Breakfast Panini with Pecans, Cheddar and Sausage

Panini are Italian sandwiches, generally pressed and pan-grilled, made with a variety of fillings, especially leftovers.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 teaspoon butter, plus more for bread
3 green onions, chopped
4 fully cooked breakfast sausages (thawed if frozen), chopped
1/2 cup Georgia pecans
4 large eggs, well beaten
8 thick slices Italian bread
4 ounces yellow cheddar cheese, thinly sliced

Cooking Directions:

1. In a non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, sausages, and pecans; sauté until onions are just softened, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and cook, stirring constantly, until eggs are firm but not dry. Transfer sausage mixture to plate.
2. Heat a panini maker or a grill pan over medium-high heat. To make 4 panini, divide sausage mixture into 4 portions. Mound each portion on one slice of bread. Top each with one ounce of cheddar, then a slice of the remaining bread.
3. Very lightly butter the outside of each panini. Cook in batches in panini maker until both sides of each panini are golden; serve promptly. Or, if using a grill pan or skillet, cook two panini at a time, placing a heavy skillet or heat-proof dish on top to weight down panini as they cook. When golden on bottom, turn panini over and grill other side until golden; serve warm.

Makes 4 servings.

Tip: While a panini-maker or grill pan is ideal for their preparation, this breakfast version, which pairs nutty pecans with a classic morning-food mixture of eggs, onions, cheese, and sausage, can also be cooked in a standard skillet.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/4 of recipe): Calories: 544; Total Fat: 31g; Saturated Fat: 12g; Cholesterol: 273mg; Total Carbs: 35g; Fiber: 3g; Protein: 26g; Sodium: 811mg.

Recipe and photograph courtesy of Georgia Pecan Commission.