler

So how was your Fourth?  Since we were without our children who selfishly took our grandson with them on vacation to another state, Richard and I rode south to Mobile to watch the fireworks display on the Mobile Bay.

And who knew that about 5 bazillion other people would have the very same idea?!

We ate some seafood, I darted into Publix, we got some frozen yogurt, then we went to secure the perfect spot to take in all the festivities.  We paid a $5.00 parking fee to go park in Battleship Park, because I had assumed that that would be the best place to take pictures, but as we were trying to find a parking place (which was not easy, mind you) all of that sweet tea I had consumed with our seafood dinner suddenly hit me with a vengeance and wouldn't you know it?

Yep.  Only porta-potties.

And I am like, NO.

(Thank the good Lord that I am married to a very patient man.)

So we turned right around and left.  I think next time it will just be easier to throw that five dollar bill right out the window and save the time and aggravation of dodging pedestrians in Battleship Park.  Anyway, we eventually wound up with a great view in a no parking zone on the side of the bay.  And even though we were a little hesitant that we were breaking the law by parking there, a nice woman walking by in some in some short shorts and flashy gold earrings told us that we were just fine to stay where we were because "Honey, anything goes on the Fourth of July on the causeway."

Whew.

 

 

And to top off our already great night, we made a run through Krystals on our way home because seafood and yogurt was not nearly enough.

And that concludes my Fourth of July recap.  On to the recipe.

This simple, summertime drink is quick and easy and non-alcoholic, because why shouldn't non-drinkers have fun drinks too?  We should.  We totally should.  And they should be sipped from mason jars while sitting in a swing at sunset. 

Here are my notes:

-No need to peel the peaches.  Just pit them, then coarsely shop.

-The sugar and vanilla can totally be adjusted.  I wanted it very vanilla-y, so I added a lot.  But you can do what you want.

-I loved this over crushed ice.

-You can make the peach base ahead of time and store in the fridge for a couple of days.  Fill glasses as you need them.

-I think this might be great with nectarines too.  Or maybe plums.

 

Vanilla-Peach Cooler

Printable Recipe

1 (12 to 14-ounce) can peach nectar

1/2 cup sugar

4 small to medium peaches, pitted but not peeled, and coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Club soda

Process the nectar, sugar, peaches, and vanilla in a blender until smooth.  Fill glasses with crushed ice and equal parts of the peach base and club soda.

Pimiento Cheese Spread Macaroni Salad

I love summer up until July Fourth.  After July Fourth, I am so over summer, it's not even funny.  July fifth ends summer for me and starts a fifth season of the year I call Survive Hell.  Because that's what it feels like here in July and August.  And most of September.  Sometimes into October.

But for the moment, I'm still excited about the upcoming patriotic holiday and this simple salad recipe, even though part of my crew is leaving for Missouri in just a few hours. (Why, yes, my heart does feel like it is being ripped out of my chest just knowing this little guy won't be here for fireworks.)

This recipe is a cinch to make, as well as cheap and colorful for your holiday barbecue table.

And if anyone needs me on July Fourth, I'll be here watching my hubby write his name in the air with sparklers and gathering up my sackcloth and ashes for my July fifth lamenting of the passing of summer.

Here are my notes:

-I think what gives this salad great flavor is grating the onion.  Grate it into a bowl so you can use a measuring spoon to scoop out the juice and little bits of onion.  I used about 2 tablespoons, but I really wished I would have upped it to three.

-Make sure your macaroni is completely cool so it won't melt the cheese.

-Stir the cheese in last, small amounts at a time, so it won't clump together.

 

Pimiento Cheese Macaroni Salad

Printable Recipe

4 cups elbow macaroni

1/2 cup mayonnaise

4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature

2-3 tablespoons grated onion with juice

Salt and pepper to taste

2-3 tablespoons milk

1 (4-ounce) jar chopped pimiento peppers, drained

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Cook the macaroni according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Set aside.

Whisk together the mayonnaise, cream cheese, grated onion, and salt and pepper until smooth.  Stir in 2-3 tablespoons of milk to loosen the mixture.  Stir in macaroni noodles and pimiento peppers.  Stir in cheese little by little so it won’t clump together.