Good Morning Darlings!
Usually I feature a product or place on Friday, but I’m in a grilled cheese kind of mood.
I’ve only become proficient at making these beauties in the past few years. Before that, I would always burn the bread and end up with cheese that wasn’t melty, stringy and delicious.
But no more. If you find yourself with unmelty, unstringy and not quite right grilled cheese, worry no longer. I am here to help. And it’s easy.
Photo courtesy of The Glam Society at Blogspot
First, make sure your butter is softened. I would say at room temperature, but in the winter, at least at my house, that would mean rock hard. If you have a microwave, you might zap it for just a few seconds or let it sit on a warm stove for a bit. Spread the outsides of your bread with your softened butter and move on to the cheese.
Second, use grated cheese. Grate it fresh if you have to. I adore Jarlsberg for my grilled cheese and feel that the extra effort to grate a hunk of it worthy of the perfect sandwich. Grated cheese is going to melt up much easier than sliced cheese. Trust me on this. Almost all cheese will work for grilled cheese, except maybe parmesan.
Stove temperature – I set the burner to medium, melt a little more butter in the pan and when it warms up, place my bread buttered side down into the pan. Now, take a mound of your grated cheese and heap it on top, followed by the second piece of bread – buttered side up. Give the sammie a few minutes, pry up the bottom with a spatula and if it looks brown, turn the whole shebang over to grill the other side. This can be tricky, so don’t be afraid to use your fingers to hold the top piece in place. Just don’t burn yourself. Owie! Give it another few minutes on the second side and voila, you have yourself a tasty treat.
I have to admit that a very guilty pleasure of mine is grilled peanut butter and jelly. Don’t scoff. If you have never tried this, you are missing out. So go on over to the pantry and pull out the pb&j and give it a try.
Happy Weekend!!
xoxo, Patti
Today blogging to Little Chris Moyles Show – Brand New Cheesy Song
Mmmmm…I love a good grilled cheese! Great post, Patti! Another trick you can try to melt the cheese once your bread is perfectly browned is, turn off the heat, leave your sandwich in the hot pan and cover witha lid, for just about 15-3 seconds. The heat from the pan melts the cheese without burning the bread.
And now I’m headed to the kitchen to make a grilled pb&j. Yummers!!
I’m in love with my panini press.
You still have to use a sinful amount of butter but everything comes out perfectly.
All that’s missing is a nice mug of tomato soup.
Lisa, so true. A nice mug of tomato soup makes it a meal. Yum! xxoox
Maura – Great tip! But does the lid make the bread a bit soggy or does it keep its crispiness? Let me know how you like the grilled pb&j! xoxo, P
Ashley – I love it! Mmmmmm, garlic! xoxox
OMG. My mouth is watering. Thanks for the Jarlsberg tip. One of my favorite grilled cheese combos is Mozzarella & Banana Peppers. The saltiness of the cheese mixed with the tangy peppers is magic.
Elizabeth! Nom nom nom! xoxo, P
MmmmmmmmmmmmmmmMMMMmmmmmm!:)
Love peanut butter and bacon sandwiches grilled til gooey. Also, try taleggio cheese for a funky grilled cheese that won’t quit.
Oh Lori – that sounds positively sinful! I love it!