Egg and Canadian Bacon Panini

We started enjoying breakfast sandwiches made with English Muffins about the time we figured out that an English Muffin has dramatically fewer calories than most biscuits.  Pair that news flash with the difference between bacon and Canadian bacon in both the fat and calorie content.  And, a  4 minute poached egg is a skinny egg!!  All in all I can afford a half of a slice of cheese to glue all of this together in light of the most respectable savings I have accumulated on everything else!!

My goal is to be able to make up homemade breakfasts that are available wrapped and ready in my refrigerator to heat and eat.  Neither of us are apt to want to cook at 5:30 or 6:00 AM......Does this sound like your house??  On the other hand, who wants to take the time to sit in line at a drive through window?

Enter the new Panini-Griller combo and this is a great new "GO".  Previously when we tried this the English muffins were toasted then assembled and wrapped.  We heated then in the microwave loosely wrapped in a paper towel instead of the plastic wrap it was stored in but the result was awfully chewy.

The new idea was not to toast the muffin at all but to slap it on the preheated Cuisinart Griddler for about 4 1/2  or 5 minutes and they are terrific.  Warm all of the way through, cheese melted, and crispy on the outside!!

Here is the how to:

6 English Muffins
3 slices cheese of your choice
6 poached eggs cooked until firm and drained on paper towels
12 slices thinly sliced Canadian bacon

Fork split the muffins and lay them out assembly line fashion.  Place a half slice of cheese on the bottom of each muffin, breaking and fitting it to lay within the confines of the muffin.  Place an egg on top of the cheese then top with two slices of Canadian bacon.  Wrap snugly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.

Preheat panini maker or grill for 3-5 minutes.  Meanwhile remove the plastic film the sandwich was stored in and re-wrap loosely in a paper towel.   Place the muffin on the bottom portion of your appliance and close and hold the top down firmly for 30 seconds.  Release the top and leave it down, heating for another 4-5 minutes.  Remove and enjoy.  Yield 6 breakfast sandwiches.

NOTE: You can make these successfully without any appliance by heating in a heavy skillet over medium high heat and weighting down with another heavy skillet.  Just flip the muffin sandwich over half way through the process.  Voila!!

Panini Me!! Cuisinart Griddler Makes for Excellent Pressed Sandwiches!!

Roast Beef 'n Swiss with Horseradish on Seeded Sourdough Rye!!

Santa "hubby" left me a shiny new Cuisinart Griddler under the tree (the panini maker all over TV lately).

What a treat it has proven to be.  Not that I couldn't always have made them.  I have enough Lodge skillets and a Lodge cast iron weight to use as a panini press to boot!

This appliance is the neatest thing I have seen lately though and seems really "no fail" to me.  We enjoyed roast beef panini on sourdough rye with horseradish and Swiss last night and I am looking forward to a hot ham with French mustard American cheese and apple slices for lunch today!! With a bit of luck I will remember how to use the camera and take a picture!!  I am certain we will be enjoying corned beef in Rubens too.

I am also pleased to report I am just using a drizzle of olive oil rather than a glob of butter on the bread prior to placing the sandwich into the press.

The cooking plates snap right out and wash up easily unlike some earlier versions of griddles and grills.  You just need to let them cool about 30 minutes.  Cheese that has oozed onto the grilling surface just pops off as it cools and hardens.   After you have selected the process you are using and set the temperature the appliance preheats and lights a green light to indicate it's readiness.  After placing the sandwich to be cooked on the grilling surface you just shut the top and hold down firmly for 30 seconds, release, and set the kitchen timer for 5 minutes.  This is the part I really enjoy.  I go sit down and relax until my panini is done and don't have to mess with flipping or burning it.  The bread is toasted crisp, the meat and cheese hot, and it is delicious.  Thanks to my honey of a hubby.