Chili Cheese Beer Bread Melt

MMMMM, I'm typing this as I'm eating this sandwich.  I wish it didn't have to end.  This is the first of my recipes for New Belgium Brewing.  Hopefully, the rest will be equally yummy. 

One of the things I've discovered over the years is that if you're making a grilled cheese sandwich, the cheese melts much better if it's grated first.  I've also discovered that rather than slathering the bread with a dressing such as mustard or mayonnaise, it's sometimes better to mix it with the cheese.  That was the case here.  Had I used cheese slices and loose chilies, they'd have skittered all over the place.  This way, I only had to deal with the cheese mixture that oozed out of the sandwiches - not slip-sliding fillings.

I'm sure the filling would be good with another bread but it's designed for the beer bread.  I used the cheddar scallion bread made with New Belgium's Mighty Arrow pale ale. It was a great match.  Beer bread is so easy to make that I'm not sure why I've not made it regularly!

Chili Cheese Beer Bread Melt
serves two generously

Ingredients:

4 slices cheddar scallion beer bread, cut about 3/8" thick

1 c grated cheddar
1 c grated smoked gouda
2 oz chopped green chilies (I used Trader Joes)
2 T mayonnaise
1 T Dijon mustard
butter

Directions:
Combine the cheeses, chilies, mayonnaise and Dijon. 

Lightly butter one side of each slice of bread.  Pile some of the cheese mixture on two of the slices - NOT on the buttered side.  I'm not saying that any of you would do that, just that that we've got the voice of experience here.  Top with the other slice - buttered side out.  Place the sandwiches in a heated skillet. 

They'll take 8-10 minutes per side on medium heat.  I'd advise against using a grill pan because the cheese mixture will ooze out and you'll have a mell of a hess to clean up. 

I received a stipend from New Belgium Brewing to purchase the beer.