This past week’s Gutsy Cook menu choices took me back to my numerous trips to France when I lived in Europe.  From France I give you the famous Croque Monsieur.  And from further north – England, the Apple Charlotte.

Since I was pressed for time (which lately it has been happening more and more - aggggghhh!!!), I skipped the charlotte and made only the Croque Monsieur.

If you are ever in France this sandwich can be found all over the country, while to some it may be a simple hot ham and cheese grilled sandwich, the French take to another level all together and fancy it up.  First by using Gruyère cheese (and you guys know how I love that cheese) and coating it with a Béchamel sauce, which once more has cheese in it, turning it to Mornay sauce, then into the broiler it goes and out comes this hot, cheese, toasty goodness.  Once you have one, you are pretty much guarantee to never see a grilled ham and cheese the same way again.

The best part is that the Mornay sauce stores well in the refrigerator, which makes perfect to make some extra, store and then when you craving that ham and cheese, you can whip this up in less than 10 minutes and feel all French-like.  We made this recipe four times so far, and as I write this I’m eating my fifth.

But there is more, you can actually top this, how?