Last night was a busy night. My wife decided it was time for a new comforter on our bed, so we went shopping. Let me tell you how unthrilling shopping for comforters is; it’s just not my favorite thing. Tagging along with her makes her happy so I don’t usually put up too much of a fuss. We went to several different department-style and home stores trying to find that perfect color combination. We eventually found one we liked and purchased it, which made her happier and all geared up to clean the bedroom like a hired housed keeper. When she gets in these cleaning modes, I tend to just get out of the way. In the Marines Corps, we would have called this duck ’n cover; now I just run like hell. Nothing is sacred when she gets in this mode; it’s a trait she got from her mom that I rather enjoy.

With all the running around “shopping,” we were out of time for dinner. Why do they call it shopping when it doesn’t always entail buying something? I mean we eventually did but it was after several stores of just looking. So after we went “looking” then “shopping,” I had to come up with a quick dinner. The quickest thing I could put together was grown-up grilled cheese sandwiches. You know the kind. . .  oh what are they called, oh yah, a panini. Now who ever came up with the concept of mixing a perfectly wonderful kids’ dish with a little herbs and meats? I would gladly shake his or her hand. I mean, come on! It’s a fancy grilled cheese. I think they call it a panini just to hide the fact from the kids that the grownups are eating them too. Anyway, enjoy this grown-up grilled cheese sandwich.

Italian Grown-Up Grilled Cheese Panini

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 Slices Sour-Dough Bread

6 Slices Hard Salami

2 Slices Golden Roasted Turkey Breast

4 Slices Havarti Cheese

4 Large Basil Leaves

4 Tomato Slices

2 Slices of Onion, separated into rings

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions

1. Turn Panini cooker or pan to medium-high heat.
2. Place 2 slices of bread on a cutting board and gently coat with olive oil.
3. Place bread oil side down on the cooker.
4. Layer turkey, salami, tomato, onion, basil, and cheese on top of bread slice.
5. Top with other slice of bread
6. Lightly coat the top layer of bread with olive oil.
7. Close the press and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or cook in pan for 3 minutes per side.
8. Enjoy!