cookin'....

...was pretty simple and easily done today. The recipe was for pannini. I have not ever before today. But if hundreds and hundreds of grilled cheese counts, I have, sort of. These were  not nearly as wonderfully greasy as a grilled cheese. And probably, except for the fact that you start with deep fried chicken strips, almost healthy.

You make up a (pseudo) chutney with sun-dried tomatoes and pineapple jelly, plus a spoonful of balsamic vinegar. Spread it over the slices of baguette, and top with deli chicken fingers. Add half a slice of cheese (I forgot what kind - so whatever you got in the fridge). Hmmm... I think I was using provolone, nice runny mozzarella would be good! Top with another slice of baguette, spray it with nonstick cooking spray and put in the pannini press for about five min. Everything that needs to cook is already done: the chicken came from the deli, so it only needs to heat up and melt the cheese.

If you don't have a pannini press, which I do not, and do not want any more appliances/stuff, thankyouverymuch. So I was telling people all day they should drag out the George Foreman grill and use that instead. Not nearly as messy as having to clean it up after cooking burgers.  Or just put it in the iron skillet with something weighty to flatten it out: like you do those wonderfully bad-for-you grilled cheese sandwiches. I got lots of compliments on my 'skills', and have begun to say to people who tell me 'this is really good': "tell my boss what a great job I am doing".

I gave all the pannini away, so I never got a chance to taste one. But I did eat some of the confetti salad. It was so yummy, I accidently brought some leftovers home. It's so easy and quick to put together, I was almost embarrassed to be handing out the recipe, so simple to make, you dont' even need to write it down. Five ingredients. Five minutes. On the table. What could be easier?

Two cups of rice. (We were using the RTU Uncle Bens, that you put in the micro for ninety seconds, but if I were to make it at home, I would be using brown instead of barely nutritious/white.
Can of red beans, rinsed well and drained
3/4 cup of trinity mix (diced tomatoes, bell pepper and onion) - or to taste, whatever you like (please leave the raw onions out of mine)
1 T. lime juice
1/3 cup lite Ceasar salad dressing.
Salt and pepper
Stir, take the bowl in the closet and close the door so no one sees you eating the whole thing.