Nutella and Banana Panini

This may seem like a strange post, but this morning I was craving something sweet, ans why not  make something 'comforting' fun, and sinfully delicious without a lot of calories. I love Nutella, just like everyone else, but hardly ever use it to make a dessert... even though I have the jar sitting in my cupboard, next to the jar of peanut butter. I also had a whole Challah bread in my freezer, I had it sitting there for over one month. Such a perfect grilled panini with Nutella, and the banana pairing!

I must warn you, this Nutella Panini is not elegant...there's no other way to present it to make it look fancy; it's 'what you see is what you get' kind of a droolworthy awesome grilled sweet sandwich, made exclusively in a Panini Grill that is only for grilled sandwiches. I only ate one small portion, and wrapped up the rest to take over to my little grandson as a great snack when he came out of kindergarten. My daughter also enjoyed it as well!
Notice the perfect grill marks?... can't get better than that!

I'm sure, there must be an actual recipe out there, by I got my inspiration from one of my other favorite sandwich, which is the peanut butter banana sandwich, which I'm sure will taste as yummy, as a grilled panini.

 Nutella and Banana Panini
 recipe by; Elisabeth

Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread
1 or 2 ripe bananas, sliced
4 (1-inch thick) slices of Challah bread
or white sandwich bread

Spread 1 tablespoon of Nutella on one side of each slice of bread. If you're using a small, or med. banana, you can fill the entire bread slice with the banana slices.Top with the remaining bread slice, spread side down.

Preheat your panini grill, on med. high. This is a 'thrift find' panini grill, which I purchased about a year ago, for $9.99...a real bargain, and it works great!

 Place the panini (sandwich) on the hot grid, close the lid down and grill for about 5 or 6 minutes.

 When you see the grill marks appear, your sandwich is done.

While it's still warm, with a serrated knife, cut into half, or thirds...just watch it disappear... Yumm













 Some pre-Christmas visit at Macy's with my grandchildren!

 Last Saturday, at Macy's at City Place, in West Palm Beach...letter to Santa Claus!

Beautiful Christmas tree, at Macy's

I just had to snap this photo...so cool, so Christmasy...this car parked in front of Publix supermarket, after we left Macy's and stopped to buy a few items, at the supermarket. Imagine, the person cramming the Christmas tree into the car...also leaving the windows down and totally leaving down, and all open.

When we came out of the supermarket after 30 minutes, the car with the Christmas tree inside was still parked...isn't this a cute car?...a brand new FIAT! (not mine, of course)...wouldn't mind to own this little beauty:)

Home made Pizza

I should really be calling this a Sunday Pizza because that's the only day I get to make this for a quick bite for the family, and it's a great little satisfying lunch with just salad on the side...perfectly even cut little squares on the one side, as you can see, it's just plain, with organic tomato sauce topping, and  (not so organic) shredded mozzarella cheese. On the smaller side, is topped with sauteed, sliced onions, pitted kalamata olives, and pepperoni (my favorite...sorry, not so light and healthy, but oh, so good! The crust is the best part made with the most awesome flour, even better than bread flour for the pizza, called, Eagle Mills, all Natural all Purpose, unbleached flour...a wholesome blend of white, and ultra grain flour. Pizza was devoured, within a few minutes.

Home made Pizza  Dough

1pkg active dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 cup of warm water

3 cups of unsifted Eagle Mills all Purpose unbleached flouror 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour,  and 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 teaspoons salt

1 Tbsp. olive oil

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the 1 cup of warm water, with sugar. Let stand 5 minutes until foamy. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Add yeast mixture with fork, stir until dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough for 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Grease a large bowl all around the surface, with the olive oil. Place the dough into the bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with a plastic wrap, or a towel, and place in a draft free place for about 1 to 2 hours, until doubled in bulk. Punch dough down, and place the dough on to the floured surface, cover it by placing the bowl over it, and let it rise again, for an additional 1 hr. Now, you can roll the dough out with a rolling pin,  and place it on a 12 in round pizza pan, or you can make a rectangular form, and place it on a 9x13 flat baking sheet. Preheat oven to 500 degrees and pre-bake for 10 minutes, so when you put the topping on it it won't come out soggy, underneath the topping. Top with basic sauce, and cheese, or with your favorite toppings, and bake for an additional 12-15 minutes until dough get nice and crunchy, and cheese is melted, and bubbly. Serves 6

note:

click on the highlighted portion of the Eagle Mills flour to get more information, regarding this wonderful flour.

Basic Pizza Sauce 

1 can of 28 oz. organic tomato sauce

or tomato sauce of your choice

3 Tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

dry herbs of your choice, or leave plain

( I just used 3 large whole fresh basil leaves in the sauce)

Fresh basil leaves for decoration (optional)

In a large saucepan, heat ingredients till simmering, Cook stirring occasionally, 15 minutes, or until thickened. Cool before spreading on pizza dough.

Three in One Salad

After all those ooey-gooey cheesie comfort food dishes, it's time to get down to real serious salad eatings. I created this salad at my daughter's (you can see, the blue plates are hers, not a thrift find,..a perfect lunch, yet comfortably pleasing with Greek pita bread she purchased, and the wonderful Greek yogurt from our local Middle Eastern market. The avocado was from the local Cuban produce market, so is this Greece, meet Cuba, in South Florida. Not too shabby!

Three in One Salad

Top Layer: Tzatziki

1 large cucumber peeled, halved, and cut into thirds,

 insides scooped out and  cut into 1/4 inch small slices. 

1/2 cup Greek plain yogurt

small amount of fresh snipped, or dried mint, or dill, or oregano (I used dried oregano)

salt and pepper to taste

a dash of rice vinegar (very mild)

Mix all the ingredients together, and serve it on top of the salad, (or on the side if you prefer)

Serves 2

Middle layer: Avocado and tomato salad

2-4 small mature, just ripe avocados,

skin removed, split in half and diced into cubes

2-4 plum tomatoes, cut in half and cubed

1 bunch scallions, sliced thin

2 cloves garlic chopped

2 jalapeno peppers diced

juice of 1 lime 

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste.

Mix together all the ingredients, in a medium bowl, and save it for the middle layer of the salad, along with the dressing in it. No additional dressing needed.

Bottom layer: 1 bag of European mixed salad

1 6 oz can of imported Italian light  tuna in olive oil (or your favorite brand)

Start out on a dinner plate, with a nice portion, or half of the bag of salad, next, divide the tuna into nice chunks and scatter it evenly on 2 dinner plates, with oil in it..(don't drain liquid, or oil)...next, divide, and layer the avocado tomato salad including the dressing. The top portion is the tzatziki, just scoop that on the top, and serve it with pita bread, or naan, or bread of your choice. A hearty, healthy, satisfying lunch. Serves 2-4, if smaller portions are to be prepared.

Can you believe it? 12 limes for $1.00. Can't beat this price!

Just look at these beauties, for 99 cents per pound!