Well not really-DH and I love panini's and I found a wonderful, anodized panini pan at TJMaxx a while ago. The best investment in a pan that I ever made. (Well, except when I found a giant stir-fry wok made in Italy that I just could not pass up at a yard sale!!) Anyway, I found both the bottom and the press for the top. What a great find for the day! If you don't know how these pans work, it's simple, low fat and no mess! You put the press inside the panini pan, place it on a burner and turn the heat on. (In my case, I turn on the gas.) I walk away for a few minutes to let the pan get good and hot-you are heating both sides at the same time! Cool! So, here's the tricky part-nay, not really-you can either spray the top and bottom with Pam or not. I chose not! It still works, but you haven't added any fat or calories by spraying the pan. Slice up some French bread, lay your panini fixings on the bread, no mayo, no dressings, just meat, cheese, etc. Add the top slice of bread and add your panini to the hot pan. Lay the press on top of your panini and it will cook from both sides! Cool! I do like to turn my panini over to make sure it is good and cooked. I leave it for a few minutes only, because these will burn pretty fast. Once you have the bread toasted to perfection on both sides-remove the paninis, turn off the heat and enjoy a healthy, delicious sandwich. These are terribly addicting and can be created using a variety of ingredients. What's your favorite sandwich to make? Mine is ham & cheese but I have found something I love even more. What my DH calls a "Mini-Ninny" I love saying that-it sounds so fun and it is! A mini-ninny is an open faced, French baguette sliced thin and only the bread is toasted on the panini pan. Then the bread is topped with 1/4 slice of cheese and mushrooms! 4 of these little open faced mini-ninny's will fill you up! Serve them with a side of fruit or a salad and you are good for the rest of the day or night. I love these and have fun coming up with a variety of options for topping them. I've gotten to the point, because these are so good and so easy to make, (clean up is fast too!) that we have these at least a couple of times a week. I'm good with that! Try: cream cheese with ham, american cheese with liverwurst, roast beef with brie, garlic hummus with olives (Yummy!). I really like the turkey with bacon-but only occasionally will I add the bacon. It would be good with some cranberry sauce on top too! Let me know what you come up with-so I can give it a try too! Enjoy!
Tip-If you don't have a panini pan or press-you can buy a hamburger press at a restaurant supply and use any fry pan. You don't have to have the grill marks to make a good sandwich!
Also, The George Foreman grill is the first panini pan ever made! (Well maybe? LOL!) So if you have one of these collecting dust, drag it out and put it to good use! Or visit your local discount store for a great price on one! :-D
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