An ode to my favorite sandwhich: Grilled Cheese

(Watch out, that kid looks a little too into that sandwich.)

Who doesn't love grilled cheese? Young and old alike it appeals to everyone. Especially when it's cold. Especially when you have a cold (which I have had for the past week). One day when I didn't have classes and was therefor putzing about the apartment, I started to debate what I wanted to eat for lunch. Something that would make me feel better about having a sniffly nose, and something I could make easily. After reading one of Modcloth's latest blog entries about grilled cheese I decided that would hit the spot quite nicely.

And as I devoured my sandwich a little bit too quickly, I got to thinking about some more grown up version and created a few recipes for you to try.

Drunken Goat & Caramelized Onions
1. Make caramelized onions: Slice one small onion and heat in a pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 vinegar, and 2 1/2 sugar. Cook on medium-high for a few minutes until the onions start to look a little cooked/opaque (stir often), then put the heat down to medium-low until the onions look like they are cooked, then turn the heat down to the lowest setting and forget about them. They'll need to cook for about 45-60 minutes to get that nice dark brown color you see at the restaurants.
2. Drain onions (so the bread doesn't get soggy)
3. Cut thick slices of drunken goat cheese and place on bread with onions (optional fresh spinach or baby greens as well). I think a nice thick french bread or sourdough would work best.
4. Melt butter in pan, then grill you cheese until toasty brown!
I wonder how this would taste with a blue cheese dipping sauce...
(This probably shouldn't go in a Panini Press, or be pressed down in anyway unless the onions are really well drained otherwise it will be very messy).

Three Cheese: English Cheddar, Smoked Gouda, and Gruyere
1. Grate three cheeses together and put inside potato bread.
2. Add bacon if you really want to clog your arteries.
3. Melt your butter, grill, and start looking up a good cardiovascular surgeon.
(PS. If you make grilled cheese on a George Foreman, no butter needed. It toasts it perfectly on its own.)

The Vegan
Soy Cheese (or you could use regular American Cheese), sliced cherry tomatoes, and tempeh
1. Dice tomatoes very small and cut tempeh very thin.
2. Put all ingredients in sandwich.
3. Grill! (I think something like this would work best on a George Foreman)

The Frenchie:
1. Cut thin slices of Pears (do not peel) and thick slices of Brie
2. Put sandwich together and before putting on the top piece of bread, sprinkle sliced almonds and brown sugar on top.
3. Heat and serve!

We also like to make these little concoctions with crescent rolls. Gouda cheese and raspberry jelly! Or peanut butter, chocolate, and bananas (ok, I know there's no cheese in there, but a little bit inside a crescent roll is soooo good). There are so many options you can come up with! (As long as you don't burn them like Nick has done.) Heat up your ham and cheese, add cheese to your BLT, or check our these two AMAZING recipes I found online from A Sofa in the Kitchen and Pantry Raid.