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!)

Let's Hear It For The Youngs!

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I recently had an amazing grilled panini sandwich from the Useless Bay Coffee Company on Whidbey Island. It was so good that (surprise surprise) I had to re-create it. I will call it "The Young Panini", because if it weren't for my friends getting married on Whidbey Island, I would never have been at that little coffee shop. I wish I had a photo of my creation but it was too warm and too good to stop eating for 2 seconds.

Once you make the panini, kick back and watch this adorable and hilarious serenade the bride performed for her adoring new hubby. Could she be any cuter?!

Let's hear it for the Youngs!

The Young Panini

Great foccacia bread (I got mine from La Panzanella at the University farmers market)

Pesto

Tapenade
Fresh basil

Tomatoes, sliced (I got Billy's tomatoes from the farmers market)

Mozzarella, sliced

Pepperocinis, seeded and drained, then sliced
Artichoke hearts, sliced (from a jar, not a can)

Olive oil

Spread pesto on one side and tapenade on the other. Layer basil, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, pepperocinins and artichoke hearts. Brush outside of foccaccia with olive oil and grill on a panini press until the sandwich is smooshed down and the bread is nice and toasty.

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Vif Panini

Photo Credit: Seattle Magazine

I absolutely love Vif, the new cafe and wine bar on Fremont Ave. I love going there with a friend for lunch and a glass of wine, going alone to work and get coffee and treats, or grabbing delicious take out when I don't have energy to cook. They also have a great wine selection so it's hard to get out of there without grabbing a good bottle for the stash. 

I had this panini there one day and loved it so much that I've been making it at home. 


Vif Panini

Soppressata
Gruyere
Mama Lil's Peppers (I like the spicy ones)
Good bread

Assemble, brush with olive oil and grill on a panini press.

Ham & Cheese "Bagelini"

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I love this bagel panini sandwich and make it regularly. It takes 5 minutes and is a great lunch.

The Bagelini

plain bagel
dijon mustard
black forest ham
cheddar cheese
olive oil

Pre-heat panini press. Slice bagel in half and spread dijon on one or both sides. Layer ham and cheese (more than you'd think since bagels are usually thick). Assemble sandwich and brush outsides of bagel with a bit of olive oil. Place on a hot panini press. Put panini press on a low setting so it flattens the sandwich a bit. Remove once cheese has melted and it's piping hot. Enjoy!

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Panini Perfection

Last night we had my parents over for dinner so I decided to try the Green Goddess Grilled Cheese Sandwich. One word - DELICIOUS!

Instead of the green goddess pesto on the recipe though, I used Ina's recipe for Green Goddess Dressing because I can't get enough of it (using half the mayo, sour cream and anchovy). It makes so much that you have enough for salads and sandwiches. I used a loaf of Grand Central Bakery's Piccolo Como which I love for sandwiches, panini and toast. It's crunchy on the outside and perfection on the inside. I skipped the avocado but layered heavy on the sauce, mozzarella, spinach and goat cheese. Instead of cooking them in a grill pan I used a panini press. I brushed it with some olive oil and then warmed these sandwiches to golden perfection, oozing with melted cheese. I cut into triangles and before I had the full dinner served the panini platter was empty.

I served with Operation Pantry Cleanout Minestrone and Grilled Zucchini. A perfect dinner.

Anne's Chicken Panini

My friend Anne posted this on her Instagram story and it looked like a fun new combo to try. I loved it. Will make again for sure!

Chicken Panini

 

Ciabatta rolls

Roasted chicken slices 

Cheddar cheese

Garlic spread (from Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods)

Caramelized onions (with a little brown sugar and balsamic at the end)

Greens (tossed with olive oil and balsamic)

 

Assembly:

 

Put chicken and cheese on ciabatta bread and toast on a panini grill. Rub with a bit of olive oil and toast some more. When done, open the sandwich and spread the garlic spread, caramelized onions and greens. Cut in half and enjoy!

Naughty Little Snack

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After eating a healthy lunch the other day (olive oil poached salmon salad), I needed something sweet and naughty. But what to do with no chocolate in the house? Ah-yes, a strawberry-nutella panini inspired by the one at Volunteer Park Cafe.

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Strawberry-Nutella Panini

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Good loaf of fresh white bread (I used a Giuseppe loaf from Macrina Bakery)

Butter

Nutella

Strawberries, sliced and cut in half

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Slice bread into 1/2" or 1" slices. Butter one side of each slice for the outside. Spread nutella on the other side of the bread. Top one slice (nutella side up) with strawberries and then finish with the other slice of bread (nutella side down). Place on a pre-heated panini press on medium heat for a few minutes. Slice in half and enjoy. (Great with coffee.)

Panini Bar Party

I was hosting a mom and kid dinner party this past weekend and couldn't decide what to make that would be adult and kid friendly so I could make one dinner instead of two. I happened upon my friend Heather Christo in Seattle Magazine showcasing an easy Grilled Cheese and Soup Bar which inspired me to do a panini bar. Super easy and fun. Everyone loved their sandwiches. We had adults share bites to taste all the different versions. My friend Whitney made the best one in my opinion so I made it last night. Delicious...

Whitney Panini

Grand Central Como bread
Provolone
Fresh mozzarella
Fra Mani Nostrano salami
Pesto
Red pepper spread from Delaurenti
Mild Mama Lil's peppers
Arugula
Pepperoncini

Panini Night

Photo Credit: Please Note

I love making paninis for dinner. It's fast, it's delicious and the kids eat them. My friend Marion made me this panini one day for lunch and it's now in my rotation when tomatoes are in season. So good!

Marion's Panini

Sourdough bread

Fontina cheese

Tomatoes (good ones!)

Basil

Salt & pepper

Bunk’s Oregon Albacore Tuna Salad

I love this panini with Bunk’s Oregon Albacore Tuna Salad. Make the tunafish using good quality tuna. Then...

"Chef and co-owner Tommy Habetz puts the salad in ciabatta rolls spread with mayo and mustard, adds medium-sharp cheddar and sliced garlic dill pickles, and then grills the works in a panini press."

Follow the recipe and you will love it. 

Panini Night: Roasted Broccoli, Turkey & Cheese

I like making healthy things unhealthy and making unhealthy things a bit healthier. This is a good example of both. I made the broccoli less healthy by sandwiching it between white bread and melted cheese. But I made a classic grilled turkey and cheese more healthy by adding broccoli. 

I was inspired by this recipe for a Turkey, Broccoli, Cheddar Panini. It was insanely good. I used Essential Bakery Columbia for the bread. Honey mustard for dipping is a must. Such a good flavor combo.

A Great Twist on an Old Friend

There's not much in this world I love more than the combination of cheese (preferably melted) and carbs.... pizza, pasta, burritos, enchiladas, sandwiches, cheese plates, you name it. The possibilities are endless. Now that I'm pregnant I'm craving this combo more than ever and am always seeking out new combinations.
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So imagine my excitement when my friend Tara emailed me about a delicious grilled cheese sandwich she's currently obsessed with. We've had enough conversations about food (is there anything better to talk about in this world?) that she knew I'd love it. She discovered it at the new Oddfellows Cafe in Seattle, then re-created it at home. I made it tonight and it was deeeeeeeeeelicious. Can't wait to make it again.

Great Twist on a Grilled Cheese

1 yellow onion, sliced and caramelized ahead of time
Apricot jam or preserves
Gruyere cheese - I used a Swiss Gruyere and Gruyere Emmi Kaltbach (cave aged). I just got the two they had at my local grocery store.
Goat cheese
Good bread - I used Pain au Levain from Tall Grass Bakery, a sourdough/wheat mix
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Butter the outside of your bread. Spread jam on the insides of each piece. Top one piece of bread, jam side up, with caramelized onions, gruyere, and a few dollops of goat cheese. Top with the other piece of bread and grill as you would a normal grilled cheese (in a pan or on a panini grill).
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* Tara used cheddar and port salute cheese and said it was great so whatever you've got would work.
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You will never guess what I served with our sandwiches. Or maybe you have figured out by now how crazy I am....

"That's on the menu!"

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It's always in the back of my head that I'd love to own a cafe one day where I would serve great coffee, smoothies, juices, breakfast and lunch items and desserts. There would be a great balance between healthy and unhealthy options and of course I would use local, organic and sustainable ingredients as much as possible. I'd want the place to be bright and super cozy. I'd hire a real chef but my menu would be inspired by all of my favorite foods and dishes. It's just a dream right now, but you never know!

That said, whenever I make something really delicious my husband will declare, "That's on the menu!". Last night I made The New American Grilled Cheese and I said to myself... that's on the menu! This is the kind of crunchy, meaty, cheese-oozing, grilled sandwich that I'd love to order for lunch with an ice tea.

I served these bad boys for dinner. To offset the heaviness of the dairy and meat, I served it with a Creamy Vegan Carrot Ginger Soup and an almost vegan (if it weren't for the honey) Spinach Salad with Apples & Fennel. Perfect dinner.

My recipe notes: I used Andouille sausage from Skagit River Ranch. It was AMAZING. I didn't mix butter in with the cheese. I didn't think it needed extra butter on the inside. I just used butter on the outside of the bread and dijon on the inside. I cut the sausage into coins on the diagonal, instead of cutting it lengthwise in thirds, then pan fried those until they were nice and browned. I used the panini grill and it turned out perfectly melted, golden brown and crunchy.

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