Here in Minnesota, it feels like we’ve endured more than our fair share of rain this spring. I’ve gone weeks wearing nothing but ugly, green rain boots. I’ve never wiped up so many muddy paw prints, nor have I’ve ever wanted to spend more time napping.
It’s not all bad though. The grass is vivid, the trees have started to bud, and I feel completely justified in eating my favorite comfort foods–bowls of spaghetti showered with Parmesan, brothy bowls of soup with crusty bread, and grilled cheese sandwiches.
My latest (and arguably greatest) grilled cheese concoction was this open-faced asparagus croque madame sandwich. A croque madame, if you’re unfamiliar, is a croque monsieur topped with an egg and a croque monsieur is a delicious French sandwich made with béchamel-smeared bread, a slice of ham, and cheese. You pop it under the broiler and let the cheese melt and the edges get toasty-crunchy. It’s pretty wonderful whenever, but as lunch on a rainy afternoon, it’s absolute perfection.
