Grilled Cheese Sammies & Coleslaw - Yum!

Tonight we enjoyed another satisfying meal!!! Check it out...

Grilled Cheese Sammies with Bacon & Apples
Recipe adapted from Cook This Not That (Kitchen Survival Guide)

• 1 T Butter
• 8 Slices Whole Grain Bread (I picked up a beautiful loaf of whole wheat prairie bread from Whole Foods)
• 1 T Dijon Mustard
• 6 oz Shredded extra sharp cheese (I buy the blocks of cheese when they go on sale and shred them myself- it's cheaper that way)
• 1 Granny smith apple, peeled cored and sliced
• 8 strips thick cut applewood smoked bacon, cooked crispy

Grilled Cheese with Apples & Bacon

Heat the butter in a large cast iron skillet over low heat. Slather 4 pieces of the bread with mustard, then divide the cheese, apples & bacon between each of the 4 slices. Top with the remaining bread slices and add to the skillet. Cook the sammies slow so the bread doesn't burn before the cheese is all melty and gooey... this will take about 10 mins per side. Makes 4 sandwiches 

Cast iron is great for this because it holds its heat and cooks things evenly... if you don't have one I would highly recommend it, you won't regret it. Plus if you take care of them, they will last forever.

Our take on bacon...
Q & I take an adventure to Costco to stock up on all of our meats (thank goodness I have a deep freezer in the garage to store all of this!) and the thick cut bacon is a staple in our house. I am engaged to the world's biggest bacon lover I think! I also love love love to eat bacon that's been cooked in its own fat in a skillet on the stovetop, BUT I hate the way my house smells for days afterward, blugh gross. So after an amazing find on pinterest, I now cook my bacon in the oven. It's simple, lay the bacon on the top sheet of a roasting/broiler pan then line the bottom pan with foil. Make sure you have a thermometer in your oven (oven-safe) to accurately read the temperature inside because (unless you have some brand new fancy shmancy oven) chances are the temp is not accurate.

Start the bacon in a cold oven, set oven temp to 375 degrees. Bake for 25 mins and then turn the bacon over and cook for another 5 minutes. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels to get any of the remaining fat resting on those precious, perfect pieces of bacon. Oh, did I mention that the bacon doesn't curl this way and remains flat, yep! Perfect every time, let the fat cool so it turns into a solid and fold up the foil and toss in the trash.

Coleslaw with Chile Peppers
Recipe adapted from Cook This Not That (Kitchen Survival Guide)

• 2 T dijon mustard

• 2 T EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) Mayo

• 2 T red wine Vinegar

• 2 T canola oil

• 16 oz bag coleslaw mix (I buy mine at Publix in the salad section of produce)

• 1 t fennel seeds

• 1 fresno chile pepper finely sliced

• 1 poblano pepper, finely sliced

Whisk the mustard, mayo & vinegar in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil, and add the fennel seed. Season with S&P to your taste. Combine the coleslaw and peppers with a tong gently until all is coated. Let sit in the fridge, covered for at least an hour for all the flavors to meld. Makes 6-8 servings. 

Coleslaw with Chile Peppers

I just adore the Cook This, Not That series so far because the recipes are simple, delicious and healthier than eating out, Yum!!! They give you the calorie counts and compare to restaurants, etc. I've already cooked my way through 350 Calorie Meals and would love to add the Comfort Foods and Grill This cookbooks to my collection as well.

Enjoy and Happy Eating!!!