classic grilled cheese sandwich
A classic grilled cheese sandwich is one of the iconic foods of childhood. And while plenty of people still enjoy a basic grilled cheese, many are looking for ways to take their favorite sandwich from the kiddie table to the grownup table.
Of course, your choice of cheese is the key to the perfect sandwich. Different types of cheese will provide unique flavors and textures. Flavored cheese slices expand options and mixing cheeses, like swiss and cheddar, or Colby and a smoked provolone add depth to the sandwich.
Experimenting with new ingredients can also dress up everybody’s favorite sandwich. Create your own signature sandwich with additions such as:
Fresh or sun dried tomatoes
Bacon or prosciutto
Avocado
Fresh herbs such as sage, basil, oregano or cilantro
Jalapeño
Pickles
Roasted red peppers
Caramelized onions
Apple or pear slices
Dijon or honey mustard
Smoked or mesquite turkey
You can also change things up with different breads. Try pumpernickel, rye, seven-grain, sourdough or English muffin bread. Here are some recipes from Borden cheese to excite your taste buds. Borden Cheese is made by a 100 percent farmer-owned cooperative. That means that 100 percent of the proceeds go back to American dairy farm families. Learn more at www.FriendsofElsie.com.
SUPER APPLE
HAM-N-CHEESE
2 slices whole grain bread
1 Tablespoon butter, softened
1/2 Tablespoon honey mustard
1 slice Borden Extra Sharp Cheddar Singles Sensations
2 large slices deli ham
1/2 apple, peeled and cut in thin slices
Spread one side of each slice of bread with butter. Then spread opposite side of bread with honey mustard. Place one slice of bread butter side down in skillet over medium heat. Layer one slice of cheese, ham and apple. Spread second piece of bread with honey mustard and place honey mustard side down on top of sandwich. Cook 6 to 7 minutes, flipping to ensure each side is golden brown and cheese is melted.
TANGY CITRUS GRILLED CHEESE
1 Tablespoon butter, softened
2 slices white or wheat bread
2 slices Borden Grilled Cheese Melts
1 Tablespoon orange marmalade
Spread 1/2 tablespoon of butter on one side of a slice of bread and place butter side down in a skillet over medium heat. Top with one slice of cheese, then spread with marmalade. Layer second slice of cheese. Spread remaining butter on one side of second slice of bread, and place butter side up on sandwich. Cook 6 to 7 minutes, flipping to ensure each side is golden brown and cheese is melted.
Now, I like to grill pimiento cheese. It can get messy, so I use a sturdy bread and a hot skillet. To help things, health-wise, I will spritz olive oil on the outside of the sandwich instead of using butter. Here is my favorite pimiento cheese recipe. It makes a lot, but you can always use the leftovers for snacking with fresh pears and apples, to spoon into a ring of pineapple or to spread on a hamburger bun as a topping.
EXTRA SHARP
PIMIENTO CHEESE
1-1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 (4 oz.) jar diced pimiento, drained
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon finely grated onion
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (8 oz.) block extra-sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated
1 (8 oz.) block sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated
Stir together first five ingredients in a large bowl; stir in cheeses. Store in refrigerator up to one week.
You may be tempted to use a food processor to prepare this, but keep in mind that texture is an important part of the dish. Pimiento cheese is not a paste, but small pieces of cheese held together by a lovely dressing and dotted with pimientos. Using both the large and the small holes on a grater will accomplish this. My food processor tends to create about 10 percent globs and slabs in addition to grates, which is not nice on the tongue. If I have to use it, I pick out those less desirable bits and use them for something else.
When making large quantities I also go for the large roasted red bell peppers and chop them up. The important thing to remember is to drain and blot them or the red juices will bleed all over the pimiento cheese, which is not nice on the eyes.
Take this basic recipe and try adding other roasted peppers. After all, a pimiento is just a roasted red sweet pepper. Try poblanos, anchos, Italian roasters. Or use diced raw peppers like jalapeno or sweet bell peppers.
I know that a grilled quesadilla is probably a redundancy, but one doesn’t always think on a quesadilla as one does a grilled cheese. But why not? You’re just substituting a tortilla for a slice of sandwich bread. And quesadillas don’t need to be greased up before frying – they’re built to take the heat and cook faster than regular bread.
GRILLED QUESADILLAS
1 or 2 flour tortillas
1/2 cup shredded meat (your choice)
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1/4 cup salsa
For meat, you can chop up leftovers from last night. Those new “chicken pouches” are handy. Instead of meat you could do thinly sliced veggies.
Heat up a skillet, warm up one side of the tortilla and then flip it over. Spread 1/4 cup each of cheese and meat on one side of the tortilla, and sprinkle 1/8 of a cup of salsa. Fold the tortilla over and press. Flip it once to make sure everything gets heated through (the cheese will hold it together).
Cut into wedges and make a dipping sauce of two tablespoons of salsa with two tablespoons sour cream.
Enjoy your cheeses, however you choose to prepare them. Things are starting to pop up out of the ground, so it won’t be long before we have more locally grown produce. One of the featured spring crops for Savor the Season 2012 is the snow pea. Do you have a favorite way to enjoy this legume? Send me your ideas and recipes at [email protected]. Let’s get cooking!
Cheese Recipes with Bill & Sheila
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