Spinach Artichoke Melts for Grilled Cheese Month

You know it's grilled cheese month, right?

It's the perfect time to take a moment of silence and truly appreciate the miracle that happens when you put great bread and delicious cheese together.

Living in Wisconsin, we're surrounded by mounds and mounds of delectable artisan cheese. And yet, sometimes we forget how lucky we really are. Grilled cheese month is a nice reminder that living in one of the cheesiest states in the union has its advantages.

This year, when we thought about concocting a sandwich to celebrate GC Month, we were looking to create something a little bit outside of the box. Two of our favorite things just happen to be grilled cheese sandwiches and spinach artichoke dip. So, as we puttered in the kitchen one day we thought, why not combine the two?

These delicious melts are the result of our experimentation. 

Deliciously cheesy, with all the flavor of a great spinach artichoke dip and the gooey cheesiness of the best grilled cheese sandwich you’ve ever made, they’re made even better by a crisp exterior created by grilling the sandwiches with real butter -- also a hot commodity here in the Dairy State :)

Spinach Artichoke Melts

©BURP!

The Best of Burp! 2012

 Difficult to believe we're coming to the end of another great year. As it gets to be this time, we always find ourselves looking back, reflecting, and planning for what's ahead -- and that includes a whole new look for 2013. We've been working with a friend and very talented graphic designer, Noel Tanner, to revamp our logo and give the site a bit of a new look in 2013.  If you want a preview, check out our new icon on Facebook. Otherwise, just stay tuned.

In the meantime, we'd like to thank you for your readership, your comments, and your feedback. Burp! wouldn't couldn't exist without you!

As a thanks to all of you, we figured we'd share the top 12 posts on Burp! from 2012 (in order of popularity) ... just in case you missed them.

Top 12 Posts of 2012
These are in order of popularity, # 1 being the most popular post.

1. Crockpot Turkey Meatloaf and Lessons Learned
2. Sweet and Spicy Butter Roasted Chickpeas
3. Roasted Radishes with Tarragon Butter
4. Kicking off Grilled Cheese Month: Melthouse Bistro
5. St. Patrick's Day Recipes
6. No Fuss Spiral Sliced Ham with Pineapple Chutney
7. Coffee Rubbed Ribeye with Chipotle Butter
8. Wonton Crisps - Four Ways
9. Roasted Cauliflower with Rosemary Browned Butter
10. Uses for Sumac: Za'atar Potatoes
11. Easy Baked Chimichangas
12. Creamed Celeriac Soup with Potatoes, Sausage, and Kale 
    

Share in the Comments

As always, we're always listening and open to your feedback.  What was YOUR favorite post? What would you like to see more of in 2013?

©BURP! 

Kicking Off Grilled Cheese Month: Melthouse Bistro Grilled Cheese Reception

  Some of you may remember, way back in 2010, when we ventured off to Madison, Wisconsin for the launch party for the Grilled Cheese Academy web site.  It was a glorious celebration of all things cheese -- and a celebration that would be pretty difficult to beat, by any standards.

But, the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board is doing it again.  This year, they're sponsoring another grilled cheese reception on Wednesday, March 21st from 5:30pm - 8pm at Milwaukee's first gourmet grilled cheese shop, Melthouse Bistro at 1850 E. Kenilworth Place.


Declared "the perfect lunchtime treat" by A.V. Club - Milwaukee,  Melthouse Bistro has been serving up  hand-crafted grilled cheese sandwiches made with the finest Wisconsin cheeses (like Widmar’s 4-Year Aged Sharp Cheddar), mouth watering ingredients (like Thick-Cut Pecanwood Smoked Bacon), and fresh-baked artisan breads, since November of last year.  The event, which kicks of April -- AKA "Grilled Cheese Month" -- will feature grilled cheese sandwich bites, samples of delicious Wisconsin cheeses, and local beer pairings.

It's an invitation-only affair, but we just so happened to have scored a couple of pairs of ticket to give away to our lucky local readers.

If you live in the Milwaukee area and would like to attend this remarkable event, all you need to do is hop over to the Grilled Cheese Academy web site, take a look around, and report back to us regarding which delectable grilled cheese sandwich is YOUR personal favorite. You'll get a bonus entry if you head over to the Burp! Facebook page and give us a "like" (please leave an additional comment letting us know you did). We'll choose TWO winners at random on Thursday, March 15th after NOON; each winner will receive a pair of tickets for the event on March 21st (please make sure you include an email address/contact information if it's not readily available on your profile/blog). Tickets are non-transferable. Please be respectful of other readers and DO NOT ENTER if you know you will be unable to make it to the event on the 21st.

As for those of you who are too far away to make it to Milwaukee, we don't want you to feel left out!  So, we've conjured up a bit of grilled cheese deliciousness just for you:

The Brasserie - featuring Wisconsin Brie, braised short ribs, and pickled red onions on country French bread. [download recipe]

In the mood for dessert?  Why not try The Bianca - with Wisconsin Mascarpone, dulce de leche, and raspberry preserves on cinnamon raisin bread.  [download recipe]

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Over the Top: The Grilled Cheesus Bison Burger & a Cheesy Giveaway

UPDATE & REQUEST:  We entered our Cheesus Burger into Dude Foods Ultimate Grilled Cheese competition -- and we're a finalist.  Please consider taking the time to put in your vote for our behemoth creation by clicking here. You will have to ‘Like’ DudeFoods.com (if you don't already) and then you can ‘Like’ our grilled cheese. Thank you!

Some of you may already know that April is National Grilled Cheese Month.  We have no idea who decides these things, but we heartily approve, as it gives us the perfect opportunity to play with one of our favorite ingredients, Wisconsin cheese.

Needless to say, when we heard that Laura Werlin, James Beard Award-winning author of five books about cheese, was coming out with a new tome just in time for Grilled Cheese Month, we were seriously excited to check it out.  Even better, our friends at the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board offered to send us a copy to review.

We drooled from the moment we opened Grilled Cheese, Please!, which features 50 amazing grilled cheese sandwiches -- from inventive savory classics like Double Cheddar and Tomato Jam to decidedly delicious dessert worthy creations like The Sweetest Thing, a grilled marscapone, raspberry, and chocolate sandwich with slices of melted brie.

Not only is the book a virtual hotbed of inspiration for sandwich lovers like us, but Laura really knows her stuff.  Her grilled cheese tips, which include simple suggestions like using grated cheese to ensure even meltage, and covering the sandwiches during cooking (which locks in the heat and helps the cheese to melt even faster), really make the difference when it comes to creating the perfect grilled cheese.

You probably won't be surprised when we tell you that we didn't waste much time before we started trying out recipes from the book.  Peef was feeling particularly inspired when we came across a behemoth sandwich containing not only TWO grilled cheese sandwiches, but also a burger.  It was so crazy, we just had to try it out for ourselves.
 
And so we present one of the most outrageously monstrous grilled cheese concepts known to man:  The Grilled Cheesus Burger.  Inspired by the grilled cheese-hamburger combination created by Portland Oregon's Grilled Cheese Grill, our version of this delectable monstrosity is comprised of a perfectly seasoned bison burger cradled between two delicious grilled cheese sandwiches.

 The top sandwich features melted smoked Wisconsin gouda and caramelized onions, while the bottom incorporates more smoked gouda nestled between slices of spicy homemade dill pickles. The burger itself is made from locally raised ground bison, char-grilled and embellished with ketchup, a swipe of dijon mustard and topped with locally grown mixed greens from Milwaukee's own Growing Power.

Grilled Cheesus Bison Burger

Since we figured you'd either be appalled or drooling by the end of the post, we decided to give you a chance to take on your own personal grilled cheese project.

Thanks to our friends at the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, we're pleased to announce that we'll be giving away copies of Laura Werlin's book, Grilled Cheese, Please! to five (5) lucky readers.

For your chance to win, please read the instructions below. Be sure to leave a comment for each entry (and leave your email address if you don't have it listed on your blog/contact info).   Please note that this contest is limited to readers in the United States & Canada. Contest ends 4/29/11 at NOON (CST).

Mandatory entry (must be completed or no other entries will count):   

• Visit the More Grilled Cheese Please page, take a look at the sandwiches listed and let us know which one is your favorite. 

Extra entries – please leave a comment for each additional entry, letting us know you completed it

• Give us a "like" on Facebook!
• Follow @WisconsinCheese on twitter
• Use the following text to tweet about this giveaway (please leave a link to your tweet in the comments for credit):  
• Grilled Cheese Please! book giveaway - #win your copy @Burp_blog:  Ends 4/29 #giveaway

NOTE:  The five winners will be chosen randomly and announced on Facebook on the afternoon of 4/30 .  The winner will be emailed separately to arrange for mailing of the prize pack.

Full Disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.  Although we were sent a free copy of the Grilled Cheese Please! book for the purpose of this review and giveaway, all opinions expressed in this review are our own.

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Want more? Read Lo's latest ruminations at FOODCrush, her Milwaukee Magazine blog.