Panini Recipes: Cheesy, Meaty, Savory – Thanksgiving Leftover Makeover

I bought a panini press a few months back on a one of those daily deal sites. Sometimes I think they convince me to buy things I don’t really need just by the countdown clock. That said, I had been thinking about buying one for some time, so when it came up on the site and I checked it against the regular retailers, I realized what a great deal so I bought it.

I thought I’d use it a lot more than I do, but except for the occasional grilled cheese sandwich, it spends most of it’s time packed away. I want to use it more often so I’ve collected what I think are the best panini recipes from around the web that are on my must-try-soon list. Click on any of the photos to visit the creator’s website and to print the recipes.

10 Best Savory Panini Recipes

Garlic Chicken Panini by PaniniHappy	Ham, Egg, and Cheddar Breakfast Crepes done Panini-style by PaniniHappy
Cuban Panini and Black Bean Soup made with leftover pork tenderloin by tonispilsbury	Chicken and Bacon Panini with Spicy Chipotle Mayo by eat-drink-love.com
Breakfast Panini with Jarlsberg Cheese, Ham, and Granny Smith Apple from au.lifestyle.yahoo	Supreme Pizza Panini by Paula Deen
Caprese Panini by LifeTastesLikeFood	Prosciutto and Pesto Panini by Martha Stewart
French Dip Panini by PaniniHappy.com	Leftover Turkey, Apple, and Cheddar Panini Recipe

How to Cook Panini

Start with fresh bread – that’s  a must!  Thinly slice your ingredients. Panini are perfect for using up Thanksgiving leftovers and turning them into something different.

• With a panini press: Preheat the press, spray the surface with organic olive oil Pam (my favorite – I use it instead of butter or oil on the bread as well).  Cook the sandwich according to the instructions, but generally 3-5 minutes for a golden brown sandwich with nicely melted cheese.
• Skillet method: All of these sandwiches can be made like a traditional grilled cheese in a heavy skillet. Warm the skillet on medium with butter or oil in the pan. When hot,  add your sandwich, and add a heavy pan on top to weight it down. Cook on medium until crisp and golden, about 4 minutes per side (flip once).