Smoked Turkey, Brie and Apple Panini

When someone tells you about a sandwich that they think is THE BEST THEY'VE EVER EATEN, I have tendency to sit up and take notice. Melanie, at the lovely My Kitchen Cafe, uttered such a statement and I had to see what all the fuss was about. She did not lie. It was (in my best sing song-y broadway voice) Fab-u-lous!! Here we go with the photo spread:


here is the finished product. I never claim to be a photographer
(my better half on the blog certainly is but she wasn't working the camera,
it was technically challenged yours truly.
I have lightening issues, needless to say, please forgive me)
my beloved panini press. I also have an electric one, but the top half doesn't unhinge in the back so it has a great tendency to cook unevenly. Enter the stove top press. I heat up the top side with handle while the bottom side is also preheating and that way, I don't have to flip half way.
I know, I'm a genius.
I do what I can people, I do what I can.
The secret ingredient.
Let me rephrase, the not so secret now but still amazing ingredient
The assembly stage and just to clarify, I like a slightly thicker slice of apple. You could do them paper thin and that would also taste marvelous if you are thin apple slice fan.

Ingredients:
your favorite bread,(needs to be slightly on the crusty side, perhaps an artisan or sourdough)
shaved smoked turkey
4 oz brie cheese or one individually wrapped wedge of Laughing cow light swiss spreadable cheese
1 apple, cored and sliced (I used Granny smith for its tartness)



Directions:
Whether you use a skillet with a brick, a stove top panini press or an electric, make sure it is on and preheated before you slap your beautiful sandwich on there. It needs to be preheating while you build your creation.
Cut your bread into desired number of slices, and spread with cheese (see note) add turkey, finish off with apple slices.
Lightly butter or brush with EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) your the top and bottom of your bread just like you do when you make a grilled cheese.
Make your panini, eat while piping hot, repeat with leftover bread until you can no longer button your pants. The end.

*a note about the cheese. I bought the brie cheese the first time I made this and it tasted great! However brie is probably made from solid gold as its price tag is a bit on the heavy side. Also, there are rind/wax issues. Should you eat it or not? I personally prefer not to, so I have to take the time to remove it. Some people out there (serious cheese officiandos) say that it is sacrilege to remove anything from the cheese and to experience it, you have to eat it all. Hmmm, whatever. Soooo, long story short, thanks to my friend Heather, I always have some Laughing cow spreadable swiss cheese in my fridge at all times. I still had turkey, apples and bread but had used all the brie the first time around. Lightbulb clicked on! Use the swiss!! Its spreadable and takes .03 seconds to open and schmear on my bread. And the taste! It was terrific too! Less work, less money and equally delish. I'm going with swiss from now on. :)

*another note, I just went back to Melanie's blog and she has updated this recipe post to now include grilled red onions on the sandwich. Yum, I'll have to try it that way next!