White Cheddar Grilled Cheese with Pesto and Tomatoes

I went to the store the other day that sells this bread.  You know, Great Harvest.

It's just ridiculous in there.  I have to be very focused when I walk in the door; otherwise, I walk out with things I had no intention of buying.

So I got this loaf of wonderful white bread.  And when I got home, I had fresh pesto in the fridge, just-picked tomatoes on the counter, and a block of white cheddar cheese.

You see, this is a sandwich I used to get at Wallace Station.  Wallace Station is a restaurant in the Middle of Nowhere, Central Kentucky.  You have to really want to go there to actually go there, if you know what I mean.

But it's so worth the drive.  It's located in the middle of horse country, which means that it's surrounded by gorgeous green rolling hills, plank fences, and of course Kentucky Thoroughbreds grazing in the fields.

Wallace Station quit making Daddy Ray's Grilled Cheese, though.  They make other fabulous sandwiches, but I had to start making this sandwich at home.

So I buttered one side of the bread. 

And I laid that side face-down in this grill pan. And laid white cheddar slices all over the bread.

And then I took the other piece of bread and spread pesto all over it.

And I put very thinly sliced tomato slices on top of the cheese...

And topped it with the pesto bread.

And put this smasher-thing on top of it to grill the sandwiches.

This grill pan is new to me.  I say "new to me" because it has stories to tell.  It's been living in the back of my mom's car for about 4 years now.  She only whipped it out when I mentioned making these grilled cheese sandwiches.  Don't ask.  Because I don't know the answer.

My husband loved these.  And my dad said it was the best grilled cheese he's ever had. 

And they're so rich, I just about died after I ate one.  In a really good way.

White Cheddar Grilled Cheese with Pesto and Tomatoes

For one sandwich:

2 slices of good white bread
2 tsp butter, softened
1 T pesto
2 slices white cheddar (or enough to cover the bread)
2 thin slices of fresh ripe tomato

Spread one teaspoon of butter on each slice of bread.  Lay one slice, buttered side down, into a skillet or a grill pan on medium heat.  Lay the cheese on next and then the tomatoes. Spread the pesto on the other slice of bread and lay the pesto side down.

Grill for about 5 minutes, until the cheese starts to melt.

Turn the head to medium-low and and grill another 4 minutes or so until the cheese is completely melted and the sandwich sticks together.  Serve immediately.