Mmmmm....zucchini and Panko!

If you like breading things with breadcrumbs and haven't discovered Panko you are missing out!  They are super crispy, light and make for an incredible crunch to fried foods. One of my favorite things to bread and fry is zucchini. The other night I made pizza (see recipe a few posts below) and decided to make these delicious beauties to go with it.

I used all purpose flour (King Arthur brand...it really is a very good flour), water and Panko.  The all purpose flour went into one shallow bowl and to it I added some seasoned salt, onion powder and some dried herbs...oh, and red pepper flakes. Then in another bowl the water and in the last bowl the Panko...which I also seasoned with red pepper flakes. This is completely customizable...season it how you like it.

Breading foods by hand doesn't have to be messy-who likes digging that stuff out from under your nails? What I do is use my right hand for wet and left for dry. I took a zucchini slice, dipped it into the water with my right hand, tossed it into flour bowl and with my left hand coated it in flour. Then with my right hand I dipped it into the water again and placed into Panko bowl. And using left hand coated the slice with the bread crumbs. I know some people like to bread as they fry but it's easier for me to just bread it all at once and have it on a cookie sheet ready to go to the fryer.

Heat the fryer to 350 degrees and drop slices in.  Watch closely so they don't burn. After they are golden brown remove from oil and drain on paper towels.  Serve with pizza sauce. Oh, and sprinkle with freshly grated parm or romano cheese. I'm drooling already just thinking about them!

Most everyone loves a grilled cheese...

I love a good grilled cheese.  And a panini grilled cheese is even better!  Since we invested in a nice panini grill we eat sandwiches quite often. And of course a panini grill really creates taste bud tingling sandwiches when homemade bread is used. I use a bread machine because there are times when I'm am yeast-challenged. Usually when I use the bread machine it will turn out just fine...but if I were to do all that kneading and rising myself it flops on me 75% of the time.  Downright discouraging. There are times when I decide to get crazy and select the 'dough' cycle on the bread machine so I can mold the loaf how I like.  I live dangerous...cautiously. ;-)

Homemade Rosemary Bread (Better Homes and Gardens The Complete Guide to Bread Machine Baking)
1 1/2 lb loaf

1 cup milk
1/4 cup water
4 tsp butter
3 cups bread flour
4 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp bread machine yeast
1 spring snipped fresh rosemary

Add ingredients to machine according to manufacturer's directions. Select basic bread cycle.

Here is my finished, melty and delicious panini grilled cheese.  The only ingredients I used were the homemade rosemary bread, cheddar cheese, Roma tomato and just a bit of cilantro.  Olive oil is brushed on the top of the bread and then grill in the panini press. Easy, simple and satisfying.

You want to use a Roma tomato or if you don't have a Roma then scoop out seeds-nothing fun about a soggy sandwich.

mmmm...cilantro!

brush with olive oil