Breakfast Grilled Cheese Sandwich

This post is sponsored by the United Dairy Industry of Michigan. All opinions are my own.

Did you know April is National Grilled Cheese Month? Well it is, and who doesn't love grilled cheese?!?! My family certainly does, and over the years I've come up with some pretty cool and cheesy concoctions.

In honor of National Grilled Cheese month, I wanted to develop a different recipe. Not something traditional that you see every day. What I came up with is this amazingly delicious breakfast grilled cheese sandwich. Filled with a fried egg, crispy pancetta, havarti cheese and a bit of arugula, it's hearty, full of flavor, and easy to take on the go!

I actually made my sandwiches in a panini press and if you have one, I highly recommend using it to make yours. The sandwich is pressed tightly together and the bread gets nice and extra crispy. But if you don't have one, no problem! Just make them in a skillet as you would normally. You can even put a brick wrapped in foil or a can wrapped in foil on top of the sandwich to get that same "pressed" action.

Enjoy!

Breakfast Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Recipe written by The Chef Next Door
Makes 4 breakfast sandwiches
Print this recipe

Ingredients:
1 loaf of Ciabatta bread
5 oz. package of diced pancetta, cooked and drained well
4 eggs
4 thick slices of Havarti cheese
1 cup of fresh arugula
Salt and pepper
Butter

Cut your loaf of bread into 4 equal pieces, then cut each piece in half to open them up to make your sandwiches.

In a small skillet, melt a pat of butter. Fry each egg with a pinch of salt and pepper until cooked completely. Repeat until all the eggs are cooked. 

Assemble the sandwich: spread a bit of butter on the inside of the bread slices. On the bottom half layer an egg, a slice of cheese, a fourth of the cooked pancetta, then about 1/4 cup of arugula. Top with the top slice of bread and butter the outside of the sandwich. Repeat until all the sandwiches are made.

Heat your panini grill or skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the sandwiches until the cheese is melted and the bread is grilled and slightly crunchy. 

Cut the sandwiches in half and serve with a side of fruit and your favorite juice.

Bon Appetit!

A big thanks to the United Dairy Industry of Michigan for sponsoring this post! I was compensated for developing a recipe using Michigan dairy products, however, all opinions are my own. UDIM is the umbrella organization for the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council of Michigan. Their goal is to promote Michigan’s locally produced dairy products and reconnect consumers with the people behind their food.

For more great dairy recipes, follow UDIM on Pinterest. To learn more about nutrition, animal care/well-being and on-farm practices related to dairy products and the dairy industry, you may want to follow Michigan Dairy News Bureau on Facebook. The MDNB is managed by United Dairy Industry of Michigan (UDIM).