Bacon and Butternut Squash Grilled Cheese

By Tom421

It's one heck of a grilled cheese sandwich. Sweet butternut squash cooked with bacon and onion are a ideal match for smokey, creamy Gouda.

Ingredients

• BUTTERNUT SQUASH:
• 1/2 tablespoon bacon grease
• 1/4 vidalia onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped butternut squash
• 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
• Salt and pepper
• SANDWICH:
• 1 cup Gouda, shredded
• 3 pieces cooked bacon, crumbled (grease reserved for butternut squash above)
• 2 tablespoons sauteed butternut squash (recipe above)
• 2 pats real salted butter
• 2 slices sourdough bread

Preparation

Step 1

BUTTERNUT SQUASH:
Add bacon grease to a small pan and turn the heat to medium. Add onions and sauté until they begin to caramelize. Add chopped butternut squash, brown sugar, salt and pepper and close the lid. Let cook, stirring frequently, until tender. Set aside.

SANDWICH:
Begin by placing half of the shredded gouda onto one slice of sourdough bread. Next, add the butternut squash and then crumble the cooked bacon on top of the cheese.

Add the rest of the shredded gouda and finish by adding the the other remaining slice of bread to the top. Butter the exterior of the sandwich and set aside.

Heat a medium sized cast iron skillet or panini press over medium-low heat and add in the buttered sandwich. Let the sandwich cook for a few minutes on one side until the crust has become a golden brown color and the cheese has begun to melt. Once one side is ready, gently flip the sandwich and repeat until all the cheese has melted and the other side is as toasted and crisped up as side 1. When the sandwich is ready, remove it from the heat and let it sit for a few minutes before serving.