5 Meals You Can Make in a Sandwich Press Other Than Plain Cheese Toasties

Cooking is not my forte, so this whole article is a selfish endeavour. Chuck any hack, cheat or lazy option my way and I am definitely doing it. A sandwich press is perfect to have in your arsenal for this way of life. It basically does all the work for you, right there on the counter. But, there’s tonnes more to do than just toasties. If you put your mind to it, I reckon you could cook most things on a sandwich press. So, for my fellow kitchen slackers, let’s expand our (lazy) horizons. We’ve found five recipes to impress that can all be whipped up completely on a sandwich press. What a time to be alive. Now, prepare to drool…

1. Cheesy veggie fritters

These fritters are a delish and quick option to keep up your sleeve. It’s worth making a big batch and freezing these bad boys so you have a bunch on hand for easy meals or when you get a hankering for something warm and cheesy. What you’ll need:

• Half a cup of corn
• Two cups of shredded zucchini
• One carrot, grated
• Two cloves of minced garlic
• Half a cup of self-raising flour
• Two eggs
• 200g of chopped brie cheese

Method:

1. Put the brie, garlic, corn, carrot, vegetable stock cube and flour in a bowl
2. Coat all the veggies in flour
3. Crack both eggs into the mixture mix until it forms a batter
4. Divide the batter into three and spoon onto the press
5. Close the lid and cook until the fritters are golden (usually about eight minutes)
6. Once fritters are removed from the press, soak up the excess oil with paper towel
7. Repeat with rest of the batter

2. Rosemary and garlic chicken

For one hell of a comfort meal, chuck a chook on your sandwich press. You can sub out this rosemary and garlic flavour for whatever seasoning gets your engine running – maybe a nice spice rub or a juicy lemon and dill combo? The choice is yours. You’ll need more real estate to make such a hefty meal. Try the Sunbeam Café Style 6-Slice Sandwich Press to spread the chicken’s wings, if you will. In addition to the big size, it’s also got a non-stick coating and curved lip to make the clean-up quick. What you’ll need: 

• Two teaspoons rosemary, chopped
• One teaspoon salt
• Four cloves of minced garlic
• One tablespoon parsley, chopped
• 20g of softened butter
• 1.6kg spatchcock chicken

Method:

1. Mix the butter, garlic, herbs and salt together in a bowl
2. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel before adding it to the bowl and covering it with the mix
3. Place chicken on the press, close and lock the lid and cook for 15 minutes
4. Flip the chicken and cook it for another 15 minutes
5. Once it’s cooked through and crispy, remove and serve

3. Brekkie hash browns

This is the ultimate Sunday morning brekkie solution. Stock your kitchen with only a few essentials and then you’ll always be prepared to whip this up for any ill-timed visitors or guests who haven’t taken the hint to leave yet. What you’ll need: 

• Two cups of frozen potato gems
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Paprika
• Pepper

Method:

1. Zap the potato gems in the microwave for two minutes so they defrost
2. Toss the potatoes, olive oil, salt, paprika and pepper in a bowl
3. Use a fork to break up the gems and mix it all together
4. Spoon the mixture onto the press (whatever size you want – go wild and have one giant hash brown if you dare)
5. Close the press and lock it, so the hash browns cook for five to 10 minutes
6. Remove them when they’re crispy and continue until you’re out of mixture

4. Dessert Pizza

Mamma mia, this is one to keep in the back pocket. You’ll need that same swish sandwich press from the chicken recipe for this one, because it has an AnyHeight Control Lever that lets you lock the lid above the marshmallows so they melt without making a mess. What you’ll need: 

• 25cm round pizza base
• One tablespoon of smooth Biscoff spread
• Half a cup of mini marshmallows
• One banana, sliced
• Two Oreo cookies, crushed (a third to snack on as you cook)
• 125g of Caramilk cream cheese

Method 

1. Spread softened Caramilk cream cheese over the pizza base
2. Place the sliced bananas, crushed Oreo biscuits and mini marshmallows on top of the cream cheese
3. Place the pizza base onto the sandwich press and lock the lid so it’s right above the marshmallows
4. Cook for about six minutes so the pizza base is warmed through and marshmallows are melted
5. Drizzle melted Biscoff spread over the pizza

5. Pesto salmon

Similar to what you did with your chicken, you’re using your sandwich press like an indoor grill for this one. And, unless you want to be the office pariah, I wouldn’t recommend cooking this one up on the communal press. That aroma will permeate your whole building. So, save it for a quick dinner in the privacy of your own abode. And cook some veggies to serve on the side, while you’re there! What you’ll need: 

• 450g of salmon
• Two tablespoons of olive oil
• Two tablespoons of basil pesto
• One tomato, sliced

Method: 

1. Lay out enough foil to wrap around the salmon and drizzle it with olive oil
2. Place the salmon on top of the oil and spread pesto on top of it
3. Top the salmon with slices of tomato
4. Wrap the salmon in the foil and place it on the press
5. Close the lid so it lightly makes contact and cook for 10 minutes
6. Once it’s cooked through, let it set for a few minutes before unwrapping

Who needs an oven, hey? Dish up one of these meals up for your foodie friend, and I bet you they won’t have a clue it was made on a sandwich press. Happy ‘cooking’.

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