Cheeseburger Patty Melt Panini

Cheeseburger Patty Melt Panini

4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 onion, sliced into 1/4″ rings
• 1 lb. ground chuck
• 8 slices rye bread
• 8 slices cheddar cheese
• 2 tomatoes, sliced into 1/4″ rings, seeds removed
• 4 tablespoons thousand island dressing
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Garlic powder (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat panini grill to medium-high heat (375°F).
2. Brush a little olive oil on both sides of onion slices and season both sides with salt and pepper. Grill onions on the panini grill (lid closed) for 3 minutes until they are soft with dark grill marks. Set aside.
3. Line a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with waxed paper. With a rolling pin, roll out meat to 1/2″ thickness, roughly in a square shape. Divide meat into four square patties. Season both sides of each patty liberally with salt and pepper. Add a dash of garlic powder to each side if desired.
4. Grill patties on the panini grill (lid closed) for 3 minutes until cooked through. Set aside. Carefully clean off grill.
5. Brush a little olive oil on one side of each slice of bread. Turn bread over, oiled side down. Build one sandwich at a time as follows: on one piece of bread, layer 1 slice of cheese, onions, a burger patty, 1 tablespoon of thousand island dressing, 2 tomato slices and another slice of cheese. Top with another slice of bread (oiled side up) to complete the sandwich.
6. Grill sandwich 3-4 minutes until cheese is melted and golden grill marks appear. Serve and enjoy!