Do you panini?

[caseysmom]

I just bought a panini maker and I am having so much fun. I bought sliced sourdough and a big bag of shredded mozzarella cheese, some sun dried tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts, thin sliced turkey, black olives and mushrooms. The possibilities are endless!

I made a scrambled egg and bacon one this morning, it was really good too. Anyone else have one?

[Kfamr]

I wish! I LOVE Paninis!

[caseysmom]

I wish! I LOVE Paninis!

Well it was 39 bucks at costco, go for it!

[CountryWolf07]

Yummy! :)

[jennielynn1970]

I bought one at Target. I LOVE it!!! It can also lie flat and be used as a griddle with alternate plates as well. Paninis are so yummy! I was also making Reubens and some hot pastrami sandwiches. :D The past week I've been using the griddle to make pancakes.

[caseysmom]

I bought one at Target. I LOVE it!!! It can also lie flat and be used as a griddle with alternate plates as well. Paninis are so yummy! I was also making Reubens and some hot pastrami sandwiches. :D The past week I've been using the griddle to make pancakes.

Mine doesn't do all that! What brand did you buy?

[jennielynn1970]

Granted, it's more expensive than I wanted to pay, but I'm using it a lot...

Grill/Panini Press (http://www.target.com/dp/B000WO6MNS/601-5631759-5996120)

[caseysmom]

That looks pretty nice if you use it its worth it.

[jennielynn1970]

That's why I'm making sure I'm using it. I don't have a griddle or anything else, so, I'm using it for whatever I can. I normally don't buy something that expensive... I don't have a waffle maker, but I figured I'd just make pancakes instead of those since they are basically the same.

The only issue I have is that you have to place the sandwich just right for the floating hinge to press the sandwich evenly. That's been a trial and error type thing.

[caseysmom]

I used two tortillas and noticed if everything wasn't even inside it doesn't cook well. We will have to swap recipes as we discover more things.

[jennielynn1970]

I definitely have to do healthier options. I tend to love anything with lots of cheese on it. I've also been using a spray olive oil that I found with at the store (like the cans of no stick spray... but it's meant for any kind of cooking).

[kittycats_delight]

Panini is the italian word for sandwiches. Hubby had a panino everyday for work. And we often do a piadina each for supper. They are usually just grilled on a normal grill. We bought just a small grill. We use it for everything meats, piadine, panini and the list goes on. Just letting you guys know cause it isn't necessary to pay extra cash for a specific grill or press as they like to call it. We got our grill at a place called Carrefour which is like Walmart for 10 euro. While I was home I took my mom to walmart to pick up a grill for panini and piadine and we got one there for $11 or $12. Works perfectly.

ETA: This is similar to the grill we got my mom at walmart but it was not george foreman it was some generic 'brandname'. I just can't remember what it is.
http://i.walmart.com/i/p/00/08/28/46/03/0008284603223_500X500.jpg

[moosmom]

Oh, now you're talking!!!! I LOOOOOVE Panini!! I buy them whenever there's a sale. My favorite is steak and cheese.

[smokey the elder]

When I was growing up, my grandmother had a grill which had reversable plates; it was a waffle iron/grill. Loads of these were probably chucked out in the 70s and now have been reincarnated as "panini presses"! :p :D

[sasvermont]

I have a manual one, if you will. It is oh so handy. I love cooking chicken breasts and burgers on it. The heavy top allows the meat to cook more quickly and it seems that the moisture stays in the meat much more so, than if you cook it to death for more minutes on a regular stove top/pan. You can cook veggies with it....it is endless. AND grilled cheese sandwiches are the best on my panini! Mine is an All-clad...teflon coated (ugh)...(we're all gonna die from teflon, I'm afraid.)....

Right now Lucy, the little black barn cat of mine, is putting her big furry head right on my right hand, as I type. She would crawl inside me if she could. Talk about a velcro kitty.

Back to the panini....I can't believe I waited as long as I did, to buy mine. I figured someone would make them less expensively eventually. I bet they are all about the same, but the prices vary somewhat. I guess I have had mine for about 3 years now.

I like mine because it is so easy to clean. Since it is not electric, I can submerge it completely in the soapy water. :) I find that my waffle maker begins to collect icky batter in the oddest of places. And since it is electric, I can't soak it etc..... then I get out a toothbrush......ugh. :rolleyes: and start cleaning...

[Rachel]

Yes, I too just use my George Foreman grill to make grilled sandwiches. Caseysmom, your ingredients have my mouth watering. I love sun dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts. I need to try something like that for a little more variety to my staple of grilled tuna salad.

[jennielynn1970]

When I was growing up, my grandmother had a grill which had reversable plates; it was a waffle iron/grill. Loads of these were probably chucked out in the 70s and now have been reincarnated as "panini presses"! :p :D

My mom had one of those too! It was this huge old sucker that weighed a ton! I'd use it if she still had it!

My great aunt and uncle owned an old fashioned gas station and luncheonette before I was born. They still had the luncheonette bar area in the front of the house along with this oven where they would make grilled cheeses and things. OMG... I swear, that was the best grilled cheese maker ever. I don't know what it was really, but it looked like an oven, and it had this large grill/griddle area that came out and you put the sandwich on it. You never had to flip it or anything.

When they died and the house was being sold, I wanted to get my hands on that sucker so bad, I just had no idea where I'd install it, as it was an in the wall unit like an oven.

And it figures, I paid too much for my press, lol. What else is new. I thought maybe with the weight of it, etc... and the extra plates, it would hold up better too.

[sirrahbed]

I make a panini now and then with my foreman grill. I first had paninis when I went out with my daughter Missy and so duplicate those at home now. Chewy bread spread with strawberry jam and crushed pineapple, ham, swiss cheese and sliced green peppers. They are sort of Hawaiian style I guess? So good! Missy recently made some paninis at her house by using a heavy pan on top of the sandwiches.

Is there a trick to getting the bread nice and crispy? Maybe a particular bread? I totally love the Healthy Choice frozen ones and would like to try and make a version of the chicken/spinach/mushrooms ones anyone try those??

I think I am getting hungry for supper :D

Just googled a bit and found this way to make a panini with a brick (http://visualrecipes.com/recipe-details/recipe_id/183/Easy-Panini/) - with pictures!

[jennielynn1970]

I'm working on the crispy part as well. I do like a light spritz of the olive oil in the spray can. I think that works well. I also think the heat has to be relatively high so that it sears first, and then turn it down to let it melt/heat up in the middle.

[beeniesmom]

OH GOSH YES!!!
My mother in law got me one for Christmas. I had always wanted one.
I make prociutto and mozzarella paninis, grilled veggie panini's and so many combinations of stuff (some even gross)! I could eat them everyday.

[ramanth]

Oh I love Paninis! It never occured to me that I could use the Foreman Grill to make them. I'm excited now! :D

Caseysmom, your ingredients are mouth watering. :D

[kittycats_delight]

I find for the most part if you wait until the grill is heated to full temp before putting the panino on then they become crisp within about 3-5 minutes which is usually the perfect amount of time to make everything on the panino nice and hot and melt the cheese really well.

[beeniesmom]

I bought one at Target. I LOVE it!!! It can also lie flat and be used as a griddle with alternate plates as well. Paninis are so yummy! I was also making Reubens and some hot pastrami sandwiches. :D The past week I've been using the griddle to make pancakes.

Mine does all that too! It's a cuisinart.

[ramanth]

I find for the most part if you wait until the grill is heated to full temp before putting the panino on then they become crisp within about 3-5 minutes which is usually the perfect amount of time to make everything on the panino nice and hot and melt the cheese really well.

That's great to know. Thanks! :D I have very little counter/cupboard space so I just don't have room for another gadget.

[Sevaede]

I cannot WAIT to try a melon and prosciutto panini! :D

[pitc9]

Oh I love Paninis! It never occured to me that I could use the Foreman Grill to make them. I'm excited now!

That makes 2 of us!
Guess what I'm making for dinner tonight?!!? :D

[anna_66]

Oh I love Paninis! It never occured to me that I could use the Foreman Grill to make them. I'm excited now! :D

Now it makes three of us! I never thought of that. I LOVE paninis!