Our family will enjoy homemade grilled panini sandwiches for supper on Christmas Day. Each person will be able to assemble their own sandwich and cook it using my George Foreman grill. A panini party is fun anytime of the year, however. Choose two or three themes for your grilled panini sandwiches and buy the ingredients accordingly; it is wise to choose breads and sandwich fillings with possible leftover ingredients in mind that you like to consume so that nothing goes to waste. Read ahead to see my best panini press recipes.

My bread choices will be two varieties of rustic breads plus flour tortillas. The other grilled panini sandwich ingredients I will have on hand for my party are:

1) Italian sausage combo grilled panini

Ingredients: cooked Italian sausage, crumbled; mozzarella cheese; mushrooms; onion; green bell pepper; black olives, and tomato. (Put the tomato in the center of the sandwich; if very seedy, remove seeds to keep the juice-factor lower).

2) Hawaiian grilled panini

Ingredients: Canadian ham; Swiss cheese; onion; green bell pepper, and honey mustard dressing.

3) Chicken taco grilled panini

Ingredients: Seasoned cooked diced chicken; onion; black olives, and cheddar cheese. Add fresh lettuce and fresh tomato after grilling sandwich. (Serve salsa on the side).

Prior to the event

When making grilled panini sandwiches for a party, the host or hostess will need to cook meats and slice ingredients ahead of time for easy sandwich preparation by the guests.

For these three sandwich offerings I will need to cook the Italian sausage and the diced chicken (using diced skinless chicken breast, seasoned with Italian seasoning); this will be done the day before the party. Slicing will involve the bread, cheese, mushrooms, green bell pepper, onion, tomato, and black olives.

For sandwich preparation by the guests

Have paper plates available for guests to use while they are assembling their sandwiches. Lay out ingredients for each type of sandwich in separate work areas. When layering ingredients within the bread, it is good to put the cheese slice(s) next to the bread, then put the other ingredients between the layers of cheese.

Place a lined cookie sheet near the grill for guests to use for “buttering” the sandwiches prior to grilling. You can use melted butter and a brush, olive oil, or a light application of butter-flavored spray, which is my choice. Lightly butter or spray both sides of the bread before placing the sandwich on the George Foreman grill.

Grill the sandwich until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted. Slice the sandwich with a straight-edged knife rather than a serrated knife for a cleaner cut.

Some good garnishes: Chips and dips; pasta salad; coleslaw; green salad or Caesar salad.

Homemade grilled Panini sandwiches can be as varied as you like. A good source of ideas is paninihappy.com/.

For dining out in Colorado or Minnesota, you won’t go wrong by visiting Panino’s, a restaurant where I have happily dined often. My favorite sandwiches at this panini restaurant have been the source of inspiration for the three homemade grilled panini sandwiches that I will serve at my party.

The Panino’s restaurant makes a unique Italian sandwich using a “secret dough recipe.” They bake the sandwich and serve it rolled and sliced. These are excellent, but not easily duplicated at home.

I hope you enjoy making homemade grilled panini sandwiches soon for a party; it is an easy way to have fun in the kitchen, make use of a George Foreman grill or other sandwich grill for your panini sandwiches, and ensure that a good time is had by guests and hosts alike.

This is the Zojirushi’s upgraded rise cooker that has many users and supporters.  If healthy rice is an important part of your family’s regular menu, you might as well do it right.  This rice cooker has many features that are designed for safety and for effortless rice cooking. I have to say that the NS-ZCC10 is really the best rice cooker when it comes to perfecting rice.  When you pen the package, you will know right away that this is the rice cooker you have been waiting of your dreams.

Product Details

•    600 watt rice cooker
•    5-1/2 cup computerized with “neuro fuzzy” Technology.
•    Multi-menu choices
•    Automatic extended warming
•    Reheat capabilities
•    Spherical non-stick inner pan by Dupont
•    LCD Clock and timer
•    Retractable cord
•    Includes 2 measuring cups, non-stick rice scoop, rice spoon holder
•    User’s guide and recipes included
•    Product dimensions – 14” x 8” x 10”
•    Shipping weight – 9 pounds
•    One-year limited warranty

Product Overview

Several reviewers dubbed the Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5-1/2-Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer, Premium White the top-of-the-line rice cooker.  The product is solid and beautifully engineered.  The footprints are small but the production possibilities are large.

The unit is designed to cook rice spherically.  The black, thick interior spherical pot is covered with DuPont Teflon.  The stay-cool handles make it a snap to lift the interior cooking pot from the machine.  The Teflon really serves two purposes.  It does not permit the rice to stick to the cooking surface and it does make cleaning so easy.

Zojirushi refers to the rice cooker’s technology as “neuro fuzzy” technology.  This technology provides the user with multiple menu selections.  The options include temperatures for various rice types.  The sky is the limit.

Users should use the measuring cups included with the cooker.  These cups are not the same size as standard cups.  Use these cups for both rice and water.  One measuring cup is for regular rise and the other is for non-rinsed rice.

The technology also provides an automatic warming cycle.  When the contents are cooked, the automatic warmer kicks in and keeps food war without burning or further cooking.  To cook the rice, add the number of measured cups and then an equal amount of measured cup holding water.  Spices and flavoring can then be added.  Stir the mix and select the type rice being cooked.

Next, the user pushes the power button.  When the rice is cooked, an indicator light will notify the user.  In the world of rice cookers, this is an all-star.  Reviewers report it lasting from 6 – 10 years.