Grilled Cheese Recipes: Get Creative With a Classic

April is National Grilled Cheese Month, and we think that's something to celebrate. Gone are the days of putting processed cheese slices between a couple pieces of Wonder bread. Grilled cheese recipes have gotten more creative -- and much more delicious too.

Forget what you know about old fashioned grilled cheese. These flavor combinations we found will put a whole new spin on this classic favorite.

Grilled Cheese Recipes: Apple Cheddar Grilled Cheese

We know apples aren't in season right now, but we couldn't overlook the combination of apples and cheddar. This recipe from I Am a Food Blog is simple and straightforward, and we agree with Steph and Mike -- you just might have the ingredients already in your pantry and refrigerator.

If you're making this grilled cheese for yourself, you can get away with slicing the apples yourself. Likewise, a box grater will make quick work of a block of cheddar.

Grilled Cheese Recipes: Parmesan Crusted Pesto Grilled Cheese

On the other hand, this recipe from Two Peas & Their Pod is going to come in handy this summer. Spread homemade pesto on the bread -- it's a great way to use some of that fresh basil or other leafy greens.

To get the parmesan crust on the outside of your sandwich, follow Maria's directions. Let the butter soften so you can spread it, and finely grate the parmesan so it will stick to the butter. We recommend using a Microplane zester/grater.

Grilled Cheese Recipes: Fig and Brie Grilled Cheese

Another recipe to put into your summer rotation is this one from Kirbie Cravings. (How we wish we had a fig tree, like Kirbie does!) With brie, fresh figs, and honey, this gourmet grilled cheese is several notches above your standard Wonder-bread-and-processed-cheese version.

We might experiment with a couple variations on this recipe for the fun of it. One, caramelize the figs before adding them to your sandwich. Two, either substitute camembert for brie, or try a combination of those two cheeses.

Kirbie recommends a cast iron skillet, though we think any fry pan will do fine. We do echo her suggestion to use a lid to cover your sandwich while it's heating up in the pan. The lid will trap the heat and melt the cheese faster, before your bread has a chance to scorch.

Grilled Cheese Recipes: Spinach-Artichoke Dip Grilled Cheese

This recipe from Delish requires a little more prep work than the others above, but we bet it'll be worth the effort. Take the time to wilt and sauté the spinach and garlic, chop the artichoke hearts, and mix everything with Gruyère and cream cheese. While we're sure sourdough or ciabatta would be delicious, we think this recipe could also work well for a quesadilla.

For most grilled cheese recipes, a skillet will suffice, but for this one we recommend a panini press. Because a panini press grills both sides of the sandwich at once, you don't have to flip it and risk spilling the filling.

Still hungry for more creative grilled cheese recipes? Lucky for you, we discovered the motherlode on Grilled Cheese Social. MacKenzie has seven years of gourmet grilled cheese ideas to offer. We're sure you'll find something delicious in her archives.