Not Just for Kids- salmon cream cheese press

Today's lunch is a little more grown up, but that doesn't mean kids won't like it. This makes enough for a whole crowd.

Ingredients:
One loaf unsliced bread (I use the flattish pugliese bread at Trader Joes)
One container of cream cheese and chives spread- you can mix this yourself, but I buy mine pre-made from Trader Joes
Romaine lettuce, ribs removed
4 oz of smoked salmon (more if you prefer)

Slice longwise from the thin side the entire length of the bread so you end up with two large flat halves. Hollow out each half to remove some of the bread. Be careful not to weaken the shell of bread too much. I try to leave about 1/2 inch of bread. (I use the saved bread for egg frittata- just throw it in a baggy and freeze it for later if you feel lazy.)

After the bread is hollowed out spread both sides thinly with cream cheese and chives spread. Next, layer the bread on one side with romaine. Then layer on the smoked salmon and close the sandwich. Wrap it in plastic wrap or put it in a gallon baggy and put it under something heavy in the fridge to press it flat.

Then I slice mine to fit a bento, and arrange them as you see in the picture. The garnish is mint and a mint flower. There was enough left over for me to leave sandwiches in baggies for my kids who aren't in school yet.

The fruit section of the bento has organic pluots, organic red flame grapes, and mint flowers. (Mint flowers are edible, and look beautiful in tea or on cakes, as well as being pretty in a bento.)