California Dreamin' (In the Form of a Panini)

Sonoma County Chicken and Apple Panini

I consider myself very lucky to have grown up in Northern California with such food-adventurous parents. My brother and I were frequently exposed to new tastes from my mom's kitchen and at numerous restaurants. "California cuisine" provides a bounty of fresh ingredients in clever combination. Some of my very favorite dining experiences happened on trips to the California Bay Area and Wine Country (including the BEST tomato soup ever). This panini recipe is inspired by some of the tastes of California's foodie-happy wine-soaked Sonoma County. Apples, brie, and crusty bread (staple snacks amongst avid wine-tasters) play perfectly off a garlicky chicken salad and caramelized onions. Enjoy this one with a glass of wine (or two).

Ingredients

- 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, fully cooked, and diced

- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced into thin rings

- 1 Tbsp. butter

- 1 tart apple (such as Granny Smith) sliced thin

- 2 Tbsp. olive oil

- 4 slices sour dough bread

- about 4 Thsp. soft brie cheese

- salt and pepper

- 2 Tbsp. garlic aioli (or prepared Caesar dressing)

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, separating into individual rings with a wooden spoon. Season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and cook until the onions begin to soften, stirring occasionally. Once the onions are soft and translucent, turn the heat to low and caramelize (20-30 minutes). Once the onions are soft and brown, remove from heat and allow to cool while preparing the rest of the panini. 

Set panini press to high. In a small bowl, combine chopped, cooked chicken breast with prepared aioli or Caesar dressing. Toss to coat chicken completely, adding a little extra dressing if it seems dry. Brush one side of each slice of sourdough bread to a little olive oil. Spread equal amounts of the brie cheese on the non-olive oil side of the bread slices then assemble paninis. Top the brie on one slice per sandwich with a little bit of the chicken, a few apple slices, and a sprinkle of the caramelized onions. Top with the second piece of bread, oil side out.

Place sandwiches on panini press and cook until the cheese melts and the bread is golden and toasted. Serve panins with a little soup and definitely a glass of California wine!

Hey There Hot Tomato!

Thick and Creamy Tomato Soup With Cheddar and Bacon Paninis

I love many forms of tomato soup. It is a particularly effective soup for sandwich dipping- one of my favorite edible activities. The cold weather around here seems to be back with a furious vengeance in the last few days- we even had a few inches of wet snow! When the temperature drops like that my desire to sit on the couch in a hoodie and warm my hands and stomach with a big bowl of soup increases. I put together this very thick, rich tomato soup for these chilly February days. The paninis seem like a great companion piece.

Ingredients
- 1 sweet yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 c. tomato paste
- 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
- 2 tsp. dried oregano
- 2 tsp. dried basil
- 1 c. heavy cream
- salt and pepper to taste
- sliced cheddar cheese
- 4 slices cooked pepper bacon
- 1 tomato sliced crosswise about 1/4 " thick
- 4 slices sour dough bread

TOMATO SOUP
Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook about 5 minutes until they are softened and begin to turn translucent, season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and tomato paste and stir constantly for about 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes, dried herbs, sugar, and salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the tomatoes have softened, slowly add cream and stir to combine. Adding more if soup is too thick. Season to taste and serve with paninis.

PANINIS
While soup is simmering, turn the panini press to high heat. Brush one side of each piece of sourdough bread with olive oil. With the oiled side out, arrange sandwiches with cheese, bacon, tomato slices, an additional piece of cheese, and top with a piece of sourdough oiled side up. Place on heated panini press and cook about 5 minutes until sandwiches become toasty and cheese is melted. Remove and serve with soup.

A Pressing Matter

Roasted Tomato and Eggplant Paninis With Smoked Mozzarella
I know that it's only January and I should really be expecting weeks and weeks more of mist, gloom, and chilly nights, but lately the weather has been tricking me. On two of my runs last week, I didn't even have to wear the sweatshirt, gloves, and hat I have become accustomed to donning since October. Blue skies. Bright and windless days. The nights, however, have been another story. The minute that sun sets the fog rolls in and I am ready to cozy up to a steaming bowl of soup and some sort of delicious toasted sandwich. I've been getting a lot of wear out of my panini press over the last few weeks and this was my latest creation. Inspired by a ball of smoked mozzarella cheese I found on a recent Trader Joe's outing. There are very few ingredients in this meal, but they are all extremely flavorful and served with a hot bowl of tomato soup make the perfect pairing to an evening in.

Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant, sliced into 1/4" rounds
- 3 large tomatoes sliced to 1/4" thickness
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- herbs d' Provence
- 8 slices of good quality sourdough bread
- 8 oz. smoked mozzarella, sliced into disks

Preheat oven to 400˚F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Arrange eggplant and tomato slices onto foil. Drizzle with about 1/4 c. olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and herbs d' Provence. Roast in oven for about 30-40 minutes until vegetables soften and shrink. Remove from oven and set aside.

Heat panini press to high. Brush one side of each piece of sourdough with olive oil. Turn olive oil sides down. Top four of the bread slices (oiled side down) with cheese, several pieces of eggplant and tomato, another slice of cheese, and top with a remaining piece of bread, oiled side up. Cook sandwiches on panini press until they turn golden brown and cheese becomes melty and delicious.

Serve with your favorite tomato soup.

Soup and Sandwich Night

Open-Faced Tuna Melts with Spicy Tomato and White Bean Soup
Romeo and Juliet. Gin and Tonic. Yin and Yang. There some things out there in the world go better in pairs. On a chilly October evening after a long day at the office followed by chores and errands there are few things more satisfying that a nice sandwich covered in melty cheese and a big ol' bowl of soup. When Jordan moved in, he brought with him an X-Box, an enormous tv, and many, many cans of tuna. "Let's do something with these." He said. Challenge accepted.

Ingredients
- 2 7-8 oz cans Albacore tuna (in oil or water), drained
- 1/4 c. chopped Kalamata olives
- 1/2 red onion, peeled and diced
- 2 Tbsp. capers, chopped
- 1 handful chopped Italian parsley, divided
- 4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 1 ciabatta loaf, sliced lengthwise
- 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- sliced Provolone and cheddar cheese
- 1 tsp. dried dill
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 28 oz. can tomato puree
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 2 large shallots, minced
- 1/4 c. minced carrot
- 2 c. chicken broth
- 1 14.5 oz. can white beans, rinsed
- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp. hot sauce

SPICY TOMATO AND WHITE BEAN SOUP

Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a medium sauce pan. Saute shallots for about 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften, add carrots. Cook another 2 minutes, season with salt and pepper to taste. Add tomatoes, broth, beans, 2 Tbsp. chopped Italian parsley, sugar, pepper flakes, and hot sauce. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to low and simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve.

TUNA MELTS

While soup is simmering, heat the oven to 400˚ F. In a large bowl, combine tuna, olives, capers, onions, dried dill, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, remaining parsley, red wine vinegar, and mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Set out sliced ciabatta on a foil-lined baking sheet. Top with tuna mixture and then cover with slices of cheddar and Provolone cheeses. Bake in oven 15-20 minutes so that the bread becomes toasty and the cheese is melted. Serve with soup. Eat. Yum.

Nice to Meat You: Part II

Pepper Steak Paninis

Oh no! A pile of delicious leftover steak, a basket of garden fresh peppers, a couple of hungry boys!?! What is a girl to do? Okay, I am admittedly staging this problem a little bit. It is actually a rare occurrence to have leftover steak around my place. After the other night's dinner of marinated flank steak, I had to stop my fellow diners from taking thirds with the promise that I would use the remaining meat for something delicious. I really love making paninis, they are a fantastic way to use leftover meat or grilled vegetables in a new meal. Knowing I had brightly colored peppers and onions waiting on my counter top and a nice chunk of steak and some slices of sharp cheddar in the fridge, all I had to do on my way home from work was pick up a nice loaf of sourdough to whip up a quick and satisfying batch of grilled sandwiches. I kept this one fairly simply to highlight the flavors of the fresh picked peppers. I think the boys were glad they restrained themselves the other night on their meat-consumption to enjoy this meal!

Ingredients
- 1 small sourdough round loaf, sliced into 1/2" thick pieces
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 assorted bell peppers, seeded and sliced into strips
- 1 red onion, peeled and sliced
- salt and pepper
- 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- leftover steak, sliced thin (or pick up some roast beef from the deli)
- sliced sharp cheddar cheese

Turn on your panini press to heat. Meanwhile brush one side of each piece of sliced sourdough with olive oil, set aside. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook peppers and onions over medium, stirring occasionally, until they soften and just begin to turn slightly brown, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove skillet from stove.

Arrange slices of bread, oiled side down, on a work surface. Layer with a slice of cheese, meat, onion and pepper mixture, and another slice of cheese. Top with a piece of bread, oiled side up.

Arrange sandwiches on panini press and grill until bread begins to turn golden brown and the cheese is melted. Slice in half. Eat up! Easy does it.

Lox of Love

Brunch-Inspired Salmon Melts

It's been a while since I have encountered one of my favorite brunch-time staples: the smoked salmon tray. Is there anything tastier than delicious slices of lox on a cream-cheese slathered bagel? Well . . . maybe for you. But I'm a salmon junkie! After my recent encounter with ridiculously priced salmon, I started musing over more economically responsible ways to enjoy this delicious pink-fleshed fish. As it usually does: inspiration hit! This time in the form a twist on a classic tuna melt. The fresh dill really makes for a tasty dish.

Ingredients
- 2 7-8 oz. cans salmon, drained
- 1 ciabatta loaf, slice lengthwise
- 4 oz. cream cheese
- 2 tomatoes, sliced crosswise
- several sprigs of fresh dill, chopped
- juice from 1 lemon
- 2 Tbsp. capers, drained and chopped
- 1 small red onion, peeled and finely diced
- 1 small handful of chopped Italian parsley leaves
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- salt and pepper
- 8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, place ciabatta halves face-up on sheet. Spread half the cream cheese on faces of ciabatta halves. Arrange tomato slices on top of cream cheese layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a medium bowl combine salmon, onion, herbs, lemon juice, oil, vinegar, and capers. Mix ingredients together thoroughly with a fork and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread salmon mixture on top of tomato layer on ciabatta halves. Top with slices of mozzarella cheese. Place pan in oven and bake about 20 minutes unto cheese is melty. Easy as can be!

Dinner with Dan II: Soup and Sandwich Night

Italian Tuna Melts with Perfect Tomato Soup
I rather enjoy my dinners with Dan. He's good company. Good conversation. And (as we discovered tonight) our bratty dogs seem to get along with each other. Spring time in Oregon is never sure what it wants to be. Today went from grey overcast chill to hot, muggy sunshine rather quickly. On my way to the store, I considered scrapping the whole hot soup and tuna melts idea for something that required less time bent over the stove. By the time I pulled into the Trader Joe's parking lot, however, the cold and sudden wind changed my tune again. Besides . . . this particular tuna melt variation is not heavy and mayonnaise-laden. Instead, it's full of veggies and a light tasting dressing. The perfect meal to share with a friend on movie night or just sitting around and chatting on a spring evening. Nothing too fancy, but certainly delicious and filling.

Ingredients
- 2 7 oz. cans albacore tuna packed in olive oil
- 1/2 c. chopped Italian parsley, divided
- 1/4 c. Kalamata olives, chopped
- 2 Tbsp. capers, chopped
- 1 small red onion, peeled and chopped
- juice from 1 lemon
- 4-5 oz. marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
- 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 1 ciabatta loaf, halved lengthwise
- 4 slices Provolone cheese
- 1 white onion, peeled and diced
- 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes with their juices
- 4 oz. roasted jarred piquillo peppers, diced
- pinch of sugar
- lemon pepper
- 2 c. chicken broth
- crème fraîche

Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large soup pot over medium. Add white onions and cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until they become translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Season with salt. Add tomatoes in their juices and piquillo peppers, stir to combine. Add several grinds of lemon pepper and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer then reduce heat, cover, and cook over low for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350˚ F. Place halved ciabatta loaf, open faced, on a foil-lined baking sheet. In a large bowl mix together tuna (with its oil), half the Italian parsley, lemon juice, vinegar, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, red onion, artichoke hearts, capers, and olives. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Spread tuna mixture equally onto ciabatta halves and top with Provolone cheese. Place in oven and bake until cheese begins to melt and bread becomes toasty, about 15 minutes.

After soup has simmered, remove from heat and add a pinch of sugar, remaining Italian parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Puree soup in batches in a blender or use an immersion blender until soup in smooth.

Remove cooked tuna melts from oven and cut each half in half crosswise. Divide soup among four bowls and top each serving with a dollop of crème fraîche. Serve each bowl of soup with a slice of tuna melt. Perfect for dipping.

Get Yer Goat (Cheese That Is)

Bell Pepper and Goat Cheese Soup With Tuna and White Bean Melts

My best roommate ever, Erin, was unfortunately lactose-intolerant. I say "unfortunately" because while we enjoyed cooking dinners together, my recipes tend toward embracing dairy in its many varied and delicious forms. The exception to Erin's anti-dairy issues was goat cheese. She figured out all kinds of ways to substitute my traditional bovine dairy ingredients with goat alternatives. She taught me this soup recipe and it quickly became a regular in our dinner rotation. The creamy goat cheese with the bright, tangy bell peppers makes for a velvety-textured vegetarian meal. I came up with this riff on a tuna melt to make for a heartier dinner. The ease of the meal comes from a 12 oz. jar of prepared marinated giant white beans (thanks Trader Joe's). If these are not available, make a similar taste by combining a can of Cannellini beans with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 1/4 c. diced sun dried tomatoes. I hope you like it!

Ingredients
- 2 large red bell peppers, seeded and diced
- 1 large orange bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 sweet yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 apple, peeled, cored, and diced
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 4 c. vegetable stock
- 7-8 oz. goat cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 12. oz. jar Giant White Beans in tomato sauce (find it at Trader Joe's)
- 1 5-6 oz. can albacore tuna packed in olive oil, drained
- 1 ciabatta loaf, sliced length wise
- 1 generous handful chopped Italian parsley
- 3 c. grated Ibirico cheese (if unavailable go for Provolone)

In a large stock pot, heat extra virgin olive oil over medium. Add chopped onion and cook until it begins to soften and turn translucent (about 3 minutes). Add chopped bell peppers, apple, and carrot and stir until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add vegetable stock to soup, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Line a cookie sheet with foil and place ciabatta halves on top. In a medium bowl, combine tuna, chopped parsley, and white beans. Mix thoroughly and season with salt and pepper. Spread tuna and bean mixture evenly on bread. Sprinkle grated cheese evenly on top of tuna mixture. Put in oven and broil until cheese is melted and begins to brown on top. Remove from oven and slice.

After soup has simmered, remove from heat. Working in batches blend in blender (or use your handy immersion blender) until soup is smooth. Add goat cheese to soup and stir in until melted and soup is creamy. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve with tuna and bean melts for dipping.