Fancy Grilled Cheese - Brick Smashed Panini Sandwiches!!

What could be more delicious than a warm & gooey, crusty breaded, smashed & grilled panini sandwich? Well, I can't think of much. I was looking on the Le Creuset website and I was admiring the panini press and skillet combo! However not all of us have several hundred dollars to buy this gem of a kitchen tool -- a girl can dream! Instead, funny as it is, my friend Jordan mentioned to me recently that she uses bricks to press her sandwiches, and I thought what a great idea! You will have to forsake the 'attractive grill marks,' that a panini press leaves, but the results are just as tasty. I am sure my Italian immigrant great-grandparents would agree.

Ready your Bricks for Culinary
I recommend that you find & have on hand as many bricks as you have sandwiches to press. You can get your bricks from a hardware store, or you can find them around town! Be sure to wash them well in the sink or dishwasher--for safety sake. Wrap each brick completely in aluminum foil before using.

Oven or Skillet?
There are a few ways you can utilize your 'home-made panini press.' Oven baked, or skillet pressed. Either way you will need to place your bricks in the oven to heat before the press. Preheat the oven to 375-400 degrees and let the bricks heat up for 15 minutes or until the bricks are very hot. If you are going oven baked - place your sandwiches on a lightly greased/oiled pan, and press a brick onto each then place into the oven until the bread is browned and your cheese is melted. If you are using a skillet, add a slight bit of oil, heating over medium heat. Add a sandwich to the pan and place a hot brick over the top. Remember you may need to flip these sandwiches during cooking one time for both oven baking and skillet.

Proper Panini Construction!
1. Spread your mayo/pesto/mustard or other condiment on both sides of the bread.
2. Season with salt/pepper/herbs (optional) over your condiment.
3. Layer meat/tofu/tempeh on the bottom slice of bread.
4. Layer cheese over the meat.
5. Add any vegetables, make sure that you put put a cheese or meat barrier between slippery vegetables (ie, portabellos & roasted red peppers). This will help the sandwich stay together when eating and not fall out the backside with each bite. Even layering some lettuce after the press will help keep your sandwich together.
6. Add vegetables that can get soggy like cucumbers, carrots, sprouts & lettuce after you remove the panini from the skillet or oven - they are much better crisp.

Favorite panini combinations - of course you can make anything your little heart desires!

Race Street: Smoked Gouda, caramelized onions on lavash bread

Nutty Cheese: Brie cheese, honey & dried apricots or cranberries, light amount honey mustard, on a walnut or other nut bread

The Colorado Club: Roasted turkey or chicken breast, bacon, Monteray jack cheese, thin sliced red onion, lettuce & tomato with a chipotle mayonnaise spread (add a few tsp of canned chipotle's to mayo and mix) on rustic sourdough (try Udi's!)

The Rueben: Pastrami, or roasted eggplant slices, Swiss cheese, organic sauerkraut & home-made 1000 island dressing (mix mayo or vegenaise, ketchup and sweet relish), on marble rye or light rye bread


The Rabbit: Roasted red pepper hummus or pesto, cucumbers, carrots, green peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, red onion on super seedy, Italian rustic, or rosemary focaccia bread