The Best of the Best Panini Press Cookbook: 100 Surefire Recipes for Making Panini--and Many Other Things--on Your Panini Press or Other Countertop Grill

by Kathy Strahs

Your panini press will become your most versatile friend in the kitchen with  The Ultimate Panini Press Cookbook , a compendium of Kathy Strahs's best 100 panini press recipes, beautifully illustrated with new color photos.

Who knew this simple and easy-to-use kitchen appliance could do so much?

Kathy Strahs, for one, did. Creator of the multiple-award-winning food blog Panini Happy, the web's go-to destination for panini-press wisdom, Strahs does wonderful things with a panini press, from crafting perfect Italian-style panini to building scrumptious and creative grilled cheese sandwiches to making things you never thought you could make on a countertop grill or griddle.

Dig into these recipes to discover your panini press's impressive range —including breakfasts , lunches , snacks , and dinners , for the weekday whirl and for relaxing times on weekends. About half the recipes in this book—a collection of the 100 best recipes from Strahs's earlier book, The Ultimate Panini Press Cookbook —are for panini, such as a robust Cheddar, Apple, and Whole-Grain Mustard Panini or a zesty Chimichurri Steak Panini. The remaining recipes are for dishes you will be amazed to learn you can make on a countertop grill, including quesadillas, croques monsieurs, brats, burgers, salads topped with crisply grilled meats, and even grilled desserts .

This beautiful volume will inspire great cooking and fun meals, without the fuss or effort.

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction

176 pages, Paperback

Published March 12, 2019

About the author

Kathy Strahs is an author (The Lemonade Stand Cookbook, The 8x8 Cookbook and The Ultimate Panini Press Cookbook), food blogger (Panini Happy and Cooking on the Side), and the founder of Burnt Cheese Press, LLC. Her innovative recipes and mouthwatering food photography have been featured on the websites of The New York Times, The Washington Post, PBS, The Huffington Post, Saveur and TLC, in Pillsbury Magazine, San Diego Family Magazine, the Associated Press and highlighted in The Wall Street Journal. She is also a frequent cooking contest judge, including the Grilled Cheese Invitational in Los Angeles and the World Food Championships in Las Vegas. She lives with her husband and their two children in the Silicon Valley.

Reviews

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned a great deal and found fabulous ideas for using a panini press. Kathy Strahs’ The Best of the Best Panini Press: 100 Surefire Recipes for Making Panini - and Many Other Things - on your Panini Press or Other Countertop Grill presents the reader/cook with specifics of the panini press to check out when buying a panini press as well as a section on ‘how to use’ a panini press and ‘ingredients for perfect panini’. The author includes recipes for poultry, pork, beef, lamb, and seafood. Some of these gave me phenomenal ideas for a panini by using various different ingredients which I had not thought of before. Recipes for vegetables, ‘gooey goodness’ which include varying kinds of grilled cheese sandwiches (Yum!), breakfast and brunch goodies, and even dessert recipes are part of this super cookbook. If you would like to make something to eat quickly, this is the way to go! Highly recommended! 5 stars.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book is a great addition to any home cook’s library.
I’ve had a basic panini press for years, and just recently acquired a fancy one with removable grates. The author realized that panini presses are different, and made the recipes in a manner that they would work on any type. She teaches you about the temperatures, about cleaning, drainage. She teaches you about bread options and thicknesses, the best cheeses for paninis. And finally, she supplies you with tips for best results.

I would have never thought about crumbling foods and mixing with butter to make a crunchy spread crust. I’m really excited to try this out.

This book had about 100 recipes, poultry, hog, butcher, sea, nature, gooey, morning, and sweet.

I'm especially excited to try the following:
chicken fig brie arugula
Turkey cranberry brie
Ham and brown sugar
Tri tip French dip
Honey walnut crusted aged cheddar
Straberry banana Nutella

Thanks Netgalley and Kathy Strahs for this book.

[Cathy Geha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Best of the Best Panini Press Cookbook by Kathy Strahs

100 Surefire Recipes for Making Panini--and Many Other Things--on Your Panini Press or Other Countertop Grill

The only use I have made of my panini press is to make chicken sandwiches at home when my husband brings home rotisserie chicken. I wanted a few more ideas and this book definitely provided them. I am not sure that I would make ALL of the recipes but did find it interesting to read through them and also learn that the press can be used for more than just making sandwiches. What else can you make? Burgers, chicken, roast garlic, vegetables, fruits and other things. I can see that it might come in handy should my propane gas jar empty when I want to cook something so will keep a few of the ideas for such a day.
The book has over 100 recipes and each chapter includes some ideas for sandwiches as well as “other things”. The chapters begin with the basics and move on to what might go inside for the carnivore and vegetarian and include a few sweets, too. I make my own jams and now would like to try a few with cheese or pizza toppings as some of the combinations sound delicious.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Harvard Common Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ecopy of this book in exchange for a fair review

I love eating paninis but never make them. I mean, I have a panini press so what gives? Maybe I just need inspiration and this book has lots of simple, inspired recipes. Lots of spreads and DIY mayos etc make the recipes customizable and unique. Go make some paninis!

[Denise Riehle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Panini sandwiches! So when I saw this new book, The Best of the Best Panini Press Cookbook by Kathy Strahs, I knew that I had to take a close look at it. I was blown away! You notice that the title isn't the Panini sandwich cookbook, but the Panini press cookbook and that because you will be amazed at how many things you can make with this special appliance. I will always treasure my sandwiches, but now I am on to so many more things, and it is so exciting.

The Sandwiches
Of course I flipped right to my favorite section and checked if there were any new combinations that I could try out. I felt like all 100 recipes were brand new to me. My goal is now to work my way through this cookbook as soon as possible. I started with Green Goddess Grilled Cheese Panini. If you love herbs like I do, and melted cheese makes your heart sing, give this sandwich a try, you won't be disappointed. Then I moved on to Pork Tenderloin, Apple Butter and Provolone Panini. Making apple butter in the fall is a favorite for me, so finding a new way to work this into a Panini...heaven!

More than Sandwiches
The sandwiches suggest using just about every type of bread out there, but what about going beyond the traditional bread. I love a good fish taco, and this cookbook contains a recipe for Grilled Fish Tacos with the added recipe for Chipotle Sour Cream. I see a lot more fish coming up in my meal plans!

Grilled Salads
I don't know why I didn't think of this before, but thanks to The Best of the Best Panini Press Cookbook I have now mastered a new type of indoor grilling. Grilled Peach Salad with Toasted Pecans, Blue Cheese, and Honey Balsamic Syrup. Your Panini press can make INCREDIBLE grilled fruit and when you make this whole salad, you will be amazed at the flavors.

Breakfast all day long
Finally, I have to mention the recipe for Strawberry, Banana and Nutella Panini. The name says it all, so I'm just going to let you know that it is perfectly fine to eat breakfast at any hour of the day!

I don't think that a 5 star rating is high enough for this book, but that's what I am proudly giving in this review. I hope that you enjoy this cookbook as much as I do.

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was received as an ARC from Quarto Publishing Group – Harvard Common Press in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book had helpful tips and tricks with using a panini press and making wonderful delicious hot sandwiches. I just got a new press and now I am so excited to use it now that I have the knowledge and recipes that help me do so. I can't wait to try the steak and chimichurri panini and many others and also hearing about Kathy's blog, I can't wait to check it out and look for more recipes to share with my family.

We will definitely consider adding this title to our Cookbook collection in our Non-Fiction section at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

[patrick Lorelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those you already have a Panini maker this book is excellent for it gives you other ideas and recipes for you to use it. That for me is what I found so unique about this book. Some of the recipes especially about breakfast were why didn’t I think about that. I had just used mine for mainly sandwiches and for lunch, the author gives you so many options that this makes this a very handy kitchen tool. When she added desserts to the already many different ideas I knew she really had a very good cookbook and she herself had gone through her own testing of these recipes. I found this to be a wonderful book and would be very useful for anyone’s kitchen, I know it is for mine. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 5 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This recipe book includes 100 panini press recipes, which are beautifully illustrated with color photos (which if you know me is my favourite in any cookbook.) These recipes range from ordinary to blow you away sandwich ideas. I was amazed by the variety of paninis which ranged from breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners, This recipe book is definitely all-encompassing and has given me so many great ideas to use with my new panini press. I would recommend this book to anyone (even if you don't already have a press!)

*I received an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[Tesha Ham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the innovative-ness of this book! There are so many great recipes for not only paninis, but also recipes for grilling on the press. They are easy to follow, great for small spaces because they all rely on a fairly small piece of equipment, and absolutely delicious! There is also a ton of information on tools and how to use a panini press in ways I never thought of before.

I voluntarily read and received a free ARC copy of this title through NetGalley in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Jeanne Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an Advanced Reader Copy from Harvard Common Press and Netgalley for my unbiased opinion of the book. What a great cookbook my mouth was watering just reading it! I tried Turkey and Wild Mushroom Panini, grilled duck breasts, and Monte Cristo Panini. All of them fabulous and look forward to cooking and eating my way through this book!

[Meg Dean · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok

[A. J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Today I'm sharing my review for The Best of The Best Panini Press Cookbook. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. 

Just last year I found a cafe that served panini's which is when I fell in love with the sandwich, I really like the way the bread is grilled. So when I saw this book on NetGalley I knew I had to give it a try. 

I thoroughly recommend this cookbook. It has so much information. From how to clean your panini press, to which brand to buy and yes the recipes as well.  Some of my favorites were "turkey-apple pannini with fig and gruere", "Chicken Ceasar Panini" and "Antipasto Panini".  I saved so many recipes ideas from this cookbook, but honestly I really want to buy it soon. It has so many unique sandwich ideas.  I have yet to cook them for my partners, but have personally used some of the tips from this cookbook. 

The one thing I wish the cookbook had more of was pictures! Just because I like a cookbook with a lot of pretty pictures, but it wasn't really a big deal.

I gave this cookbook 4 stars on Goodreads. 

[Laura Duffy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really innovative recipe book showing you how to make a variety of food both sweet and savoury by using one piece of your kitchen electric that you might not realise is multi-use. The recipes included are perfect for all abilities and timescales.

[Michelle Noble · Rating 5 out of 5]

I volunteered to read this book and review it in exchange for a free copy. All my review is my opinion. I am very impressed with the level of detail the cookbook goes into. It begins by describing the different panini presses, and which is best for your purposes. It goes into using a sandwich grill as well. It's sectioned off by the different meats or veggies that you choose to use. I was pleased to see a recipe for an authentic greek panini! It discusses the different types of bread you can use and why. There is also a dessert section. I can't wait until my panini press arrives, as I will be making a Greek panini.

[RedRobinXXX · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am reviewing this book for Kathy Strahs, Quarto Publishing and NetGalley who gave me a copy of their book for an honest review.
I love panini's, as does the family, so it was a great book for us to look at. It goes into a lot of detail re the different grills available, different breads to use, what to use on the paninis etc. Have tried a couple of the recipes and they were delicious.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This to me is like a cross between a fancy sandwich and a cheese toasty and I sure look forward to giving them a go.

This book contains 9 chapters which starts with an introduction to the panini and press basics, and then 8 delightful chapters full of ideas that include chicken, turkey & duck, pork, beef & lamb, seafood, vegetables, cheese, breakfast & brunch concluding with desserts.

There are 100 recipes to choose from and comes with some colour photography. Metric and imperial measurements are given.

I received this book from netgalley in return for a honest review.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Best of the Best Panini Press Cookbook: 100 Surefire Recipes for Making Panini-and Many Other Things-on Your Panini Press or Other Countertop Grill by Kathy Strahs, and a great addition to my cookbooks. Recently a friend gave me a Panini Press and I was excited to read this book. I have tried several recipes, and they turned out great. I also enjoyed the tips about which bread, cheese, etc to buy and why. I recommend this cookbook to all Panini lovers, you will enjoy it.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found several recipes in this book that my family will and has enjoyed. The recipes had ingredients that most kitchens have and the directions were very easy to follow. Really nice cookbook