Caprese Panini: Or, the Best Lunch Ever.

I don't know why, but I have been on the biggest panini kick lately!  It all started when we had some pesto chicken paninis (found here), for dinner the other day.  They were SO good, I just had to have a panini again for lunch the next day.  Only I didn't really want to have to cook the chicken and whip up some pesto.  I love food, but I'm lazy.  It's quite the conundrum.  I opted to make these instead--Caprese Paninis.

These seriously hit the spot!  London loved them too.  She is big into grape tomatoes these days.  And since that's usually the only veggie she'll eat, I try to utilize them as much as possible.

Caprese Paninis:
Sourdough bread, sliced
olive oil
garlic powder
1 bunch basil
1/2 c grated mozzarella (or more or less, depending on how cheezey you like your sandwiches.)
1 handful of spinach
handful of grape tomatoes, halved
cooking spray

Assemble your sandwich.  Take two slices of bread, drizzle one of them with olive oil, and sprinkle with the tiniest bit of garlic powder.   Artfully place your basil leaves on your drizzled slice of bread.  (Just kidding, it doesn't have to be artful, it can be ugly too, no one is going to see the inside of your sandwich.)  Add some of the cheese--but not all.  The cheese is the glue that is holding this goodness together, so you need to save some for the end.  I'd probably go halvsies.  After you've put on some cheese, add some spinach leaves and your grape tomatoes.  Sprinkle the rest of your cheese and top with your other slice of bread.

If you're really fancy and have a panini press it's time to bust that sucker out.  I used my handy dandy George Foreman Grill.  But if you don't have anything similar, you can use the skillet method (place your sandwich in one skillet on the stove.  Use the bottom of another skillet to press down on your sandwich, and flip it after two or three minutes.  Cook another two minutes or so.)  Spray your weapon of choice (or circumstance) with some cooking spray.  If using a panini press or little grill, allow it to heat up.  If you're going old school with the skillets, heat the pan to medium.  Once every thing is all nice and hot, cook that sandwich.  Make sure your cheese is all nice and melted and gooey.  This should take about five minutes on the press or grill.  Skillet method is stated above.  Once everything is cooked to perfection, take that sucker out, slice it, and serve it up with a nice side.  Or just have another sandwich as your side.  I'll let you figure that out.