Mediterranean Creamy Panini

Serves 4

Ingredients

Whole grain bread…..8 slices

Romaine lettuce…..8 leaves

Black olives…..2 tablespoons, pitted and chopped

Zucchini…..1 small, thinly sliced

Tomato…..1 sliced

Provolone cheese…..4 slices

Roasted red peppers…..1 jar, drained and sliced

Bacon…..8 slices, cooked

Fresh basil…..1/4 cup, chopped

Homemade Mayonnaise…..1/4 cup

Extra virgin olive oil…..1 tablespoon

Homemade mayonnaise

Makes 3/4 cups of mayo

Egg.....1 large, yolk only      

Lemon.....1 – juice only, 1 ½ teaspoons

White wine vinegar.....1 teaspoon

Dijon mustard.....1/2 teaspoon

Olive oil.....3/4 cup

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk until blended.

Add a ¼ cup of the olive oil to the mixture a few drops at a time. Slowly add the remaining ½ cup of olive oil whisking constantly.

Cover and put in refrigerator. Keep chilled.

Directions

In a medium skillet on medium heat, cook the bacon until it’s done. Move to a plate with paper towel on it to reduce fat drippings.

In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise with one tablespoon of olive oil. Stir. Add finely chopped black olives and basil to mayonnaise mixture and stir.

If you have a whole loaf of whole grain bread, use a breadboard and slice eight pieces of bread from the loaf on a diagonal slant.

Spread the mayonnaise mixture on each slice of bread. Add two slices of tomato, sliced zucchini, peppers, provolone, two bacon strips, one lettuce leaf and cover with another piece of bread, mayonnaise side down toward the ingredients. Repeat three times to make other sandwiches.

Heat a large skillet to medium and place the sandwiches in the skillet to brown the bread, about five minutes each side.

Cut the sandwiches in half and serve immediately.