Recipes to Make You Melt: National Grilled Cheese Day

A day intended to celebrate ooey-gooey melted cheese smooshed between two pieces of perfectly grilled bread--now that is our idea of the perfect day. In queso you were wondering, National Grilled Cheese Day is Friday, April 12th. Here at the Starfire Direct Corporate Headquarters, we take our grilled cheese sandwiches very seriously. So, in honor of this most delicious and auspicious occasion, we decided to hold a grilled cheese cook-off! Though many of our employees submitted some pretty incredible recipes, there could only be one winner. Without further ado, we will cut to the cheese--and present to you the winner of Starfire Direct's Annual Grilled Cheese Open: The Green Goddess Grilled Cheese Sandwich submitted by our own Product Manager, Emily Lozano.

The Mighty Griddle

_{This pup is waiting for his grilled cheese with extra sausage--hot off the OFYR Grill.}

The absolute best way we have found to cook a good grilled cheese is on a flat-top griddle. Not only are griddles an amazing cooking tool, but they are fun to use as well. From full on Benihana-style Teppanyaki grills to side burner griddles for your built-in BBQ island, we offer everything you need to get started in flat-top cooking. Our favorite griddles include the fabulous French Le Griddle, the unique griddle-style wood-burning grills from OFYR, and the USA made Evo Grill. If you have an outdoor kitchen, there are some great options out there in terms of drop-in side burners--such as the Cal Flame Hibachi Griddle, the Alfresco Teppanyaki Griddle, or the incredibly adaptable dual DCS Griddle and Side Burner Combo. If you are not into the idea of a dedicated griddle, you also have the option to add a removable griddle to your existing grill or side burner.

The Big Cheese

_{The results are in! The Green Goddess Grilled Cheese was our fan favorite--served alongside a creamy tomato bisque.}

In preparation for National Grilled Cheese Day, we decided to whip up a lunch-time batch of the winning recipe for all of our hungry SD employees. The resulting sandwiches were incredibly gouda--and our team was thrilled. To grill the sandwiches, we used our handy dandy Starfire Direct griddle to get that perfect crispy texture on the bread--and that extra melted cheesy middle. Our Marketing Manager, Kristy Benedict, even whipped up a batch of creamy tomato bisque in which to dip the cheesy masterpieces. Let us tell you--many naps were taken that afternoon.

Green Goddess Grilled Cheese Sandwich

1. Preheat your griddle to about medium high.
2. Spread 1-2 tbsp of pesto on one side of one slice of multi-grain bread (or both slices for extra flavor). Add 2 slices of cheese first, followed by a cup of baby spinach and ¼-½ of the avocado slices. Place the other piece of bread on top of the sandwich.
3. Add the olive oil to your preheated griddle, and place the assembled sandwich on the griddle. Grill until the bread is perfectly toasted (approximately 1 minute). If the bread is cooking too quickly and the cheese is not melting, turn down the heat slightly.
4. When the bread is sufficiently browned, flip your sandwich and brown the other side.
5. Once both sides of the sandwich are toasted and the cheese is melted, your grilled cheese is ready to enjoy! Repeat the process for the remaining sandwiches.

Vendor Contri-brie-sions

The time has come to pay fromage to some of our amazing vendors who decided to get in on the fun of Grilled Cheese Day.

_{Napoleon decided to up the ante--and made their Gourmet Grilled Cheese on their gas grill!}

Napoleons' Love is in Gruyere Grilled Cheese Sandwich

1. Preheat your grill to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a bowl, combine the butter, rosemary, oregano, and garlic.
3. Spread the inside of one slice of bread with mayonnaise. Top the mayo with enough of all three kinds of cheese to thickly cover the slice of bread edge to edge. Place the second slice of bread on top. (Preferably book matched) Butter the outside of both sides of the sandwich and then place it into the Napoleon Flexible Grill Basket. Repeat with the remaining slices of bread.
4. Close the basket and place it over direct heat, ensuring the handles are resting across the cooking grids. This allows the sandwiches to slowly crisp while the filling melts.
5. After about five minutes, the bottoms of the sandwiches should be golden-crisp. Use Heat Resistant Gloves to flip the basket and allow the other side to cook.
6. Carefully remove the sandwiches from the basket and enjoy the cheese fest!

_{Everything is better with bacon! Cal Flame's Classic American Grilled Cheese was made entirely on the Cal Flame Griddle Tray add-on.}

Cal Flame's Bacon Me Crazy Grilled Cheese Sandwich

 It has been said that everything is better with bacon. Our friends at Cal Flame kept that in mind when they created their beautiful cheesy, bacon-y masterpiece on their Cal Flame grill to share with us on Grilled Cheese Day!

1. Set your Cal Flame Griddle up on your Cal Flame grill.
2. Turn your grill on by pushing the knob in and turning, making sure the grill is set to low. Add butter to the entire griddle.
3. Put bread slices on the griddle (enough for the total amount of sandwiches).
4. Add a tablespoon of butter on top of each bread slice, while the other side is being grilled
5. Flip bread slice over and add American cheese (on the toasty side) – Choose to add Mayo if you like!
6. Place Grilled Cheese on your grill's food warmer.
7. Now, its time to grill the bacon! Add bacon to the griddle. After approx. 5 minutes – Flip the bacon!
8. Once the bacon is cooked to your liking, place bacon on the grilled cheese, and place both sides together to complete your American Cal Flame Grilled Cheese.

_{We hope you have enjoyed our homage to fromage.}

When Friday rolls around--whether you find yourself having a legendairy Grilled Cheese Party with all your friends, or you end up all provolone and bleu, remember these incredible recipes from Starfire Direct. Round up your favorite cheeses, slap them on some delicious bread, and throw them on your grill or griddle. Though our puns may be a little cheesy, our products are pretty grate. If you have any questions on the products or recipes mentioned here, give our helpful staff a call at (866) 578-8538, chat us live on the site, or brie-mail us by filling out this simple form. As the Roman poet Horace once said, "Carpe Diem"--roughly translated from Latin as "Cheese the Day".*

_{*Horace did not say anything about cheese. Carpe Diem actually translates to "Seize the Day".}