Grilled Cheese for Adults

A grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of soup has often been a quick meal when we've been working late on the farm, especially during cold winter days. Midwest Dairy's  Hot and Sweet Grilled Cheese looks like a perfect adult tasting supper  with that mixture of peach preserves and jalapeno pepper to add a little spice!

Hot and Sweet Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:

For Peach Jalapeno Jam:
3 tablespoons peach preserves
1/2 fresh jalapeno,seeded and finely chopped

For sandwiches:
11/2 tablespoons unsalted butter,softened
4 slices 12-grain bread
2 slices white Cheddar cheese
2 slices Pepper
Jack cheese
2 slices smoked Gouda cheese
1/2 small avocado, thinly sliced

Directions:

For peach jalapeno jam, combine peach preserves and jalapeno in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Stir mixture constantly until the preserves are melted. Remove from heat and set aside.

For sandwiches, preheat a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Butter one side each of 2 slices of bread. Turn buttered slices over, buttered side down, and spread jam over the second side of each bread slice. On top of jam side of each bread slice, layer 1 slice of white Cheddar cheese, 1 slice of Pepper Jack cheese, half the slices of avocado and 1 slice of smoked Gouda cheese. Spread jam on the 2 remaining slices of bread and place jam side onto the cheese. Spread remainder of butter on bread on top of sandwiches.

Place sandwiches buttered side down in preheated pan. Partially cover with a lid, allowing steam to escape, and cook for 11/2 to 2 minutes or until bread is toasted and browned. Flip sandwiches over with a spatula. Partially cover with a lid and cook for an additional 11/2 to 2 minutes, watching carefully for the bread to brown and the cheese to melt. Remove sandwiches from heat and cut in half. Serve warm.

Cook's tip: Cooking time depends on your cook-top and cookware. It's better to go slow and give the cheese time to melt while the bread gets toasty brown. If the bread is browned but the cheese hasn't completely melted or if you are making several sandwiches to serve, place the sandwiches in a 250 degree oven on an baking sheet to continue warming and keep bread crisp.

Yield: 4 servings

January's Comfort Food

No one in my family is too happy about eating leftovers so Mama is very happy to find a recipe that uses leftovers and produces smiles and the thumbs up when asked if it's good enough to be served again! Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Ham from about.com was the perfect solution this week when we thought it was too difficult to eat any more leftover ham.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese With Ham

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 3/4 cups of half and half
1 1/4 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1 14 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
3 cups diced ham
5 cups cooked macaroni
1 cup bread crumbs-half for the inside crunch and half for the topping
1/4 cup scallions,diced
pepper to taste

Using a large saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour; stir and gradually stir in half and half, making sure to keep stirring as the entire mixture thickens.
Pour in your cooked macaroni. Add your shredded cheese and your Parmesan to the mixture--now you can add half the bread crumbs and scallions, and add the cubed ham.
Stir well and pour into a well-greased casserole or baking dish. Top with breadcrumbs and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until the top is crisp.

 

Next thing you know, they'll be asking when we're having ham leftovers!!