Broccoli Cheddar Grilled Cheese

"A religious experience" - Dale's review

First off, sending all the love to anyone in LA. I’ve been anxiously texting family and friends there and am thinking of everyone affected by these devastating fires. Sharing some resources and ways to help here.

I used to develop recipes a lot and it was a very educational experience. I measured, I tested, I got feedback and then I taught people to make these recipes in live Zoom cooking classes, usually with my friend Erica. It was a lot of fun and I know some of you first met me that way! Thanks for sticking with me in this era.

I’ve shared a lot of fun recipes that I still make a lot (spicy green sauce, challah, my family’s pumpkin bread) and I love when you make them too! It makes me feel so connected to this community.

This is an intro to say that I don’t normally think about recipe development—that part of my brain is dormant, though I always riff in the kitchen and rarely follow a recipe to the letter. Riffing and formal recipe writing are cousins, not sisters. But on New Year’s Eve, I made a grilled cheese so good I knew I needed to share. As recipes go, this one is not the most precise but I think you should make it any way. Broccoli cheddar is a great combo but I’m not a huge fan of the soup because it’s so dairy filled that it’s no match for lactaid. The good news is that sharp cheddar is actually lactose free so I can enjoy this version with a happy tummy. There’s a basic version here and then a jazzed up version with a big dose of pickles, in two forms (sliced bread and butter pickles and Dill Pickle Ayoh (client). Much like Gentle January, you can’t go wrong.