A couple weekends ago I met up with a friend for a picnic. We went to Promontory Point and it ended up being a really relaxing afternoon. I need to picnic more often! We’d been planning this picnic for about a week and I was going to make these Bulgogi Lettuce Wraps and my favorite, gimbap. That didn’t happen.
You see, the day before I went to a Cubs game with friends. After, we went bar hopping in Wrigley, pretending we were 22 year-olds and fooling nobody. Wah Wah. Long story short I was exhausted the next day and bulgogi and gimbap were way out of my league.
I went to Mariano’s in search of snacks that involved zero work. I ended up with fruit, hummus and veggies and cheese and crackers. While I was deciding on a cheese, a random shopper told me I had to get Merkts Cheddar because it was the best. I took her advice and she was right. But then I started wondering…why did I not know that Merkts was like…a thing? I had never even heard of it! Anybody else with me?
I told Kara about my new find, Merkts Cheddar and that I wanted to try a Merkts Grilled Cheese. Of course she said her friend Melissa had JUST had a Merkts grilled cheese the other night when they all went out to dinner. So apparently I’m not the inventor of Merkts grilled cheese.
Either way, our Merkts Grilled Cheese turned out fantastic and I definitely found my new favorite grilled cheese and my new favorite snacking cheese.
Here’s what you’ll need. Of course I forgot the star ingredient, Merkt’s Cheese
Start by buttering the outsides of the Texas Toast. Softened butter is important
On the inside of the bread, slather on some Merkt’s
Cook some bacon in the oven, then cut the pieces in half
Butter a pan, build your sandwich and cook over low heat
Ridiculously amazing
- 4 slices Texas Toast (or your favorite bread)
- 2 tablespoons Merkts Cheddar (we used Port Wine Cheddar)
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2 slices bacon
- 1 beefsteak tomato, cut into thick slices
- ½ cup white cheddar, shredded
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay the bacon in a single layer. Cook until crisp, 18-20 minutes. Keep an eye on the bacon so it does not burn. When done, remove from oven to cool and cut in half.
- Meanwhile, butter the outsides of 4 pieces of bread. Spread a tablespoon of Merkts Cheese onto 2 of the insides.
- Heat a large pan with non-stick spray or a pad of butter over low heat.
- Place 2 pieces of toast on the pan with the butter side down and the cheese side up. Layer a generous amount white cheddar on top of the Merkts. Top with 2 halves of bacon and a couple tomato slices. Finish with the remaining bread slices, butter side facing up.
- Cook low and slow, flipping occasionally. You want the cheese in the inside to be gooey and warm and the toast to be golden and crisp. It should take abut 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest for about a minute before cutting in half and serving.
