Gluten Free Mixed Berry Crumble
Mediterranean Sandwich
What a busy week. Toby and I have been waiting for 3 months to hear back from the bank on our short sale property. It’s been agonizing. Initially, our agent told us that it was the price that the bank was looking for, so it would only be a matter of weeks to wrap up the deal. Worst case scenario, we would be in the house by July 1st. Fast forward to three months later, Toby and I have all but given up on the house. It’s not that we won’t eventually move in, but all the waiting gives you time to reconsider. Quite simply, there’s time to split hairs over your feelings over a property. After visiting open houses every Sunday, you think, “Hmm, this is quite nice, and I could be in the house in less than 45 days!”
As we ventured back out, no houses caught our eye, which at the time proved to us that we had made the “right” decision on the first house. Then BAM, we found a lovely alternative. It had been on the market for six months, and every room was a riot of red, yellow, and blue, with leopard and zebra carpeting. If I have to be honest, it was every buyer’s nightmare. In fact, we asked our agent about the house in March, and she dissuaded us from looking at the property, describing it as a “monster,” and saying, “ugghh, don’t even waste your time.” So we left it for a while. A few months went by, and the curiosity was killing us. We viewed the house, and every single room needed a makeover. Most people would have run away (and did), but to Toby and I, it looked like a fun project. The house was exactly what we were looking for. With a bit of elbow grease (that’s being diplomatic), we have the opportunity to create our own dream home from scratch.
We put in an offer this week, and after a few rounds of heated negotiations (which felt like a tennis match at Wimbledon), the seller finally accepted our offer. Unless something crazy comes up in the inspection of the house, we will finally have a new home in September.
If you are feeling a little busy like me, you need something quick and tasty. The golden, crusty edges of the ciabatta serve as a trustworthy fort, holding all of the flavors together. There are never any worries of the sandwich getting soggy. It’s bursting with all of the tangy flavors of the Mediterranean. Simply delicious.
Mediterranean Sandwich
1 loaf ciabatta
8 oz feta cheese
1 cup black kalamata olives
1 cup marinated artichoke hearts
1 cup marinated sundried tomatoes
1/2 cup good quality virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh herb salad mix
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried fennel
1/4 Tteaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1. Slice the feta cheese lengthways 1/4 inch thick. Lay the slices on a plate, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the dried herbs. Set aside.
2. Hold the ciabatta firmly and slice off the ends. Then slice the loaf in half lengthways. Now you have two long slices.
3. Arrange the sandwich: Take off the top of the sandwich and set aside. Drizzle the lower half with a tablespoon of olive oil. Layer with the following: basil leaves, feta, sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives (which I rip in half and lay flat), and salad mix. Lay the top on the sandwich.
4. Cut into serving sizes.
Makes 4 large sandwiches or 8 smaller sandwiches.
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