Panini Party

My friends and I always go out to dinner to celebrate our birthdays. Each month the birthday girl gets to choose the restaurant. Last night we celebrated my friend Lynne's birthday and her dinner request was to have dinner at her house rather than go out. Instead of a big expensive dinner at a restaurant we feasted on homemade paninis, salad and wine. Our friend Nicole made a yummy cake for dessert (yellow cake with chocolate frosting - everyone's favorite). It was cheap, casual, tasty and fun. After dinner we sat around on the couch, telling stories and fighting over three week old baby Reilly. I will take that style birthday dinner any day. It was great.

If you don't own a panini grill you are missing out. I have the Breville Ikon Panini Press and love it. Buy your husband one for Valentine's Day and promise to make him good paninis for dinner! It would be a win-win! We made these two paninis but the possibilities are endless...


Happy Birthday Panini Party

Panini #1 - Colleen's Italian Grinder
Ciabbata bread
Dijon
Genoa salami
Turkey
Provolone
Parmesan
Roasted red peppers
Pepperocinis

Panini #2 - Slight Variation on Giada's Croissant Panini
Essential Bakery Piccolo Como bread (variation is bread instead of croissant)
Genoa salami
Smoked Gouda
Parmesan
Arugula

And we can't forget the main attraction, Reilly Malone, pictured here on his first day of life. He's as cute as they come!

(HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY LYNNIE! What a perfect birthday dinner! Yay!)