Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

I’m in a bit of a quandary.  I’ve made the decision to improve my health by making some small changes.  No fads or gimmicks.  No big investments.  I’m following the plan that has worked for me in the past.  Eat right and exercise knucklehead.  Pretty simple concept, that over time never seems to fail.  I started on the plan three weeks ago today and I can’t tell you how much better I feel.

Having said that, I refuse to deprive myself of the things I love.  Love to cook.  Love to eat.  Love food photography.  Remember me?  Enter the quandary.

So instead I will approach the things I love in moderation and share them with friends.  Let’s take this Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwich for example.  I’m sure some might scoff at my claim to be ‘improving my health’ while at the same time indulging in the sandwich dreams are made of.  I can see how that would seem a bit counter-productive.

But the truth is, making one dreamy sandwich filled with oven roasted tomatoes, fresh thinly sliced pepperoni and mozzarella cheese, piled onto the most amazing Cheese Ciabatta bread (thank you to the fabulous souls of Mr. Fellows Bread Company, who I visit weekly at my local Farmers Market), just plain made me happy.  And that was before I tasted it.  Phew.  There I go with run-on sentences again.

Once I took my first bite I knew this creation was a winner.  This sandwich has all the love that comes from a bite of Pepperoni Pizza fresh from the oven.  I mentioned moderation and sharing my creations (and calories) with a friend.  I split this sandwich with a friend and got this response after the first bite “Good Gaaaawwwd, that’s amazing.”  So as for my quandary, I choose not to give up my favorite things.  I will just enjoy them one small bite at a time.  It’s back to Farmers Market Minestrone Soup tonight, but our Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwich was a real treat last night.

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Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Course Sandwich

Servings 2

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 4 slices Ciabatta bread
• 1/4 lb. thinly sliced pepperoni
• 1/4 lb. sliced mozzarella cheese
• 4 roma tomatoes sliced
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• sea salt & freshly cracked pepper
• butter for pan grilling

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray shallow baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Place tomato slices on baking sheet; drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper. Oven roast tomatoes for 10 minutes or until just beginning to bubble.
• Divide pepperoni and cheese in two. Layer cheese on bread slices, then top with pepperoni and roasted tomatoes. Close sandwiches.
• Melt butter in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Pan grill sandwiches for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and heated through. Or use your Panini press. Slice in half to serve.

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