Recipe Wednesday: Ham and Swiss "Cuban" Paninis

We LOVE paninis at our house! When we do paninis, we customize them based on everyone's likes...no meat, extra cheese, more ham...etc. Everyone is happy!!! :) Of course, you can put whatever you want in a panini...if you put a combo of meat and cheese on some good bread and get it nice and melty, you really can't go wrong, can you?  These are perfect to serve alongside soup as a cozy fall/winter meal.

I hesitate to even put the word "Cuban" in this recipe because this is certainly not an authentic version of a Cuban sandwich (no roasted pork, just ham). However, the addition of the pickles/dijon/mayo make it more special than just a plain grilled ham and cheese.

We don't own a panini press, so I use my counter top griddle. If you don't have a griddle, it's just as easy to use a grill pan or large skillet. I just love my griddle because I can cook 4-5 paninis at once (not to mention, it's awesome for pancakes, too!). Definitely think about having "panini night" at your house...it's always at hit at ours!!

Ham & Swiss "Cubans"

- Ham Slices
- Swiss Cheese Slices
- "Sandwich" dill pickles (the ones that are thinly sliced)
- Dijon mustard
- Mayo
- Good sliced bread (we've found that Sourdough or Cracked Wheat works the best and makes the crispiest sandwich)

1. Heat griddle to 350 or heat skillet

2. Spread each slice of bread with mayo and dijon.

3. Layer sandwich fillings on one slice of bread: 1) Swiss 2) 1-2 slices of ham 3) Pickles 4) Swiss. Top with other slice of bread.

4. Butter/Olive Oil both sides of the bread and place on griddle or skillet.

5. Cook until bread is nice and brown and cheese is melted--about 4-5 minutes per side--don't rush it :) You can use a heavy pan or skillet if you need to weigh down the panini (optional).

6. Cut in half and serve with soup or a nice side salad. One of these salads would work well :)

Enjoy!!

XO ~ Casey