Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese

November 14, 2013 Laura

I’m not sure if we’re adorable or need more hobbies but our family has a funny little way of entertaining ourselves on a Sunday morning. Grilled cheese week was born out of Scarlett, Dan and myself deciding to have a sandwich smack down after I was inspired by a story I saw online featuring a dozen or so super creative grilled cheese sandwich ideas. So we each made our lists of ingredients, picked them up during our usual grocery shop that morning and went to work in the kitchen. The idea was that we’d wind up a trio of grilled cheeses for our lunch that we would taste and rate.

We each staked out our area of the kitchen, built our sandwiches in secrecy, took turns at the skillet and had a delicious meal sharing our sandwiches. However, we couldn’t decide on a winner. So I made a fun flip video using the photos I’d taken (I’m always taking pictures; in and out of the kitchen!) and posted it to Instagram to get a little judging assistance–I thought it would be fun if we asked our friends to be the tie-breaker. My followers were only too happy to help and, well, the results are in…..

Photo by Maya Visnyei

this pepperoni pizza grilled cheese didn’t win. They all won. We ended up with a three way tie. (My instagram friends are so fair.) However, I’m the boss so my grilled cheese gets the big, glossy photo. (I’ve also included some home pics.) Besides, the family did agree that my griller actually tasted like a slice of pepperoni pizza. But I also have to say, while it may sound pretty weird, Scarlett’s peanut butter, banana and sirarcha jelly grilled cheese was off-the-charts delicious! No, seriously. Off. The. Charts.

My husband Dan took a more traditional approach and since he is literally a grilled cheese master, his sammie really wins for technique. I think it’s less about the ingredients and more about his artistry at the skillet, always achieving the ultimate golden brown and perfect melt. (He likes when I butter him up.)

If you are a regular follower of SPC, then you know we’re no strangers to grilled cheese. In fact, we have two of our favourite variations in our book How to Feed a Family–our Grilled Fontina with Grapes as well as Grilled Garlic Apples and Cheddar. If you love this gooey comfort food, you should go pick up a copy. No, seriously, please go pick up a copy.

In the meantime, we’ve got three awesomely stringy sandwiches here for you today. So go forth and dive in and get your grilled cheese on because this comfort food party is gonna be good….

Grilled Cheese Three Ways

Ingredients

For the Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese:
4 slices of sourdough or wholegrain bread
2 teaspoons garlic butter
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
4 basil leaves, torn into small pieces
2 slices mozzerella cheese
2 slices fontina cheese
4 slices pepperoni
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For the Peanut Butter, Banana and Sriracha Jelly Grilled Cheese
2 slices of sourdough bread
butter
a great big tablespoon of peanut butter
a great big tablespoon of raspberry jelly
two to three drops of sriracha
four slices of banana
2 slices of mozzarella cheese
For the Garlic Butter and Tomato Grilled Cheese
2 slices of sourdough bread
two to three slices of sharp cheddar chees
two slices of tomato
garlic butter (if you don't have garlic butter you can mince a clove of garlic and mix it into 1/2 cup of room temperature butter)

Method

For the Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese:

Preheat a skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil.

Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place pieces of bread butter side down on a clean surface or cutting board.

In a small bowl, mix ricotta with basil pieces. Spread one slice of bread with about a tablespoon of ricotta. Place one slice of mozzarella on ricotta cheese. Lay a slice of fontina on other slice of bread with pepperoni. Close sandwich and place in skillet.

Grill until lightly browned and then flip over; continue grilling until cheese is melted and gooey.

For the Peanut Butter Grilled Cheese:

Preheat a skillet over medium heat.

Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place pieces of bread butter side down on a clean surface or cutting board.

In a small bowl, mix jelly and sriracha together.

Spread one slice of bread with jelly mixture. Spread peanut butter on other slice of bread.

Arrange banana slices on peanut butter. Cover each piece of bread with a slice of mozzarella.

Close sandwich and place in a warm skillet.

Grill until lightly browned and then flip over; continue grilling until cheese is melted and gooey.

For the Garlic Butter Grilled Cheese:

Preheat skillet over medium heat.

Butter one slice of bread. Put butter side down in the skillet.

Place slices of cheddar cheese on bread. Add tomatoes. Butter one side of the second piece of bread and place butter side up on top of sandwich. Grill until lightly browned and then flip over; continue grilling until cheese is melted and gooey.

Sweet Potato Chronicles