Cheddar, Bacon and Apple Sandwich

Sometimes grilled cheese sandwiches can be very passé, but when I saw this recipe on the Artisanal Cheese.com website, I just had to try it. I'm not a big fan of grilled cheese sandwiches because, to me, they are not very flavorful. But these babies are full of flavor. The cheddar cheese, apples and bacon play with your taste buds...and you're going to like it.

INGREDIENTS (makes 3 sandwiches)

• 6 slices of bacon
• 1 Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apple, sliced into 1/8" slices
• 1 cup grated Tillamook Cheddar cheese
• 6 slices bread, such as sliced French bread or thick country bread
• Butter, softened

Heat your oven to 400 degrees.

Line your bacon on a sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes until the bacon is cooked and crispy. Remove from oven and place bacon on paper towel and set aside. Turn oven down to 350 degrees.

Spread about 3 tablespoons of cheese onto 3 slices of bread. Arrange 3 to 4 slices of apples over the cheese, then top with two pieces of bacon. Spread 1 to 2 more tablespoons of cheese over bacon and top each sandwich with remaining slices.

Lightly butter the outside slices of bread. Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle on medium-high. Place each sandwich, butter-side down, on the skillet and toast for about 2 minutes. Turn sandwich over and toast other side.

Now put the sandwiches on another baking or pizza pan and bake them in the 350 degree oven until cheese has melted, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Slice each sandwich in half and serve with a side of pickles or my super-quick homemade spicy mac & cheese.