Easy, Cheesy, Briesy?

Good morning!

I'd like to introduce you to a delicious twist on an old favorite: grilled cheese. Sure, you remember the good old days when your mom would make you a warm, melty sandwich filled with a Kraft single and a side of carrots and applesauce...

However, even though you're an adult now, you can still enjoy this classic comfort food. I present to you: the grilled brie + apple panini sandwich. This literally took 5 minutes to make and was mighty tasty!

I was inspired to make this sandwich after meeting up with my friend, Bethany, a few weeks ago for dinner. She led me to this cutesy little restaurant where we chatted about design, jobs, and life while enjoying some dinner. While browsing the menu, this sandwich caught my eye. I had never had brie before, but have heard rave reviews about it from friends. What the heck--I decided to give it a whirl.

Oh, this was indeed a good decision. The warm, creamy brie was melted between thick, buttered bread and as if that was not good enough, there was some tart green apple slices hidden beneath the layers of cheese to add a slight crunch to the gooey concoction.

I knew that since this restaurant was not located near me, I'd have to find a way to recreate this at home. After a quick spin through the grocery store this evening, combined with tossing together these ingredients--followed by a taste test, I am happy to report that it was a success.

Want to give it a try?

Grilled Brie + Apple Panini

Ingredients: 

• 1 Granny Smith apple
• 1 wedge of Brie cheese
• Butter
• Bread

That's it!

Start off by thinly slicing the apple as shown in the photo above. You'll want these slices to be rather thin so that they cook evenly and don't end up too crunchy in the end.

Next, butter your bread on on side just as you would for a grilled cheese sandwich. Turn on the stove and transfer your apples to a frying pan. Allow them to cook on each side for a few minutes until soft but not soggy.

Now, slice the brie, place it on the bread, and cover it with the apple slices (3-5 slices) before topping it with the other slice of bread (butter side out).

Toast your sandwich in the frying pan just as you would a grilled cheese--a few minutes on each side until toasty. To make your sandwich into a panini, simply press it down with a plate while it is cooking to get the grill marks and flattened sandwich.

For more instructions on making panini's, check out my previous post on it here.

Bon appétit!

Favorite strange sandwich fillings?
Are you a fan of brie?
What were your favorite sides with a grilled cheese sandwich as a kid?