roasted red pepper and portabella mushroom panini

some weeknights need to be centered around a meal that can be made in minutes. either our schedules require a change in dinner time, or we decide that it would be best to complete garden tasks prior to a meal break.

for those nights, i sometimes choose panini sandwiches for the main dish. using a great deli bread is the essence of a good sandwich. ciabatta, crusty italian or even a french loaf is often a great choice. for the portabella mushroom sandwiches, i clean the mushrooms first, and then grill them in the panini maker. this allows the mushroom to thoroughly cook prior to grilling them for the sandwich.

for these sandwiches, i used a sliced ciabatta bread, portabellas, sweet red roasted peppers, and grilled onions. i pre-heated and grilled the peppers and onions in a skillet and then added them to the sandwich. therefore, all ingredients were warm before making the panini.

these sandwiches are delicious, and only a small slice of bread is required as the flavor of the ingredients makes the sandwich. served along side a small salad, this is a wonderful weeknight meal.

i find ideas for panini sandwich combinations in the book panini express by daniel leader.