Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions

This week I am sharing what has recently become my favorite sandwich of all time. I am just kicking myself for not coming up with it years ago. It blends one of my favorite sandwiches with caramelized onions (which I adore) to make a sandwich that is good anytime of year.

Since it is summer and the middle of a heatwave right now it goes great with a salad. In the dead of winter pair it with a bowl of your favorite soup and you will be cozy and warm.

My choice for the bread on this is a really dark rye, but feel free to use your favorite. I just love the combination of the dark rye with all the other flavors.

You can also play around with the cheese choices, my preference is Muenster and Sharp Cheddar but if you have another favorite try it out.

I used a WallaWalla Sweet Onion that weighed just over a ½ pound and it was close to perfect for two sandwiches. You can really use any onion for caramelized onions but a nice sweet onion is even better and just sooooo yummy. The only real secret to caramelized onions is to cook them on low heat until they reach a nice rich golden color.

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions

3 Tablespoons butter

1 small to medium (about ½ lb) Sweet Onion, sliced

pinch kosher salt

1 teaspoon dark brown sugar

4 slices of dark rye bread

Dijon mustard

2 slices (1 ½ oz each) Muenster Cheese

2 slices (1 ½ oz each) Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion slices and a pinch of salt. Stir and cook just until the onions start to soften, about 3-5 minutes.

Reduce heat to low (as low as your stove will go) add the brown sugar to the onions and stir to coat. Cook 20 -25 minutes, stirring often until the onons are golden brown and look glazed. They should be very soft at this point. If at anytime they start to get crisp at the edges remove from heat and allow to cool a few minutes before continuing.

While the onions are cooking prep the rest of the sandwiches, lay out the bread and spread all 4 slices with mustard (the amount is up to you, I don't measure I just put on the amount that looks good)

Place the Muenster cheese on 2 slices and the cheddar on the other 2.

Once the onions are cooked divide them evenly between the slices of the bread with the Muenster cheese then top with the slices with the cheddar.

So at this point your layers of sandwich should be as follows:

rye bread

mustard

muenster cheese

caramelized onions

cheddar cheese

mustard

rye bread

Turn the heat back up to medium under the skillet you have been using and add 1 Tablespoon of the butter. Once the butter melts carefully add the sandwiches. Cook about 3 or 4 minutes until the bread is toasted.

Add the last Tablespoon of butter flip the sandwiches and cook another 3 or 4 minutes until the other side is toasted and the cheese has melted.

Enjoy!!