Classic Grilled Cheese

I did something bad. 

I used American cheese.

Please don't tell my mom.  DEFINITELY don't tell my dad. 

I'm a huge disappointment, I know.  The THING is, though, that this American cheese useage came about as part of a HUGE conflict that they instilled in me.  IT'S THEIR FAULT. 

I'll explain!  Howerton's do not waste food.  Howerton's also do not eat processed food.  These are rules that we lived by growing up (they still do), and I believe strongly that they're very good rules for this life and this body.  I live by them most of the time. 

BUT.  Jay went away to the mountains for his bachelor weekend and when the guys were getting ready to come home they were going to throw away leftover food and THEN Jay got wind of this and he knows the Howerton Rules for Life too and said that I would be able to sense if they threw away any food so he brought home sausage and American cheese singles and now they're in my fridge. 

So I used one to make one grilled cheese.  Because wasting seemed worse than eating one processed single?  The above story is entirely true.  I have no clue where any of my anxieties or neuroses came from.  None whatsoever. 

But enough about me!  Let's get to the part of the show where I tell you how to do something SUPER BORING that you've probably been doing your whole life!  I'll admit that I'm crazy about putting some weird stuff in my grilled cheeses.  But sometimes doncha just want some white bread and yellow cheese in your life?  Please say yes.  

For this bad boy, I grabbed some deli-sliced white bread - perfect for grilled sandwiches, and perfect for Texas toast leftovers!  You also need softened butter and cheese.  2 slices per sandwich, your choice.  I like provolone and American, because even though chemical-laden it MELTS SO WELL. So.  There. 

First, spread one side of one piece of bread with some butter - just a thin layer all over.  Don't forget the edges!  They like butter too.  Also.  Use salted butter.  All the time.  It's better than unsalted butter so....there. 

Turn a pan to medium heat, and immediately place the butter side down in a pan, and cover it with the cheeses.  The sandwich will heat through gently so that the cheese will melt while the bread grills.  If you start the sandwich in a hot pan the bread will grill too much before the cheese melts and then you'll JUST BE MISERABLE.  So don't do that.

Top the sandwich with another piece of buttered bread, butter facing OUT, and wait patiently! I also feel like I should state at this time that you could use a larger pan, two pans, a grill pan, or WHATEVER ELSE and make several of these at a time.  Clearly. 

After 3 - 5 minutes, depending on your stove, check the bottom of the grilled cheese.  If the cheese has started to melt and the bread is slightly toasty, flip-er-over. 

Then grill the second side for another minute or two until both sides of the grilled cheese are toasty to your liking - I like a medium-light color.  Not too light, not too dark.  

When the grilled cheese is done, do yourself a favor and cut it into triangles, not rectangles, because they're better.  Promise. 

And you remember yesterday, right?  I made tomato soup disguised as gazpacho.  GET IT?  This was actually really great - super ooey gooey sandwich with cold soup instead of hot.  So much fun, and lighter than regular creamy tomato soup.

Enjoy this sandwich, and make it a meal with cold gazpacho!  It's a fun grown-up-ish throwback, simple to make, and vegetarian, which no doubt offsets the American cheese, yes?

Yes.