Chicken Caprese Paninis

I heart caprese salad more than almost anything. But when it gets cold out, I crave something hot. So here's a way to have both! I marinated the chicken in a balsamic vinegarette and added the classic caprese salad ingredients with a pesto mayo, then melted it all into a gooey, crunchy, delicious panini. And yes, I cook with wine but rarely put it in the food.

What you will need:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

balsamic vinegar

olive oil

garlic

herbs de provence or italian seasoning

1 large sourdough sandwich loaf from bakery

fresh mozzarella

tomatoes

fresh basil

mayonaisse

dry basil

salt

Marinade: 1/2 c balsamic vinegar, 1/4 c olive oil, 1-2 garlic cloves - finely chopped (or 1 tbsp outta the jar), 1 tsp herbs/Italian seasoning, whisk together, add chicken, marinate 1/2 hour - 1 hour.

Bake chicken @ 375 for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked all the way through. Let chicken cool. Shred chicken into teensy tiny pieces, or leave breasts whole, your preference. I like shredding it, it makes it easier to work with and eat.

Slice tomatoes and mozzarella. Divide loaf into 4 sections and slice through the middle.

Pesto mayo: combine 1/2 c mayo with 1 tbsp dry basil, 1 garlic clove, finely chopped (or 1 tbsp outta the jar), a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt

Assemble sandwiches: pesto mayo on both sides, add chicken tomatoes and fresh basil (rip large leaves into smaller pieces), drizzle with more balsamic, top with fresh mozzarella and other half of bread.

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If you don't have a panini grill, which I don't, sandwich sandwiches between 2 cookie sheets and top with somehting heavy. You can wrap a brick in tin foil, or use a heavy pan. I used a cast iron griddle. Worked just fine.

Bake @ 375 for about ten minutes. Flip sandwiches so both sides get nice and crispy, cook for another 2 minutes.

Cut sandwiches in half and enjoy!

Even 4 year olds will eat this up!

Tomato Dill Soup

I owe props for this amazing soup to my amazing Grandma. I grew up with this recipe and it never gets old. There's nothing quite like homemade tomato soup with grilled cheese on a cool fall day, and nothing beats this soup.

Here's what you'll need...

1 stick of butter, divided in half

1/2 cup flour

1 medium white onion, finely diced

diced garlic, fresh or out of a jar

(I like the jar stuff because the peel on garlic annoys me like no other)

4 cups chicken broth

1 large can (28oz) tomato puree

1 large can whole peeled tomatoes, roughly chop tomatoes, reserve juice

3 tbsp honey

1 tbsp (or more) dill weed

1 tsp basil

(I used dry but fresh is always better)

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/8 tsp ground red pepper

(didn't have this, so I used red pepper flakes, same thing-ish)

3 dashes (or more) hot pepper sauce

(Frank's Red Hot, my personal fave)

salt & pepper to taste

Start here:

Roux-

If you've never made roux before, it can be a little tricky. The first couple times I made it, I ended up with a ball of what looked like beige play-doh. But don't worry, it will still work, you'll just get a great wrist work out when whisking it in. The secret I've learned is to keep the heat low and even, which can be difficlut on an electic stove.

Melt 4 tbsp butter in a small saucepan

add the flour, a little bit at a time, constantly stirring until a thick paste forms

remove from heat, and set aside.

Next:

Melt the remaing butter in a large heavy pot. Add onion, cook gently 5 minutes. 

Add garlic, cook 2 minutes.

Add chicken broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer.

Whisk in roux until thick and smooth.

Stir in tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, and reserved juices.

Add remaining ingredients.

That looks like a lot of dill/basil but it's really not. Blame it on the camera or it could be because I didn't use the measures for spices... just a dash of this and that and taste, add a dash of this, taste again, rinse and repeat. I included the exact measurements in the above ingredient list but since I've made this SO many times before, I kinda know, and nothing beats the taste test!

Can you smell that? Ah-ma-zing!

Simmer 30-45 minutes, stirring often (don't let the bottom burn!)

Enjoy!

*pair with the perfect full bodied grilled cheese sandwich.