Cuisinart Griddler Review
Holy moly! What planet have I been living on that I didn't take this gadget seriously?
Around Christmas it's not unusual for us to buy a little something for ourselves since there are usually sales everywhere. I'd been wanting a pannini maker for months, but I am loathe to give up any counter space for just any old gadget. When I saw the Cuisinart Griddler at a good price, I decided to do something un-Maria-like and bought it on a hunch.It had a couple of features I really liked, like removable grill plates that makes it easy to clean. And while it's not as compact as other pannini makers, I like its weight. It doesn't feel like a cheap product. It works fast too. I can make two sandwiches for Greg and his stay hot until mine comes off the grill.
In short, it's been awesome! We've been experimenting with all sorts of grilled sandwiches.It makes exceptional grilled cheese sandwiches. The cheese is all melty and gooey and it has the nicest grill marks on the bread.
We've been using denser bread like French bread and ciabatta which makes some really nice, hearty sandwiches. So far we've tried turkey, ham, prosciutto, cheese, and veggie sandwiches. The heating element is hot enough that it cooks the vegetables perfectly so no need to prepare them separately. I'm looking forward to the next time I have leftover roast beef in the house.
It's important not to over stuff the bread, but the sturdier the bread the better it will hold the stuffing. You can grill meat on the open grill, but we haven't tried that yet.
I have this idea of layering thin slices of apple on white bread, then sprinkling cinnamon and little dabs of butter over the apple before covering it with another slice of bread. I'll bet it'll make a good dessert.
Waffles: Greg has been begging for a waffle machine for ages. I've refused because I didn't want an appliance
that only did one thing. The Griddler was so impressive, I decided to spring for the waffle plates. Some of the higher end pannini makers come with waffle attachments, but this one did not.It makes a decent waffle. It doesn't brown the top as well as the bottom, but Greg is happy with it so I guess we'll keep it. At least now I won't have to get those sad puppy dog eyes every time he wants waffles.
Do you have a pannini/sandwich maker? Do you have any suggestions on what else I could try on it?
We've been using ours steadily for weeks now. We've been so happy with the sandwiches we've been making that sometimes we forego my planned dinner in lieu of a hot sandwich. Much easier on me, that's for sure. It turned out to be a good 'house' gift.
Comments
I'll have to try grilling sausages on it. I hadn't thought of that. I'm so used to Greg grilling outdoors, but this might be especially useful when it gets too cold and we want a little grilled meat for dinner.
It would make a great present for someone who liked to cook--or maybe for someone who didn't like to cook. Ha!
betty
On yours I'd try to do some skewers -- shrimp don't take long. Fish fillets also work, although you'd have to watch the heat. If you season some medium-thin potato slices you could probably make home fries faster than in the pan or oven. Lamb chops would probably be too greasy, but pork chops or sliced tenderloin would be okay. We cook thin-sliced chicken breast with barbecue sauce on our outdoor grill, but we almost always singe it, so it would likely work better on your griddler. Fresh asparagus, too (disclaimer: I love grilled asparagus.)
I think too much about food. :)
Greg grills too, but he always makes too much food. On days when we just want a quick grilled meat, this fits the bill.
re: asparagus
I have a ton of asparagus from the garden in the freezer. I am definitely going to grill some of them. :)
I was just reading an article on cooking hacks that recommended putting a layer of lemon slices on the grill to cook fish -- you put the fillets on top of the lemon, which protects the fish from getting scorched -- while adding a little flavor. I bet you could do the same thing with your griddler.