This is a healthier, tasty, replacement for the classic grilled cheese sandwich. It is based upon gluten-free, cornbread waffles uses as the sandwich bread combined with melted cheese filling. Kids will love the cheese and cornbread combination. Adults might prefer a little zip so jalapenos can be added to the waffle mix and/or one of the melted cheeses could be a pepper jack. Although the waffles and waffle sandwiches can be made ahead and saved for future snacks, don’t be surprised if whatever gets made gets consumed at the first seating. 🙂
2 cups Gluten Free Medium Grind Cornmeal
1/2 cup Organic Brown Rice Flour (or regular rice)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cups soy milk (or buttermilk, or regular milk)
3/8 cup canola oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs (or 1/2 cup egg beaters)
small can (8 oz) of cream corn
optional: 2 tablespoons chopped jalapenos
1 tablespoon jalapeno jar juice
sliced cheeses for melting (provolone, pepper jack,
- Turn on the waffle iron and preheat to desired temperature. I prefer half-way between medium and dark.
- Combine the cornmeal, rice flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- Add medium bowl’s ingredients (fluids) to the large bowl (powders) and mix until lumps are eliminated with the whisk and/or spatula.
Cook on the waffle iron. My waffle iron makes a large four square Belgian thickness waffle (Calphalon HE400wm No Peek Belgian Waffle Maker) and suggests pouring two cups and spreading with a nylon spatula to get even thickness before closing. My waffle iron is a no-stick design and does not require adding spray canola oil prior to pouring the batter. I use a ladle to add mixture to a 2 cup measuring beaker for pouring onto the waffle maker.
- Remove waffle from waffle iron at appropriate time and place on cooling rack.
- After waffle cools (10 minutes) either take one square and carefully split with a bread knife to create a sandwich or take two squares to lay on top of each other to make a thicker sandwich (my favorite). Put 2 to 3 pieces of cheese between the sandwich halves. Children seem to prefer American / Provolone / American, but the sliced mozzarella can go over well too. I think adults will prefer my hot-pepper-jack / provolone / hot-pepper-jack cheese slice combination.
- Place sandwich in a microwave oven and cook for about 15 to 20 seconds times the number of pieces of cheese or until cheese has melted appropriately.
- Cut sandwich diagonally twice (I use a big pizza cutter blade) to create little sandwich triangles and serve when cheese is cool enough to eat.
Mix Ingredients: 10 to 15 minutes
Grilling Time: 3 to 4 minutes on a waffle iron (or when the light goes out and/or bell rings)
Cooling Time: 5 to 10 minutes
Microwave Time: 30 to 60 seconds
Resting Time: 5 minutes
Source: Steve Sliwa invention … feedback welcome!
Suggested Course: Lunch/Dinner or Hearty Snack
Servings/Yield: 2 Large Waffles – Makes 8 thin sandwiches or 4 thick sandwiches
I spent months working to perfect a specialized grilled cheese sandwich that would be loved by kids and easily adapted for adult enjoyment. I was motivated by sampling a ‘mozzarepa’ at a Brooklyn street fair – it had a unique taste blending melted cheese and crusted cornbread. I tried duplicating aspects of the arepa, but discovered it was tough for me to get the consistency that I wanted and was not easy to repetitively reproduce the results. I also thought I could get a better organic/gluten free strategy so my wife would appreciate more. So ultimately I worked the strategy of a cornbread waffle adapting a pancake recipe from the Gluten Free Mommy with online advice on waffles.
Note that I use Bob’s Red Mill for my source of Gluten Free Medium Grind Cornmeal and Organic Brown Rice Flour as the main ingredients. I also created a version with jalapenos to create a little bite for the adults. Cheese choices are a matter of personal preference. The waffle iron reference below can be purchased at Amazon here.
My goal was to create a grainy cornbread sandwich experience with melted cheese. Enjoy!
Calories: TBD
Total Fat: TBD
Cholesteral: TBD
Sodium: TBD
Total Carbs: TBD
Dietary Fiber: TBD
Sugars: TBD
Protein: TBD
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