Grilled Cheese with Mascarpone, apricots and chocolate

Still half asleep I instinctively rolled over to check the time, fumbling for my phone with my eyes still closed. My near slumber state was rudely interrupted as the numbers on my phone flashed 7:30 am.

In an instant the morning had begun. In a matter of 15 minutes we would have to feed three kids breakfast, find and pack a backpack, select the perfect snack for the day, dress, brush, wash, and put on shoes. If you are a parent you’ll know that sometimes just the act of putting on shoes takes 15 minutes.

Although we typically like to allow for more time in the morning this scenario is not unlike five of the seven days in our week. The topic of weekend breakfasts starts being discussed around Wednesday as we debate pancakes or waffles and what, if any, additions will be present. By Saturday morning we are all relieved to not have to rush through our morning routine.

The way this week has already begun I think it is going to take more than simple pancakes and waffles to ease us into the weekend. It seems this week needs to be capped with something over the top. Like perhaps two slices of thick cut Challah dipped in a French toast-like batter then spread with creamy Mascarpone, topped with pleasantly tart plumped dried apricots and in case that may not be enough, a fine grating of dark chocolate floats on top. Then maybe it’s capped with another piece of bread before hitting a hot gril. When the bread has cooked through and is crisp on top, the cheese has melted and the chocolate succumbs to the heat holding it all together a drift of powder sugar descends and finishes it off.

Yes, I think that would do the weekend quite nicely.

This post was made possible by Wisconsin Cheese. After getting spending way to much time drooling over all the inventive grilled cheese creations on their site we created a video with them (Gabe shot it – they edited) demonstrating how to make this sandwich. Watch it here then enter their contest with your favorite grilled cheese recipe.

Check out the other great grilled cheese recipes from Sara and Kelsey. Of course, leave it to me to add sweetness and chocolate to my grilled cheese. Typical.

 

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Grilled Mascarpone cheese with Apricots and Chocolate

  This decadent dish is similar to a stuffed french toast teetering the line of eat-with-your-hands or a fork. Either way it's indulgent and decidedly delicious. Tart, lightly sweet, and showered in dark chocolate - a special way to welcome in those leisurely weekends. Stewed Apricots 1 cup dried apricots 1 teaspoon orange zest juice from one large orange vanilla bean, split down the middle ½ cup water Combine all the ingredients in a small sauce pan. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to simmer until most of the liquid is gone. Use a wooden spoon to smash and break up the apricots just a bit. Let cool for about 20 minutes, or until just warm. Bread Dip 3 eggs 1 cup milk ½ teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 Tablespoon sugar ¼ teaspoon kosher salt Whisk all the ingredients together in a shallow bowl or pie plate.   For the sandwich you’ll need: 1 loaf Challah or Brioche cut in 1” slices 1 8oz tub Mascarpone I recipe stewed apricots 1 recipe bread dip 3 oz dark chocolate Pre-heat an indoor grill or grill pan. Quickly dip one slice of bread into the bread dip and let the excess drip off. Add about 2 Tablespoons Mascarpone to the bread. Top with several pieces of stewed apricots and finish with finely shaved dark chocolate. Top the sandwich with another piece of bread that has been quickly dipped in the bread dip. Immediately grill until grill marks form, cheese and chocolate are melted and the bread is cooked through - about 5-7 minutes. Slice, dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately.  

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St. Lucia

I’m so excited to finally share with all of you some images and stories from our time in St. Lucia. We spent seven sun-drenched days on the island eating our way up and down the coast. I came home with bright red skin and a desire to have more coconut, fish, and rum punch in my life. Also, sun. I dream of that sun.

For now I have a few images to show you (there are more, hundreds more). If you head over to the Seafood Spot you can read about some of our meals and adventures on the island. There will be much more to come.

It didn’t take long for us to learn that water taxi was our preferred method of travel. Given the option of hot taxi speeding through narrow and often barely-paved roads or brightly colored boat gliding through the turquoise Caribbean sea I will always choose the sea.

The waters surrounding the island are teeming with sea life. We tried our hand at fishing (deep-sea) with no luck but the many fisherman we ran into had boats filled with fresh fish. They must not have been sharing all their secrets.

This is an image I return to when the rain pelts our windows at home and the gray days seem never-ending. 

*Disclaimer: This trip was sponsored by High Liner Foods but all words, opinions, images are my own.

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