Category — Sandwiches

It seems like panini presses and new panini recipes are all the rage right now.  But, don’t feel bad if you’re feeling left out of the panini loop.  They’re actually quite easy to make.  Let’s take a closer look at these grilled sandwiches that are so hot right now.

What is a panini? The term panini simply refers to an Italian sandwich made from a small loaf of bread, but the paninis which are so popular right now are actually grilled paninis.  They’re buttered on the outside and cooked in a panini press.

Paninis are fun to make, because you can include whatever vegetables, cheese, or meats that you like.  Experiment with new flavors, and see what you come up with! Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Roma tomatoes,mozzarella cheese, and olive oil
• Sliced turkey, provolone, and spicy mustard
• Grilled chicken, mozzarella cheese, and basil
• Sliced apple and cheddar cheese

You can use any kind of bread, or even croissants to make a panini.   Focaccia bread is a popular choice too.

Don’t have a panini press?  Here’s some excellent info on how to make your own panini press with 2 iron skillets.

Sick of the ‘ol sandwich and chips?  Here’s a healthy idea to change up your kids lunch, and yours too if you want.  Try a wrap.  It’s just as tasty and fun but has way less calories.  I found these wraps at Whole Foods and I highly recommend them.  Besides being whole wheat, they contain no fat, sugar or yeast.  Stuff them with healthy ingredients and they’ll leave you and you’re children feeling satisfied yet light after lunch so you can concentrate on afternoon work.

You don’t have to be a whiz in the kitchen to make a good wrap.  You can even use PB & J if you want.  I made my lunch with left over roast chicken, avocado, mayo, alfalfa sprouts, salt and pepper.  It was delicious!  My only recommendation is they are quite thin so they may tear if you fill them up too full.  My suggestion is to make a lighter wraps and have a couple of them.  They are so low in calories you can afford to have more than one.

This sandwich recipe is my mom’s and it’s got a number of great attributes: It’s easy to make. It’s definitely kid approved because it used to be a favorite of mine growing up. It’s different than the norm. And you can make it before hand and store it in the frig or even the freezer until you’re ready to serve it. It will always taste great because it’s meant to be baked fresh and served hot. You will need:

• 1/2 lb. cooked ham, cut into cubes
• 1/2 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup stuffed olives, chopped
• 2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup chili sauce
• 8 hot dog buns
• aluminum foil

Mix all the ingredients together and generously fill the buns with the mixture. Wrap tight in aluminum foil and place on a baking tray. Bake at 400 degrees for twenty minutes. Serve hot!

A friend of mine made these for a get together the other day. She ended up standing in the kitchen for a couple hours because every time she put a new batch down on the platter, they vanished. And many of the guests were children. What a great trick to get kids to eat their vegetables! You will need:

• a bunch of watercress
• sliced bread
• softened butter, cream cheese or soy cream cheese
• salt
• black sesame seeds (a couple of handfuls)

Wash watercress and dry thoroughly. Spread the butter or cream cheese on a slice of bread. Put a few sprigs of watercress on the bread as desired. Sprinkle on salt to taste and put another slice of bread on top making a sandwich. Cut off the crusts of the bread then cut the sandwich twice diagonally to make four triangles. Spread a little butter or cream cheese on one of the cut sides of each triangle then press that side against the sesame seeds so they stick. These are yummy, light and decorative.

Here’s one of my favorite recipes with tomatoes. Hopefully, this will inspire you to rekindle your relationship with tomatoes. You will need:

• couple of ripe, juicy tomatoes
• your favorite sliced bread
• cheddar cheese, grated or sliced
• fresh basil
• Dijon mustard
• shallots - if you like, it takes the sammy to new heights
• butter, if your waste line can take it. You can substitute olive oil or skip it all together.

Wash and slice the tomatoes. Butter the bread on one side of each slice. On the other side spread some mustard. Make a sandwich, buttered sides of bread out, with the cheese, tomatoes, fresh basil leaves and thinly sliced shallots if you like. You can grill these traditionally in a pan but what really takes the sandwich from good to a-freakin-mazing is popping those puppies in a sandwich griller. Mmmm! I’ve just seen my future… I’m going back to the farm in Indiana next month where homegrown tomatoes and basil abound. I bought my parents a sandwich maker for Christmas last year. We haven’t whipped that bad boy out in a while. I think the time is ripe!