Here’s what we’re going to do:
We’re going to go to our refrigerators and gather all of the delicious things. If those things are roasted, pesto-ed, and melty… that’s ideal.
Truth be told, sometimes all I have in the fridge is orange juice and bendy celery… that’s why God invented bourbon and those Chinese take-out menus at the bottom of my junk drawer. Orange juicy and bendy celery aren’t allowed in this sandwiches. Not on this day… when there is precious Brie and pesto in the refrigerator.
This is what it looks like to pack every delicious item in my refrigerator between toasted and buttered bread.
I’ve also been known to shove everything delicious in my refrigerator into a giant bowl of pasta. When something is good, don’t you just want to add carbs? YES.
My friend Tracy taught me to be the kind of person that has pesto on hand. It’s called Fridge Pesto and you should totally jump on the bandwagon especially if you have wilted spinach in your refrigerator. (Continue to ignore the bendy celery.)
On this sandwich is thinly sliced Brie (rind and all), smeared spinach pesto, roasted cherry tomatoes, salty parmesan cheese and buttah!
Roasting the tomatoes intensifies their flavor and sweetness. The Spinach Pesto adds a happy green, garlic-y kick. Two kinds of cheese because we’re the kind of people who deserve two different kinds of cheese on your sandwich. Spread with butter and grilled on each side until the center is just warm and melty.
Next: settle yourself into a cozy place (somewhere near the open back porch door and the washing machine), sit right down on the floor and eat every bite of the sandwich before you’ve successfully taken any decent pictures of it. It’s fiiiine. Most people have seen melted cheese on bread before. Relax. Scroll through Instagram. Only move when the desire for a beverage or potato chips stirs you beyond laziness. Bendy celery be damned.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sliced cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 4 thick sliced seeded whole wheat bread
- about 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup basil pesto
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- wedge of Brie cheese, sliced thin (rind and all)
Instructions
- Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the tomatoes on the pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
- Allow to roast for 20 minutes until bubbling and browned a bit. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a bit.
- Place a skillet over medium-low heat.
- Butter both sides of all slices of bread. Spread two slices of bread with basil pesto and parmesan cheese. Top the two remaining slices with Brie cheese and roasted tomato.
- Sandwich together and grill on both sides until the bread is golden and crisp and the Brie is melted.
- Slice in half and enjoy immediately.
Noreen
Love grilled cheese! I use the roasted Italian tomatoes in a jar from Costco. They are incredibly delicious. Either the Sacla or Kirkland brand. Goat cheese is delicious too in a grilled cheese. One of my favorite restaurants here in the Bay Area will add avocado or bacon. Pure heaven with a bowl of tomatoe soup. It’s finally raining :)
The Queen of Dreaming
Sooo yummy!!
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Heather
That is one beautiful sandwich!
Bec Thexton
Ohh m – this looks wonderful! Bec
http://www.dancingthroughsunday.com.au
Arthur in the Garden!
Yummy!
Emma R
Sounds like the ideal combination for me – I’m a sucker for anything like this.
Becky
That looks so fall and so delicious. I must try, and soon!rcpuckett@gmail.com
Courtney Soifer
My husband and I made these for dinner on Thursday and they were delicious! A nice, mid-week treat. Deconstructed the sandwich for my 1-year old as well :) Thanks for the great recipe!
Helen @ Scrummy Lane
Coincidentally, I put the last edible contents of my fridge on a square of puff pastry today and made a sort of ‘tart’ – I think I ended up with ricotta/egg, parmesan, baby tomatoes, onions and pepperoni. Sometimes these spontaneous food decisions are the ones that send you soaring up to food heaven!
Courtney @ FitCakes
You’re like the queen of sandwich-making, Joy! I always always drool over your sandwich pics! xo
shelly
haha you and tracy are on a pesto kick! tip for bendy celery, just cut your losses, chop it up and freeze it. use it in a mirepoix for the next time you need it.
Samantha Biobabbler
Joy: Holy cow, the COLORS on that 4th shot (deep, deep red on the dark, gravelly green pesto) are AMAZING. Made me gasp. GREAT job. Phew!
n
Love the pictures – my favourite kind of lunch!
Nutty Nutritionist
Yay for savory posts! This looks amazing!
kara white
Now please post a yummy recipe featuring bendy celery.
Priyanka
This looks so delicious . I’ll definitely try this one!
Sharana @ Living The Sweet Life Blog
Mmmmm .. this sounds like gooey comfort — and spinach pesto .. YES, please!!
Stacey @ Bake.Eat.Repeat.
I was actually just wondering the other day, as I threw out the last of a bag of spinach, if I could make spinach pesto, because it’s so annoying throwing some out but we almost never finish it before it starts to go. Apparently that IS a thing, I’ll have to try it! This sandwich sounds amazing, throwing all the delicious things into a sandwich is always good!
sundiegoeats
The roasted tomatoes in this, YES. I don’t like lukewarm tomatoes in my grilled cheese but when you roast them it changes everything
joythebaker
you’re right! no one wants wishy-washy tomatoes in their sandwich. roasting is definitely the move!
Jenny @ The Peachy Pair
I love your takes on grilled cheese! The spinach artichoke one is one of my fav’s. Need to give this one a shot, too!
joythebaker
that spinach and artichoke jam was the business!!!
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
Grilled cheese perfection, love the boasted tomatoes and that bread looks killer!
Julia @ Sprinkled With Jules
I don’t even need to see the finished product to know that this grilled cheese is amazing!
Kathy Mader
But I would LOVE to see a pic of the finished product…why not?
Luxe & Honey
This looks delicious, and nobody likes bendy celery unless it’s cooked into something, so thanks for leaving it out :)
joythebaker
even when it’s cooked into something it’s like MEH.
saltandserenity
This is grilled cheese all grown up! So beautiful. And yes, we all deserve 2 kinds of cheese. Thanks for making me laugh this morning Joy!
Carrie
Ahh some of my favourite ingredients. I love how simple things look and taste so delicious! Tomorrow’s lunch is sorted!
Carrie x
Ella
Wheeee, this sounds wonderfully cozy. YES CARBS ALL THE CARBS
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Vrock13
If I cut it in half does that meanI have to share?
Linda
Your photos make a grilled cheese and work of art. Without question this is one of my favorite kind of sandwiches.
stoneymalone
Super tasty! I just made it with cheddar as I had no other cheese. Still amazing.
Rachel @ Rachel//In//Flight
This sounds so delicious that I must try this for dinner one night this week. I am a huge pesto fan so any recipe that includes it, I have to try! Thanks for the great post.
Rachel
http://www.rachelinflight.com
neev
yum!!! Is that homemade bread?
London Lapin
Joy, this looks sooooo delish! A ‘must-make’! Wishing you a jazzy day, Francesca
Rochelle
I literally JUST wrote a friend telling her I would make a “gourmet” grilled cheese sandwich with tomatoes and basil for an upcoming camping menu and then THIS dream landed in my inbox (how ever did you know?)! So excited to try the roasted tomatoes (will do beforehand) and pesto, instead of boring old basil leaves and wet tomato slices. You read minds. Must be the voodoo.
Alessandra // the foodie teen
brie rind is really weirdly my absolute favourite part! looks delicious!
Warm Vanilla Sugar
I love the roasted tomatoes in this! And the Brie!! Definitely need to try.
Jennifer
Yum to the max! As for bendy celery, if you’re not in hot NOLA add it to a stew and if you’re in NOLA Ziploc it in the freezer for a future homemade chicken stock!