cheddar

Did anyone notice anything different about the cornbread in Wednesday’s Turkey Chili post? If you looked closely, you might have been able to see that they were actually studded with bacon! And not just bacon, but bacon and cheddar cheese! Don’t you like how I make my chili healthier by swapping in turkey, then make my cornbread more unhealthy by adding bacon! Oh well!

Sometimes it’s truly about balance. You have to give up some fat in the chili to add some fat to the cornbread. And let me tell you, it was worth it. I couldn’t stop at just one cornbread muffin, they were so addicting!

I followed a basic cornbread muffin batter recipe for the base, but added in a little bit more sugar to balance out the saltiness from the bacon and cheese. Once the batter was whipped up, I folded in the bacon and shredded cheddar. It was so easy I wondered why I hadn’t been adding more fixin’s to my cornbread ages ago! I mean, corn bread is just fine on it’s own, but it can also be a great canvas to add some other wonderful flavors!

Next time I may try:

Jalapeno
Roasted corn kernels
Chorizo
Orange zest and cranberries
Rosemary and garlic

I am sure there are unlimited options out there, but the bacon and cheddar may be my favorite. Sure, I am probably biased. But it’s good y’all (Man, the Southerner is really coming out in mean writing about cheddar bacon cornbread)! The cornbread is sweet and soft, the bacon is salty with a bit of a crunch, and the cheese just adds an extra layer of saltiness and cheesy goodness.

Plus, if you are eating these with chili, there is a good chance you may be adding these toppings to your bowl anyways, why not have them all in one spot?!

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[amd-yrecipe-recipe:92]

You know what is an awesome, unexpected addition to a grilled cheese? Apples! A little random, I know, but it is apple season after all. I’m not totally sure what inspired this sandwich, other than the abundance of apples at the grocery store and the brie in my fridge. I was just going to eat the apples and brie on their own, but why not put them in between some bread.

I made one version of this sandwich with brie and another, for my husband, with cheddar. If you don’t like brie or cheddar (um, you are crazy!), you can make this sandwich with any cheese that pairs well with cheese (Munster, white cheddar, Gouda, blue cheese).

The key to a good grilled cheese sandwich is butter. I like to make sure that my pan is heavily coated in butter before toasting the bread. I’m already eating a grilled cheese sandwich, why should I be worried about a few extra calories.

Once the bread is nice and warm, I layer on the cheese and other toppings, in this case apples and turkey. When the cheese starts so get a bit melted, I put the two sides together. To help the cheese along, I will sometimes cover the pan until the cheese starts to ooze out the sides.

This sandwich would also be excellent as a panini! Just be careful if you make it with brie, because that brie will be melted all over the place. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

So if you are looking to mix up your grilled cheese sandwich, add a few slices of apple. It adds a little bit of a crunch and some sweetness to balance the salty from the cheese. At the very least, I am pretty sure adding apple slices qualifies this sandwich as health food. That’s how it works right?

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[amd-yrecipe-recipe:79]

Cheddar Bacon Cornbread Muffins

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Turkey and Apple Grilled Cheese Sandwiches