In September of last year, both of my girls had gone off to school for a full day (for the first time ever!) and I had time in my afternoon to make myself a proper lunch – rather than just grab whatever bites were left on their plates when they were done. I created this grilled cheese sandwich one day and it quickly became one of my favourites. You know how people sometimes say that the best dishes are those that have few ingredients, and are simple to prepare? This grilled cheese is both.
Ingredients:
2 slices white bread 2 or 3 slices of tomato (depending on how big yours are) 2 or 3 thin slices of goat cheese (about 1/2 cup) 2 tablespoons butter Salt Pepper
Directions:
1.) Spread butter over one side of one slice of white bread and place, butter-side down, into a skillet before spreading butter over the other side.
2.) Turn heat under skillet to medium-low and spread butter over the other side of the bread in the skillet (so that you can get both sides buttered without messing up your hands or your counter top.)
3.) On top of the bread, place the tomato slices and then season with salt and pepper. Layer the goat cheese on top.
4.) Butter one side of the remaining slice and then place, butter-side down, onto the goat cheese. Butter the side facing up.
5.) Check to see if the sandwich is browning on the skillet side by gently lifting up one corner of the sandwich. If browned, flip and cook the other side. If not, continue cooking for 2-3 minutes, checking regularly to see if it is cooked through.
6.) Remove sandwich from the skillet once both sides have fully browned, and allow to rest for just a few minutes before slicing in half.
I lived off of Frogs in a Hole when I was in college. My best friend told me about them and I was instantly hooked. (And there may have been a time when we pretended we were on a cooking show while making them.) Aside from the entertainment though, a slice of bread and an egg is a pretty cheap meal for a starving student. But this meal is more than just good for the wallet; it’s good for the soul. It’s so satisfying! Warm bread, runny egg, butter smacking up against my lips as I eat it. Man! It’s no wonder I ate so many of them back then. Today though, I take it one step further.
By just adding another slice of bread (oh yeah, and all that cheese,) I’ve mashed up two comfort foods that I grew up on – the good ol’ Frog in a Hole, and a grilled cheese sandwich. The results, as you would expect, are divine. I seriously suggest cutting the sandwich all the way through before you even dive in, as that yummy egg yolk will act as a sauce that you can mop up with all the other sandwich bits. And that round piece you take out of the bread? Don’t you dare throw that away – it’s one of the best parts!
Ingredients:
2 slices white bread 2 eggs 1/2 cup cheddar or mozzarella cheese, sliced 2 tablespoons butter, divided 1 tablespoon vegetable oil Salt Pepper
Directions:
1.) Brush a skillet with the vegetable oil (so that the egg doesn’t stick.)
2.) Using about 1/4 of the butter, spread it on one side of one slice of bread. Place that bread in a skillet, butter-side down, before buttering the other side. Layer all of the cheese on top.
3.) Butter one side of the remaining slice of bread and then lay that, butter-side down, on top of the cheese. Butter the other side of the piece of bread.
4.) Using a cookie cutter, cut out a hole in the middle of the sandwich. When the hole is made, place the cut portion of the sandwich beside the bigger sandwich in the skillet (so that it can get all grilled and crispy golden brown too.) Turn the heat under the skillet to medium.
5.) Carefully crack two eggs into the hole you’ve cut out. Cook for about four minutes, until the egg has started to set on one side, and the bottom slice of bread is turning crispy and golden. (You will probably have some of the egg whites leak and be visible around the edges of the bread. That’s perfectly okay.)
6.) Using a wide spatula, flip the entire sandwich over once and cook for another four or five minutes. At the same time, flip over the “hole” portion of the sandwich to ensure an even cook there, too. (When you have first flipped the sandwich over, don’t worry if the eggs sink a bit. As the other side cooks, they will puff up and take up the entire hole.)
7.) Continue cooking until the entire sandwich is golden brown, the eggs have fully set to your liking, and the cheese has melted.
This is definitely not your everyday grilled cheese. With four slices of bread per serving, and tons of cheese that will drip down your chin as you eat it, it’s definitely an indulgence, but one that’s so worth it. I love the sauteed onions that are so sweet they actually cut through the richness of the meat and the cheese, and they also bring everything together quite nicely. Of course you can double or triple the recipe, whatever you need, as this only makes one. I warn you though. One sandwich may be enough to feed two people or, in my case, serve as your lunch for the next two days. There’s a lot going on here and this sandwich is very, very filling.
Of all the grilled cheese sandwiches we’ve talked about this week, this one is definitely the messiest so far. But it’s oh-so-goooood.
Ingredients:
1/4 pound lean ground beef 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon paprika 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded and divided 1/2 onion, halved and thinly sliced 2 slices bacon 4 slices white bread 4 tablespoons butter, divided Salt Pepper
Directions:
1.) In a small bowl combine the beef, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly and then shape entire mixture into a hamburger patty.
2.) Heat vegetable oil in a skillet set over medium heat and preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. When oil is hot, add beef patty and cook for about five minutes on one side before flipping and cooking on the other side. Continue cooking until patty is cooked to your liking (medium, medium-well, etc.) and then transfer to an oven-proof dish. Place in the preheated oven to keep warm while you prepare the rest of the sandwich.
3.) Warm the same skillet you cooked the burger in over medium heat. When oil inside is hot, add the onions and stir to entirely coat in the fat. Season with salt and pepper and then stir and cook so the onions can cook down and become carmalized and sweet, for about five to ten minutes.
4.) Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until it becomes crisp. When finished, remove to paper towels to drain some of the fat, and set aside for now.
5.) Butter each slice of bread on just one side. Place two slices in a separate skillet, butter-side down, and turn heat under skillet to medium. Place nearly half of the cheese on one slice of bread, and half on the second slice (you will need a bit more cheese when it’s time to assemble, so leave a small handful to use later.)
6.) Butter the two remaining slices of bread not in the skillet, and then place those, butter-side up, on top of the two pieces in the skillet. Cook until one side of both sandwiches are crisp and golden brown, then flip to cook the other side of both sandwiches.
7.) When both grilled cheese sandwiches are just about done cooking, place a small amount of the remaining cheese (about half of it) on the top of one sandwich, without removing it from the skillet. Remove the hamburger patty from the preheated oven and place that on top of the cheese. Layer the onions and the bacon onto the patty, and then finish with whatever remaining cheese you have. Place the second grilled cheese sandwich right on top.
8.) Turn heat off, remove entire sandwich from the skillet and place on a cutting board to slice in half.
Leave it to the French to take something as simple as a ham and cheese sandwich and turn it into something much fancier, and much more decadent.
I don’t know if you can even call the Croque Monsieur a grilled cheese sandwich, since it’s cooked under the broiler and not in a skillet, but it may have ruined me for all ham and cheese sandwiches from this point forward. As it turns out, Gruyere is another new favourite cheese I’ve discovered during Grilled Cheese Week, and it’s everywhere in this sandwich. It blends beautifully with the ham inside, and is also in the bechamel that smothers the entire thing. All that cheese and sauce does make this one a bit of a mess to eat, like Jen’s Grilled Cheeseburger Sandwich, and you’ll probably have to use a knife and fork. Also similar to another sandwich covered here during the week, the Frog in a Hole Grilled Cheese, you can top the Croque Monsieur with a fried egg and turn it into a Croque Madam.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter, plus one 2 tablespoons flour 1 1/2 cups milk Salt Pepper A pinch of nutmeg 1 1/2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 8 slices French bread 8 thin slices of ham 6 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Directions:
1.) Preheat the broiler. When hot, place bread on a broiler tray and place in the oven for one or two minutes, to toast. Be sure to keep an eye on it, as anything placed under the broiler can burn very quickly. Remove from broiler when toasted, and set aside.
2.) Meanwhile, make the bechamel sauce. Melt butter over medium heat until it’s just bubbling. Add the flour, whisk to thoroughly combine until smooth, and then cook for about two minutes. Slowly add milk while whisking constantly. After all milk has been added, cook for another five or six minutes, until the entire mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add Parmesan, Gruyere, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.
3.) When toast has been removed from the broiler, brush four slices with Dijon mustard and top with two slices of ham each, and the remaining Gruyere divided up among the four. Finish by topping with remaining toasted slices of bread.
4.) Divide the bechamel between the four sandwiches, and spoon over top while sandwiches remain on the broiler tray. Sprinkle with any remaining Gruyere cheese. Return to under broiler and broil for three to five minutes, until the entire thing is hot and bubbly.
My mom loves grilled cheese sandwiches. In fact, she loves them more than anyone I’ve ever known. Like many homes, they were a staple in my house growing up, and it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that they were actually one of the building blocks of my culinary interest today. I mean, what’s more simple and beautiful than a basic grilled cheese sandwich? If you’re making them like my mom though, there are a couple of rules to follow.
The first, use white cheese. While I’m sure I had many Kraft Singles in between my grilled cheeses as a kid, my mom loves white cheese far more than she does any other kind (and I’m not sure she even touches that processed stuff anymore.) I’ve used Fontina in this sandwich, but any cheese will do so long as it’s white.
Second, cut the sandwich in four. This my friends, is non-negotiable. Mom insists that this is the way grilled cheese sandwiches were meant to be served, and I’m inclined to agree with her. There is after all, a certain joy that comes from nibbling on those small triangles (and seeing that melted stuff in all its glory as it oozes between those slices.)
Then, just enjoy. But really enjoy it, knowing that some of the best things in life are sometimes also the simplest. It’s a lesson Mom taught me when she was still making all my grilled cheeses for me, and one that has stayed with me to this day. And it’s probably why, even after all the many different versions of grilled cheese we’ve looked at this week, this one is still my favourite. Because it’s simple, it’s perfection,and it’s the one Mom taught me how to make.
So Mom, this one is for you. For all the sandwiches, I thank you.
Ingredients:
2 slices white bread 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup Fontina cheese, shredded
Directions:
1.) Spread butter over one slice of the bread, and then place in a skillet, butter-side down. Butter the other side. Place cheese over the entire slice. Butter the other slice of bread and then place on top of the cheese, butter-side down as well. Then butter the top of that slice.
2.) Turn heat to medium and cook, until one side is crispy and golden brown, about three minutes. Flip, and cook the other side of the sandwich for another two to three minutes, until that side is also crispy and golden, and the cheese inside has melted entirely.
3.) Remove from heat, let sit for just a minute, and then cut into four.
When I was given a recipe for Chocolate Fudge Pudding by the same person who gave me the recipe for The Greatest Chocolate Cake I’ve Ever Made, I was excited. I mean, that chocolate cake was so good, and now there were expectations to be met. Thankfully, this chocolate pudding surpassed even those.
This pudding reminded me of childhood. Remember when your mom used to make you chocolate pudding? It didn’t come out of a fridge, and you didn’t have to peel back any plastic tops before you could dive in. No, it came to the table piping hot, fresh out of the oven, and it was always a mixture between cake and pudding – so you really got the best of both worlds. That is what this pudding is like. Enjoy, and then enjoy again. Because you will be back for more.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter 2/3 cup sugar 3/4 cup flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup milk 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 square unsweetened chocolate, melted (you can also substitute 1 tablespoon butter with 3 tablespoons of cocoa, melted together) 1 1/2 cups boiling water
For the topping: 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons cocoa
Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour an 8″ x 8″ cake pan.
2.) Cream the 2/3 cup sugar and the butter together in a large bowl. Add the flour, salt, milk, baking powder, vanilla extract, and melted unsweetened chocolate (or butter/cocoa substitute.) Beat with a wooden spoon for two to three minutes, until the mixture takes on a slightly curdled appearance (don’t worry, it’ll get there!)
3.) In a separate bowl, combine all the ingredients for the topping.
4.) Pour cake mixture into the floured cake pan and sprinkle topping generously over top. Place cake pan on a baking sheet (in case it bubbles over,) and then carefully pour the boiling water over the entire top.
5.) Place in the oven and bake for one hour. After removing it from the oven, allow the pudding to rest for just a few minutes before serving.
These cupcakes will work with pretty much any cupcake and frosting recipe you choose, and the assembly comes together quicker than you’d think. They’ll also make your day just that much tastier as you nibble away on them. Happy Easter, everyone!
Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3 eggs, room temperature 1/2 cup milk
For the frosting:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature 1 package Philly cream cheese, room temperature 2 – 3 cups powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the assembly:
2 cups sweetened coconut 12 large marshmallows 1/2 cup yellow sugar 1/2 cup pink sugar 1/2 cup purple sugar 6 stick pretzels, snapped in half 24 chocolate chips 12 jelly beans
Directions:
To make the cupcakes:
1.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-tin muffin tray with paper liners.
2.) In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk. Set aside.
3.) In a separate bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until it’s fully incorporated. Slowly add the dry ingredients with the mixer on low, alternatively adding the milk and ending with the flour. Spoon the batter into the lined tins.
4.) Bake for about 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside and allow them to completely cool before frosting.
To make the frosting:
5.) In a large bowl, mix the butter and the cream cheese together until smooth, about three minutes. Scrape down the sides occasionally to ensure even mixing.
6.) Add the vanilla extract and mix. Slowly add the powdered sugar until frosting reaches your desired thickness and sweetness.
For the assembly:
7.) Use an offset spatula or piping bag to frost the top of each cupcake entirely with frosting.
8.) Place coconut in a bowl. Holding one frosted cupcake upside down, lightly turn frosting in the coconut, coating the top of the cupcake as you do. When the top of one cupcake is completely covered in coconut, set aside and move on to another cupcake. Repeat until all cupcakes have been covered in coconut.
9.) Place each colour of sugar on its own shallow plate. Using sharp kitchen shears, cut each large marshmallow in half diagonally. Dip the cut side of each marshmallow into one colour of sugar, ensuring that you keep the marshmallow with its pair, and that each side is dipped into the same colour (so that you don’t end up with a bunny with one pink ear and one purple.)
10.) After marshmallow has been dipped in sugar, insert one end of a pretzel into the flat bottom side of it, making sure there’s a small piece of pretzel sticking out of the marshmallow. This is going to be the support for the marshmallow as it sits on the cupcake, so there needs to be enough. Place the portion of the pretzel that’s sticking out of the marshmallow into the side of the top of the cupcake. Do the same with the marshmallow half of the same coloured sugar, and then place on the other side so that they look like bunny ears.
11.) Use a piping bag or dip the pointed end of a chocolate chip into frosting to ensure that it’s entirely coated. Place this underneath one of the ears, pointed side down, to look like an eye. Do the same thing with another chocolate chip on the other side.
12.) Use a piping bag or dip one side of a jelly bean into frosting to ensure that one side is entirely covered. Then, below and in between the bunny’s eyes, place the jelly bean so that it looks like a nose.
You can name just about any main dish and the chances are good that I’ll be even more interested in the sides that come with it. That includes steak, and even pasta. There’s just something about side dishes that’s so good! So when my brother came up with one that includes two of my favourite vegetables – zucchini and mushrooms – I knew I was all in. The first time I had this was when Martin made it for me but I’ve made it since (plenty of times) and it’s really simple. Because it’s cooked in a skillet or pan, you don’t need to do it on the grill, but I do find that it adds more flavour if you do. (And that is Martin’s official way of preparing it.)
Ingredients:
1 zucchini 1/2 pound (about 2 cups) of mushrooms, sliced 2 tablespoons olive oil Salt Pepper
Directions:
1.) Preheat grill to medium heat. Cut zucchini in half and, using a spoon, scoop seeds out of the middle.
2.) Place olive oil in a grill pan or pan set directly over the flame of the grill and allow it to heat through. When it has, add the zucchini and the mushrooms at the same time. Toss to coat everything in the olive oil and then cook, stirring occasionally, for about ten to fifteen minutes, until the mushrooms are carmalized and the zucchini is just beginning to brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
If you’re like me, there’s a very good chance that you’ve been making creamed spinach all wrong. Have you been putting all your spinach into one big pot, letting it wilt, and then just adding a splash of cream at the very end? Have you stirred frantically so that all that yummy cream doesn’t disappear before you can get it to the table? Yep, that’s what I was afraid of. That is in fact, one way to make creamed spinach. But if you want a dish that will truly satisfy, that will actually warm you from the inside out, and that you will dream about, there is only one way to make creamed spinach. It’s this way, the right way.
Ingredients:
2 bunches of spinach (you should have about 8 cups of fresh spinach leaves) 2 shallots, diced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 cups milk 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons flour Salt Pepper 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Directions:
1.) In a very large pot, wilt spinach, in batches if necessary. Be sure to wilt the spinach just until it is wilted, and not so much that it’s over-cooked and mushy. You don’t need oil or anything else in the pot, just place a batch in, let it wilt some, stir some more in, and continue until all spinach has just wilted. Then, turn heat off, set aside, and make the bechamel.
2.) In a separate pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook for about one minute, just until the shallots turn translucent. Then add the flour and whisk until flour is fully incorporated. Cook for about two minutes.
3.) Very slowly add milk, whisking as you do to avoid clumps. Once all milk has been added, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and let the mixture cook for a few minutes until it begins to thicken. Be sure to continue whisking as it cooks so the milk does not burn to the bottom.
4.) Once milk has thickened, add the spinach, stir and taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
Over Easter weekend, I was at my sister-in-law’s, and my mother-in-law (and fellow foodie) told me about a delicious chicken dish she had made (and that I hope to be making soon,) in which she slathered Greek yogurt all over the bird before breading it and throwing it in the oven. When the very next day I saw Rachel Ray doing pretty much exactly the same thing, I knew. The universe was telling me to make the chicken. I did, and I was very happy about it.
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 cup Dijon mustard 1/2 cup fresh rosemary, finely chopped 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely minced Juice of half a lemon 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided Salt Pepper 1 1/2 cups fine breadcrumbs 2 slices white bread 1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated 2 tablespoons paprika 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper Salt
Directions:
1.) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2.) One by one place each chicken breast in a large resealable freezer bag. With a mallet or rolling pin, gently pound chicken breast to an even thickness. Set aside and repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
3.) Place two slices of white bread in a food processor and pulse until the bread is entirely torn apart and is in small pieces. Basically you want them to be coarse, moist breadcrumbs. These will add great texture to the chicken.
4.) Place Dijon in a medium-sized bowl and add the chopped rosemary, parsley, minced garlic, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
5.) In a separate bowl, mix together both the fine and fresh breadcrumbs, the Parmesan cheese, paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt.
6.) Brush Dijon mixture liberally over each piece of chicken, on all sides. Then place in bowl with the breadcrumbs and press breadcrumb mixture over entire piece of chicken before placing on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pieces of chicken, placing two pieces of chicken on each baking sheet. When each piece of chicken is breaded, drizzle all four with remaining two tablespoons of olive oil.
7.) Place both baking sheets in the oven and bake for 45 – 60 minutes, depending on how large the pieces of chicken are, until they are crispy and golden brown.
8.) Remove from oven and allow chicken to rest for just a minute or two before serving.
