Grilled Spinach Apple Cheddar Wraps

With graduation just around the corner and the job-search in full swing, I have been constantly thinking about the future.  This usually makes me feel like I am about to cry/I can't stop smiling.  I've been on one crazy emotional roller coaster.

I have also spent some time each weekend trying out a new recipe because I really want to get good at coming up with healthy recipes that I can take with me for school lunches.  I like to come up with things that are very tasty and comforting while also nutritious.  Today's recipe is all of these things! Bri and I made these Grilled Spinach Apple Cheddar Wraps last weekend and they were awesome! I made extras and took them for lunch during the week.  The flavors here are amazing.  I used a mustard that had quite the zing to it then added the comforting, melty cheese, healthy spinach, and tart/crunch apples.  It was awesome how simply eating lunch could brighten my day because I made that lunch and was proud of it!

Grilled Spinach Apple Cheddar Wraps

Ingredients:
4 whole wheat flatbread wraps
4 tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 cup spinach
1/2 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
1 granny smith apple
butter (I used Brummel & Brown)

Directions:
1. Spread a layer of butter on one side of the flatbread.
2. Spread 1 tbsp of mustard on the other side.  Then, place some spinach and apple slices on top.  Finally sprinkle about 1/4 cup of cheese on top.  Roll up into a wrap.
3. Place wrap in a pan and heat over medium heat for about 4 minutes.  Turn over and heat for another 4 minutes.

Enjoy :)

Grilled Cheese Sliders

Today it was back to school for me.  It felt so strange to wake up so early, but after a great start of my car working (this was not looking good after all that snow) and a fun share with the kids on what we did over break, I was feeling ready to be back.

School was pretty fun.  We played Square Root Bingo as a review and it was fun to see the kids getting into the game and remembering all the stuff they learned before break.  

After school, I had a quick lunch and then it was off to work.  I have two more weeks of work before I am done and start my full-time student teaching.  I can't believe I only have two more weeks!  

Anyways, now I am still at work, I am exhausted, and I am trying to keep myself motivated to go work out after this.  I don't know where I am going to find the energy, but I will try my best.  

I am pretty pumped about the post I have today.  Over break, I made grilled cheese sliders and they were super cute.  They were also super yummy.  My mom and I bought 4 kids of cheese, some tomatoes, and got to work.  It was great!  This is the perfect party food.  We had these guys at our little Game Day event and it was perfect for lunch! 

Grilled Cheese Sliders

Ingredients:

1 french baguette

about 16 slices of cheese (we had cheddar, white cheddar, provolone, and swiss)

3 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced

butter

Directions:

1. Slice the bread into 1/2 inch slices.  Spread a thin layer of butter on one side of each piece.  Place your cheese and tomatoes onto the un-buttered part of the bread.  Make a sandwich.  

2.  Place the butter side of the bread down in a pan and cook on medium-high heat for about 3-4 minutes.  Flip to the other side and cook until lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes.  

Enjoy :)

Caprese Grilled Cheese

I had a grilled cheese fest over winter break and I made 4 different kinds of grilled cheese.  The caprese grilled cheese turned out really great except I found myself wanting to modify a few parts.  We are having our traditional Grey's Anatomy night tonight and for dinner we wanted to make something comforting, easy, and delicious.  The obvious solution to satisfy these three needs was: Caprese Grilled Cheese.

Grey's night is always interesting, but somehow tonight was special.  First of all, Emily, we discovered, had never cut a tomato before.  So we taught her...it turned out something like this:

Then, we had some of my Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins and while they were delicious, they did something funny to us where we became this strange mix of exhausted and hyper all at once.  Plus, to top things off, our friend Lauren works at a candy store and she brought us chocolate hearts.  So then we ate more chocolate.  Basically we ended up being incredibly silly. Oh, and on Wednesdays we decided to wear pink...

Caprese Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:
8 slices of bread (to make 4 sandwiches)
butter
4 cups low-fat mozzarella cheese
2 large tomatoes
bunch of fresh basil (we actually used dried, but it worked out great)
balsamic vinaigrette
garlic powder

Directions:
1. Let the tomatoes soak in the balsamic with the garlic and basil for about 30 minutes.
2. Heat a large pan on medium heat.  Lightly butter the slices of toast on one side. Build the grilled cheese sandwiches: dust with garlic powder (on non-buttered side) place 1/2 cup shredded cheese, 1 thick slice of tomato, few leaves of basil, 1/2 cup shredded cheese, drizzle with balsamic and top with other slice.  The buttered ends should be facing outwards.  Place in pan and cook covered for about 4 minutes.  Flip the sandwich and cover for another 4 minutes or until cheese is melted and sandwich is grilled.  Repeat for the other 3 sandwiches.
Enjoy :)

Now it is time to watch some Grey's Anatomy!

Grilled Cheese 4 Ways

I'm not sure why I'm so into trying out four different recipes at once, but this was the best idea I've ever had.  For a while, I have wanted to make a million grilled cheese sandwiches and try them out.  Brian is pretty into any recipe that involves bread, cheese, and tomatoes so grilled cheese is basically what he eats in various forms.  I found three great recipes from Closet Cooking and Oscar's Sandwiches.  My mom also just made a pot roast and we have a ton of leftovers.  So, I got creative and made 4 amazing grilled cheeses. And then, Brian and I ate them all...at once...

1. Spinach Pesto Grilled Cheese.  It is important to look at this one first, because the spinach pesto I made inspired by Closet Cooking is what I used for every recipe that calls for pesto.  This pesto is AMAZING, make it.

Ingredients:
4 slices of bread
5 oz gruyere cheese
4 tbsp spinach pesto (see recipe below)
Butter

Directions:
1. Butter two slices of bread.  On the non-buttered side of one slice, spread the pesto and then top with half the gruyere.  Spread pesto on the other non-buttered side of the other slice and place on top.  Heat a skillet to medium heat and place sandwich on skillet.  Flip after 4 minutes or so and grill other side, or until you have a beautiful grilled cheese. Makes 2 sandwiches.

Spinach Pesto

Ingredients:
1 cup packed baby spinach
1/4 cup chopped mix herbs (mint, baby dill, and basil)
1 garlic clove
2 tbsp toasted chopped pecans
1/4 cup feta cheese
3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until well-mixed.

2. Cheddar, Apple, and Spinach Grilled Cheese.  This one is great because Brian refuses to eat spinach and I think spinach is wonderful.  This sandwich actually made him eat spinach! If it works for my boyfriend it probably works for all children :)

Ingredients:
4 slices bread
1 medium apple thinly sliced
1/2 cup baby spinach
2 tbsp dijon mustard
1 cup light cheddar cheese
Butter

Directions:
Butter two slices of bread.  On non-buttered sides, spread dijon mustard.  Then assemble sandwich: cheese, then apples, then spinach, then more cheese.  Place sandwich on medium heat on the skillet and grill until perfection about 4 minutes each side. Makes 2 sandwiches.

3. Caprese Grilled Cheese.  Can't make a bunch of grilled cheeses and not have any tomatoes!

Ingredients:
4 slices of bread
2 thick tomato slices
4 slices of fresh mozzarella (1/2 inch thick)
Spinach Pesto
Butter

Directions:
1. Butter two slices of bread and then spread spinach pesto on the other sides.  Assemble sandwich: 1 slice mozzarella, 1 tomato slice, another slice mozzarella.  Grill over medium heat about 4 minutes each side or until mozzarella is nice and melted.  Makes 2 sandwiches.
Note: I would totally add some balsamic vinegar to this one when I make it again.

4. Pot Roast Grilled Cheese.  What to do with leftover pot roast?  Here's a solution:

Ingredients:
2 slices of bread
1/4 cup shredded pot roast (already cooked and warm)
1/2 cup light cheddar cheese
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/4 cup caramelized onions (saute some onion slices (I used white) in olive oil for 10 minutes or so over medium heat)
Butter

Directions:
1.  Butter 2 slices of bread.  On non-buttered side spread some dijon mustard.  Then assemble sandwich: half the cheese, shredded pot roast, onions, and other half of cheese.  Top with other slice of bread and grill over medium heat about 4 minutes each side.

Note: On all of these I added some garlic powder...it's just so good! I also used whole wheat bread for all of these sandwiches.  Also, I didn't really measure stuff...make it how you want it!

Enjoy :)