Panini Maker and Turkey/Avocado Panini

We were given this panini maker, by Villaware, as a wedding gift.  We use it all the time. It may be the most used kitchen appliance we own.  We’ve found you can put about anything in a panini making it a quick and easy lunch or dinner. If you don’t have a panini maker you can still make paninis by grilling them with a foil covered brick on top to weigh the paninis down. I read that somewhere.  Below is one of my new favorites.
Ingredients: Sour dough bread, olive oil, turkey, colby jack cheese, cream cheese, tomato and avocado.
Slice the bread about 1/2 an inch thick.
Spray the outside of each piece with olive oil.
Spread cream cheese on each side, add turkey and sliced avocado.
Add sliced tomato.
Add colby jack cheese or whatever cheese you have on hand.
Put top on and place in panini maker.
Close panini press and grill until cheese is melted and bread is golden brown.
This sandwich is just as good without the turkey too!

Iced Mocha Perfected

I heart an iced mocha, our breville espresso maker and the guy that knows how to use it.  I told Kent I was going to post about my favorite kitchen appliance.  He said, “There is nothing megasimple about the breville.”  I replied, “It’s megasimple to me.”  One of the things I appreciate about Kent is that he will experiment, test, retest and fiddle with an appliance and recipe until it is perfected.  All I have to do is be the taste tester.  It’s a sweet job.  He’s offered several times to show me how it works, but I’ve strategically declined.  It was a pricey investment, but worth every penny since we are approximately 50 miles from the nearest Starbucks.  Kent’s persistence has certainly paid off and it’s like we have a Starbucks right in our own kitchen!

Kent’s Iced Mocha Recipe
2 shots of espresso
2 T starbucks mocha powder
2 T hot water
1/2 c. skim milk

1. 1. Make espresso
   2. Mix mocha powder+hot water=
   ….chocolate syrup
   3. Mix espresso, syrup and milk
   4. Pour over ice and add whipped cream