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Must Make: Triple Decker Italian Cheese Sandwich

partysugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:00:44 -0700

When I was little there was nothing as comforting as a grilled cheese sandwich. Although I enjoyed its crisply toasted exterior and gooey melted-cheese center, what I loved most about a grilled cheese was the name. For the longest time, I thought they were called "girl cheese sandwiches," meaning that the sandwich was something so special and delicious only girls like myself got to enjoy them. Eventually, I learned that boys ate them too, but at that point, I was so smitten by the classic combination of cheese and bread that I didn't care. My latest favorite "girl" cheese sandwich is actually a baked cheese sandwich. With its three cheeses (fontina, provolone, and parmesan), triple decker, and slow roasted tomatoes, it's far more gourmet than anything I devoured as a child. However, it still is everything a classic grilled cheese should be: nostalgic, comforting, and sublimely scrumptious. To savor every bite of this sandwich yourself, get the recipe now.

'Wich of the Week: Sweet Summer Grilled Cheese

YumSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 14:00:50 -0700

Grilled cheese sandwiches are typically a wintertime comfort food, but add some summery farm-stand flavor, and this favorite sandwich adopts an easy, breezy attitude for the warmer months. I got the idea for this recipe when I scored a jar of delicious strawberry and meyer lemon marmalade from Blue Chair, which has an effervescent citrus flavor and a hint of rosiness. With fresh green pea sprouts, it transforms the grilled cheese from classic cold-weather meal into a tribute to Summer farmers markets.

If you can't find this brand of jam, try mixing a lemon or orange marmalade with traditional strawberry jam for a similar fruity flavor. The aged Irish cheddar provides a perfect salty counterpoint. To get the recipe and step-by-step photos, read more.

Sweet Summer Grilled Cheese
Original recipe

Ingredients

2 slices honey wheat bread
Butter for spreading
3 tablespoons strawberry-lemon marmalade
3-5 slices aged cheddar cheese
1/4 cup pea sprouts

Directions

On one side of each slice of bread, spread desired amount of butter. Place bread slices butter-side down on work surface. On the unbuttered side of each slice, spread 1 1/2 tablespoons of marmalade.

On one slice of the bread, place enough cheddar to cover the marmalade. Top with pea sprouts. Cover with second marmalade-coated slice.

In a skillet over medium heat, grill the sandwich for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted.

Makes 1 sandwich.

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'Wich of the Week: Fall Gouda-ness Grilled Cheese

YumSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:00:39 -0700

When the produce bins brim with Fall bounty, I love to swap out the tomatoes on my sammies for sliced apple. Together with melted cheese, the slightly sweet, slightly tart fruit makes for a hearty autumnal meal.

Though apple and cheddar is always a safe bet, last night I whipped up a grilled ham and cheese with one of my favorite indulgences: smoked gouda. With the condiments, I created two versions: one with just sweet mustard and another with mustard and Branston Pickle relish. I actually preferred the robust, saltier sandwich with the Branston, but if you don't like (or can't find) this popular British spread, sweet mustard will do just fine. For vegetarians, just subtract the ham. To get the recipe and see how I made it, read more.

Fall Gouda-ness Grilled Cheese
Original Recipe by YumSugar

Ingredients

4 slices wheat or multigrain bread
2 tablespoons sweet mustard
2 tablespoons Branston Pickle relish
4 slices of deli ham
1/2 Fuji apple, cut into thin slices
8 slices of smoked gouda cheese (about 2 ounces)

Directions

Preheat panini press. Alternately, if you don't own a panini maker, preheat the oven to 350°F. Place a cast-iron skillet inside the oven to warm for 5-10 minutes.
Spread two slices of bread with pickle relish and the other two slices with mustard.

On each pickle relish-coated slice, place two slices of ham, half the apple slices, and four slices of gouda. Cover with the mustard-coated slice.
Cook the sandwiches in a panini press for 5-10 minutes, until cheese is melted and bread is lightly browned. Or, coat a skillet with cooking oil and cook the sandwiches over medium-low heat for 5 minutes per side, until cheese is melted and bread is lightly browned, using the hot cast-iron skillet to press the sandwiches.

Makes 2 sandwiches.

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The Great Grilled Cheese

partysugar — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 06:49:31 -0700

Grilled Cheese Day is Sunday and so we're celebrating grilled cheese sandwiches and all their melty goodness this week . To get you in the mood, I've round up a bunch of my favorite grilled cheese recipes. To take a look at them - warning, they may make you hungry! - click on the start button.

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'Wich of the Week: Honey-Basil Grilled Cheese

YumSugar — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:13:31 -0700

When it comes to American comfort foods, it's hard to beat the classic grilled cheese sandwich. Clearly, I'm not the only one who thinks so, since April is Grilled Cheese Month, and this Sunday is Grilled Cheese Day. For this week's 'wich, I decided to celebrate early with a tasty twist on the old favorite.

For this version, which features creamy mozzarella and salty fontina, I recommend choosing a multigrain or wheat bread that's just a tiny bit sweet. It makes the perfect enclosure to a fresh, but decadent combination of sweet strawberry tomatoes, basil, and honey. For the recipe and step-by-step photos, read more.

Honey-Basil Grilled Cheese
Original Recipe

Ingredients

4 slices multigrain bread (I used Vital Vittles 12-Grain)
6 strawberry tomatoes, thinly sliced
3 oz. part-skim mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced with a sharp knife
10 slices fontina cheese, cut with a cheese slicer
12 to 16 large basil leaves
Honey to taste
Butter (to coat bread for grilling)

Directions
Makes two sandwiches.

To make each sandwich, spread one side of each slice of bread with desired amount of butter.
On the opposite side of two of the slices, spread a generous amount of honey, just enough to cover the surface.

Divide the tomatoes between the two sandwiches and arrange the slices on top of the honey. Then, lay four slices of fontina cheese on top of each tomato-topped slice.
Divide the basil leaves between the two sandwiches and lay atop the fontina. Then top each basil-covered slice with the sliced mozzarella. Top with remaining bread slices, butter side up.

Over very low heat, preheat a skillet then grill the sandwiches one at a time. To ensure the cheese melts evenly, cover the skillet with a lid while cooking. Grill each side for about 3 to 5 minutes, until lightly browned.

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TV Dinners: Gossip Girl - Grilled Cheese

partysugar — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 09:01:31 -0800

With the writers' strike putting a pause on my favorite television series plot, I've started watching repeats of Gossip Girl. I recently caught the pilot and came across a scene in which Chuck feeds a drunk Serena a grilled cheese sandwich from his hotel's kitchen.

Not your ordinary grilled cheese - it's actually on the New York Palace Hotel's restaurant menu - this sandwich costs $50. So what makes it so divinely delicious and extra expensive? Thick-cut housemade bread, imported Italian Fontina cheese, and fresh shaved black truffles. To take a look at a clip from the episode and check out the recipe, read more.

Gossip Girl's Grilled Cheese Sandwich
From Christopher Lee

8 slices of fresh baked white bread (look for a local bakery)
16 slices of fontina cheese
2 tbsp sweet butter
2 oz fresh shaved black winter truffles
salt and pepper, to taste

Layer 2 slices of fontina cheese between 2 slices of white bread and shave a couple of slices of truffles in the middle of each sandwich; do the same for all four sandwiches.
Heat a large fry pan over medium heat and add the butter.
When the butter melts, add the sandwiches and cook until the bread is nice and toasted.
Remove and slice sandwiches in half and place into four plates.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

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How Do You Cut Your Grilled Cheese Sandwiches?

partysugar — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 05:53:27 -0700

I'm not much of a picky eater, but I do confess to sometimes being a perfectionist. I like things a certain way. For example I like water before I go to bed every night in my favorite plastic pink glass, I like my iced teas in a special glass as well and I won't eat a homemade grilled cheese sandwich unless it is cut into four triangles. It's all psychological, I know that a grilled cheese doesn't taste different if it is cut into squares or triangles or not cut at all but I like it cut into triangles. I'll have to ask DearSugar if this is considered obsessive compulsive behavior... Also, I'm wondering if maybe I'm not alone, so reader, how do you cut your grilled cheese sandwiches?

TV Dinners: The Devil Wears Prada - Grilled Cheese Sandwich

partysugar — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 07:54:13 -0800

Like many a die hard fashionista, The Devil Wears Prada was my favorite movie of 2006. I know it may be a bit loco, but I actually saw it in the theaters twice and received the DVD as a gift from the bro for New Years. My clothes-horse self loved Anne Hathaway's countless (Chanel) outfit changes, while my foodie self loved how her boy toy Adrian Grenier was a wannabe chef. Adrian Grenier excels at making hard-working Anne late night grilled cheese sandwiches. Grilled cheese is number one on my top ten best sandwiches in the world list and I'll have to confess, since seeing the movie I've had a fantasy (or three) about Adrian making me a late night grilled cheese sandwich. In the movie he uses $8 a slice Jarlsberg making it one haute sandwich. For the super simplistic yet super good recipe, read more

Grilled (Jarlsberg) Cheese Sandwich
From Sunset magazine

About 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 slices firm white bread
4 to 6 ounces Jarlsberg cheese, thinly sliced

Spread 1 side of bread slices with butter.
Mound cheese on unbuttered side of 2 slices. Set bread, buttered side up, on cheese.
Place sandwiches in frying pan and cook, covered, on medium-low heat until cheese is soft and bread is browned, about 12 minutes total; turn sandwiches once.
Remove from pan, cut in half diagonally, and serve hot.

Serves 2.

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Reader Recipe: Grilled Three Cheese Sandwich with Tomatoes

YumSugar — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 16:15:18 -0800

One of my favorite things in the whole world is a great grilled cheese sandwich. I love the way the melted cheese oozes along the crispy bread. Apparently, I am not the only one. TeamSugar member BoHoBaby108 recently shared her recipe for Grilled Three Cheese and Tomato Sandwiches. These look so great to me; in fact, I think I just figured out what's for dinner tonight!

To get the recipe, read more

Recipe submitted by TeamSugar BoHoBaby108

The other day my fiance and I decided to have traditional combination of soup and sandwiches for dinner. I was tired of the typical tomato soup and grilled cheese, so I grew it up a bit with my creation of the grilled three cheese and tomato sandwiches which I served with Campbell's Select Gold Label Creamy Tomato Parmesan Bisque.

Ingredients:
Serves 4

8 pieces of whole wheat bread
4 slices provolone cheese
4 slices of Colby cheese
4 slices of muenster cheese
1 small sweet yellow onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/8 cup Sherry
1 medium beefsteak tomato, thinly sliced
Italian seasoning
Softened butter

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil and sherry in a medium sauce pan over med-high heat. Add chopped onions and caramelize about 10 min. Transfer to paper towel and cool.

2. Lightly butter one side of each bread slice. Sprinkle buttered side with Italian seasoning.

3. Prepare sandwiches - Place one slice of bread buttered side down on a plate and layer with 1 slice of Colby , a spoonful of caramelized onions, a slice of Muenster, two slices of tomato, and a slice of provolone. Place top slice of bread on with buttered slice up.

4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray and place two sandwiches at a time to grill. Grill each side until lightly browned and crisp about 3min.

Enjoy!Grilled 3 Cheese and Tomato Sandwiches

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Would You Eat Jam on Your Grilled Cheese Sandwich?

YumSugar — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:43:18 -0700

Whenever my dad would make grilled cheese sandwiches, he would always end up coating the top of his with grape jelly. As a kid, I copied him and have grown up enjoying the delicious pairing of sweet and savory. It may sound weird, but a lot of folks use fig spread and it's not much different than that. Last night I ended up having a simple one with raspberry-peach jam, and thought it was an extremely flavorful pairing. So tell me, would you eat this grilled cheese sandwich?