You guys really got me thinking about Reubens.
I couldn’t help but notice how many folks cited a Reuben as the best sandwich they ever had in their panini grill giveaway entries.  I don’t often think about Reubens - in fact, I’m actually pretty new to them.  The Reuben I had last St. Patrick’s Day at [...]

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Who knew you could grill cookies on a panini press? Not only is it faster than baking in the oven, the cookies also come out extra crispy on the outside and nice and soft on the inside - perfect for building grilled ice cream sandwiches! Using ready-made cookie dough, you can enjoy this quick and [...]

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I’ve decided that panini-making is a lot of fun in a social setting. Everyone gathering around the grill, assembling made-to-order sandwiches (or, in many cases, watching me assemble their sandwiches to order), anxiously waiting to see those grill marks and melted cheese. I had a little bit of a crowd in the kitchen this past [...]

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Well, if I could dare to play around with PB&J, I may as well tackle the other “acronym sandwich” - the BLT! Bacon, lettuce and tomato is a pretty perfect combination as is, for sure. But for my continuing series, Panini Happy Classics, I thought maybe I could make it extra-perfect with a little [...]

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A BLT (Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato) is a true American classic. Paying homage to my home state, this California-style BLT panini recipe draws upon the classic flavor trio, plus adds a little Golden State flair with avocado and sourdough bread. Another little twist: these round-shaped “mini-panini” are inspired by the circular shape of pancetta, tomatoes [...]

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Perhaps I’ve been living in a sandwich bubble - I just ate my first croque-monsieur ten days ago. Well, I guess technically I’ve had hundreds of them, if you count all the “regular” ham and cheese sandwiches that made their way into my lunchbox growing up. But if you go by Larousse Gastronomique (a resource [...]

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At its core, a croque-monsieur is a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. Here, I’ve kept that basic combination intact using Black Forest ham and smoked Gruyère cheese, adding whole-grain mustard and roasted garlic aioli as condiments in lieu of béchamel sauce and some arugula for a touch of peppery-tasting color. Grilled on ciabatta, it’s [...]

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My sister ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches virtually every single day from the time she was 5 years old until…well, just this week she told me she made one at her law office! I just read an interesting statistic on the Skippy website that said the average American child will eat 1,500 peanut butter [...]

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Are you as jazzed as I am for the new season of “Top Chef”?! I didn’t realize how much I missed it until last night’s premiere - all the creative culinary stylings, the drama. I mean, they kicked it all off with a quick fire about deep dish Chicago-style pizza - what could draw me [...]

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“Bmmmm-bmmmm, bmmmm-bmmmm…Go shorty, it’s your birthday…” Even people who don’t like rap love this song. 50 Cent’s “In Da Club” was the inspiration for my latest recipe - a club sandwich, grilled panini-style. WHYYYY, pray tell?? I’m participating in my first blog event! Elly Says Opa is hosting an event called “Eat to the Beat!” [...]

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