Strawberry Bruschetta Grilled Cheese

Who gets to decide what foods go together and what foods don’t?  Who decides what you can put on a sandwich and what doesn’t belong?  For example, ever had a potato chip sandwich?  Spread some mayo on 2 slices of bread and fill with your choice of chips.  Unhealthy and slightly weird, but delicious!  Ever tried a baked bean sandwich?  It’s just 2 slices of bread filled with baked beans. Easy peasy.  Instead of using my fork to eat baked beans, I love scooping them up with a plain potato chip and eating both together.  I’ve eaten applesauce with chips too and that’s good 🙂

Why I am telling you about these odd combinations?  Just to show you that most of us eat weird combinations all the time, we just consider them normal since we’ve eaten them for so long.

Enter today’s recipe…

Strawberry Bruschetta Grilled Cheese

…with Brie

Lay aside your assumptions for just a moment and imagine a delicious, ooey, gooey grilled cheese sandwich filled with juicy pops of sweetness.

That doesn’t sound so bad now, does it?  Be adventurous and try this strawberry brushetta grilled cheese soon.  It’s got delicious brie cheese in it which makes it even better.  (I found some for a great price at Aldi Foods; they also have fresh mozzarella.)  If you don’t like brie, you could always use fresh mozzarella or another soft cheese.

I really liked this sandwich and it didn’t seem odd to be eating strawberries in my grilled cheese.  However, the hubby did not like the flavor combinations and prefers his strawberries not on his grilled cheese.

Maybe it is a bit of a girly sandwich.

Strawberry Bruschetta Grilled Cheese

Adapted from: Foodie Crush
Servings: 3 sandwiches

6 slices french/italian bread, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons butter
1 cup strawberries, chopped small
5 large basil leaves, cut
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces brie cheese

1. Thoroughly wash and dry the strawberries before chopping them small.  Combine strawberries, basil, oil, vinegar and lemon zest in a small bowl.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Butter the outsides of all six slices of bread.  Top 3 slices of bread with brie (or spread it on) and a generous helping of the strawberry bruschetta. Top each with a slice of bread to make a sandwich.
3. Place the sandwiches, butter side down, on a griddle pan or skillet.  Cook on medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until lightly browned.  Flip and cook an additional 2-4 minutes, or until lightly browned on both sides.