Mac n’ Cheese Grilled Cheese with Sundried Tomatoes

This 5-ingredient recipe takes grilled cheese sandwiches to a new level!

Like any period of change, the transition into Spring has been a bit of a roller coaster. Between the weather, some spring cleaning, and Spring Break, our energy levels have been all over the place. Lawrence (LTP) and I have been doing our best to keep motivated and entertained though! Of course, our favorite way to have some fun is by getting in the kitchen.

We tried out a new recipe and it was such a hit that we had it again a few days later. I think what makes recipes repeat successes in our house, is when they’re easy and versatile – this recipe is both. It’s one of those meals that’s great for lunch or dinner and tastes great with a variety of different add-ins. I love remaking a favorite dish into something new with only a few tweaks!

2 Cheesy Favorites In-One

It’s not a huge surprise that this recipe was such a hit. It brings two of our favorites together into one amazing dish after all – Grilled cheese sandwiches and Mac ‘n Cheese. Soo cheesy I know, but so worth it! And then there’s the garlic focaccia bread… you really can’t go wrong.

The other great thing about this recipe – it’s super easy! Using Joe’s Diner Frozen Mac ‘n Cheese really helps cut the preparation time down, which is great for busy days… or lazy ones. Plus, with the extra kick of pancetta and sun-dried tomatoes, you’ll forget it was frozen. Of course, you could always use your own homemade mac ‘n cheese, or even yesterday’s leftovers.

A Conveniently Flexible Option

It doesn’t matter if it’s a quick mid-week dinner or an easy weekend meal, you can never have too many effortless recipes. Don’t get me wrong, cooking a big hearty dinner is a lot of fun, but sometimes it’s nice not having to think too hard about cooking. This mac ‘n cheese grilled cheese sandwich is perfect for that. It’s so quick and convenient, great for any day of the week and any time of day.

You can even switch up the flavors in a flash by making a few tweaks to the add-ins. The pancetta and sun-dried tomatoes are an amazing combination, but there are so many possibilities. Perhaps you have some bacon in the fridge, maybe leftovers from breakfast? Toss it in! Spinach, caramelized onion, or mushrooms are all great options too. It’s flexible to everyone’s tastes and great for getting rid of things sitting in your fridge too!

Trader Joe’s Ingredients:

• 14 oz Joe’s Diner Frozen Mac ‘n Cheese
• 4 oz Uncured Pancetta
• 1/2 cup Julienne-sliced sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil
• Earth Balance Original Buttery Spread
• 2 slices of Trader Joe’s Sliced Muenster Cheese
• 2 slices of Trader Joe’s Cheddar Garlic Sliced Focaccia Bread
• Dash of salt and pepper

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
  Remove the mac ‘n cheese from its packaging and the film from the top. Place it on a baking sheet and on the middle rack in your oven. Bake for 25 minutes.
• While the mac ‘n cheese is baking, cook the uncured pancetta in a non-stick pan for about 6 minutes. Drain the excess grease and place it aside.
• Remove the mac ‘n cheese from the oven once it’s done. Mix in the uncured pancetta, 1/2 a cup of julienne-sliced sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, and a dash of salt and pepper.
• Place the mac ‘n cheese mix in the oven for an additional 10 minutes.
• While the mac ‘n cheese mixture is baking, lightly butter both sides of each slice of Trader Joe’s Cheddar Garlic Sliced Focaccia Bread.
• For this step, you can use a frying pan, but we made use of my 27-inch grill.
  Place your pan or grill on the stovetop, lightly coat it with oil, and set it to medium heat.
• Remove the mac ‘n cheese mixture from your oven and set it aside.
• Place 2 slices of Trader Joe’s Sliced Muenster Cheese directly on the skillet. Once the cheese begins to bubble, place a slice of focaccia bread on top of each piece of cheese and let it sit for 20-30 seconds. Flip the slices of focaccia bread over, with the golden cheese facing up, and add the mac n’ cheese mixture to one slice of the focaccia bread.
• Let pieces continue to cook for 1-3 minutes.
• First, remove the slice of focaccia bread with the mac ‘n cheese mix on top from the pan or grill and place it onto a plate. Remove the second piece of focaccia bread and place it on top of the Mac ‘n Cheese mixture.

Enjoy!