Admittedly, I'm no die-hard sports fan. I am, however, a definite foodie and socializer, so when the Super Bowl rolls around, I'll be there! Since joining my husband's family, I have been adopted into their friends' long standing Super Bowl party tradition. So far, we have managed to eek by on Becky's shared snacks, but I think it's time we stepped up and offered an appetizer of our own. That's when this Zipped Up Ranch Sandwich was recommended to us. Since it can be made as a regular sandwich or a double-decker, I figured "go big or go home", right? The two-layered option it is - the perfect choice for tackling big hunger!
What really gives this sandwich extra flare is the simple, zippy spread - just add bacon bits to ranch dressing along with chopped olives (I left the pimento in when I prepared mine).
Now that your dressing is ready, prepare the rest of your ingredients: grainy bread*, American deli cheese, turkey, salami, lettuce and sliced tomatoes.
*Next time I might try toasting the bread first. For one, I prefer toasted sandwiches. But secondly, I think this might help the double-decker version of the sandwich keep it's shape even better.
Start by spreading the bottom-layer of bread with your dressing. As you can see, the pimento gave some nice color to the spread as well.
Now begin the layering process. After the spread comes lettuce, cheese, tomato, turkey, salami, then cheese again. If you're planning to make a regular sandwich, top it off with your second piece of bread and you're good to go! But if you're feeling especially adventurous, and especially hungry... continue on. Smear your spread on both sides of the middle piece of bread, then work your layers backwards until you're back to bread.
For the towering version of this sandwich, it's a great idea to spear the sandwich halves (or quarters, if you are planning to serve smaller snack-sized portions) with tall toothpicks before cutting. This helps keep your layers in line and makes for easier eating too.
Now, serve up the Zipped Up Ranch Sandwiches with some other snack foods, and you're ready to settle in for the kick-off!
To dress it up a bit, consider garnishing the plate with the extra olives left over from making your spread!
And there you have it - an easy-to-make, mammoth sandwich worthy of any Super Bowl spread! Enjoy this sandwich while cheering on your favorite team (or your favorite Super Bowl commercials). Then, rate and review this recipe, Zipped Up Ranch Sandwich, with your team's comments.
Check back in a couple of days when Becky tells more about our Super Bowl party traditions and shows you how to make her special snack mix!
Amanda is paid to write for the Land O'Lakes Recipe Buzz® Blog.