Stuffed Garlic Bread Grilled Cheese

When I first saw this idea I was pretty skeptical but I figured if it works for Rachael Ray, I should give it a shot.  I can honestly say I will probably never make a “normal” grilled cheese again. This was beyond amazing. A grilled cheese that tastes like stuffed garlic cheese bread!

Ingredients:

2 slices of bread

2-3 cheese slices (any variety you prefer)

2 tbsp. mayo

Garlic powder

Parmesan

Italian seasoning

Mix mayo with a few dashes of garlic powder, parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. Heat pan on stove top to medium. Spread mayo mixture on one side of each piece of bread. Put bread mayo mixture face down, layer on cheese. I used American, mozzarella and pepper jack. Place other slide of bread on top. Cook until golden brown on both sides.

Wanna step it up a notch? Throw in a few pieces of pepperoni, bacon bits or jalapenos.  This is a total game changer. 

Baked grilled cheese and Chili Bar

I hosted a dinner party for friends the other night.  Eight of them to be exact. I made a huge batch of chili and all the fixings.  Where I grew up, you accompany your chili with a cinnamon roll or grilled cheese.  I know, some of you say, what? Where's the cornbread? I'm from the North, that's just how we roll. I didn't want to waste precious wine drinking time at the stove cooking one or two grilled cheese at a time.  I found a few recipes online that said you can make them in the oven. I've heard this rumor before but never had a reason to try it.  This was the night. There are different variations of how to do it but I chose the simplest one.

Grilled Cheese in the oven
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Butter one side of 6 pieces of bread and place butter side down on a baking sheet.  Top with a slice of cheese of your choice.  Butter 6 more slices of bread and lay on top of the cheese, butter side up.  Sprinkle with salt.  Bake for 6-8 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown.  Flip and bake 6-8 more minutes.  Keep in mind the tops won't be brown, it cooks from the bottom!

The sandwiches turned out great! I cut in diagonals and we dipped away!

For the chili I used my usual recipe found here but doubled it to feed the crowd.  I threw it in the crockpot before I went to work in the morning so it was really easy prep pre-party.

For the Build Your Own Chili Bar I had the following for people to enjoy:
shredded cheese
green onion
jalapenos
sour cream
cinnamon rolls
french bread
grilled cheese
saltine crackers
ritz crackers
tortilla chips
butter
hot sauce

Success!!! 

Spicy Tuna Melt

 Ingredients:

1 Can of Solid White Tuna (drained)

1/2 Tsp. Onion Powder

1/2 Tsp. Garlic Powder

1/4 Cup Mayonnaise

Frank’s RedHot Sauce

2 Slices New York Sharp Cheddar Cheese (or any other kind of cheese you want)

2 pieces of bread

Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Mix tuna, mayo, spices and redhot sauce until smooth.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Butter one side of two pieces of bread.  Turn skillet on medium heat. But bread butter side down, with a slice of cheese, then tuna mixture, another slice of cheese and the 2^nd piece of bread butter side up.  Cook on each side until golden brown.

Healthified breakfast melt

Review by Lyndee:

Ingredients:

¼ egg beaters

2 slices fat free American cheese

2 pieces light Italian bread

4 pieces deli ham

Light butter spread or spray

Directions:

Butter one side of each slice of bread.  Lay butter side down in a pan.  Set piece of cheese and two pieces of ham on each slice.  Cook on medium heat.  Cook egg beaters in a small separate pan.  When egg beaters are done, move on top of one of the bread slices.  Flip the other slice on top.  Cook until the bread is a golden brown.

This is a great way to break from the norm of your daily breakfast routine.  It’s warm and gooey and nutritious at under 300 calories and 5 grams of fat. Plus, you get almost 30 grams of protein in this hearty little sandwich.  You could swap turkey bacon, sausage or meatless soy crumbles for the ham as well.