Mac & Cheese Grilled Cheese – 3 Ways
A few tips before you get cooking:
Use sourdough bread. Yes, just about any bread would work in this sandwich, but the sourdough takes it over the top. It’s distinct but mild flavor is so completely perfect with all of this sandwich’s cheesy goodness. Trust me on this one. Use a creamier mac and cheese that reheats well. If you use something like Kraft, which we all know does not reheat well, you’ll wind up with a dry sandwich. It’ll be like you’re just eating plain pasta stuffed in between bread. You’ve got to have something saucy. I used the take and make stuff in the little black plastic containers from Wegman’s. It stayed nice and creamy throughout the cooking process. Ideally, you should make Alton Brown’s Baked Macaroni & Cheese, chill it, and use that. It will be perfectly cheesy and creamy, I’m willing to bet. I imagine that Stouffer’s frozen macaroni and cheese would even work since it has a very saucy sauce. Make sure you plan in advance. Cooking the sandwiches doesn’t take that long, but if you aren’t buying the mac and cheese pre-made like me than you have to have time to cook it and chill it. Also, caramelizing the onions takes quite some time. Serve some broccoli alongside so you get your greens! It’s a perfect addition to the cheesy goodness. You could also serve it with tomato soup.Ingredients:
1-2 loaves fresh sourdough bread (depending on the size of the loaves), cut into 12 ½-inch slices 10 slices sharp cheddar cheese, ripped in half Leftover mac & cheese or premade/storebought mac & cheese, chilled (I used Wegman’s take and make mac & cheese. I also recommend you make Alton Brown’s Baked Macaroni & Cheese and use that. See tip 2 above) Butter spread (like Country Crock) 2 onions, thinly sliced 6 tbsp. butter optional: pulled pork (homemade or like this)Directions:
To caramelize the onions: Heat a medium-sized skillet to low heat. Melt the butter. Add the onions and cook low and slow until golden brown in color and caramelized (about 45 minutes). Remove from heat & set aside. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil & spray with nonstick cooking spray. Assemble the sandwiches: Spread Country Crock (or butter spread) onto one side of each slice of bread. With the buttered side down, lay two cheese halves onto the bread. Next, put a generous scoop of mac and cheese on top of the cheddar cheese. Pat down into an even, dense layer. Add optional toppings: caramelized onions and/or pulled pork. Add another half-slice or two of the cheddar cheese. Place another slice of bread on top, buttered side up, to complete the sandwich. Bring a griddle to medium heat. Cook the sandwiches one or two at a time, depending on the size of your griddle (and your ability to handle multi-tasking). When the bottom slice of bread is golden brown to your liking, it is time to flip the sandwich. Use two spatulas: one to get under the sandwich and one pressing down on the top of the sandwich as you flip it so the toppings don’t come out. Don’t worry if you lose a noodle or too. When both sides of the sandwich are golden brown, remove from the griddle and transfer to the baking sheet. Don’t worry if the cheese isn’t fully melted; it will finish melting in the oven. Put the baking sheet in the oven to keep the sandwich warm while your finish cooking the others. When all of the sandwiches are completed and warmed all the way through in the oven, it’s time to eat!Visited 62 times, 1 visit(s) today
