Build a Better Grilled Cheese

The grilled cheese sandwich is one of my favorite comfort foods and its simplicity makes it even more appealing. I have set two key ground rules when making a grilled cheese.

First, the grilled cheese needs quality ingredients. Good cheese. Good bread. Butter. That's it. This past weekend I decided to experiment with a few new cheeses to see how they would stand up in a grilled cheese. 

Jarlsberg: Sharp and similar to Swiss cheese in flavor and texture. 

Havarti: Creamy, smooth and mild. I think kids would really dig this one!

Habanero Cheddar: This cheese packed heat, a really fun alternative to regular cheddar.

Second, the grilled cheese needs to be made right. Here's how I do it:

To make a grilled cheese, first butter two pieces of bread. Use softened butter, not melted, and don't bother trying to smear cold butter on the bread. Heat a fry pan on LOW. That's right. If you want perfectly toasted bread and melted cheese, low and slow is the way to go here. 

Place on piece of bread, buttered side down on the pan. Top with an even layer of cheese that is thinly sliced. Top off the sandwich with the other piece of bread and leave it alone for a few minutes. Just put a timer on and walk away.

When the bottom looks like this, flip it. The cheese will look like it's on its way to melted perfection at this point. Wait a few more minutes until the other side is toasted and the cheese is melted.

A crisp crust that is perfectly toasted and a creamy, oozy cheese center awaits you!