Growing up, my family’s grilled cheese sandwiches we’re not like the neighbors. In fact, nothing in my home was.
As a child, I was always a little bit embarrassed when a friend came over to my house. For several reasons, we were louder than the neighbors, we didn’t have the same family rules (I was not allowed to spend the night at friends homes…and a few other rules that I didn’t understand at the time) and we certainly didn’t eat like the neighbors ( I would have left over eggplant and manicotti in my school lunches). Nothing came from a box, can, or the freezer. Everything was fresh and my mom went to the grocery store daily. At the time, I didn’t realize just how lucky I was.
One of my favorite Autumn lunches when I was a child was my moms grilled cheese sandwich and tomato basil soup. If she didn’t bake the bread herself that day, my mom would make a drive to La Prima’s Italian Market, their fresh bread and rolls were delicious. She always bought one extra roll when they were warm for my brother and I to share in the car. There is nothing better than a warm piece of bread fresh out of the oven.
My mom would go to a different Italian market to buy cheeses. Every cheese had a purpose. There were the cheeses to eat after dinner with fruit, the cheese to grate over pasta, and the cheeses to go in grilled cheese sandwiches.
And here is how she made that delicious Grilled Cheese Sandwich…or Panini as she would say! I am happy to say I am carrying on my moms way of making the ultimate grilled cheese sandwich!
Add the cream cheese to the inside of each piece of bread.
Add the cheeses, I have found if you cut the slices of cheese on the thinner side they will melt quicker.
Add the basil on top of the cheeses and close up the sandwich.
Add the butter and you are ready to grill!
- 1 loaf of Italian bread, cut in half lengthwise and then into individual sandwiches.
- 1 tablespoons cream cheese, per sandwich half
- 3 slices of Gouda cheese
- 3 slices of Gruyere cheese
- 1 slice Peper Jack cheese
- 3 fresh basil leaves per sandwich
- Butter
- Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.
- Spread the cream cheese to both halves of the bread.
- Layer the cheese on the sandwich and top with the basil.
- Close sandwich and add a few pats of butter to the top of one side sandwich.
- Place sandwich butter side down on the hot grill pan.
- Place a heavy pan on top of the sandwich. Pressing the sandwich down.
- Grill for about 2 to 3 minutes until the bread is toasted.
- Add butter to the non-grilled side.
- Turn sandwich over and continue cooking until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted.
This recipe sounds so yummy! I love your blog and all your recipes but this one really made me smile! Yours and my family sound exactly the same!! Love my Italian heritage for sure!!
I knew all the italians out there would get it! I’m so happy you enjoy my blog and recipes! Thank you.
My Mom would LOVE this recipe! She is a grilled cheese fan……I will give it a whirl! Looks yummy!
There is just something when all the cheeses are melded together, something wonderful happens! Let me know how you like it, Ellen.
Love this, and since I do I am thinking I would love your mother’s tomato basil soup. Any chance you can get that recipe? I will invite you for lunch, you will get along so well with my husband..
Donna, that recipe will be coming soon! I would love to come over for lunch!
I love grilled cheese and we do GC bars at our house. Pear or apple, and carmelized onion….yummmm.
Love the idea of a GC bar, and the addition of fruit! I’ve got some other GC recipes coming soon!
Oh this looks AMAZING!!!!
Christine, it is!
OM-GOUDA!
This looks aMAZing!
Gouda is by far my most favorite cheese in the whole world…plus basil?!
I’m over the moon! Pinning!
🙂 Anna
Thank you, Anna! Gouda is one of my favorites too! Thanks for pinning.
Grilled gouda! The only thing I do differently is to add a bit of really good artisan mustard to mine!
Love the mustard idea! Thanks, Nancy.
Just looking at it and reading the description, my mouth is absolutely watering! You, my friend, are really lucky!
Thanks, Erika. I know now!
That looks amazing. I also appreciate your reflection on how we may view things from a different filter as adults. As you said you didn’t recognize how lucky you were to have your mom get all the fresh items. I also have things in my life that I had to view from a different vantage point to fully appreciate.
Thank you so much. It is hard to understand adult decisions as a child, I am so glad I understand now!
What a scrumptious and decadent version of the good ole grilled cheese. I can’t wait to try it.
Angela, your going to love it!
I love grilled cheese but yours looks especially delicious. Add the tomato basil soup and that may be my favorite go-to meal.
Mine too, Lois.
This looks fantastic! I love a grilled cheese, but this one looks much improved from the ones I make! 🙂
Thanks, Laura.
Cream cheese on the outside… brilliant! I am trying this (with the black bean pumpkin soup from Wendy’s Hat today) over the weekend! Sounds amazing! Thank you.
Wendy’s soup sounds like a great addition to my grilled cheese!
That looks absolutely delicious!
Thanks, Janie!
Wow! This looks like the perfect gourmet grilled cheese sandwich for those who love them. I’ll have to share this recipe with my friends.
Thanks, Wendy!
I want to eat this sandwich right now!! The recipe looks heavenly – yum.
I’m glad you like it, Jennifer!
Oh my gosh, I want one right this minute!!!
Thanks, Christine! Happy New Year!
Great recipe. Definitely not my Mamma’s grilled cheese. I bet the Basil makes for a delicious sandwich.
The basil really adds a delicious flavor.
Sounds like you were a lucky kid! And this grilled cheese pretty much proves that. This looks awesome! I could go for one for lunch today! Yum!