Normally when I hit the kitchen to make my family a meal I do it with my kids in mind. The gag-force is strong with one (cue The Imperial March), another one is lactose intolerant, one turns her nose up to anything that isn’t a chicken nugget, and one (and bless him he’s officially my favorite) will eat anything I put in front of him.
But sometimes I get tired of spaghetti (okay, like always. I officially loathe spaghetti). And sometimes I want something with cheese in it (Lactaid was invented for a reason, right?). And sometimes I want something with actual flavor that also looks delicious (but only to a grown-up’s eyes, because grown-ups and kids have WAY different ideas of what ‘delicious’ actually looks like).
Enter this most supremely fantastically amazingly delicious grilled cheese sandwich. Apple-smoked Gruyere cheese. Shallots sautéed in butter with fresh thyme. Fresh bread toasted to perfection. Comfort food on ‘roids that three out of my four kids hated, but that the Hubster and I devoured like dogs on the brink of starvation.
I love this recipe as-is. The author of the blog I found it on suggested some changes, but I found no need. It’s not a quick recipe, so just don’t rush it and you’ll be fine (her concern was the low burning point for butter. If you cook at a moderate heat you’ll be okay and it’s BUTTER, so it’s totally worth the wait). My only big suggestion is this: Make sure to buy a little more Gruyere than you need because you will nibble on it while you work.
We ate our with creamy tomato soup and an apple-cucumber salad (with a side of Lactaid for one of the natives), but honestly I would have been completely happy devouring it sans all that stuff. It’s just. So. Good.
I hope you give this recipe a shot. Click here for the full tutorial.
Loads of love,
Myndi Shafer 
Fussy kids? I can’t be doing with them. Real hunger is all it takes to get kids to eat what they’re given. Try taking them camping in the wilderness for three days and don’t feed them anything except what they refuse at home. By the end they’ll be glad to eat it. It might sound cruel, but just let them think about all those poor folks in Syria while they complain.
Well Myndi, I love your new digs girlfriend! Looks simply amazing! And your new recipe sounds perfect, just in time for a cold winter’s day. Hide it under some spaghetti sauce and the kiddos will never know the difference. Maybe. 🙂
HA! That’s a good idea – kinda like ketchup on everything, ya? I’m glad you like the new site – it sure is pretty! ❤