Don’t be a Pest(o)

Confession: I hoard kitchen appliances.

Not your everyday appliances, like a toaster or my Kitchenaid mixer, but one-use only items, like a panini maker and more than I’m willing to admit “incredible kitchen appliances” from late-night infomarcials.

Yes, I have a Magic Bullet.

But this blog will focus on the panini maker. My husband gave me one for Christmas in 2008 or 2009. I used it twice. It worked fine both times, but a lot more goes into getting the ingredients together for a perfect panini than you realize. Let’s just slap some cheese on bread and have a traditional grilled cheese instead, right?

Whenever Scott and I get on each other about holding on to things we no longer need, he brings up the Panini maker. I knew I had to use it quickly or lose the argument. I got out my 200 Best Panini Recipes cookbook, selected Chicken Pesto Panini, and made a great dinner.

The Panini maker is back in the pantry, but I will use it again soon. I might even blend a drink in my Magic Bullet to go with it!

CHICKEN PESTO PANINI

• 2 Italian rolls, split (I used Pepperidge Farm Italian bread instead)
• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• 1/4 cup basil pesto (recipe below)
• 2 ounces roasted chicken breast, sliced thin
• 2 ounces provolone cheese
• 1/2 cup baby spinach
• 1 tbsp oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 4 slices of red onion

Heat Panini grill.

Place rolls, cut side down, on a work surface and brush with butter. Turn rolls over and spread with pesto. On bottom halves, evenly layer with chicken, cheese, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and red onion. Cover with top halves and press gently to pack.

Place sandwiches on the grill, close the top plate and cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately.

Recipe from 200 Best Panini Recipes

BASIL PESTO

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
• 3 medium-sized garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.

Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Recipe from http://simplyrecipes.com/