Roast Beef Panini

I have a new-found love for paninis. Not only are they delicious, but they are the perfect thing to make when you've had a busy day. In no time at all, you have a warm sandwich with endless possibilities of flavors.
This particular sandwich had a combination of spicy, sweet, and smoky flavors with every bite. The hot pepper jelly was both spicy and sweet, and the Gouda cheese gave a nice smoky flavor. The Dijon mustard also gave a nice punch of heat to the sandwich. Aubrey compared it to the heat that Wasabi has. Instead of burning your mouth, it burns your nose. I'm not sure how, but it does!
My grocery store didn't have watercress sprigs, so I used bean sprouts (Oh, how I love bean sprouts!).


Ingredients:
8 Tablespoons sweet- or hot-pepper jelly
8 slices whole-grain bread
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
1/2 pound thinly sliced deli roast beef
1 cup watercress sprigs or bean sprouts
Olive oil cooking spray

Directions:
Spread 1 tablespoon jelly evenly on each of 8 slices of bread. Spread each of 4 slices with 1/2 teaspoon mustard (a little of this goes a long way) on top of the jelly; sprinkle Gouda evenly on the same 4 slices. Tip the remaining slices evenly with the thinly sliced roast beef and the watercress sprigs (or bean sprouts). Combine the bread slices to create 4 sandwiches.

Heat a panini press or a grill pan coated lightly with olive oil cooking spray. Grill the sandwiches in batches, with the press closed, for 2-3 minutes per side. If using a grill pan, cook the sandwiches over moderately high heat with a heavy skillet on top of the sandwiches, pressing down, 2-3 minutes per side or until golden. Halve the sandwiches, and serve immediately.

Nutritional Info (per serving): 384 calories; 9g fat; 59mg cholesterol; 166mg calcium; 49g carbohydrate; 419mg sodium; 27g protein; 4g fiber; 3mg iron

Source: adapted from Health Magazine October 2009