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Move over, panini press. Do you remember the sandwich maker? The compact appliance with the triangular wells? It presses the edges to make toasted pockets of yummy molten goodness. Yes, it’s that gadget you had to have and then you shoved it into the closet, never to be seen again.

Take it out, clean it up, and put it to good use. You can make quick meals with less of a mess. Get your ingredients prepped while it’s heating up and your place settings ready without having to stand over it constantly. Best of all, the serving sizes are small, so it’s great for kids, college students, singles and empty nesters.

While it’s known for making grilled cheese in lightning speed, it can be used for some surprising alternative goodies, such as brownies, cakes, box mixes, pancakes and French toast. Simply mix up your batter, grease the grill plates, and close the sandwich maker for a few minutes. Use a toothpick to check whether it’s done. You can make meals ahead and freeze them. And don’t forget that you can painlessly use up leftovers, too. Not convinced you’ll ever use it again? Pass it on to someone who will.

Here are a few fun recipes.

Grilled Apple Pie

cinnamon raisin bread, sliced
1 can apple-pie filling
butter
powdered sugar

Preheat sandwich maker. Butter each side of bread. Spread a thin layer of filling on a slice of bread. Don’t overfill. Place second slice of bread on top of filling. Place in heated sandwich maker. Close lid. Check “pie,” and remove when brown. Remove, and sprinkle on powdered sugar.
Optional: Use various pie fillings and breads or refrigerated crescent rolls. Think quick breads with spreads such as marshmallow or Nutella, too.

Grab-and-Go Breakfast

scrambled eggs
bacon, cooked and crumbled
butter
ham, cooked, sliced or diced
sausage links
shredded cheese

Precook the eggs and bacon. Preheat sandwich maker. Butter one side of bread. Place eggs, ham, sausage, bacon and shredded cheese on bread. Top with second piece of buttered bread. Place in sandwich maker. Cook until bread is toasted. Eat while hot, or freeze and microwave and use as a grab-and-go breakfast.
Optional: Add your favorite vegetables, such as onions, mushrooms or green peppers, or exclude the bread and make omelettes. Be sure to grease the wells before adding the egg mixture.

Burritos

2 6-inch flour tortillas
ground beef, cooked
refried beans, warmed
salsa
shredded cheese

Preheat sandwich maker. Grease wells with nonstick cooking spray. Place a tortilla in the sandwich maker, top with 1 tablespoon each: meat, beans, salsa and cheese. Top with remaining tortilla. Close and cook for 3 minutes. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and shredded lettuce. — Denise, Illinois

Corn Dogs

cornbread batter
hot dogs
shredded cheese

Preheat the sandwich maker. Lightly grease it with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon the batter into compartments. Cut hot dogs, sausage or kielbasa. Place several pieces over batter. Sprinkle on shredded cheese. Close the sandwich maker. Bake until golden brown. — Lwlynch, e-mail

Posted by Sara Noel on September 11 2008. Filed under Frugal Cooking.
Sara Noel owns Frugal Village, LLC and is a nationally syndicated columnist with Universal Uclick. Bio, Follow me on Twitter, Join us on Facebook