Harvest Grilled Cheese
Harvest Grilled Cheese- A sweet and savory sandwich using seasonal cheeses, fresh apples, and crispy bacon piled into a surprising bread choice.
October 21, 2021 by Nicole Collins
You guys...
I think fall is really here for good this time.
In Maryland, we go through these phases of up and down, up and down with the weather this time of year. I've told you about it recently. We usually get a BLAST of heat, then it cools way down into a false fall, then we get a second blast of heat for a second summer, and finally real fall hits right around early October.
Well this year, we got a third summer. And it was absolutely incredible. It was actually 80 degrees on my birthday last week, and I don't think I could've been any happier.
It felt like that gorgeous weather was a gift sent just for me.
But two days later, the temperature dropped to the 60's. A 20 degree cool down practically overnight. And, it's been fairly cool temps ever since.
I'm so so so so happy that I got this much extra warm weather. But, I think I have to face the facts for real this time.
So in an attempt to embrace the season, we're jam packing falls best flavors into today's recipe.
Today, we're making a Harvest Grilled Cheese!
This sandwich is so surprisingly good. We're using an unlikely bread choice, a seasonal cheese, a fall favorite fruit, and some crispy bacon to create a stellar blend of savory and sweet in today's sammie.
So, let's jump right into it!
Let's build this sandwich from the inside out and talk about all the goodies we're going to stuff in between the bread. This sammie starts with 2 types of cheese: cranberry white cheddar cheese and muenster cheese. Cranberry white cheddar is a seasonal cheese you can usually find this time of year, and it's absolutely incredible. It's basically a block of white cheddar with little bits of dried cranberries sprinkled throughout. It's sweet and savory at the same time, and oh so good. I get my cheese from Aldi, but I know that Target sells a version, as well.
To add some texture to our sandwich, we're going to stuff some thinly sliced apple and some crispy bacon right in between our 2 types of cheeses. I used a honeycrisp apple for my sandwich, but any sweet apple will work. We want to slice it thinly so that the apple blends nicely into the sandwich. And as far as the bacon goes, cook it up to your desired crispiness. I like mine so crispy that all you have to do is look at it and it snaps right in half.
So, what kind of bread are we going to use to load up all of these sweet and savory goodness? Cinnamon raisin bread. That's right! The cinnamon notes in the bread pair perfectly with the sweet apples and cranberries while complimenting the savory bacon and cheeses. It's such an unlikely suspect to use in a grilled cheese recipe. But I'm telling you, the bread choice here takes this sandwich to a level that you just have to taste to believe.
It's no secret that I live for the salty sweet combo, and this sandwich is the epitome of that. We're basically building this sandwich so that every other layer is sweet and salty. The toasty bread almost gives you a french toast vibe. The gooey cheese reminds you that you're deep into grilled cheese territory. And, those crunchy apples add this lovely unexpected texture that ties the whole thing together.
Alright, everyone! This is going to be the sandwich of the season. I can already feel it in my (cold and achy) bones!
I hope you enjoy. And, let's eat!
Harvest Grilled Cheese
Serves: 2 Print
Ingredients:
4 slices cinnamon raisin bread
4 oz cranberry white cheddar cheese, shredded
2 slices muenster cheese
1 apple, thinly sliced (I used Honeycrisp)
4 slices bacon, cooked until desired crispiness
2 tbsp salted butter, softened
Directions:
Take 2 slices of bread, and top with cranberry cheddar, apple slices, bacon, and muenster cheese (in that order) divided evenly between the slices. Place the remaining 2 slices of bread on top of the cheese to close the sandwich.
Heat a non stick skillet over medium high heat. Spread the top side of each sandwich with softened butter, crust to crust. Place the sandwich, buttered side down in the skillet. Spread the other side of each sandwich with remaining butter. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the bottom side is golden brown, flip, cover the skillet, and cook an additional 3-5 minutes until golden on the opposite side. Repeat as necessary based on the size of your skillet.
Cut on the diagonal, serve, and enjoy!
Recipe notes: .
*Cranberry white cheddar cheese is a seasonal cheese that is usually available this time of year. I buy mine from Aldi, but I believe Target sells a version, as well.
*Covering the skillet while you cook the second side of the grilled cheese helps to melt all that cheese around all the goodies stuffed inside your sandwich. The outsides are still nice and perfectly golden and crisp!
*I like to use the spreadable butter in a container when I make grilled cheeses. It makes life easier, because you don't need to wait for butter to soften. I use butter with olive oil and sea salt by Land O Lakes.
