Blueberry Baby – Mascarpone, Brie, Basil and Blistered Blueberries Bagel Grilled Cheese

OMG, OMG! Today is National Grilled Cheese Day! Aren’t you so very, very excited? So much so that you kind of might pee your pants a little? No? That’s just me? Ok, that makes sense. Anyways! I’ve been waiting all year month for this very special day which sort of feels like Christmas to me and I’m the happiest kid around. All month, endless amounts of meltable cheese, freshly baked bread, and tricked out stay-cold coolers have been waiting for me at my front door each day in order to make this day the best it can be. Unfortunately, it’s rainy, cold, completely disgusting, and no one’s home but that’s OK. I’ll get through National Grilled Cheese Day with the power of my internet friends. RIGHT GUYS?! I just wish you all could come over and cook with me and help me eat all the food that’s been sent my way.

But I don’t mean to brag about all my cheesy goodness without giving you guys something in return! Yeah, sure here’s a tasty new recipe, but I also wanted to let you know that my favorite babes from Wisconsin Cheese and I have paired up to do a super awesome National Grilled Cheese Day GIVEAWAY…today! We’ve been working super hard on their awesome online magazine Grate. Pair. Share. (with recipes from yours truly, of course) so if you’d be so kind to check it out and comment as to what your favorite recipe is (in my comments section) you are automatically entered to win a giant shipment of Wisconsin cheese, fresh baked bread from La Brea Bakery – perfect for grilling, and a ton of other goodies that will help all your grilled cheese dreams come true. You should totally do it. The magazine is embedded in the bottom of this very post…How convenient! You’re welcome.

In the meantime, here’s a tasty new little grilled cheese that I thought is perfect for a sweet day like today – creamy brie, luscious mascarpone, sweet and tart blistered blueberries, and fresh earthy basil come together between a crispy buttery bagel. I think it’s the perfect way to start a grilled cheese day.

 Get you some of thisssss

Ingredients

-1 bagel, cut in half and scooped out
– 1 small wedge of Wisconsin Brie
– 2 tbsp of BelGioioso Mascarpone Cheese
– 2 tbsp of blistered blueberries (recipe below)
– a few basil leaves, torn
– 2 pats of salted butter

So this is the most important part. It’s totally hard to eat a bagel grilled cheese without taking the necessary steps to ultimate perfection. First, cut your bagel in half and scoop out the interior of both sides. This will create the perfect little nook to keep your fillings inside the sandwich. Then, with a very sharp serrated knife, very carefully cut off the outside off the bagel so that the nice bready interior can be used to create a super crispy crust on your sandwich at the end.

Next, fill the nook of one half of your bagel with brie. Try to keep it all in the grilled cheese canyon or mote as I like to think of it. After all, it is guarding your face from getting burnt by molten cheese.

Then, lay your blistered blueberries on top of the Brie.

To make these sweet and tart treats, all you need to do is melt a pat of salted butter in your skillet and add a cup of blueberries. Turn your heat to high and let them cook up. Add a tablespoon of brown sugar once you start to see them pop and stir until evenly coated. Allow to cook for a few more minutes until the juices release and start to thicken.

And if you don’t want to go through all that, you could totally just use some sort of blueberry preserves. Those will work perfectly, they just won’t be as much fun as making them yourself!

 Next, lay some torn basil leaves on top of your blueberries. I think this earthy herbal contrast is so nice against the creamy brie and the bright blueberries. Fresh mint would also be super dope.

Almost done! Just smear on some of that sweet mascarpone into the other bagel half’s canal and really pack it in there. It’s so good. If you’ve never had it before, it’s like sweet cream cheese mixed with ricotta mixed with whatever kisses the hottest person in the world gives. Yeah, it’s like that.

Combine the two halves together and awe in their glory.

Now that this insane sandwich is built, turn your burner to medium high and butter both sides of your soon-to-be grilled cheese. Place it in your skillet and allow to cook for a few minutes until the bagel turns golden and crispy. Flip and repeat. Remember, both of these cheeses melt super fast so they don’t need to be on the burner for long. Just a few minutes will do.

Then once it’s all done, you will definitely want to let this little baby sit for a minute or two. Those cheeses need to thicken up and soak in all the flavors from the blueberries and the basil. Or if you can’t wait, who cares, you’ll just have to lick your plate to make sure nothing goes to waste.

Dig in babes!

Don’t forget to check out Grate. Pair. Share. below and leave a comment for a chance to win some awesome prizes!

xoxo,

GCS