#FoodieExtravaganza Grilled Cheese: Grilled Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Spinach

I haven’t gotten a chance to participate in FoodieExtravaganza since November (I made Hong Kong French Toast), but I am glad to join this month. Lauren of From Gate to Plate, chose Grilled Cheese! I decided on Grilled Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Spinach. I had a the ingredients on hand and it was great as a quick lunch.

The caramelized onions can be prepared up to two days in advanced. Once caramelized, transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.

I roughly chopped the spinach leaves to make it easier for Evan. He ended up not touching the sandwich anyways. He took bites of the untoasted bread and the slices of cheese as I was assembling the sandwiches, but got mad that the cheese melted after cooking. He kept telling me to fix it. Oh, two year olds (but three this month!).

I used Cheddar cheese, but would love to try this again with Gruyere.

If you want to serve all the sandwiches warm at once, keep the cooked ones on a baking sheet in a 200 degree F oven as you are cooking the others.

When toasting the grilled cheese, adjust the temperature as needed between low and medium low. You want the bread toasted, but need to give the cheese time to melt before the bread burns.

Check out what everyone else prepared to celebrate Grilled Cheese:

• Bacon Apple Mascarpone Grilled Cheese from Lauren at Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Caramelized Onion Bacon Grilled Cheese from Rebekah at Making Miracles
• Chicken Bacon and Avocado Grilled Cheese from Jacklyn at Mrs. Penguin
• Chicken Cordon Bleu Grilled Cheese from Marissa at Rae Gun Ramblings
• Crusty Griddle Baked Quesadillas with Poblano Rajas from Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm
• French Toast Grilled Cheese with Balsamic Berry Compote from Joy at The Joyful Foodie
• Grilled Cheese in the Garden from Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Grilled Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Spinach from Tara at Tara’s Multicultural Table
• Ham, Apple and Sharp Cheddar Grilled Cheese from Carlee at Cooking With Carlee
• Mac and Cheese Grilled Cheese from Lauren at From Gate to Plate
• Muffuletta Grilled Cheese from Stacy at Food Lust People Love
• Open Faced Italian Grilled Cheese from Kathleen at Fearlessly Creative Mammas
• Southern Grilled Cheese from Teri at The Freshman Cook
• Spicy Pear Grilled Cheese from Kelly at Passion Kneaded

Grilled Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Spinach
Adapted from Simply Reem
4 Sandwiches

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium red onions, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
8 slices sourdough or country bread
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces Cheddar cheese, sliced
2 cups baby spinach leaves
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, if desired
1/3 cup mayonnaise

In a large pan, drizzle oil over medium low heat. Once heated, add the sliced onions. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until a deep purple and caramelized. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer to a medium bowl and allow to cool.

Place a large skillet over medium low heat. Spread butter over one side of each slice of bread. Cover half of the bread slices with a layer of cheese on the buttered side. Cover the cheese with a thin layer of caramelized onions and a few spinach leaves. If desired, season with some red pepper flakes. Top with another layer of cheese, then the remaining bread slices, butter side touching the cheese. Spread the top of each sandwich with mayonnaise.

Place a sandwich on the heated skillet, mayonnaise coated side down. Spread mayonnaise on the top of the sandwich. Cook until the bottom layer of cheese is melted and bread is golden brown. Flip and cook other side until melted and golden brown. Serve immediately and repeat with remaining sandwiches.