Gourmet Grilled Cheese

Gourmet Grilled Cheese

Karri Perry-Blue Ribbon Favorites 

Easy to make one, or for a big family or a crowd… use the oven method to get melty sandwiches and to keep a full tray of sandwiches warm and cheesy until ready to eat.

Traditional: 

Sourdough Bread

Butter or Mayo

Garlic Salt

Mix 3 Cheeses: 

Cheddar-Shredded 

Gouda

Monterey Jack

Pesto Grilled Cheese:

Sourdough Bread

Butter or Mayo

Garlic Salt

Fresh mozzarella 

2 Tbs fresh pesto

Cheesy Fig and Apple:

Sourdough Bread

Butter or Mayo

Garlic Salt

Shredded Gruyere 

Shredded cheddar

Fig jam-2 Tbs

Thinly sliced honey-crisp apple

In a skillet-on the stovetop turn on medium low heat. 

Melt 1 Tablespoon of butter

Spread butter or good mayonnaise (Duke’s) on one side of each sourdough slice-the buttered/mayo side will be on the outside of sandwich. 

Place cheeses and ingredients on the unbuttered side.

Close up sandwich and place in the warm skillet.

Allow bread to brown and toast slowly on each side. Sprinkle each side of bread with a pinch of garlic salt.

If cheese needs more melting:

Place a lid on the skillet to help cheese fully melt.

Oven Finishing Method: 

For extra crispy-melty grilled cheese- place the almost finished toasted grilled cheese on a parchment lined baking sheet and finish in a preheated 375 degree oven for 7-10 minutes more until fully melted.

*For extra cheesy crisps—sprinkle a handful of shredded cheese onto the parchment paper before placing the sandwiches for their final toasting in the oven. Place the sandwiches directly on top of the cheese. The shredded cheese will melt and crisp up around edges and on the outer bread of the sandwiches.

*The key is to begin the cooking on low heat-to slowly toast bread while also melting cheese.

*Yes, you can change up the cheese combinations, the key is using melty cheeses and using at least two kinds, for flavor.

*Yes, adding other ingredients liked caramelized onion, pepperoni, ham, jam or a fresh herb is a great way to make a delicious sandwich even better.

No-Knead Yeast Bread

 No-Knead Dutch-Oven Bread

Karri Perry-Blue Ribbon Favorites 

Ingredients:

2 1/2 tsp instant quick-rise yeast

1 tsp sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups warm water (not hotter than 110 degrees)

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Use a 4qt Dutch Oven with lid for best results.

Directions:

In a medium bowl measure the flour and add the salt.  Set aside.

Measure 1 1/2 cups warm water, add the instant yeast, and sugar. Let sit for 4 minutes-it should become bubbly and foamy.

Pour the warm yeast and sugar water into the bowl of flour and salt.

Gently stir together, creating a shaggy sticky dough. 

Stir just enough to incorporate all the dry flour—then stop.

Cover dough and let rise until doubled in size-usually about an hour.

Turn oven on to 400 degrees, placing the empty Dutch-oven with lid on the middle rack of the oven to heat up.

Once dough has doubled in sized, turn dough out onto a very well floured parchment paper.

Shape into a round ball.

Dust with flour, score bread and allow to sit for 20 minutes as oven heats up.

Carefully, with oven mitts, remove hot Dutch-oven from the oven, remove the lid, lift the parchment paper with the bread inside the hot Dutch oven. Add the lid.

Bake for 25 minutes with the lid on.

After 25 minutes, carefully remove the lid— and return the bread back to the oven for an additional 12-15 minutes-until loaf is puffed and golden brown.

Place bread on a cooling rack to cool for at least 1 hour before cutting. (Cutting warm bread can cause a gummy texture.)

Because this bread doesn’t contain any fats-it’s best served the same day that it is baked.

Leftover bread is great made into croutons or bread pudding or a breakfast casserole.

Save leftover bread in a closed brown paper bag.