The Homebody

So it's been a while since I did a post thanks to finals week, Christmas shopping, and traveling back to Florida.  I haven't been home in FOREVER (8 months I think?) so I'm completely taking advantage of the opportunity to be lazy and avoid real life.  My holiday mantra is totally reflected in this grilled cheese.  I basically dug through my parent's fridge, pulled out some food, sat on the porch, cracked a cold one, shot some photos, and built this new sandwich for GCS, all while looking at the beautiful beach in front of my parents house in New Smyrna.  Relaxing, right?

 Here's what I found in my mom's fridge used to make this yummy little grilled cheese:

Ingredients

-2 tabs of Salted Butter
-1/4 cup shredded Gouda
-1/4 cup shredded Herrgard
-a couple sliced Petite Sweet Gherkins
-2 slice of 8 Grain Bread
-2 slices of Organic Ham
-1.5 tbs of Floridian Honey Mustard (1 tbs Stone Ground Mustard mixed with .5 tbs Tupelo Honey)



To make Floridian Honey Mustard you just need to mix some Stone Ground Mustard (1tbs) with a little bit of Tupelo Honey (.5 tbs).  If you're not from the South, you might not have had the chance to taste this delicious southern treat. Tupelo is one of the most expensive types of honey and it's quite hard to find up North. Although my mom ships me a half gallon when I run out (my roommates and I go through a lot of this stuff, seriously.) I basically pump it straight into my veins when I'm back in Florida.  Believe me, it tastes so unique and delicious I just can't get enough.

But anyways let's get back to the point, mix the mustard and honey and spread it on both slices of bread.

After you've smeared on the honey mustard and have got all the grains spread out evenly, lay one of the cheeses on top. I used gouda first for no reason at all.

Then pull apart your ham and lay it on top of the cheese. 

Now it's time for my second favorite part - the sweet petite gherkins!  I love pickles and these little guys are just so crisp, sweet, and addicting.  I probably ate half the jar before I laid them out for the this photo shoot. So after you stop snacking, slice these little guys down the center and evenly distribute them on top of the ham.

Then pile on the last of the cheese, for me, i topped it off with the Herrgard.  This cheese is similar to gouda in taste, but I feel like it also encompasses the taste of swiss cheese and sort of resembles it by the holes that are present in the herrgard wheels. 

After you've got all the ingredients on the sandwich, top it off with the other slice of bread.  I got this delicious loaf of eight grain bread at this little French Bakery - Mon Delice next to my parent's house in NSB aka shark bite capital of the world.

 When it was all ready to go, I melted a tab of butter into my mom's cast iron skillet on medium heat.  I did this because the sandwich was pretty big and I was scared to flip in.  I hate it when all the ingredients fall out all over the place, so this is a sure fire way to avoid that problem.

Once the bread was crisped and golden, I flipped it.  It took me about three minutes on each side.

When it gets like that on the other side, take it off the stove and serve immediately!

I know this time of year can be super stressful, but don't let it get to ya.  Chill out, eat some grilled cheese and enjoy the time you have with your loved ones. 

As my mom just said to me while blasting some Van Morrison "Kenzie, remember, relaxxxxxxx"

xoxo,

GCS