Grilled Cheese with Apples & Bacon

I'm not too creative when it comes to arts and crafts- I was always the little girl who could never create a paper airplane because I could only fold my piece of paper in seemingly obvious patterns, ahem- hamburger & hotdog style! :) nor have my drawing skills ever expanded past the good ole' stick figure.

When it comes to food, however, I won't be too modest- I'm pretty creative.  I know, I'm SO boastful ;)  I'm no picky eater at all, in fact I should probably be more picky.  Of course I always choose good, quality foods, and prefer them, but I have no problem eating many things others might turn their noses at.

Sorry, off topic.  As I was saying, I like creative, odd combinations of foods that trick your taste buds and give you something to think about.  Like instead of plain PB&J, why not throw in some strawberries and bananas, or honey or agave nectar, or nutella or powdered sugar?

Or oatmeal- this is one of my favorite things to experiment with.  So many different combinations can be made: apples, cherries, nuts, dried fruit, cinnamon, maple syrup, cereal, granola, bananas, jam, brown sugar, honey, peanut butter- mix & match em for a scrumptious AM meal.

How about GRILLED CHEESE? A classic American comfort food, it's something I grew up on- grilled cheese served with tomato soup (probably one of the best combinations ever).  But, come on- how about spicing it up a little?!  This recipe is from the book Cook This, Not That.  I don't know, maybe I'm weird but when I saw this recipe I thought it looked delicious.  One of my go-to snacks is apple slices with cheese and crackers.  This just seemed like my fave snack in meal form, plus bacon.  Who can turn down bacon?

The result, in my mind (and mouth) was delicious.  The apples & Dijon mustard add a tart/tangy taste that really complements the sharp cheddar.  Okay so my teenage brothers thought the apple idea was a little strange and ended up taking out the apples, but everyone else liked it.  

Are you willing to give it a try? I dare you. You just might love it.

Grilled Cheese with Apples and Bacon

1 Tbsp butter

8 slices whole-grain bread

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

6 oz. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (or cheddar cheese slices)

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and sliced

8 strips cooked bacon

Heat the butter in a large skillet or nonstick saute pan over low heat.  Slather 4 slices of bread with the mustard, then divide the cheese, apples, and bacon among them.  (I would suggest starting with a little cheese on the bottom, and some on the top as well). Top with the other bread slices and add to the hot pan.  The key to a great grilled cheese (crispy crust, melted cheese) is patience, so cook these slowly until each side is deep brown and crunchy, about 10-12 minutes total.

Makes 4 servings

Nutrition:  330 calories, 15 g fat (6g saturated), 790mg sodium