There are some days that I just don’t have the physical or mental energy for coming up with a good meal that pleases the whole family.
The trick to dealing with dread of turning on the oven is to use the stove top. The trick to getting around the pressure to appeal to many different tastes is to make a meal that each person customizes for themselves. Paninis are the 
perfect solution.
Bonus – you get to clear out the fridge!
- Bits of cheese,
- open packs of lunch meat,
- condiments (my goodness, all the condiments),
half a bell pepper and/or half an onion,- yesterday’s fried mushrooms,
- half used jars of olives, pickled peppers, artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes…
…put them on the counter and everyone participates in cleaning out the fridge clutter.
Don’t have a panini press? Me neither. I place a cast iron pan on the sandwiches to get the press effect.
I have used sturdy Italian bread and it works, but recently I have been using a store bought flat bread. It gets a nice crisp on the outside and holds up well to condiment seep so you don’t lose the whole sandwich when you flip it.
Pair the sandwiches with a quick salad, potato chips, fruit slices, or some quickly sautéed vegetables and easy-peasy-eat-a-panini diner.
Make me eat my words. 