# A different kind of grilled cheese sandwich



## VeraBlue (Mar 11, 2007)

Who doesn't love a grilled cheese sandwich???  Especially for breakfast...

Several years ago, with the discovery of Balthazar's Bakery in NYC, I created a very special breakfast grilled cheese sandwich.

1 loaf of chocolate bread, sliced.  (Balthazar's bread is chocolate with huge dark chocolate chunks)

2 8oz cream cheese, softened

1 pint chopped fresh strawberries, or bananas, or apples (grated apples is best)

1/3 c. chopped tosted pecans or walnuts

Heat a heavy pan, add butter, melt.

Blend the cream cheese, fruit and nuts, and spread onto a slice of bread.  Top with another slice.

Grill the sandwich like you'd grill a 'normal' grilled cheese sandwich.  When you flip the sandwich, sprinkle sugar onto the hot top.  ( I like cinnamon sugar).  Finish grilling, and when you place it on the plate, flip it again so you can sugar the other side.

Cut and serve.   It's really nice with hot coffee, or even mimosas!!!!

If you cannot get to Balthazar's bakery in NYC, pepperidge farm makes a really great vanilla swirl bread that is wonderful with this.

When we were in New Orleans last month, I bought a box of bananas foster pralines from Aunt Sally's Praline shoppe.  Today, I chopped up one of the pralines very fine and blended that with the cream cheese.  It was superb!

Hope you like it!


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## Constance (Mar 11, 2007)

That sounds fabulous, Vera. What a great idea! 
I'm a big lover of cinnamon swirl bread. That one would sure be good with apples and cream cheese.


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## VeraBlue (Mar 11, 2007)

Pepperidge farm makes a cinnamon swirl, too, yes??  Hope you like it.


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## Loprraine (Mar 11, 2007)

For breakfast, lunch, or supper, I add very thinly slivered onions, thinly sliced tomato, and if I have chopped herbs, they go on also.


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## cjs (Mar 12, 2007)

Well, MS Vera, you got the juices going with this one - I  make a pumpkin Chocolate loaf that would be so good with apple slices..... (I think I've posted it before, but here it is again -

                      Glazed Chocolate Pumpkin Loaf

  3 1/3           cups  flour
  3               cups  granulated sugar
  2              tsps.  baking soda
  1               tsp.  each: cinnamon -- nutmeg
  4                     eggs -- lightly beaten
  2               cups  canned pure pumpkin
  1                cup  vegetable oil
     2/3           cup  water
     1/2           cup  chopped nuts
  4             ounces  semi-sweet chocolate -- melted
                        Glaze:
  1 1/2           cups  confectioners' sugar -- sifted
  4             Tbsps.  cold water -- (4 to 6)
  1              ounce  semi-sweet chocolate -- melted
  2              tsps.  hot water -- (2 to 4)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Whisk together eggs, pumpkin, oil and water in a medium bowl. Stir into the flour mixture; mix just until blended. Fold in the nuts.

2. Transfer 2 cups of the batter to a small bowl, stir in the melted chocolate. Spoon half of the remaining plain batter into the two greased and floured 9-by-5-inch loaf pans; spoon half the chocolate batter over the top of each pan. Spoon remaining plain batter evenly over the chocolate batter in each pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and dry, about 1 hour, 10 minutes. Cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan to cool completely on wire rack.

3. For glaze, mix confectioners' sugar and cold water in a small bowl until the right drizzling consistency. Transfer half of the mixture to a separate bowl. Stir in chocolate and enough of the hot water to make the right consistency for drizzling. Drizzle white and chocolate glazes in a zigzag pattern on each loaf.
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maybe not glaze for the grilled version - oh my....great idea.


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## CassiesKitchen (Mar 12, 2007)

cjs... OMGS! Decadence. I love combining Pumpkin and chocolate. It always makes such a light, fluffy and moist cake/bread. I am going to give this one a shot!

Vera... YUM!!! I can feel my thurder thighs growling..


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## sattie (Mar 12, 2007)

Sounds yummy!!!!


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## Yakuta (Mar 12, 2007)

Hi Verablue that is such a great and easy recipe.  I appreciate you sharing.  I will make this during Spring break.  I am sure it will be a big hit with my two boys.


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## StirBlue (Mar 12, 2007)

cjs: I will share your Glazed Chocolate Pumpkin Loaf Recipe at the Pumpkin Festival.  
   Of course I will make some sooner than September.  Thanks


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## StirBlue (Mar 12, 2007)

*A different kind of grilled cheese sandwich:  This sounds like a fun sandwich.  I will be looking for a bread recipe.  *

*   I have substituted the grated apple with apple sauce before.  I press out some of the extra moisture.  And sometimes I use apple butter.  *

*   I have used cream cheese for a grilled chicken salad sandwich and that is very good.  *

*   Pralines...you are so lucky!
*


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## VeraBlue (Mar 12, 2007)

StirBlue said:
			
		

> *Pralines...you are so lucky!*


 
I have to go to the French Quarter to get them!!!!!


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## cjs (Mar 13, 2007)

I'm drooling as much this morning as I did yesterday morning!! 

The Chocolate Pumpkin bread recipe came from the Baltimore Sun a few years ago  - was hooked with the first batch!


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## PattY1 (Sep 1, 2008)

Another *different kind of grilled cheese sandwich* .

Good crusty bread. Spread butter on one side of the bread. Pat freshly grated parmesan cheese into butter. Fill with American cheese and what ever Else strikes your fancy ( sharp, Swiss, provolone, mozzarella ect.) Cook as you would a regular grilled cheese sandwich.


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## kitchenelf (Sep 1, 2008)

Vera!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  That was the so sinful!!!!!!!  I may have to start baking just to get the chocolate bread!


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