The Best Part Of This Sandwich Was The Mayo!

I decided to check out a local Art and Farmer's Market yesterday and was a little disappointed with the prices.  Watermelon $7?  Really?  I know it is expensive for farmers and this HAS been an exceptionally bad year, but HOLY MOLY!!!  So I walked away with a fresh baked French bread and some basil.  I was racking my brain as I was driving home about what I could do with French bread and basil.  We had just had Italian food the night before so pasta wasn't really an option, so I decided to make pannini's!  

It's funny how an idea can sound so wonderful and grand in your head, but the execution ends up being something else all-together.  I imagined poaching the chicken with Italian seasoning, cutting up the succulent, juicy chicken, topping it with mozzarella and slathering the french bread with a pesto mayonnaise.  It actually turned out GREAT, except for the chicken...which was a pretty big part of the Chicken pannini.  :)

I poached the chicken with water and Italian seasoning and nothing else.  That was my big mistake.  The chicken was juicy, but totally tasteless.  I should have seasoned the chicken with salt and pepper before I cooked it and used chicken stock rather than water.

The BEST part of this concoction was the PESTO MAYO.  I will DEFINITELY keep some of this in my refrigerator at all times!  It turned out a lot like Green Goddess Dressing/Dip.  I am somewhat embarrassed to say that I slathered a slice of bread with this mayo and at it straight!

PESTO MAYO:

1 cup Mayo - I always use the low fat stuff...it just means I can eat more of it. :)

1 clove Garlic

1/4 cup Basil

salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in blender or food processor and combine.

I didn't think about this until I was uploading this photo, but I bet those veggie straws would be yummy dipped in the Pesto Mayo. :)