Crispy, buttery, melty, cheesy – the grilled cheese sandwich really is the quintessential comfort food – not only delicious but also simple to prepare with ingredients that we almost always have on hand. What could be better?! For those of us who cook, this is truly an easy thing to prepare, but for those culinarily- impaired folks out there, achieving a good result isn’t always the outcome. That’s because while relatively simple, there is an art to making a perfect grilled cheese.

Let’s start by defining the perfect grilled cheese. There are virtually endless variations on this classic, but all should meet certain standards. An excellent grilled cheese strikes the perfect balance between crunchy on the outside and gooey on the inside. The outside of the sandwich is golden, crispy, and in my opinion, buttery! The cheese must be melted so that when you pull apart the two halves, you get that iconic melted cheese stretch.

At its most basic, a grilled cheese has three ingredients: fat, bread, and cheese. However, within those simple elements, the options abound.

The fat you choose partly determines the outside texture and taste of the sandwich. I prefer salted butter for a basic grilled cheese, but because it can burn at a relatively low temperature, using this fat requires more attention and patience during cooking. Others like to use an oil of some sort. This more forgiving fat takes a higher temp to burn, and you still get the desired crispness. For some flavor profiles, oil can be the best choice. Finally, some chefs claim that mayonnaise is the perfect medium for the grilled cheese on the basis that it doesn’t burn as quickly as butter, it doesn’t stick to the pan, and it browns and crisps more evenly. It also tastes like hot mayonnaise – tangy and, in my opinion, not half as nice as butter.

The bread you use is a major factor in the success of your grilled cheese. While I’m sure I’ve used bagels and hamburger buns to make a melted cheese sandwich in the past, for the purposes of the perfect grilled cheese, I am going to insist on sliced bread. In other words, there can be crust around the edges but not covering the whole outside of the sandwich. Other than that, anything goes -- from the whitest store-bought sandwich loaf to rye to rustic homemade whole grain; most any sliced bread is great for a fabulous grilled cheese.

Since cheese is in the name of the dish, you might guess that it’s the most important element of the grilled cheese, and you’d be right! However, if you think you must only use certain kinds of cheese, you’d be wrong. One of the beauties of this simple comfort food is that virtually any cheese that melts can be used. From the most basic American cheese slice to the fanciest imported French brie, if you like the flavor and it melts, you can use it for a grilled cheese sandwich. I find that grated cheese melts more quickly and evenly than sliced cheese. Bags of pre-grated cheese are convenient and are usually fine, but if we’re making the perfect grilled cheese, block cheese that you grate freshly melts more evenly and cohesively. In my opinion, if you have the time, grating it at home is optimal.

Now that we have all the ingredients ready, it is time to cook the grilled cheese sandwich. The basic steps are: butter your bread, place a slice into the heated pan, sprinkle on the cheese, top with the remaining slice of bread and cook until golden brown on both sides making sure that the cheese has fully melted.

The key to getting that golden-brown bread and melted cheese is the heat. The higher the heat the quicker your bread is going to brown and the lower the heat the longer it will take. This means that cooking at a lower temperature will allow you to cook for longer; thus, giving the heat time to penetrate the sandwich and melt the cheese. I find that pre-heating my pan to medium heat and then lowering the temperature to one notch below medium works best for your basic grilled cheese sandwich.

The requisite tools are instruments that every kitchen has:

Frying pan – My number 1 “go-to” for this type of cooking is the iron skillet, but any skillet could work. Non-stick is preferable. A griddle, panini maker, or an electric skillet could all produce excellent results.

Spatula – A food turner with a wide, flat blade works best.

Knife – This for buttering the bread and cutting the sandwich.

Step 1:

Preheat your cooking surface over medium heat.

Step 2:

Butter one side of a slice of bread. Softened or melted butter is best. Place bread slice, buttered side down, into the heated skillet and lower heat to medium-low.

Step 3:

Place cheese on top of bread. (You choose your preferred bread to cheese ratio.)

Step 4:

Butter one side of another slice of bread. Place bread on top of cheese, butter side up.

Step 5:

Turn sandwich over once golden brown on the bottom. Be patient. You want to achieve that golden outside AND have a melty inside.

Low (heat) and slow timing (be patient) is one of the keys to ensuring your cheese melts at approximately the same rate that the bread toasts. Keep the heat in the medium to medium-low range and adjust it as you cook. (Pressing down with the wide spatula or putting weight on the sandwich as each side cooks can help produce an evenly browned and evenly melted grilled cheese. I’ve been known place a smaller iron skillet on top of the sandwich to give it a panini-like finish.)

Step 6:

Once golden brown on both sides and melted in the middle, cut in half on the diagonal (this is not optional! 😉) and serve hot.

Easy peasy grilled cheesy...The basic grilled cheese on its own is wonderful, but it is also the perfect canvas on which to show your creativity. Obvious add-ons like tomato slices, avocado, or sliced apples are great, but for really taking a grilled cheese to the next level, check out these recipes using Bellisari’s Spreads: https://bit.ly/2tpn5kZ and https://bit.ly/2BFPozX.

Did you know that Bellisari’s Spreads and Sauces are the perfect soup starter in the winter? Let’s face it, soup is like comfort in a bowl and when the weather outside is -30 below one day and 57 degrees the next I need a little comforting. Like many of you, my schedule is so crazy, and I don’t have time to create a 14-ingredient soup. Many times, due to sports, I am throwing something together in the morning before work so these flavor packed jars help me to created the perfect last minute meal.

There is nothing better than a hot soup and a crusty bread to enjoy after a long day at work, school or running your kids around all day.

Bacon, Blue & Shallot Potato Soup

Yields 6-8 Servings

Ingredients

1 lb bacon cooked and chopped

4-5 large potatoes

2 cups shredded cheese

​1 ​celery​, diced​

​1 shredded ​carrot

​1/2 cup​ sour cream

2 cans evaporated milk

1/2 jar (at least) Bellisari's Blue Cheese Honey & Shallot Spread

1 bunch of green onion, diced-save some for garnish (optional)

Directions

Dice potatoes (with or without skin), cover with water, add salt to the water and cook until tender to the fork. While potatoes are boiling cook bacon, crumble and set aside. Once potatoes are tender, reduce heat to low. There should be at least two cups of water in the potatoes, you may add more if needed. Combine all ingredients with 1 cup of shredded cheese and simmer for at least an hour stirring regularly. Serve with green onion and remaining cheese on top.

Balsamic Onion Soup

Yields 4-6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

3 Jars of Bellisari’s Balsamic Shallot and Black Garlic Spread

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons fresh thyme, picked and chopped or poultry seasoning

1 bay leaf, fresh or dried

1/2 cup dry sherry

5 cups beef stock

4 thick slices crusty bread, toasted

2 1/2 cups shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese

Directions

Heat a deep pot over medium to medium high heat. Pour in the jars of Bellisari’s Balsamic Shallot and Black Garlic Spread. Add butter to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and 1 teaspoon fresh thyme. Cook 15 to 18 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender, sweet and caramel colored. Add bay leaf and sherry to the pan. Add 5 cups stock and cover pot to bring soup up to a quick boil.

Arrange 4 small, deep soup bowls or crocks on a cookie sheet. Preheat broiler to high. Once soup reaches a boil, ladle it into bowls. Float toasted crusty bread on soup and cover each bowl with a mound of cheese. Sprinkle remaining fresh thyme on cheese and place cookie sheet with soup bowls on it under hot broiler until cheese melts and bubbles.

Spicy Saigon Veggie Noodle Soup, makes 5 - 6 servings by Erin Warnke

The unique flavor of Bellisari’s Saigon Street Sauce adds the perfect amount of heat and garlic to this veggie-packed noodle soup!

Ingredients

1 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed or cooked per package instructions

1 large carrot, grated

2 heads broccoli, chopped into small florets

1 8oz package of brown rice noodles (I use Annie Chuns)

½ container Bellisari’s Saigon Street Sauce

7 cups vegetable broth

For toppings: chopped cilantro and thinly sliced green onion

Directions

Bring the 7 cups of broth to a light boil. Add the broccoli and cook for 3 – 4 minutes. Add the brown rice noodles and cook at a gentle boil for 2 – 4 minutes (use package instructions). In the last minute of cooking, stir in the edamame and carrot.

Once the noodles are done cooking, remove from heat and stir in the Bellisari’s Saigon Street Sauce. Top with cilantro and green onion!

I’ve often wondered if natural food aphrodisiacs work for sparking romance. What better time to find out then on Valentine’s Day? For thousands of years, “love potions” have been around to intrigue us in both the kitchen and the bedroom. In Roman times, the Romans worshiped the apple as their aphrodisiac and today, although not proven, everything from spices to honey and chocolate have made the list.

Chocolate: Chocolate is sensual, from its taste to its aroma, but dark chocolate has also been shown to cause a spike in dopamine, which induces feelings of pleasure. *

Strawberries: Feed them to each other for a healthy, vitamin C-packed dessert that helps keep blood flowing to all regions of the body.

Artichokes: This veggie’s aphrodisiac foods reputation comes mostly from legend and the intimacy of eating it with another, pulling off the leaves to reach the center. But it is packed with vitamins and antioxidants, which are critical to proper body function and blood flow.

Honey: Honey is made through pollination and is a symbol of procreation. Birds and bees ring a bell? In fact, the word ‘honeymoon’ originates from mead, an alcoholic beverage made from honey given to the happy new bride and groom. It also contains boron, which helps regulate estrogen and testosterone levels and provides a natural energy boost.

Chili Peppers: This invigorating spice has an exotic reputation and a bright red color, which could be why chili peppers are considered natural aphrodisiac foods and a symbol of love. But there’s scientific backing, too. Chili peppers stimulate endorphins (the brain’s feel-good chemicals), speed up heart rate and make you sweat, which all mimic how you feel when you’re aroused.

Avocado: It could be the sensuous pear shape, or the rich flavor of the fruit that gave avocado its aphrodisiac reputation as far back as the Aztecs. And while the jury is still out on just how lustful avocados are the fruit’s high levels of vitamin E could help keep the spark alive because of its role in helping your skin maintain a “youthful appearance.”

Arugula: According to gourmetsleuth.com, this peppery plant has been documented as a natural aphrodisiac since the first century A.D. The minerals and antioxidants found in dark leafy greens like arugula have also been proven to block environmental contaminants that could negatively harm libido.

Olive: Packed with antioxidants, olives and their oil have been used for centuries for health. The Greeks believed these aphrodisiac foods made men more virile as well. Olive oil is a good source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are critical for a healthy heart, blood flow, and hormone production.

Figs: Used by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the fig paradoxically symbolizes both sexuality (the ripe fruit with seeds representing fertility) and modesty (the fig leaf). They are full of potassium and are an antioxidant powerhouse.

Pomegranate: These bright gems enclosed in a thick rose husk are filled with antioxidants which support blood flow.

Many hopeless romantics have tailored their Valentines Dinner to include the foods above and we have paired a few with Bellisari’s Spreads and Sauces to make it easy for you.

Appetizer: Steamed Artichokes with Bellisari’s Blue Cheese, Honey & Shallot Spread dipping sauce. http://flavorrd.com/2015/02/instant-pot-pressure-steamed-artichokes/

Salad: Arugula with pomegranates, diced avocado. In a separate bowl add 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 3 tbsp. olive oil, 2 tablespoons of Bellisari’s Blistered Jalapeño & Fig Spread, 1 shallot finely chopped. Whisk together lemon juice, oil, shallots, and Bellisari’s Blistered Jalapeño & Fig Spread in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Entrée: Laced with honey and chili peppers, this recipe is perfect for Valentines Day.

https://thespicetrain.com/asian-noodle-salad/

Dessert: https://bellisaris.com/pages/basil-cupcakes-with-strawberries-balsamic-shallot-and-black-garlic-sauce

*originally posted on Readers Digest.

It’s a slow cooker! It’s a rice cooker! It’s a steamer…no wait, it’s an instant pot. If you haven’t heard, this 7-in-1 kitchen appliance can multitask, functioning as an electric pressure cooker, sauté/browning pan, warmer, and yogurt maker. Yes, yogurt maker.

As much time, money, and space as the thing already saves you, there are always a few instant pot tips and hacks to make the most of the full wonderfulness of this kitchen sorcery.

Instant pot hack 1. Know how to convert your favorite recipes for the instant pot.

You should already know by your basic knowledge of the instant pot that cooking in a pressure cooker is definitely not the same as traditional stovetop or oven.

One example is how milk and high heat don’t do well together. If your recipe does call for some dairy products, add them AFTER your meal is cooked and the appliance depressurized. This will prevent your meal from getting burnt and ruined.

Insta-pot hack 2. Use this cheat sheet for instant pot cooking times.

Foods don’t all cook the same in the pot. To avoid the confusion of keeping track of the individual cook times of every ingredient, use this handy electric pressure cooker time chart. Stick in a sheet protector and tape to the cupboard just above your beloved instant pot for easy reference.

Instant pot tip 3. Use the pot-in-pot method to cook multiple items at once.

You don’t necessarily need to use a pot for this, but any oven-safe glass container or even this stackable stainless-steel steamer basket will do. The idea is to keep foods you don’t want mixing together separated yet still cooked in one go.

Pro tip: Cut down your cooking time, literally. If you’re worried about the different cook times of your food items with the pot-in-pot method, cut the foods that take longer to cook into smaller pieces. You should also place these foods on the bottom, and quicker cooking foods on top for the best use of heat.

Instant pot hack 4. Get acquainted with sauté mode.

The pressure cooker function can already cut your cooking time in half, but it still takes 10-20 minutes for the pressure to build up before your Insta-pot can do its speedy cooking thing.

One workaround is to set to sauté mode and throw in some foods that could use sautéing. Use the time to prepare the rest of your ingredients, toss in, then switch to pressure cooking, since the heat builds up faster this way.*

Insta pot Balsamic Mushroom Risotto

Yields: 5 ½ cups

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 jar of Bellisari’s Balsamic Shallot and Black Garlic Spread

1 lb. wild mushrooms, trimmed, sliced

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cups carnaroli or arborio rice

½ cup white wine

3 ½ cups vegetable or chicken stock

Chopped parsley and finely grated Parmesan (for serving)

Preparation

Set Instant Pot on medium heat or "Sauté" and pour oil into cooker insert. Add mushrooms and cook until any moisture they've released is evaporated and they start to brown, about 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add onion, stir to combine, and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add rice and stir until chalky white, about 3 minutes. Add wine and cook until mostly evaporated, about 3 minutes. Stir in stock. Lock on lid, making sure steam-release valve is in the proper sealed position. Select “Manual” and program for 5 minutes at high pressure (it will take about 10 minutes for the pressure to build before cooking automatically begins).

As soon as the time has elapsed, turn off cooker, “Quick Release” the steam, and unlock lid. Add the 1 jar of Bellisari’s Balsamic Shallot and Black Garlic Spread. Stir with a wooden spoon; season with salt and pepper. Divide risotto among bowls. Top with parsley and Parmesan and serve.

*Adapted from mommyoverwork.com article

Why did I wait so long to try Totchos? I remember my friend Kate calling and telling me she made her own version of Totchos with our Bellisari’s Blue Cheese, Honey and Shallot Spread and what a hit it was in her house. It inspired me to try a few different recipes with our spreads and sauces and what better day to serve them than Super Bowl Sunday. The love child of tots and nachos “totchos” are the perfect way to hack a bag of frozen tater tots and please your football party guests and since tater tots are a staple in this house- why not try and sneak some vegetables in on them?! Shhhh.

Suggestions:

Basic Totchos- layer tater tots on baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes per directions on bag. Remove from oven and layer with diced avocados, fresh sliced jalapeños, fresh pico and fresh lime juice (see photo). Serve immediately.

Pizza Totchos- layer tater tots on baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes per directions on bag. Remove and spread 1 cup of Bellisari’s Calabrian and Sweet Tomato Fennel Spread, ½ cup of pepperoni, ½ cup of cooked sausage, black olives and 2 cups of mozzarella cheese. Place back in the oven for 6-8 minutes at same temperature. Serve immediately.

Saigon Pulled Pork Totchos- layer tater tots on baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes per directions on bag. Layer with 2 cups of Bellisari’s Saigon pulled pork and 1 cup of Saigon slaw. Serve immediately.

Blue Cheese, Honey & Shallot Totchos- layer tater tots on baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes per directions on bag. Layer with 2 cups of diced cooked chicken, 2 Tbsp. Bellisari’s Blue Cheese Honey & Shallot Spread and 2 Tbsp. Sriracha sauce and place back in the oven for 6-8 minutes. Remove and garnish with diced green onions. Serve immediately.

Recipe:

Brussels Sprouts & Totchos

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

2 cups brussels sprouts, sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons of Bellisari’s Blistered Jalapeno & Fig Spread

1 package frozen tater tots

1 cup of goat cheese

2 cups of diced cooked bacon

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Place sliced brussels sprouts, bacon and Bellisari’s Blistered Jalapeno & Fig Spread in a bowl and toss before spreading them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top. Roast for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven to cool. Spray another baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Place tater tots on baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle goat cheese on top. Then place brussels sprouts and bacon mixture on top. Serve immediately!