An adult twist on two childhood classics

I recently had an epiphany in my local Mariano’s and decided I HAD to have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Health-conscious adult Brittany aside, there is truly nothing that can replace the sticky, nostalgic feeling of chewing on white bread. I also bought Ritz crackers and spray cheese to accompany the sandwiches, but we’ll save that call for help for another time.

Hopleaf, a brewpub in Andersonville, Chicago, serves an amazing sandwich made with cashew butter, fig jam and raclette cheese. Eating this masterpiece for the first time during my pb&j come-to-Jesus moment was a sign that I had to try and make something similar at home. I put my own twist on it by adding hot sauce and sesame oil to the cashew butter mix. This replicates the flavors of a spicy peanut sauce, which surprisingly pairs really well with the jam and cheese!

A need for comfort

With the election this week and the holidays approaching, there’s no better time for nostalgic, comforting recipes that make us feel like kids again. This sentiment has been inspiring me a lot in the kitchen. I hope to create more recipes that bring back that childhood sense of safety, even just for a bite. Comment below or DM me on Instagram your favorite nostalgic recipes you’d like to see recreated! In the meantime, take care of yourself and eat this sandwich.

Spicy Cashew Butter and Jam Grilled Cheese

Makes: 4 sandwiches
Total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1/4 cup of cashew butter
1 tsp of sriracha hot sauce
1 tsp of sesame oil
8 slices of sandwich bread
Butter for spreading
1/4 cup of your favorite jam (I used fig jam)
2 cups of Gruyere cheese, shredded

Instructions

In a small bowl, mix cashew butter, hot sauce and sesame oil until combined.
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat.
Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread and place on the skillet with butter side down. Depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to do this in batches.
For each sandwich, spread 1 tbsp of the cashew butter mix on one slice of bread and 1 tbsp of jam on the other. Top each slice with 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.

5. Using a spatula, check the bottoms of the bread to ensure that they are golden brown. Once they are golden brown, flip one slice onto the other to form a sandwich.

6. Flip over again and press until there is even coloring on both sides and the cheese is melted.

7. Serve and enjoy!