Guest Post: Tomato Pesto & Mozzarella Melts

Hey there, "Oven Love" readers! My name is Tina, from My Life as a Mrs! Natalie and I met in Atlanta last year at the BlogHer Food conference (Photo Here)... & we hit it off immediately! It's hard to NOT hit it off with Natalie - she is super sweet, bubbly, and an absolutely gorgeous person inside and out! :)  
Anyhow, since Natalie is adjusting to having sweet little Lucy around, I am here to give you all a little something tasty!!

Tomato, Pesto, and Mozzarella Melts:

Yes, they are as amazing as they sound (& look).

It's basically a grown up grilled cheese - Caprese with Pesto Style! And man is it GOOD (and EASY!)

We are talking 6 ingredients (most of which you can buy at any major grocery store):

• Sour Dough Bread
• Butter
• Tomatoes
• Fresh Mozzarella
• Pesto (I like to make big batches and then freeze individual portions - but you can find pesto at the grocery store too!)
• Balsamic Reduction (You can buy this at the store - or you can boil down regular balsamic vinegar in a saucepan until it reduces and gets thick and syrupy)

8 minutes on a griddle and BAM - Dinner. is. served.

Gotta love a fast and easy dinner: Great for weeknight meals -OR- for the new mom ;)


Natalie: I wish I was there to make these for you! Congrats on your beautiful little girl! Soak it up, girl! xoxo

Oven Love Readers: Thanks for letting me share some grub with ya'll! God Bless! Don't forget to stop on by my blog & say hi! :)

Same Ingredient Recipes ya'll may be interested in:

• Pesto Ricotta and Cherry Tomato Pizza (MY FAVORITE PIZZA EVER!!)
• Caprese Baguette with Pesto Mayo & Balsamic Reduction
• Complete Recipe Index

Yield: 4 sandwiches

Prep Time: 5-7 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

8 slices sour dough bread
4 tablespoons pesto
2 whole tomatoes, thinly sliced
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons butter
Balsamic Reduction, for topping

Directions:

Build 4 sandwiches (Bread, 1 tablespoon pesto, a few slices of mozzarella cheese, a few slices of tomato, and lastly another slice of bread).

Add 1 tablespoon butter to a hot skillet and melt over medium high heat. Once the butter is nice and hot, carefully add 2 of the prepared "sandwiches" leaving a few inches between them. Place a piece of foil over them and then top with a heavy bottomed skillet (I used a cast iron), allowing the weight to press it down.

Heat for 4-5 minutes (until bottom is crisp and golden), then remove the heavy skillet, lift sandwich with spatula and add 1 more tablespoon butter. Carefully flip the sandwiches (uncooked side down) and then top again with the foil/heavy skillet. Heat for another 3-4 minutes until remaining side is golden and cheese is melted. Remove from skillet and allow to cool for 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining sanwiches!

Slice on a diagonal and drizzle with balsamic reduction. Serve hot!

Note: You could use a panini press if you have one!

 

Tomato, Pesto, and Mozzarella Melts