Grilled Cheddar Cheese with Apples and Hatch Chile Hot Sauce #AppleWeek #Sponsored

This post is written on behalf of #AppleWeek sponsor Swiss Diamond. 

I was provided with product for recipe creation and a giveaway for our readers. 

As always, all opinions are my own. This page may contain affiliate links.

Today the 2018 edition of #AppleWeek begins in earnest to celebrate the produce darling of the season! Carlee of Cooking with Carlee arranged this incredible event for you and wrangled a group of bloggers to celebrate all things apple. Apples, apples, and more apples.

Check out the prizes and enter the giveaway on my kick-off post from yesterday. As a participating blogger, I received a double burner griddle from event sponsor Swiss Diamond.* And I was immediately taken with the quality. First, it's heavy...all of my favorite cookware verges on being tough to carry with one hand. Seriously. I don't have time for wimpy pots and pans. Second, it's pretty! Really pretty. And, third, it's super easy to clean. All of those aspects made the griddle a winner in my book. Beyond this event, I have already used it about once a week for making steaks and burgers. It's cemented itself as a favorite. Hooray!

And, for today's recipe, I used the griddle twice. But, before I get to that, please look at the other recipes from the #AppleWeek bloggers...

Monday's Recipes

• Apple & Lentil Andouille Crockpot Stew by Faith, Hope, Love & Luck 
• Apples and Chai Smoothie by Our Good Life
• Apple Cider Cutout Cookies by Kate's Recipe Box
• Apple Cider Pancakes by Family Around the Table
• Apple Cinnamon Pull Aparts by The Freshman Cook
• Apple Crepes by Caroline's Cooking
• Apple Crisp Ebelskivers by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Apple Fritter Monkey Bread by Mildly Meandering
• Apple Herb Stuffed Pork Chops by West Via Midwest
• Apple Pudding by The Anthony Kitchen
• Apple Raisin Oatmeal Cookies by The Monday Box
• Apple Cinnamon Scones with Maple Sugar Butter by Strawberry Blondie Kitchen
• Apple Stuffed Chicken Breast by Seduction in the Kitchen
• Apple Upside Down Cake by Lemon Blossoms
• Appledoodle Cookies by Cookaholic Wife
• Applesauce Coffee Cake by An Affair from the Heart
• Applesauce Muffins by A Day in the Life on the Farm 
• Baked Apple Donuts by Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids
• Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Apples by Simple and Savory
• Bourbon Apple Pecan Bread Pudding by Soulfully Made
• Caramel Apple Crumb Cake by The Redhead Baker
• Caramel Apple Jam by Books n' Cooks
• Gingersnapple Tart by Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Chicken Salad Apple Bites by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Dutch Apple Cobbler with Cheesecake Topping by Who Needs a Cape?
• Dutch Apple Coffee Cake by Daily Dish Recipes
• German Apple Pancakes with Cider Syrup by House of Nash Eats
• Grilled Cheddar Cheese with Apples and Hatch Chile Hot Sauce by Culinary Adventures With Camilla
• One Pot Jamaican Jerk Chicken and Apples by Jonesin' for Taste
• Oven Roasted Apple Butter by Savory Moments
• Salted Caramel Apple Crumble by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Savory Skillet Chicken and Apples by Cooking With Carlee
• Skillet Pork Chops with Apples and Bacon by The Anthony Kitchen
• Slow Cooker Pork with Apples by Palatable Pastime
• Sugar Free Apple Pie with Crumble Topping by Tip Garden
• Vegan Caramel Apple Galette by The Baking Fairy

Grilled Cheddar Cheese with Apples 

and Hatch Chile Hot Sauce

So, this isn't a recipe you can whip up for a quick lunch because the hot sauce needs to ferment for at least ten days. But make the sauce as soon as you can...and by the beginning of October you can make this grilled cheese sandwich that will knock your socks off!

Ingredients

Hatch Chile Hot Sauce 

• 2 pounds Hatch chiles
• oil (I used canola)
• 3 whole garlic cloves
• 1 T salt
• 1 1/2 C white vinegar

Grilled Cheese makes two sandwiches, double or triple as needed

• 2 T butter
• 4 slices bread (I used a local bakery's sourdough)
• 2 C cheese, grated (I used a sharp cheddar)
• Hatch chile hot sauce
• 1 apple, thinly sliced 

Procedure

Hatch Chile Hot Sauce  

Wash and dry your peppers. I cut off the stems and any tips that were bruised. Place the peppers in a large mixing bowl and drizzle with oil. Toss to coat until they are all glossy and oily. 

Place your griddle on the stove and preheat the pan. Place the peppers on the pan.

Cook until the peppers are charred and shriveled. Mine took about 40 minutes.

 The skins will be splitting and the flesh completely softened.

Combine the peppers, garlic cloves, and salt in a blender. Blend for a few pulses. Once the ingredients are roughly combined, drizzle in the vinegar. Blend till smooth.

Transfer sauce to a jar and cover with a cheesecloth. Allow to sit in the pantry; the longer it sits, the deeper the flavor that develops. 

We left ours for about 11 days. Blend the sauce smooth again. Test the sauce and adjust the salt to taste. Transfer to bottles or jars and place in the refrigerator. This sauce will keep for 3-4 months.

Grilled Cheese

Spread thin layer of butter on 1 side of each slice of bread. Place bread slices butter-side-down on the griddle and cook until golden brown, approximately 3 minutes. Remove from pan and transfer to a cutting board.

Spread a thin layer of Hatch chile hot sauce on each untoasted side of the bread. Top each with grated cheese and apple slices and another layer of cheese.  Return bread to griddle, cheese-side up, and cook until cheese is melted, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.

Press the two pieces of bread together, melted cheese sides together. Cut the sandwiches in half - we like them cut diagonally - and serve with more Hatch chile sauce. Enjoy!

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*Disclosure: I received products for recipe development and generating social media traction. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the manufacturers of this product or the organizers of #AppleWeek.