Remember a week or so ago when I begged, er, asked nicely to vote for my rainbow cake in the Butter recipe exchange? Well, if you hadn’t heard, I won. And I am pretty darn proud and thankful for all of you who rallied behind me. (Thank you!)
Anyways, the prize for the victory, a $150 Kerry Gold gift basket, arrived shortly after. While I knew I was getting some butter (and fantastically amazing butter at that), what I didn’t expect was the sheer quantity of cheese. Swiss and cheddar and gouda, oh my!
Now the grilled cheese probably makes more sense, huh?
But this isn’t just any grilled cheese, this grilled cheese has class. With a thin layer of homemade apricot jam and a few leaves of fresh arugula added at the very last minute, this sandwich is as delicious as it is simple. I mean, it is a grilled cheese, after all. And what a perfect way to highlight the superb ingredients I was given.
This particular sandwich makes use of Kerry Gold’s unusual Dubliner cheese, described as somewhat sweet, somewhat nutty (sound like someone else you know?). That slight sweetness, when combined with the fruit jam and spicy arugula, makes for the perfect grilled cheese sandwich.
Grilled Cheese with Apricot Jam and Arugula
Makes 2 sandwiches.
Ingredients:
- 4 slices country bread
- 4 oz. Kerry Gold® Cheddar or Dubliner cheese, sliced
- 2 tablespoons apricot (or other fruit) Jam
- 1 tablespoon Kerry Gold® salted butter
- 1/4 cup arugula
Directions:
- Preheat a large skillet or sandwich press on medium-high heat.
- To assemble sandwiches, spread a thin layer of jam on one side of bread. Top with a double layer of cheese slices and second piece of bread. Generously butter outsides of both pieces of bread.
- Put sandwiches in skillet and toast until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from pan. Carefully (it will be hot!) peel apart bread and place arugula inside and replace top slice of bread. Cut in half and serve immediately.
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Spread some love butter this holiday season.
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My ultimate grilled cheese is garlic and herb fromage d’affinois with fire roasted tomatoes that have been marinated in garlic and herbs on Rudi’s organic white bread. Instead of butter, I let the bread soak up some of the olive oil from the tomatoes. I could eat it until I became ill, it’s so good.
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My FAVORITE grilled cheese is made with fermented whole grain bread, cheddar, muenster, or dubliner cheese, avacado, roma tomato, and mayo. YUM!
My ultimate grilled cheese is made with sharp cheddar and smoked Gouda with caramelized onions and yellow mustard on thick pieces of whole wheat bread.
I like tomato on my grilled cheese.
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Apple grilled cheese in incredibly good. Also, a regular grilled cheese that’s cooked in herbed olive oil.
OMG GRILLED CHEESE! Who doesn’t love cheese… :D I’m a sucker for a good sharp white cheddar YUM
ULTIMATE GRILLED CHEESE:
Sharp White Cheddar with Black and Green Pepper Corns (Marco Polo from Beecher’s is AMAZING, but Tillamook just came out with a black pepper white cheddar that I’ll have to try.)
Tomatos
Fresh Basil and Dill Weed
Raw Red Onion
Spicey Brown Mustard (just a little bit)
Land O’ Lakes Butter (it just has a REALLY good flavor!)
Probably all on a hearty wheat bread. :3 I like really bold flavors.
My awesome grilled cheese usually consists of whatever cheese I have on hand but I absolutely must have sourdough bread, cream cheese, and a tiny bit of pecorino romano for a little bite :) delicious
Om nom nom! Brie, Provolone, Havarti, a moderate amount of sharp French mustard, roasted red pepper, and a little baby spinach on challah bread. YUM!
My ultimate is kinda similar, I made apricot jam and used feta and colby jack cheese on sourdough. OMgoodness, yum.
I think my ultimate grilled cheese includes roasted tomatoes!
Simple is best for my ultimate grilled cheese: fresh crusty Italian bread, Irish butter and sharp cheddar. Add a bowl of tomato bisque and I’m in heaven!
Dark wheat bread, Cahill’s Porter Cheddar Cheese, and pear butter. IT IS LIFE CHANGING.
Wow, I LOVE Kerry Gold butter but haven’t yet tried their cheese. It looks awesome. I love a simple grilled cheese (with SHARP cheddar), but the addition of apricot jam looks fabulous. I also sometimes enjoy adding salami or ham to mine and occasionally tomato. Oh, and a nice bowl of hot tomato soup is the perfect complement :)
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Love grilled cheese of any kind.
Sourdough, a slice of onion and pepperjack cheese.
Well, I do love a good grilled cheese but another awesome thing to do with Kerry Gold butter is to spread it on bread and fill the inside with peanut butter and seedless strawberry jam. The peanut butter and jam melt together and it’s like heaven!
Hmm, I almost never make grilled cheese but I’m pretty much stealing the above idea for the mozz, basil, and tomato sandwich. That sounds delightful. Great idea, Jen!
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Caramelized onions and sliced pear. I love grilled cheese!
Lots of caramelized onions and bacon. And tomato!
My favorite is the one my mom makes for me when I’m down and being picky about the food: butter on white bread, american cheese, and not too toasted. I like it melted without black on the bread. Perfection.
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I haven’t tried this yet, but I’ve read that a yummy grilled cheese sandwich includes sharp cheddar and dill pickles. I also want to try your recipe.
My favorite grilled cheese is not fancy, it’s what mom made…white bread, American cheese, and Miracle Whip. Strange but good.
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My must have ingredient is cowboy tomato jam
http://cathyshambley.blogspot.com/2010/08/tomato-canjam.html
We made some this summer and now must have it on every sandwich! Delish!
My ultimate grilled cheese? Fresh mozzarella, basil, and plum tomatoes with a balsamic glaze on buttered sourdough bread. Capresie Grilled Cheesy!
jen [at] cupadeecakes [dot] com
Sharp cheddar and tomato. I like to keep it simple, although this recipe has me tempted to be creative!
Thick bread, salty butter, classic yellow american cheese. Or, if I’m feeling jazzy, bacon and tomato!
I love adding jalepenos to my grilled cheese sandwiches!
Grilled cheese has been a favorite of mine since childhood!
I love lathering up a crusty bread with some organic butter and layering it with a combo of Swiss and American cheese. Tomatos are a must too!! :)
My favorite grilled cheese would include a 7 grain bread, English Cotswold Cheese, sundried tomatoes and some spinach leaves.
My ultimate grilled cheese is on a mexican pon (bread) grilled with butter and a little garlic, with monterey jack cheese, over baked with a thin layer of guacamole. So yummy!
Also, was excited to find you on facebook and have now, obviously, liked!
I love my grilled cheese on rye bread, with american cheese, tomato and bacon. Mmmm! Oh, and a side of tomato soup :)
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I love mine w/cheddar cheese, sauteed mushrooms and caramelized onions. Wish I had one right now!
I loooove grilled cheese pretty much anyway you can make it, but I think my ultimate is provolone with caramelized onions on sweet dark bread. Yum! I’m also a fan on Facebook!
My favorite is from Alice Waters and is made with gruyere and then sage leaves on the outside!
sourdough, mature cheddar, and lashings of butter. i might have to go make this now.
My favorite grilled cheese is on sourdough bread with some extra sharp cheese, apples and arugula.
my favorite grilled cheese is one i had in a little sandwich shop in vermont… loads of avocado and basil, melty cheese and a good dosing of this red spicy dust, some combination of cayenne and paprika, i think.
Homemade sourgough
Muenster Cheese
Mayonaisse
Grilled in truffle butter
Heaven.
also, I liked the page on facebook!
My ultimate grilled cheese has 12 grain bread with sunflower seeds, and aged chedder cheese and a couple slices of tomato basil turkey. mmm. also, ketchup on the side :)
hope to win the Kerrygold!
Firstly-Dubliner in a melt? Awesome! Secondly I think my favorite is smoked gouda, shaved honey ham, bacon, and tomato on a thick cut 12-grain. Artery clogging but amazing!
I LOVE Kerrygold stuff. I fell in love with it in Ireland. That Dubliner cheese is pretty amazing, and we only use their butter. Loving that you styled your plate and prizes on an Orla Kiely placemat to keep the Irish theme going :)