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I am a photography fanatic. I love taking pictures, tweaking pictures, and finding the beauty in every day items

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Sandwich Maker

WFMW
My husband loves grilled cheese sandwiches.... and I mean LOOOOVES them. If I made them everyday for dinner, it would be one of his three wishes coming true. I literally know my husband would never leave me just because of my grilled cheese sandwich making skills. Sad....but true :) The only problem that I have with grilled cheeses is that sometimes I just don't feel like making them. I know, I know.... they only take, like what?, 10 mins to make. But still sometimes I just don't feel like standing by the stove constantly flipping and checking for perfectly tanned toast. Especially since I have a serious problem with trying to cook them too fast and burning them..... which still won't stop Curtis from eating them.
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But luckily I found my way around this problem; the glorious sandwich maker! Oh what a beautiful, simple, easy appliance it is. It is basically a waffle iron for sandwiches...brillant...I know! And the best part is, is that you don't have to stick to sandwiches. Something that is really popular with us is make pizza pockets. Just add some pizza or spaghetti sauce with meat or veggies and toast. It only takes about 3 mins and then you will have a nice toasted, warm, pizza pocket. You can also use muffin batter and make quick little muffins for breakfast and even prepare personal fruit pies with batter and filling. This is great especially for people like me, who doesn't like making a WHOLE batch of muffin...because A. They won't all get eaten in time and will get stale.... or B. I will eat them all to keep them from going stale. Either way...I end up unhappy in the end. With the sandwich press I can simply and easily make 4 muffins for Curtis and I in just a few moments.
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They are really easy clean up too. Simply take a wet cloth and wipe it over the ceramic plates.... and presto chango.... done! I am a sucker for easy clean up. But it isn't just the ease of cleaning that I am in love with, but also the price. You can easily find these any where from $15-$100 dollars. It completely depends on what brand and from where you get it from. The cheapest places I found them was at Target and Amazon.com (which surprisingly has a nice selection on-line).

If the sandwich maker isn't really your thang... then there is always a Panini maker, which simply toasts the sandwiches. So, if you are looking for a toasted sandwich OR a nice warm fruit stuffed muffin, the sandwich maker will be your new best friend. And if you don't believe me.... here is a short list of amazing sandwhiches that you could be eating soon. Please try and keep the drool from hitting your keyboard :)

Tex-Mex Chicken Sandwich - you'll need some shredded chicken breasts, salsa, bread or tortilla wrap, and shredded cheddar cheese. Once the sandwich maker is warm, place the bread or tortilla on sandwich maker with the buttered side facing down. Simply arrange the ingredients on the bread or tortilla and top with another slice. Cook for about one minute.

Cheesy Hotdogs - this sandwich maker recipe makes about two sandwiches. You'll need one whole hot dog, half for each sandwich, two slices of bread, one slice of cheese, and your favorite hotdog condiments such as ketchup, mustard, relish, chili, or sauerkraut. Arrange the items on the sandwich maker and cook for about two minutes.

Pizza Pockets - this sandwich maker recipe calls for a couple of tablespoons of spaghetti sauce, a tablespoon of mozzarella cheese, mushrooms, pepperoni, and two slices of bread. Place a piece of bread on top with sauce, mushrooms, pepperoni, cheese, and the spices of your choice. Cook for about two to three minutes.

Classic Tuna Melt
- for this sandwich maker recipe you'll need a couple of slices of bread, a huge tablespoonful of tuna salad (your personal recipe), a slice of cheese, a tomato, and salt and pepper. Place the bread, buttered side down, on the sandwich maker then top with tuna salad, tomato, and cheese. Add salt and pepper and top with the other piece of bread. Close the lid and cook for two to three minutes or until hot.

47 comments:

  1. LOL!!!! my hubby is the same way about my grilled cheeses! i usually make him 4-6 at a time on our large stovetop griddle and he gobbles them up. We also have the sandwhich maker! :)

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  2. I love sandwiches, especially toasted.

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  3. We have one of those sandwich makers, somewhere. Oh my gosh, I must have gotten it like 15 years ago when my older boys were teens. We had fun with it. I should dig it back out for my new little cooks. Great sandwich ideas!

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  4. Paninis are up there on my top five favourite things to eat. Yum!

    Heidi

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  5. I love paninins and we bought the Cuisinart multi-griddle thingamabob and it works beautifully. Now I am hungry for a sandwich ;)

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  6. Ok, I'm sold, I want one! Very cool!

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  7. Grilled cheese is a big thing at our house too. In fact I think I'll make it for the kids for lunch today. Thanks for the idea!

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  8. That sounds like such a good idea. I love easy clean up.

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  9. I've always wanted one, and they've been around for ages. I think your post just renewed my interest in getting one!

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  10. We used to have a sandwich maker and loved it. I may have to get one again sometime. I love anything that makes cooking faster almost as much as I love grilled cheese. (I actually met my husband at a grilled cheese party he was having so I'm a big fan).

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  11. Again, if I got this it would be in the basement, next to the breadmaker, next to the fondue pot. My husband would so not go for this.

    You must have a very understanding husband AND a very large kitchen! :)

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  12. Geez..those sandwiches are making me drool.

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  13. I have that same sandwich maker myself. It's awesome!

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  14. Yummy sandwich! Makes me hungry.

    I love your photos on the side bar. How adorable is your family...very precious.

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  15. Okay I am embarrassed. I have one of those and I have NEVER used it.
    Hanging head in shame.
    But my mom made us paninis on the George Foreman last week and they were AWESOME!

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  16. We have the waffle iron for sandwiches, and I can't do without.
    Bought a second one in the sales in case the other gives up.

    You can find out what works for me ::here::
    Have a wonderful day!

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  17. I never really saw the point of these sandwich makers because I always just make gc with a frying pan but pizza pockets? Now I understand!

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  18. Ah, the sandwich maker. This brings back memories. I always loved peanut butter and apples and then sprinkled the finished sammy with powdered sugar.

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  19. Yummy. I love grilled cheese sandwiches! Now I want a sandwich maker! :)

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  20. My husband has a similar love of the grilled cheese. It cracks me up!

    I might have to look into a panini-maker. That would be fun.

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  21. I love the Panini maker. I think that I have even seen a sandwich maker that has interchangable irons to make panini and waffles - for those with less than spacious kitchens, or like me highly unorganized ones.

    I will have to look into one of these, because Hubs burns the GC all the time. And Toddler could eat his weight in Pizza Pockets. I would feel better about him eating them if I made them instead of the freezer chemical people!!

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  22. Funny you should post about sandwiches. We just had some last night. In our family, to make toasted cheese a little more exciting we use sliced Italian loaf bread (from Walmart's bakery area- $1.) It comes in different flavors too. Then I pull out my George Foreman. Instead of just plain butter, I melt butter and add a little minced garlic and parmesan cheese and spread that on the bread. It's like a mini panani. Thanks for sharing your ideas!

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  23. OK. I have one of these. Maybe I need to drag it out . . . And to think, I was going to give it away.

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  24. Omg! Now I have to get to Target and get me one of those!!! Yummy! Thanks for sharing!

    Denise :o)

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  25. My aunt gave us one of those about 10 years ago for Christmas. I have never used it. I need to pull it out and try it, though, because I think my kids would love sandwiches made in it.

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  26. We have one of those sandwich makers too. I must admit it has been somewhat abandoned because of the panini maker. I'll have to get it back out!

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  27. I love sandwiches - all sandwiches and yet I dona't have any sort of sandwich maker - I need to get me one!!

    Have a good evening - Kellan

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  28. Where did you learn all of this? You're such a young mom and yet I learn something from you everytime I come here. I wish you could come and make us some sandwiches and truffles!! Hugs!

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  29. I have panini press that I truly love!
    My favorite--tomato, basil, buffalo mozzerella and pesto butter---I am very intriqued with the Tex-mex sandwich!

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  30. I have always looked at these, but, never met anyone who owned one. Now that i know they work that great I am headed to Target tonight. Grilled cheese are my favorites. I usually burn the toast before the cheese melts!

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  31. we have the eleventy bazillion year old version of that first sandwich maker pictured... LOL! I forget we even have it, but it's AWESOME when we remember about it!

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  32. My husband's a total grilled sandwich guy. Maybe I'll, uh, I mean he'll get this for Father's Day and then I'll be back for these yummy looking recipes.

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  33. You must move to NC. I need a neighbor like you with all these fabulous kitchen gadgets. Your kitchen must be ginormous...seriously, where do you put it all?

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  34. I am sooooo hungry now! Those looked so good!!!!

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  35. I am all for quick and easy and very yummy.

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  36. Mmmmmm all these sandwiches look so yummy! I'm a big fan of grilled cheese too!

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  37. That pizza pocket sandwich sounds pretty good--I'll have to try it. My husband is a pizza addict, so I'm sure it will be hit.

    I never thought of my rooster attack picture being like Rocky! Funny! That was my little brother with his evil rooster. Eventually, the rooster was sent to a new home because he harassed everyone that stepped outside. I don't know if that means the rooster won or not. Actually the people that took him probably ate him. I'd say that's losing. Poor guy. He had spunk. :)

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  38. Who loves kitchen gadgets more than you??!!

    I love the way you always make things look so easy. Then I try it and it looks like my fridge exploded all over my countertops.

    Can I just come over to your house?

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  39. I was just nodding along in agreeance and then you mentioned cheesy hotdogs. Oh my, I must have a sandwich maker now. It is going straight on the wish list!
    www.3kids2jobs1dog.com

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  40. I have one of those sandwich makers but whenever I make sandwiches on it, they just aren't as good as on the stovetop. I would SO love a panini grill, though!

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  41. You have one lucky husband. What *don't* you do? :)

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  42. I want one of these so bad simply because I can't seem to make a grilled cheese without burning it. And the hubby loves them. But my hips? Not so much.

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  43. I could so use one of those. My girls love grilled cheese but have always mispronounced it girled cheese! We all call it that now.

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