Friday, February 3, 2023

Grilled Chicken Panini, a Book Review and the Weekly Menu

I just finished reading A Time for Mercy by John Grisham.  This novel has all the same characters that we came to love in A Time to Kill.  It starts off with a family being terrorized by an alcoholic cop who is a hero in town but has a very dark side when he gets on the wrong side of a beer bottle.  

A Time for Mercy
Sixteen year old Drew and his fourteen year old sister, Kiera, are hiding in the bedroom when Stuart comes home drunk.  They hear the sounds of struggle and violence against their mother and then hear Stuart come up the stairs looking for them.  They know something is very wrong when they don't hear their mother trying to stop him.

After Stuart passses out the kids go to check on their mother finding her unresponsive on the kitchen floor.  Believing her to be dead, they dial 911 and sit to wait for help.  When Drew hears noises coming from the bedroom, he fears that Stuart is awakening and will also kill him and his sister.  He goes into the bedroom, finding that Stuart had stirred, takes Stuarts weapon and fires point blank into his temple.  Stuart then goes to wait for the police to arrive.

Jake Brigance, who we met in the first novel, is assigned the case by the Judge and off we go into the wheelings and dealings of a small town's legal system.  

Grilled Chicken Panini

At one point, Jake's wife Carla provides grilled chicken panini for Jake and his team.  This was the inspiration for my recipe today that you will find following my Weekly Menu.  This is a great recipe when you have leftover grilled chicken breast or you can grill a breast just for use on this sandwich.

Tomorrow night we are invited to Dan and Rebecca's for dinner.  Sunday we are having family dinner to celebrate Chinese New Year.  

On Monday I am going with Amy, Cathy, Barb and Sue to see 80 for Brady.  We will have dinner afterwards.

Tuesday we will be taking our daughter, Nicole, out for her birthday dinner and on Friday we have invited the neighbors over for a Valentine Dinner with a Mardi Gras theme.

Saturday
Dinner at Dan and Rebecca's

Sunday-Chinese Lantern Festival
Chinese Hot Pot
Vegetable Fried Rice
Chinese Sticky Wings
Asian Pickled Cucumber
Kimchi
Peanut Butter and Pretzel Crispy Treats

Monday-Girls Night Out
Frank and Marissa on their own

Tuesday-Nicole's Birthday
Out for Dinner

Wednesday
Instant Pot Fried Chicken
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Corn

Thursday
Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Fish Friday (Neighbor Valentine/Mardi Gras Dinner)
Shrimp Scampi Cups
Sunburst Salad
Rockfish with Cajun Salsa
Cajun Sweet Potato Fries
Spelt Coffee and Chocolate Cake


Entrees, Sandwiches, Chicken, Leftovers
Entrees
American
Yield: 2 sandwiches
Author: Wendy Klik
Grilled Chicken Panini

Grilled Chicken Panini

Grilled Chicken Breast Strips, Muenster Cheese and Pesto piled onto thick slices of bread and grilled to perfection.
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 7 MinTotal time: 12 Min

Ingredients

  • 1 small chicken breast, seasoned, grilled, sliced into strips and warmed
  • 2 slices Muenster Cheese
  • Pesto, to taste
  • 4 thick slices of bread cut from a Panini Roll
  • Butter

Instructions

  1. Butter the bread slices on one side.
  2. Heat a grill pan over med high heat, place two slices of the bread onto the grill pan.
  3. Divide the chicken strips onto the bread in the pan and lay a piece of cheese over each.
  4. Spread desired amount of pesto on the unbuttered side of the remaining bread slices and place pesto side down on top of the chicken and cheese.
  5. Place a cast iron skillet on top of the sandwiches and grill until the bottom is browned and crispy.
  6. Turn over, weight down again and cook until the cheese is melted and bottom bread is browned and crisp.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

283.91

Fat (grams)

16.18

Sat. Fat (grams)

7.75

Carbs (grams)

1.86

Fiber (grams)

0.16

Net carbs

1.7

Sugar (grams)

0.56

Protein (grams)

31.03

Sodium (milligrams)

402.52

Cholesterol (grams)

105.17

2 comments:

  1. The book sounds like another of his good ones. And I'm ready for that panini as well! Though I'd probably make it with my sourdough bread.

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