Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Say cheese for grilled cheese w/bacon and fig jam from @AveryAames

From Daryl aka Avery:

THE WINNER OF LAST WEEK'S GIVEAWAY IS

Mark B! 

Congrats!!!



And now…lots to report...

DAYS OF WINE AND ROQUEFORT came out last week!!!!! Did you get it?

Did you see the reviews? All good. :)


This book grabbed me immediately in a manner that was hard to put down in this engagingly appealing whodunit that quickly became a page turner.

Did you know about the Faceboook contest I had going with three of my blogmates? Another one is coming up in a week. Keep your eyes peeled.

And do you know about the giveaway on my newsletter on March 1? Make sure you're signed up for the news!


Next up…next month!  INHERIT THE WORD


By the way, I'm having a book giveaway today and all the way through the launch of Inherit the Word. See details below.

Today, two "fictional" realities crash into each other with the speed of…well, not light…but in my Cheese Shop mysteries, Delilah, one of Charlotte's best friends, has been trying to get a grilled cheese competition off the ground for ages. She wants a regional fest where tons of competitors vie for the crown. She has not yet been able to pull that off.



However, in the Cookbook Nook mysteries, lo and behold, the town's mayor puts on a Grill Fest every year. This year the theme is (wait for it)... grilled cheese! The restaurant that used to hold the event has gone out of business, so the mayor begs Jenna to host the grill fest in The Cookbook Nook!

Two worlds (Providence, Ohio and Crystal Cove, California); two businesses (cheese shop; cookbook shop); one theme: Cheese!

By the way, I had no idea there were so many grilled cheese cookbooks, for the least experienced to the most experienced cooks. I have had a blast testing out recipes.

Today, I'm sharing a recipe that Delilah (yes, going back to the Cheese Shop mysteries) has been testing as her entry, if she's ever able to get that competition going in Providence. It features some of the most delicious flavor combos imaginable: cheese, bacon, and fig jam. As Delilah will tell you, if you don't like fig jam, choose another. It's the salt vs. sweet that matters.  As Charlotte, the protagonist in the series will tell you, make sure you use enough cheese. It's called a grilled cheese, not a grilled bread sandwich.


Savor the mystery!


Delilah’s Grilled Cheese with Bacon and Fig Jam
(Serves 2)

4 slices bread
3-4 tablespoons butter
3-4 tablespoons cream cheese
2 tablespoons fig jam or preserves
4 oz. (4 slices) Swiss cheese
4 slices bacon, cooked crisply and crumbled
2 tablespoons scallions, diced


For each sandwich, butter two slices of bread on one side. Flip the bread over and spread cream cheese on the other side of the bread. Now, spread the cream cheese side of the bread with fig jam. Place a slice of Swiss cheese on top of the jam.



On two of the cheese-bread combos, add the bacon, dividing equally, and then the chopped scallions. Top with the other cheese-bread combo.



Heat up a flat grilling pan or a pannini grill. Place the sandwiches on the grill. [If using a grilling pan, grill the sandwich on low to medium for 4 minutes. Flip the sandwich and grill for another 4, until the bread is a nice golden brown and cheese is oozing. If using a pannini grill, cook the sandwich for a total of 4 minutes, until the bread is a nice golden brown.]



Remove from heat and serve immediately.

PS :  For your enjoyment, in the next installment of the Cookbook Nook mysteries, INHERIT THE WORD, you'll find a number of grilled cheese recipes as well as some other tasty treats.

So, what's your favorite grilled cheese combo?


Giveaway: Leave a comment with your email in order to enter the giveaway! REMEMBER TO INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL so I might notify you. AND if you tweet or share on Facebook, tell me in your  comment and you'll be entered TWICE.

I'm giving away your choice of a Cheese Shop mystery or FINAL SENTENCE, the first in the Cookbook Nook mysteries. Plus some fun swag!


******************


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Check out our website.


Days of Wine and Roquefort 
order here

                    Inherit the Word 
                     March 2014, preorder here

If you haven't done so, sign up for the mailing list 
so you can learn about upcoming events, releases, and contests! 




21 comments:

  1. Holy Brie, that sounds good, Avery! And I totally agree about the bread-to-cheese ratio.

    kmaslowski at fuse dot net

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm not a fan of fig jam, but I am a fan of your books. Unfortunately I don't need the books because I have them all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sue, you certainly don't need to use fig jam. You can always sub out with another "sweet" thing like honey or raspberry jam. Re: the books. So glad to hear you have them all! Thank you.

      Best,
      Daryl / Avery

      Delete
    2. PS If you win, would you like to donate to a library?

      Delete
  3. Bacon and fig jam and cheese? Oh my! I practically fainted. What a fabulous combo, Avery/Daryl.

    I cannot continue to live without trying it.

    XO

    MJ

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Do not faint. I repeat… by the way, loved Sayers Swindle. :)

      Daryl / Avery

      Delete
  4. I would love to win a copy of Inherit The Word, love your other series. rjprazak6@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. My favorite is still velveta with thin sliced bread & butter pickles - sometimes with ham. I made the pickles for the first time in the late 60s and one of the boys put them in the sandwich. Now this is how the grand/greatgrands also eat a grilled cheese!
    kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's so funny! My husband loves Velveeta. It's what he grew up on. My mom used only Kraft American (100%) cheese, not the singles. I like pickles on a cheeseburger, so I bet they're good in a grilled cheese, too.

      Avery / Daryl

      Delete
  6. I'm lactose intolerant so I don't each much cheese but I enjoy the Cheese Shop mysteries.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sandy, so funny (not that your lactose intolerant) but I once told someone who said they couldn't read the books because they were lactose intolerant, that they didn't have to "eat" the book. :) Are you able to eat hard cheeses? A few of my lactose intolerant friends seem to do well with a simple cheddar.

      Daryl / Avery

      Delete
  7. Great combo. It sounds really delicious, and the scallions are a nice touch.

    ~ Cleo.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Cleo. I like the scallions, too. I actually met someone the other night (server in a restaurant) that didn't know what green onions were. I was amazed. She understood when I said scallions or likened them to chives.

      Daryl / Avery

      Delete
  8. Oh my, does that sound like a fabulous combination!
    libbydodd@comcast.net

    ReplyDelete
  9. The bacon, fig jam and cheese sounds really different, but really good! My favorite grilled cheese combo is tuna, tomatoes and Jack cheese.

    Thanks for letting me know last week, that your Cookbook Nook series takes place on the California coast. Now I really want to win!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oops! If I'm not too late-- I forgot to leave my email address: 18LMMS@gmail.com
      Thanks!

      Delete
  10. Lori, so good to hear from you again. I adore a grilled cheese with tuna. Yum! And I'm glad you like the setting for my new series. It's fun to write about the beach/ocean. :)

    Daryl / Avery

    ReplyDelete