It’s time once again for our once a month Crazy Cooking Challenge – this month’s theme was Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.
But before we get started – I spent two days (well an evening, a lunch date and another evening), with the hostess of this fun challenge – Tina from Mom’s Crazy Cooking. It was so much fun! She was in town with her twin girls, because in the Fall they are going to college 10 minutes from my house. This of course means, I get to see her more often as she’ll be back often!
No laughing at the picture. Tina is on the left looking every bit as beautiful as she always does – I on the right, seem to be highly effected by the humidity in the air – I have not gotten used to this short hair just yet – I got 8″ cut off 2 weeks ago and I am used to the weight keeping it from getting frizzy. Not anymore. So again, don’t judge. Tina has another photo on her blog, I believe she posted today… or maybe it was yesterday – I don’t know. Anyway, we had a blast and I am so happy to have her as not only a blogging friend, but having met her in person, I now know she is every bit as awesome as she seems.
Anyway, on to the Ultimate Grilled Cheese. I love Grilled Cheese, don’t you? It was a fun month, because I got to try out tons of Grilled Cheese Sandwich recipes until I found the Ultimate one. Not a bad thing at all.
Recipe
The recipe I chose to make is from Heather Homemade and is for her Grilled Cheese with Avocado, Arugula and Roasted Red Pepper. It was absolutely fantastic as is. We’ve made it twice that way and enjoyed it both times and even three of my kids will eat it that way – they loved it. The third time we made it, I decided to combine another recipe that I found with it, to see if I could get the two picky eaters to try it and actually like it. The recipe I combined it with, is found at A Turtle’s Life for Me and is for her Grilled Cheese… Adult Style. We didn’t take anything away from the original recipe, all we did was add a couple of slices of pepperoni. Guess what? It worked – the two that were refusing to try it (both 17 year olds!) ate the whole sandwich the third time with the addition of the  pepperoni. So I felt good, just because I was able to get some good veggies into them, but still make it taste good to them by adding something. I’ve never combined two recipes for the challenge, so I have no idea if that is allowed or not (probably should have asked Tina while she was here) – but you can go to either of the two blogs, and I highly recommend you do and get their original recipes and make them as is.
Ingredients
- 2 slices of Italian Bread
- 3 oz. of shredded provolone cheese
- 3 oz. of shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
- 1/2 small avocado, sliced
- 1/2 c. baby arugula
- slices of roasted red pepper
- butter for grilling
- 4 slices of pepperoni
Instructions
On medium, heat your skillet.
Butter one side of each piece of bread. Place it butter side down into the pan. Top with one cheese, then the roasted red peppers, then the avocado, then the pepperoni slices (if you are using), then the arugula and then the other cheese. Place the second piece of bread, butter side up on top.
Flip when bread is golden brown and then grill the other side until golden brown and cheese is melted.
Serve immediately.
This is absolutely a perfectly, hearty, delicious meal. Leave the pepperoni and bacon off for a truly healthy version.
http://dailydishrecipes.com/the-ultimate-grilled-cheese-sandwich-ccc/Tina from Mom’s Crazy Kitchen hosts this challenge every month and this is our sixth month of the Crazy Cooking Challenge.
Here are my previous entries:
- Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
- Ultimate Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
- World’s Creamiest Mashed Potato Recipe
- Ultimate Fudge Recipe
- Ultimate Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
- Ultimate Chocolate Cake
- Spaghetti (Red Sauce)
- The Ultimate Blueberry Muffin
- and of course this one, is the 9th – The Ultimate Grilled Cheese.
Be sure and visit the other grilled cheese sandwich recipes this month:
{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey Nicole!! I was seriously just browsing my cabinets looking for something to make for lunch and I came across a can of tomato soup…..I said to myself, self….tomato soup and a good ol’ fashion grilled cheese sandwich seems yummy, however it’s the first day in over week the sun is out and it’s beautiful, when it rains again on Wednesday I’ll be back to check out these awesome Grilled Cheese Recipes, Bacon and Cheese OMY!!! I can’t believe I didn’t think of that!
PS. I like your new haircut!
Mmm, I love avocado but have never tried in it grilled cheese before. Looks great!
I envy you the avocado, it’s so expensive here in Thailand! It’s almost $2 a piece and am not even sure of the quality.
Gay #50
@Tammi, enjoy!! I’m doing another kind of grilled cheese for lunch today too, sort of like a beef and bacon. I love sandwiches and most especially grilled sandwiches. Perfect Crazy Cooking Challenge for me this month. haha Enjoy your sandwich hon!!
@Lesa, In grilled cheese, it is heavenly – it’s such a subtle flavor and with the cheese – yes, please. Anytime.
@Gay, I just cannot imagine living with out my avocado. I eat it so often and in so many things – $2 a piece is TERRIBLE especially with worrying about quality. Here’s hoping the prices drop at some point!
Oh. Em. Gee.
I came looking for grilled cheese and I got a picture of two gorgeous ladies as well!
Guess what I did? I made a killer dessert grilled cheese to be posted for this challenge, only it didn’t come from a blog. I forgot. the cardinal. rule. DOH!
So, I’m saving it for another day. Until then, I’ll drool over your pics and shame myself for forgetting how the CCC works. *sigh*
Provolone and avocado! Yum! A super combination!
@Jen, you’re so sweet! I have done the same thing you did for CCC more than once. Sometimes I even think I’m already, I have it scheduled to go and then realize I didn’t make it from a blog. Sometimes if you google you can find something on a blog that is the same – it’s worked for me a couple of times. I can’t wait to see your sandwich recipe when you do post it! Don’t worry, don’t shame yourself, I still love ya!
@Debbi – it was a most perfect combination – no doubt. Thank you for stopping by!
Your grilled cheese looks amazing! I have to try this
This sandwich is over the top, so much flavor in every bite! Love that you got to meet Tina, you two could be sisters!
Wow! This looks amazing and I can’t wait to try. I just roasted up some red peppers last week and froze them so I could use them later. I think they might be coming out of the freezer this weekend because this sandwich is calling my name.
I love sandwiches too! Oh yet another thing we have in common! Do you use a panini maker? I have to break mine out of the closet and break out some yummy sandwiches! Hope you enjoyed you lunch lady!!
the picture makes me want to take a bite right into the computer. Love this.
2 cheeses and avocado what a great combo visiting from CCC #63
This certainly sounds and LOOKS ultimate
Stopping by from CCC #7 – stumbled, pinned, Fb’d, tweeted, and voted for your grilled cheese!
How fun that you met Tina!!! Your grilled cheese looks amazing!!!
I love hearing stories of bloggers meeting each other. It’s so cool when virtual friendships become real. You look great…I love the short hair look!
Your sandwich sounds so good. Avocado on a grilled cheese sounds heavenly!!
This looks so good I think it could coax me into eating avocado.
That sandwich is so calling my name!!! It looks fabulous!!
Stopping by from CCC #33!
Oh my – this looks amazing!
That is one of the tastiest-looking grill cheese sandwiches I have ever seen!
What a great combination for a Grilled Cheese, it looks delicious!
This grilled cheese sandwich looks so good. I really like the addition of the pepperoni. Stopping by from CCC #9.
Nicole — this sandwich looks sinful! Drooling….
Wow delicious, I like cheese very much. Even just only cheese, without anything, just cheese, I like it.
Wow!! Another grilled cheese that I’m drooling over!
Jen #40