What up, G! I have four G’s right here for ya – Garlicky, Greens, Gouda, and Grilled. Things have been a little crazy lately, can you tell?! In between the kitchen remodel, and holding down my day job (and my overall sanity), the blood pressure is up, and exhaustion is the norm. What has been comforting is not having to cook (thanks to vegetarian TV dinners!!), but when I do cook, it’s all about comfort food. Besides, it’s National Grilled Cheese Day today! Follow me down this delicious rabbit-hole, kids! You have nothing to fear.
With that said, my mind loves the comfort food, but my body is screaming at me for GREENS, GREENS, GREENS! For National Grilled Cheese day, I thought this would be perfect. I’ve been living with a toaster, crock pot, and a panini press for the past 2 and a half months, but today – the first full day of having our new appliances installed, I am happy to report that this was the first real meal made in our new kitchen! Woohoo!! (for the back-story on that, go here).
So, the first thing you have to do is de-stem about 2 cups of fresh spinach and get it chopped. You don’t want to bite into this gorgeousness, and get spinach fibers impeding your glorious grilled cheese eating experience.
Then, it’s all about the garlic. I used one clove here, and it was pretty small. I’d say it’s a scant teaspoon, chopped. You can add more if you like. How garlicky do you like your greens? I was hungry & rushin’, so I may have added double what’s here, if time was infinite.
Greens are added to an olive oil-spritzed skillet over medium heat, along with the garlic.
Toss it until wilted, and then season with salt and pepper. Be careful here though – when dealing with sauteeing any greens you intend on wilting, you can over-salt in a heart beat! Trust me, I know from experience.
Remove from the heat, and set aside while you assemble the bulk of the sandwich. Here, I’ve used some seedy, nutty bread that really holds up. I’ve also used a smoked gouda, because why not! The gouda melts so well, and that smoky flavor marries superbly with the garlicky greens, and nutty nuts.
Top that baby with your sauteed greens, and get it in the pan, stat! All you’ll ever need is a cast iron skillet. I’ll never get rid of the ones I have.
Lodge Cast Iron, Baby!
Just add butter to a pan that’s heated over a medium heat, and you’re good to go. Make sure to have it on a low enough heat that you don’t burn the bread, but leave it in long enough to melt that cheese, babe!
See that cheese? While beautiful, it’s not quite done.
But this, my friends is your cue that it’s done! Biiiiinnngggg!
Enjoy!
- 2 Slices Seedy, Nutty Bread
- 2 Cups Chopped Fresh Spinach
- 1 Clove Chopped Garlic
- 1 pinch Salt
- 1 pinch Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Butter, divided
- Smoked Gouda Cheese Slices (I used 5, or about 1.5 ounces weight)
- Heat a pan over medium heat, and add your olive oil.
- When the pan is warm, add in the spinach and garlic. Using tongs, toss the spinach and garlic regularly, until the spinach wilts, about 2-3 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, and set aside.
- Top one slice of bread with the cheese, and then top that with your sauteed spinach. Smear the top piece of bread with 1/2 tablespoon butter, and place on the sandwich, butter side up. Wipe your skillet clean with a paper towel, and return to medium heat.
- Add 1/2 tablespoon butter to the pan, and allow to melt. Place the sandwich in the pan, (buttered bread side up) and move around until the whole bottom piece of the sandwich is coated with the melted butter.
- Cook the sandwich for 3-4 minutes, making sure that the bread isn’t burning. Flip over, and cook 3-4 minutes more, until the bread has browned, and the cheese is gooey.
Some of my friends made some grilled cheeses too! You will not want for grilled cheeses on National Grilled Cheese Day. NOT. ON. THIS. DAY!
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OMG! Look at that gorgeous new stove top! Love the sandwiches too, Natalie. Can’t wait to try mine, with extra garlic please!
I can’t wait to cook on it more, Sara! Yes, extra garlic!!
NEED ALL THE GRILLED CHEESE! AND THE GARLIC! So simple and so amazing!
Hahahaa Thank you Karly!!
Your stove…she is so….CLEAN! Love your sandwich and am sharing!
Dorothy, thank you!! It was the first dish ever made on it, so it’s bound to create a lot of “character” soon! LOL
Your posts always make my mouth water!
Thanks Brady!!