Fall for this autumn-inspired grilled cheese: with a layer of apple butter, thinly sliced fresh apples, sautéed shallots and thyme, and perfectly gooey, melty cheese that blurs the line between sweet and savory. I call this French-toast style grilled cheese, battered and butter-toasted until it’s perfectly golden brown, and let me tell you, it is […]
Fall for this autumn-inspired grilled cheese: with a layer of apple butter, thinly sliced fresh apples, sautéed shallots and thyme, and perfectly gooey, melty cheese that blurs the line between sweet and savory.
I call this French-toast style grilled cheese, battered and butter-toasted until it’s perfectly golden brown, and let me tell you, it is life changing, falling somewhere in between a traditional grilled cheese and a monte cristo.
This recipe was created in partnership with Roth, award-winning cheeses made in Wisconsin with milk from local family farms. Now available at a store near you!
No, your tastebuds aren’t tricking you, this next-level grilled cheese somehow manages to be both sweet and savory.
In one bite you’ll taste the alpine-style cheese, nutty and mild and ultra melty. The next brings a hint of autumn spice and fruity sweetness from the apple butter, and a fresh crunch from the slices of thinly sliced apple. But then! There’s the shallot, sautéed with a bit of butter and thyme, for a subtle savory push. And finally, the eggy bread, cooked to golden brown perfection that’ll have your brain thinking you’re eating a slice of perfect French toast.
It’s a culinary mind melting experience, and I am here for it.
Cooking a grilled cheese French-toast style involves basically brushing the bread with an egg/milk mixture instead of butter. Doing so walks the line between sweet and savory, taking your tastebuds on a wild adventure. The egg wash also produces a gorgeously golden brown finish (and let’s face it, we all eat with our eyes first anyway).
If you’ve ever had a Monte Cristo sandwich, it’s a similar idea (although sometimes Monte Cristos are deep fried and topped with powdered sugar, and, well, let’s just be reasonable here). You could even go full MC with this recipe and add a layer of thinly sliced ham or prosciutto in the mix.
Not only does the egg wash produce the most gorgeous golden brown crust, but it also gives the sandwiches a hint of egginess that just screams EAT ME FOR BRUNCH. Thought I’d be equally satisfied eating it for lunch. Or dinner, too, really (you know I’m always down for some B4D).
Say hello to your new favorite sandwich: creamy egg salad seasoned with paprika, thin slices of roasted beet, and a generous handful of spicy microgreens to perfectly offset the richness of the egg. Taylor’s classic egg salad is simple and satisfying, with only 4 ingredients (eggs included), plus salt and pepper. It’s not overly mayo-heavy […]
Say hello to your new favorite sandwich: creamy egg salad seasoned with paprika, thin slices of roasted beet, and a generous handful of spicy microgreens to perfectly offset the richness of the egg.
Taylor’s classic egg salad is simple and satisfying, with only 4 ingredients (eggs included), plus salt and pepper. It’s not overly mayo-heavy or mustard-forward, with a very simple flavor profile that let you actually taste the egg (not overwhelmed by dill or relish or other add-ins). A pinch of sweet paprika gives the egg salad a well-rounded flavor and ever so slightly pink hue (something that pairs perfectly with the rich ruby red of the beets).
Lunch is often a struggle around these parts.
We try to plan our dinners to include leftovers (let’s just say we’re masters at cooking for 4 for this reason), but sometimes we find ourselves floundering in the kitchen at noon, hangry and without a solid plan for lunch.
It’s days like these that egg salad sandwiches have become our go-to. Don’t ask me where the idea for the beet came from, I just know I came downstairs one day to find Taylor had thrown this together and I fell in love all over again. Something about the sweet, earthiness of the beet goes so well with the creamy egg salad.
Assuming we have some roasted beets in the fridge (I fully admit we’ve been buying packaged pre-roasted beets and I’m not ashamed about it), these sandwiches come together in about 20 minutes, including the time it takes to boil, cool, and peel the eggs. Hard-boil a few eggs ahead of time and it’d be even quicker.
While this small-batch egg salad recipe could be used in a variety of ways, our favorite assemblage includes thin slices of roasted red beet, a thick layer of creamy egg salad, and a pile of spicy microgreens (arugula or watercress would also be great here too!)
The creaminess of the egg, the earthiness of the beet, and the spiciness of the greens all come together on slices of thick brioche sandwich bread to make what I consider the perfect sandwich.
Have you met my favorite veggie burgers? If not, it’s about time! I have high standards for veggie burgers, and these put all the rest to shame. I have a feeling they’ll become your favorite veggie burgers, too.
These veggie burgers are hearty and satisfying, and feature an irresistible combination of flavors. They start with a base of quinoa, black beans and oats. Then we amp up the volume with sweet potatoes, fresh herbs, and some carefully chosen seasonings. They’re a little sweet and a little spicy, in the best of ways.
You may recognize this recipe as the “Sweet Potato and Black Bean Veggie Burgers” that have been hidden in the archives for quite some time. There’s a chance you’ve enjoyed these burgers in my cookbook, Love Real Food, sandwiched between buns with a crisp lime-cilantro cabbage slaw and guacamole (page 177).
Or maybe you’re seeing these burgers for the first time right now! If so, I’ll share why this veggie burger recipe is my favorite:
These burgers are absolutely delicious. In fact, these are the best veggie burgers I’ve ever had. They’re better than any restaurant’s, and far better than store-bought frozen veggie burgers.
These burgers retain their shape before, during and after cooking. Many veggie burgers are a chore to make or to eat, but these are totally fuss-free.
You can cook these burgers in the oven, on the stove, or yes, even on the grill. They also freeze well, so you can make a full batch and enjoy them over time.
These veggie burgers are perfect for serving to friends who follow special diets. These burgers are vegetarian, of course. They’re also conveniently vegan, gluten free, nut free, egg free and soy free.
Most vegan banh mi sandwich recipes use tofu, but this one is different! It’s a Grilled Veggie Banh Mi, made with marinated summer vegetables. Farmer’s Market Veggies This weekend I went to check on my garden and all the squash plants w…
Most vegan banh mi sandwich recipes use tofu, but this one is different! It’s a Grilled Veggie Banh Mi, made with marinated summer vegetables. Farmer’s Market Veggies This weekend I went to check on my garden and all the squash plants were limp, brown, and crispy.
Here’s a vegetarian spin on a classic BLT sandwich! We should probably call it an “HLT” since we’re using halloumi cheese in place of bacon. Halloumi is…
Here’s a vegetarian spin on a classic BLT sandwich! We should probably call it an “HLT” since we’re using halloumi cheese in place of bacon. Halloumi is a magical cheese from Cyprus that retains its shape when heated, rather than melting.
Pan-fried halloumi cheese turns deliciously crisp and golden on the outside, and leans more savory in flavor. It’s a little chewy and somewhat salty. In other words, pan-fried halloumi makes a fine bacon replacement, especially if you shower it with freshly ground black pepper while hot.
This sandwich is closer to an authentic BLT than my more abstract vegan BLT, which is made with coconut bacon and avocado instead of mayo. Make your preferred variation before tomato season ends!
I love Panera’s Tomato and Mozzarella Panini so much that I decided to make it myself. This vegetarian recipe comes pretty close to the original! Things I Can’t Stand There are a lot of universally loved things that I can’t stand:
I love Panera’s Tomato and Mozzarella Panini so much that I decided to make it myself. This vegetarian recipe comes pretty close to the original! Things I Can’t Stand There are a lot of universally loved things that I can’t stand:
Photos by Lindsey Johnson. I’m not 100% vegan, but I find that the more plant-based my diet is, the better I feel. I also get a geeky kick out of veganizing recipes, so I’ve opted to go in that direction with my blogging.
Photos by Lindsey Johnson. I’m not 100% vegan, but I find that the more plant-based my diet is, the better I feel. I also get a geeky kick out of veganizing recipes, so I’ve opted to go in that direction with my blogging.
With gorgonzola slaw! Oh yes. Make these buffalo chicken sandwiches happen tonight please. You know how sometimes you get a crazy craving in your head? One that just sounds so good and you can’t get rid of it? This sandwich is a direct result of that. I’ve always been a cravings based person (except when […]
With gorgonzola slaw! Oh yes. Make these buffalo chicken sandwiches happen tonight please.
You know how sometimes you get a crazy craving in your head? One that just sounds so good and you can’t get rid of it?
This sandwich is a direct result of that.
I’ve always been a cravings based person (except when I was pregnant, weirdly enough!) and that’s never really changed. So when I thought of grilled buffalo chicken sandwiches, I couldn’t get them out of my head.
While we’ve been quarantining, I’ve succeeded at a few things – most notably, making perfect grilled chicken. I don’t know why or how, but it’s like most other things in cooking – after doing it over and over again, you just get a feel for it and know when the chicken is ready.
So we’ve had a lot of grilled chicken! Eddie doesn’t mind. Obviously.
When you grilled it and slather it in buttery hot sauce? Wow. It doesn’t get better.
The other, maybe even more incredible, thing about this sandwich? The gorgonzola slaw. OH YES OH YES.
It’s crunchy, flavorful and just barely creamy. Basically the perfect consistency!
The gorgonzola slaw is from a recipe in my first cookbook, Seriously Delish. I served it on slow roasted chicken tacos and it’s easily one of my favorite things in the whole book.
So that’s what we have here! Gorgonzola slaw on top of saucy, slightly spicy grilled chicken. Maybe a little blue cheese sauce if you want.
Serve on a toasty, buttery and soft brioche bun.
It is heaven!
This is a quick and easy meal that you can throw together for dinner. You can make the slaw a bit ahead of time and it even keeps well in the fridge for leftovers. There’s a lot of flavor, texture and it’s satisfying too.
You can also slice the chicken and serve it over the slaw, minus the bun!
These grilled buffalo chicken sandwiches are smoky and saucy and topped with refreshing gorgonzola slaw and a spritz of lime!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 25minutes
Cook Time 15minutes
Total Time 40minutes
Servings 4people
Author How Sweet Eats
Ingredients
4 to 6thin sliced chicken breasts(I slice 3 breasts in half)
1teaspoonsmoked paprika
1teaspoongarlic powder
salt and pepper
½cuphot sauce(like frank’s red hot or frank’s buffalo wing)
3tablespoonsunsalted butter
brioche buns,for serving
ranch or blue cheese dressing,for serving
gorgonzola slaw
2 to 3 cupschopped/shredded green or savoy cabbage,or 1 (14oz) bag coleslaw mix
1largecarrot,peeled into ribbons
4ouncescrumbled gorgonzola cheese,plus extra for serving if you wish
3tablespoonsplain greek yogurt
2tablespoonsfreshly squeezed lime juice
1tablespoonolive oil,or avocado oil or another oil you love
salt and pepper
Instructions
Preheat your grill to the highest setting.
For the chicken, I like to use thin sliced breasts because I think they are easier to eat on a sandwich. I usually buy chicken breasts and slice them in half lengthwise.
Season the chicken breasts all over with a pinch of salt, pepper and the smoked paprika and garlic powder.
Heat a small saucepan over medium heat and place the hot sauce and butter in it. Cook just until the butter melts, stirring often. You can also do this in the microwave!
You want the grill heat between 400 and 450 degrees, so reduce the heat slightly if needed. Place the chicken on the grill. Grill for 4 minutes, then flip and grill for 3 minutes more. Brush the chicken with the buffalo wing sauce. Flip, brush the other side, and grill for another minute. You can do this 1 or 2 more times, you want the internal temperature to be 165 degrees F. It may take more or less time based on the thickness of your chicken breast! You can also throw the buns on the grill for 1 to 2 minutes if you’d like.
When the chicken is done, remove it from the grill and brush it with more of the buffalo sauce.
To serve, if desired you can add a little bit of blue cheese dressing or ranch on the bottom of the bun. Top with the chicken breast (or 2, if you’re my husband), then top with the slaw. You can add an extra sprinkle of gorgonzola too! Eat immediately. Yum.
gorgonzola slaw
Place the shredded cabbage and carrots in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the cheese, yogurt, lime juice and olive oil. Pour it over the cabbage and toss thoroughly until everything is combined. Season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper and toss well. The slaw will not be super creamy and saucy - it’s very much a light coating.
Four words for the rest of the summer: nacho cheese taco salad. It can make an appearance at your dinner table, a cookout or even in a jar taken to the beach. It’s kid friendly! You can make it ahead of time and it gets better as it sits. Weird, right?! But delicious. So! I’m […]
Four words for the rest of the summer: nacho cheese taco salad.
It can make an appearance at your dinner table, a cookout or even in a jar taken to the beach. It’s kid friendly! You can make it ahead of time and it gets better as it sits.
Weird, right?! But delicious.
So!
I’m bringing you another retro-ish recipe today with a twist! And by retro, I mean 90s. And by 90s, I mean the early 2000s.
Because believe it or not, we never had that taco dorito salad growing up! Nope. Never. Which is crazy since my mom definitely did a 90s taco night once a week.
But no, it wasn’t until I was in college that I had the chopped taco salad for the first time. The salad that I’m referencing is basically a bunch of taco ingredients – tomatoes, lettuce, corn, seasoned ground beef and onions, then drenched with bottled catalina dressing and toss with tons of crushed doritos.
Yes, 2003 me is very shocked that I would even make a version of this because I grew up loathing doritos (I know! I know! But the orange powder and smell turned me off) and didn’t have any interest in catalina dressing.
But this dressing… OMG.
Yet here we are! I ended up liking that salad with modifications and then went an extra mile to really jazz it up myself and give it a twist.
Like homemade catalina dressing. It’s so good on this!
And quinoa. Adding some bulk to this salad gave it more texture but also made it more… meal like? Even though this is usually served as a side dish at summer cookouts, you can definitely throw a scoop on some lettuce and have it for lunch.
And of course, I threw in beans, avocado, pickled onions and topped it all off with a big scoop of plain greek yogurt.
Oh hi, I’m obsessed with nacho cheese taco salad.
p.s. you can make it with lots of leftover ingredients too. Leftover taco night? Leftover quinoa from dinner? Go for it.
It may seem like an odd salad if you never had that taco salad in the 90s. The gist is that you make a huge serving and it’s easy to make ahead of time and transport, so it’s perfect for serving at a party. This can be like that too! Just add the avocado at the end.
Oh and let me tell you how my dorito hatred has laughed in my face: last year at summer camp Max had cool ranch doritos and fell in love with them. Ha! Now he requests them often. Wonderful.
When it comes to chips in this salad, I love to use these late july nacho chipotle chips which basically are a version of doritos. Like fancier trying-to-be-healthy doritos. So just ignore me saying I don’t like the doritos since I like these.
And of course, you can use regular doritos in the salad too! They make it fun and crunchy and a great dish to take to someone’s house. When we can go to someone’s house.
You know.
Obviously I love this because:
chopped salads are the best salads. YES.
Getting a bite of everything on one fork is the way to go. In fact, it’s one of the ways I learned to love salad.
No need to learn how to love this salad. It’s lovable right from the start! We adore it.
for topping: chopped avocado,plain greek yogurt or sour cream
catalina dressing
3tablespoonsred wine vinegar
2tablespoonshoney
2tablespoonsketchup
1garlic cloveminced
½teaspoonsmoked paprika
salt and pepper
⅓cupextra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Note: the beef and quinoa can be made a day or two ahead of time! This is a great recipe to make with leftover taco meat or quinoa.This serves 4 to 6 as a side dish, or more if it's served with a bunch of other things.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the beef and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring often, until brown. As it’s browning, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and
pepper, the cumin, garlic and chili powder. Break it apart into small crumbles and cook until brown. Remove it with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel to drain excess grease.
In a large bowl, toss together the chopped lettuce, beef, quinoa, beans, tomatoes, cheese, onions and cilantro. Sprinkle with the crushed chips and toss. Drizzle on some of the dressing and toss well. Serve with avocado, pickled onions and greek yogurt if you’d like!
To make ahead of time, I like to layer this in a bowl. Layer the beef first, then the beans and cheese, then remaining ingredients, then lettuce. Cover and store in the fridge. Before serving, add the crushed chips and dressing, tossing well.
catalina dressing
Whisk together the vinegar, honey, ketchup, garlic, paprika and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stream in the olive oil while whisking until the dressing is emulsified. This stays great in the fridge for a few days!
I never need an excuse to go to our local French bakery. I might go there to get something for a meal, but I won’t leave without a tarte tatin or eclair. The bakery is owned and operated by a French family, so the food and the accents really make…
I never need an excuse to go to our local French bakery. I might go there to get something for a meal, but I won’t leave without a tarte tatin or eclair. The bakery is owned and operated by a French family, so the food and the accents really make you feel like you’re in Paris and not Wisconsin. (Oh, how I wish I was in Paris and not Wisconsin.) Anyway! In seeking new and different ways to use pesto, I wanted to do something sandwichy. Yes, it’s a word! Sandwichy! I bought a crusty loaf of sourdough bread from aforementioned bakery, and then yellow squash, zucchini, and portabella mushrooms from the grocery store. I had pesto, Parmesan cheese, and an onion on hand. Because roasting is pretty much my default way of preparing vegetables, I thought I’d marinate the veggies in a pesto and olive oil mixture and then throw them in the oven until they got all caramelized and delicious. If you prefer grilling your vegetables, that would work too, of course—I mean, basically the idea is to cook the vegetables before putting them on the sandwich, you know? These sandwiches are bound to become a weekend staple […]
