Photo: Zester Daily
It’s no secret that I love everything about fall…minus allergy + cold season starting up again. And even though there are days I dread dinner, for some reason the cooler weather (still waiting for that here in NJ by the way) makes it a bit more bearable for cooking.
This doesn’t mean I like to stand over a hot stove or have the oven blasting for hours and half the time it’s almost impossible to do this anyway with two little boys underfoot. But I also struggle with dinner burnout when it’s the same thing over + over again. So for the sake of my family and my sanity I like to take a simple dinner and put a little surprise twist on it. One of my favorite (and my kids) easy dinners is grilled cheese but for tonight I’m going to jazz it up a bit with one of these recipes. The rest I’ll keep in my back pocket for the next time I need an easy but “fancy” dinner idea which will probably be Monday…or tomorrow 🙂
If you’re in a cooking rut and don’t have an ounce of creativity or energy left after a long week, try one of these tasty, easy, cheesy treats!
1. Honey, Apple, Cheddar + Bacon:
Photo: Half Baked Harvest
I am obsessed with Half Baked Harvest recipes. A lot are so easy but have great food + flavor combinations. And I’m so excited that a cookbook just got released! You can get yourshere. I love the sweet + salty factor to this recipe and even though I’ve been trying to cut back on bread again, I’ll make the sacrifice for this (and all) delicious grilled cheese.
Click here for the recipe. Be forewarned, once you check out this site you will not want to leave!
2. Sweet Balsamic + Brie:
Brie + fruit is a great combination because the acid and sweetness of the fruit balances out the buttery brie. Factor in some balsamic and you’re all set for a plateful of deliciousness!
Â
3. Proscuitto, Fontina + Fig:
Photo: Oxmoor House // Cooking Light
If there’s any chance for me to use prosciutto or pancetta rather than bacon or ham, I’ll do it. I just feel like they have so much more flavor. And since figs are in season, this is the perfect fall grilled cheese.
Â
4. Bleu Cheese + Caramelized Onions (and Bacon?):
This recipe from Food Network is super simple + you can even add to it to make it heartier. Adding bacon or a few strips of thinly sliced flank steak would round this out nicely.
Â
5. Three Cheese Everything Spice Grilled Cheese:
Photo: Half Baked Harvest
Because, as mentioned in #1, I’m obsessed with Half Baked Harvest, I’ve decided to round out this post with another recipe from the website. Everything bagels are, well, everything! Pair up everything seasoned bread with loads of melted cheese + I’m in heaven!
Click here for the recipe.
Do you have a favorite way of making grilled cheese or a favorite fall recipes? Leave a comment and let me know!