Sunrise Grilled Cheese Breakfast Sandwich

If you have read a few of my recipes, then you may have correctly deduced that I like to tinker.  I find it incredibly difficult to leave a recipe as I found it. I have had great successes.  A vegan brioche loaf made without eggs during our egg free years comes to mind.

I have also had my share of inedible failures.  The memory of a recipe purported to be Katherine Hepburn’s legendary brownies still makes me cringe.  After attempting to create it on three separate occasions I had to admit defeat, put the spatula down, and slowly back away from the mixing bowl.

When I was contacted by Foodie.com regarding their contest to commemorate National Grilled Cheese Month, my tinkering culinary tendencies went into high gear.  Trying to improve upon grilled cheese in a unique way would be tricky.  Carefully selecting a specific type of bread or featuring my family’s favorite raw milk cheddar seemed like too small a leap.  If I wanted to catch someone’s attention, I was going to have to get more creative.  I set my sights on a grilled cheese sandwich to grace a breakfast plate.

It also seemed like a worthy goal to create a grilled cheese sandwich that my family would enjoy eating.   I am happy to say that I did just that.  In fact, when my children tasted this version, they raved and then immediately put in their request for tomorrow’s breakfast.

This week, there will be more grilled cheese recipes to share from the 1840 Farm kitchen.  I don’t know if any of my recipes will garner attention from the contest judges.   I’m content knowing that my two favorite food critics declared this one a winner.

Sunrise Grilled Cheese Breakfast Sandwich
makes one sandwich

While this recipe calls for my favorite homemade clementine marmalade, a high quality prepared marmalade could be substituted.  If you don’t enjoy goat cheese, mascarpone or cream cheese could be used based on your preference.  If you don’t have a grill pan, don’t despair.  You can use a standard heavy bottomed skillet and create a sandwich without the grill lines, but with just as delicious a result.

2 slices of your favorite sandwich bread
4 Tablespoons goat cheese spread
2 Tablespoonsclementine marmalade
1 teaspoon butter

Spread 2 Tablespoons of goat cheese spread on each slice of bread.  Add the marmalade to one slice and then top with the other piece of bread.  Warm a grill pan over medium high heat.  Once pan is hot, add the butter and melt completely.

Add the prepared sandwich to the hot pan and reduce the heat to medium.  Grill for two minutes before turning one-quarter turn to create perpendicular grill marks.  After another two minutes, flip the sandwich and repeat the process on the other side.  Carefully lift a corner of the sandwich to confirm that the cheese has melted and the marmalade is warm.  Allow extra time if necessary to melt the cheese and warm the marmalade.

Once the cheese and marmalade are ready, remove the sandwich from the pan and allow to cool for one minute.  Slice the grilled sandwich in half and serve warm.  Enjoy!