527607 Tue Jun 10 09:32:39 -0700 2008 10 31 Home Cooking 0 3766668 What else have you done other than paninis? In this heat, it doesn't seem to give off as much heat as using the stove. I don't think I can treat it like a Foreman grill because there isn't a run off for grease. Thanks! Tue Jun 10 09:32:41 -0700 2008 39874 chowser 1 3768607 Flattened chicken breasts, boneless pork chops or thinly sliced steaks all work well in both my Le Creuset and Tim love panini presses. Just avoid really fatty meats. I use a manual press, which are just square grill pans with a press. I also have a Foreman grill, but it seems nearly impossible to get that hot enough and you HAVE to use the cover, so I don't use it that much. Heat up the press part and the food will cook a bit faster, with a little steam. Don't use a great steak because of this -- even "round" or tenderized is a good choice with these pans. I also grill slices of red pepper and onion. Tue Jun 10 18:40:13 -0700 2008 3766668 87837 RGC1982 1 3768613 I have a VillaWare panini press and I've made pork cutlets and burgers. I haven't tried anything else (well, panini, of course!) Mine does have a grease runoff conduit, though. Tue Jun 10 18:43:09 -0700 2008 3766668 131171 nofunlatte 1 3769366 Thanks, RGC1982 and nofunlatte--I was wondering if thinner cuts of low fat meat would work. How long do you cook them? Wed Jun 11 04:40:20 -0700 2008 3766668 39874 chowser 2 3770942 I'm one of those people who cook them for a short amount of time (few minutes), then open the press to see if it's done. Wed Jun 11 12:16:56 -0700 2008 3769366 131171 nofunlatte 1 3769872 I've done chicken breasts in 6-7 mins, shrimp in about 2 mins and vegetables in 3-4 mins on my Breville Ikon. Also chocolate chip cookies in 7-8 mins! I usually set it to about 375 degrees. Always amazed at how quickly things cook with heat coming from both sides! Wed Jun 11 07:51:33 -0700 2008 3766668 199789 PaniniKathy 2 3769924 Mine only has an on and off but this chocolate chip cookie idea sounds good. I only have frozen dough right now but next time I do it, I'll have to try. Wed Jun 11 08:03:09 -0700 2008 3769872 39874 chowser 3 3770220 Actually, frozen dough might work, although you may not save much time vs. the oven. I used refrigerated dough: http://paninihappy.com/chocolate-chip-cookies-ice-cream-panini-recipe/ Wed Jun 11 09:23:29 -0700 2008 3769924 199789 PaniniKathy 4 3771428 Excellent! I just tried these w/ fresh dough, not frozen, and they were amazing. Nice crispness on the outside, more than cookies baked in ovens, but still chewy on the inside. I burnt the heck out of the first two by leaving them in for 5 minutes but slightly under two minutes were perfect (with it heated and unplugged). My panini press is apparently very hot. The drawback is you can only make a couple at a time but that might be a good thing. Wed Jun 11 14:05:11 -0700 2008 3770220 39874 chowser 1 3770175 sausage, bacon and chicken breasts, turkey burgers Quesedillas lots of sandwiches It is heavy, I tend to use it more for strickly, panini sandwiches. Nothing beats it. Wed Jun 11 09:12:02 -0700 2008 3766668 50431 chef chicklet 1 3770510 I move about every 3 months, so a panini press is prohibitively impractical, but I read an interview with Alton Brown at one point in which he raved about panini-pressed cornish game hens. Said he liked the sound of their bones crunching. I imagine he butterflied them first, and it sounded like a great idea. I don't think those critters are fatty enough to need a runoff. Wed Jun 11 10:31:46 -0700 2008 3766668 109936 Hegenbarth