Grilled Caprese Bruschetta

Directions

1. 1Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake French bread loaf according to package directions. Allow to cool before slicing. (This step can be done ahead of time.)
2. 2Cut bread, cheese, and tomatoes into 16 slices each. Select 16 basil leaves; remove stems. Set all ingredients aside.
3. 3Brush olive oil lightly over both sides of each bread slice. Preheat grill to medium-high heat and place bread slices on grill, baking each side until light grill marks appear (about 2 minutes per side).
4. 4Reduce grill heat to low (or turn grill off). On each bread slice, place a slice of cheese, basil leaf and tomato slice. When all are assembled, sprinkle with seasoning (salt and pepper or garlic pepper), then drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Close grill lid and heat appetizers until cheese begins to melt. Remove from grill and serve immediately.
5. 5Tip: To melt cheese in Step 4 without further grilling the bread, heat the side of the grill you're not using for the appetizers so you retain heat without flames directly under the bruschetta slices.