PESTO CAPRESE TOAST+ a wine sale!

Why avo-toast with your morning coffee when you can pesto toast with your evening wine? I'm just saying... Seriously though, now that Halloween is officially behind us we're on to my favorite holiday months - bring on the sweater weather, good food, and of course, the good wine. I feel like a giddy kid every year when November rolls around and I can start holiday decorating, looking forward to holiday meals with friends and family, and having a reason to cozy up and relax with my unnecessarily large collection of soft fluffy blankets and equally unnecessarily large collection of wine. Neither of which I'm apologizing for because they all felt like necessary purchases, and well you can never have enough of something you truly love, am I right? 

Oh and another way I can justify all my wine purchases? A good sale. A sale always justifies a purchase...right? Just kidding, but it certainly makes me feel a lot better about it! I stocked up on 15 new bottles to try at Grocery Outlet this week for under $100. Every bottle was rated 3.5 stars or higher with an average ticket much higher than I paid when I searched them on my Vivino app! (To follow me and see all my steals and reviews hover over social, and click WINE (VIVINO) in the main menu bar of my site)! I was so impressed with the deals I was able to snag and equally impressed with the couple bottles I've opened thus far. See that Pra Vinera Chardonnay down there? $5.99 regular, $4.80 on sale y'all!!!!

I chose to kick off my wine tasting & holiday season by opening up a bottle of Chardonnay - I loved the Pra Vinera I paired with my meal. It was the perfect mix of oak, butter, and fruit flavors. It tasted fantastic with my new fav. easy dinner to get me through the hectic holiday season... fancy toast, haha! I mean if fancy avo toast is such a thing for breakfast, I can surely make fancy wine pairing toast a thing for dinner, right?!

Grocery Outlet wine dept, I don't want to openly admit how many I scanned and browsed through before putting my cart together, ​ha!

Whites I purchased:

• 2016 Pra Vinera Reserve Chardonnay​
• 2014 Volpe Pasini Grivo Pinot Grigio
• 2013 49 Cros Viognier
• 2015 Xanthos Projection Chardonnay

Sparkling I purchased:

• Neirano Perlato Brut

Other great deals to watch out for:

• John Osborn Napa Chardonnay, Diama Extra Dry Prosecco, Handcraft Dark Red, Indigo Eyes Sparkling Brut

Reds I purchased:

• 2016 Pra Vinera Reserve Pinot Noir
• 2013 Los Horoldos Reserva de Familia Malbec
  
• 2013 Terra Da Vino Tor di Vento Barolo
  
• 2012 Long Barn Pinot Noir
  
• 2014 Anthony Koster Barrel Select Cabernet Sauvignon
  
• 2015 Xanthos Projection Cabernet Sauvignon
  
• 2010 Quadrant Bordeaux Blend
• 2013 Specialyst Red Blend
  
• 2014 Ano Verde Pinot Noir
  
• 2013 49 Crows Tempest
  

CLICK HERE TO LOCATE A GROCERY OUTLET NEAR YOU!

INGREDIENTS:

• Slice of bread, I used sourdough.
• 1 tbsp butter, approx.
• 2 tbsp pesto, approx.
• Sliced fresh mozzarella
• Sliced roma tomato
• 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• Sea salt & pepper to taste

*Note quantities are approximate, you can use more or less of what you like and don't like - follow image for a guideline!

DIRECTIONS:

1. Spread butter on one side of bread. Lay butter side down in a skillet and turn to medium heat. 
2. Add pesto and spread on top. Layer sliced fresh mozzarella & sliced tomato on top. 
3. Cook over medium heat until bread is "toasted" and cheese softens. (use a spatula to check underside of bread to allow to brown but not burn). 
4. Drizzle balsamic vinegar and sprinkle salt & pepper on top. Serve & enjoy! 
5. For 21+, enjoy your Chardonnay pairing!