Margherita Panini (Make It!!!)

Overview
If you enjoy a good grill cheese now and then,  you will love the Margherita Panini! It's as easy to prepare as a grill cheese with ten times the flavor!

Recipe Source
When Meaty told me he was making Paninis this week, my imagination ran away and immediately pictured him kneading dough, hunched over a cutting board chopping vegetables while I consoled a screaming hungry baby at the end of a long long work day while waiting for dinner to be served. I just couldn't imagine how this could be a "make in advance" meal. But, once again, Meaty pulled it off! This recipe was a hit and loved by all!  The only make ahead step for this meal was to dice the tomato. Everything else he pulled together immediately upon getting home from work. He took one other time saving step to call me on his way home from work to ask me to "fire up the Foreman." Meaty found this recipe at foodnetwork.com. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/panino-alla-margherita-recipe/index.html His customized recipe is listed below.

 

Recipe

1 Package Baby Mozzarella

1 Small Container Feta

1 Loaf of Crusty Whole Grain Bread

Garlic Salt and Pepper to Taste

1 Tomato, Diced

1 Small package fresh basil, Chopped
¼ Cup Olive Oil

Place the baby mozzarella and feta atop 1 bread slice. Season with garlic salt and pepper to taste. Add the tomato and then the fresh chopped basil leaves. Top with the second bread slice. Brush both sides of the sandwich with the olive oil.

Heat a skillet over medium-low heat. (We used our George Foreman Grill.) Grill the sandwich until the bread is golden brown and the cheese melts, about 4 minutes per side.

Complete Protein= Whole Grain Bread + Cheese

Tips 

- "Meat up" this recipe by adding thinly sliced prosciutto, Italian sausage or chicken breast.

Possible Side Dishes: Buttery Rice, Fresh Salad, Sauteed fresh green beans with butter, and mushrooms.

Reviews

Veggie- Boy was my image of the preparation of this meal off base! It couldn't have been easier to throw together and grill. The fresh basil gives this toasty sandwich a multi dimensional flavor. It enhances the richness of the cheese and the ripeness of the tomatoes. Meaty has found another family favorite to add to the dinner rotation.

Meaty-  Meaty made himself 3, count them 1-2-3 paninis! It's safe to say he likes this recipe!


Baby- Baby (18 months) wants to eat exactly what Veggie Mommy and Meaty Daddy are eating these days. It was important for his panini to look just like ours (but smaller). I cut off a quarter of Meaty Daddy's panini and gave it to Baby. This really seemed to intrigue Baby. He watched as we snarfed down our paninis and listened as we "Mmmmmm" and "Ahhhhhhed" about the flavor all while trying to figure out how to eat his. The crustiness of the bread was just a little too chewy for his mouthful of pending teeth, so we cut a piece off his quarter and he, too, snarfed down his panini. I then knew it was safe to cut up the rest of the panini and it disappeared about as quickly as I cut it up.

Veggie, Meaty, Baby!  wants to hear from you. Please post comments as you try and customize these recipes to fit your family. Let me know how this dish turned out and what your family thought of this dish.