Green Grilled Cheese and Ranch Dippers
Are you a big fan of dipping? Heehee, now that I’ve said that, it sounds kind of wrong. Like, what exactly *could* dipping be? I mean dipping things into dips of course! I’m big on dips and I have been ever since I was little. I remember once, back when my brother and I were too little to cook anything, he made me a snack of toast and ranch dressing. I thought it was the best thing ever because I got to dip! He cut up the toast into little rectangles and told me they were chicken nuggets. They were kind of on the dry side, but the ranch kept me going.
Ever since then, dipping sandwich-like things has been a thing. Nothing makes me happier than a crusty grilled cheese and something to dip it into.
It’s funny how dips, like anything else, goes through trendy phases. When I was super little I was big into ranch. But then, somehow, in my teens, I lost the ranch way. I’m pretty sure it’s because all my friends were into barbecue and sweet and sour for their nuggets. I’m a sucker for going along with the crowd – to be honest, I still am, it’s something I’m trying to work on, because if I love ranch, I should love it loud and proud.
I recently rediscovered my love for it while I was at a burger joint down in San Diego. The server asked if I wanted ketchup or ranch with my fries. My default answer was ketchup, of course, but she insisted that I try the house ranch. It was made with Greek yogurt and was supposed to be out of this world. Now I’m all about the ranch, on everything, but especially with these green grilled cheese dippers.
These gooey grilled cheese strips are filled with pesto, spinach, avocado, and, of course, cheese. I used pepper jack and mozzarella, but you can use whatever kind of cheese is your favorite. I love the hearty creaminess of the avocado – it almost feels kind of meaty. The crispy crunchy outsides with the melty insides are perfect for dipping into ranch, particularly into Hidden Valley’s New Greek Yogurt Ranch, which is just as creamy and delicious as the original.
PS – Every single time I tried to type ranch in this post, it came out ranchy. I have no idea what ranchy is or what it should mean, but I think it should be a thing. Ranchy on friends!
- 2 slices choice of bread (I used pretzel bread)
- 1 tablespoon pesto
- 2 slices choice of cheese (I used pepper jack and mozzarella)
- 1/2 avocado, sliced
- 1 large handful spinach
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Hidden Valley Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing, to dip
Place 1 slice of bread down on a cutting board and top with a bit of pesto, a slice of cheese, the avocado, and a layer of spinach. Lay on another slice of cheese and the remaining slice of bread. Heat up 1/2 tablespoon of butter on medium-low head and add the sandwich to the pan. cook slowly until bread is golden brown and toasty. Most of your cheese should be melted when it’s time to flip. Remove the sandwich from the pan and add a touch more butter. When melted, add the sandwich back to the pan, second-side in. The second-side grills a bit faster, so turn the heat down to low and keep a close eye on it. When toasty brown and perfect, remove from the pan, slice into dippers and enjoy with ranch!
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