A Darn Good Grilled Cheese

I asked my daughter, Claire, if I should bother putting something as simple as a grilled cheese sandwich on my blog.  She replied that not everyone knows how to make a good grilled cheese sandwich so…why not?

When Claire was little one of her favorite snacks (and mine) was “square cheese”.  You know, the little individually wrapped slices of something called processed cheese food.  Otherwise known as American cheese.  Goes great with bologna.  I liked to fold it up into a stack of tiny squares and eat them one at a time.  But these days, square cheese doesn’t find its way into my fridge much.

For these sandwiches I used Tillamook cheddar, in my opinion one of the best cheeses ever.  When I moved to the midwest to go to college, this cheese was one of the things I missed.  You can use whatever cheddar cheese you like best, but I’m sticking with this one.  Time was, I did not like using this cheese for grilled cheese because it didn’t melt as easily as the American cheese.  But the trick is to cut it in thin slices and layer, layer, layer.  Melty goodness awaits.  The sweet cherry tomatoes are the perfect complement to the bite of the cheddar.

Melty Perfection

Grilled Cheddar & Cherry Tomato Sandwich

Sourdough bread
Cheddar cheese, sliced thinly, enough for 2 layers per sandwich
Cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
Butter (at room temperature)

Very lightly spread one side of bread with butter.  Heat skillet or grill pan over medium low heat.  Place one slice of bread butter side down, spread with one layer of cheese, then a layer of tomatoes, then another layer of cheese. Sprinkle lightly with salt & pepper if desired.  Top with the other piece of bread (also spread lightly with butter on the side facing out).  Cooking slower will help both with melting all the way through and with not getting black grilled cheese – nobody wants that.  Cook over medium low several minutes, flip gently but quickly, so the tomatoes don’t fall out. If they do, just tuck them back in. Cook for a few minutes on the other side until cheese is melted and both sides are golden brown.

Building the Perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich

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