The Appleton Grilled Cheese Recipes

CHEDDAR AND APPLE GRILLED CHEESE

Steps:

• In an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp, about 5 minutes. Tear in half and set aside.
• Into the same skillet, add the brown sugar, onions and 1 tablespoon of the butter. Cook, stirring as needed, until the onions are golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
• Build the grilled cheese by spreading one piece of bread with the mayonnaise. Sprinkle half of the grated cheese on top, followed by the onions. Place the apple slices and bacon on top of the onions, then add the rest of the cheese. Spread the other slice of bread with the mustard and put it mustard-side down on top of the cheese. Spread the outside of the top bread slice with 1 tablespoon butter.
• Transfer the sandwich to the skillet over medium-low heat, butter-side down. Spread the top of the sandwich with the remaining tablespoon butter. Toast each side of the sandwich until golden on the outside and the cheese is melted, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Cut in half and serve.

THREE-CHEESE GRILLED CHEESE

Steps:

• Spread the butter on one side of each bread slice. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Put 2 bread slices in the skillet, buttered-side down. Layer a slice each of cheddar, Swiss and American cheese on each piece of bread, then cover with another bread slice, buttered-side up.
• Cook, pressing the sandwiches occasionally with a spatula, until the cheese melts and the bread is golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Repeat to make 2 more sandwiches. Slice each sandwich diagonally in half, then return to the hot pan, cut-side down, to create a crust on the cheese.

GRILLED CHEESE WITH APPLES AND APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Heat a large, 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon butter, then add apples, shallots, rosemary and a pinch of salt. Cook, tossing occasionally, until apples are golden and softened, 8 to 10 minutes, reducing the heat if shallots threaten to burn. Transfer mixture to a plate; set aside.
• Rinse and dry the pan, and set over medium heat. Melt 1 tablespoon butter (2 tablespoons if you're cooking two sandwiches at a time). Spread one side of each bread slice with 1 tablespoon apple butter (this will be the inside of the sandwich). With the apple butter-side facing up, top four of the bread slices with 1 ounce Cheddar each; divide the apple mixture among the remaining four slices of bread. (Don't assemble the sandwiches yet: The topped slices are first cooked, then combined.)
• Add one Cheddar-topped piece and one apple-topped piece to the pan (two of each if your pan can accommodate it), drizzle 2 teaspoons of water in the pan, and cover. Cook until cheese is melted and bread is golden and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat if bread is browning too fast. Sandwich the two pieces together, cut in half, and serve immediately. Repeat with remaining ingredients, adding more butter to then pan if necessary.