The Canned Ingredient Martha Stewart Uses To Make Grilled Cheese Taste Like Fall

Is there anything Martha Stewart can't do? From DIY Coca-Cola slushy hacks to advice on what to eat on an airplane, she's got innovative ideas for almost everything. So, obviously, she's somehow managed to improve on the grilled cheese with a fall twist that somehow makes toasty, crunchy bread and gooey cheese even more comforting when it's getting cold outside. And the best part is, Stewart's autumnal sandwich relies on an ingredient most of us already have in our kitchen cabinets in the run up to the holiday season: canned pumpkin. It seems so obvious once you've heard it, doesn't it? Of course rich, sweet pumpkin pairs well with melted cheddar, perfectly browned bread, and a bowl of soup. But sometimes, we just need to hear something from Martha Stewart before we believe it. 

To make this simple recipe, Stewart mixes her canned pumpkin with equal parts mustard to draw out its rich, savory flavors, ensuring her fall grilled cheese doesn't taste like a Thanksgiving dessert. Adding thin-sliced sage leaves further enhances the earthy flavors of the winter squash and makes the sandwich taste sophisticated despite its simplicity. Cheeses which Stewart recommends include white cheddar, gruyere, and Fontana, all of which offer a mild and creamy flavor. If you like stronger cheeses, the pumpkin and sage would probably work well with an aged cheddar. 

Although the best bread for most grilled cheeses has to be sourdough, Stewart uses country white and suggests ciabatta as a second choice. The simplicity of these breads allows everything else to shine, and that's what you need when a grilled cheese contains all the flavors of fall. No matter which cheese you decide to use, grating will help it melt evenly. If you can't find your grater, then slice your cheese as thin as you can manage. Try to avoid pre-grated cheese if there are other options, as it usually has an anti-caking coating that stops it from melting properly.

The most important tip for this grilled cheese is to make sure you're using pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. This seems obvious since pie filling is full of sugar and pumpkin spice, but it's surprisingly easy to mix up those cans so there's no danger in triple checking which one you have in stock. You don't need much pumpkin for this fall-flavored sandwich: ¼ cup pumpkin puree mixed with ¼ teaspoon of dijon mustard is enough to spread on two grilled cheese sandwiches. If you have any leftover, you can freeze it for up to six months in an airtight container. Thinking ahead as ever, Stewart suggests freezing the pumpkin in small containers so you can defrost only as much as you need at a time.

Is your freezer basically a morgue for half-finished ingredients you were 'planning to use soon?' Don't worry, there are plenty of ways to incorporate pumpkin puree into everyday meals before it's past its best. With a little planning, you could even get through it in one soup-and-sandwich lunch; canned pumpkin works great blended or stirred into many favorite winter soups, curries, or chilis. It's also the main ingredient in this spiced pumpkin soup. Yes, it's a lot of pumpkin, but if you can't gourd-max in fall, when can you?

If you want to take things a little more slowly with the pumpkin puree, you can store it in the fridge for three to four days after opening and use it across a few meals. Incorporate the puree into dinners by blending with ricotta for a near-instant pasta sauce, for example. The rich sauce would be great with sage too, if you have a few leaves leftover. If you're an overnight oats or hot oatmeal person, use the pumpkin as a breakfast mix-in. It could also be chucked into a smoothie or protein shake, as it goes really well with other common liquid-breakfast ingredients like peanut butter and banana. 

Finally, bakers can add pumpkin puree to the butter, cinnamon, and sugar inside cinnamon rolls or throw some into pancake or waffle batter for an extra soft crumb. Don't make too many plans for your leftover pumpkin, though. Once you've tried Martha Stewart's fall grilled cheese, you might want six more.