April is National Grilled Cheese Month!

I love a toasty, warm grilled cheese sandwich.  The butter finish and the gooey cheesy inside is like heaven.  I grew up eating grilled cheese with Miracle Whip mayo (this may sound nasty, but don't judge until you try!) and I still love them.  But I also love other types of grilled cheese sandwiches.  So, for National Grilled Cheese Month, I thought it only appropriate to have a grilled-chesse-off in celebration.  

The competitors showcased two different types of taste -- bitter and spicy.  The bitter contenter was the Pickled Grilled Cheese featuring tomatoes, dill pickles, and colby cheese.  The spicy challenger was the Spicy California Grilled Cheese with jalapeno peppers, monterey jack cheese, avocado, and Sririacha mayo.  

Pickled Grilled Cheese

Ingredients
2 slices of sourdough bread
1 slices of tomato
2 dill pickle slices
2 slices of colby cheese
1 tablespoon of butter

Preparation 
1.  Layer on the bread the pickles, 1 slice of cheese, 1 slice of tomato and then the other slice of cheese.  Top with the other slice of bread.

2.  Warm a skillet over medium high heat.  Melt one tablespoon of butter.  Grill the sandwich on one side for about 3 minutes, until golden brown.  Flip and grill the other side of the sandwich.

3.  Remove sandwich from the skillet with a spatula.  Cut in half.  Serve with chips!

Spicy California Grilled Cheese

Ingredients
2 slices of sourdough bread
1 slices of tomato
3 slices of avocado 
1/2 jalapeno, diced** (optional, only if you like really spicy!) 
3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
1 tablespoon of Srirachi hot sauce
2 slices of Monterey Jack cheese
1 tablespoon of butter

Preparation
1.  Mix mayo and hot sauce in a small bowl.  Slice the avocado.

2.  Dice the half of the jalapeno. Spread the hot sauce/mayo mix on both slices of bread.  On top of the bread, layer the tomato, 1 slice of cheese, sprinkle with the diced jalapeno, and then the slices of avocado.  Top with 1 slice of cheese and the other piece of bread.

3.   Warm a skillet over medium high heat. Melt one tablespoon of butter. Grill the sandwich on one side for about 3 minutes, until golden brown. Flip and grill the other side of the sandwich.  Remove sandwich from the skillet with a spatula. Cut in half.

It was a tough choice.  The pickles in the Pickled Grilled Cheese gave a nice bite to the creamy cheese.  But the Spicy California was a better mix of ingredients and flavor -- the balance of the spicy pepper with the smooth avocado and creamy cheese was delicious.  It was the clear winner (and Srirachi mayo was the icing on the cake).  Be sure to enjoy and celebrate with some grilled cheese this month!