Don’t Grill Us: We’ll Give You Our Grilled Cheese Secrets!

It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for – April is GRILLED CHEESE MONTH. You know that we indulge in grilled cheese whether it’s Grilled Cheese Month or not, but this is the time of year to up your grilled cheese game and step away from the simple recipe of cheddar and white bread. (Not that we don’t LOVE cheddar and white bread, but we just know it’s time for you to try something a little bit different!) We’ll give you the inside scoop on a few add-ons that will up the ante on your next cheesy treat. And trust us, you’ll be saying thanks after just one bite.

You’ve probably had bacon in your grilled cheese (and if you haven’t tried that out yet, it’s amazing). But let’s take it up a notch! Speck is a thinly sliced, Prosciutto-like meat that is velvety, herbal, and just a little bit smoky. The whole muscle is smoked over beechwood for hours, then pressed in a crust of juniper, thyme, sage, and fennel. Think of it as smoked bacon’s fancy older brother. Spread some fig spread on a rustic wholegrain bread, add some super melty Fontina Fontal, and layer the speck in the middle and, PRESTO: Grilled cheese magic.

You’ve done meat, now let’s talk about spreads. Now, we love being able to dip our sammies in sauce (think a French Dip or anything with gravy). But you should really consider spreading instead of dipping! Take a meaty cheddar, like Montgomery’s Cheddar, and spread a heaping spoonful of Puddletown Pub Chutney on some sourdough bread. The chutney, made from apples and onions that are soaked in an espresso stout, is going to impart flavors you didn’t even know existed (basically, it’s autumn in a jar) and bring a warm, comforting feeling that is perfect for a rainy day.

Okay, you’ve probably tried (or at least heard of) brie and granny smith apples in a grilled cheese before. But now’s the time to step up your game with that too. Forget about the brie – go with Camembert instead. Those earthy notes and buttery flavors will perfectly balance out the tart granny smith apples. Need to crank it up one more notch? Try Mike’s. Hot. Honey. Not only is it going to accentuate the sweetness, but it’ll add a spicy kick to the sandwich that you didn’t know you needed.

 

Baked Brie: Great Ideas for the Ultimate Holiday Treat

We don’t mean to toot our own horn, but we feel we must tell you: Murray’s Brie Baker is going to be your favorite part of the upcoming holiday season. Follow our easy recipe suggestions and you’ll have an impressive appetizer or dessert in just 15 minutes!

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Here are some classic combinations for the holidays:

simple__brie_baker23Simple:Keep it simple and top your baked brie with fig spread, honey, or strawberry jam. Really, anything spreadable will work!

savory__brie_baker26Savory: A mixture of ¼ cup chopped roasted tomatoes, ¼ cup chopped artichokes, and 2 tablespoons chopped pitted olives. Combine with 1 tablespoon capers and a pinch of fresh black pepper.

sweet__brie_baker47Sweet: A mixture of ¼ cop chopped pecans and ¼ cup chopped dried apricots. Combine with 1/3 cup fig spread, ¼ cup dried cherries, and a pinch of ground cinnamon

Here’s what to do:

  1. Place an 8 oz. Mini Brie or Camembert in a Murray’s Brie Baker.
  2. Pick your flavor combination and mix up your topping.
  3. Spread the mixture over the cheese.
  4. Bake in a preheated 350° F oven for 15 minutes.
  5. Become known to all as the Host/Hostess with the Most/Mostess.

brie_encroute_fig_jamOther Baked Brie ideas:

  • Go for simple sweetness with fig spread (included in Baked Brie Set).
  • Wrap the brie in puff pastry and add any topping.
  • Go for a savory appetizer and top with roasted mushrooms, olives, thyme, and parsley.
  • Check out 23 other great Baked Brie ideas here!

23 Ideas for Spicing Up Your Baked Brie

Whether wrapped in buttery puff-pastry or prepared in a traditional ceramic brie baker, melty baked Brie makes for easy and impressive entertaining. We often eat these gooey creations with sweeter toppings, like fig spread or cherries. But baked Brie is incredibly versatile, and savory creations shouldn’t be forgotten, especially as a holiday season appetizer. We love this BuzzFeed list of 23 inspiring recipes for baked Brie—they highlight a wide variety of flavors and toppings. Here are two that we really love, and you can check out the whole list here.

Roasted garlic and honey pairs savory and sweet beautifully!

enhanced-buzz-4161-1386995050-10Mushrooms and thyme bring out Brie’s naturally earthy flavors.

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Via BuzzFeed