The Lil' Kahuna
Contributed by: NAPSA
The Tastiest Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Ever To Grace Plate Or Palate
(NAPSA) - With 2.2 billion grilled cheese sandwiches eaten at home each year, it appears to be one of America's favorite comfort foods. Just the thought of buttery, toasted bread and satisfying, melted cheese may be enough to make one swoon.
While making grilled cheese doesn't require any formal culinary training, the results of the toasted sandwich can be improved with a few key tips:
- For traditional grilled cheese, butter the bread with soft butter. Soft butter spreads easiest and will be more evenly distributed, which helps ensure a properly crisp sandwich.
- Apply a little pressure when cooking. Gently press the sandwich with a spatula after it's been flipped to help create an even spread of cheese.
- Be patient. Don't grill over high heat-the bread will brown (or burn) too fast and the cheese will not be melted. Grill over low heat.
- Try grating or shredding the cheese as an alternative to slicing. Some cooks find grated cheese melts faster and more evenly.
A great grilled cheese generally starts with a good melting cheese, such as cheddar or fontina, and can be improved with interesting toppings and condiments. For inspiration, you can visit the Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Academy at www.grilledcheeseacademy.com. The site features 30 new delectable recipes, such as The Lil' Kahuna, with Wisconsin Pepper Jack, ham, pineapple, sauteed bell peppers and sauteed onions on King's Hawaiian Bread.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 4 fresh or canned sliced pineapple rings
- 1 yellow or Spanish onion, sliced about 1/8" thick
- 1 large red bell pepper, sliced about 1/8" thick
- 6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature, divided
- 4 slices King's Hawaiian Sweet Bread, split
- 8 slices Wisconsin Pepper Jack cheese
- 8 ounces smoked ham, sliced
Directions:
Heat a saute pan over high heat. Add olive oil and pineapple slices; cook each side for about 1 minute to caramelize. Remove pineapple and return pan to heat. Add onions and peppers and saute 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Heat large saute pan or skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter and 4 slices of bread. Top each with 1 slice Pepper Jack, 2 ounces ham, 1 pineapple ring, 1/4 of the peppers and onions, and another slice of Pepper Jack, in that order. Place tops on sandwiches. Spread tops with about 1/2 tablespoon butter and grill until sandwiches are golden brown on both sides and the cheese is melted, turning once during grilling and adding additional butter to pan, if necessary.
Serving Size: Makes 4 Servings
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