Albacore panini and leftover mashed potato soup

Here's a yummy recipe if you are interested.  I love, love, love Vandersalm's Tuna Panini Melt, however, living in Decatur makes it difficult to eat it whenever I want. And the last time I went it was kinda sucky.  the first time I had it, it was like this fantastic crab cake or something....WOWZA! 

 Lucky for me I own the fantastic Breville Panini Maker (which I adore).  So I can make that baby on my own at my house if I want to.  I don't think theirs has fresh dill, but I dig it so I add it.  Add whatever you love to make it yours! (keep reading for my tuna salad recipe)

So it's Friday night in early July...it seems like the world is holding it's breath for the first raindrop!  We've been hoping for rain for weeks.  My tomatoes are dying, even though I water them daily.  Seemed like a good friday for a sandwich and some soup.  We had some leftover mashed potatoes so I googled a potato soup recipe....

Mashed Potatoes (I had about 2 cups)

onion

butter

milk

chives?  dill?  whatever else you have to throw in...

this is what I did...

sauteed 1/4 diced onion in 2 tb butter til tender

added 1.5 cups of skim milk

added leftover mashed potatoes (about 1.5 c)

1/2 cup of corn (you decide)

1/2 cup of half and half

you can also throw in herbs or cheese, I added cheddar, a T of asiago, 1 tsp of fresh dill from my garden

I thought it looked a little thin so I added 1 tsp of cornstarch mixed with water. 

Simmer til warm.  Garnish w/ croutons.

Now for the sandwiches.  I only use albacore tuna, fresh lemon, and hellman's mayo and I think that makes a huge difference.  (You should always have fresh lemon in your fridge and never that sour crap in the bottle)

2 cans of white albacore tuna in water (drained)

Zest of 1 Lemon (zest that baby before you cut it!)

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of mayo to taste-- I don't like mine crazy w/ mayo

Dill (I used about 1/2 t fresh, but in the winter I've used the "fresh" in the deli section of the super.) to taste

Onion to taste, purple is best, white onion works, green onion is okay too. 

Salt and pepper to taste

(add whatever else makes your tuna your own here!  Celery, dill pickles, sweet pick., whatever your mama used to make you that reminds you of home and heaven!)

I def. think you need high quality bread for this.  You could also use a good, high grain wrap.  I use Rykse's bakery bread or my own home baked yeast rolls.  You could toast your bread, then throw the tuna salad on there w/ tomato and lettuce or make a panini of it w/ buttered bread and cheddar cheese as shown below.  Yummy.