From this angle, you can see the lettuce piled high on whole grain bread and perhaps a hint of the ruby exterior of the lower half of a French breakfast radish. And if you look closely, you can see the not-too-thick, not-too-thin layer of easy egg salad for one. This sandwich takes mere minutes to whip up, but it feels like something special.

Working at home, it’s easy to fall into habits when it comes to lunch. Going out for a sandwich, for instance, because it’s easier than making your own. Or picking up something from the grab-and-go at the grocery store because you are there anyway. Or slapping together a thin, boring sandwich because it’s easier. Ultimately, these all aren’t really that awesome. You are either taking a whack at your budget (take-out adds up!) or find yourself eating because it’s time to eat. Shouldn’t eating be fun? And can’t it be fun without digging into your wallet?

Yes. Truly.

To make this easy lunch for one, you start with a few simple ingredients for the egg salad: hard-cooked eggs, salt, pepper and mayo. Don’t worry: your eggs don’t need to be dyed like these. But if you have leftover eggs from Easter, this is a perfect use for them.

You peel the egg and then mash it with the tines of a fork. Easy. And if you are super short on time, buy pre-cooked, pre-peeled eggs from the grocery. They are a huge timesaver.

The egg should look like this when you are done.

Now, you are almost done. Stir in a little mayo, salt and pepper until the egg salad just holds together. Then spread it on a slice of toasted whole grain bread. Top with the radishes and lettuce. Close it up and enjoy.

Who says you can’t eat well, even in the middle of a workday?

Easy Egg Salad Sandwich for One
serves 1

1 hard-cooked egg
1/2 tbsp mayonnaise
salt and pepper, to taste
2 slices whole grain bread, toasted
1 French breakfast radish, sliced very thin
1/4 cup baby greens

Remove the egg from its shell, discarding the shell. Using the tongs of a fork, mash the egg. Stir in the mayonnaise, salt and pepper until thoroughly mixed.

Spread the egg salad onto one slice of the whole grain bread into one even layer. Top with very thin slices of radishes and a pile of baby greens. Top with the other slice of bread. Cut in half.

Enjoy.

For a minute there this morning, as my alarm blared, I couldn’t move. Buried beneath my warm blankets, the sleepiness of sheer exhaustion tried to lure me back to sleep, if only for a few minutes. But the violent, loud bleeping was annoying and today wasn’t a day to give in. I had to wish and will my muscles into action, mentally reminding myself that it’s Valentine’s Day and I had to rise. There were heart-shaped lunches to make and special muffins to serve to my little Valentines. So, I turned off the alarm in a herculean effort and forced myself out of the bed, stumbling to the kitchen where Paige was nursing a hot cocoa and Shawn was getting ready for work. Will had yet to rise, but followed soon after me.

Don’t worry, I’m not ill (that was the first question a friend asked when I told her how tired I was this afternoon). No, this is just the result of too many late nights. I’ve been working long hours and taking on a lot. I have to — it’s how I ensure that our family remains comfortable. But the less I sleep, the longer it takes to do things and the more time it takes to get to that end point when I can crawl into my warm, soft bed and relax. Sometimes, I feel like I will never have a lazy day or full night’s sleep again. But I also know that it won’t always be like this. This is the ebb to the flow, the part that I have to push through to get to the good times again. And I will get there (I hope that made as much sense to you as it did in my head.)

Today, it’s just caught up with me — the weeks of pushing myself to do more and stay up later to ensure everything is completed just so. All I want to do is collapse into bed without a laptop, camera, Blackberry or anything else. Today, I just need to rest. So, once I finish this post and hit publish, you can guess where I am headed. I need to do this for myself so that I can continue at the breakneck pace that my busy freelancing life runs at right now.

Do you ever feel like this? Am I the only one who goes for weeks without getting more than a few hours of sleep a night?

Now, about this sandwich. It’s my favorite. My absolute, hands-down, want-to-treat-myself favorite. A crusty, slim baguette is drizzled with olive oil and then layered with creamy fresh mozzarella, salty draped prosciutto, bright basil and sweet sundried tomatoes.

It smells of summer days and backyard picnics — even if you are eating it at your desk while working on a blustery winter day. It’s the kind of thing that I will make this summer in mass to share with my cousins and children on the beach. I can almost feel the sand between my toes. (Is it summer yet? I love and miss the beach so much.)

Perhaps the best aspect of this sandwich, which hits all the right notes of soft, creamy, salty, sweet and crisp, is that it takes maybe four minutes to make — including the time it takes to get everything out and put everything away. Something’s to be said for a sandwich that delivers high flavor on super-low time.

Make it. Really. It’s that simple and delicious.

Antipast0 Baguette Sandwich
serves 1

1 12-inch baguette (or 12-inch portion of a thin baguette)
1 tsp olive oil
3 slices fresh mozzarella (as thick or thin as you please)
2 oz whisper-thin slices of prosciutto
3-5 big basil leaves (or as many leaves as it takes to place them down the length of the sandwich)
5 dry-packed sundried tomatoes (as fresh as you can get)

Slice open the baguette. Drizzle one side with olive oil. Layer the mozzarella, prosciutto, basil and sundried tomatoes on top. Close the sandwich. Cut in half. Devour.

Last year, Will repeatedly came home from school requesting “eggies” for lunch. Aside from being clearly somehow related to eggs, I had no idea what he was talking about. I tried to have him describe the eggs he wanted, but I was just baffled. Finally, I emailed the mother of the girl who was bringing the “eggies” and asked what they were. Hard-boiled eggs. Who knew?

These days there are a lot of eggies in our house. We eat them a lot — on salad, chopped in sandwiches and all sorts of things. In fact, the kids had them for breakfast today with clementines and toast. Based on their clean plates and excited woots, I think they liked them a lot. But these eggies on an open-face sandwich? They are all for me … just don’t tell the kids. Oh, but we don’t call them eggies. That just seems silly.

We’ll get back to the sandwich in a minute but first …

It’s Eat. Live. Be. Reboot day and this week we are turning to the internet for inspiration. Or was it magazines? Depends who you ask. We’re having a little trouble keeping these things straight. Anyway, whatever our theme was, the ELB girls have some great posts up already. Cate wrote about confidence — and the importance of taking care of you first. Joanne is talking about the dreaded (but missing) January Joiners and a mouthwatering Thai recipe. Patsy is chatting all about the veggies and one of my favorite cooking magazines — Cooking Light.

As for me, I’m the straggler this week. It happens.

My internet inspiration this week comes from a sign I ordered from Etsy recently. It bears a quote that I hold near and dear to my heart: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. I discovered it shortly after my friend Elayne passed away. It speaks to leading a happy, well-lived life, which is something that I want to do more than anything. It’s about not wasting time with things that don’t matter. It’s about really living — and not saying no when the nerves threaten to boil over. It’s the motto I live by.

Now, I just need to find the perfect spot to hang it. I’m thinking the kitchen where I will see it a lot.

Oh hey, let’s not forget this sandwich too, which is totally worth the late night post. I first made this with chopped kalamata olives instead of tapenade and ate it for breakfast. Honestly, you could do it that way as well. Still I have to tell you that the tapenade spread really gets that salty, briny kalamata flavor everywhere, permeating every bite. It’s delightful. This makes a great open-face sandwich for lunch … or whenever.

It’s a cinch to make too, which makes it perfect for whenever.

What do you think? Is it breakfast? Lunch? A good sized snack?

P.S. Apologies to any subscribers or feed readers who received an earlier version of this. I mistakenly hit the wrong button and the post published way too soon. Sorry!

Egg and Prosciutto Open Faced Sandwich with Tapenade
serves 1

1 slice whole grain bread
1 tbsp tapenade
1 hard boiled egg, sliced
1 oz thinly sliced prosciutto

Toast the bread until golden. Spread with tapenade and then lay the hard boiled egg slices on top. Drape the prosciutto over the egg. Enjoy!

Today was the last day of Christmas break for the kids … the last day for them to play with all their new toys unfettered. Their last day to ride bikes and build Lego houses with each other all day. Their last day to watch cartoons over lunch. So, I thought something warm, toasty and buttery was in order — it’s been a great break from school and heading back to our regimented schedule is kind of sad.

Hello, grilled cheese.

When I was a little girl, grilled cheese was one of my very favorite lunches. My grandmother would butter slices of perfectly square white bread and sandwich a slice or two of orange American cheese in the center, frying them to buttery, gooey cheesy goodness. I loved the texture variations of the sandwich — the smooth, warm cheese and the crisp toasted bread. I’d eat as much of the cheese as I could from the center before eating the bread.

I still love a good grilled cheese. But it’s definitely not the most lean of lunches — it can be though if you make a few small changes.

This version is of the classic grilled cheese has a few health-minded upgrades to make it a teensy bit healthier with more natural ingredients.

The white bread has been traded for more fiber-rich whole grain bread. It’s still buttered though … there is no substitute for butter in a grilled cheese. I’ve tried.

Instead of highly processed American cheese, this sandwich is made with a mix of shredded mozzarella cheese and provolone cheese. They have that same melt-factor that’s key to the sandwich.

And in the center? A little protein in the form of sliced meatballs.

The result is a delicious twist on the classic. It has a lot of the best qualities of classic grilled cheese, just stepped up a bit. And Will and Paige? They loved this, eating every last morsel and requesting more. They especially liked having meatballs in the center.

Two Cheese Meatball Grilled Cheese
yields 1 sandwich

2 slices whole grain bread
salted butter
2 tbsp shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 tbsp freshly grated provolone cheese, divided
2 mini meatballs in sauce, sliced

Lay out the slices of bread and butter on one side each. Meanwhile, heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Place one slice of bread butter side down in the pan. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of mozzarella on top followed by 1/2 tablespoon provolone. Line the cheese with slices of meatballs. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of mozzarella and 1/2 tablespoon of provolone on top. Cover with the second slice of bread, butter side up.

Cook the sandwich 3-4 minutes, until golden on the side facing the pan. Flip carefully, press down slightly and then cover the pan. Cook for another 3-4 minutes until golden. The cheese should be all melty.

Remove from the pan and let cool for a few minutes before cutting.

Serve immediately.

Every time I look at this sandwich, my mind goes blank and I start to salivate a little. It’s not just a BLT — it’s something to behold: creamy, crispy, salty, sweet and juicy. The mind blankness makes it hard to write … let alone come up with some entertaining introduction. So, let’s pretend that I already gave you some well-written lead in. Please?

Ok. So, this sandwich … I’ve been lovingly calling it the BLAT, which stands for Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado and Tomato Sandwich. It’s amazing. Creamy avocado, sweet heirloom tomatoes, salty bacon and crisp lettuce – like a bite of heaven.

BLT sandwiches became a minor obsession of mine in early August. As soon the first heirloom tomatoes appeared, visions of colorful slices in bacon-loaded sandwiches danced in my head. I couldn’t wait to have one. This whole thing came as a surprise though since I have never been a big BLT fan. I mean, it’s just lettuce, tomato and bacon, right? That’s what I have always thought.

I was wrong. So wrong. A BLT sandwich can be something amazing, if you do it right. And by that, I mean that it’s all in the ingredients.

You have to start with good bread. I like a nice semolina bread with a soft crumb and a not-to-hard crust. This loaf that I came from the bakery of my local grocery store and was very good — similar to my favorite semolina loaf that I buy at the farmers market whenever I can. But whatever bread you love works. Perhaps a few slices of a fab multigrain loaf?

Next to the bread, the most important part of a BLT is the bacon (of course!). I like my BLT bacon to be thick, meaty and really flavorful. It can’t be salt-overload. It needs to have subtle whispers of layered flavor. As for cooking method? Use whatever method you prefer … but I totally baked my bacon to avoid the mess.

Then there is the other fillings. Don’t let up on the quality now. The better your ingredients, the better your sandwich. I swear. For this one, I used heirloom tomatoes, avocado and really good, fresh green leaf lettuce. Because I added avocado, I skipped the mayo. The avocado adds the right amount of creaminess to the sandwich on its own.

Once you have all that, you only need to put it together and enjoy. How could you not?

Do you like BLTs? What are the most important components?

Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado and Tomato Sandwiches
serves 4

8 slices great bread (such as semolina bread from a bakery)
1 Hass avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced
1 heirloom tomato, sliced
4 leaves green leaf lettuce
1 lb really good bacon, prepared

Lay out four slices of the bread on a cutting board. Top each with 1/4 of the avocado slices. Follow with tomato slices, lettuce and finally bacon. Enjoy immediately.

Poor Man's Steak, Veggie and Mozzarella Sandwich

Do you eat your meals together as a family? The kids and I eat dinner together nearly every evening, usually around our kitchen table. Shawn’s not home for dinner often because he has to work late and has a lengthy commute, but when he is, we all eat together as well. I’m dying to get a new kitchen island with adorable stools so that I can prepare and eat our food there when it’s just the kids and I, but I digress. We also eat breakfast as a family — with Shawn too — several times a week. Lunch is a free for all.

Eating together is a time for us to talk about our days — the silly antics of the boys in Will’s kindergarten class and the random tidbits about her classmates that Paige shares. We laugh and are sometimes silly. This past weekend, the kids and I had dinner outside followed by a rule-less game of baseball. It was so much fun.

According to a new study published in the May 2 edition of Pediatrics, our family dinners could be much more than just fun — it could be helping my kids avoid obesity. Kids who eat three or more family meals each week are 12 percent less likely to be overweight than those who don’t eat family meals or seldom do. If they eat five or more meals as a family each week, they are 25 percent less likely to have poor nutrition. If you want to raise healthy kids (I do!) then this is important and good news. Researchers developed the data after analyzing 17 earlier studies and comparing the data.

This all underscores our family’s commitment to eating together. Not only do we make family meals a daily habit (and that extends beyond just dinner), we also have a standing weekly family dinner with our extended family who live nearby. Some weeks (particularly at the holidays and sometimes in summer), that means upwards of 20 family members all together at once (Related: Tomato Bisque for 12).  It’s special, and we love it.

Today seemed like the perfect time to talk more about family meals, including some interesting results from the Sarah’s Cucina Bella Family Meals Survey 2011 that I conducted earlier this year.

Sandwiches like these are so easy, since the ingredients take so little time to prepare. Once they are laid out, all you have to do is build 'em.

First, a little background: Earlier this year, I started an intense research project for a book proposal. The book I am developing is a more in-depth, more useful version of the unpublished one that I wrote years ago. (Recap for newer readers: In 2007, I was contracted to write a cookbook by a very small publisher, handed the manuscript in on schedule and then … nothing. A year and a half later, a short email exchange between my publisher and I ended the contract and the book reverted to me.). The original book was fine, but after much consideration, I realized it was missing something. So, I’ve started afresh, researching and learning more about the eating habits of families. As part of that, I conducted a preliminary survey on family meals to get a better understanding.

There were more than 100 responses to the Family Meals Survey 2011, but I disqualified any incomplete surveys, leaving me with 94 completed surveys. Of those, 85.1% were filled out by mothers. One of the things I was looking to understand was what really matters to parents when it comes to eating family meals. I think that’s a personal thing, and not something where I could ever claim to have all the reasons. Everyone’s perspective is different, naturally.

So, what makes a family meal? For the majority of respondents (58.5%), having the whole family there is the most important aspect of a family meal. Also important is the happiness level of the table, said 40.4% of the respondents. Everyone being present in the moment (29.8%), being disconnected from technology (26.6%) and the quality of the food rounded out the top five responses (26.6%).

Some other interesting statistics from the Sarah’s Cucina Bella Family Meals Survey 2011:

• Nearly two-thirds of respondents do not have a standing date for family dinners. 37.2% do.
• Dinner is the meal most-often eaten together, according to my survey (91.5% of respondents said so!). The other 8.6% were split evenly between breakfast and lunch.
• 66% of respondents shop in advance for ingredients, and 48.9% create a meal plan. 17% shop that day for the ingredients they need.
• 59.6% search the internet for recipes, and 29.8% look through cookbooks.
• About a quarter of the respondents enlist their children to help plan the meal. 18.1% also involve their kids in the preparation of ingredients and 19.1% have their kids help with the cooking.

How important are family meals to you?

Poor Man's Steak, Veggie and Mozzarella Sandwich

Speaking of family meals, this sandwich is perfect for a family dinner. It’s a stuffed sandwich that starts with a grilled London broil rubbed with your favorite spices, salt and pepper. I chose London broil because it is — even now — one of the least expensive cuts available, and with this recipe 1 pound of it can feed 8 people (as long as you serve it with several side dishes). And these days, budget-friendly meats are a must for everyone. Once the meat has been grilled and rested (resting is so, so important so that it’s juicy), you slice it ultra-thin against the grain. Use your sharpest, big knife and sharpen it more just before slicing. It will make the whole thing a breeze.

Once the meat is all sliced up and ready, you layer the sandwiches with steamed bell pepper slices, thin slices of fresh mozzarella cheese (or thin slices from a block of mozzarella, if you want to save a little more) and tomato. The freshness of the veggies with the salty cheese and spiced meat will hook you. My son immediately asked if he could take the sandwich for school lunch too (and today he did — but I traded the tomato for lettuce so that the roll wouldn’t get soggy).

Poor Man’s Steak, Veggie and Mozzarella Sandwich
serves 8

1 lb London broil
kosher salt and pepper
spice rub of your choice
8 deli rolls
1 cup steamed sliced bell peppers (I used frozen from Trader Joe’s)
2 tomatoes, sliced thinly
8 slices mozzarella (I used Fresh Mozzarella from Costco, but a block of mozz could be substituted)

Heat your grill over its medium setting for 10 minutes to get it good and hot. Prepare the London broil by rubbing with salt, pepper and spice rub all over.

Place the London broil on the grill and cook for 6-8 minutes per side, to desired doneness (recommended: medium). Remove from the grill and let sit for 10 minutes. This step is important, as it allows the meat to reabsorb its juices.

Slice the London broil very thinly against the grain with a sharp knife.

Now, it’s time to prepare the sandwiches. Slice open the rolls and layer with thin slices of London broil, mozzarella, tomato and peppers. Don’t be afraid to stuff the sandwiches. Close and cut in half.

Serve immediately with a couple family-favorite side dishes (we ate ours with salted, perfectly cooked edamame) such as a big green salad, baked beans and corn on the cob.

Enjoy!

Everyone has their own quirky little stories about being kids, myself included. But one that always makes me smile has to do with food. When I was a really little girl, there was only one thing I wanted to eat when we’d occasionally get Burger King for lunch: a grilled cheese.

Yes, they actually made it. No, grilled cheese wasn’t on the menu. Yes, that was ridiculously picky of me. Basically, my grilled cheese at Burger King was a hamburger bun, turned inside out, and cooked with a slice of American cheese in the center. A cheeseburger, hold the burger, if you will.

Since it’s National Grilled Cheese Month, this seemed like the perfect time to share a fabulous grown-up grilled cheese recipe, made with a technique from that special grilled cheese of my childhood. Out is the plain roll in favor of an onion roll. Out is the American cheese, in favor of sharp white cheddar cheese. And in is a little ham.

Like that grilled cheese of my childhood, I sliced open the onion roll, flipped it inside out to make the sandwich. Then I cooked it like any other delicious grilled cheese. It was amazing … sweet bits of onion, sharp melted cheddar cheese and a little hearty, sweet ham.

It’s so simple, yet so good. And by using the onion roll, it’s as if I caramelized some onions to include in this too. Score!

So, tell me what childhood quirks you had?

Grilled Cheddar and Ham on an Onion Roll
serves 1

1 onion roll
butter
3 slices sharp cheddar cheese
2 slices thinly-sliced deli ham (recommended: Boar’s Head Maple-Glazed Honey Ham)

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Slice the onion roll in half, and butter the inside-side of both halves. Turn one over and layer 1 slice of cheddar followed by the ham and 2 slices of cheddar. Top with the other half of the roll, butter side up.

Cook the sandwich until golden brown on both sides — about five minutes, total.

Serve.

Today’s post was planned, started and scheduled in my planner. The photographs were taken and edited, just awaiting uploading. But then something happened. This morning, Paige pulled out a vintage Barbie cookbook I picked up at a book sale last year. She carried it around the house. And after reading a thick stack of Dr. Seuss books and doing two three puzzles, she asked to make something out of the cookbook.

Before I could even say yes, she was skipping to the kitchen with the cookbook tucked under one arm and her stool dangling from the other. How could I deny her? So off to the kitchen we went to make something. I leafed through the book until I found a simple, but delicious sounding recipe for grilled cheese. Paige was all for it.

The sandwich was fabulous – sharp cheddar, salty bacon … that perfect combination of crunch and melted cheese. And yes, it came from a Barbie cookbook.

What’s your favorite cheese to have in a grilled cheese sandwich?

Grilled Cheese with Bacon
serves 2
adapted slightly from The Barbie Party Cookbook

4 slices white bread
salted butter
2 oz cheddar, thinly sliced
2 slices bacon, browned and crumbed

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.

Butter two of the slices of bread on one side. Set aside.

On the remaining two slices of bread, split the cheese and bacon evenly. Then top with the buttered bread (butter side up).

Once the skillet is hot, gently flip the sandwich and place it butter side down in the pan. Butter the slice of bread facing up. Then cook, flipping once and gently pressing down, until browned on both sides.

Serve immediately.

Turns out that the schools “great” system of alerting parents at our school of delays, closings and emergencies is a bit of a pain. I mean, at first glance, it’s great. Instead of having to endure the forever-long list of district closings being read on the radio, they call us. And text. And email. At once. So, I never have to worry about missing the message.

Except, school has been closed four times this month … and that means four (!) phone calls at 4:50 a.m.-ish to let us know.

I hate getting calls at 4:50 a.m.

So, I am starting to resent the whole system. Never mind that the weather sucks (today, it’s been a mix of snow, ice and rain. Joys.), they are disturbing my sleep. The obvious answer would be to change the phone number to one of our cell phones or turn down the call service … of course, then I would have to wake up at 6:30 a.m. and Will’s alarm would go off, so he woudn’t be going back to sleep.

I just want the snow days to end. Now.

Yes, the kids were home from school today and a little cabin fever-ish. Can you blame them? Thank goodness for little spates of pace-changing … like lunch time, when they happily sit still at the table to eat. And, it’s time for me to make myself a little something special too … since, you know, a Starbucks run is out of the question.

So, while the kids munched on turkey sandwiches and bowls of chicken noodle soup  for lunch, I whipped up this little panini. It’s a nice mix of salty and creamy, which a hint of crunch. If you like more crunch, add a little bacon. And on good, soft, toasted multigrain bread, it’s perfect.

Nothing like a happy little sandwich for lunch …

P.S. The trick with making paninis is to have all the ingredients ready to go before you lay a thing in the pan. That way you can slap it together and cook it fast — without one side getting overdone.

Ham, Swiss, Avocado and Spinach Panini
serves 1

2 slices whole grain bread (I used Pepperidge Farms 15 Grain)
2 oz ham, thinly sliced (deli meat)
1 oz Swiss cheese slice
1/2 Hass avocado, sliced
1/4 cup baby spinach

Preheat your panini pan and press (or a George Foreman grill or a panini grill).

Spray one side of each of the slices of bread with olive oil spray. Once the panini pan/grill is hot, lay a slice of bread on the pan (olive oil side down) and quickly top with ham, Swiss, avocado and spinach. Top with the second slice of bread, with the olive oil facing up. Press with the panini press or close the grill lid.

Cook until lightly browned all over — 3-4 minutes.

Serve immediately.

My kids and I have a love affair with paninis. The toasty pressed sandwiches have so many possibilities for fabulous, delicious fillings: chicken, pesto and tomato; ham, Swiss and honey mustard; roast beef, blue cheese and arugula. The list goes on and on.

Well, in researching for my Tablespoon.com column, I discovered that August is National Panini Month. Um, hello! It didn’t take much convincing to get me to head to the kitchen and start creating some delicious paninis.

Up first was Grilled Chicken, Goat Cheese, Tomato and Basil. I wasn’t sure if that one would work for us, since we’ve never been huge goat cheese fans, but combined with lots of fresh basil, fabulous grilled chicken and juicy tomato, it was amazing. I love the creaminess that it imparted on the sandwich. As for the kids, they polished the whole thing off fast.

As much as we enjoyed that panini, it was the second one that totally won my heart and taste buds: Turkey, Apple and Cheddar (that’s the one at top). As far as flavor combinations go, I adore sweet apple with sharp cheddar and the turkey (my fav is Boars Head Maple Glazed Honey Turkey — Delicious) goes perfectly with that. Will gobbled that one right up. Paige, who is a tougher sell on all sandwiches, skipped the bread and ate the fillings, so I guess it was a relative win for her too.

Do you love paninis? What’s your favorite flavor combo?

Grilled Chicken, Goat Cheese, Tomato and Basil Panini
serves 1
NOTE: Scroll down for the printable recipe

1 pat (about 1/3 inch) butter
2 slices Italian bread
1 oz goat cheese, softened
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 3-4 ounce grilled chicken breast
2 slices tomatoes
salt and pepper

Heat a panini pan and press over medium grill on your stove (or preheat your panini press).

Melt the butter. Lightly brush the sides of the bread with the butter.

Spread the goat cheese onto one slice of bread. Top with chopped basil, then chicken breast, tomatoes and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Top with second slice of bread.

Press the sandwich on the panini pan/press until lightly browned on both sides.

Cut in half and serve.

Turkey, Apple and Cheddar Panini
serves 1
NOTE: Scroll down for the printable recipe

1 pat (1/3″ thick) butter
2 slices Italian bread
1 1 oz slice cheddar cheese
3 1/4 inch thick slices apple (peeled)
3 oz honey maple turkey breast

Melt the butter in a small pan. Meanwhile, preheat your panini grill or panini pan and press.

Brush the bread with melted butter and place one slice, butter side down, on the panini grill or pan. Top with cheddar, apple slices and turkey. Then cover with the second piece of bread (butter side up).

Press the panini and cook for 3-5 minutes until toasted and warmed throughout.

Serve immediately.