Do you panini?

[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"!

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

Just googled a bit and found this way to make a panini with a brick - 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.