Flavourful Recipes To Try On National Grilled Cheese Day

National grilled cheese day is Wednesday April 12th this year! What a delicious day it is! With so many ways to prepare grilled cheese there is a flavour for everyone to savour. From the old to the very young everyone loves a good old grilled cheese.

To celebrate I am posting a few recipes today. There will be a classic grilled cheese with caramelized onions (my fav)  and a couple of vegan options for all my vegan friends. Let me know how you like your grilled cheese! Enjoy!

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Grilled Cheese with Caramelized Onions 

INGREDIENTS

• 4 tablespoons butter, divided

• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced

• 4 slices crusty homemade bread or your favourite kind of bread

• 4 ounces old cheddar grated. 

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat 1 tablespoon in a large cast iron skillet over medium-low heat until melted. Add onions, cook, stirring frequently, until caramelized and rich brown in colour (about 45 minutes) If onions look like they may burn, add 1 tablespoon of water. Transfer onions to a bowl and wipe out skillet.

2. Return skillet to heat and melt 1 tablespoon butter in the pan. Add bread slices and cook until pale golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, cooked-side-up. Divide cheese  and onions evenly between each slice. Cover with additional slice.

3. Melt 1 more tablespoon butter in skillet and add both sandwiches to the pan. Cook, until deep golden brown on each side, about 3 minutes each side. Serve immediately.

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vegan, dairy, and gluten free Grilled cheese 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 slices gluten free bread

• ¼ cup non dairy cheese (Daiya)

• 1-2 tablespoons thousand island dressing

• Small green onion finely sliced

• 1/2 avocado, sliced thin

• 1 large garden tomato, sliced

• 2-3 leaves spinach

DIRECTIONS

1. Toast bread, place on cast iron skillet, toast each side for a couple of minutes or until golden brown.

2. Spread one slice with 1 tablespoon thousand island dressing, arrange cheese on the other slice. 

3. Arrange green onion on one bread, tomato slices on the other. 

4. Warm in skillet for 7-9 minutes, until cheese is melted. 

5. Remove from pan, drizzle another tablespoon of thousand island onto the melted cheese. Top with avocado slices and spinach and the other slice of bread. Enjoy!

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Fancy Strawberry Balsamic Grilled Cheese
I got thIS recipe from One green Planet! Check out the original recipe HERE. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 slices of rustic style bread (I used sourdough)

• 2-3 slices vegan cheese

• 1-2 tablespoons vegan butter

• Small handful of spinach

• 1/2 cup chopped strawberries

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

• 1/2 teaspoon coconut sugar, or sugar of choice

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small saucepan, add the strawberries, balsamic, and sugar. Bring to a boil before lowering the heat to medium and stir constantly, breaking up the strawberries with the back of a wooden spoon.

2. Once the balsamic has reduced, a nice thick jelly will have formed, remove from the heat and set aside.

3. Add more butter to a frying pan and melt over medium heat. Add your bread and toast one side of each peice of bread to golden brown. Remove and on the toasted side layer the cheese, strawberry balsamic reduction and spinach. On the other side layer another slice of cheese.

4. Add more butter to the pan and then add the pieces of bread with the strawberry/spinach concoction. Cover the pan with a lid and over low to medium heat, start to toast and watch the cheese melt. After a minute or two add the piece of bread with only cheese on top and press down lightly with a spatula. After another minute,flip the sandwich over and cook another minute until the bread is golden brown.

5. Remove from the heat and enjoy!

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Pulled pork grilled cheese

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups leftover pulled pork

• 4 slices 12 grain bread

• 1 cup grated mozzarella

• ½ cup grated old cheddar

• butter

• salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a cast iron pan over medium heat.

2. Divide the pulled pork between two of the 12 grain slices.

3. Top with the cheese then sandwich the remaining bread.

4. Butter the top and bottom of the sandwich then place in the preheated pan.

5. Allow to cook for 3-4 minutes per side until the cheese has melted and the sandwich is golden brown and crisp on both sides.

6. Remove from the pan and serve.

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Well there you have it! Options for everyone! Which one will you try? Do you have a favourite grilled cheese that you would like to share? I would love to try them out!