So have you guys heard the news? My friend Kathy of Panini Happy is having a blog event devoted to grilled cheese month! I had actually planned on making something similar to this prior to learning that April is grilled cheese month, but once I heard about Kathy's event, it really lit a fire under me. I had planned on doing this with a different type of cheese, but the thoughtless a-holes at my new TJs ran out of that kind of cheese a few days ago, so I decided to go with a low fat smoked Gouda. Honestly, I have no good reason for going low fat with the cheese. I mean, just look at the rest of the ingredients in this sandwich. In order to use up the rest of the compound butter from my steak "frites", I decided to cook my sandwich in the leftover butter. This ended up being quite a good combination since the flavor of thyme was in not only in the butter, but in the tomatoes. I was worried about the flavors of the sandwich not being right together, but the smokiness of the bacon and the cheese worked nicely with the sweet tomatoes and the mellow spinach and egg and as I mentioned previously, cooking the sandwich in the herb butter worked perfectly well with the other flavors. Despite the rich ingredients, this sandwich did not make me feel weighed down and heavy. So this is my entry to Kathy's event for grilled cheese month. There are so many thousands of ways to jazz up a grilled cheese. How will you do yours?
Grilled Cheese with Bacon and a Fried Egg
(Liberally adapted from Thomas Keller via Food & Wine)
3 slices bacon, cooked and drained
Shredded smoked Gouda cheese
2 slices whole wheat bread
3-4 slow roasted tomato halves
Baby spinach leaves
1 tablespoon parsley and thyme compound butter
1 large egg, lightly fried and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper
Top each half of bread with shredded cheese. Top one half with the bacon, tomato, spinach, and egg and then finish with the other half of bread.
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and add the sandwich. Fry until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side.
29 comments:
i gonna make this!
I am looking at this while eating my leftover reheated lunch...Thanks! lol
My kind of sandwich. I should make it.
Oh good! I'm so glad you still got to make your grilled cheese even though TJs decided to be a jerk. They were out of my favorite whole wheat pasta the other day and I almost went on a rampage! Fortunately, it was only a temporary problem. :)
Everything about this look delicious! I'm still thinking up what I'll be doing for mine!
I knew you'd come up with a great one! The photos are fantastic too, the colors are just lovely.
OMG...does this look good or what!!!
YUM....YUM!
Gorgeous photo too!
Seriously perfect set of flavors in this. And just right for one of those nights I don't feel like being Betty Crocker. My guys will love me. Mmm...wingsa
I had almost the same thing for lunch today - toasted levain bread, bacon, fried egg [cooked in the bacon fat] and asparagus! Mmm, we both enjoyed our sandwiches, I'm sure!!
Cheers,
*Heather*
yummy :) who knew about april? i've been on a grilled cheese kick this week!
that is one gorgeous grilled cheese. you can't really go wrong with bacon (or a fried egg!)
Oh yummy! This looks great. I didn't eat grilled cheese as a kid (mom being Japanese and all), but it is still a comfort food to me!
This looks irresistible! I'm going to make one of these as soon as I get some smoked gouda, which sounds like the perfect cheese choice.
These looks delicious! A perfect breakfast for dinner!
What a delicious sounding sandwich! I am going to try this soon!
You had me at grilled cheese...
Where do you find low fat gouda? I'm opposed to fat free, but low fat cheese is ok with me!
This looks amazing and makes me oh so hungry!
This looks so delicious! I don't really care for fried egg but grilled cheese and bacon...mmm, some tomato. Sign me up!
You're all so sweet. Now I want to make another sandwich for you.
Diana, this TJs was only out of the cheese for a day, but I was in the mood for the sandwich *immediately*
Lori, can't wait to see what you come up with.
Kathy, so excited that you're hosting this event!
squirrelbread Heather, your sandwich sounds really good!
Mary, I didn't really grow up with grilled cheese either, but I love it so much now.
Sharon, I got the cheese at Trader Joe's. Just like you, I am completely opposed to fat free cheese, but I will use lowfat once in a while.
Looks fantastic as always.. You make me crave everything you make.. not fair I tell you.
The way you describe your sandwich is makin' me very hungry!
BTW, looks delicious! Would of never of thunk it! ;)
holy yum, that looks delicious.
oh WOW WOW WOW!! This looks absolutely scrumptious. The gouda, bacon, spinach, fried egg......... YUMM!!!! Beautiful photo!!
There is a grilled cheese month? Wow!
This looks amazing. Just mouthwatering!
That is one good looking sandwich!
Esi. Words... FAIL me. Yum!
I love gouda but have never tried it on a grilled cheese. I may have to change that.
As always, nicely done. :)
Donna, it's easy, I promise
Christine, Sara, Christina, Foodycat, Kevin and Jeff, thank you!
Hey girl... you have until the 13th. Must enter this recipe to Sunset. Here are the instructions:
We want your tastiest, most creative recipes. We'll publish the best of the bunch in our July, 2009 issue. If we choose yours, you'll receive a gift basket of cheeses from Tillamook (Tillamook.com), including an aged white cheddar made for the company's 100th anniversary this year. To enter, send original recipes to sunset.com/submitrecipe or Grilled Cheese Contest, Sunset Magazine, 80 Willow Rd., Menlo Park, CA 94025
DEADLINE: April 13, 2009"
Who doesn't love a basket full of cheese! :)
Looks good!
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