Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Tramontina Grilled Cheese Recipe Contest

National Grilled Cheese Day is April 12th. To celebrate we are holding a Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe Contest! Details are in the post below.

I am really excited about National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day because Grilled cheese is one of my favorite sandwiches. I love how many ways you can make it. I have sampled many fine versions of this lunchtime favorite. My first grilled cheese memory is my mom making me a grilled cheese sandwich with plain white Wonder Bread and Kraft American Cheese with a side of Campbell's Tomato Soup. I have since updated my go-to recipe to a more grown-up version. 

My Go-To-Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe

Take 2 slices of good sourdough bread, butter both sides, and place 1 slice of PepperJack cheese and 1 slice of Cheddar cheese in-between the bread. Place in a med-low heated skillet or grill pan and grill golden brown on both sides until cheese is melted. Sometimes I will add an extra kick with red pepper flakes. 


Pro-Tip: Make sure your butter is room temperature to make spreading easier, and also make sure your cheese is at room temperature. You don’t want your bread to burn before the cheese has melted. 

Serve with a side of tomato soup, recipe for that is here.

Tools you'll need to make this melting delight: A Tramontina Cast Iron Grill Pan and a Cuisipro Fiberglass Large Slotted Turner.

So what is your go-to Grilled Cheese Recipe?

To enter the contest, post in the comments by April 9th your Grilled Cheese Recipe. I want to know what your most creative and best Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe is. This is a contest, so be creative.

The most creative recipe will win our grand prize graciously sponsored by Tramontina!   

Tramontina Series 1000 Cast Iron Grill Pan w/ Press, 11" SKU: 07-2225

We’ll pick 4 other winners at random that will get a Bialetti Cup and Saucer set (includes 2 cups and 2 saucers) – cute and great to serve a cup of tomato soup in to accompany your grilled cheese sandwiches.

Bialetti Cup and Saucer Set

I look forward to reading all of your delicious Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipes! The winners will be announced in next week's blog post, so be sure to check back to see if you have won. Good luck and happy cooking!

No purchase necessary to enter; must be 18 or older; entering comment must include a Grilled Cheese Recipe; comment must be longer than 2 sentences; you may post as many recipes as you like, but they must be in different posts to count as another entry; 
contest ends April 9th, 2013
. 

18 comments:

Shannon said...

Our house loves Grilled Cheese sandwhiches so I am always trying to come up with new ideas to mix it up. One of our favorites is using soughdough bread, sliced Havarti cheese, sliced tomatoes, and spreading a spicy mustard on the bread prior to grilling. It is so deliciously easy!

Unknown said...

spicy ham and cheese
Two pieces of white or wheat bread, 2 slices of muenster cheese, 3 thin ham deli slices, 1-2 chopped jalapeno slices. Heat 1tsp butter melt in skillet medium low heat place one slice of bread in pan put one slice of muenster a few pieces of jalapeno the 3 pieces of ham the rest of the jalapenos the other slice of muenster and then the other piece of bread. press down on top with spatula. flip sandwich over add 1 more tsp of butter. brown both sides. enjoy

Unknown said...

Texas Toast
Parmesan Cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Sharp cheddar cheese
unsalted butter

Parmesan Crust:
Spread butter on both sides of toast, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Tomato Jam:
olive oil
small onion, diced
garlic, chopped
can diced tomatoes
balsamic vinegar
dried oregano
brown sugar
Pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper

Tomato Jam:

Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sweat for 3 minutes to soften. Stir in the garlic and let cook for another 2 minutes. Add all the remaining jam ingredients, except the parsley. Stir in water along with the onions and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low and let simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until most of the liquid has reduced and the tomatoes are soft.

Scott Anderson said...

The General Grant

This sandwich was born of the Civil War and carried over from his Inauguration in 1873.With the onset of spring the General would have broken camp and set about scouting for Rebel troops and ways to end to the Civil War.

General Grant could have only dreamed of a sandwich so grand and delicious as he chased Confederate General Robert E. Lee across northern Virginia during the Civil War. No less than ten years separated his term as President of the United States from the devastation of the war and the over abundance of food at his inauguration.


2 slices hearty New York Rye Bread with Seeds
4 oz thinly sliced Smoked Ham
2 slices Wisconsin Aged Brick cheese
2 slices Wisconsin 10yr Aged Cheddar
1-1/2 Tablespoons Honey Mustard
4 Granny Smith slices – peeled
2 slices 1/8” thick red onion


Preheat on medium high your Tramontina Cast Iron Grill Pan and spray iron so sandwich will not stick.

Place one slice of rye on your workspace, spread ½ honey mustard on bread, then layer on bread 2 slices of Aged Brick Cheese, apple slices, sliced ham, red onion and Aged Cheddar. Top with remaining honey mustard sauce and remaining slice of bread.

Place into Grill at 45 degree angle to ridges on grill, add on lid/press and allow to cook for at least 3 to 4 minutes or until cheese begins to melt and the bread has nice browned grill marks.

Mary Anne said...

Grilled cheese and tomato soup is comfort food in my house too! A favorite I love to fix is made with fresh Buttermilk bread, American cheese or a mild cheddar on both slices with mashed lightly salted avocado, little mayo, red onion, tomato slice and a piece or two of smoked applewood bacon in between the cheese. This delicacy needs to melt over a low heat in a skillet with a little butter until golden and gooey on both sides then devoured without mercy ASAP, Take no prisoners and enjoy!

Anonymous said...

I like to add a goo sprinkle of Tony Chachere's seasoning to softened butter - spread on outside of 2 oversized English Muffin Bread slices. Add slice of Muenster, swiss & cheddar - grill.

bakewithease said...

Thinly slice an apple and sauté in butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon until softened. Butter the outside of two pieces of challah. Smear apricot preserves on the inside of each slice of bread. Place goat cheese and apple slices on the apricot preserves. Close up and grill the bread/sandwich until browned and cheese is gooey. Enjoy!

Jane said...

I am gluten intolerant and used to love love love grilled cheese sandwiches when I could eat wheat bread!! After a lot of trial and error, I finally came up with a good loaf made with Brown rice flour, sorghum and amaranth. The taste? Like honey whole grain. So what did I make for the first toasted cheese in six years??? I was a purist: my gluten free bread, with Comte cheese. Nothing else.
Since then....I've tackled more breads and now make GF sourdough. The latest is a sour dark rye....its wonderful with sharp cheddar or gouda. I guess I'm still a purist about my toasted cheese, I like it plain.

Unknown said...

I love my grilled cheese as follows:
leftover Naan Bread
a shmearing of mango chutney OR cranberry chutney OR caramelized onion jam for sweetness
brie layer for creamyness
sharp white cheddar layer for acidity and savory hint
I preheat my Tramontina on high ( I already have one but I misplaced the press and use a pan lid old school style)
I use Land o Lakes butter olive oil blend to spread on each outer side of the naan
rotate for grill marks, then flip when brown
repeat on both sides until we have melty perfection.
I like to put some rocket arugula inside on occasion
Easy peasy gourmet grilled cheese!!!

Unknown said...

Jane the GF Queen...
This is such a tough problem lots of people have...
I like french meadow rye sunflower (comes in freezer at whole foods) and I love the flour blend from "COOKING FOR ISAIAH" It is rice flour, potato starch, tapioca, xantham gum and it is really good!

Cate said...


There’s nothing quite as comforting as a grilled cheese sandwich on a cold day. This vegetarian version pairs gooey, melted Brie cheese with sweet pears, toasted hazelnuts and arugula..

Pile the country-style whole wheat bread with slices of Brie cheese, sweet pear, toasted hazelnuts, peppery arugula and a drizzle of honey. When the bread is golden brown and the Brie cheese is melting down the sides, the sandwich is ready.

The recipe:

On 4 slices of bread, lay the Brie cheese, pear, honey, hazelnuts and arugula, dividing evenly between the slices.

Lay the remaining 4 slices of bread on top to form sandwiches.

Preheat a cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Brush the top slices of bread with olive oil.

Place the sandwiches top-side down in the preheated skillet. Brush the other slices of bread (now the top) with the remaining olive oil.

Cook until the bottom slice of bread is golden brown. Flip over the sandwiches and cook until the other side of the sandwich is golden brown and the cheese is melted.

Cut the sandwiches in half and serve.

Unknown said...

I love grilled cheese - heck, I love cheese. I like to take a French or sourdough bread and butter both side, sprinkling them with garlic and grated parmesan. I like to use a blend of cheese on the inside. Colby Jack, gorgonzola and mozzarella blend well inside. Grill on both sides until cheese is melted and bread is toasty golden brown. ENJOY!!

Shannon said...

Our family also loves this recipe for a Tuna Salad Grilled Cheese Melt

Ingredients:
2 cans (5 oz) Albacore solid white tuna
4 ounces French green beans, blanched, chopped coarsely
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon black olives, diced
1/4 cup vinaigrette dressing
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Pepper to taste
4 slices hearty wheat bread
1 tablespoon butter, softened
4 slices Gouda, sliced

Directions:
1. Preheat pan.
2. In medium bowl, mix together tuna, green beans, tomatoes, vinaigrette and mayonnaise until well blended. Season with pepper and set aside.
3. Divide tuna mixture among four toasts. Top each with a slice of Gouda and top with other piece of toast.
4. Enjoy!

Shannon said...

We tried this for the first time this past weekend in our house and it was so delicious!

We used English Muffins as our bread and then assembled roasted asparagus, thinly sliced turkey, honey mustard and mozzarella cheese together and the grilled cheese sandwhich is now going to be one of our favorites when we have asparagus in season!

Shannon said...

Grilled Cheese Panko Crusted and Tomato Sandwich

Ingredients:

8 slices of stale french loaf (4 slices of normal bread loaf)
1 cup grated cheese
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 tbsp milk
4 grape tomatoes, thinly sliced
Salt & pepper

Method:

1. Whisk egg, milk, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Set aside.

2. Pour panko breadcrumbs and grated cheese on respective plates. Set aside.

3. Add some grated cheese on a slice of bread, then layer with sliced tomatoes, then some cheese again and a second slice of bread.

4. Dip both sides of the cheese sandwich in the egg mixture and coat it with panko breadcrumbs. Shake of the excess breadcrumbs.

5. In a heated pan greased with some neutral cooking oil, grill both sides of the sandwich until golden brown. Keep the flame on low as we need to ensure the cheese is melted at the same time not burning the breadcrumbs.

6. Repeat step 2 and 3 for the remaining 6 slices of bread, cheese, milk and breadcrumbs

Shannon said...

Apple Rosemary Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:

bread
butter
apple butter
dried rosemary leaves
extra-sharp white cheddar cheese


Spread butter over one side of each piece of bread. On the other side of one slice, spread the apple butter, then sprinkle with rosemary. Top with cheese and then the second slice of bread, buttered side out. Cook in a large skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes on each side or until both sides are golden brown.

Shannon said...

Grilled cheese on beer bread sandwhich

My friend introduced me to this a few years ago and this is a great one to enjoy on cold winter nights for the adults!

Beer Bread, sliced into thick pieces
Thinly sliced white onion
Some oregano
Worcestershire sauce
Salt & Black pepper
Sharp cheddar cheese
Fontina cheese
Dijon mustard

Directions
1.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/carmalize (about 10 minutes). Add more worcestershire sauce to taste if you’re into it.
2.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.
3.Carefully place sandwich on a pan that’s lightly greased with olive oil and butter. Grill both sides on medium low heat.

Unknown said...

Submitted yesterday, but didn't post due to technical difficulties.

Submitted by Cory Hoover.

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup blue cheese
1/2 cup FRANK'S® REDHOT® Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce or FRANK'S® REDHOT® Buffalo Wing Sauce
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 cans (12.5 oz. each) SWANSON® White Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
1/2 cup of shredded cheddar
DIRECTIONS:
HEAT oven to 350°F. Place cream cheese into deep baking dish. Stir until smooth.
MIX in salad dressing, Frank's RedHot Sauce and cheese. Stir in chicken.
BAKE 20 min. or until mixture is heated through; stir.
Using a hearty bread spread mixture onto the bread and top with extra blue cheese or shredded cheddar and finish off with top slice of bread. Grill until golden brown.