Chocolate Strawberry Paninis

My name is Tanya and I am a chocoholic.  I have a hard time going even one day without chocolate, which is probably why my butt is roughly the size of a barn.  Anyway, this is one of my favorite summer desserts.  Do you watch Food Network?  Have you seen Giada DeLarentiis from Everyday Italian?  I know, she makes me sick too.  Nobody that cute and skinny and smiley and happy should be able to cook too, ya know?  UGH!  Anyway, this is her recipe and it is fabulous!! 

Chocolate-Strawberry Panini


Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis



.Prep Time:10 minInactive Prep Time:--Cook Time:12 minLevel:

EasyServes:

6 servings.Ingredients

•1/4 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)

•12 (1/2-inch) thick slices pound cake (from 1 (10.75-ounce) loaf**

•6 fresh strawberries, hulled and very thinly sliced

•Butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray

Directions

Heat a panini grill* to medium according to the manufacturer's instructions. Spread the chocolate-hazelnut spread over 1 side of all of the pound cake slices. Arrange the sliced strawberries over 6 cake slices. Cover with the remaining cake slices, chocolate side down.


Spray panini grill with nonstick spray and grill each panino until the pound cake is crisp and golden and the fillings are warm, about 2 minutes. Cut each panino in half and serve. 

* Okay, so I don't have a fancy panini press.  What I DO have is a skillet and a heavy saucepan to sit on top of it to smoosh it down kind of flat.  So, no, you don't get the fancy grill marks, but it tastes just as good - or, I assume it does anyway. 

** I used Paula Deen's Grandmother Paul's Sour Cream Pound Cake recipe.  YUM!

Okay, so truth be told, this looks a little like a truck ran over it, but trust me, it's really tasty!  Just don't eat too many or YOUR butt might be as big as a barn too!  I should know! 
 
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