Grown Up Grilled Cheese

I love a good Caprese Salad. The flavors are perfect to me. So, when I'm looking for new sorts of lunch-ish foods to make, I often consider what I can do with those same three ingredients. Well, this one turned out perfectly.

Caprese Grilled Cheese

2 slices sandwich bread

2 slices mozzarella cheese

1 tomato, sliced thin

basil (or pesto, if you have it)

butter

Place 1 piece of mozz on each slice of bread. Layer tomato slices in an even layer on one piece of mozz. Then sprinkle with basil strips (basil cut into thin strips.) Place sandwich halves together, sandwiching the cheese. Spread butter on the top of the bread.

Place bread butter-side down in a pre-heated skillet over medium heat. Let cook. Don't cheat and flip early. While the bottom is cooking, spread butter on the other slice of bread. Once browned, flip the sandwich over and brown the remaining side.

Enjoy.

Moose Tracks:

Grilled cheese sandwiches aren't fast food. Grilled cheese should take 15-20 minuets to cook. You want the bread to toast (fry in butter - whatever), and the cheese in between to melt evenly. High heat won't get you there.

Dips. I've always dipped my grilled cheese sandwiches. Good ol' Velveeta and bread always got the ketchup treatment. But my grown-up grilled cheese is a little too fancy for that. So, I used some balsamic vinaigrette reduction to dip into. Or, you could use some balsamic dressing. Heck - get a little crazy and paint some balsamic dressing on the bread before adding the cheese.

If you prefer pesto to basil, just use it like a sandwich spread. Basil, cheese, tomato, cheese, basil. Easy-peasy.