Comfort In Sharing
This week, Beth from {local milk} mentioned a wonderful idea dreamed up by Barbara from Creative Culinary and Jenn from Jenn Cuisine. The proposal was a day of food bloggers dedicating their posts to comfort foods and linking up to encourage any and all help to the victims of hurricane Sandy. When I hear about inspiration of this nature, I am reminded that this is one of the most important benefits of our technology. The ability to band together, almost effortlessly, to encourage support, positive change and help, wherever it is needed.
Comfort food is subjective but the common thread is usually a link to childhood memories or thoughts of 'home'. As I pondered, a couple of essentials crept back time and time again... cheese and ease. Cheese is probably associated with comfort in our home more than any other food, save for maybe bread. So, grilled cheese it is. You can skillet it or panini press it and we have cooked it over an open fire while camping too. It is also incredibly versatile for such a staple. You name it, you can throw it in. It is adaptable to any kind of cheese you have or desire. It is also a belly warmer and a smile crafter.
These are two of our favorites - Roasted Apple, Bacon and Caramelized Onions with Old Cheddar & Gruyere with Sliced Tomatoes.
I like to make grilled cheeses on Country Sourdough, but any bread is more than acceptable of course. I find that the one key though, is to butter your bread before you place it in the pan (if you have chosen the skillet avenue). A lower heat allows maximum melt. If you have loaded it up and the bread is as golden as you like it but your cheese hasn't reached peak melt, you can also transfer it in the pan, to an oven of 300 for a couple of minutes.
Apple, Bacon & Onions
I like to bake my bacon, on a cookie sheet lined with parchment, at 400 for about 15 minutes (this will depend on how thick your bacon is cut and how crispy you like it). Once done, set aside. Roast your apple slices in a skillet on medium heat with a little drop of butter. In a couple of minutes they are softened but not mush. Remove and set aside. Then, in the same skillet, slices of onion and a little butter for the same amount of time. They will brown and soften as well. Set them aside. Now it is just a matter of buttering your bread of choice, laying it butter down on your low heating skillet and loading up your cheese (I use old cheddar for this one because it works so well with the sweet additions and salt of the bacon) and bacon, apples and onions. I tend to slice my cheese rather thin when I am layering it with other good stuff. This allows me to put a layer of cheese first, the other elements, and then another couple of slices of cheese on top to bind it all together. Top with the other slice, butter side up and you are ready to flip in a couple of minutes.
Gruyere & Slice Tomatoes - is self explanatory and simply delicious. Long winded, yes.
You all know how to make grilled cheese... these were just some ideas how to change it up at times, without losing any of the comfort.
And the simplest and sweetest dessert in the world prize (other than raiding the Halloween candy) goes to..... Sliced Pineapple dipped in mint sugar. Mortar and pestle to some mint and sugar and then added to pineapple, is a true surprise. Takes seconds, it's FRUIT, and it tastes like bubblegum.
For those of us not hunkered down, having suffered through a hurricane, now enduring a blast of snow and cold, possibly without heat or power - a grilled cheese may seem like an awfully humble meal. It is so easy to forget all of the luxuries that we are afforded every day, until they are beyond our grasp. Every little bit counts, every effort is acknowledged, so if it is within your power to help, please do so. It is also just as important to value what we do have and send out well wishes, positive thoughts or any and all good energy possible to those that are in need and those that are working so hard to help.
Here's the link to do what you can:
Thank you Barbara and Jenn for coming up with just one way for us all to feel a little helpful.