Zucchini "Panini"

If you ignore the homework mess in the upper left of this photo and forgive the lighting, you'll discover a delicious, quick and super-simple meal to serve on these oh-so-busy school nights. I call it zucchini "panini."

Corn tortillas, zucchini, white onions, mozzarella, salt and pepper and about 20 minutes from start to finish for five of these yummies.

My husband and daughters got me this Cuisinart Griddler for Mother's Day this last year. While I'd been eyeing the appliance for a few years, I had hesitations about it being just that: Another appliance that gets pulled out for use a few times a year and takes up space the rest of the time. Boy, was I wrong. With the exception of my mixer, the coffee maker and my blender, it probably gets used more any other small appliance in my kitchen. We even make our fresh eggs on it in the morning, sandwiching them together between the flat side of the plates for about a minute or two, and we have "fried" eggs without frying them. This griddler is what I make the zucchini paninis on.

Projected prep time, start to finish, for 5: About 20 minutes

(Printable Recipe)

10 gluten-free corn tortillas

2 or 3 zucchini, cut in half, then slice each in four slices lengthwise

Half of a medium white onion, or a whole small one, sliced

Shredded mozzarella

Sea salt

Italian pepper

Place panini grill plates into griddler and heat on grill setting at medium/high. If when you begin to cook, the grill marks don't start to brown the vegetables within a couple of minutes, turn the heat to high.

Cut onion in half and slice it. Place slices onto grill, close and cook for a couple of minutes.

While onion is cooking, cut up zucchini. Remove onions and place on a plate, then put the zucchini slices onto grill, close and cook for two or three minutes. Remove and place on plate.

On one corn tortilla, sprinkle a small handful of mozzarella onto surface, then top with three or four zucchini slices. Top with several onion slices, then grind some sea salt over the vegetables and follow with a dash or two of Italian pepper. Sprinkle more mozzarella over vegetables and top with another corn tortilla. Repeat. Place the two "sandwiches" on the grill and close the plates, cooking for a few minutes until the tortilla surface has crisped up and cheese is melting well.

Continue repeating until you have enough. Slice panini in half, or quarters.This recipe will make five "paninis."

Enjoy!

Sunday Sandwich and Oven Fries

I made this sandwich with our favorite oven fries a couple of Sundays ago after church, hence the name.  The sandwiches were so good, however, we'll be happy to eat them any day of the week! We really, really ... really liked them.

I was reading through Ree Drummond's The Pioneer Woman Cooks and got the idea for these sandwiches from her "Marlboro Man's Favorite Sandwich" recipe. It reminded me of a sandwich I sometimes ordered at a restaurant we can no longer eat at since we are GF. We've tried eating there a couple of times since, but they didn't put their best effort into making sure our needs were met. I basically read over the one by Ree Drummond and then as I often do, did my own thing with prep, ingredients etc. and made it gluten-free. If you haven't checked out her website yet, or seen her cookbook, you are missing out.

Projected prep time: 30-45 minutes ; Projected cook time (including fries) approx. 1 hour

Sandwiches

Note: This easily made four sandwiches

1 medium to large white onion, sliced into strips

1 green or red bell pepper, cut into strips (or use both colors, which is what I wanted to do but didn't see any red ones that impressed me in the store)

1 top round steak (didn't pay attention to the pounds)

Butter (or oil of preference)

Sea salt or kosher salt

Black pepper

Tony Chachere's

Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce (U.S. only - Canada is not GF)

Watkins Meat Magic (can omit if you don't have)

Gluten-free buns (O'Dough's is what I used)

Oven Fries

10 small white potatoes (less if larger ones) or more fingerling potatoes

Grapeseed oil

Kosher salt

Black pepper

Paprika

Start with your oven fries first, they take longer. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spread some grapeseed oil around on it.

Scrub the potatoes ...

and then slice in half and quarter them.

Then cut the quarters in half, and ignore the angle of this photo that for some reason Google turned around and I don't have time to fix, again.

Put them in a large bowl.

Then drizzle enough grapeseed oil over them to thoroughly coat each one. Toss. Sprinkle kosher salt and a little black pepper over them, then a generous amount of paprika.

Toss well to coat each one equally, then pour onto sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle a tad more kosher salt.

Bake at 425 to 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes, then remove sheet to turn fries over and then bake again for 20-25 minutes longer until done.

Serve with your favorite condiments.

***

While your fries are in the oven, start on your sandwiches.

Melt one or two tablespoons of butter (or use oil of preference) in a large pan and sautee onion and bell pepper strips.

When they are starting to get soft, add a little salt and some Tony Chachere's and continue to cook.

While they are cooking, tenderize your top round steak on both sides.

Then cut into strips and place in a bowl. Add about two teaspoons of Watkins Meat Magic, if you have it, and several generous dashes of Lea & Perrins, some sprinkles of kosher salt and a little black pepper. Let it sit in this for several minutes while the onions and bell pepper finish cooking (you can add more butter to them if you need to).

When onions and bell peppers are soft and starting to brown, remove from the pan and set aside, then add the meat and a little more butter (or oil of your preference).

When meat is cooked through ...

add the onions and bell peppers back to the pan. Mix it all together over the heat and let the flavors blend together for a couple of minutes. Season with more Tony's and/or salt to taste if needed.

Now you're ready for sandwiches. Get your thawed sandwich buns or rolls ready (I like to toast the inside of mine) ...

and your oven fries should be about ready now as well.

Enjoy!