A few months ago, I posted about one of my longtime favorite salads: a Caprese Salad with an oh-so-simple Balsamic Dressing. As much as I love cooking and preparing a meal, it doesn’t get much easier, or tastier, than piling together tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil and then drizzling the whole thing in a cascade of herbs, oil and balsamic vinegar.So, then, what’s an easier lunch than slapping your favorite salad onto a slice of crusty bread, grilling it up, slicing it in half and calling it a sandwich?

Well… yes… Peanut butter and jelly is easier (and fifteen years after elementary school, still a sandwich I indulge in at least twice a week). But this is The Comfort of Cooking, so let’s cook our lunch.

Making an irresistible caprese, even when stuffed between two slices of bread, is all about the fresh ingredients. The fresher the mozzarella, tomato and basil, the better the salad or sandwich. Once toasted together, the melted medley of flavors and aromas can only be described as veggie bliss. So, while you may have had an awesome panini elsewhere, you’ve never had one like you can make at home with your own fresh ingredients- and you don’t even need a panini press (I used a grill pan!).

The sun-dried tomato mayonnaise, with a hint of basil and lemon, is also very simple to make and adds fresh flavor on any number of sandwiches, from BLTs to burgers, chicken, salad, sub or veggie sandwiches, panini, and any other sandwich you can dream up in your kitchen!