Because April is National Grilled Cheese Month, (yes, I know, I’m a little late)  I’ve decided to post a couple of my favorite variations of this American sandwich classic. I wasn’t specific about what type of bread to use with these recipes, because I’m a lover all of breads and think that any grilled cheese combination will work with most types of breads. Therefore, I leave it up to you to decide!

Grilled Ham, Cheese & Apricot Sandwich (A.K.A “The Fruity Pig”)

2 slices bread
2 ounces thinly sliced ham
2 slices Gruyere cheese
1 tablespoon apricot preserves
Butter

Grilled Honey Mustard, Cheese & Onion

2 slices bread
1/4 an onion, sliced and grilled
2 slices Colby Jack cheese
3 teaspoons honey mustard
Romaine lettuce
Butter

For each recipe, heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.

Butter each slice of bread on one side. Lay down one slice of bread on the heated skillet, then layer the rest of the ingredients on top, finishing with the second slice of bread. (Buttered side up).

Cook sandwich for about 3-5 minutes on each side, or until bread is toasted and cheese is melted.

Each recipe yields 1 sandwich.

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup corn meal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup honey
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
2 (4-ounce) cans fire roasted green chilies
1 cup Mexican blend cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, honey and eggs. Whisk in the oil. Stir in the flour mixture, green chilies and cheese. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until done in the center.

Yields 12 servings.

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
6 ounces fresh mozzarella (ciliegine), halved
1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Serve chilled.

Yields about 4 servings.

1 12-ounce box jumbo pasta shells
15 ounces ricotta cheese
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, more if desired
6 baby carrots, very finely chopped
1 cup baby spinach leaves, very finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jar marinara sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook pasta according to directions on box. Drain and set aside.

In a 13×9-inch glass baking dish, pour enough marinara sauce to just cover the bottom of the dish. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mixed together the ricotta and parmesan cheeses, herbs, red pepper flakes, spinach, garlic and carrots. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon the mixture evenly into the cooked shells and place atop the marinara sauce in the baking dish. Pour the rest of the marinara sauce over the shells. Top with shredded cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Yields 4-6 servings.

1 pound pitted dates
4 ounces goat cheese, cubed
1 pound sliced bacon, cut in halves
4 ounces honey-glazed whole almonds

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Slice dates in half. Stuff with a cube of goat cheese and an almond. Wrap each date with a bacon slice and secure with a toothpick.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the bacon is crisp, turning once after 20 minutes.

While this dish may not be diet friendly, it is incredibly delicious and undoubtedly the best lasagna that has ever pleased my palate.

1 (8 oz.) box lasagna noodles

Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 jars marinara sauce

Ricotta Filling:
16 oz. Ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper

2 cups Italian blend cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook noodles according to directions on package. Do not drain. Set aside.

Sauce:
On medium heat, saute onions and garlic in olive oil until onions are semi-translucent. Add ground beef and brown. Drain grease once beef is fully cooked. Add marinara and simmer on low heat while preparing ricotta mixture.

Ricotta Filling:
Combine the ricotta with the parmesan cheese and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set mixture aside.

Assembly:
In a 13 x 9 glass baking dish, create a layer of noodles without overlapping. Add a layer of sauce, then a layer of the ricotta mixture. Repeat until dish is full with sauce being the last layer. Sprinkle Italian blend cheese over top.

Bake for 35 min or until cheese is bubbly.

Yields 12 servings.

I absolutely love quiche. I can eat it for any meal! Many of my savory dishes use diced green chilies, cheese and chicken – so I figured, why not put all these ingredients into a quiche?

1 9-inch deep dish pie shell, unbaked
4 eggs
2 cups half & half
1 cup chicken, cooked & cubed
1/2 cup Pepper Jack cheese, grated
1 can diced green chilies
1 tablespoon flour
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs, half-and-half, salt, pepper and flour. Set aside.

Layer the chicken, cheese and green chilies in the bottom of the pie crust, then pour the egg mixture on top. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Yields 1 9-inch quiche.

32 oz. frozen hash browns, thawed
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 pint sour cream
2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup diced ham
Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add yellow onion and saute until soft.

Pour yellow onion and butter mixture into a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and combine until well blended.

Pour mixture into a baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Yields 9 servings.

1/2 white onion, chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound ground turkey
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4 hoagie rolls or similar
8 slices Havarti cheese
Salt & pepper, to taste

Saute onions in olive oil until semi-translucent. Add oregano, stir. Add ground turkey and brown until fully cooked. Add cinnamon and balsamic vinegar, stir well. Add tomatoes and simmer 3-5 min. Add salt & pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low and let simmer while preparing rolls.

Place 2 Havarti cheese slices on one half of each roll. Place under broiler until bread is toasted and cheese is melted. Remove from oven and add some of the meat mixture to roll. Fold close and enjoy!

Yields 4 servings.

Named golden enchiladas by my mother, this recipe is an adaptation of an enchilada dish she’d make whenever attending a pot-luck. (It was always a huge success!) I’ve made mine a bit spicier and added lemon juice, which really brightens the flavor and balances out the sour cream.

1 lb cooked chicken breast, shredded
8 large flour tortillas
2 cups grated Mexican blend cheese
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can diced green chilies
1 tablespoon Tapatio hot sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup milk, more if needed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a bowl, combine sour cream, cream of chicken soup, chilies, hot sauce, lemon juice and 1 cup of cheese.

Reserve 3/4 cups of mixture and set aside.

Add cooked chicken to first mixture, stir, then spoon into tortillas. Roll enchiladas and place seam-side down in 9×13″ baking dish.

Add milk to reserve mixture and pour over enchiladas.

Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce near edges of baking dish is bubbly.

Yields 8 servings.