Baked Italian Panini for Summer Picnics

*Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.


Who doesn't love a good picnic in the summertime? I know I do! We like to pack up a picnic and head to our local state park every now and again for lunch and trail hiking. We'll take light foods since we'll be walking a few miles after lunch, so we usually whip up sub sandwiches or turkey wraps. I thought I'd do something a little different for our next picnic and make some mini ciabatta sandwiches. Jason is a huge fan of ciabatta bread and Italian meats, so I knew he was going to LOVE these Baked Italian Paninis from Golden Blossom Honey.  

Don't let these mini sandwiches fool you. What they lack in size, they more than make up for in flavor! Prosciutto meat, gooey melted mozzarella, tomato, and herbs makes this a fantastic picnic option.

Ingredients

Dressing:
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper, to taste

4 ciabatta rolls or 1 (16-ounce) loaf ciabatta bread, halved horizontally
8 ounces Italian ham, such as prosciutto or speck
1 (8 ounce) ball mozzarella fresca, thinly sliced
1 or 2 fresh tomatoes, sliced
12 large fresh basil leaves

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Mariah joined the Greenhouse Club last year and we ended up with quite a few herb plants. I was happy to be able to pluck some basil right from the pots on my window sill, all grown from my own daughter's hand, making this sandwich all that much more special.

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Do you plan on going on a picnic this summer?

Old World Manicotti

I love Italian food! We don’t go a week without having some kind of Italian inspired dish for dinner. It’s so easy to make, and tastes so good homemade, we never go out to a restaurant for anything Italian. Why pay for something you can make cheap, easy and delicious at home? At the request of a friend, I am going to share my manicotti recipe with you today.

Ingredients

12 large manicotti shells

4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese

6 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (you can use 2 tablespoons of dried basil if you don’t have fresh on hand)

1 26-ounce jar prepared spaghetti sauce, divided.

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 13x9 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; rinse with cool water. Let pasta dry on paper towels.

For filling- In medium blow, stir together 3 cups mozzarella with ricotta and basil. Using a teaspoon, carefully stuff pasta shells with prepared cheese mixture. (I actually just line some filling on a butter knife and insert it into the shells. It’s much easier this way!)

Spoon 2 cups spaghetti sauce into prepared baking dish. Arrange stuffed pasta over sauce. Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over top of pasta. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.

Bake manicotti for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the Parmesan. Bake for 10 minutes longer.

Remove and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.

Serve.

Toasted Italian Beef Sandwiches

Here is a great recipe I have found and tried from All Recipes. This is one of my husbands favorite sandwiches. I like making it because it is super easy and tastes really good!

Author: Theresa M.print recipe

Toasted Italian Beef Sandwiches

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups beef broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon onion salt
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 (.7 ounce) packages dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
• 1 (5 pound) chuck roast
• 1 package Mozzarella Cheese Slices
• 1 package of Sub Buns

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Combine water with salt, ground black pepper, oregano, basil, onion salt, parsley, garlic powder, bay leaf, and salad dressing mix in a saucepan. Stir well, and bring to a boil.
2. Place roast in slow cooker, and pour salad dressing mixture over the meat.
3. Cover, and cook on Low for 8 hours. Take out of pot and shred, then return and cook additional to 1-2 hours. When done, remove bay leaf, and shred meat with a fork.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill sub buns with meat mixture. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake until buns are toasted and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Serve.

http://www.theresasmixednuts.com/2012/01/toasted-italian-beef-sandwiches.html

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*You can also fill with your choice of toppings. Sauteed mushrooms, roasted peppers, and onions also make excellent fillers.