TARBORO — I love grilled cheese sandwiches. That's probably true of most of us. But, when you think of a grilled cheese sandwich, what do you think of? Two slices of bread, a bit of butter and the kind of cheese that is individually wrapped that you put on most of your other sandwiches. Right? That was always my vision of a grilled cheese sandwich. Mostly because that is what my mother made when I was growing up.

That is the "classic" grilled cheese and they are very tasty and bring back fond memories of childhood. They don't satisfy my love for cheese or for grilled sandwiches. I hope that what you will see today will do that for you!

The first recipe is the classic grilled cheese. It's easy and quick and tasty.  Even if you make that type, use good cheese and good bread!

The second recipe is from Paula Deen, my hero. It's grilled apple, bacon and cheddar! It's also topped off with a roasted red onion mayo. The mayo can be used on the other sandwiches too.

The third recipe is a Cuban grilled cheese sandwich. This means that it has ham and kosher pickles and dijon mustard. You will love it. It's made on French Bread, which is a great bread for any grilled cheese sandwich.

The next is a spicy grilled cheese sandwich. It has jalapeños on it. If you don't want the heat, you can use milder peppers in their place.

The next is blue buffalo. It's wonderful! It has blue cheese and chicken. This will become a favorite, I think.

The last recipe is grilled onion and cheese on beer bread. This tastes even better than it sounds!

Wow! I think it's grilled cheese time at my house! Catch you later.



CLASSIC GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH





INGREDIENTS:

4 slices white bread

3 tablespoons butter, divided    

2 slices Cheddar cheese



Preheat skillet over medium heat. Generously butter one side of a slice of bread. Place bread butter-side-down onto skillet bottom and add 1 slice of cheese. Butter a second slice of bread on one side and place butter-side-up on top of sandwich.

 Grill until lightly browned and flip over; continue grilling until cheese is melted.

 Repeat with remaining 2 slices of bread, butter and slice of cheese.



Grilled Apple, Bacon and Cheddar Sandwich with Roasted Red Onion Mayo



2 slices (1/2-inch-thick) sourdough, multigrain or another hearty bread 
4 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked crisp 
4 slices Cheddar 
1/2   Granny Smith apple, cored, sliced thin 
Roasted Red Onion Mayo, recipe follows 
Butter

Roasted Red Onion Mayo

1 medium red onion, chopped 
2 teaspoons olive oil 
Salt and pepper 
1-cup mayonnaise

Preheat a seasoned grill pan or griddle over medium heat. Assemble this sandwich just as you would a traditional grilled cheese sandwich: spread 1 slice of bread with some Red Onion Mayo, then top with 2 slices Cheddar, the bacon, the apple slices, then 2 more slices of Cheddar, finishing with another mayo-slathered slice of bread. Butter the outsides of the bread and transfer to the hot grill. Grill about 3 minutes per side, since this sandwich is so thick.

Remove to a cutting board and cut the sandwich in half on the diagonal to serve.

Roasted Red Onion Mayo

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

On a small-rimmed baking sheet, toss the red onion, olive oil, salt and pepper together. Roast in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the onion is very soft, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and let cool. Transfer to a food processor and buzz until finely chopped. Add the mayo and pulse until smooth and combined.



Cuban Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

1 loaf French bread 
Mayonnaise 
Dijon mustard 
1/4 lb thinly sliced ham 
4   slices Swiss cheese 
kosher dill pickles, sliced 
butter

Slice the bread in half lengthwise.  Spread one half with mayonnaise and the other with mustard.  Layer the ham and Swiss cheese on one half of the bread.  Layer the pickle slices over the cheese.  Top with the other bread half.  In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat enough butter to coat the cooking surface. 

Place the sandwich in the pan and weight with another heavy pan or a brick wrapper in foil and grill until the cheese is melted.  Cut the loaf to make 4 sandwiches.



Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich




2 jalapeno peppers, cut in half lengthwise and seeded

2 slices sour dough bread

1 tablespoon butter, room temperature

2 tablespoons cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup jack and cheddar cheese, shredded

1 tablespoon tortilla chips, crumbled



Place the peppers on a baking sheet with the cut side facing down.

Place the baking sheet on the top shelf in the oven and broil until the outer layer of the skin has blackened, about 8-14 minutes.

Place the peppers in a zip-lock bag or other sealable container, seal and let them cool until you can handle them, about 15-20 minutes.

Remove the skins from the peppers. The skins should easily slip off.

Butter the outside of each slice of bread and spread the cream cheese on the inside. Sprinkle half of the cheese on the cream cheese of one slice of bread, top with the jalapenos, crumbled tortilla chips, the remaining cheese and finally the other slice of bread.

Assemble sandwich and grill until golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 2-3 minutes per side.

If you want the pepper taste but not the heat of the jalapeño, you can substitute Poblano or even bell peppers.



Blue Buffalo




4 thick slices of French bread
2 pads of real salted butter
1 tbs blue cheese salad dressing
3 tbs organic cream cheese
2 tbs crumbled blue cheese
1 tbs shredded cheddar
1/2 cup cooked shredded organic chicken breast
1.5 tbs hot sauce


Once you have everything out, combine all the cheeses into a small bowl. Stir together until you get a smooth consistency.  Then combine your finely chopped chicken with the hot sauce and stir. 

Smear a little over a tablespoon of the mixture onto each slice of. Then divide half the chicken on top of each piece of the smeared bread. Now smear the other slices of bread with cheese and put the top on the sandwich.

Gently apply one pat of butter to the top of the grilled cheese and place it butter side down in your pan. Once they're in the pan, turn the heat to high and butter the other side of the bread.

This cheese mixture will melt really quickly, so make sure to check the brownness of each grilled cheese about every thirty seconds or so.  It'll probably take about a minute and a half once the pan is hot and you'll want to take it off when it looks brown on both sides. You'll want to serve these immediately because they're really delicious when they're gooey and hot.



Grilled Onion and Cheese Sandwich

Thinly sliced white onion

Some oregano

Worcestershire sauce

Salt

Black pepper

Sharp cheddar cheese

Fontina cheese

Dijon mustard



Slice onions thin and dice some fresh oregano. Set burner to medium-high heat and drizzle olive oil on pan. Add onions to pan and make sure there is enough oil to lightly coat them all. Sauté onions until they begin to wilt, then add a pinch of salt and pepper, oregano and a couple splashes of Worcestershire sauce. Reduce heat to medium low and cover. Cook covered until onions become soft/caramelized (about 10 minutes). Add more Worcestershire sauce to taste.

Spread a layer of Dijon mustard on one slice of beer bread. Place desired amount of cheese on top. Place a pile of onions on top of cheese and top with another slice of cheese and bread.

Carefully place sandwich on a pan that’s lightly greased with olive oil and butter. Grill both sides on medium low heat.





Did You Know?



Tips for the Perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich



1. "Use the right bread! It's the foundation of your sandwich, so choose wisely," notes chef Andrew Millspaugh, who created the menu along with owners Adam Schneider and Vanessa Palazio. He's partial to a hearty peasant bread, crusty on the outside and about a half-inch thick. He also stresses that it's important that the bread does not have too many irregular holes caused by hydration, or else large masses of cheese will melt right through.

2. Keep it simple. Stay away from adding too many filler ingredients. "If you're using a fruit puree, meat, or sautéed vegetables, they should always complement the cheese, not compete with it."

3. Gather inspiration from some other favorite food dishes. Pizzas, pastas, and cheese platters are all good places to start for inspiration on great sandwich combinations.

4. Know your cheese. "Fresh cheese, semisoft cheese, and hard cheese do not respond to heat in the same way," says Millspaugh. "Some cheeses become smooth and stringy while others become more like a syrupy liquid at high temperatures. Depending on the cheese you may choose to toast the bread and insert the cheese afterwards." For more info on melting times, he suggests checking out Murray's Cheese Handbook.

5. And finally, do not use a panini press! "You are not making a panini; you are making grilled cheese. If a griddle is not an option, opt for the reusable Tostabags. They make the perfect crusty grilled cheese, even in a simple, no-frills toaster." Little Muenster's owners add that Tostabags will also be available for purchase in-store.

(http://blogs.villagevoice.com/forkintheroad/2011/10/tips_for_making_grilled_cheese_sandwiches.php)