CookManFood.com!

I am a big fan of a lot of other food sites, I like to read what other bloggers are doing, how they are pushing the limits and reading about recipes that get me inspired.  One site that I love is Food Porn Daily.  Not every day does that site get me chomping at the bit to get into the kitchen but a few weeks ago, it did just that.  Now, to make a panini is not that difficult.  Yes you can get one of those fancy dancy press things that go for $80 or something like that.  Not needed.  Two hot stainless or cast iron pans will work just fine.  Here is what you need:

Some good bread
Brie
Proscuitto
Red onion
Tomato
Butter

This one is pretty simple.  Start by grabbing a few slices of really good bread, for this, I used a kalamata olive bread from one of the local bakeries.  Next spread the outside with butter, better yet, use some of that bacon chive butter you just learned about the other day.  Take the brie out and slice off the casing.  You don’t really have to slice off the casing i guess but I have never been a fan so I cut it off.  Next, slice up the tomato and red onion super thin.  Now start to build your sandwich.   Bread, brie, red onion, tomato, and the proscuitto followed by the other slice of bread.  Now get your first skillet going on medium heat.  Note: all stoves are different, the key hear is to toast the bread to golden brown while melting the cheese inside. If you burn the bread, it will be ruined and if the cheese isn’t melted, well, it won’t be done correctly.  As you are getting the first side of the bread toasted in the skillet, heat up the second skillet on high heat.  After flipping your grilled cheese at this point, take the hot skillet and use it as a press.  Don’t press too hard that it mashes the sandwich, press just enough that you can hear some searing going on and that the sandwich presses.  return the 2nd skillet to the heat for a few minutes before flipping the sandwich again and pressing a 2nd time.  When the cheese is melted and the sandwich looks like above…eat.  That simple.