WARNING: These ooey-gooey, delicious cheese filled sandwiches might make you fall in love.

What do you think of when you think of comfort food? Perhaps ooey, gooey, melty cheese sandwiched between two crispy golden brown pieces of fresh bread perhaps? We do too.. along with most people in America! Grilled cheese sandwiches were voted the #1 comfort food in 2017 and for good reason!

With the plethora of local Washington cheese available, we decided to give some different grilled cheese combos a try. Here are our favorite ones.

Let’s start off with one that brings a little sweet and a little savory – Apple and Smoked Gouda Grilled Cheese.

• 2 pieces of bread
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 ounces Smoked Gouda (approx. 2-3 slices)
• ¼ cup thinly sliced apples (tart apples, like Granny Smith, work the best)

1. Preheat skillet using medium heat
2. Butter outside of each piece of bread and place one in heated skillet (buttered side down)
3. Add apple slices and cheese to bread in skillet. Top with remaining piece of bread (buttered side up)
4. Cook side until crispy and golden brown then flip sandwich.
5. Cook on other side until cheese is melted and outside is crispy and golden brown.
6. Enjoy!

This sandwich will take your traditional grilled cheese to the next level by adding the salty and smoky flavor of the cheese with the tart, sweet taste of the apple.

 

Next up, a classic flavor combo anyone can respect – Bacon, Avocado and Cheddar Grilled Cheese. After you taste this, you will wonder why you haven’t been making this forever.

• 2 pieces of bread
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 ounces Cheddar Cheese (approx. 2-3 slices)
• 4 strips cooked bacon
• ¼ of an avocado (sliced)

1. Preheat skillet using medium heat
2. Butter outside of each piece of bread and place one in heated skillet (buttered side down).
3. Add cheese, bacon and avocado to bread in skillet. Top with remaining piece of bread (buttered side up)
4. Cook side until crispy and golden brown then flip sandwich.
5. Cook other side until cheese is melted and outside is crispy and golden brown.
6. Enjoy!

 

Are you hungry yet? Just wait… Anyone love pizza as much as we do? Well we have just the sandwich for you… Pizza + Grilled Cheese = Perfection. Here is the recipe for the Pizza Grilled Cheese.

• 2 pieces bread
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1-2 tbsp pizza sauce
• 2-3 ounces Mozzarella Cheese (approx. 2-3 slices)
• 6 slices pepperoni

1. Preheat skillet using medium heat
2. Butter outside of each piece of bread.
3. Spread pizza sauce evenly on the inside of each piece of bread then place one piece of bread in a heated skillet (buttered side down)
4. Add mozzarella and pepperoni to bread in skillet. Top with remaining piece of bread (buttered side up)
5. Cook side until crispy and golden brown then flip sandwich.
6. Cook other side until cheese is melted and outside is crispy and golden brown.
7. Enjoy!

When you take the first bite of this delicious grilled cheese, you can taste your two favorite childhood favorite foods creating one heavenly sandwich. Anyone up for seconds?

 

While we are on the Italian theme, let’s dive into another delicious, melty grilled cheese… we call it the Italian Grilled Cheese.

• 2 slices bread
• 1 tbsp pesto sauce
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 ounces Havarti Cheese (approx. 2-3 slices)
• 1-2 slices prosciutto
• 1 tbsp sliced red onion

1. Preheat skillet using medium heat
2. Butter outside of each piece of bread.
3. Spread pesto evenly on the inside of each piece of bread then place one piece of bread in a heated skillet (buttered side down)
4. Add the Havarti, red onion and prosciutto to bread in skillet. Top with remaining piece of bread (buttered side up)
5. Cook side until crispy and golden brown then flip sandwich.
6. Cook other side until cheese is melted and outside is crispy and golden brown.
7. Enjoy!

 

Now that we have sufficiently satisfied the salty/savory grilled cheese category – we must introduce you to something that we feel is quite amazing… the dessert grilled cheese. Yes, you read that correctly – Dessert. Grilled. Cheese. While there a many combinations that will give you a delicious dessert option, we chose a raspberry, chocolate delight, the Chocolate Raspberry Grilled Cheese.

• 2 slices pound cake
• 1 tbsp butter
• 6 raspberries
• 1 tbsp Mascarpone cheese
• ½ tbsp shaved dark chocolate

1. Preheat skillet using medium heat
2. Butter outside of each piece of pound cake.
3. Spread mascarpone evenly on the inside of each piece of pound cake then place one piece of cake in a heated skillet (buttered side down)
4. Add the raspberries and shaved chocolate to the bread in the skillet. Top with remaining piece of pound cake (buttered side up)
5. Cook side until crispy and golden brown then flip sandwich.
6. Cook other side until cheese and chocolate is melted and outside is crispy and golden brown.
7. Enjoy!

This. Is. Amazing. The creamy mascarpone, sweet raspberries, and smooth chocolate just melts in your mouth for the perfect dessert for a cozy spring evening.

 

With all of these great grilled cheese recipes in your cookbook, it is impossible not to make a delicious dinner, lunch (or breakfast, if that is your thing) any day of the week. Enjoy your cooking adventures!