Easy Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwich

This Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwich combines the elegant flavors of a caprese salad with the classic technique of a grilled cheese to make for a delectable lunch you’ll want to enjoy everyday.

Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwich

I had a moment of weakness recently.

It was a Saturday. I’d spent the entire day working, which is no different than usual, but it was a day full of issues. Without going into detail, basically I just felt utterly and completely discouraged and exhausted. I even entertained the thought of quitting. It was for a millisecond, but it was there, in my mind, rearing its ugly head.

It was then that I put my work away in frustration, and plopped onto the couch, resting my head and curling my knees up into a fetal position.

Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwich Caprese Grilled Cheese SandwichCaprese Grilled Cheese Sandwich Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Juggling so many things leaves me with a deep desire to simply focus. I am in a difficult transition, juggling a job, two websites, freelance, etc, you’ve heard it before. So needless to say, I am left exhausted, often.

When I feel this way, I turn to my guilty pleasures. The things that I do when I know I probably should be doing something else, yet I force myself to relax. The things that I enjoy yet probably wouldn’t go around telling everyone that I do, because that’s why they’re called guilty pleasures, right?

Until today.

Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwich Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwich

These, my friends, are my guilty pleasures. The things I do/enjoy when I just can’t even. The things I get excited about when someone else admits to enjoying them, as well. And, would you do me a favor? Can you comment with your guilty pleasures, too?

REALITY TV

Those who know me, know that I am a Brave superfan. You can find the following shows on my DVR: Watch What Happens Live, Southern Charm, Shahs of Sunset, The Real Housewives (favorites: Beverly Hills, OC, New York, New Jersey), and Below Deck. To me, this is a guilty pleasure because it’s not really the healthiest content to absorb, right? Reality television does not equate to educational television. But, I love nothing more than to plop on the couch after a long day and watch my Bravo. Sue me. Also on my reality TV list? The Bachelor/Bachelorette. Sorry not sorry.

YOUTUBE CHOREO VIDEOS

I am obsessed with watching different dance videos on YouTube of my favorite dancers. I have literally gotten lost in it for hours at a time. I’ve loved dance my whole life, and even met one of my favorite dancers on the streets of NYC when visiting Georgie a few months ago. But boy oh boy is this a productivity killer. Favorites to watch: Megan Batoon, Ian Eastwood, Royal Family, and Les Twins. I dare you not to get sucked into this vortex.

 

Me and Alex Wong who I discovered on So You Think You Can Dance years ago!

CAR SINGING

I am an international superstar when I’m on the highway. When Bohemian Rhapsody comes on, I do not play. It is serious business. And if I’m having a bad day, I swear a little car singing is all I need.

Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwich

COMEDIC IMPRESSIONS

Another YouTube vortex I get sucked into? Comedians doing impressions. I’ve always had a love for comedy. Heck, my dream job at one point was to be on the cast of SNL. So now, I constantly find myself watching impressions videos for hours on end, in addition to various stand-up skits. A few of my favorites are Fred Armisen, Chris D’Elia, Jimmy Fallon, Larry David, Martin Short, and you can’t forget about Dana Carvey.

Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

I’m not even sure I can consider this a guilty pleasure for the simple fact that I feel no guilt when stuffing my face with them, but they sure are a pleasure.

I love taking recipes and morphing them into something totally different. A salad turned into a sandwich? Always a good idea.

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Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Easy Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Recipe Type: lunch
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2 sandwiches
Ingredients
  • 4 slices of artisan Italian or multi-grain bread
  • 8 slices of buffalo mozzarella cheese
  • Four slices of tomato
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil
  • 2 tsp balsamic glaze
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
  1. Assemble sandwiches starting with tomatoes, then layer cheese, basil, and drizzle with balsamic. Cover each with slice of bread.
  2. Drizzle each sandwich with 1/2 tbsp olive oil.
  3. Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil into a skillet over medium heat.
  4. When pan is hot, add both sandwiches and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side, using a spatula to flip. Cook until golden brown and toasted.

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Join the conversation:
Come on, spill the beans: what is one guilty pleasure of yours?

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Caprese Grilled Cheese

Comments

  1. says

    Car singing….YES! Chicken caprese grilled cheese…DOUBLE YES! Haha for me, my favorite guilty pleasure is watching “Chopped” or “Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives.” Gotta love Guy Fieri, he seriously has the world’s greatest job!! I’m making this sandwich like ASAP.

  2. says

    I LOVE car singing, and dancers on Youtube are incredibly cool to watch, because I’m terrible at dancing. And Christina, I’ll be definitely thinking about and praying for you in this super busy season. I’m glad you’re doing the ‘plop’ down on the couch moments to take a breather.

  3. says

    OMG I LOVE Alex Wong!!!!!!!!!!! I am a huge fan of So You Think You Can Dance and I made my husband go with me to a live show last year hahaha. It was awesome and he was there too :)

    These grilled cheese sandwhiches are soooo easy, but so fancy! I love the idea 😉

    • says

      He was SO nice!! Glad someone else appreciates that lol!! I was with Georgie and stopped him while he was walking and made her take our photo, she had no idea who he was hahah. That sounds so fun – how do you feel about this season with the kids?

  4. says

    LOVE the addition of balsamic vinegar to this sandwich!!! One of my favorite restaurants makes a sandwich like this and I look forward to ordering it whenever we go! :) YUM!

  5. says

    Ugh Bravo sucks me in SO bad. Southern charm and below deck are some favs, but I guarantee you I could list off every housewife. Wish I could take my nutrition masters tests the way I could take a test on Bravo shows. Alsoooo- pretty much lived on grilled cheese and tomatoes in college so Im sure this could be a new fav!

  6. says

    These pictures look so good. I was just staring at them for ages 😛 My guilty pleasure is dancing around my room like a maniac. In those moments I really hope that you can’t see through my lacy curtains haha.

  7. says

    Love this post! I have so many pleasures but I don’t even know which ones most people would consider “guilty” because I’m shameless about them haha – most of it probably involves the embarrassing tunes I’ll listen to – I’m looking at you bieber

  8. says

    Your words on wanting to be able to focus resonated hard with me! I definitely know exactly what you’re referring to because I was in the same situation a month ago before I graduated college. It can be exhausting to have to juggle so many balls when all you want to do is pick one or two and really get down to it.

    Your guilty pleasures are marvelous and anything but worthy of being guilty over like ya mentioned. If anything, they’re sanity savers! I love taking walks to unplug whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed. But I think I’d rather have a grilled cheese haha. Nothing beats em’

    • says

      It really is so frustrating but I think once I am making enough $ and able to focus on 1-2 things, I will really be conditioned to just kill it at that point haha. Thanks girl <3 and lately I have been taking walks too!! It's amazing what a walk can do.

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