Greek Turkey Panini

Very rarely do I have the opportunity to make dinner just for myself. I typically have three other mouths (two of them small, one of them large) to feed. If I do get an evening to myself, I usually just slap a piece of lunchmeat between a couple slices of bread or graze from the fridge throughout the evening. But recently, on an evening when Joe was working late and I gave in to the boys' cacaphonous pleas for Happy Meals, I decided to treat myself to a really, really delicious dinner. I decided to make myself a sandwich, but not just any sandwich: one loaded with Greek flavors, which are some of my favorite flavors. It's not a flavor profile Joe and the boys are crazy about, so I figured it was the perfect opportunity to make something just for me.

Now, if you happen to be without two small boys interrupting you every three minutes, I imagine this would be a very quick dinner indeed. However, since I do have two small boys interrupting me every three minutes and opting to play RIGHT BY ME FEET WHY DO THEY HAVE TO DO THAT, it took me about 35 minutes. But by the time I finally got to sit down to enjoy this sandwich, it was completely worth it. Sun-dried tomato pesto, turkey, olives, feta, spinach, and a tzatziki sauce on the side for dipping...I really need to make dinners like this for myself more often.

Greek Turkey Panini

For the sandwich:

2 flatbreads

2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto

1/4 pound smoked turkey breast

1/4 cup crumbled feta

1 tablespoon chopped olives (I like Lindsay Naturals California Green Olives)

1/4 cup baby spinach leaves, trimmed

For the quick tzatziki:

Half of a cucumber, peeled and shredded

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar, plus more to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat a panini press or skillet sprayed lightly with cooking spray.

2. Spread 1 tablespoon of sun-dried tomato pesto on each piece of flatbread. Top one flatbread with turkey, feta, olives, and spinach, and the other flatbread. Add to panini press or skillet and cook until both sides are browned and crisp.

3. To make the tzatziki, squeeze excess moisture out of cucumber using a paper towel. Combine cucumber, sour cream, Greek yogurt, vinegar and salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Refrigerate until serving.

4. Slice panini in fourths (for two servings). Serve with tzatziki sauce for dipping.