Cali-Style BLT Sandwich

1/2 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 pinch red pepper flakes
8 slices applewood smoked bacon, cooked crisp
8 thick slices of bread
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
6 ounces Monterey jack cheese, thinly sliced
2 medium ripe beefsteak tomatoes, thinly sliced
1-2 Haas avocados, pitted, sliced crosswise
8 lettuce leaves
Lawry’s Seasoned Salt and Garlic Powder
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch finishing salt

To make the the garlic oil, heat the the oil, garlic slices, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over a medium low heat until the oil is hot and the garlic is fragrant. Remove from pan and place in a small bowl. Have all the remaining ingredients prepped before you begin to cook the sandwiches.

Heat the broiler to medium. Open the pairs of slices of bread and working on the outside crust of each sandwich, brush the tops with the garlic oil and Parmesan cheese, pressing gently to adhere the cheese. Place the bread slices on a foil lined baking sheet and broil under a medium-hot broiler until the crusts are crisp and brown. Remove from the broiler, turn the slices over to prepare the inside layers of the sandwich.

For each sandwich, cover one slice with the thinly sliced Monterey jack cheese and sprinkle lightly with the Lawry’s Seasoned Salt and Garlic Powder. On the other half, layer the beefsteak tomatoes with a grind of freshly ground pepper. Return bread slices to the broiler, cooking until the cheese is bubbly brown and the tomatoes have softened.

Remove from the broiler and immediately assemble the sandwiches. Place two strips of crisp cooked bacon on the cheese half, top with the avocado slices, lettuce leaves, and cover the with broiled tomato half to complete each sandwich. Serve with condiments of your choice.

That sounds so much better than the BLTs I had as a kid.